I'm still working on gathering my thoughts on the coast trip. In the mean time, let me share more pictures with you. Remember the awesome weekend I unintentionally spent in Mindo? Let's check out some of the things I saw there.
Yesterday, I returned from the most intense field trip of my life (so far). My Techniques of Marine Research class took an 8-day trip along the coast of Ecuador. Every day was full of field work on a beach, but the trip also included countless moments collected on bus rides, group meals, hostel nights, town explorations, and scuba diving. I'm still processing it all. While you wait for those stories - and to avoid leaving my blog in total limbo for too long - here's a visual summary of our trip to Baños a couple of weeks ago.
The last few days flew by in a whirlwind of information and activity. Monday and Tuesday began with info-overload sessions at the university campus for orientation. Between the two days, we were pretty much informed of all information having to do with our stay, and all the tips to make it awesome. However, I’m pretty sure we all just retained two things:
- we are destined to have violent intestinal issues, especially if we happen to be adventurous about local food (apparently you “haven’t really lived in Ecuador until you have become a double-spouted fountain of intestinal fury”). - we are probably going to lose all of our valuables and disappear via “express kidnapping” or some other terrifying but very real crime in the city. In reality, the threat of diarrhea and dangerous criminals is entirely preventable and therefore unlikely (so don’t worry Mom and Dad). I will say, though, the talk was effective in making the health and safety tips actually stick. Along with some wacky dreams. Nevertheless, we students were all extremely eager to get out and explore the city. One orientation day ended with a tour through Old Quito – mostly its churches. While not adhering strictly to any religion myself, I can certainly appreciate a church whose history and intricate gold-plated interior literally make my jaw drop. Google Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesus and you’ll see what I mean. We weren't allowed to take pictures. On Wednesday we checked out a bit of New Quito by registering our visas downtown and wandering from there to La Mariscal, an artisanal market of every handmade Ecuadorian item you can think of. For precisely this reason, it’s become such a tourist filled spot that it is actually nicknamed Gringolandia. We played right in to the name and shopped like crazy. Bartering in Spanish to a point where you get a beautiful handmade alpaca poncho for $13 out of its original $22 is entirely too fun. That night a few girls and I decided to check out the night life near campus. We found some other students and a couple of promising places, but Wednesdays seem quiet unless you venture into the actual city for a discotheque. During our wanderings, we ran into a couple of locals who speak English. One was very interested in practicing his English while we practiced Spanish in return, and we found out that he actually studied at OSU for a few years! He and I chatted it up about Corvallis and Newport, specifically Moe’s clam chowder. As if that wasn't enough, he spent a few other years in Washington at the same university as another student in our group – talk about a small world! Unfortunately, the promising beginnings of adventure were interrupted for me this morning by an unsavory combination of altitude, sudden diet change, dehydration, and a late night. My body rebelled and I was too sick to meet up with the students going to El Terefrico cable car. Trish – Patricia – was amazing and stuck around to wait until I could stand without a sudden onset of motion sickness, and then we marched out to the bus, determined to find our way to the equator, El Mitad del Mundo. We never made it. The bus route seemed simple enough, with one transfer in the city and one transfer at the end of the line. We had it all planned. And yet, we managed to catch the wrong one. Classic bus fail. We felt like such lost tourists. After over two hours of bus-riding (have I mentioned that bus drivers here are INSANE??), Trish and I finally got back home. From there we were content to sit at a café with books to read for the rest of the afternoon. We’ll try again another day. There are so many places to explore. I’m more eager to venture to places away from the city. I have two class trips coming up that will spend multiple days on the coast whale watching and scuba diving. Unfortunately, I won’t have the opportunity to delve into the Amazon, and probably not into the cloud forests, either. I’m just viewing that as another excuse to return to South America in the future. This weekend, I’m joining a large group of students in renting a bus to visit Baños for a few days. Waterfalls, hiking, horseback riding, and hot springs? Count me in! The trip is actually threatened by a currently VERY active volcano, Tungurahua, which looms directly over the town. Honestly, I’m more concerned by the fact that a couple other girls are extremely adamant about taking the opportunity to bungee jump while there. Classes begin tomorrow. More entries next week. Chao! |