1) People watching in the park, being approached variously by children, students and a young lad selling roses for his uncle's treatment - every interaction being sweet and gentle, if linguistically challenged.
2) Letting the Maquipucuna love of all things living wash over me and teach me, so that even cockroaches appear suddenly beautiful, and I stop whenever I see an insect, not just to avoid crushing it, but to take time to admire it. No living thing is any less fascinating than another, none are intrinsically disgusting. I thought I already knew this. But I didn't.
3) Arriving home one day after walking past a protest demonstration in the streets of Quito. Mentioning this in halting Spanish to the lovely mother and father team who seem to run the hostal much more than its listed representative, their son - and being treated to an impassioned response, ushered to a chair in the courtyard and spending a fascinating hour talking politics and life choices in surprisingly adequate Spanglish with the father, while the mother bustled smilingly around us, with gloves, brooms and cloths, chipping in now and then - and doing all the work.
4) Standing, hushed, in the humming forest, and watching a full sized Spectacled Bear rise out of the undergrowth, climbing up a tree trunk to reach his favourite fruits, just metres from our vantage point. The mingled fear, awe, and joy that produced in me.
5) Plunging, freezing, into beautiful clear water surrounded by trees and vines, and totally hidden from passing view, in the swimming hole in the river which runs peacefully through the Maquipucuna reserve.
6) Dancing badly, but youthfully to the first and third bands at the free music musical at Ichimbía Parque, and realising our strangely aged requirement for a 'nice sit down and a cup of tea' during the second one must, purely, have been due to the music being too staid.
7) Feeling like a proper Quiteño after dropping in by chance to a live performance of an amazing jazz cum salsa band in a tiny courtyard. Dancing salsa with abandon and even a little bit of funk, to our surprise being no worse or better at it than most of the other people there, none of whom were tourists. Sitting back to catch our breath on odd occasions and admiring the skill of the scattering of people there who really were really good. Enjoying the way they danced salsa without affectation or ponce, but with an enthusiastic, dirty, jazzy vibe which is the way, we agree, that we want to dance salsa ourselves.
8) Discovering in Guayasamín, an Ecuadorian artist I can get really passionate about, and who, himself, leads a legacy of passion and fervour, against violence and in search of peace. Being moved by the art with genuine depth, and resolving to learn more from home, and to visit the works this amazing and prolific artist has scattered around the world.
9) My first bird walk at the Cloud Forest, when I gaped at beautiful, bright bird life, saw parrots and toucans, and realised, beyond my wildest imaginings, that I really was going to see this kind of bird life. For real. Up close.
10) Being woken up by an excited 'father of the house' in our hostal because the man upstairs who lives in the self contained apartment has invited us all onto his balcony because it's an unusually clear day and we can see Cotopaxi puffing out clouds of ash as it smoulders and explodes with equal ominousness and beauty in the distance. Nature, both human and animal, insect and flora - is at once terrible and wonderful.
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