I am getting around town

Greetings to you all.
Getting used to these Spanish keyboards is a bit of a challenge and I apologize for typos and other goofs. You may note I dont use apostrophes. I dont know how on these machines. There are a few other peculiarities also and they are sometimes different on different keyboards. So we will make do as best we can.
Yesterday I had a great time visiting a couple of the great places here in Quito. First, I went to Old City, which is the old colonial part of Quito. I took a taxi, that is how I get everywhere that is not in walking distance, arriving first at Plaza Grande. This is a grand open area on one edge of Old City. It is where the government buildings are and it is where everyone with a cause comes to speak out to the crowds about their issue. There was a huge gathering to hear speakers about a proposed change in the tax system. There were armed police and military personel everywhere in the Plaza. They acted like this was all normal, not as thoiugh they were there for this particular occasion, but is was a strange feeling.
I took some photos of the plaza, the buidings there and some of the crowd and speaker and moved on. I stopped and had some lunch and then just started walking the narrow streets of Old City, taking photos of people and of the peculiar architecture. I walked a number of the streets and then started the long up hill climb to the other end of Old City and I do mean UP and I do mean LONG CLIMB. At 10,000 feet it was quite a climb. There is an old gothic-style cathedral at the top of the hill that looks like an old Europena Cathedral and looks completely out of place here. I took a few shots of it and grabbed a taxi to my sec0nd stop, Parque Carolina.
Carolina is a huge park in the center of the city with every imaginable activity from horseback riding, to soccer and backetball courts, a fantastic skate board course that is unilike any I have ever seen, a lake with paddele boats and endless open spaces to stroll. I strolled and came upon a group making a televison spot about the proposed tax issue. I struck up a chat with the main actor in the production and had a fascinating time with him. I then strolled some more and took a photo of a guy who was doing spray paint art on the outside of one of the tunnels, and I do mean ART, not graffiti. The photo shows some of his art as well as him spray painting and I relly like it a lot.
I grabbed a taxi, that is the only safe way to get around town, especially with an obviously valuable camera. You have to be very careful as regards security. I dont carry a walle, only a copy of my passport, and only small amounts of cash, one credit card, all in secure pockets. I am most careful when I have my camera with me. I dont want to over state the case, but pick pockets and grab and run crimes are very, very common.
I found a TGI Fridays for supper and went back to my apartment to try to get some news about the NH primary--forget it--nada, nada, nada. I finally got the results this morning at the diocesan office.
That takes me to today:
After breakfast I took a cab to the diocesan office for a eucharist at 9:00 and a tour of the office and an introduction to everyone there. Then I had luinch with the Bishop and Chris Morck, his assistant. We talked about a host of possiblities for places for me to go, but didnt make any immediate plans, except on Friday I will attend a meeting at one of the churches here in Quito, and attend church at the cathedral on Sunday. The Bishop just returned from his vacationa nd he really doesnt have his own plans made yet.
I need to wash some clothes tomorrow early before others in the apartment get into the laundry room and then if the weather is nice, it is raining today, I will look for another part of this fasciating city to cruise and shoot photos.
I have learned that to take photos of people you have to ask first and usually they want paid, either 50 cents or a dollar. You cannot blame them though. The peoiole that are the most intersting to photo are the poor, and I dont begrudge them at all.Well, it is time to head off for supper. there is an Argentinean-Chilean restaurant a block for my apartment and it is not raining hard so I think I will go there. I has lunch with Chris there and the food was very good.
Adios Amigos from Quito.