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Published: July 22nd 2008
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Hey everyone,
So it has been a while since I have posted a blog. Sorry about that I have been pretty busy.
Let´s see.
Clay and I took a week off work and took a trip to the mountains with two of the other volunteers. We took a night bus out of Bahia to the biggest city in Ecuador, Guayaquil. From there we headed to the mountains. We stopped in a town called Guaranda and had lunch. Already things were completely different. I stepped off of the bus to really cold weather. I had to borrow a sweatshirt because my long sleeve shirt just wasn´t cutting it. Also within minutes I realized that I was short of breath and dizzy from the altitude. The lunch was also different. It was a bowl of pork, pork fat, and corn. What no fish, no rice? We asked a lady about our destination, Salinas, and she said much higher and much colder.
We were pretty tired from traveling and dealing with the altitude so we rested in a nearby farm for a while then hitched a ride to Salinas.
At around 12,000 ft Salinas is a completely different culture
then the coast. The accent, the style of dress, the food is all different. Also, the people are much more reserved then they are on the coast. It is a small beautiful town though surrounded by green hills. It´s narrow stone streets make it look colonial Spanish.
When we first arrived in Salinas the weather and the altitude hit us all pretty hard. I had only brought sandals and a long sleeve shirt. I was freezing. I was also lightheaded, dizzy, and nauseas from the altitude. I was stoked to be in a new place though. After finding a hostal we learned of a women´s cooperative in town that makes wool clothing. We went right away and bought wool sweaters, beanies, socks, and gloves. I was finally warm haha.
We spent the rest of that first day sitting by the fire in our hostal. We were all pretty out of it from the altitude and we couldn´t do much else. That night I slept great! I slept in my warm bed until 11!
The next day was spent exploring Salinas and the surrounding hills. What a gorgeous place. I have never seen anything like it. High green
hills and farm land everywhere. Also the clouds rest right above the city so at any moment you could be surrounded by white clouds and then just as fast you could look up to beautiful blue sky. We had heard that there were many other cooperatives in Salinas as well. We visited a chocolate and cheese cooperative, both were delicious. We tried visiting a salami cooperative but it was always closed. We were determined to get salami though and we spent the next day asking around until we finally found someone who could sell us some Salinas salami. It was all worth it in the end.
We had planned on leaving the next day but since we had fallen in love with Salinas and the altitude sickness was starting to subside we decided to stay another day. We went on some more awesome hikes and visited caves and forests. The only thing that I didn´t like was the food. Coastal food is famous in Ecuador and I now see why. There were no fruits (coastal Ecuador has many types of fruit many of which are nonexistent in the U.S.), no fish, and few juices. All of the food was
very heavy meats and starches. Since we had lost our appetite due to the altitude we ate mostly bread, cheese, salami, yogurt, and chocolate haha.
Sadly we left Salinas the next day and headed for Baños. We wanted to camp at least one night though so we stopped in a lower warmer farming town in order to camp out. Camping was fun. We stayed in someone´s grazing land with the cows and bulls and a river neaby. Everyone must have though us gringos were crazy haha.
Then we headed for Baños. Baños is a very touristy place. It is a jump off point for all kinds of tours and trips throughout the jungle. There were coffee shops and internet places everywhere. Everything was in English. I didn´t like Baños at all. The only good thing about it was the amazing shower I had in my hostal. It was so hot! I haven´t had a shower like that in months. I soaked it up big time. Also I hadn´t showered in a couple days since the water in Salinas was freezing haha. Also, Baños is famous for its thermal baths. I pictured a natural warm pool surrounded by rocks
maybe. Instead it was just a normal cement pool with yellow warm thermal water pumped into it from the hills. The pool was packed with families. Clay and I were discussing whether or not to go in when an large elderly Ecuadorian woman rounded the corner topless with a big toothless grin haha. What a site that was. She was so happy to be there! She was lovin every minute of it. I´ll let you guess whether or not we went in haha.
After a day in Baños Clay and I headed back to Bahia and said goodbye to the other volunteers. What a long journey that was. We were so excited to be back in Bahia. We were finally back in warm weather with water nearby. We devoured two street burgers each then went to sleep. The next day we ate fruit, juice, fish, and plantains like crazy. I had missed Bahia and coastal culture so much. It was also nice seeing all of our friends again.
Since then I have been just working and surfing. The surf has been great for the last five days. I have surfed every day. On friday I got stung by
a jellyfish again. This time though was much worse then anything I have previously experienced. A wave crashed over me and all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain on my whole side. I looked and saw a huge jellyfish attached to my whole right side and right arm. I had to hit off with my hand and as a result sting my hands as well. The pain was unbearable I went in and ran to my hotel. I didn´t have to pee so I couldn´t pee on it. When I asked my hotel owner Favio if he had any ammonia he said no and he told me to ask one of the people around the pool if they had to pee haha. It didn´t hurt that bad. I went to my room chugged a liter of water and then took a shower haha I won´t go into details. My whole right side and part of my right arm was bright red with small welts all over it. It was ridiculous. By the next day I was better though.
Um, pray for me because I am sick. I ate a bad burger and I must have a parasite
or something because I have been stomach sick ever since.
Other then that things are good. I am a little worried about finishing my projects in the short time I have left here. More surf is coming in tomorrow too so that could complicate things haha. I have been working my butt off at Planet Drum though. Watering plants in the hills is pretty difficult. Its fun work though.
Well I miss you guys. I am coming home so soon I can not believe it! It´s so crazy. I am going to miss Bahia and all of my friends very much. I am excited to see all of you though. I will post again soon. I hope you enjoy the pictures.
With love,
Andrew
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Shawna
non-member comment
another surfer in the family!
Hi Brother! It's good to here from you. I hope you feel better soon. We just got back from our vacation in San Diego and your neice stood up on a surf board! Can you believe it?! We all got a private lesson from a friend and Haley did awesome..you're gonna have to take her out when you get back!! Me? you ask...not so good, I had a wardobe malfunction similar to Janet Jackson and decided to call it quits!.....But I had fun watching and taking pictures. Anyway I love you, hurry up and finish your project so you can come home ( not too much surfing mister!).