The Devil's Nose

A week ago, we visited what's apparently the largest weekly market in Ecuador. My guess is word has been out among the tourists for a while now as much of what was for sale reminded me of things you might see at 10,000 Villages and hung on a wall or worn in the crunchier cities back home. An effort to cater to tourists does create some interesting paradoxes though such as "Indigenos" in their traditional clothes knitting Angry Birds and Elmo hats. Small world.

We just completed our first travel/study week. Alex, me, and our new German friend each had our own tutors for late afternoon classes after whatever adventure had been planned for that day. The highlight was white water rafting down some really thrilling class 4 rapids. The low point was not being able to take one more step at 4900meters and feeling like crap. I'm not a mountain climber even if the van got me most of the way there.

We are now in a tiny little town mainly known as the starting place for a famous train ride called the Devil's Nose that we will be taking tomorrow. Tonight we walked from "restaurant" to restaurant trying to find one that actually served something other than the set chicken with beans and rice. Really, they all look at you weird if you ask for a menu.


Spanish is improving even though I still have trouble understanding them regardless if I know the words or not. Alex started far ahead of me with Spanish as a major, but is also more committed carrying her flash cards everywhere even after our 4hrs of class.

Chicky Park

We just got back from two days in a cloud forest.  It's a beautiful, dense, wet, place. The guy that coined the term, "rainforest" was right on the money. It does a lot of that. They had a zip line course that was unlike any I had done before. It was 13 lines way up in the hills at some points maybe a hundred feet off the forest floor. Every line was a blast except the time when the guide was giving us options for how we wanted to travel and I heard "mariposa" and thought "ooh, I like butterflies, lets go that way! "  I found myself upside down, lying flat, arms and legs outstretched kind of like the wings of a butterfly I suppose.  For anyone trying this, I would recommend the "Superman". That was fantastic.

We also went repelling down some waterfalls. We weren't quite sure what was involved, and the lady in the office told us there was no need for a bathing suit. Clothes still in the drier. Only understanding maybe a third of what they are telling you always keeps things interesting.

In the forest, we hung out with a disillusioned German neurosurgeon. He had just spent the last 6 wks living with an indigenous community and had great stories about hunting toucans and shamanistic medicine.  One of his most acute observations from all of the houses he had visited in Ecuador prior was that these people have no concept of decorating. All walls white, empty,  not even area rugs or interesting fixtures. We are currently staying in a family's apt in Quito and that was the first thing that struck me. If every place we stay at is like this, I could eventually go nuts.

The most intriguing thing we can view from our window is the largest KFC I have every seen. Next to the KFC logo are the words, "Chicky Park".  We call this place El KFC Ultimo.  Can't wait to check it out.