More blabbering about the weather

Since Quito is usually cloudy, kind of grayish and unpredictable, I don't really talk about how much I love the weather that much, mostly because I don't really love the weather. Still, compliments must be given when they're due, so here it is: the weather in Quito has been fantastic lately. I've even been wearing sun dresses and feeling warmth on my legs.

Not my photo- found via Google Images, taken from gomoplaces.blogspot.com

Quito is obviously at elevation, and the sun can be really strong. When it's sunny, you feel this beating sun on your face, but the temperature isn't really warm. Feeling actual warm air is rare (not in Ecuador, just in the highlands, Quito included). Because it hasn't been that cloudy, I've been reminded of just how lovely this city is.

Also from gomoplaces.blogspot.com

Also from Google Images, http://www.cheaperflights.co.za/quito.htm

I know it's hard to imagine if you haven't been here, but to the west, Quito is surrounded by huge mountains (Pichincha, a volcano). These pictures are all taken from significantly above normal city level, but from street-level, these mountains are HUGE and very majestic. I live in a slightly "higher" part of town (not nearly as high as the vintage point of these photos though)- most of town is downhill from my apartment- which means that on clear, cloudless days, I suddenly have great views of the mountains. It's kind of weird- there are lots of big buildings that can easily obstruct views, but in certain areas (the parking lot of the supermarket, along major streets without big buildings), the mountains suddenly appear, seemingly out of nowhere. Because it's so frequently cloudy, it's easy to forget about how amazing it is to be surrounded by mountains.

Ordinarily, I'd feel badly about boasting about my amazing weather, gorgeous surroundings, and generally high quality of life here. But then I remember that it's summer for all of you and you're enjoying peaches and raspberries and blueberries and water (bodies of water! how I miss them!), so you guys probably aren't too miserable either.