Soccer game: Aucas vs Mushuc Runa

The kids and I went to a pro soccer game today -- a local Quito team called Aucas, vs. a team from central Ecuador called Mushuc Runa.  One of our Spanish teachers, Patricio, who is a soccer fan, offered to take us to the stadium and see the game with us.  Aucas stadium is in the poorer south end of Quito, and Patricio explained that Aucas is "the team of the poor people."  As such, not a lot of people were at the game.  Neither team has a lot of money, and so they don't attract the best players.
It was a lot of fun, even though Mushuc Runa won 1-0.  The kids alternated sitting with me, and sitting down by the fence next to the field.

... you can get a sense of the feel of the experience here

The fan band was right behind us, which made it more fun and exciting, but Annalise got tired of all the noise and said it gave her a "chest ache"

Ice cream always helps in those situations.

The drummer behind Annalise asked her to stand up with a team sign that he made -- which was happy to do after the ice cream pick-me-up.

We were sitting squarely in the sun -- and though the air temperature doesn't get much above 75 F, the equatorial sun is SO strong.  Even clad in hats, long sleeves and pants, and 70 SPF sunblock, we were pretty wiped out afterward.  Still, we've had worse days.