The Family Way
Well Ed and I have really settled into the rhythm of family life with Marco, Yolly and the little boys Marquito and Carlito. In fact we have so settled in that I have found myself doing some very regular 'homey' kind of things but with a slight equadorian twist. Take the weekend for example, on Saturday night Marco and Yolly decided to stash the kids at the cousins place for the night and take us out to a pena which is a nightclub. Instead of the usual doof doof music of our clubs at home and monotonous solo dancing we were greeted with a ten piece mariachi band in full spangled outfits and sombreros, glamorous colombian salsa dancers in sequins and a wild assortment of locals both old and young getting down and dirty in pairs on the dancefloor. (Eds teacher told him only crazy people dance on their own in latin america) All this entertainment for the paltry entrance fee of 2 bucks and we stayed out til 2am.
In the morning there was no time to be hungover as Yolly and Marco were up and at it again. First job, washing their dogs.....not just ordinary dogs but humungos Saint Bernards who weigh about 80 kilos each. Washing them was a four person job...its not easy to hang onto an 80 kilo dog that doesnt want to get wet. After the baths Marco put their leads on so we could take them for a walk. It was quite a scene, every dog in the neighbourhood went hysterical at the sight of Max and Mimi (and there are a lot of dogs in the neighbourhood). I have never seen an Alasation whimper and run a mile before but this one did as soon as he saw 'los perros'. People were also were running away and peering out from behind their fences at the strange gringos with the giant dogs. (I think the dogs look like giant teddy bears but to the neighbours apparently they look like demons). I loved it.
In the afternoon we all retired to Marco and Yollys bedroom where they keep their enormous surround sound tv for a Jet Li movie (dubbed into espanol of course) before Ed and I prepared an Australian style Sunday Roast. (I even managed to make gravy out of vegemite!). They all thought it was pretty funny that Ed was in the kitchen - over here its strictly a task for the ladies.
Today we are taking the boys for swimming lessons but again with the usual Ecuadorian twist...forget the stark council swimming pool of my childhood. The pool is a veritable pleasure palace with mosaics and murals, a spa, a sauna and of course a mirrored bar in the corner that sells beers. I love it!
In the morning there was no time to be hungover as Yolly and Marco were up and at it again. First job, washing their dogs.....not just ordinary dogs but humungos Saint Bernards who weigh about 80 kilos each. Washing them was a four person job...its not easy to hang onto an 80 kilo dog that doesnt want to get wet. After the baths Marco put their leads on so we could take them for a walk. It was quite a scene, every dog in the neighbourhood went hysterical at the sight of Max and Mimi (and there are a lot of dogs in the neighbourhood). I have never seen an Alasation whimper and run a mile before but this one did as soon as he saw 'los perros'. People were also were running away and peering out from behind their fences at the strange gringos with the giant dogs. (I think the dogs look like giant teddy bears but to the neighbours apparently they look like demons). I loved it.
In the afternoon we all retired to Marco and Yollys bedroom where they keep their enormous surround sound tv for a Jet Li movie (dubbed into espanol of course) before Ed and I prepared an Australian style Sunday Roast. (I even managed to make gravy out of vegemite!). They all thought it was pretty funny that Ed was in the kitchen - over here its strictly a task for the ladies.
Today we are taking the boys for swimming lessons but again with the usual Ecuadorian twist...forget the stark council swimming pool of my childhood. The pool is a veritable pleasure palace with mosaics and murals, a spa, a sauna and of course a mirrored bar in the corner that sells beers. I love it!
posted by Kate Browne at 11:01 AM
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