Sorry for my lack of posts lately: at first, there was nothing really exciting happening to report on and then it´s been a whirlwind!
After Cuenca, I had a chill week of classes, nothing interesting. The following weekend, the weekend of Valentines day, Josh and I stayed in Quito for the first weekend since we have been here. On Valentine´s Day we went to Volcan Cotopaxi, the second highest peak in Ecuador. The peak of the mountain is the place furthest from the center of the earth in the world because the earth bulges at the equator and it is so close plus so tall equals far far away from the center of the earth =) We didn´t quite make it that high but we did manage to hitch a ride to 4000m (12000 ft) and then climbed to 4800m (almost 15000 ft). Quite the hike! We were past the elevation line where plants stop growing and it was snowing hard. So, basically, I climbed higher than the top of Mt. Rainier! Who would have thought, Madeline?! We met a couple our age at the entrance to the park while contemplating whether to walk in to the mountian. We decided on asking them for a ride (yes, I am also a hitchhiker now...) and good thing we did! It was a crazy long way to walk, the drive took probably an hour thru bumpy dirt roads and streams. The couple were from Quito and are students at the nicest university here, Universidad Catolica, so I didn´t think they were trying to rob or kidnap some gringos. We listened to awesome American rock music the whole way up. We hiked up with them, shared some mugs of hot chocolate and came back down. They offered to give us a ride back to Quito, which we gladly accepted. On the way back, the guy asked us if we minded stopping by his house so he and his girlfriend could change their shoes. Basically, we got to see the Yarrow Point/Cylde Hill area of Quito - if not nicer! It was crazy! All gated community with enormous houses with huge walls around them. When we drove thru this guys gate to his house is was like a compound with a courtyard in the middle and I was in total shock. Then, he told us the US embassador is his neighbor! I guess there are always rich people no matter where you go in the world...
At night, we went out to dinner a fun restaurant with funky chandeliers and paint on the walls and amazing food!!
Last week was another week of classes all in anticipation of being done and vacationing for Carnaval! More on that to come because I am running out of time and have to catch my flight to Peru...this weekend: Macchu Picchu! Miss you all!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Cuenca
Last weekend was fantastic! Josh and I visited the quaint, colonial, old fashioned city of Cuenca. It had cobblestone streets and pretty squares and churches. It was a very walkable and safe feeling city which is a nice change from Quito. It is the 3rd largest city in Ecuador with a population of about 400,000. We took a 10 hour overnight bus which, thankfuly, I spelt almost all the way through. We arrived around 7am after a bit of a scare that we got off at the wrong city! We found an adorable hostel with a kind of courtyard cafe in the middle - real brewed coffee, not Nescafe! It was perfectly located to walk to see everything, which we did after getting settled. We visited a factory where they make panama hats, which actually originated in Ecuador. They are still all handmade, which takes 15 days-1 month depending on the quality and shape and style. I tried on a few, and even though I usually think I look awful in hats, I found a gorgeous, red-banded, Audrey Hepburn-esque one I couldn´t resist. We ate a great lunch at a Colombian restaurant and then very unsuccessdully tried to find an orchid garden. After 1 hour + on the bus and walking we gave up and went to a museum instead. They had an ethnographic exhibit, including shrunken heads, which used to be made by the Shaur people in the Amazon region oftheir enemies heads. The heads are shrunken down to about the size of a mans fist. Strange to see! For dinner we went to a beautiful, 2 story restaurant with twinkle lights all around and a fireplace. The food was so good! Me: chicken mole and Josh: coconut curry. I miss ethnic food tons!!
Saturday we had scrumptious omelets before heading out to hike in Parque Nacional Cajas. We took a cab to where Lonely Planet indicated we could catch a cheaper cus. It seemed like kind of a random corner so I started praying we wouldn´t have a repeat orchid garden experience. Well, God answers prayers! A green bus came around the corner, the one we thought we needed, so I waved to the driver to stop but he shook his head like he wouldn´t! I took off running after the bus with Josh behind me. Finally, halfway down the block it stopped and I asked if it was going to the park. No, the driver said but if we got on he would take us to where we could get the right bus. He took us to a bus depot where the right bus left in 10 mins. Plus, he didn´t even want the $1 we offered him for his help. Our guardian angel!! The hike in the park was beautiful and quite remote. I am growing in my adventureousness, that is for sure!
Saturday night we went out to a salsateca, club with salsa dancing, to test out our skills from our lessons at school. We were quite a bit out of our league but it was amazing to watch the really good couples and try to imitate them.
Sunday we relaxed before heading to the airport for our gloriously short 35 minute flight back to Quito. Totally worth the extra $50 more than a 10 hour bus!
Now I am all updated on my blogging! I love hearing how everyone is at home so let me know how you are! I miss you all! All my love!
Saturday we had scrumptious omelets before heading out to hike in Parque Nacional Cajas. We took a cab to where Lonely Planet indicated we could catch a cheaper cus. It seemed like kind of a random corner so I started praying we wouldn´t have a repeat orchid garden experience. Well, God answers prayers! A green bus came around the corner, the one we thought we needed, so I waved to the driver to stop but he shook his head like he wouldn´t! I took off running after the bus with Josh behind me. Finally, halfway down the block it stopped and I asked if it was going to the park. No, the driver said but if we got on he would take us to where we could get the right bus. He took us to a bus depot where the right bus left in 10 mins. Plus, he didn´t even want the $1 we offered him for his help. Our guardian angel!! The hike in the park was beautiful and quite remote. I am growing in my adventureousness, that is for sure!
Saturday night we went out to a salsateca, club with salsa dancing, to test out our skills from our lessons at school. We were quite a bit out of our league but it was amazing to watch the really good couples and try to imitate them.
Sunday we relaxed before heading to the airport for our gloriously short 35 minute flight back to Quito. Totally worth the extra $50 more than a 10 hour bus!
Now I am all updated on my blogging! I love hearing how everyone is at home so let me know how you are! I miss you all! All my love!
Field trips still exist!!
Last Wednesday and Thursday my class of 5 students, including me, and our professor took of in a minivan to travel through the Zona Norte, or the area north of Quito. We visited an Andean music workshop where we watched a woman make Andean flutes by hand and heard an Andean band. Kind of a tourist trap, I think, but still authentic and interesting.
Next, we travelled to the city of Cotacachi. It is very well known for its leather so I bought a purse as a momento. Only $39! Also, we spoke with the director of the Casa de Las Culturas (House of Cultures) who told us about all the development programs their mayor has initiated over the past decade. The mayor is an indigenous man who studied economicsin Cuba. It is a big deal that he is mayor and indigenous because indigenous people are at the bottom of the race hierarchy here, per se, sadly. The city has programs to develop tourism, virtual schools for people to learn to read, write and use computers, music programs to record music, and videos to teach more rural citizens literacy. Also, many programs are proposed first by citizens and then supported with government money. It seemed really successful and innovative.
Then, we headed to the indigenous village of San Clemente where the Caranqui people live, half an hour outside of the city of Ibarra. I was a bit skeptical as we drove past shanty houses on a tiny dirt road. However, when we arrived, the experience was truly magical. We stayed with families in their homes, which have been fixed up to have tourists with regular bathrooms and lights. My family´s dad is the president for the year of the whole communityof 600+ people so I really lucked out with learning a ton from him while dinner was prepared. We had a delicious dinner of soup with quinoa, then chicken with beans, rice, veggies, avocado and corn kernals and a sweet, jelly-like orange something for dessert. After dinner, the mom offered for me to put on her traditional clothes to head up to a music and dance presentation. I was thrilled! They wear skirts, intricately embroidered blouses, gold bead necklaces, a ponytail wrap and slip on moccasin like shoes. They usually buy only one new outfit a year because the whole thing costs about $200. Talk about limited retail therapy! We trekked up the hill to the main meeting building while watching tons of fireflies flicker in the fields. So beautiful! When I arrived, I found the other girls in my class also dressed up and the boys had on pants made of llama fur and ponchos. We listened to music for awhile and then were persuaded to get up and try dancing with them. It was basically hopping in a circle one direction until the leader whistled and then you switched directions. Afterwards, we had an early bedtime in order to get up at 6:45am to help make tortillas for breakfast. After breakfast, more yummy fruit, we got to see how the women do borderos or embroidery by hand. Pretty tricky! Next, we went on a nature walk to learn about medicinal plants. Super amazing how much they know and how much it made me realize us Americans love drugs! Then, we heard from the leader of the tourist department of the community how the community is organized and operates. Their whole mindset is of community and sharing, so some families produce dairy products, others clothing, others host tourist, etc. and they all share with what other people lack. Although they are not Christian, it made me think of how the Bible speaks of many people having different gifts. It was truly touching to hear about and made me wish more people in the world could be so unselfish, including myself. When they want to construct a road or someone needs to build a house, they all do it together for no money and share in a huge lunch while they are working on the project. We got to experience a taste of these lunches, called minga. A wonderful experience, something truly unique!
On the way back to Quito, we stopped in Ibarra, famous for its handmade in copper tub ice cream, or helado de paila. Yummy!!
If only US universities believed in fields trips...I guess that´s why there if study abroad!
Next, we travelled to the city of Cotacachi. It is very well known for its leather so I bought a purse as a momento. Only $39! Also, we spoke with the director of the Casa de Las Culturas (House of Cultures) who told us about all the development programs their mayor has initiated over the past decade. The mayor is an indigenous man who studied economicsin Cuba. It is a big deal that he is mayor and indigenous because indigenous people are at the bottom of the race hierarchy here, per se, sadly. The city has programs to develop tourism, virtual schools for people to learn to read, write and use computers, music programs to record music, and videos to teach more rural citizens literacy. Also, many programs are proposed first by citizens and then supported with government money. It seemed really successful and innovative.
Then, we headed to the indigenous village of San Clemente where the Caranqui people live, half an hour outside of the city of Ibarra. I was a bit skeptical as we drove past shanty houses on a tiny dirt road. However, when we arrived, the experience was truly magical. We stayed with families in their homes, which have been fixed up to have tourists with regular bathrooms and lights. My family´s dad is the president for the year of the whole communityof 600+ people so I really lucked out with learning a ton from him while dinner was prepared. We had a delicious dinner of soup with quinoa, then chicken with beans, rice, veggies, avocado and corn kernals and a sweet, jelly-like orange something for dessert. After dinner, the mom offered for me to put on her traditional clothes to head up to a music and dance presentation. I was thrilled! They wear skirts, intricately embroidered blouses, gold bead necklaces, a ponytail wrap and slip on moccasin like shoes. They usually buy only one new outfit a year because the whole thing costs about $200. Talk about limited retail therapy! We trekked up the hill to the main meeting building while watching tons of fireflies flicker in the fields. So beautiful! When I arrived, I found the other girls in my class also dressed up and the boys had on pants made of llama fur and ponchos. We listened to music for awhile and then were persuaded to get up and try dancing with them. It was basically hopping in a circle one direction until the leader whistled and then you switched directions. Afterwards, we had an early bedtime in order to get up at 6:45am to help make tortillas for breakfast. After breakfast, more yummy fruit, we got to see how the women do borderos or embroidery by hand. Pretty tricky! Next, we went on a nature walk to learn about medicinal plants. Super amazing how much they know and how much it made me realize us Americans love drugs! Then, we heard from the leader of the tourist department of the community how the community is organized and operates. Their whole mindset is of community and sharing, so some families produce dairy products, others clothing, others host tourist, etc. and they all share with what other people lack. Although they are not Christian, it made me think of how the Bible speaks of many people having different gifts. It was truly touching to hear about and made me wish more people in the world could be so unselfish, including myself. When they want to construct a road or someone needs to build a house, they all do it together for no money and share in a huge lunch while they are working on the project. We got to experience a taste of these lunches, called minga. A wonderful experience, something truly unique!
On the way back to Quito, we stopped in Ibarra, famous for its handmade in copper tub ice cream, or helado de paila. Yummy!!
If only US universities believed in fields trips...I guess that´s why there if study abroad!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sun, sand, sea...
I spent the weekend before last at the beach with Josh and 4 other girls and guys from our program. The beach is called Tonsupa, and is on the northern coast of Ecuador, not too close to Colombia though! It was very very small, but also felt very safe and tranquilo as they say often here. Being so small, it was also quite poor with dirt roads, kids walking around barefoot and many stray dogs. Once you got off the main strip of 3 blocks facing the beach, the houses were old, decrepid and there was not much to see. We got around in little open air taxis that were pulled by men riding their motorbikes. Mostly, we just hung around on the beach and ate freshly made ceviche (shrimp mixed with onion, tomato, lime juice and yummy spices) and other seafood for really cheap ($3.50 for ceviche -$6 in a restaurant for a big plate of fish, calamari or shrimp). Nothing else too exciting to report. A basic beach trip with not much else than the sun, sand and sea. Definitely not the tropical beach we were all expecting but a good time nonetheless!
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