Day 24: Laundry (12/21/09)
I had taken Melatonin again and hardly had any trouble getting to sleep last night, which was really nice. I woke up a little before 7 and Margaret was already up, sweeping. I went to the bathroom and then back to bed.
I woke up again a while later and just stayed in bed thinking. I did some stretching (my body needed it after all the exercise from the day before) and finally got up around 11.
I made some breakfast and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and tea. I gathered up laundry and dropped it in the laundry room, but the was a load still going in the washer.
I came back and finished my drinks, did some writing and listened to some music.
Went back, started my laundry, came back and hand washed my pillow and did dishes. Went back to swap my laundry, but the stuff in the drier was still damp. I added some time to the drier and came back (to the condo) and did some more writing. Went back, swapped laundry, but took all the smaller things to the condo to air dry and just put sheets and a towel in the drier.
After hanging up all the small things to dry, I came inside and the power had gone out. So, I did a bit more writing. I´d like to go to Bahia to mail the letters I wrote last week, but I might swim instead.
While the power was out, I read part of one of the Spanish books my mom sent. I like the book a lot. It´s organized well. Some of the vocab is different because it´s Spain Spanish not Ecuadorian Spanish, but the basics are the same.
After reading a while, I went for a good swim. I just did laps for 20 minutes or so, but it felt good.
When I got out the power was back on so I showered and went to check my sheets. They were dry and folded. I threw the small stuff and my pillow in the drier because they weren´t drying fast enough on their own.
When everything was dry, I made my bad and we ate some dinner. After dinner we talked a while and then I watched ¨Love Actually¨and went to bed.
I woke up again a while later and just stayed in bed thinking. I did some stretching (my body needed it after all the exercise from the day before) and finally got up around 11.
I made some breakfast and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and tea. I gathered up laundry and dropped it in the laundry room, but the was a load still going in the washer.
I came back and finished my drinks, did some writing and listened to some music.
Went back, started my laundry, came back and hand washed my pillow and did dishes. Went back to swap my laundry, but the stuff in the drier was still damp. I added some time to the drier and came back (to the condo) and did some more writing. Went back, swapped laundry, but took all the smaller things to the condo to air dry and just put sheets and a towel in the drier.
After hanging up all the small things to dry, I came inside and the power had gone out. So, I did a bit more writing. I´d like to go to Bahia to mail the letters I wrote last week, but I might swim instead.
While the power was out, I read part of one of the Spanish books my mom sent. I like the book a lot. It´s organized well. Some of the vocab is different because it´s Spain Spanish not Ecuadorian Spanish, but the basics are the same.
After reading a while, I went for a good swim. I just did laps for 20 minutes or so, but it felt good.
When I got out the power was back on so I showered and went to check my sheets. They were dry and folded. I threw the small stuff and my pillow in the drier because they weren´t drying fast enough on their own.
When everything was dry, I made my bad and we ate some dinner. After dinner we talked a while and then I watched ¨Love Actually¨and went to bed.
Day 25: Bahia (12/22/09)
I had dream about Fat Straw last night. I wish I had written what I remembered this morning, because now it´s evening and I´ve forgotten it all.
I woke up about 7, slept ´til 7:30 and then finally got out of bed at 8:15. Not only were they working on the road again, but also the groundskeeper was adding a window to one of the condos (knocking bricks out of the wall).
I made breakfast and then sat around chatting with Margaret and Jack for a while. They headed to Brent and Elsa´s to use the internet and Camila and I did some yoga and went swimming.
After showering off Camila and I got ready to go to Bahia. Our plan was to go to lunch, then the post office, then the museum and then sandal shopping (for me).
Camila and I ended up at the restaurant that Margaret and I had gone to on our first trip to Bahia. Today the $2 lunch special included your choice of cheese or meat soup, and a meat or fish entree, lemonade or jugo de tomat (which is not tomato juice apparently, still gotta figure that on out). We both ended up getting cheese soup (the cheese here is really weird, but the soup wasn´t too bad), fish entree (with rice and a side salad) and lemonade. Pretty darn good, just like last time.
Next we headed to the post office, but it was closed (AGAIN?) so we went to the museum.
It looked opened from the outside, and the front door was unlocked, but the inside looked closed. It was open they said (the security guards), but I guess the lights are all motion sensor-ed.
I had to sign in with the security (name, passport #) at the front, check my purse and pay $1 admission. They gave Camila a brochure in Spanish and me one in English. While we were walking around on the first floor, two (younger) girls came up to us and asked if we´d like a guide. Camila said yes, but told them that I only spoke English. So, they tried to find me a guide that spoke English.
I didn´t really know what was going on, so I just kept looking at stuff with Camila. When we exhausted the first floor visuals, we headed to the second floor.
The two girls from before followed us up. After a while they told Camila that the English guide was downstairs.
The man that was my guide (Camila got one of the girls to be her guide) was wearing a pink Playboy bunny polo shirt. His English was not perfect, but he did a very good job of explaining all of the exhibits.
The first floor was all artifacts. Most of which had, surprisingly, been discovered in the last few years. All of the pieces were either pottery, musical instruments, jewelry, or human figures.
The human figures were often positioned sexually, and some of them were part human part animal (there were only a few that were entirely animal). The guide talked about the importance of sexual practices in the culture (fertility, masturbation, etc.) as represented by the sexually oriented figures, and the influence of hallucinogenic drugs represented by the part (or full) beast figures.
There was a lot of jewelry and other metal works on display. Everyone in the culture wore nose rings (children, men, women) a lot of which were made with half gold and half copper.
In the front part of the museum, when you first walk in, is a giant replica of a boat that one of the first Spaniards (in 1526) described with great detail in his journal.
The second floor connected a lot of the pieces and practices to certain regions of the country. It tied the old with some of the more modern practices.
The third floor had two sections: an Ecuadorian hats (¨Panama¨hats) exhibit, and an art gallery.
Ecuadorian hats are commonly known as Panama hats because they were originally distributed through Panama. A lot of people here seem to take this misunderstanding very seriously (I´ve been reminded on several occasions that they are Ecuadorian hats). This room had a documentary playing as well as actual examples of hats at different stages of completion.
The art gallery was filled with art by different Ecuadorians, but unlike most museums or galleries I´ve been to the artists were not necessarily famous ones. The guide told me that every so often the museum goes out and collects art from artists that wish to donate it and they store it until there is an opportunity to show it.
After this we went to the sixth floor to get an overhead view of a portion of the city and of the bay (it was a perfect day for it).
Next we walked back the way we came. The post office was still closed, so we went in search of sandals. Once sandals were found, I dragged Camila to the shop next door to check my email.
We got some ice cream and the hopped a boat back to San Vincente. And from there, hopped the bus to the condos.
When we got back, I wrote some, then went to Brent and Elsa´s (while they were swimming, so I wouldn´t be in their hair) to use their internet. In Bahia, I had only read emails, and promised Camila not to write back while we were there. I wrote my mom and a few others and then looked up info about Rio Muchacho (an organic farm a little ways outside of Canoa) and a couple of the Spanish programs in Cuenca. The internet quit abruptly, so that didn´t last long.
For dinner we all ate fish tacos at Brent and Elsa´s. Afterwards, I went back to the condo and watched ¨Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.¨ (I´m starting to run out of movies to watch, I think there are about 5 that I haven´t seen yet)
I woke up about 7, slept ´til 7:30 and then finally got out of bed at 8:15. Not only were they working on the road again, but also the groundskeeper was adding a window to one of the condos (knocking bricks out of the wall).
I made breakfast and then sat around chatting with Margaret and Jack for a while. They headed to Brent and Elsa´s to use the internet and Camila and I did some yoga and went swimming.
After showering off Camila and I got ready to go to Bahia. Our plan was to go to lunch, then the post office, then the museum and then sandal shopping (for me).
Camila and I ended up at the restaurant that Margaret and I had gone to on our first trip to Bahia. Today the $2 lunch special included your choice of cheese or meat soup, and a meat or fish entree, lemonade or jugo de tomat (which is not tomato juice apparently, still gotta figure that on out). We both ended up getting cheese soup (the cheese here is really weird, but the soup wasn´t too bad), fish entree (with rice and a side salad) and lemonade. Pretty darn good, just like last time.
Next we headed to the post office, but it was closed (AGAIN?) so we went to the museum.
It looked opened from the outside, and the front door was unlocked, but the inside looked closed. It was open they said (the security guards), but I guess the lights are all motion sensor-ed.
I had to sign in with the security (name, passport #) at the front, check my purse and pay $1 admission. They gave Camila a brochure in Spanish and me one in English. While we were walking around on the first floor, two (younger) girls came up to us and asked if we´d like a guide. Camila said yes, but told them that I only spoke English. So, they tried to find me a guide that spoke English.
I didn´t really know what was going on, so I just kept looking at stuff with Camila. When we exhausted the first floor visuals, we headed to the second floor.
The two girls from before followed us up. After a while they told Camila that the English guide was downstairs.
The man that was my guide (Camila got one of the girls to be her guide) was wearing a pink Playboy bunny polo shirt. His English was not perfect, but he did a very good job of explaining all of the exhibits.
The first floor was all artifacts. Most of which had, surprisingly, been discovered in the last few years. All of the pieces were either pottery, musical instruments, jewelry, or human figures.
The human figures were often positioned sexually, and some of them were part human part animal (there were only a few that were entirely animal). The guide talked about the importance of sexual practices in the culture (fertility, masturbation, etc.) as represented by the sexually oriented figures, and the influence of hallucinogenic drugs represented by the part (or full) beast figures.
There was a lot of jewelry and other metal works on display. Everyone in the culture wore nose rings (children, men, women) a lot of which were made with half gold and half copper.
In the front part of the museum, when you first walk in, is a giant replica of a boat that one of the first Spaniards (in 1526) described with great detail in his journal.
The second floor connected a lot of the pieces and practices to certain regions of the country. It tied the old with some of the more modern practices.
The third floor had two sections: an Ecuadorian hats (¨Panama¨hats) exhibit, and an art gallery.
Ecuadorian hats are commonly known as Panama hats because they were originally distributed through Panama. A lot of people here seem to take this misunderstanding very seriously (I´ve been reminded on several occasions that they are Ecuadorian hats). This room had a documentary playing as well as actual examples of hats at different stages of completion.
The art gallery was filled with art by different Ecuadorians, but unlike most museums or galleries I´ve been to the artists were not necessarily famous ones. The guide told me that every so often the museum goes out and collects art from artists that wish to donate it and they store it until there is an opportunity to show it.
After this we went to the sixth floor to get an overhead view of a portion of the city and of the bay (it was a perfect day for it).
Next we walked back the way we came. The post office was still closed, so we went in search of sandals. Once sandals were found, I dragged Camila to the shop next door to check my email.
We got some ice cream and the hopped a boat back to San Vincente. And from there, hopped the bus to the condos.
When we got back, I wrote some, then went to Brent and Elsa´s (while they were swimming, so I wouldn´t be in their hair) to use their internet. In Bahia, I had only read emails, and promised Camila not to write back while we were there. I wrote my mom and a few others and then looked up info about Rio Muchacho (an organic farm a little ways outside of Canoa) and a couple of the Spanish programs in Cuenca. The internet quit abruptly, so that didn´t last long.
For dinner we all ate fish tacos at Brent and Elsa´s. Afterwards, I went back to the condo and watched ¨Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.¨ (I´m starting to run out of movies to watch, I think there are about 5 that I haven´t seen yet)
Day 26: Online Research and Blogging? (12/23/09)
Today got off to a slow start.
Brent and Elsa are headed to Manta today to take back one of the remote control cars they bought because they got two that worked on the same frequency (so you can´t race them). So, it was a good opportunity to look up Spanish schools without being in the way.
It looks like most of the school are pretty similar in price, and programs. A few of them were quite a bit more. One of them that was highly recommended (according to Lonely Planet) was nearly $100 more for just one week worth of study (than the others). All of them offer home stays, but most of them require at least 2 weeks of commitment. I´m going to look in to it more when I actually get to Cuenca.
When the power was about to go out I went back to the condo and made myself some lunch. After eating and reading for a while, Camila came over and we left for Canoa.
We were more than half way to Canoa when Camila decided she wanted to go back. I needed to buy some groceries in Canoa and she had been so enthusiastic about walking there and back earlier. I pretty much had to beg her to go the rest of the way with me.
We went to two different stores and neither of them had the large size of the yogurt we usually get. At the second store (which is where we usually shop in Canoa) I bought a different brand of yogurt and my other groceries. We got out of the store and Camila was concerned that the bus wasn´t there and said she didn´t want to walk. A taxi dropped off a couple girls about a block ahead of us and Camila lit up. ¨We could take taxi, no?¨ I asked her how much it was and she asked the driver. It was only $2 so I agreed.
When we got back I figured out why she was so eager to get back. Her mom and Brent pulled up about 10 minutes later and she instantly started scamming on the possible presents in the truck bed.
We ate dinner a short while later and then Jack, Margaret and I watched ¨¨(something or other) Heist¨with Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy and Christopher Walken.
After the movie we talked a while, then Margaret and Jack went to bed and I read for a while.
Brent and Elsa are headed to Manta today to take back one of the remote control cars they bought because they got two that worked on the same frequency (so you can´t race them). So, it was a good opportunity to look up Spanish schools without being in the way.
It looks like most of the school are pretty similar in price, and programs. A few of them were quite a bit more. One of them that was highly recommended (according to Lonely Planet) was nearly $100 more for just one week worth of study (than the others). All of them offer home stays, but most of them require at least 2 weeks of commitment. I´m going to look in to it more when I actually get to Cuenca.
When the power was about to go out I went back to the condo and made myself some lunch. After eating and reading for a while, Camila came over and we left for Canoa.
We were more than half way to Canoa when Camila decided she wanted to go back. I needed to buy some groceries in Canoa and she had been so enthusiastic about walking there and back earlier. I pretty much had to beg her to go the rest of the way with me.
We went to two different stores and neither of them had the large size of the yogurt we usually get. At the second store (which is where we usually shop in Canoa) I bought a different brand of yogurt and my other groceries. We got out of the store and Camila was concerned that the bus wasn´t there and said she didn´t want to walk. A taxi dropped off a couple girls about a block ahead of us and Camila lit up. ¨We could take taxi, no?¨ I asked her how much it was and she asked the driver. It was only $2 so I agreed.
When we got back I figured out why she was so eager to get back. Her mom and Brent pulled up about 10 minutes later and she instantly started scamming on the possible presents in the truck bed.
We ate dinner a short while later and then Jack, Margaret and I watched ¨¨(something or other) Heist¨with Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy and Christopher Walken.
After the movie we talked a while, then Margaret and Jack went to bed and I read for a while.
Day 27: Christmas Eve (12/24/09)
The yogurt I got yesterday was disgusting. I am bummed. I put a bunch of granola in it and it masked the flavor well enough to make it edible.
Brent and Elsa were headed to Bahia to check out a cement mixer and Margaret and Jack were gonna hop a ride to San Vincente with them. I thought about going, but decided to stay and read instead.
I´ve already finished the book of short stories my mom sent and now I´m part way into the other book she sent. It´s been so long since I´ve done much reading and now I´m just swallowing up these books, it feels strange.
After a while of reading, I headed to Brent and Elsa´s to update my blog (as of today, I´m only up to my 8th day, only about 20 more to go). Just as I´m signing off Brent, Elsa, and Camila get back. Camila and I go swimming and Brent joins us as soon as he takes the turkey out of the grill and puts it away.
I swim for a while longer after they get out. When I got out of the shower Margaret and Jack were back from town. Margaret managed to find some of the better yogurt and a bit more granola. She was in charge of mashed potatoes for our turkey dinner, so they also brought a bag full of potatoes back.
We talked and drank while the potatoes were cooking. Margaret and Jack were both a little toasted by the time the potatoes needed mashing.
Dinner was delicious. Jack managed to get the wine open (by pushing the cork in, because no one had a cork screw) and a few of us had wine with dinner. Jack and Brent drank Cuba Libres (rum and coke and lime). For dinner we had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli salad (with mayo, ick) and for dessert we had chocolate flan (SO much better then the weird carmel flavor they usually get).
Camila opened all her presents and we went outside and played with her new remote control car (and Brent´s). After a bit I grabbed my list of phone numbers and made some calls. I got to talk to my sister for a second and to Katie Sim, my old boss (my sister was just about to start work). I also got to talk to Nat for a sec and Steph for 15 minutes or so. Rachael didn´t answer when I called, but Gabe did. We got to talk for almost an hour. It was really good to get to talk to him.
When I was done calling I went back to the condo and watched ¨The Jacket¨and then hit the hay.
Brent and Elsa were headed to Bahia to check out a cement mixer and Margaret and Jack were gonna hop a ride to San Vincente with them. I thought about going, but decided to stay and read instead.
I´ve already finished the book of short stories my mom sent and now I´m part way into the other book she sent. It´s been so long since I´ve done much reading and now I´m just swallowing up these books, it feels strange.
After a while of reading, I headed to Brent and Elsa´s to update my blog (as of today, I´m only up to my 8th day, only about 20 more to go). Just as I´m signing off Brent, Elsa, and Camila get back. Camila and I go swimming and Brent joins us as soon as he takes the turkey out of the grill and puts it away.
I swim for a while longer after they get out. When I got out of the shower Margaret and Jack were back from town. Margaret managed to find some of the better yogurt and a bit more granola. She was in charge of mashed potatoes for our turkey dinner, so they also brought a bag full of potatoes back.
We talked and drank while the potatoes were cooking. Margaret and Jack were both a little toasted by the time the potatoes needed mashing.
Dinner was delicious. Jack managed to get the wine open (by pushing the cork in, because no one had a cork screw) and a few of us had wine with dinner. Jack and Brent drank Cuba Libres (rum and coke and lime). For dinner we had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli salad (with mayo, ick) and for dessert we had chocolate flan (SO much better then the weird carmel flavor they usually get).
Camila opened all her presents and we went outside and played with her new remote control car (and Brent´s). After a bit I grabbed my list of phone numbers and made some calls. I got to talk to my sister for a second and to Katie Sim, my old boss (my sister was just about to start work). I also got to talk to Nat for a sec and Steph for 15 minutes or so. Rachael didn´t answer when I called, but Gabe did. We got to talk for almost an hour. It was really good to get to talk to him.
When I was done calling I went back to the condo and watched ¨The Jacket¨and then hit the hay.
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