I got behind on my posting… because life has been too good! I just returned from hiking the Quilatoa loop with two new friends and am heading out to try and summit Cotopaxi tomorrow… wish me luck! More on that in my next post…
AS ALWAYS, please feel free to scroll down if you´d just like to see the pretty pictures!
Two Fridays ago, the 17th, I went out on a beautiful run on the other side of the river, a point-to-point, starting across one crazy bridge (the San Marin Bridge, though only a bus-length lone, covers a 150-foot drop into a narrow, rapid-filled canyon below) with the hopes of crossing another bridge leading back into town later on. After enjoying my first views of the Volcan Tunguragua (which is currently active has historically threatened the surrounding areas) and interactions with rural indigenous farmers (no matter how steep, there appears to be a farm), I found myself caught as the sun went down. The trails had petered out into cow grazing trails, and the antenna where I expected there to be a road didn´t appear to yield one. Below me, variously, were jungles and steep cliffs. I could see a lit road below, but I couldn´t see how to get to it. And it gets DARK here. QUICKLY. After panicking and running back and forth screaming for a minute or two, I came up with a plan. It wasn´t cold, just dark. As long as I took my time, and didn´t panic, I would make it back to town, which I could see glittering across the way (across a 150-foot drop). I saw a invernadero (greenhouse farm) below and aimed for it, finding a rugged road that eventually led to the lights (choosing the only routes across chasms). Thank goodness I had my headlamp with me (thanks, dad, for the early Christmas gift). Slightly traumatized, I returned with bloody scratches all over my legs from using them as machetes, (there is a reason why the farmers here have to slash-and-burn to farm) but invigorated from taking charge of the situation. I will stay out of the dark in the future, don´t worry!
The next morning, I left for a two-day trip into the jungle with international companions. The drive was very scary. It was necessary for our driver to turn the wheel back and forth just to keep us moving straight. There were no keys for the ignition, no seatbelts, no speedometer, and the passenger seat was not connected to the floor. Coupled with Ecuadorian driving, and it was terrifying.
First, we stopped at a monkey sanctuary. Jorge, of Spain, coaxed a monkey onto his arm, which he transferred onto my head. I loved the little girl, but her tail was wrapped a little tight around my neck, and, when it was time to go, she held on tight with her little nails. More adventure scars.
Next, we visited a village, where I quickly made friends with a kid named Rodriguez (I think?). I asked him the standard tourist question (How old are you, in Spanish) and he responded with a bored answer. Then I told him I was 24. He smiled. Soon, I had lent him my camera to play with, and he happily snapped pictures, some of which were actually really good (though I made sure to be generous with my praise). Interestingly, he was more interested in closely-cropped shots. I wonder if it is a result of living in an area without wide, sweeping views? I remember a similar conclusion from cross-cultural psychology research; that visual perception abilities are impacted by the living environment. Interesting stuff.
Then, it was time for our log canoe ride. This was not my favorite. The thing was incredibly tippy, needed lots of (constant) bailing, and nearly swamped every time we made a turn. Not to mention that it hurt our butts every time we hit a rock. Wow.
Afterward, we proceed to lunch at the cabins where we´d be staying for the night (just three of us stayed, with the guide). We relaxed in the hammocks in an area that had been cleared to provide a view not usually available to jungle dwellers – sweeping, is the best word to describe it.
After lunch, we went on a nature walk to a waterfall. It was impossible to properly photograph in the shifting light – I could never properly adjust the light meter on the digital camera to capture the depth of light and shapes of the shifting vegetation. I hiked in just my swimsuit top, wearing the facepaint from the village and chunky jewelry crafted there. The waterfall was amazing! It was about a 40-foot drop into a perfectly round, shallow pool. It was harsh enough that it was a thrill to swim underneath and I didn´t dare stand under the falls. For an Alaskan, the water was warm, even though it was an overcast day in the jungle.
At night, things were a little strange with so few tourists. However, I saw a churango up on the wall. From my lessons with my Spanish teacher, Marcello, I was able to transfer my ukulele skills over to the 10-stringed instrument, and, soon, our guide, Maria, and I, were singing the traditional Peruvian broken-hearted song . I think we sang it 5 or 6 times. We also danced as a group and tried on some of the costumes. I refused to dance with Richard, a guy who worked in the place, until he put on these leopard britches and I put on a hat made from an entire dead parrot (so I could be taller). Large insects kept flying into the open-air dining room to die on the bare bulb (Ecuadorians seem to love bare bulbs… I have not seen a light fixture in the country). I found them interesting, rather than creepy, which is not the reaction I expected out of myself. The mosquitos in Alaska are way more annoying than the bugs in the Selva.
I didn´t sleep well, but I was invigorated as the numerous roosters and crows woke us up in the morning for a hike in the blazing sun through the woods, with Maria as our guide. She took to the Selva with a machete (it was not clear to me whether part of her job is clearing trails or if it is more dramatic for the tourists if the indigenous guide whacks away all the time). I must say, she wields a machete with a frightening accuracy and with the endurance of a woman half her age. Soon, despite the forcast, we were caught in a torrential downpour. My drybag saved the cameras and Maria´s cellphone. However, we did not want to turn back! As we continued on our walk, it lightened up. We saw small monkeys flee, and Maria identified a natural hairbrush (which we used), medicine for cramping, a plant used for washing clothing, tarantualas (which I almost walked through), the local hallucinogen, and many others.
I only regret not signing up for the 5- or 7-day trip into the Selva!
Back in Baños, in my last four days of schooling, Marcelo hit me hard with the basic grammar rules, so that I will have the tools I need to continue learning on my own. We learned about three different kinds of past tense (the preterito, the imperfect, and the perfect). Wow. I am still trying to use each every day, but it is very difficult! I also learned about how to give orders and the future tense. Yowza! The biggest challenge with Spanish is that they usually don´t use personal pronouns (he, she, it, I, us, them) and so it is necessary to tell from the format of the verb who is acting. That is, the verb often contains both the subject and the action. WOW!
Sorry to those who fell asleep.
Finally, I have to mention the Day of the Parade and the Zoo! I bore witness to the most adorable parade I have ever seen. For their school`s yearly anniversary, an all-boys primary school held a parade. Each class had a car blaring theme music leading it out (driven by proud parents) and a sign borne by younger siblings, followed by a frenzied teacher, directing dance moves and behavior while walking backwards. While the dances were only somewhat choreographed, the teachers and the kids and the crowd were so into it. I was laughing and cheering with tears in my eyes. The themes included the Ecuadorian soccer team (every kid here has a jersey), the Abuelos (yes, they were all dressed as grandpas, with canes and facial hair, dancing to a song about abuelos), Rock Stars (all had created their own paper-mache guitars), and, my person favorite, Michael Jackson´s Thriller (lead by a younger sibling dressed as MJ).
Continuing the cute theme, later that day, I went to the Zoo. I wasn´t expecting anything spectacular- I mostly wanted to pet the Tapirs, who I heard were tame. I was shocked to find a zoo straight out of Harry Potter. The zoo is built right on the other side of the San Marin bridge (the 150-foot-drop-over-rapids bridge), and it takes full advantage. The exhibits, though appearing to be rambling, incorporated the geology and topography of the area. Walkways consisted of already-present volcanic rock. The spectacled bears had an exhibit against a large cliff wall. The nocturnal animals were at the bottom. The birds were on top. The monkeys and tapirs had “open exhibits” so that they could wander. And in addition to the panoramic views, including the rapids, both mountainsides of the valley, and the Volcano Tunuragua, there were the animals! I can´t remember their names, because they were all so strange to me; the leopards, the jungle pigs, the jungle raccoon, the monkeys, monkeys, monkeys. And the tapirs, with their pig bodies, and flexy-nosed faces (“el primo del elephant” in my mind). I was not surprised that I loved the tapirs. The animals appeared to be incredibly well cared for – I witnessed a keeper give a high-five to a frightening large cat through a cage wall, and monkeys playing with more exuberance than they did at the refuge. I only wished I had visited sooner.
Well, that´s it for me! Unfortunately, I have squandered a bit of sleep in preparation for Cotopaxi… we leave at 1:00am tomorrow to summit and descend before the day is over. I can bet my Catalonian/Korean boys are asleep right now!
NEXT POST:
Final days in Baños – hiking, sunbathing, Thanksgiving, etc.
Quilatoa Loop
Cotopaxi
The San Martin Bridge and the rapids leaving it. I should´ve posted one of Tunguragua, but it is too late now!
A frightening view of the town, from no clear trail across a 150-foot drop. Oops.
The battle scars... hard to see with the bare bulb in the bathroom.
Mi amiga... choking me a bit.
Rodriguez took this shot... perfect!
Rodriguez, 11, and me. It took us four tries to get a "serious face".
The relaxing spot. I returned here at sunset and sang to myself. WITH A HEADLAMP, of course.
This car will be on the road until tourists die. And I don´t think that´s a joke...
An amazing waterfall.
Jorge y Yo.
An attempt to capture the rainforest.
Caught in a torrential downpour, with leaf umbrellas provided by Maria.
Sunset from the hammock spot.
Churango and dancing and fun.
Maria whacks our way through a banana plantation in the Selva beloning to indinenous people.
Los Abuelos! Cute kids parading.
My favorite bird. Because it was beautiful and not noisy.
Um. Did I mention I love tapirs?
The nose goes both ways! Whaat?!
