A little while in Ecuador

Two days ago I arrived in Quito, Ecuador.
I will be here for about 2 weeks to work with my colleague Ellen, who studies Dramatherapy at Stenden University in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. The same school, I just received my bachelor of Art Therapy.
It is the first time that I am in South America. For me it is surprising how similar Ecuador is to Honduras - of course, in my first impression - and compared to Europe, where life is couloured so differently.
It is easy to notice that Ecuador is much bigger - especially Quito compared to Tegucigalpa. Also, it lays 3000 meters above sea level, while Tegucigalpa is located on "only" 1000 meters.
People here seem to be as friendly as in Honduras, lots of them have more indiginous characteristics. Especially in the villages and towns.
Only yesterday we went to a little town to experiment a local carnaval - lots of happy people (men mostly drunk) in traditional garments. Although I expected even some more of traditional culture. It surprised me to visit quite a commercialized event. Expecting to be thrown at with water, flour or rice - we were disappointed through being covered by artificial foam of all flavors. (...) The waterthrowing would have been quite funny, if the sun had given us company. Unfortunately, it was raining - we traveled back by bus, all wet and cold. The view of the beautiful Andes with snow-covered volcanos and infinite grassy mountains that we passed, made up for the bad weather during the carnaval.

The weather here in Quito is quite fresh and often unpredictible. I am fortunate to have carried my winter jacket. When the sun comes out, it is hot immediately. It's easy to feel that we are much closer to her, than in the flat Netherlands or Münster, where I come from in Germany.

Here there's two pictures, one of the beautiful way to the carnaval village (later it was also sunnier) - and another of us, being covered with nasty foam.... Yes, keeping the smile!