simple comparisons

immediately upon arriving in ecuador numerous comparisons came to my mind between my experience last summer in liberia and now in ecuador.
here are a few:
- unlike the post civilized liberia, ecuador, like many latin american countries, is mostly civilized. technology is everywhere, but it is counterbalanced by old world realities. more on this later.
- the quito (capital city) airport was modern but utilitarian. it was simple and clean without the stores, restaurants and other distractions. liberia´s airport was a long ago forgotten shell of a building.
- liberians have rhythm. many of the indigenous people i have spent my time with have none.
- africans carry anything and everything on their heads. ecuadorians carry large and/or heavy items on thier backs (consquently many of the older generations are severly hunched over).