We spent the day doing a little bit of exploring in the part of town called "Old Quito," due to its history, old government buildings and churches. I struggled with my Spanish a little bit while speaking with cab drivers and waiters, but overall I feel I was able to communicate successfully. My mom even managed to pick up on a few words today, and I look forward to seeing how much she'll be able to understand by the time she leaves.
Our hostel is pretty basic and I have been trying to point out all of its good qualities to my mom, who has never stayed in a hostel before, much less one in a third world country. It does have a pretty decent view though. Below is a picture looking out the window of our room.
