28 July - Day 54: Accidently on Purpose

Today started fantastically. After breakfast I found out that my tour was scheduled for 2, so I headed to the beach. At 9 am the beach was completely empty and peaceful. I decided to head west. Most people who visit Isabella do so for only 1-3 days, so my 7 days is a lot of time! Time to get into the nooks and crannies withing walking distance - and I like to walk. Leave it to me to stumble on the town cemetery - just behind the dune of the beach. I kept walking and found huge iguanas basking in the sun, a beach made of solely broken shells and sea urchin spines, salt lagoons, a lava tube, and candelabra cactus trees. There is something to be said about exploring on your own... this morning was perfect.

You ready for the afternoon? I wish I could redo a few parts... ok - I met up with my group for the tour of the turtle center (went there yesterday, but ok) and the Wall of Tears (really want to see this). The group is 2 spanish speaking old women, 2 youngish French women, and 2 young really big guys from Idaho (it´s been a long time since I´ve been around a full sized person), oh and me. Our guide gathers us and we head off to the turtle center. It's nice to be with a guide and get more information. The one Idaho guy understands Spanish better than me and is translating for his friend, so I take full advantage of this situation. Sure enough sometimes I think I understand the Spanish only to find out that I was not on the right track at all...

The guide is a bit chit chatty with all of us and it's a good group. We then head up to the Wall of Tears. After WW II, Ecuador decided not to give in to the the pressures to sell the Galapagos, but instead use Isabella for prisoners. The government sent 300 prisoners to Isabella and of course police to watch over them. Like I said, there is not much to do here, beside animal watch, so the police had to think of a way to keep the prisoners busy and to tire them out. So they thought, oh, let's have the prisoners carry huge pieces of lava over here and make a giant wall. The lava is heavy and super sharp. The sign at the site says that "the strong cry and the weak die". Apparently a lot of prisoners died trying to make a stupid wall. Eventually what do you think happened... yup, the prisoners got control of the camp and tied up the police. The unfinished wall stands here as a reminder of the stupidity of humans.

At the site I am walking ahead of the group and thinking about the people lugging huge rocks when the guide peers around the corner and says something in Spanish and I think he's asking me about the Wall of Tears so I respond that it's horrible. He appears shocked and aked me if I think HE is horrible - and I'm like - oh crap he is talking about what I think of him, not the Wall.... What happens next happens so fast and I fumbled my way into agreeing to see him at 8:30 tonight! WTF just happened? I would pay $100 USD for Laura to be with me right now! I am in total shock - I've agreed to go on a date with a guy and I need someone to support me! LAURA... I try to confide in the Idaho guys and I guess since the topic wasn't potatoes they weren't interested in helping me... HELP.

Next we go to playa de amor - oh great the beach of love. Mr. Guide is more attentive and says my name at least half a dozen times. Ok I'm gonna get out of this...

We get dropped off and he asks to walk with me to my house. Shit -what is this? The issue is that people here know the US from movies - and I'm not about to hook up with a local from Isabella Island. He makes plans to meet me at the corner at 8:30 and my Spanish is too bad to weasel my way out of this. I get back - freeze my ass off in the cold shower - baby power up - and think - this does not feel right. I ask Petita if it's safe and she says yes, but from a robbery or something else? My gut says no, so I'm blowing him off. My solution is to hide out in my room and pray he doesn't come knocking. Wait til you see his photo and the fact that he's wearing a women's velor coat with fur trim and flower embroidered into it. Oh it's super attractive - for a girl!

25 July - Day 51: Island hopping and Baby Powder Showers

My new showering strategy is to have as little contact as possible with the frigid water and to simply douse myself with baby powder. I even resorted to putting baby powder in my hair. I understand the energy requirements to heat water, but it is really cold here - they tell me the coldest it's been in two decades and I can not bear to put my head under a shower of ice cold water. Imagine it's a 50 degree day and you decide to bathe with the yard hose.

Six more nights... six more - I hate thinking that way - wishing my time away, but I just got off a 2 1/2 hour frigid boat ride, the sun has not peaked through once today (even though I've been on three different islands) and I would pay $20 for a nice HOT shower!

I started my day in San Cristobal - jetted over to Santa Cruz - and have just arrived on Isabella. After a total of 5 hours on a boat I'm not looking forward to the boat trip scheduled for Tuesday. I managed to keep all my food in, but it's probably because at 6:30 am I drugged myself with two mareols and then I swallowed down one more for the afternoon ride. I probably should have taken two more and just passed out because the last ride was rough. It was a smaller boat and at times we were entrenched in a wave and couldn't see the horizon for a few seconds. That and slamming down in the waves was enough to bring up anyone's lunch. I listened to my IPOD and that kept my mind busy.

My first reaction upon arrival to Isabella is... ewwww, ugly. My hostel overlooks a vacant lot with an old dirty matress and laundry hanging. The "port" is not a port at all and just a dock that leads to a street. I don't have a sense of orientation yet - so maybe I'll feel better when I do. I usually catch on to directions fairly quickly, so we'll see how I do when I get some daylight hours.

  My hostel doesn´t look that bad, right? Well here´s the view across the street...

Bummer, really because the places on the beach are really nice...

Isabella is the largest island and made up of 6 volcanoes. Sierra negra is the 2nd largest crater in the world! The port here, Puerto Villamil, has 1000 residents and is referred to as "off the beaten track" (I'd say...) My guidebook doesn't even include a map of this town...

The plan for the week is three day tours and two free days. I've got my fingers crossed!

24 July - Day 50 : Lions (sea), iguanas (marine), and birds (boobies) - OH MY

Another really pleasant day. I left my hostel in search of some breakfast and ran into one of the volunteers from Jatun Satcha. She´s close to my age, from Germany, and I didn´t really get a chance to talk to her at the reserve... we decided to get breakfast together. After we ate she mentioned going to La Loberia - the beach about 40 minutes walk that everyone went to yesterday. She wanted to go back and enjoy it without so many people, so we ended up hanging out all day. It was great.

La Loberia (oh wait for the photos) is known for lots of sea lions, marine iguanas and birds - oh good - I like all of those things! Of course the weather wouldn´t cooperate and we almost turned around because of the rain, but at that point we were already soaked and kept going. I am so glad because we, of course, saw tons of sea lions, but sea turtles as well! the infamous turquoise water was surrounded by black igneous rocks and the white beaches composed of broken sea shells and purple urchin spines. Who doesn´t love frolicking sea lions? It was too cold to swim, but I did have my bathing suit on for the 2nd time this ENTIRE summer!

We hiked up to a cliff, winding our way across the sharp lava. At the top of the cliff we saw birds - a few Nazca boobys, but mostly swallow-tailed gulls with their red eye circle and red feet.

It´s true, when you travel alone you can meet some really cool people. I deserved this - after babysitting - and the reserve "camp".

We took photos, talked and hiked. My stomach was digesting itself by the time we got back into town.

I really needed this type of day. Full of exercise, but relaxing at the same time, good company, along the coast and cool animals to observe. Now this is that I was expecting!

Tomorrow I´m off bright and early to catch the 7 am boat to Santa Cruz, then to the 2 pm boat to Isabella... My last week...

20 July - Day 46; People pay to do this?

At the reserve... and... it´s really beautiful, really...

you ready for the BIG BUTT... whew - deep breath- bugs, so many that you need to wear a bug hat. OK I can wear one, too bad no one told me to bring one, I actually own a bug hat and have it in Bolivia with me - that way I wouldn´t need to borrow a moldy, stinky one. Work - manuel labor - I actually enjoy a bit of manuel labor and when you are on kitchen duty you get out of work, but I´d much rather be in the reserve working than in the kitchen!

Reforestation of native species is the goal. Pull out the invasive blackberry bushes - which have taken over and are covered with nasty thorns, and plant native trees. I planted 8 trees today! That´s cool. Everything is covered in mud. The last place did a really good job cleaning up even when someone broke the rules and walked with their boots in a forbidden zone. This place appears to make no effort to clean and even though they force you to take off your boots the floor is covered in dirt and now your socks are filth. A nice brush-like broom would fix this problem.

Lunch was OK - rice and meat - you are in charge of washing your own plate - in cold water with a nasty sponge - my mom would have a heart attack.

OK - I´ve saved the best for last and I haven´t even had the full experience yet... the sleeping quarters! I´m sad that they other guy planted the bed bug idea in my head because the matresses are repulsive - all of them. I´ve sprayed the crap out of one with bug spray and then they put sheets on a different bed. Oh - it´s gross. I asked about a blanket or something - and they were like, "oh" you didn´t bring your own sleeping bag? Well... nooo... just like the bug hat, that wasn´t on the "list". Damn, now I have to use a sleeping bag from here. How am I ever going to sleep? I´m repulsed just thinking of getting into that bed. I´m trying to think back to girl scout camp... when I was - what - 8 years old... I don´t remember the sleeping quarters - were they gross?

14 July - Day 40: Puky McPuker

What a morning. My boating experience is so limited that I didn´t know how to mentally prepare myself for today´s tour of Academy Bay. My inner ear fails me more and more as I age and I don´t know if I´m going to get sick. Should I skip the trip? What to do? Should I eat breakfast? Daniel, one of the guides, picked us up at the hostel and took us to our restaurant - ok - I should at least have some eggs and toast. Feeling good we head for the dock. This is a "special" glass bottom boat - the only one here. We join two other families and our guide, Edwardo, and head off.

It´s rough, the water. Super turquoise and beautiful, but the overcast sky and swells are bringing back thoughts of stormy seas. Maybe in a past life I died at sea...

We go to a group of volcanic rocks - 25 minutes from the port - and immediately spot sea lions. Awww, so cute! We stay in one spot looking at the crabs, birds, sea lions and my body is fighting to keep control. No big shock - my body fails. A group decides to snorkle - 1st of all the water is cold - 18 degrees C, and rough, big enough swells to look undesirable, it´s cloudy and well that´s all I needed to not jump in. In my mind I realize that getting out of the boat is a good idea, but the dizziness has set in and now the puking starts. Just three times - enough to empty my stomach - whew - so much for those eggs. We are rocking while the snorkelers snorkle. I am concentrating hard. Deep breaths, calm, find that still happy place inside.

The group jumps back in - blue lips and all. We are off again and I´m in full concentration mode. Oh thankfully the walking part is next. We get out of the boat and view a white tipped reef shark resting spot and then head for playa de los perros - which actually has nothing to do with dogs. Here the whitish sand blinks in contrast with the black lava. Turquoise water slaps the shore and - wait - look - marine iguanas! Swimming! Sunning! How Cool!

I guess said fast to non native speakers, marine iguanas sounds like marijuana. Imagine the excitement on someone´s face when the guide shouts - "LOOK - marijuanas!"

Back on the boat we don´t go far before another walking spot - this time to a canyon-ish area with brackish water. With the overcast sky the water isn´t very inviting, but it was quite relaxing to chill on land for a while. I just have the shakes a little now, so as long as I don´t make any sudden movements I can stay upright.

Made it back to Porto Ayora and was able to fill my empty stomach with some rice and fish. After a little siesta we headed to Tortuga Bay. The path was a little longer than we expected and went on and on.

I guess now might be a good time to introduce you to my travel companion. As of a month ago I was the only person signed up to do the trip. When I checked into my hostel in Quito - two days before- I discovered that there was someone else signed up... I was glad actually - after 5 weeks alone - I am ready for a travel companion.

The next morning I met her. She speaks only English and in a super southern accent. She shares that she is from Alabama and living in a trailer in a trailer park with a pit bull and a pit mix. Twenty two - which means she was born in 1988 and if I´d followed the southern way - could literally be my daughter. She is THAT generation - the one that cannot put down her cell phone which in addition to being a phone has internet. I wonder why people don´t just be with the people they are texting. If you can´t put down the phone... move closer to the person you are texting all day. My pet peeve - hanging out with someone that cannot stop texting or worse, talking on the phone. I know I sound like an old lady... I am.

Come to find out, my travel companion has brought a large rolling suitcase, a hand suitcase, a backpack and a shoulder bag. We are doing a lot of moving around... staying in several different places... WTF? It´s a good thing she´s blonde and tiny. How did I end up with the perfect white trash southern girl for a travel companion?

So far she has needed help with everything! After bragging about having taken Spanish all through school - she asks me how to order a bottle of water. This is good actually - I can relax and speak English most of the time, but am being forced to be the one to communicate with everyone else. I need this responsibility.

Next stop... volunteering in the highlands of Santa Cruz...

Day 36: The TeleferiQo

In 2005 a gondola style chair lift on the West side of Quito opened. The lift takes you to the base of Volcan Pichincha to an altitude of 4050 meters - 13,365 feet. If you happen to be a foreigner the round trip ticket will cost you $8.50, for locals... $4.95. The ride itself is 2.5 km long and takes just under 10 minutes. Any guide book will tell you that it is highly recommended, so after making some friends this week I invited myself to go with them to the TeleferiQo.

Last night I made it to happy hour after school. A group from the house were going and I thought it would be a good time so that we could all go back together and feel a bit safer. I don't know if I told you, but when my friends Matt and Jenny were here they were robbed at knifepoint in the exact area as all the bars and happy hour activities, across the main road from my school. I haven't talked to them about specifics, but I've been a bit more cautious since they told me. So the group idea was good and we all went out. During drinks a couple brought up that they wanted to go to the TeleferiQo, and I told them that I would set my alarm and if the weather was good I'd come wake them up. After days and days of afternoon rains I wasn't sure what the weather would be like, but when I woke up the sun was out and we headed up to the gondola.

Looks like a normal chair lift... you may not be surprised, but when you travel enough you are shocked when things "seem" normal.

Looking out of the gondola

Remember, Quito is 2800 meters, the base of the chair lift is 3050 m and it climbs 1000 m to a peak called Cruz Loma.  Here I am standing in the heart of the Andes!

High up in the Andes - looking South

I'm pretty sure this trail leads up to the summit of Rucu Pichincha (4627 m), but we didn't actually venture up there. It is a 3 hour trek up and it just wasn't on the agenda for today!

They did have a few horses for rent at the top!

And of course, where there are people and horses, there are doggies!

Hey ya'll, over there is Quito! Right now you are looking toward the East.

And over here to the West are some big mountains, you might know them as part of the Andes.

I really miss being warm, but you can't beat a view like this!

Day 34: eff this lesson, vamos a el cementerio!

The sun was out this morning, which has been a rare event for Quito, so instead of being cooped up in a concrete classroom we (my teacher, Gustavo, and I) decided to go on a little field trip. There is a large cemetery near the Old Town that I've wanted to check out and the rumor is that it's not safe to walk there, so this worked out perfectly. We hailed a taxi and headed for Cementerio de San Diego. Keeping with the traditional South American style there were lots of creepy tombs...

It's rare to see headstones in the grass, I forgot how much I like that part of a cemetery.

Walls and walls...

Apparently this woman was a famous mobster in Quito! She has a giant bust of herself inside that tomb!

Day 11: (was yesterday) MAN DOWN! MAN DOWN!

Well the internet was down... at my house... I forget that Quito is in a 3rd world country and expect things to work perfectly - this just puts me in check... I could have gone to an internet cafe, but that was not in my busy schedule, besides last night we had a bunch of people come over to the house and had a pizza party. It was nice to speak english, I talked to some dude from England and a girl from Germany. At one point there were probably 15 people sitting around the table and I was the only person from the US.

So yesterday, I finished my 6 hours of lessons and went down to Old Town to explore another church. I have some more photos for you and some fun facts about Quito to share, but you will have to wait to see if the interenet is up and running when I get home.

Until then...

Day 9: Grey Sunday

Decided to head to the mall and try to find the other two big malls here. Thought, ok, it's Sunday, so it'll be a nice leisurely walk to the mall from my house... Wait, what are all those people down there? Quito had it's 50th annuel 15 K run today. There were 1000's of people. It was like a real city. People wearing their "Marathon" (it's the name of a sporting goods store here) shirts were all over the place. By the time I ventured out of my house the race must have been over because the people were all congregating around the north end of the big park here.

I was a little overwhelmed because I had my mind set on a nice relaxing walk. I walked around for about 45 minutes and realized that I was really hungry. I headed up to the big food court in the mall and decided it was time for me to have some Taco Bell. If I were back home I would have gone to Moe's or Chipotle, but I didn't have that choice. It was yummy and tasted just like I expected. People always wonder why chains are so popular and it's because you know exactly what you are getting - no surprises. That's why we love starbucks so much. I know what my favorite drink is going to taste like before I take my first sip. Don't get me wrong, I love trying new things, but sometimes I want that comfort taste.

I did find a little pharmacy with the shampoo I really like so I spent some money there and decided it was time to take a break. I took a two hour awesome nap.

After I decided to get up I headed to the big Parque Carolina and walked around the whole thing. The city has done such a fantastic job with their parks. Places for skateboards, mountain bike trails, playgrounds, a botanic garden, the musuem of science is in the park. Reminds me of a mix of City Park and Wash Park in Denver. Despite the overcast grey day, there were tons of peole out and about. I pranced around the park with my headphones and felt good!

Day 7: Freaking cool basilica

Remeber the basilica I told you about the other day? Well I decided to go explore after school today. I walked from school (I love being able to walk places) to the north side of Old Town. The Basilica sits up on a slope and overlooks the city. In the guide books they say to be sure and climb the tower, so that's what I did...

Here is the Basilica, in all it's glory, sitting on the hill...

When you get closer to the church you see that the gargoyles are representative of animals native to Ecuador...

See the anteaters? How cool! There were many different animals represented...

monkeys...

and alligators... there was also turtles, jaguars, iguanas, but I was on the wrong side of the sun. I'll have to go back in the morning when the sun is shining on the front of the church.

So I walked around to the side and bought a $2 ticket to go up the tower. I had no idea what I was in for...

In the narrow staircase I came to the first floor and there was an overlook into the church.

Sorry it's so dark...

Finally I get to an arrow that points - this way to the tower... ok, I thought I was in the tower... nope I have to walk across this makeshift bridge first.

Ok, this looks totally safe. Hey, what is that at the end of this wooden path way? Is that a metal ladder?

Yup, it is...

Phew. I made it. Wait, what is that over there?

Shit, I don't like the looks of that! I think I'll just stay here and enjoy the view. Wait, what will my family say when I tell them that I went to the "almost" top of the tower. That is lame. Ok, deep breath, you can do it...

Ok, I'm at the stupid top of this thing... I don't like it one bit. It's windy and cold up here. Hey, the guide book says it's over 300 feet up!

Don't look down! Crap, I looked down. I could only hope to impale myself with some sort of gothic metal rod on the way down...

Ok, ok, I'll try and enjoy the view.

Damn there's a lot of houses out there.

Ok, it's time to go back down. Whew, I am all worked up and my stomach, which hasn't been normal in a few days is now in knots. I know people like adrenaline rushes, but I feel a bit queasy. I think I'll just head back to the bottom as fast as I can.

OMG, see that tall spire? That's where I was. Time to sit on a bench and relax for a minute. Now my head is filled with spanish and my guts are grumbling... nothing like traveling :)

Day 2: Holy Churches - Batman

I decided that today I would walk from New Town to Old Town. As far as I can tell from the map it looks like it's 4 km one way, so not too far. The weather was fantastic. Because it's Sunday a lot of stores were closed, however there were hundreds of people in the parks. As I wandered through the parks I thought about City Park in Denver and how much I miss going there with Winnie.

As I got closer to Old Town I looked toward the big volcano and here's what I saw peeking out through the buildings...

The joy of having no plan is that when you see something like this, you just head stratight for it. I love when cities have tall things to use as landmarks as you try and weasel your way around.

Up on a hill the massive Basilica del Voto Nacional is the tallest chruch in all of Ecuador! The construction started in 1892 and it is still not finished. For some reason the church is built using mostly concrete. There was a mass going on and since I was wearing a hat and toting a backpack I decided that I'd come back another time to see the inside and get up close and personal. Apparently the gargoyles are based on Ecuadorian animals - cool.

I went into the heart of Old Town and there are churches everywhere.

I should have written down all the names of the churches, but who knew this would be a chruch day? I love the way the sky looks behind this church. I want to say that this is Santo Domingo - but I'm not sure.

People just hanging out. I love it! Just chillin' in front of the church. As I walked closer I got a view of the door...

So much energy and time is put into church stuff! You can feel the passion oozing from the people. And then you think how hungry people are and if the church could save a little money from all that "stuff" to feed more people.

Look up by the alter... it is a nun with a camera! She was taking several photos from different angles.

I took a bunch more photos today, so you can check my facebook page for those. I did add a couple of street dog photos, but the dogs are scare in the city. I'll have to venture further out to find some. Tomorrow... first day of Spanish classes :0