http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Ecuador , North , Esmeraldas en-us Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:34:53 +0000 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:34:53 +0000 Buenas tardes everybody. It has been some time since my latest dispatch and a lot has happened. I have also been sitting at this computer for about an hour and half now writing emails. So I guess this is a warning to the reader...this blog might be sloppy. My last entry was from Otavalo a popular market town a couple hours north of Quito in the mountains. A notable event from there I watched http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-337088.html Wow I wish you could hear my new way of saying that....as my friends in Muisne have taught me....its more of a Wooowwww. Its been a long time kids Speaking of long time its taking forever to load the pictures so those will have to wait. But I need to tell you about the absolutely amazing perspectivealtering experiences I have been having in Ecuador I was lucky to have met Rebecca Georg http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-257762.html FIN DE SEMANA vamos a las playas http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-202410.html I have just returned to Quito from 4 weeks on the coast of Ecuador. I volunteered with an organisation called Jatun Sacha at the Congal Biostation NW Ecuador on conservation issues.I had a really great time and learnt so much about Ecuador the people and the conservation issues on the coast and also ate some great seafood lots of shrimp. My work varied a lot I participated in mangrove ref http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-188637.html Ok so here we go with a bit of an update from back in the relative normality of the office in Esmeraldas city if you read the previous blog you will understand what I mean the jungle communities can only be described as a little extraordinary. Things have really changed in the last few weeks. I arrived to a small conservation foundation in the middle of a courageous effort to develop tourism http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-173857.html I just want to share with you a few bizarre moments I never got round to writing about before that suddenly made me stop and think how the hell did I end up here. The first one came when I first visited the Afro community of Playa de Oro one of the communities we work with to help develop their tourism enterprise. I had visited a few other communities before but only for a few hours and w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-173131.html The bus station was full. I was the only gringo in there and as I sat there clutching my bags and sensing peoples eyes examining me and my belongings I thought This is what travelling alone must be like alot of the time.The sensation certainly wasn't lost at all as I sat in my bus seat and felt kids under my seat tugging on my bag which I clutched with sufficient strength to deter the slightly http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-127664.html June 15 1980City official name EsmeraldasFounded date Location Esmeraldas ProvinceElavation 0 ft 0 mArea Approximately square miles km.Facts The conquistadors were astounded to find Indians bedecked in emeralds awaiting them on shore when they landed. Convinced that the region was abundant in the brilliant ge http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Esmeraldas-/blog-60181.html