The races!
Marco and I ready to ride. Common language Spanish, although it sounds a bit different with a french accent
The end of the scariest tunnel
...Or almost to the Amazon. My French partner in the bicycling adventure and I made it 13 kilometers away from Puyo after three hours of riding up and down windy roads. We passed waterfalls, rivers, orchids, hummingbirds, buena vistas, muchas cosas ver. Unfortunately, it was getting to dark to continue on, and I was completely exhausted. I think that may have been one of my most intense bike rides ever, all I could think is ¨how the hell does Kitty do this and not drop dead from exhaustion?¨
Two truly fantastic experiences along the way: we rode through a tunnel (the tunnel that my friend Dani told me she has never gone beyond) that was extremely long. From the part at the beginning that I could see it was not finish over with cement inside, instead it was more like a cave with a rough rocky ceiling dripping water and hosting a variety of mosses, after the first 15 feet there was nothing but complete darkness. I was riding in front and couldnt tell if I was still going straight or if I was going to hit the side of the cave, I really was mostly worried about finding any hidden potholes. What a rush though, eventually we could see the light ahead and flew out of the tunnel laughing and sighing and thanking Dios in English, Spanish and French for making it out safely.
Okay so there were many fantastic experiences, I saw the tiniest little humming bird that I have ever seen along with a complete change of scenery from the higher altitude mountainous regions. But the other fantastic experience was riding past people and the greetings we recieved. Especially when this elderly man walking along called out ¨Hola prima¨ when I went past him.
This is the last place I would expect to her someone say ¨Hey cuzzin¨!
The bicycle adventure began in Baños, where I have been staying for the past couple days. Here, again I have had great timing. My bus ride to Baños was on a very clear day so I was able to see and take great photos of the plumes of ash errupting out of the volcano. I also arrived during the celebrations of the foundation of Baños, a small town known for its hotsprings, that tracks its history as a town by the sightings and miracles of its own Agua Santa. In the church, the stations of the cross come second to the massive paintings portraying these miracles. On my first day I visited the church and explored Baños, and I found a $2 yoga class that was really really relaxing, despite being a bit physically challenging as well. I think the last time I did yoga like that was at a summer camp I went to in the 7th grade, so yoga isnt a part of my life at all really, but I felt like trying something new. Then I accepted an invitation to go to the hot springs with a nice young guy from my hostel, Pablo. He is from the coast, Guaquil (cant remember how to spell) and spends all of his school breaks here in Baños. Thus he knows everything you can do here and everyone who works here, or so it seems. We went to the hot springs, where there is a hot hot pool, a medium hot pool and a cold pools. Directly behind the medium hot pool there is a long thin water fall, beautiful. I got the full experience of going straight from the hot hot pool to dipping the small stone lined cold pool before Pablo took me to ¨the best food in Baños¨, a funky but fancy Argentinian restaurant. There was live music that I got a chance to see later near the main plaza, and then I wandered back to the church to draw outside and enjoy the warm evening (warmer than Quito thank goodness).
Here I made three amigos, preteen students that came to see what I was doing. They had just finished stealing flowers from the celebration decorations and each offered me a flower. I showed them my journal and they had many questions about my drawings and writings. When it came to learning eachothers names I found that my new friends were just as enthusiastic about coincidences as I am. Upon learning my name Geovani told me there is a big coincidence, that earlier that day he was asked to give the name of a friend that is a girl (I assume this was something for class or in school in general). He replied that he doesnt have friends that are girls so instead he was asked to give any womans/females name and he chose Emma... not really a common name here in Ecuador, but he seemed proud of himself for predicting the future. The girl of the groups name happened to be Elizabeth, my middle name, and Sebastian and Geovani discovered that they share the same middle name. Our time together became a chance for Sebastion to show me his English work book and for all of them to practice English while I practiced Spanish. This English lesson quickly became directed towards learning the words they arent taught in class, like kiss, love, cute, beautiful, gorgeous, they asked and I answered. I think their favorite, judging from overall reactions, was when I told them that the slang for ¨Besos con lingua¨ in English is making-out. I caught a bit more of the concert that evening, and then walking back with my yellow rose, my red carnation and my white carnation.
I started the next day by exchanging one awful book that I couldnt even stand to read for two other books, one on the worlds religions and the other a book by Ursula K. Le Guin that should be entertaining. I walked away from the cafe/book exchange so excited I dont know whether to read the books or just kiss them. I didnt bring anything to read with me when I left on this trip, which is really a shame because this is my chance to read all the books I every wanted to read but didnt finish or even start because of my school reading. Instead I have read a very bizzare assortment of books along the way. Basically anything I can find in English. A child psychology book, Freuds ¨civilizations and the discontents¨, the Kama Sutra, and one really good book in comparison titled ¨Eat, Pray, Love.¨ After getting to pick out my new books from a large selection, I was so thankful I decided to go light a candle at the church. It seems like a real Baños experience. I bought my candle, lit it and stood before the shrine to the saint with several others that were praying, song-like, or too choked up to do much more than make tiny cries. I too became emotional, praying for friends and family and being suddenly immersed in memories of the nun that I was named after, Sister Elizabeth. She would love it here, and it was really almost like she was here, because when I went to bring my candle back to join the others I was suddenly surrounded by a mass of small school children lighting their candles and enthusiastically wetting their hair with the water of the Saint. I guess you would have to know Sister E. for the connection to make sense. One thing I noticed that I have yet to learn about is why people had tied small locks of their hair to the bars surrounding the shrine, Ill have to ask someone. Other people have simply tossed balls of their hair into the fake flowers of the shrine... interesting.
I saw the town/church museum, which had many many interesting paintings that I think were done mostly by one friar. The paintings that stood out to me the most where a series of portraits of people who seemed to be just local people, poor people, blind people, solemn looking twin sister spinsters, all standing in front of the church in portraits that look just like those done of saints. I think I would get along well with whoever was inspired to honor local characters in that way.
I met some people at the market and the vote is in: I look Colombian. Maybe I look like I could be from Chile, but both people I have met in Quito and here say that they assumed I was Colombian. They told me about the events that would be going on that day, a big competition of Coches de madera (I think that is what they were called), basically a race with pairs of people in go cart or soap box car type things they built. When I went to go watch Pablo spotted me and I got to sit with him and Victor (the kind-of-hostel owner) and many others in the back of a truck to get a good view of the race. When it came time for the race I let a little girl sit in my lap so she could see because the truck was crammed with people. They competition was tough, they came down the hill group by group one car at a time and we were in the perfect spot to see whether or not they made it over a bump in the road that created a jump. There were so many people there, so many excited spectators, that this race was probably the event of the year in Baños.
Unfortunately later that night (last night) I felt sick, and it only got worse after I went to bed. achiness, chills, fever, all of those lovely symptoms of Malaria. Today I am much better of course, I mean I made it throught the bikeride, but Ill have to see if this was just a one time overnight flu bug or if it follows classic malaria manifestion of cycling back into chills and fever after 2 to 3 days. Something tells me I wouldnt be able to pull through the bike ride if I had malaria, but its partially my hypochondriac nature that drew me to the field of public health.
I was planning on staying in bed all day today, but when I came downstairs to read and use the internet Pablo surprised me with scrambled eggs and hot chocolate that was just as delicious as the hot chocolate at the Cabin drive thru coffee place in Omak. Later in the afternoon, Pablo again surprised me by CLIMBING MY BALCONY to invite to me have pasta and soup with him and Marco, and during that lunch I was convinced to go on the grand bike ride. Buena Gente in Ecuador, and its nice to have people who get you to get out there and live when you are more likely to lay around and read. Now is the time for laying around and reading, good night!
1 comment:
Hello love!
I'll give this a good chunk of time here soon.
In the mean time... is there a place to send stuff to you? where?
smooches
k.
Post a Comment