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On our previous trip to Ecuador, Craig had his first Multiple Sclerosis (MS) attack. He was bedridden with double vision, dizziness, and disorientation and could not participate in the baptism ceremony and celebration. Our compadres were very worried about his health. We came back home and Craig was hospitalized for 5 days and then was in rehab for a week.
We kept Antonio informed about Craig's condition via e-mail. Craig was out of work for seven weeks, but luckily he made an excellent recovery. When he was feeling better again, we wanted to return to Ecuador to make up for the last time. Antonio had often told us that there is an annual festival to celebrate the founding of Morochos in May. We decided that this would be a good opportunity for a visit, and it all fell into place. We flew out on May 14. We woke up at 5:45 a.m., got ready, and left the house at 7:50. For a work day, the traffic heading into Boston was totally reasonable. When we arrived at Logan Airport, Central Parking was full except for valet service. We had never experienced that before, but there is no additional charge, so we went with it. We surrendered our keys and left our car parked on the 7th story of the garage. We told them what day we would be back, and they said that they would have the keys ready. We checked two bags. In general, we like to travel light (carry-on only), but it is difficult for Craig to walk long distances carrying heavy items these days, so we have recently started checking luggage. When we went through security, we noticed that they were no longer enforcing the 3-1-1 rule; they just asked that you put your liquids and gels into a plastic baggie. They were even handing out ziplocks to people who needed them. I was holding both of our passports while we waited in the security line. An employee got an attitude with me because everyone should be holding their own passport. We did our usual morning departure rourine. We got breakfast at McDonald's, something we only do when in airports. Craig got an Egg McMuffin, and I got a sausage biscuit with egg. We got hash browns, and I got us large water bottles at Cosi, so that we could refill them during the course of the trip. I got some donuts and muffins at Dunkin Donuts to take with us on the flight. Our flight left on time at 11:20 a.m. We actually arrived in Miami early, so we had a bit more time than our tightly scheduled 45 minute layover. We had to take the Sky Train to our gate. We didn't have time for much more than a restroom stop. The flight took off on time at 3:30 p.m. There was actually meal service on this flight, and we had cheese ravioli, a salad, and a Love and Quiches Oatmeal Chewy. We landed outside of Quito at the new Mariscal Sucre International Airport ontime at 6:20 p.m. There was a short line at immigration. There was an Otavalan trainee in traditional dress with the agent who stamped our passport. Our checked bags arrived quickly and we went through customs. When we exited the secured area, Sisa appeared out of nowhere and gave us huge hugs. We had literally just stepped thrpugh the doors. Other passengers were watching and commenting about how adorable she was. Like her mom Aida and grandmother Rosa, she was wearing traditional Otavalan attire. They always dress her like that when they go into the city. Then Yupanqui appeared and hugged us. "Achi! Achi!" they called. In their indigenous Kichwa language, "Achi Mama" means godmother, "Achi Taita" means godfather, and "Achi Wawa" means godchild. We saw Rosa, Antonio, and Aida in the crowd. Sisa and Yupanqui gave us each a rose and a bottle of water. We greeted the family and noticed that toddler Tayanta is now fully walking. The last time we had seern her, she was just on the cusp of walking, but tended to revert to crawling when she really had a purpose. Not any more. She was a walking girl now! They greeted us so warmly, and it truly felt like a homecoming. We headed out to the van that Antonio had hired from his employer Runa Tupari. Sisa held Craig's hand as we crossed the street and got into the large, comfortable van. We embarked on the 2 hour drive to Morochos. Sisa was all excited, talking a million miles an hour. She and Tayanta looked out the window at the lights of the city. But as we grew more remote and the city lights faded, so did the kids. The motion of the van rocked them to sleep. We knew that we were getting close to Morochos when we reached Quiroga. The roads were pretty sketchy in this area due to washouts during the rainy season. The van driver took a small detour, which we assumed was due to the condition of our usual route. As we drew closer to Morochos, we immediately noticed that the roads leading into town had been improved since our last visits, when there had been a lot of washouts. They had repaired them with gravel. We dropped Antonio off at the community center to use the internet and then arrived at the house. Max the dog greeted us, and we also saw Chipi the cat, whom they had just gotten during our last visit after losing an orphaned kitten. We settled into the beautiful little casita that they had built for us. It is an adorable studio with its own bathroom. The beds were rearranged, and there was a large water cooler on the table. The family know that Craig has to be careful not to get dehydrated, so this was a very nice amenity. The suitcase that we had left here packed with our traditional clothes was waiting for us. We were returning to our little house in Morochos, thanks to the hospitality and generosity of our compadres. We have so much to be thankful for. We went over to the main house and had some camomile tea and caught up on news. Rosa prepared some food for the family. They offered us some, but we weren't feeling very hungry. We had been fed on the plane, and the high altitude here (10,000 + feet) always negatively affects our appetites. We knew we'd be going to bed soon as well, so we decided it was best not to put food into our stomachs. The family was very relieved to see Craig in his current condition, able to walk on his own. We talked about his health, and then about the health of their family. Yupanqui was just recovering from a stomach bug. The weather had been rainy recently and the family had been susceptible to colds. Since our visit 8 months ago, Tayanta had had her second eye operation. She had been born totally blind due to congenital cataracts, and each successive operation restored more vision. She has a new pair of glasses that she doesn't like to wear, which is expected since she is only 22 months old. She sat next to me on the bench, but was shy and kept scooching away from me towards Aida. It was very cute. Aida said that she does that to Yupanqui all the time. she was wearing the pink track suit we had sent her for Christmas. Aida said it is her favorite color, and she always wants to wear it, even when it is in the wash. Tayanta seems to be left-handed, as she only eats with her left hand. (On our last visit, we had noticed that she seemed to favor her left hand). She can feed herself well and seems to be able to see relatively well, even without her glasses. Sisa was crowned "Reina Deportes" (Sports Queen) at school, and had gotten roses and a sash to wear at the upcoming festival. Antonio had e-mailed us photos of her coronation, but we were happy to congratulate her in person. Out of 7 girls, she was the smallest in the competition, and everyone was very proud of her. It seems that it is a competition similar to a homecoming queen, but for younger kids. In fact, the hat that she wore and the sash that she was presented were hanging on the wall in our casita. Our pictures were hung up on the fridge, and they said that the kids look at them and speak to us every day. They go into our casita and ask why we aren't there. And they talk about us every time a plane flies by. Antonio returned from the community center. He would have to wake up at 4 a.m. to go to Quito to do some business, and Sisa had school in the morning, so we decided to let them get to bed at 10:30 p.m. |
 Sisa, Tayanta, and Yupanqui greet us at the airport  Tayanta and Sisa look at the city lights  Antonio and Yupanqui in the van  Our comfy casita  Achi Mama Steph and Achi Wawa Sisa  Rosa in the kitchen |
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