Quito Viejo, Alive With Locals

I've been a tourist in Quito.
Saturday is slow and the city shuts down on sunday with primarily locals populating the old city where every few blocks there is a church, cathedral, basilica (but no synagogues?) - the new city, where I am staying, is a ghost town but for tourists looking for something to shop.
There are police (federal, municipal, turistica) everywhere but they are seemingly the most docile and amiable group that I've ever come across - likely a reflection of the society.
This is a city of active churches, many many well used churches.
It was nice to have a lazy day and just wander the city doing nothing.
I'm attaching a foto of the central bank; their currency (like Panama and El Salvador) is the US dollar. I don't know if that is good or bad given our 50% slide against the euro - but it could be worse.
Quito in general, but particularly food, is very inexpensive.
Wandering up and down the old stone streets at altitude is awakening muscles. Finally found some nightlife,,, gotta go.

Nick
via BlackBerry

Quito, Equador & Mr. Moto becomes cargo

"Problemo Grande" was the phrase of the day - until I got to Quito!

They have art everywhere and if first impressions matter (they do) then I'm going to like this place!

In Panama: The moto could NOT be shipped today and definitely not to Quito - there was no warehousing available - planes yes, a place to put it, NO!
Calls were made, hands were wrung, then they found a plane leaving Bogota to Quito tonight so they would accept it for pick up in Quito on Monday - no storage needed - problem solved...
Got to the other side of the airport and it struck everyone as CRAZY that I should show up at an airport and want to buy a ticket to get on one of those things that fly - seriously!
It took 90 minutes and every supervisor available, plus one from upstairs, to buy a ticket. At 11:47 they gave me a ticket for the 11:50 flight with this advise "no stop to shop, ju mus urry"
Then passport control needed a supervisor because my passport was stamped at the frontera/border with vehicle information and this was very confusing. Oh, and security needed to look at my small carry on, twice.
Asi la Vida - Any other mind set isn't helpful or rewarding.

I'm in Quito now and I've just found a great little hotel and cleared the mental slate.
Dot, dot, smile!

Nick
via BlackBerry

Ciudad de Panama

Rolled into Panama City as my trip odometer rolled past 7800 km (5000 miles). Snaked into the old city (just because) and saw a few sights, got hung up in traffic (and confused) until I found a group of motorcycle cops doing the Dunkin Donuts thing at a gas station - asked for help - and after the obligatory show them the bike routine, I got a lane-splitting motorcycle escort through town to the autopista on-ramp. They were testing me because they were cutting through traffic on little dirt bikes at speed.
Found my way to the cargo terminal at the airport and learned that Mr. Moto (a proper noun) can be on a plane to Bogota Colombia tomorrow AM and available to pick up on Monday morning - or - ship it Monday and pick it up on Thursday in Quito. Not bad as I could fly ahead and be a tourist for a few days while it catches up to me - if I can leave it tomorrow for monday's flight the next entry you read will be from Ecuador.
Found a small repair shop with a great bunch of guys. Funny that they had the tires I needed (and no other tires), another story. I'm now running a set of Perelli Scorpions in AlMoSt the right size for a good deal price! While they were changing the rubber I tightened everything I could, fixed a bent luggage attachment and changed the oil. Mr. Moto is happy.
If I don't leave tomorrow I've been invited to a motorcycle group party in the mountains on Saturday afternoon/evening - its carnival here with much of the country shut down this weekend so I'm heading into al centro to see what's shakin'.
Nick
via BlackBerry

Santago, Veraguas, Panama (the middle)

Got up at dawn and decided really cold hands were better than warm road kill so I headed out over the other 12,000 ft pass in central america before the big rigs started rolling - even they don't drive at night. Got over the pass and into the valleys for breakfast. Decided I was making good time so pressed on.
Hit the Panama border a little after noon and was relieved to find that it was the easiest yet. 90 minutes to get out of one and into the other.
The scenery changes bit it is just as spectacular as Costa Rica.
Tried to pay my ticket twice but banana republic politics proved the stronger force - one bank just said no because I must wait at least 5 days and the other said I didn't come with three copies and wouldn't allow me to pay - so what? now I'm a fugitive over a $10 speeding ticket and can never return! EVER!
Tried to make it to the coast this evening but the sun started down... I will likely speed into the capital tomorrow AM to get details about shipping Mr. Moto. If they can get it out over the weekend then good - but I suspect Monday so I'll look for tires and likely run over to Mar Caribe for the weekend.
Got stopped at checkpoints twice - there are two types:
Come to stop, look confused, they ask where you from?, where you going?, make some noises to each other then finally say, "alone?", I say yes, they look astonished and make comments about large breakfast food items. Then they want to chat and look at the bike - if you take the helmet off this goes on too long - turn the motor off, don't take the helmet/glasses off.
The other is the "show me your papers" because I'm very important and have serious questions interrogation routine - here I just continue with step one - look confused and repeat - no intendee,,, excuse me, no habla spanish... It only takes about 45 seconds of moron-speak until they wave me through in disgust. Each results in the some outcome.
Saw a bunch of huge lizards sunning themselves on the early-morning road (but not a lot of splatter spots so they must sense the danger danger - how would Darwin explain that...?)
A Beautiful Day,
Nick
via BlackBerry

In the mountains south of San Jose

Didn't make it very far today - 50% by design/50% fate. Tried to find tires in San Jose - only street tires available at several places. I will ride further south on these.
Up at 2700 meters now and it gets cold, dark and foggy fast so I pulled into a micro lodge lest I become road kill. There is only 1 north/south route for the continent through very twisty narrow roads and the truck drivers must be Guatemalan. It will be interesting to walk a few trails in the early AM as there is nada happening this evening - early to bed...
Saw several interesting animals today; got a ticket for going 97 in a 90 zone - I will just consider it a karma warning or payback for all the times I might have been going a little faster.
A Costa Rican day,
Nick
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Diving Playa del Coco

Enough driving, time for a little touring. Went for a couple dives this morning and a lot of nothing this afternoon.
Nick
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