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- IMG 4492
Ibarra: Jess, Javier, Sisa, Antonio, Yupanqui, Shina, Steph, Rosa, Aida, and Craig - IMG 4478
Rosa, Yupanqui, Shina, Aida, Antonio, Sisa, and Craig Parque Ciudad Blanca - 42229149 680715118957940 2370795181155811328 o
Aida, Antonio, Rosa, Craig, Yupanqui, Sisa, Shina, Steph Parque Ciudad Blanca - 42200185 680715945624524 3837274136166531072 o
Norma, Aida, Antonio, Rosa, Craig, Yupanqui, Sisa, Shina, Steph, Jess, Javier Parque Ciudad Blanca - IMG 4461
- IMG 4456
Street art at Parque Ciudad Blanca - IMG 4452
Craig and Steph in front of Mount Imbabura - IMG 4449
Jess and Craig in front of Mount Imbabura - IMG 4446
The kids enjoy the swings at Parque Ciudad Blanca - IMG 4433
Diego joins the kids on the playground at Parque Ciudad Blanca - IMG 4420
Aida, Yupanqui, Javier, Jess, Diego, Norma, and Craig - IMG 4418
Shina and Sisa in the "walking water balls" with Mount Imbabura in the background - IMG 4403
Shina blocks her ears as a leaf blower is used to inflate her "walking water ball" - IMG 4398
We then drove to the Parque Ciudad Blanca. It is a long flat park that was the former site of a small regional airport, where Jess's father Diego worked for 20 years. The park has many paid activities for children: renting Powel Wheels cars, renting bikes, art activities . It reminded us very much of parks we had visited in China. We hadn't seen it before in Ecuador and wondered if it was influenced by Ecuador's recent diplomatic and economic relationship with China. Neither country requires a visa for its residents to visit the other, and there has been an influx of Chinese industry in Ecuador. One activitiy that we had not seen before consisted of "walking water balls." These are clear plastic spheres which children can enter which flost on a shallow pool of water. Kids try to stand up and run in what is essentially a soft plastic hamster ball, and much fun ensues. Sisa and Shina wanted to try, so for $2 each they got 7 minutes inside. (Craig and I wondered if 7 minutes was the max you could stay inside due to oxygen levels...did they start out with 10 minutes and have to change it due to kids passing out? Inquiring minds want to know! ) Each kid got into a deflated plastic bubble, and a guy inflated it with a leaf blower. The kids then tried to run like they were in a hamster ball, inevitably collapsing in giggles. It was a great time and they really enjoyed it (though they were hot and tired when their 7 minutes expired). - IMG 4397
Craig with Jess and her parents Norma and Diego at Parque Ciudad Blanca