The beautiful city of Loja, we all loved it there. The guys were able to play with some well known musicians in the area and the people there were very receptive to the tunes :)
We were fed well and catered to in every way, having the government fund a gig is the way to go. I was introduced as the photo journalist so I played the part while there. Hey after all, that was actually my number one job choice way back when (in fact maybe I ought to reconsider that). Loja was the first city in Ecuador to have electricity and known for it's musical influence. A place I would definitely return to.
Our next stop was Cuenca, we arrived shortly before dark and were housed only two blocks from the venue which was great but the hostel not so great. The noise from the street does not bode well after a late night show. Ecuador seems to shut down by 11pm but the hustle and bustle starts by 6am (4am in Utah) and that is not my cup of tea.
The owner of the club was British and spoke great English which was a breath of fresh air after second guessing what everyone is saying around you (I am however impressed by how much vocabulary I've retained through the years). I was so excited to order the babaganoosh (my spell check won't tell me if I spelled this right) on the menu but sadly it wasn't available nor the key lime pie my stomach requested (Rebecca, Mazza is calling my name so plan it when I get back). The ambiance in the club was great, drawings of Che and beautiful paintings plastered the walls plus the view (above) from the balcony was not so shabby either.
Our stay there was short lived, we loaded into the van the next morning for our three and a half hour ride up the mountain to Guayaquil. Below are some examples of what one might see out their window on a mid afternoon ride :)
Can't get over this kids outfit above, nor the fact that he is peddling treats at the ripe age of what three?? Wow
Next stop Guayaquil, the drive from Cuenca was breathtaking. We drove up at mountain above the clouds that reached nearly 14,000 feet before descending into the city, pictures to come.
Guayaquil is where Daniel's mission home is...he is in Machala, not too far from there. Also, go see the temple if you can as it looks beautiful. Thanks for the pictures as Dan hasn't been able to send any from Ecuador yet. xo miss you. I love the people pictures!!!!!!
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