http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Gina-Marie/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Gina Marie en-us Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:11:20 +0000 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:11:20 +0000 I am feeling nostalgic. Hence my sentences will start with I. My last couple days were spent on the other side of the spectrum with the people who couldn't afford trivial spending. We went to a skate park near Mall del Sol and I fell on my ass trying to go down a ramp. I was given a skate magazine with pictures of people I actually knew. I walked a lot because taxis were too expensive. I sat in http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-Jersey/blog-309210.html Baos finally after a 5 hour bus ride not 3.5 Quiero vivir en Baos. si es mejor de mi Guayaquil no puedo decir pero I LOVE IT. Thepeople the places to stay the things to do the prices. LOVE IT. Oh and its really tiny and in my first 2 hours here I had already seen people from the last time like Edison the Bartender of the Leprachaun. Veronica and I ate at some cute little place and th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Banos/blog-307320.html Left for Quito on lunes y arrived after the shortest flight of my entire life. I sat next to a group of friendly old women. The accent in Quito in definitely way different than the costeos it almost sounds like a different language. However the sound as though they are singing and its fairly easy to understand as long as they are talking directly to me. Anyway I got to the airport an hour ear http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-307317.html I learned lots of new words today from a guy who calls himself Angel X. He is actually the most gentlemanlike ecutoriano I have met yet. locura facha...ya ya ya. Saw this place called Paradise that overlooks the entire city and has an even better view than Las Peas. When it is rainy there is a waterfall and lots of fruit trees but not now. Still a beautiful view. Bought my ticket to Quito for http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Guayaquil/blog-305322.html Well I am not actually in Montaita but its an appropriate title anyway. We were planning on leaving today after class but when our plans just werent seeming to work out we decided not to. That is everyone except Lizzy who should probably just move there. I still dont want her to go because its super dangerous to drive on that road especially at night shell be alone and the entire coun http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Montanita/blog-304061.html Rastas limpias. I did my hair. Dayne Veronica and I went to Parque Seminario Iguana Park today during break to see the iguanas that hang out there all day. There are tons and I petted a big one. I saw my first Ecuadorian squirrel too It has a black head and striped tail and no fear as people were feeding him nuts and he just chilled to eat them. Some old man talked to us and thought we were e http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Guayaquil/blog-303285.html Sorry NJ I am moving to Baos.There is so much to say about this past weekend I have to be sort of brief because I need to go to lunch and then do a ton of homework and projects but it was definitely my favorite place in all of Ecuador. I was told Guayaquil is the armpit of the country and after this I will agree even though I love my city. Baos is very tourist oriented not just to gringos http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Banos/blog-302813.html Today typical of my character I am frustrated. Part of it is culture shock part is my company part is my indefinite plans and then just a little bit of everything else thrown in. So some things that I had found interesting and may miss later but for now they are just irritating Toilet paper because the toilets dont flush well it is typical to have toilet paper outside of the bathrooms http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-300633.html No me recuerdo que pas en mircoles o jeuves pero este fin de semana fuimos a Cuenca. On the way there we stopped at Ingapirca Incan ruins of the Caari people. The ride up the mountains was beautiful but extremely painful scary and sickening because the roads are dirt and rock and curvy. When we finally got there it was drizzling and freeeeezing. The Incan locals were very friendly and we bou http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/South/Cuenca/blog-299703.html I learned that in Hindu my name means Yes No. How coincidental. Also Geena means to live. I have been called cynical by my classmates but they assure me its not a bad thing. Today though I am miserable and cynical and angrily apathetic. Thats not an oxymoron.I DESPISE MY GRAMMAR CLASS. Its like teachings toddler comma use. I dont know enough Spanish to be taught how to use all the grammar c http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-296617.html Happy Cuatro de Julio They have a random statue of Abe Lincoln here and someone had put an L on his forehead so I took it off yesterday. I was going to put it on one of their statues but thats disrespectful.They teach entirely in Spanish here so its abit harder to learn. Regardless of the level they answer your questions in Spanish. It helps in terms of learning a new vocab but when I dont http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Guayaquil/blog-295369.html First I am not taking any pictures so far because I never remember. Also cameras are an invitation to get robbed because they are shiny and ridiculously expensive here. BTW a Wii cost 2550. Yea. Seriously. WARNING Whining.There computer from my house had disappeared and now I have a lot to write. Mommy sent me 8 emails in 2 days because I hadnt emailed her. Ha. Oh mommy. I wish I would get http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Guayaquil/blog-294491.html I made it all the way to Guayaquil without getting lost in an airport My flight was pretty simple I had a 16 year old boy next to me and he kept me entertained drawing pictures of Spongebob and telling me I look more Ecuadorian than Italian. In Costa Rica I bought an iced tea that drained me of 5. Either I got ripped off for being American or the dollar really is that weak there. My homestay m http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Guayaquil/blog-292824.html