Michelle17

I really love Germany & Cologne was my favorite city—From the delicious light beer (& I normally don’t like beer) to the friendly people & most of all the friends we made, Germany is not the same without Cologne!

I spent only a weekend there, but it was awesome! The first night their soccer team “Real Madrid” won the championship (I think) so there was celebration going on all night out in the streets.

I was apprehensive at first about the hostel that I picked out—Apparently according to my guidebook it was sort of in a red-light district (a fellow passenger on the train compared it to Hell’s Kitchen decades ago). Luckily for us it wasn’t that bad at all (right around the corner from McDonald’s – I felt safe ;).

You know all those Inca handwoven sweaters sold in Cambridge to college kids? Well, Here is the Filene’s Basement of Otavalian crafts—brightly colored tapestries, ponchos, knapsacks—you name it! Also visit Banos for their famous pies and taffy-like candy. Plus “La Mitad del Mundo”—You can walk on the equator line!

Childhood memories of hanging out with my cousins, riding in the back of motorcycles & trucks, eating pizza at El Hornero—great summers that I wish I could freeze in time!

I still have family there (most have moved to the US). Quito is quite gorgeous, the weather is great (not too hot/cold & not humid), and the people are very welcoming—Many wonderful memories of my Sweet Sixteen vacation especially!