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Hey my dear friends, I know I have been neglecting you, since I have been here 3 weeks now ( since Monday 14/05) and still no word of me. I will ease your mind, I didn't get lost on the Galapagos or in the Andean Highlands.
My first days in Quito I met a really nice Ecuadorian woman called Patricia, who drove me around in her car to discover Quito's historical center and the Middle of the World. One of the many highlights untill now, was my trip to the Galapagos islands, where Charles Darwin created his "Origin of Species". I thought that I had stranded on a utopian colony, where the animals rule over the humans and think of them as annoying paparazzi. The islands have litlle vegetation and are made out of volcano erruptions. I saw the ancients of the islands, the Giant turtles, who can live more than 150 years. I spent my four days there on the Eden cruise, with more old people than young, but hey I was there for the animals, the mysteries of nature and the star filled heavens. I saw sea iguanas and sally lightfood crabs at Puerto Egas, Snorkelled with the pinguins, tropical fish, turtles, sharks and rays and played with three Galapagos Sea lions, took pictures of red footed and nasca boobies, fregat birds and we also had a race with the dolphins and I was greatly satisfied when I left.
I hooked up with Rachel, a young ecologist and we made our way back via Guayaquil to the Highlands. A train journey on the famous Devil's Nose was a must and we met two nice belgian guys Jimmy and Niels, who took us along with their driver Luis. We visited the Ingapirca Inca Ruins, where we were told that all the skeletons that were found there were virgin priestesses and were introduced to the Inca's and Cañari wisdom.
On we went to Cuenca were we had a great wednesday night out in town, dancing salsa, merengue, cumbia untill the early hours. The morning after we walked along the market and left for Vilcabamba. A small utopian village surrounded by spectacular mountains. Thursday night we danced on the main square and watched the princess and transvestite elections., because that is what the local parties are like. Two weeks of misses and dancing. Me and Rachel stayed at the Hidden Garden, where we had breakfast and pool included. We hiked in the Rumi Wilco Ecolodge and made a 6 hour hourse trip to the Podocarpus National Park, with our cute guide Diego (very tall for an Ecuatorian). It was a challenging trip for me as my stomac was acting out. That night we met Gavin, the owner of the horses, who is an excentric Kiwi living there for many years. We went drinking at Shagas bar, were they tried to convince us to drink a Snake Puro. No thanks! It's seems to be worse than worm tequila.
Sunday we left for Cuenca again. Had an artist museum-day with painter Carlos Santos using me Rachel and Luanne as models. The day after we went hiking in Cajas National Park and had a great night out with Carlos, singing Karaoke, discouvering a planet and running into Geert again. Wednesday we arrived in Riobamba, my house for the coming months. I split up with Rachel and started working last thursday with Unidad Pachayachik, where I will be doing voluntary work untill August. They provide bilingual education for Quichua youngsters and adults and I got to meet all the people I will be working with, embarking on another type of adventure. Friday I went to the concerto of Don Omar, where I saw a great Reggeaton concert and afterwards loads of beer.
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Bert
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helaba
Hey Sofie, Amaj, 't is ginder blijkbaar niet slecht!! K hoop dat ge u al helemaal thuis voelt op uw project. Veel plezier ginder!