Carnaval

After our early morning with the baby's, we had bright plans for the biggest festival in all of Quito, but alas, it rained! So we decided to go to a big parade anyway, but when we got there, we found out it is tomorrow! O joy, but we are not the type to throw a pity party so our guide suggested we tour the presidential palace! We almost couldn't get in because we only had copy's of our passports, then mine was black and white and soaking wet, as I split my water bottle in my bag! But I guess I looked innocent enough. :)

There were so many fresh flowers! They are just gorgeous! Roses are one of Quito's main exports!

Well as the tour was in Spanish I only got bits and pieces but my translators gave me quite a bit of info, when they were not translating for some other English speakers! We met some lady's who had met each other 40 yrs ago, they live in different countries but still visit and go on vacations together! It was so neat to talk to them!

This is like the council room, these chairs are over a hundred years old!

The dining room, probably seated around 60 people.

This is where the president gives his address to the public every Monday.

They replace the flowers once a week! There is the guard in the back ground, he was keeping a good watch on us!

All the presidents....

This flag is woven with some silver and gold thread.

Giving my address to Ecuador! :)

It was so beautiful!!

So after we finished in the presidential palace, we went to a wax museum and well pretty much just had fun! :) I didn't learn to much!

Natasha found some priests!

Ya, Sebastian found one too!

The building use to be a prison, until the wives of those in the prison started a riot (or protest of something) because the conditions were so bad! At least that's what I think she was saying......

I loved the children display!

We even got to go down into the dungeon....

ohhh scary..

This is the touch of freedom! (It was fake)

All of the stone is beautiful!

So after all our touring we went to get some lunch, do some shopping and then we found an ice skating rink..... yes, I am from Wisconsin and I love ice skating!! The ice was really rough, and the skates were so dull, but it was the closest I have felt to being at home, and I enjoyed it anyway! Natasha was a great ice skater! Well Sebastian, he hasn't been for awhile and wobbled a lot! But he was persistent! Even though he limped all the way home after.... ya I think we wore him out pretty good!

Giving him a hand!

Ya, I look a little concerned.... We didn't get a picture of Natasha and I, but we had some pretty good moves together! And being American's we were the "main attraction" as usual! We always have a lot of stares, but I think this took the cake! After awhile you get used to it! But we figured they are going to stare anyway, so we might as well not let it bother us, so we were just having fun..swirling, twirling, (we knocked into one lady who SCREAMED!! ya, that encouraged the stares!) falling, well I don't think Natasha fell but we enjoyed ourselves immensely!

One little girl walked up to Natasha and I today, she stood in front of us, looking back and forth between the two of us for quite awhile! I can't believe the stares we get, even when you make eye contact with people they are not embarrassed by the fact that they are openly staring at you and you know it! The honking, and whistling gets annoying to, but you learn not to make eye contact and ignore them! I don't know how we will be able to handle it when we get back to the States and we can walk down the street quite inconspicuously!

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you: and I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 2 Corinthians 12:14

This morning as I read this verse, I was a little shocked, I didn't realize how explicitly God had placed this command in the Bible! But it was very saddening to realize how many people are using their children to support them, perhaps from the government or different things, or begging, having their children selling things, working to bring home food. Or even instilling in their children a un-biblical sense of responsibility toward their parents!