Art and Culture
We took a quick look at a Art Gallery/Cultural Museum (Fondacion de Guayasamin) in Quito before heading south. The Museum consisted of a private collection of Pre-Colombian and Pre-Inca artifacts, a Religious art collection and some of Guayasamin´s modern art. Guayasamin was a pretty famous Ecuadorian artist who was part of the Quito School of Art. The school did quite a lot of religous work, which was really valued for the quality that the indigenous artists (that had converted) created. It wasn´t that interesting and looked like every other religious art I´ve seen. But Kudos to them!
The artifacts were pretty neat, and Guayasamin has collected quite a number of them. Everything from musical instruments, to ceramic and stone bowls, Shaman Idols and some large pedestal looking things they thought might have been for baby sacrifices. Coool. We got there and they started giving a tour in spanish, which was very fast and we felt left out so we just hung at the back and tried to let the group lose us, but the lady was very insistant (i guess they don´t want people putting their grubby hands all over the ancient artifacts). After the tour she came up to us and we explained that we only spoke a little spanish, but knew english and french. She gave the tour in French just for us! It was neat, and we were pretty surpised how well we understood and took in everything, having not spoken much french in recent years.
In the last part of the foundation we took in some of Guayasamin´s art. Very picasso-ish according to Sarah. I thought it was pretty neat stuff, and wouldn´t have minded having one of those scary guys staring back at me in my room. Then i looked at the prices of the prints... someday Colin, when you win the lottery.
Actually speaking of languages, we´ve been running into people from all over. So far we´ve encountered, Belgians, Germans, Aussies, Dutch, Americans, and Canadians! It´s neat because not everyone speaks english, so most of the time we either talk to them in Spanish, or get to practice our French.
We left the Art Foundation feeling very socially and culturally enlightened, devoured a bowl of fruit and Helado (ice cream), then caught a bus south to Latacunga. We figured out that if you catch the bus as it leaves the bus station you get the next bus that is leaving, and you miss out on the $0.20 terminal fee... practially locals now!
The artifacts were pretty neat, and Guayasamin has collected quite a number of them. Everything from musical instruments, to ceramic and stone bowls, Shaman Idols and some large pedestal looking things they thought might have been for baby sacrifices. Coool. We got there and they started giving a tour in spanish, which was very fast and we felt left out so we just hung at the back and tried to let the group lose us, but the lady was very insistant (i guess they don´t want people putting their grubby hands all over the ancient artifacts). After the tour she came up to us and we explained that we only spoke a little spanish, but knew english and french. She gave the tour in French just for us! It was neat, and we were pretty surpised how well we understood and took in everything, having not spoken much french in recent years.
In the last part of the foundation we took in some of Guayasamin´s art. Very picasso-ish according to Sarah. I thought it was pretty neat stuff, and wouldn´t have minded having one of those scary guys staring back at me in my room. Then i looked at the prices of the prints... someday Colin, when you win the lottery.Actually speaking of languages, we´ve been running into people from all over. So far we´ve encountered, Belgians, Germans, Aussies, Dutch, Americans, and Canadians! It´s neat because not everyone speaks english, so most of the time we either talk to them in Spanish, or get to practice our French.
We left the Art Foundation feeling very socially and culturally enlightened, devoured a bowl of fruit and Helado (ice cream), then caught a bus south to Latacunga. We figured out that if you catch the bus as it leaves the bus station you get the next bus that is leaving, and you miss out on the $0.20 terminal fee... practially locals now!
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