Getting Around

The way for the masses to get around here is by bus. Below the temple are two streets. One goes north and the other south. To go south we use bus 12 which takes us to poli-central (about a mile) or further to the stake center where we go to church. Or bus 55 if we want to continue on into the center of the city by the Guayas river. Either bus is used for transportation, not comfort. It is not uncommon on Sunday mornings to climb aboard good old number 12 to go to church and find it already full. There always seems that there is room for one (or two) more to get on. The trouble is that the seats are all full as is the space in the aisle. Fortunately there is a rod to hang on to but no room to put your head up. So you are forced to stand hunched over waiting for someone to get off so you can grab a seat. The best thing about the buses here is the price. 0.25 is the going rate and you can go as far as the bus goes. The other evening we got on the bus and discovered it wasn't going where we wanted to go, so we disembarked and walked about as far to our destination as we would have if we hadn't taken the bus in the first place. We do a lot of walking. To the market, to the bakery, the dry cleaners, the barber, the mall and to the super market. Sister Rigby will have to tell you the ins and outs of shopping here. Suffice it to say that we can walk there in about twenty five minutes and then after purchasing groceries, we can take a cab back for $2. It is a little bit hazardous walking here. All the cars assume that they have the right of way and the pedestrian needs to be very careful. I wanted to post some other photos but that will have to wait. We need to send some photos about the burning of the kung fu panda on new years eve etc. But that will come later.