INT. J ROLAND KELLY - NIGHT

As in my earlier, post I talked about writing a song with an Ecuadorian I met here, and I needed a guitar. I was feeling that nervous-anxious itch, after not having played for six weeks anyway.

I walked around to different guitar shops in El Centro Historico of Quito, of which there are many, and decided on a little student guitar by Rosero Nunez. It cost $45 and is totally playable.

I don’t know who this Rosero Nunez (or the company) is. I do know that there are many small guitar-making shops in Ecuador, but I couldn’t find any information online about this one.

And when I can’t find information online; I blog about it.

All I have is the inside label:

Notice the hotmail email address on it.

I’ll pass that along, in case anyone wants a custom guitar.

I hear from an Ecuadorian peace corp’er that the country has many guitar makers that are 70 years old with no children who wanted to continue the tradition. So it goes.

My new guitar is quite inexpensive (but good) and in the store I purchased it, I saw many more Rosero Nunez guitars that were of really good quality but at a higher price.

I decided on my particular guitar because it was small (in case I have to travel with it), it was cheap (in case I have to toss it), it’s not large enough to make too much noise in my hotel room, and while being a “classical” guitar, it’s made for children so the strings are almost the same distance apart as in the American tradition.

Having a classical guitar is new to me. I have never had nylon strings, I’ve never had strings don’t fan out as you go down the fret board, and if I break a string I would not know how to replace it, as the strings have no “ball” and are tied on in an elaborate way.

Still it has a unique sound, and I’m quite satisfied.

I should say that many things in Ecuador are bootlegged, and just because the label lists it as being a Rosero Nunez, that’s no guarantee that it’s not a guitar made somewhere else with an Ecuadorian label. I bought a hat that says it was made in Italy and that is obviously not true.

Even if - it’s still a playable guitar.

-J Roland Kelly

Living in the old historic part of Quito is great, but sometimes it’s hard to find modern trendy things; like a place to workout. Plenty of decent gyms exist in the new town, but I have only found one near where I live in the Old Town.

It’s called Samsom Y Dalila, and it’s located at Montufar & Chile in El Centro Historico.

They have a good selection of free weights, most of the machines are pretty beat up, but I found one stationary cycle in good shape.

If you want to pay by the month, it’s 20 bucks for a membership plus a one-time sign up fee, otherwise it’s two bucks to enter.

I think the hours are 6:30 am until 9:30 pm Monday – Friday, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm on Saturday and they are closed on Sunday.

It’s located on the ground floor of a residential building, but a stainless steel “GYM” sign on top of building makes the place easy to find.

I couldn’t find any information online or in a Quito city guide about gyms in the Old Town so I am writing this up.

If you are preparing to play Joe Versus the Volcano with the Cotopaxi (5897m), Chimborazo (6310m), or just taking the TeleferiQo (sky tram) up the Pichincha above Quito (4100m, where I play Joe vs. the Volcano, they built a bar and an entire amusement park up there) you can use Samsom Y Dalila to stay in shape.

“I’m sorry to inform you, you have a terminal brain cloud.”

-J Roland Kelly

A volcano! The one thing that the Bay Area doesn’t have, somebody petition Google to buy one.