Coastin´

So after a lengthy 10 hour bus ride we arrived in Puerto Lopez a dust bowl of a beach town which could have easily been erected 2 hours before our arrival for the sake of appearances and just as easily dismantled upon our depature. From there we packed 10 of us teachers and students and all our bags into the back of a rickety truck and rode to our Coastal abode for the week, the Alandaluz Eco-Resort. The site is apparently a leader in eco friendly tourism and promotes sustainable practices, although it wasn´t clear to what extent this was true. Our rooms were rustic bamboo cabins complete with with mosquito nets and gaping holes between the roof and walls, and, despite being slightly cramped quite comfortable. Apparently hot water is not part of the eco friendly life style, because it was a luxury that we would do without for the duration of our coastal visit. Those who place a high value on showering without the fear of other´s watching may have been slightly taken aback by the strategicly placed concrete opening of our half outdoor/half indoor shower, but our freezing showers were so short and infrequent that we were not phased.

The days were pretty relaxed, learning Spanish five hours a day and spending the rest on the beach playing guitar, reading, tossing around the football, running, and doing homework. Our first night we had a bonfire and I entertained our group and about 30 drunken Ecuadorian college students on my travel lute. I couldn´t tell if they were cheering for more or for me to shut my Gringo mouth, but I think we all had a good time in the end.

On Wednesday night, the group went to a nearby surfing village called Montinita, which looked a lot like a movie set. It was a very cool town, with a really mellow hippy vibe, and after using the internet for the first time in a week we went to some outdoor music club. The place was pretty dead on Wednesday but we made our own fun. Andy and I went back the next night with some friends from the school and gorged ourselves on some delicious pizza, beer, and brownie sundays. Finding a cab home was a bit of an adventure, as we encountered a row of cabs in the main square with all driver´s completely asleep. After nervously waking one up, he agreed to take us home, and we departed on a road that looked like it hadn´t been serviced since the Ibarra adminstration (Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra - President 1968-1971) . Being chased part of the way by angry dogs did not help either.

More on the coast to come . . .

Buses, Baños, Buggies

For the weekend, Andy and I decided to hop on a bus and head to Baños, a village about 3 hours south of Quito best known for it´s natural hot springs, and a popular tourist spot for foreigners and Ecuadorians alike.

Buses

This is a good time to talk briefly about the bus culture here because it´s an interesting part of Ecuadorian society that deserves a few comments. The first thing you´ll notice is that the buses, much like Ecuador on a whole, are a little lax on safety regulations. You have people constantly jumping on and off as the bus is moving, often at what some might consider ¨unsafe speeds¨. At every stop as well, you have vendors jumping on or off (aslo while the bus is moving) selling various magazines, ice cream, bootleg Reggaeton discs and what have you. The bus drivers are a bit speed happy, and seem to make a game out of passing other cars at questionable turns in the road, which can leave you a bit on edge, or for those of us who are anxiety prone, gasping desparately for air in a state of constant dread. Add that to the often dubious state of Ecuador´s highway system, and you have yourself real panic attack on wheels.

Perhaps the best part though are the B level spanish dubbed action movies that are featured on longer rides. Steven Segal seems to be a favorite around these parts and he has gotten me through a number of scarier trips. Despite the debilitating terror, bus rides are often my favorite part of traveling. The views are always spectatcular in this country, with mountains for days, and it so interesting to drive through the various cities, villages and small towns along the way. Many are in various states of disarray, but all provide a intriguing glimpse into small town Ecuadorian life. It´s not a surprising fact that 60 to 70 % of the population lives below the poverty line. My favorite thing on bus rides here is to listen to my Spanish language mix on my iPod, which consists mainly of the Gipsy Kings and Spanish Language ABBA. Whenever I do, I can´t help but feel as though I´m in a coming of age movie, and I´m at the video montage point in the film where our hero comes to realize all that he is meant to in a sequence set to popular music. Does anyone else feel that way when listening to music (Andy confirmed similar dillusions)?


Baños

This paticular bus ride was an adventure on it´s own, although mostly for Andy who was forced to sit on a large cushion on the floor and was himself used as a seat by a rotating group of local passagengers. It got pretty ridiculous, and he was not a happy caballero. To be fair though, the ride was not nearly as ridiculous as the on screen chemistry between Jet Li and DMX in our Spanish dubbed in-bus movie "From the Cradle to The Grave." I literally couldn´t turn away and watched the entire thing completely in awe that someone had the gall to green light this cinematic abomination. I will NEVER forget it. Anyway, once I finished the movie I was able to appreciate the beauty of the landscape as Dancing Queen blared in Spanish on my iPod.

When we arrived in Baños we found a hostel after several failed attempts, toured around some of the bathes, and set up massages for later in the evening. Baños is stunning and completely surrounded on all angles by mountains and waterfalls. After an incredible (and incredibly cheap) massage, we treated our self to a delectable steak dinner and turned in for the night. The next morning after breakfast we did something that was so insanely fun my brain is starting to melt trying to figure out how to blog it.

In a historic last minute gut decision we opted not to wait on line for the bathes and instead rented a dune buggy and explored the surrounding mountains. BEST. DECISION. EVER. It is unacceptable to me that dune buggies are not yet the tranportation choice of the masses. It was the most fun Andy and I had so far in Ecuador and I boldly claim that if you have not dune buggied your way through the Ecuadorian landscape than you know nothing of this vast and majestic country. The first thing that would have given my mother a heart attack was that in order to get to the mountains we had to buggy our way on the main highway as buses and trucks zoomed passed us. It was relatively terrifying (an ongoing theme of our experience), but with Andy as Jet Li, to my DMX, we summoned the courage and were able to navigate bumpy roads, pitch black tunnels, and narrow bridges to get to the dirt pathes that were to lead us up through the mountain side. Once we arrived we were completely on our own speeding through the hills with amazing views of the country below. Andy was not all that at ease with my reckless driving style (Becky, you probably would have killed me) but he took it like a champ and responded in kind when it was his turn to drive. I will never, NEVER forget this experience. We got pretty much the whole thing on video and I recommed checking some out. There´s a few on my Picasssa Page and here´s some links that may or may not work and a YouTube video.

http://picasaweb.google.com/etanofrane/Ecuador/photo#5240774280164993506

http://picasaweb.google.com/etanofrane/Ecuador/photo#5240780171385139826

http://picasaweb.google.com/etanofrane/Ecuador/photo#5240799833325504322

YouTube Video:





After this greatest of adventures, our brief stay in Baños came to a close. We had to speed back so we could catch another overnight bus from Quito to the Coast to start the next leg of our adventure.

A general note, I´ve uploaded more pictures onto my Picassa page, so feel free to take a look:

http://picasaweb.google.com/etanofrane/Ecuador

Where were we? Ah yes . . .

Alright. I´m still rather short ontime, but I´m going to try to update as best I can. A ton has happened and I feel like I don´t know where to begin. So pay your 50 cents, get your ass in a chair, and make sure you wallet is not in your back pocket.

Andy and I visited the "Mitad del Mundo", or as we gringos call it the ecuator. It was relatively fun, though it was really just a random place with a slightly souped up tourist angle, capitalizing on those who feel it necessary to tell their friends that they went to the ecuator while in Ecuador. We walked the great line and were privy to several experiments of questionable scientific value including the famous toilet water spinning experiment, which was more interesting that I´d normally care to admit. We also crossed another milestone in our lives by using a blow gun to hit a hanging piece of fruit (I hit it weakly, Andy missed, and the old guy after us nearly shattered the fruit with his laser like accuracy).

Later that day I went solo to the "Teleferico", a million dollar investment in Ecuadorian infrastructure consisting of 2.5 k cable car carrying tourists (and locals) to the top of a mountain for breathtaking views an excruciating hike. It was an adventure on it´s own just getting their as I arrived 50 cents short of the entrance fee with no ATM´s insight. Adding insult to injury, they accepted EVERY major credit card EXCEPT VISA which was the only one I had on me. They even accepted Diner´s Club cards, which really pushed me over the edge. I hopped in a cab, tried 2 ATM´s that rejected my card until I finally found one that worked, halled ass back to the Teleferiquo and rode up the mountain with a woman so terrified, she couldn´t open her eyes and clutched my arm the whole ride. It was certainly worthwhile, if a bit commercialized, and the views were spectacular.

Later that day we completed our final Salsa lesson, which of course was fun, especially when my teacher had to take a phone call and was replaced by a relatively sweaty and slightly pudgy Ecuadorian dude, who if nothing else, certainly succeeded in expanding my comfort zone. We celebrated our final night in Quito practicing our skills at a Dance Club with some friends from the school. Cheap tequilla and dancing on the stage was a fitting way to end our Quito stay.

Don't Worry, I'm Still Alive

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I'm alive. I can't do a full post right now because I don't have the time, but I'm on the coast of Ecuador right now with very little access to anything (including the sun unfortunately). I have a ton to write about including, massages, dune buggies, 12 hour bus rides, so stay tuned for future updates.

Some Pics 4 The Interested

Here´s an unorganized link to some of my pics. I´m not very good about taking pictures, and as many of you know, growing up with a photographer as a mother has given me a rather violent response to contact with cameras, but if anyone is interested in seeing what I´ve got so far here they are. Unfortunately, it doesn´t yet include the Cuy shots. I´m also going to try spice up the blog with some photos dispersed throughout but I don´t have time right now. I´m upset that Becky´s blog is asthetically so much nicer than mine, so I´m going to have to step up my game. Anyhoo, I´ll organize and put captions on the pics later, but for those who want, here´s the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/etanofrane/Ecuador

The Real Mc"Cuy"

And we´ve done it folks. Guinea pig can no longer be found on the list of house hold pets that I haven´t ingested. Not only did we dine on this mightiest of land beasts, but we also played a role, albeit a relatively passive one, in its glorious preparation. We watched as the flames engulfed this lifeless creature bound with string to a wooden stake, its little rodent eyes staring at us as if to say, "Seriously? You´re seriously going to eat me? You know that I´m a guinea pig, right?" And for our part of this eternal conversation between hunter and hunted we could only reply, "Shut it Guinea Pig, and hold still as we baste your burning flesh with more vegetable oil.¨ The experience of barbequing a whole Cuy (Spanish for Guinea Pig), complete with little ears and feet and nose, was mildly disconcerting, but an experience it was. Perhaps its unsurprising, but it tasted like a pretty standard meat, kind of like chicken. It´s not the beefiest of animals, so it was difficult to savor large chunks of its meaty goodness, but it was tasty none the less. Andy and I discussed the bankability of a Guinea Pig restaurant in New York City, and have already settled on the name "The Real McCuy" as our starting point. We are looking for potential investors, so if anyone is interested, let us know.

Back pedaling for a moment, you´ve probably guessed by now that Andy has arrived an is acclimatizing well to Quito´s high altitudes. There was a bit of a fiasco with getting him from the airport including time mix ups, baggage losses, crossing cabs, and a talking donkey, but the important thing is that he is here safe and the two of us are causing more trouble together than I could ever do on my own. It´s wonderful to have him here.

In an effort to purge my body of some unwanted Gringonicity, I´ve decided to up my daily intake of local latin soul and begun private salsa lessons. You might think that I´m at a slight disadavantage having missed most of this season´s "Dancing With the Stars", but I assure you I´m progressing very quickly. In college I took some swing lessons, and the moves are pretty much the same, it´s just a matter of mastering the rhythm. Andy has joined me as well, and together we are bringing some serious whiteness to the Quito Latin Dance scene. Are you ready Quito? If not, you best get out the way.

In other exciting news, Andy and I are spending next week learning Spanish on the Pacific Coast and relaxing on the beach. The initial plan was to stay in Quito for 4 weeks while learning Spanish, but we felt that after all the intensive vacationing we've been doing, we could really use a vacation. It would also be a shame not to explore other regions of Ecuador while honing our language skills. Our school runs this program, and I´ve convinced my teacher to come with us so I can maintain my steady diet of Spanish sass and insults. The continuity will be great for my learning.

Tommorow I'm headed to the ecuator with my teacher for some out of class learning and this weekend we´re bussing it to Mindo for some hiking, waterfalls, and an island know to by the locals as "the poor man´s Galapagos." Can't wait. Stay tuned!

You Got Some "Week 2" on Your Face

Week 2 is in full swing and I´m starting my second week of Spanish class. My notoriously poor attention span is starting to sprout from the once furtile soil of my motivation, making learning for four hours a day a challenge indeed, but I´m still committed to following through. I´m getting very used to the routine of my new life, and I think that I´ve finally reached the point where I cannot fall asleep without what sounds like rabid dogs devouring a small child in the distance. People leave their dogs outside at night, and that coupled with the abundance of stray dogs in Quito make for quite a night time barking jamboree, often remixed with the occasional car alarm.



Andy is coming tonight, and I´m really excited to have a friend here. Removing myself so drastically from contact with my "real" life, has created a truly bizarre sense of who I am, especially in relation to new and unfamiliar things. It´s strange but your notion of home starts to fade slightly as your new surroundings start to weave their way into your mind´s concept of normal. After ten days of being on my own in a completely new routine with a completely new setting, it´ll be an interesting and welcome shock to the system to have a friend from home introduced into this "new life" that I´ve created.

El Fin De Semana

Friday I went out with some school friends to a bar downtown as literally the entire nation was abuzzin´over the Olympic´s 20k race walk, Ecuador´s best chance for a medal. Every bar, club and restaurant had screens projecting the race, as a nation´s hope's rested soundly on the shoulders of one very fast walking man. The country erupted in one collective hurrah as Jefferson Perez walked briskly past the finish line claiming the sliver and proving Ecaudor´s status as the second fastest walking country in the world (behind Russia). Being here and seeing such excitement over a sport like fast walking makes you realize what an acomplishment it is for Ecuador, a country with so fewer resources than the US, to compete and win on international circuit.

On Saturday I went to Otovalo, a town 2 hours outside of Quito best known for it´s indigenous outdoor market. It´s one of the few places in Ecuador where the poor indigenous population has achieved a modicum of middle class success. Many of the hand crafted goods are quite lovely, but most of the stands are selling the same stuff over and over again and it gets slightly repetitive. I enjoyed the standard market experience though, including lending my hat expertise to a school mate in order to pick out and bargaining down an Ecuadorian sombrero. On the outskirts of the market are food stations where entire pigs lay cut open and cooking for all to see and those whose appetites remain intact may delight in the local cuisine. The bus ride, which felt more like being on a vibrating hotel bed with wheels, was one of the most enjoyable parts as it gave me a taste of the sweeping mountainous landscapes outside of Quito. It was very refreshing to leave Quito for the first time since my arrival.

At the urging of Domiana, my friend Paul´s Ecuadorian girlfriend who was insulted by my rather harsh and arogant rebuke of Ecuadorian art, I checked out the Museo Fundancion Guayasamin. It features an extensive collection of the art of Ecuador's most famous painter, Oswaldo Guayasamin and I must say, it was one of the greatest collections that I´ve seen (despite a hilariously translated informational flyer). It´s true, I do not pride myself on a keen sense of artistic appreciation, and when it comes to art, well, I don´t know shit about shit. However, I found his paintings both instantly accessable and profoundly engaging. As a painter with indigenous roots, many of his paintings deal with the struggle and injustices of Ecuador´s past and the emotions are so clearly represented in his work. Thanks Damiana for showing me the light and I apologize for my rushed generalization of Ecuadorian art.

Week 1 Has Left The Building

The sun is literally setting right now on my first week in Quito. Despite all the bragging about my Spanish improvements, I´m still talking like a blind monkey with aspergers - grabbing wildly for the right words, still not having effective interactions with people, but probably entertaining all those watching. It´s strange but my understanding is much worse than my speaking and both are still decidely sub par. I'm curious to see how much actual Spanish I'll be able to speak in one month with four hours a day. I'm optimistic, but I'll probably return my Spanish language copy of War and Peace.


Last night I was duped by my Spanish school into attending some sort of cultural concert, which turned out to be an Ecuadorian Kenny G playing the pan flute over prerecorded versions of such hits as Celine Dion´s "My Heart Will Go On." The second part featured an amature dance presentation that was somewhat akin to the multicultural day assembly at Teaneck Highschool. It went on and on and, at the risk of being rude, I left after the second hour. It was certainly disappointing, but it made me excited (but not horny) to seek out real Ecuadorian music which, from what I´ve heard so far is delightful.


After my first week, I´m feeling a bit conflicted about how I´m spending my time here in Quito. On the one hand, I´d like to hang out with my fellow travelers, however it seems to take away from the Ecuadorian experience. The other night I went out with a few school friends and though it´s always fun getting drunk with Germany´s finest, it seems slightly ridiculous to do it in Ecuador at an Irish Pub, in a neighborhood the locals have dubbed "gringolandia". I've started contacting native Ecuadorians through couchsurfing.com (an amazing organization for those of you who haven't heard) and I'm hoping to make some more local friends who can show me the Ecuador that you won't see on television. I'm realizing now though that it´ll be a challenge to create a balance on this trip, as I'm once again going out tonight with my school buddies. I guess, when in Rome, do as those who are also visiting Rome do.

For those of you who don't know, Andy (my roomate) is joining me this up coming Tuesday for the remainder of my trip. I, along with the hearts and souls of Quito, eagerly anticipate his arrival. It'll be great to have a friend to travel with (and rub my back before I go to sleep). It'll also be great to practice Spanish as we have committed to using no/minimal English while we are here. I'm hoping that it actually happens, but Andy I are both known for following through on our commitments so I'm not worried.

All in all it's been a great week. Tomorrow I'm traveling to Otavalo, a town outside of Quito that's famous for it's markets. Thanks for all the emails and the comments. It's lovely to hear from you and I apologize if I haven't been getting to people as quickly, but I'm trying (not so successfully) to minimize my internet fix while I'm traveling. Stay classy America.

-Etan

I Didn´t Know You Felt That Way About Learning Spanish!

Mama Ceclia is a traditional woman. She´s lived in the same quaint apartment for 40 years with a gorgeous wooden roof and paintings decorating every wall. She loves dogs and has raised them her whole life. You can see in her eyes how much she loves her 2 daughters when she talks about them. She´s actually a pediatrician by trade, but it seems that now she spends more time hosting travelling students. She is deeply religious and often talks about God, and though it´s sometimes creepy when I come home for lunch to hear a recording of some religious oration repeating the same religious phrase over and over and over again for the full length of a 90 minute cassette tape (this happens every day), it´s clear that her faith has made her a kind and generous person. So what if her cooking gets slightly repetitive. Perhaps it´s just the same amount of love that she puts into every meal that makes it taste so similar. Either way there is no question that Mama Cecilia is a truly generous soul.

So you can imagine my dismay as I discovered today in Spanish class that I had been telling Mama Cecilia for 3 days straight how HORNY I was to learn Spanish! Aye chihuahua! Apparently here "excitado" means horny and not, as I am really wishing it did, excited. Well, shit. Could have certainly done without that.

First Day of School: What If the Kids Don´t Like Me?

(Apostraphe update: I´ve apparently been using the tilde "´" instead of the apostrophe " ' ". After some harsh words and a little name calling, the misunderstanding has been cleared up but it seems as if they will have to share duties while I get used to pressing the correct apostrophe which, unfortunately is less convienently placed.)


So, I´m 3 days into school and I am loving it. Of course the first day I got lost and showed up late to class causing the school to call Mama Cecilia and creating a bit of a stir - not a good start, but hardly surprising for those of you who claim to know me. My teacher Edith is quite a sassy Ecuadoriana who uses the time tested teaching method of constantly insulting me in spanish. You´d be suprised how effective being harassed en espanol is for the learning process. She's pretty hillarious, and class is more like shooting the shit than normal schooling practices, alternating between non-sequitors and learning grammar and vocabulary. The balance of just talking (and being insulted) and learning the rules is perfect in my opinion.

So far I am simply shocked by my progress. I didn´t learn Spanish at all in school, and all the Spanish I knew before arriving was learned from a bootleg copy of Spanish Language software, and flash cards I placed around my house the month before my arrival. For a little more background, I was literally the worst student in my highschool French class, coincidentally the only class in which I ever received an F (for confirmation, email Greg Pelly, who´s French homework I copied for 4 years straight). Dr. Dowd would surely give me a hearty punch in the kidney if she new that I´ve learned more Spanish in 3 days than the French that I ¨studied¨ for 7 years of school!

After the first night I went to a bar with Christie for her last night and we spoke Spanish for 3 hours straight, with the understanding of course that language fluency is directly correlated to the alcohol level in your blood. I think my French would have been much better if I could have snuck a shot or 2 of Yager before 1st period French.

Day 2 and day 3 have also progressed nicely with the insults growing with our comfort level. It is however exhausting at times learning spanish for 4 hours a day. It´s kind of like how the new iPod 3G wastes batteries faster when using the 3G mode. When I´m in Spanish mode my batteries get used up much faster because my brain is constantly in motion.

I´m going out on the town tonight with some friends I met from the school (mostly Germans with a smattering of miscellaneous Europeans and the occasional American). I actually have a ton more to write, but I don´t want to push my luck and overload anyone who might be reading.

Hasta Luego,
Etan

Naked in Quito

(Update: The apostrophe has been found, and is happy as can be indicating possession, and representing missing letters. Thank you to all those who voiced genuine concern.)

Hey all,

My first days have been wonderful and I´m settling nicely into this extravagant travelling lifestyle. I am constantly overwhelmed by this feeling of freedom that´s only complimented by the feeling of accomplishment I get when learning Spanish. It´s been refreshing not being constantly kicked in the chest by all the nagging concerns of real life (bills, jobs, bathing, etc. . .). I have a feeling I could get used to this.

The first few days I spent wandering the streets of Quito´s Centro Historico, which is a mosaic of gorgeous colonial architecture, numerous city squares, grand cathedrals and mediocre art museums. Apparently there´s a preponderance of dirty shoes in this city because you can´t hurl a guinea pig around here without hitting some 5 year old trying to shine your boots (note: guinea pig is a delicacy here in Ecuador called Cuy. I have yet to try it but it seems inevitable). They are damn persistent, sometimes following you for blocks. I swear, if someone had the gumption to kidnap these kids, teach them English and drop them into Harvard Business school, you would have a veritable army of sales people who don´t take no for an answer. Surrounding the entire city are green mountains that go on for miles and provide a perfect contrast to the center´s colonial buildings.

The second day I met Christie, a girl also from New York who, like Becky, also has a nice Jewish boyfriend at home, and who was finishing up her Ecuador experience at my host house. Even after only one day of being alone it was refreshing to have a friend to hang out with and the 2 of us explored some of Quito´s parks where there are vendors selling trinkets and art and people playing soccer. Her Spanish was better than mine and we talked Spanish a lot of the time which really jump started my learning. It´s interesting to note that the fast food import of choice here is KFC, and franchises seem to be everywhere. It should comfort those of you concerned with my safety that I´m never far from the watchful eye of Colonel Sanders.

I´ll see more of the city later, but now it´s time to pick out my outfit for my first day of school.

-Etan

And I have arrived!

Greetings friends, Just a quick email to let you know that I have arrived in Quito, and am primed and ready to join the revolution. My flight was relatively uneventful highlighted by Kung Fu Panda in spanish. I realize that some of you don^t know what Im doing here so Ill explain briefly. In short, Ill be studying spanish with a private tutor for four hours a day and staying with a host family, all the while travelling on off time and then tacking on an extra 2 weeks of travel at the end. I also may or may not be dodging the IRS.

I arrived last night at my host family and after some quick introductions I was showed to my room and was lulled to the sleep the sounds of vicious dogs barking in the background. My new mother (sorry old mom but I am loyal to Momma Cecilia now) is just the sweetest. Despite being relatively awkward due to the current state of my embarrasing spanish, we managed to stumble through a lovely breakfast where I communicated through mostly grunting and pointing and adding "o" to the occasional word (breakfasto¿) and she just smiled and spoke slowly. She also freaked out when I showed her a picture of Lucy because she grew up with Dachunds and had one up until 2 years ago. I start classes on monday and Im super excited to finally understand the things that I pretend to understand as my host mother speaks. The view from the house and my room is simply breathtaking with the hills and mountains of Ecuador off in the distance. In the meantime Im off to explore Quito and play a little game I like to call "try not to get robbed on your first day".

Ill keep sending email updates periodically. I will not apologize for the mass email but I will say that If I start sending too many and you get annoyed you can email me and Ill take you off the list with the understanding that it will put a minor strain on our relationship when I return. Also, if you respond I will get back to you personally. All personal emails are much appreciated, and Id love to know whats going in your lives. Also, Ill apologize in advance for my poor spelling, and I never realized how truly naked I am without English spell check. Also, despite all my tech savy I have yet to locate the apostraphe on the spansih keyboard. Look for exciting updates on that front.
For now,
hasta luego,
Etan