Blogs from Tena, East, Ecuador, South America - page 6

Von Quito in 1 1/2h Stunden zu erreichen. Die mit Abstand schoensten Termas die wir besucht haben auf unserer Reise. Damit wir wieder fit fuer den Urwald sind, goennten wir uns 2 Tage in dem exclusiven Hotel. In einem huebschen Bungalow fuer 4 Personen mit Bodenheizung (kein Wunder, heisses Wasser haben die ja im ueberfluss) einem riesigen Bad und einem Cheminée laesst es sich leben. Neben den Termas, auch fuer Auswaertige zu benutzen, besitzen die Bungalows eigene kleine Pools. Diese stehen den Gaesten 24 Stunden zu verfuegung. Gut gespiesen machten wir uns drann unseren Blog fuer Euch zu fuettern. Muede von den Termas, ging es relativ frueh ins Bett. Nach dem Fruehstueck am naechsten morgen, reservierten wir uns eine Massage fuer den spaeteren Nachmittag. Wieder sprudelten wir fuer zwei Stunden in den Termas. Ein herrliches Gefuehl! ... read more

Buenas tardes! So i´ve gotten way better at spanish now. i´m able to basically communicate. the rest of sunday was fun. swimming and such. then we went back to rio muchacho. monday night we made chocolate from scratch!!! so cool. edgar picked the cacao fruit to show us and inside you take a bean that´s coated in this white slimy stuff that´s actually really tasty sweet fruit. you suck on the fruit until the flavor´s gone, then you spit out the seed. you sun dry the seeds for 5 days or so and then cook them in a special pot made out of clay over a hot fire. then you peel the seeds until you get the bitter chocolate. then you grind the chocolate together with pure sugar cane (also grown on the farm) and cook ... read more

Macas is a pretty remote jungle town. However, I liked it, as it is relaxed, has a nice climate - not too warm, not too cold -, lies inmidst rolling green hills and has good food and friendly people. My main purpose to visit was however (unrelated to the book project) a visit to a local Shuar family. I went to the family of Daniel Ayuy who live about an hour outside of Macas next to a river, in the jungle. It is a lovely family with 10 kids. Daniel told me that he had actually wanted a lot more kids and thus wanted a second wife which is custom among the Shuar (his grandfather had 5 wifes!), but his wife who is a Kichwa did not agree, so he gave in and now only has ... read more

I am back in Quito now after a great last week in the Jungle. I will start off this blog from where I left off last weekend. We spent the night in Tena last Friday and explored Tena all Saturday. I went shopping with my friend Pam who is am American that is studying International Development at University of Pitt and she is teaching English in Chicico Rumi for the summer. It was her 25th Birthday on Tuesday so when we were in Tena we went to the market to get the supplies to make pancakes for everyone. There was so much to look at walking along the streets in Tena and at the market. There were tons of people trying to sell junk and many road side stands selling fish and chickens and Ecuadorian meals ... read more

Hola! I´m back in Tena for the night after what seems like a lot longer than only a week in the Jungle! After my last posting that night we went out in Tena to a very "expensive dinner". There were white table cloths and we drank wine and I got a very yummy dish with shrimp for the high price of $3.50. After we went out to the discotec and danced until I was so sweaty and tired that I needed to leave. In the morning we met the group for brunch and one of the girls in the group had a seizure so we had to wait around while she went to the hospital. She ended up having to stay overnight and is ok! So the rest of the group headed on to Chichico Rumi. ... read more