It's been really nice this week because I'm really starting to feel at home here in Ecuador. The bus is something I kind of look forward to, I'm starting to get addicted to things I can't get in the US, and many times when I'm talking my Spanish just flows. That's the thing I'm most excited about. I notice it most when I'm talking with my family at dinner. It's still a little punchy and I always wonder how I sound to my family, but overall I can tell it's improving. I know I'm going to miss speaking Spanish when I return, and I can tell there are some phrases I will definitely probably blurt out without thinking (chuta, que chevere, achachay, and more). I also find myself repeating Spanish phrases in my head a lot, and spelling words in the Spanish way (aka ph=f and a lot less repeated letters ex: clases=classes). Ironically, living in Ecuador is going to make my English spelling a lot worse. And then factor in that I'm trying to learn French as well.
Speaking of bringing things back to the US, I definitely want to bring the Carnaval celebration back, so Bellarmine be ready for some foam next Mardi Gras! I also think the relationship that the indigenous have with the land is very interesting especially when they offer the first sip of their drink to Pachamama. I'm going to probably try and do this somehow! I'm definitely going to try to cook some Ecuadorian food, especially the ají (it's a sauce they generally have with everything) because I always put too much on all of my food because I love it so much! Also I'm thinking about buying a ton of guanabana frozen juice packets and taking them back with me. It's the best juice I've had in my life!
I have a lot of homework (not a ton due tomorrow, but in the upcoming days) and so I'm trying to do it while watching a movie (I picked Sophie's Choice, probably not the best, but everyone's all over Meryl Steep right now). My friends and I thought about going to Trivia tonight (they have it every Tuesday in an American bar and the proceeds go to Charity, it's a really fun time) but we all had so much to do and we want to go out tomorrow night to see a friend play with his band.
Hasta Luego!
P.S. I've added some photos from my trip to Salasaca to my facebook, so head over to check them out! ( https://www.facebook.com/nnelson1129 )
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Donkeys Make the Ugliest Noises: Trip to Salasaca
aFor my Andean Anthropology class we went to the indigenous village of Salasaca. We left around 8 and arrived around 12. Alonzo (the main guy at the hostal) gave us a little introduction speech, which I only half listened to because I was so fascinated by the way they water their crops. They have a natural irrigation system in which the just remove/add a rock/dirt and it weaves through the crops. After the talk we got settled. It was really cool because they had an upstairs with a bunch of beds so it was like a sleepover!
We ate a delicious Ecuadorian lunch (which I don't think I've truly explained before: it includes soup, a meat, vegetables, rice of course, and a desert). Then we observed how they make their yarn start to finish, we even helped in the process (we gringos were not very good). But the whole process takes so long, I couldn't imagine doing it all the time. The Salasaca women always carry around their spinning tools so whenever they get a free second they can make more yarn.
After learning the process of making the yarn, we went to the workshop where they make and sell all of their woven products. The Salasacas use a unique form of waist weaving. It was amazing to see a man actually making one of the very traditional belts. Alonzo explained all the symbols that he was putting into the belt and there was so much history in one piece of clothing. We then looked at some items and I bought two bracelets, one protecting me from bad spirits and the other has something to do with friendship more or less.
The second day we hiked up some little mountains to visit three sacred Salasaca sites. They make offerings at these sites (generally a representation of what they want aka a tiny car if they wish for transportation, ect), so it looks as if the sites are strewn with litter. The first was a cross in a field and this was used mostly for planning especially for women (my professor later called it the Salasaca birth control). I offered my coca leaves (which coincidentally are illegal in Ecuador, a fact I did not know until after I bought them, oops). Then I shared my leaves with the rest of the group, because they are often used to give people energy (they have all sorts of health benefits). Normally you are supposed to chew/keep them in your mouth for about 45 minutes. I only lasted about 15, I think I had chewed them too much. But then I offered my coca wad to Pachamama (closest translation is mother earth, but the Salasaca have a very strong bond to her, from what I understand it is close to their version of God, it's always interesting to learn about indigenous religion because it's a mix of old indigenous tradition and Catholicism). The next site was where they offered cuy (guinea pigs). They dress them up as the person they are praying for and set them free in the sacred site. After we left this site. Alonzo found some mushrooms and told us of the time they served them to some Germans and they all got sick (apparently they had never eaten them). He then peeled them and we ate the mushrooms. They were so good, and normally I hate fresh mushrooms. And thankfully none of us got sick! The third site was where they carve into the stone and give offerings. So once again I left coca leaves for Pachamama and I carved a wish into the stone.
After lunch we went on a flower hike, although Alonzo really only pointed out three plants the whole time. It was a gorgeous walk though! At one point half of us got separated but when we looked back some girls waved us on, so we continued walking. We go to the top of a massive hill (one of the at least 40 we walked up all weekend) and we rested for a bit until we realized that the rest of the group was down below us on another part of the trail. So we descended down the hill to join them. We then stopped at the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley and it was beautiful. We rested there for at least 30 minutes just taking in all of the naturaleza. It was there however that I realized I no longer had my sunglasses. I figured I must have taken them off and left them at the other place we rested. I was a little sad because they were my favorite. Then we climbed another hill and Tungurahua was visible and it was smoking. Tungurahua is an active volcano (it's been erupting since 1999!). This was when my professor told us that the mountains must like us because normally they are not very visible. Throughout our whole trip we saw Tunguarahua (which the indigenous call Mama tungu, I think, because Tunguarahua makes her mad), Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo. These are three of the main volcanoes in Ecuador. I can now cross off my list, see an active volcano (although I do want to see one up closer that has lava!) While we were looking at the lovely scenery, I noticed the patch of grass that I had left my sunglasses on in the distance. So asked Alonzo if we were headed back that way and he said yes (I thought, what luck, I can just look to see if they're there on our way back!). I then explained to him what had happened and he told me it was a fairly busy road and that someone had probably taken them by now. So we made our way back to the hostal and when we passed the patch, my sunglasses were right on top! I was so lucky and I thanked Pachamama!
That night we had a presentation of typical Salasaca music. It included a guitar, some wind instruments, a drum, and a violin (which I hadn't realized was part of the Andean culture). It was so lovely and we got up and danced many times, I even played the sheeps toes which were like shakers!
An Anthropologist lived with the Salasacas back in the 1990's and wrote a book (Magical Writing in Salasaca) which I began to read while I was there. It described how the 'whites' of Ecuador are pretty discriminatory against the Salasaca (they believe they are holding the country back by holding on to their rich cultural heritage and traditional customs). And many consider them aggressive, brutes, and even murderers and cannibals. However a lot of the violence these stereotypes arise from are actually caused by the whites, who in the past would routinely drive up to their house and steal their valuables and livestock. And when I got home, my host dad even said that the Salasaca were "aggressive," he used another word I did not recognize, but I thought it was interesting that even in Quito, the Salasaca unfortunately have gotten the reputation of being a very aggressive people. I could not say anything of the sort because all of the people I encountered were very nice. Although I could tell some of the people we passed were a little apprehensive of seeing a huge group of white people, but who could blame them with their past experiences with outsiders.
Overall the trip was amazing and I was so glad I went. However I do think I left my tie-dyed sweatshirt there so I'm going to have to figure out how to get that back.
When I got home, I decided it was finally time I need to get a replacement for my keds. The sole was basically halfway off. So Molly and I went to SuperMaxi (Ecuador's version of SuperTarget) and we bought lunch supplies (we figure it's more economical to pack our lunch rather than buy it) and I got a pair of white converse-esque shoes. So now the only things making me not appear Ecuadorian are my eyes and my horrible pronunciation! So now with my new shoes and nice tan skin from the beach, as long as I don't talk and have sunglasses on, I could be mistaken for a real Ecuadorian!
Then tonight at dinner I meet the German exchange students who live with my grandparents. They are only here for three weeks. But I will say it's an interesting feeling being one of the better spanish speakers in the room.
Now it's back to regular school life, in which I'm procrastinating doing my homework by writing this.
We ate a delicious Ecuadorian lunch (which I don't think I've truly explained before: it includes soup, a meat, vegetables, rice of course, and a desert). Then we observed how they make their yarn start to finish, we even helped in the process (we gringos were not very good). But the whole process takes so long, I couldn't imagine doing it all the time. The Salasaca women always carry around their spinning tools so whenever they get a free second they can make more yarn.
After learning the process of making the yarn, we went to the workshop where they make and sell all of their woven products. The Salasacas use a unique form of waist weaving. It was amazing to see a man actually making one of the very traditional belts. Alonzo explained all the symbols that he was putting into the belt and there was so much history in one piece of clothing. We then looked at some items and I bought two bracelets, one protecting me from bad spirits and the other has something to do with friendship more or less.
The second day we hiked up some little mountains to visit three sacred Salasaca sites. They make offerings at these sites (generally a representation of what they want aka a tiny car if they wish for transportation, ect), so it looks as if the sites are strewn with litter. The first was a cross in a field and this was used mostly for planning especially for women (my professor later called it the Salasaca birth control). I offered my coca leaves (which coincidentally are illegal in Ecuador, a fact I did not know until after I bought them, oops). Then I shared my leaves with the rest of the group, because they are often used to give people energy (they have all sorts of health benefits). Normally you are supposed to chew/keep them in your mouth for about 45 minutes. I only lasted about 15, I think I had chewed them too much. But then I offered my coca wad to Pachamama (closest translation is mother earth, but the Salasaca have a very strong bond to her, from what I understand it is close to their version of God, it's always interesting to learn about indigenous religion because it's a mix of old indigenous tradition and Catholicism). The next site was where they offered cuy (guinea pigs). They dress them up as the person they are praying for and set them free in the sacred site. After we left this site. Alonzo found some mushrooms and told us of the time they served them to some Germans and they all got sick (apparently they had never eaten them). He then peeled them and we ate the mushrooms. They were so good, and normally I hate fresh mushrooms. And thankfully none of us got sick! The third site was where they carve into the stone and give offerings. So once again I left coca leaves for Pachamama and I carved a wish into the stone. After lunch we went on a flower hike, although Alonzo really only pointed out three plants the whole time. It was a gorgeous walk though! At one point half of us got separated but when we looked back some girls waved us on, so we continued walking. We go to the top of a massive hill (one of the at least 40 we walked up all weekend) and we rested for a bit until we realized that the rest of the group was down below us on another part of the trail. So we descended down the hill to join them. We then stopped at the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley and it was beautiful. We rested there for at least 30 minutes just taking in all of the naturaleza. It was there however that I realized I no longer had my sunglasses. I figured I must have taken them off and left them at the other place we rested. I was a little sad because they were my favorite. Then we climbed another hill and Tungurahua was visible and it was smoking. Tungurahua is an active volcano (it's been erupting since 1999!). This was when my professor told us that the mountains must like us because normally they are not very visible. Throughout our whole trip we saw Tunguarahua (which the indigenous call Mama tungu, I think, because Tunguarahua makes her mad), Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo. These are three of the main volcanoes in Ecuador. I can now cross off my list, see an active volcano (although I do want to see one up closer that has lava!) While we were looking at the lovely scenery, I noticed the patch of grass that I had left my sunglasses on in the distance. So asked Alonzo if we were headed back that way and he said yes (I thought, what luck, I can just look to see if they're there on our way back!). I then explained to him what had happened and he told me it was a fairly busy road and that someone had probably taken them by now. So we made our way back to the hostal and when we passed the patch, my sunglasses were right on top! I was so lucky and I thanked Pachamama!
That night we had a presentation of typical Salasaca music. It included a guitar, some wind instruments, a drum, and a violin (which I hadn't realized was part of the Andean culture). It was so lovely and we got up and danced many times, I even played the sheeps toes which were like shakers!
An Anthropologist lived with the Salasacas back in the 1990's and wrote a book (Magical Writing in Salasaca) which I began to read while I was there. It described how the 'whites' of Ecuador are pretty discriminatory against the Salasaca (they believe they are holding the country back by holding on to their rich cultural heritage and traditional customs). And many consider them aggressive, brutes, and even murderers and cannibals. However a lot of the violence these stereotypes arise from are actually caused by the whites, who in the past would routinely drive up to their house and steal their valuables and livestock. And when I got home, my host dad even said that the Salasaca were "aggressive," he used another word I did not recognize, but I thought it was interesting that even in Quito, the Salasaca unfortunately have gotten the reputation of being a very aggressive people. I could not say anything of the sort because all of the people I encountered were very nice. Although I could tell some of the people we passed were a little apprehensive of seeing a huge group of white people, but who could blame them with their past experiences with outsiders.
Overall the trip was amazing and I was so glad I went. However I do think I left my tie-dyed sweatshirt there so I'm going to have to figure out how to get that back.
When I got home, I decided it was finally time I need to get a replacement for my keds. The sole was basically halfway off. So Molly and I went to SuperMaxi (Ecuador's version of SuperTarget) and we bought lunch supplies (we figure it's more economical to pack our lunch rather than buy it) and I got a pair of white converse-esque shoes. So now the only things making me not appear Ecuadorian are my eyes and my horrible pronunciation! So now with my new shoes and nice tan skin from the beach, as long as I don't talk and have sunglasses on, I could be mistaken for a real Ecuadorian!
Then tonight at dinner I meet the German exchange students who live with my grandparents. They are only here for three weeks. But I will say it's an interesting feeling being one of the better spanish speakers in the room.
Now it's back to regular school life, in which I'm procrastinating doing my homework by writing this.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The one day I forget my umbrella!
I was halfway down my street when I realized I forgot my umbrella in my other bag. I looked at the sky and thought to myself, "looks like rain...", but I didn't have time to go back. I was headed to the clinic because my ear was hurting more than last week and now my throat was not too pleasant. The clinic was as usual aka a lot of people and a lot of waiting (but it's not too bad, I just expect to be there at least an hour). After the doctor checked out my ears (still nothing wrong with the one that hurts) and throat, he told me I had a throat infection and prescribed me Amoxicillin, Claricot (the same stuff I took last week), and Ibuprofen (thankfully I already have a lot because it's a bit expensive here!). So hopefully I'll be all better soon!
Today as I was waiting for a class to begin, I was sitting in the hammocks on campus. A group of asians walked by and stopped in front of me, then I noticed one was taking a photo so I just smiled. I don't know what it is about me being in Ecuador but I am in a lot of photos I will never see.
During my Cultura class there was an electronic music concert outside (I had seen an advertisement for it earlier) and we all tried to convince the professor that it was very pertinent to Ecuadorian culture. It didn't work so we just had to listen to it through the open windows.
Now back to why the umbrella mattered today. I usually carry it with me everywhere I go because one never knows when it's going to rain in Quito. So as I get on the bus to head home, it starts to rain and I think how lovely my walk home is going to be. I got off my first bus and walked to the next station and by the time I got there my shoes were soaked and my hair was starting to turn into little curlycues. However, thankfully by the time I reached my hill it was only sprinkling and the sun was shinning. So overall it wasn't the worst day to get caught without an umbrella!
I've noticed something about Quito: I don't think they have lawnmowers. I've seen parks people mowing entire parks with weed wackers, and one day I saw my neighbor mowing his lawn with a machete. That was interesting.
I'm heading to Salasaca tomorrow morning with my Andean Anthropology class, 8AM is not sounding fun to me but other than that, I'm quite excited the excursion! I should be back Sunday!
Today as I was waiting for a class to begin, I was sitting in the hammocks on campus. A group of asians walked by and stopped in front of me, then I noticed one was taking a photo so I just smiled. I don't know what it is about me being in Ecuador but I am in a lot of photos I will never see.
During my Cultura class there was an electronic music concert outside (I had seen an advertisement for it earlier) and we all tried to convince the professor that it was very pertinent to Ecuadorian culture. It didn't work so we just had to listen to it through the open windows.
Now back to why the umbrella mattered today. I usually carry it with me everywhere I go because one never knows when it's going to rain in Quito. So as I get on the bus to head home, it starts to rain and I think how lovely my walk home is going to be. I got off my first bus and walked to the next station and by the time I got there my shoes were soaked and my hair was starting to turn into little curlycues. However, thankfully by the time I reached my hill it was only sprinkling and the sun was shinning. So overall it wasn't the worst day to get caught without an umbrella!
I've noticed something about Quito: I don't think they have lawnmowers. I've seen parks people mowing entire parks with weed wackers, and one day I saw my neighbor mowing his lawn with a machete. That was interesting.
I'm heading to Salasaca tomorrow morning with my Andean Anthropology class, 8AM is not sounding fun to me but other than that, I'm quite excited the excursion! I should be back Sunday!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Salt Water and Foam
Two things before I start my long story about Carnaval: Ecuadorians love them some small white poodles and, well, I forgot the other one.
So my Carnaval trip started on Friday night at 9:00pm with Chloe and Anna Marie. When going on long trips in Ecuador, it is very typical to take a night bus and arrive at your destination in the morning (which in my opinion is very smart because you travel during a time you'd normally be sleeping, win win!). The bus was supposed to be a little over 10 hours, we'd arrive around 7am. We were barely out of Quito when the bus had to back down a side street that we went up for who knows what reason (to get almost anywhere in Ecuador you take one highway, really not all that difficult). Then the bus started playing the latest Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (I was not horribly upset about this, but apparently I was one of the few). After vaguely falling asleep on the chilly bus, I awake to a very toasty and very still bus. I am pretty sure we did not move for at least an hour. Then at some point, rumor has it, our bus broke down for a bit (I must have slept through this part, because other than my initial nap, I don't think I fell asleep). Everyone rose with the sun, so there was a decent amount of commotion by 7am. Then a few hours later I thought to myself, "I wonder how long ago we passed Guayaquil? Because then we can only be a couple of hours away." Half hour later, I see a sign for Guayaquil, we hadn't even hit the city yet. My host mom called me to make sure I had made it to Salinas okay, and at that point she was supremely shocked I was still on the bus. Sixteen long hours after leaving Quito, we finally reached La Libertad. This is where the bus normally stops and unloads everyone, but a lady complained to the driver about being on the bus for so long, and he begrudgingly drove us all the way to Salinas. Only about a few minutes into the drive did we remember that we needed to by our return tickets at La Libertad (and if we waited, we might not get tickets for the day we wanted). So we decided we'll just go to Salinas, drop our stuff off and then buy our tickets later.
Day 1
We got to Salinas and I could see the ocean so we walked towards it. Then we decided to ask a traffic man where the intersection of Malecon and 10th Ave (aka our Hostal) was; he had no clue, except that we were on Malecon (no one uses street names in Salinas). So we walk all the way down Malecon (in our many clothing layers for the cold bus, while the sun is shining and everyone else is in swimsuits). Finally the street turned and we asked another traffic man where the intersection was; again he had no clue but pointed us in the direction of another hostal. Thankfully the man working there was extremely helpful. After about 30 minutes of trying to figure out our hostal, he realized we were on the wrong Malecon (there are a few in Salinas). But after he knew this, he was able to direct us to our hostal (he had to draw a picture for the taxi driver). So we went to hail a taxi and I was trying to explain where our hostal was to the traffic man and he said "no hablo ingles, español por favor," only problem was, was that I was speaking in spanish. Apparently I cannot say pizza so that any Ecuadorians can understand me (we ran into this problem several times). However,we got a taxi and finally we reached our hostal!
We settled in, ate some delicious ecuadorian lunch (including a strong pina coladas), and then went back to buy our bus tickets. When we flagged down our taxi after purchasing them, it was the same guy who brought us to our hostal the first time! So there was a lot less explaining thankfully. Then we hit the beach, which was literally not even a block from our hostal. It had some pretty big waves (the biggest we all had ever swam in at least) and the sand was great. For dinner we ate at the hotdog place next to our hostal and in Ecuador they always come with crushed potato chips (something I did at home every once in a while, so I loved it!). Then we had the intentions of going to find a bar or discoteca to waste the night away. However for Caranaval the tradition is to run around the streets spraying people with foam, throwing buckets of water at passerby's, and aiming water balloons at unsuspecting bystanders. By the time we got anywhere close, we were covered in fruity smelling foam (that thankfully evaporated, but only if you weren't completely covered in it, then it was a lost cause and you needed a shower or a jump in the ocean) and water. We decided it would be best not to go into a bar like that so we only questioned about the prices so that we would know for the other nights.
Day 2
Emily and Michelle took the bus from Baños to Salinas and arrived at 5am. They called and said they thought they were close so I went outside on the patio to wait for them. Turns out their bus driver had told them they were in Salinas even though they were in La Libertad. So it took them a while to figure that out and then get a taxi to Salinas, and by a while I mean at least an hour and a half. And this whole time I was speaking with our lovely Colombian night guard. I startled him when I called Emily when I got to the patio and so from that point on, we leisurely chatted. He was so surprised I was from the US because my spanish was so good. And throughout the conversation he kept mentioning how pretty I was (that got awkward real fast) and how great my spanish was and that he could understand everything (and that I understood everything as well; that part was not so true). So we just shot the breeze for almost two hours, in spanish, I was quite proud but still uncomfortable.
Emily and Michelle finally got to the hostal, but they had picked up two other travelers from Baños. I figured it would be fine if they left their stuff in our room (even offered the floor but they said they'd just wait on the patio) and just chilled until it was a reasonable time to start looking for a hostal. Apparently, from what I understand, the night guard thought they were going to kill him (even though he's from Colombia, he seemed to have a fear of Latin Americans but loved Americans and felt so safe around them, which is why he loved working at this American hostal) and he made them go. I told them the beach was nearby and since it was light out now, it should be fine.
We woke up around 12:45 got ready for the beach, ate some more delicious Ecuadorian food, and then walked down to the other side of the Malecon where it was much more crowded but the water was definitely calmer. We spent the rest day at the beach and this is when everything starts to mash together and I can't really tell the days apart as well because they are so similar so I'm just going to give highlights:
~We watched some surfers catch some waves.
~Chloe and I got told we were beautiful by the store man as he gave us our change.
~We ate delicious coco ice cream (totally making this when I return to the states!).
~We ate at my host uncles restaurant (some of the best food I've had in Ecuador, but it was also fish caught from the very nearby sea, so I don't know if it can compare).
~Our Hostal specialized in American cuisine, so I had a pulled pork sandwich and my first calamari in almost 4 years (so delicious!).
~Every night we tried to go out, but by the time we got close to a discoteca we were already covered in foam and soaking wet that we decided it wasn't the best idea.
~We played a card game where you have to say a word that starts with the letter the card number starts with and I told the lamest joke the world has heard, but we still laugh about it now (We were playing on top of our bed and Chloe said sheets and I then replied "we all know what Chloe's thinking....we're on top of sheets) so lame, but I still chuckled while writing it just now.
~One night we bought some foam so that we could fight back. So fun, but you get sprayed twice as much. And the thing about the foam is that there is no where safe. You think if you walk in the street you're fine, nope the cars have little devils too. The other side of the street is less crowded, but then you get the people in condos pouring water from their porches. No one is safe!
~We ate at this restaurant near our hostal 3 times because the food was so incredible and most of it cost four dollars.
~Before we left for Salinas I bought a bag of roles (it turned out to be the best purchase ever, definitely going to have to do that again) and a ton of chifles of course (they came in handy all the time).
~We went to buy liquor and got free samples of rum in both a cup to try there and little bottles to take with us. When the guy was talking to me, describing the aging procession of this very special run that was on sale, I replied with "oh it's very smooth" (in spanish of course) and apparently these were the magic words. He got very excited and eventually handed me a bottle and tried to come back and give me two. Very weird, and I slyly put them back on the shelf. Then another girl was giving out samples and dressed very scantily and some man decided he wanted me in a photo with her and my other friends (no of us were taking this photo...) so he pulled me away from the first rum guy and we all cheesed it up for a random man. Some Ecuadorians really like the oddest photos (apparently it's very common for them to ask you to take a photo of them and then after you do they want a picture with you...).
~We had ice cream several times and it was delicious!
~Our bus ride home was much better and relatively on time!
~I didn't get too burnt until the last day and only wiped out on the shore rocks a few times!
~Lost my left contact the first time I swam in the Pacific Ocean.
~Apparently Salinas is the place for wealthy Ecuadorians to vacation, so it was a pretty nice area and we were some of the few gringos!
~The owner of the hostal was my friend's mom so we got a great rate, especially for one of their busiest times! And the hostal was amazing. It had air conditioning, hot water, friendly staff, clean sheets, and a great atmosphere! It definitely made our vacation all the better.
Overall it was an amazing vacation and I could not have asked for a better time, with better people! Now I'm trying to get back to normal life in Quito, but I leave for Salasaca (a trip with my andean anthropology class) on Friday and get back Sunday so I don't really have much down time. Still thinking about hitting up Ladies Night tonight though!
So my Carnaval trip started on Friday night at 9:00pm with Chloe and Anna Marie. When going on long trips in Ecuador, it is very typical to take a night bus and arrive at your destination in the morning (which in my opinion is very smart because you travel during a time you'd normally be sleeping, win win!). The bus was supposed to be a little over 10 hours, we'd arrive around 7am. We were barely out of Quito when the bus had to back down a side street that we went up for who knows what reason (to get almost anywhere in Ecuador you take one highway, really not all that difficult). Then the bus started playing the latest Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (I was not horribly upset about this, but apparently I was one of the few). After vaguely falling asleep on the chilly bus, I awake to a very toasty and very still bus. I am pretty sure we did not move for at least an hour. Then at some point, rumor has it, our bus broke down for a bit (I must have slept through this part, because other than my initial nap, I don't think I fell asleep). Everyone rose with the sun, so there was a decent amount of commotion by 7am. Then a few hours later I thought to myself, "I wonder how long ago we passed Guayaquil? Because then we can only be a couple of hours away." Half hour later, I see a sign for Guayaquil, we hadn't even hit the city yet. My host mom called me to make sure I had made it to Salinas okay, and at that point she was supremely shocked I was still on the bus. Sixteen long hours after leaving Quito, we finally reached La Libertad. This is where the bus normally stops and unloads everyone, but a lady complained to the driver about being on the bus for so long, and he begrudgingly drove us all the way to Salinas. Only about a few minutes into the drive did we remember that we needed to by our return tickets at La Libertad (and if we waited, we might not get tickets for the day we wanted). So we decided we'll just go to Salinas, drop our stuff off and then buy our tickets later.
Day 1
We got to Salinas and I could see the ocean so we walked towards it. Then we decided to ask a traffic man where the intersection of Malecon and 10th Ave (aka our Hostal) was; he had no clue, except that we were on Malecon (no one uses street names in Salinas). So we walk all the way down Malecon (in our many clothing layers for the cold bus, while the sun is shining and everyone else is in swimsuits). Finally the street turned and we asked another traffic man where the intersection was; again he had no clue but pointed us in the direction of another hostal. Thankfully the man working there was extremely helpful. After about 30 minutes of trying to figure out our hostal, he realized we were on the wrong Malecon (there are a few in Salinas). But after he knew this, he was able to direct us to our hostal (he had to draw a picture for the taxi driver). So we went to hail a taxi and I was trying to explain where our hostal was to the traffic man and he said "no hablo ingles, español por favor," only problem was, was that I was speaking in spanish. Apparently I cannot say pizza so that any Ecuadorians can understand me (we ran into this problem several times). However,we got a taxi and finally we reached our hostal!
We settled in, ate some delicious ecuadorian lunch (including a strong pina coladas), and then went back to buy our bus tickets. When we flagged down our taxi after purchasing them, it was the same guy who brought us to our hostal the first time! So there was a lot less explaining thankfully. Then we hit the beach, which was literally not even a block from our hostal. It had some pretty big waves (the biggest we all had ever swam in at least) and the sand was great. For dinner we ate at the hotdog place next to our hostal and in Ecuador they always come with crushed potato chips (something I did at home every once in a while, so I loved it!). Then we had the intentions of going to find a bar or discoteca to waste the night away. However for Caranaval the tradition is to run around the streets spraying people with foam, throwing buckets of water at passerby's, and aiming water balloons at unsuspecting bystanders. By the time we got anywhere close, we were covered in fruity smelling foam (that thankfully evaporated, but only if you weren't completely covered in it, then it was a lost cause and you needed a shower or a jump in the ocean) and water. We decided it would be best not to go into a bar like that so we only questioned about the prices so that we would know for the other nights.
Day 2
Emily and Michelle took the bus from Baños to Salinas and arrived at 5am. They called and said they thought they were close so I went outside on the patio to wait for them. Turns out their bus driver had told them they were in Salinas even though they were in La Libertad. So it took them a while to figure that out and then get a taxi to Salinas, and by a while I mean at least an hour and a half. And this whole time I was speaking with our lovely Colombian night guard. I startled him when I called Emily when I got to the patio and so from that point on, we leisurely chatted. He was so surprised I was from the US because my spanish was so good. And throughout the conversation he kept mentioning how pretty I was (that got awkward real fast) and how great my spanish was and that he could understand everything (and that I understood everything as well; that part was not so true). So we just shot the breeze for almost two hours, in spanish, I was quite proud but still uncomfortable.
Emily and Michelle finally got to the hostal, but they had picked up two other travelers from Baños. I figured it would be fine if they left their stuff in our room (even offered the floor but they said they'd just wait on the patio) and just chilled until it was a reasonable time to start looking for a hostal. Apparently, from what I understand, the night guard thought they were going to kill him (even though he's from Colombia, he seemed to have a fear of Latin Americans but loved Americans and felt so safe around them, which is why he loved working at this American hostal) and he made them go. I told them the beach was nearby and since it was light out now, it should be fine.
We woke up around 12:45 got ready for the beach, ate some more delicious Ecuadorian food, and then walked down to the other side of the Malecon where it was much more crowded but the water was definitely calmer. We spent the rest day at the beach and this is when everything starts to mash together and I can't really tell the days apart as well because they are so similar so I'm just going to give highlights:
~We watched some surfers catch some waves.
~Chloe and I got told we were beautiful by the store man as he gave us our change.
~We ate delicious coco ice cream (totally making this when I return to the states!).
~We ate at my host uncles restaurant (some of the best food I've had in Ecuador, but it was also fish caught from the very nearby sea, so I don't know if it can compare).
~Our Hostal specialized in American cuisine, so I had a pulled pork sandwich and my first calamari in almost 4 years (so delicious!).
~Every night we tried to go out, but by the time we got close to a discoteca we were already covered in foam and soaking wet that we decided it wasn't the best idea.
~We played a card game where you have to say a word that starts with the letter the card number starts with and I told the lamest joke the world has heard, but we still laugh about it now (We were playing on top of our bed and Chloe said sheets and I then replied "we all know what Chloe's thinking....we're on top of sheets) so lame, but I still chuckled while writing it just now.
~One night we bought some foam so that we could fight back. So fun, but you get sprayed twice as much. And the thing about the foam is that there is no where safe. You think if you walk in the street you're fine, nope the cars have little devils too. The other side of the street is less crowded, but then you get the people in condos pouring water from their porches. No one is safe!
~We ate at this restaurant near our hostal 3 times because the food was so incredible and most of it cost four dollars.
~Before we left for Salinas I bought a bag of roles (it turned out to be the best purchase ever, definitely going to have to do that again) and a ton of chifles of course (they came in handy all the time).
~We went to buy liquor and got free samples of rum in both a cup to try there and little bottles to take with us. When the guy was talking to me, describing the aging procession of this very special run that was on sale, I replied with "oh it's very smooth" (in spanish of course) and apparently these were the magic words. He got very excited and eventually handed me a bottle and tried to come back and give me two. Very weird, and I slyly put them back on the shelf. Then another girl was giving out samples and dressed very scantily and some man decided he wanted me in a photo with her and my other friends (no of us were taking this photo...) so he pulled me away from the first rum guy and we all cheesed it up for a random man. Some Ecuadorians really like the oddest photos (apparently it's very common for them to ask you to take a photo of them and then after you do they want a picture with you...).
~We had ice cream several times and it was delicious!
~Our bus ride home was much better and relatively on time!
~I didn't get too burnt until the last day and only wiped out on the shore rocks a few times!
~Lost my left contact the first time I swam in the Pacific Ocean.
~Apparently Salinas is the place for wealthy Ecuadorians to vacation, so it was a pretty nice area and we were some of the few gringos!
~The owner of the hostal was my friend's mom so we got a great rate, especially for one of their busiest times! And the hostal was amazing. It had air conditioning, hot water, friendly staff, clean sheets, and a great atmosphere! It definitely made our vacation all the better.
Overall it was an amazing vacation and I could not have asked for a better time, with better people! Now I'm trying to get back to normal life in Quito, but I leave for Salasaca (a trip with my andean anthropology class) on Friday and get back Sunday so I don't really have much down time. Still thinking about hitting up Ladies Night tonight though!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Museum Today, Beach Tomorrow!
For my culture class I had to go to the Museo de la Ciudad. It was a little bit of a hassle. First, the girl who had the directions to the museum brought the wrong notebook so we just winged our way there. Thankfully a young guy overheard us on the bus while we were confusingly trying to figure out where to go. He told us exactly where we needed to go and as he said goodbye to us he said "you shouldn't be here (the southern bus terminal in Quito), it's very dangerous for tourists." We were very lucky he was so nice!
We went to the museum and it was interesting, a little confusing since it lacked a lot of info beneath certain things. But it was pretty and had information on the history of the city and surrounding areas.
I just finished packing for Salinas. I'm so excited to lay out all day! My host uncle has a restaurant near the beach so I get to meet more Torres's! I probably won't have internet until I get back on wednesday morning (both our buses are overnight so we'll see how that goes!)
We went to the museum and it was interesting, a little confusing since it lacked a lot of info beneath certain things. But it was pretty and had information on the history of the city and surrounding areas.
I just finished packing for Salinas. I'm so excited to lay out all day! My host uncle has a restaurant near the beach so I get to meet more Torres's! I probably won't have internet until I get back on wednesday morning (both our buses are overnight so we'll see how that goes!)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Oh Thursdays
For my photography class I had to print some photos and there is only one place my professor wants us to visit. Thankfully I figured out one of the buses that runs by my house goes to an intersection close to the store. But when we went there yesterday, the man said the photos would not be ready until noon the next day (I have class at 11:30). So I looked at him with a face full of sadness and he said they would be ready by 10:30. So we left to get to the store this morning a little bit early and were on the bus to USFQ by 10:30. I wasn't very hopeful on getting to school on time. But somehow a miracle occurred and we got there in record time!
In other news, I saw a ginger on the bus. And from what it sounded like, he was from Ecuador. I thought to myself, hmmm interesting lol.
Other than that, my day was pretty normal, nothing to crazy. However it is my host brother's birthday (22 years old!) and we are going out to dinner to celebrate. I went to SuperMaxi to buy him some chocolate covered marshmallows (he seems to love them) and a card. I walked out without the card but with chifles, the marshmallows, agua oxigenada, and gum. All for under $7, pretty successful I thought!
In other news, I saw a ginger on the bus. And from what it sounded like, he was from Ecuador. I thought to myself, hmmm interesting lol.
Other than that, my day was pretty normal, nothing to crazy. However it is my host brother's birthday (22 years old!) and we are going out to dinner to celebrate. I went to SuperMaxi to buy him some chocolate covered marshmallows (he seems to love them) and a card. I walked out without the card but with chifles, the marshmallows, agua oxigenada, and gum. All for under $7, pretty successful I thought!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Valentine's Day in Quito!
El dia de amor y amistad so far has been great! I bought my tickets for Machu Picchu along with 3 other friends, and we could not be more excited. I cannot wait to see the ruins, it has been a dream of mine for a while!
For Valentine's Day, my friends and I are going to a Thai restaurant and then possible to a rave, with free glowsticks!
My morning began on an interesting note. I was so excited that I actually woke up early to go practice. However when I was about halfway to school I realized I somehow forgot all of my music (the only time it has not been in my bag!). So I decided to go to the university clinic because my ear has been bothering me. The doctor looked in my ear and said "perfecto" and the same for my other. She gave me a prescription for claricort (no clue why or what it is...) and told me to chew gum on the bus. So we will see how that goes.
Ciao!
For Valentine's Day, my friends and I are going to a Thai restaurant and then possible to a rave, with free glowsticks!
My morning began on an interesting note. I was so excited that I actually woke up early to go practice. However when I was about halfway to school I realized I somehow forgot all of my music (the only time it has not been in my bag!). So I decided to go to the university clinic because my ear has been bothering me. The doctor looked in my ear and said "perfecto" and the same for my other. She gave me a prescription for claricort (no clue why or what it is...) and told me to chew gum on the bus. So we will see how that goes.
Ciao!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Lluvia! (Rain!)
Today I had to buy bus tickets for my trip to Salinas. My friends and I are going to spend Carnaval (aka Mardi Gras) on the beach! We got off the bus and it started to pour, thankfully I had my umbrella! They were also quite impressed that I knew how to get there perfectly. Cannot thank my host family enough for all of their help!
For lunch we went to McDonalds, it's very odd eating meat again because I'm so used to ordering a BigMac without meat.
It was also a very expensive day. I had to put a $50 deposit for a class trip. I need $30 for DayGlow tickets for tomorrow. I'm also buying my plane ticket for Macchu Picchu tomorrow. It feels so weird to all the sudden be paying so much when normally I can get by on less than $5 a day.
Nothing much else to say, expect I really need to stop procrastinating. I have so much homework!
For lunch we went to McDonalds, it's very odd eating meat again because I'm so used to ordering a BigMac without meat.
It was also a very expensive day. I had to put a $50 deposit for a class trip. I need $30 for DayGlow tickets for tomorrow. I'm also buying my plane ticket for Macchu Picchu tomorrow. It feels so weird to all the sudden be paying so much when normally I can get by on less than $5 a day.
Nothing much else to say, expect I really need to stop procrastinating. I have so much homework!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
How I love Ecuadorian Weekends
This friday I went to my friend's house for a huasipichai (the quichua word for house-warming party). Tricia taught English in the valley near Quito last semester and loved it so much that now she's going to USFQ for four years! She just got her own little house, it's very cute and even has llamas in the back! I met some great ecuadorians, so that was a nice change of pace from all the gringos I meet.
Then next day we went to Tricia's old valley and saw Star Wars in 3D. It was the only movie playing at the convenient time, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. The bus home took us to a station we'd never been to, but we figured it out and made it home safely! The buses are so cheap, generally $0.25 or for long trips $1 an hour. Nothing like Chicago's $2.25!
Then today (Sunday) I had to take some photos for my photography class. I headed down to the park 15 minutes from my house and took photos of the bike plaza thing. I talked to a little kid named Carlos, he was so cute. On the way back my taxi driver talked to me about Whitney Houston, the debt in the US, Canada (I think he said something about moving there...), and Europe. I'm not sure quite how I feel because about 30 seconds after I got in, he asked me where in the US I was from. And here I thought I was getting so good at blending. Hopefully it's my blue eyes and not my Spanish...
Now I'm just trying to study for French, which is not going very well. I think I've forgotten how to study...
Then next day we went to Tricia's old valley and saw Star Wars in 3D. It was the only movie playing at the convenient time, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. The bus home took us to a station we'd never been to, but we figured it out and made it home safely! The buses are so cheap, generally $0.25 or for long trips $1 an hour. Nothing like Chicago's $2.25!
Then today (Sunday) I had to take some photos for my photography class. I headed down to the park 15 minutes from my house and took photos of the bike plaza thing. I talked to a little kid named Carlos, he was so cute. On the way back my taxi driver talked to me about Whitney Houston, the debt in the US, Canada (I think he said something about moving there...), and Europe. I'm not sure quite how I feel because about 30 seconds after I got in, he asked me where in the US I was from. And here I thought I was getting so good at blending. Hopefully it's my blue eyes and not my Spanish...
Now I'm just trying to study for French, which is not going very well. I think I've forgotten how to study...
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Earthquakes and Volcanoes on a Tuesday Morning
Early this morning I was woken up and realized my bed was shaking rather vigorously. And I'm quite proud of myself for immediately thinking, "Oh it's just an earthquake," then promptly going back to bed. When I got up I tried to google about the earthquake but did not find any results until I started using google.ecuador. Glad the rest of the world could care less!
Then on my way to school I saw Cotopaxi from the bus window! It was a beautiful view. Normally there are too many clouds, but I was on the bus at just the right time! The picture to the left is basically what I saw, so majestic! I also learned that it is an angry mountain/volcano, so it can be one of the more difficult ones to climb. I love the thought of the mountains, and everything on earth, being alive and having moods. I'm definitely taking this mentality with me!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Fireworks on a Tuesday Night
I was just sitting in my room, thinking "I really need to start my homework," when suddenly I heard the familiar sound of the 4th of July. I then thought, I'm going to watch those instead! No clue what they were for, and in Quito I don't think there really needs to be a reason. It was a nice 10 minutes!
Other than the fireworks, nothing very interesting to report. Just trying to get through classes and figure out when I'm supposed to practice. It's weird living two busses away from where I used to spend my life (aka the practice rooms). Looks like the luxury of classes that don't start until 11:30 is going to end for me. Hello early morning practice sessions!
I added some photos from my trip to the hot springs so check out my facebook to see them! facebook.com/nnelson1129
Goodnight!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Hot Springs and the Super Bowl!
Saturday I went to Papallacta which is a town known for its hot springs. We paid $7 to sit in delightfully warm pools next to a river nestled in between mountains. It was relaxing and gorgeous. It was a two hour bus ride to the city and when we got on there were no seats. After we reached our city, we hoped on the back of a truck and rode up to the resort area. It was quite an adventure! I purchased an empanada and some fresh chifles (potato chips made from plantains/bananas, not quite sure exactly, all I'm sure about is that I love them!). It was definitely a day well spent.
Today was Super Bowl Sunday and in la Mariscal (the area we normally go for ladies night) there are a couple US bars and we watched the game with several gringos! It was super expensive, never going back to a US bar again! I'll take my cheap/free drinks!
I really need to do some homework, but cannot bring myself to do it. Sleep just always sounds like the better option! Buenas noches!
Today was Super Bowl Sunday and in la Mariscal (the area we normally go for ladies night) there are a couple US bars and we watched the game with several gringos! It was super expensive, never going back to a US bar again! I'll take my cheap/free drinks!
I really need to do some homework, but cannot bring myself to do it. Sleep just always sounds like the better option! Buenas noches!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Flight, boat, bus, boat, Rainforest! Boat, bus, boat, flight Quito!
Sorry for the absence, I went to the jungle and then have been super busy since my return!
Tiputini, a biodiversity station in the lowland Amazonian rainforest, was AMAZING! I saw some many beautiful and interesting animals, plants, and insects. After the 10 hour trip into the rainforest, we went for a swim in the Tiputini River, it was perfect! The next day we woke up bright and early (breakfast is at 6:30AM every morning). My guide Santiago (who was the greatest!) took us to the canopy. We ascended about 100 feet onto the tops of the trees. We had to wear harnesses and walk across some very wobbly bridges. The view was gorgeous, and we even same some Macaws (which is probably one of the coolest things I've even seen). We spent most of our days walking through the rainforest, Santiago suddenly spotting wildlife or plants and explaining them.
Some of my favorite parts of the trip were the 5 types of monkeys we saw, the ants that tasted like lemons, the canoe that almost tipped and constantly had to have water bucketed out and got stuck for a good five minutes (but we also saw bats and a caiman), floating down a tributary to a tributary of the Amazon River (it totally had piranhas and caiman in it, thankfully I'm still alive!), the monkeys at the hotel who jumped on me and stole my fruit, and the great views from the canopy!
It was a fantastic trip that I will never forget!
Back to normal Quito life now, meeting lots of people, making travel plans (I really hope to go to Machu Picchu over spring break and a beach for Carnival). I'm just trying to keep up with classes, which is hard with my lack of productivity in this beautiful city! Tonight I'm going to salsa lessons with some friends and I'm quite excited!
I'll try to keep up with this a little more from now on!
P.S. Here's the link to my facebook photo album ( https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150575999858112.402644.519123111&type=3 )
Tiputini, a biodiversity station in the lowland Amazonian rainforest, was AMAZING! I saw some many beautiful and interesting animals, plants, and insects. After the 10 hour trip into the rainforest, we went for a swim in the Tiputini River, it was perfect! The next day we woke up bright and early (breakfast is at 6:30AM every morning). My guide Santiago (who was the greatest!) took us to the canopy. We ascended about 100 feet onto the tops of the trees. We had to wear harnesses and walk across some very wobbly bridges. The view was gorgeous, and we even same some Macaws (which is probably one of the coolest things I've even seen). We spent most of our days walking through the rainforest, Santiago suddenly spotting wildlife or plants and explaining them.
Some of my favorite parts of the trip were the 5 types of monkeys we saw, the ants that tasted like lemons, the canoe that almost tipped and constantly had to have water bucketed out and got stuck for a good five minutes (but we also saw bats and a caiman), floating down a tributary to a tributary of the Amazon River (it totally had piranhas and caiman in it, thankfully I'm still alive!), the monkeys at the hotel who jumped on me and stole my fruit, and the great views from the canopy!
It was a fantastic trip that I will never forget!
Back to normal Quito life now, meeting lots of people, making travel plans (I really hope to go to Machu Picchu over spring break and a beach for Carnival). I'm just trying to keep up with classes, which is hard with my lack of productivity in this beautiful city! Tonight I'm going to salsa lessons with some friends and I'm quite excited!
I'll try to keep up with this a little more from now on!
P.S. Here's the link to my facebook photo album ( https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150575999858112.402644.519123111&type=3 )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)