Days 47-49

Day 47: Hump Day (Wednesday) (01/13/10)

Today I woke up an hour and a half before class, and got up an hour before class.
Breakfast was huge again. I'm going to get fat eating all these large meals and not exercising.
In my first class today I learned (or started learning) many new verbs and how to talk about the future a little. We ended up talking a lot about sex ed, which was a little random (but probably started with our conversation about national problems, teen pregnancy, as well as talking about my mom's work).
When class ended I walked to "Moliendo Cafe" for lunch. Today I tried "arepa mixta" which is basically tortilla covered by a pile of veggies, beans, chicken and beef.
I also had some Colombian (because this is a Colombian cafe) drink that was a little similar to cold chai, but with different spices accented. They also have almuerzos, so the next time I go I'll probably get that.
I finished eating and headed to the hotel for a second, then decided to go online for a bit.
I wrote to Santiago, my mom and Annette, then headed to my conversation class.
We covered A TON of vocab, I won't be able to remember all of it for a long time, but hopefully I'll get it (poco a poco).
After class I headed back to the hotel and did some writing. This morning when I got up I wondered why my waist band is so tight. I'm bloated.
I've been drinking two cups of green tea each morning, lots of water through out, yogurt most days and I haven't had regular BMs (TMI, I know. Sorry). I don't want to stop taking my iron, but I know that has a little bit to do with it. Ugh.
I think I'll head to Tía and maybe buy some yogurt and granola for dinner.
I told Gabe I would try to email today and that I would ask about sending a package here, but I haven't asked and I'm not sure what to write.
Maybe I'll update my blog some to help me come up with ideas. I need to remember to write down Jamie's address and Brooke's phone number.
I wish I remembered where the closer Tía was. The one by the market is kinda far.
After Tía I walked back to the hotel and ate my yogurt. I also bought some more jasmine tea. The tea box is ridiculous. There's a half naked airbrushed chick on one side and a half naked photoshopped dude on the other (both Asian, of course, since it's Oriental brand tea). Hopefully, it doesn't taste like crap.
Watched a little TV, now I'm headed to the internet shop to email Gabe and update my blog.
I wound up emailing Gabe and Steph and some others, but didn't update the blog at all. When I left, I headed to the hotel and watched a little TV then went to bed.

Day 48: Galapagos Planning (01/14/10)

I was exhausted this morning. I finally managed to pry myself out of bed with the promise of a hot shower. Unfortunately, I got in the shower only to be disappointed by lukewarm water. I decided to get out and wait 'til the afternoon to try for hot water.
Today at breakfast there was jugo again and my new tea (no matter how ridiculous the packaging) tasted alright. Instead of the normal rolls there were croissant-like things. I forced myself to only eat one even though I wanted both.
In class this morning we worked mostly on GUSTAR-to like and a little on progresivo (things ending in the equivalent of -ing in English). My homework is to reply to an internet personal ad of sorts. It's just some girl's ad for an international pen pal, but even still, it'll be weird to write back (personal ad style).
I walked to a restaurant next to the cathedral for lunch, but there was a long line out the door, so I came back to the Colombian place (this time for the almuerzo).
The soup and jugo were both good, but the meat in the entree was a little plain (still good though).
After eating I headed to the internet shop. Kendyl and Annette both wrote to me.
I left to go to the bathroom, but I think I might head back to call Santiago. Or maybe I'll take a nap... If I nap I have to call right when I get out of class. I think that's what I'll do.
Tomorrow I want to try to remember to ask Esperanza (my grammar teacher) about Baños (not the one up north, but the one close to here). Taking a soak in the hot springs sounds really nice.
I need to ask Eugenio (my conversation teacher) today if he knows about receiving packages here.
I need to call USAA about my credit card and I need to email my doctor about an appointment when I get back.
I forgot to ask Eugenio, and I didn't call USAA. BUT I did meet up with Santiago and have reserved a hotel room for the Galapagos for this next week!
Tomorrow he's going to help me buy my plane tickets after my first class.
After we found my hotel room, we went to dinner. At dinner we both ate burritos and talked for a while.
I headed back to the internet shop and did some blogging. Then went back to the room and got ready for bed.

Day 49: Last Day of Class (01/15/10)

Last night I decided I would try to get up a little earlier today (since sleeping in doesn't seem to be doing any good).
I hit snooze a couple times, but got up around 8:30.
The shower water still wasn't particularly hot (by the end of the shower it was cold), but at least it started out relatively warm.
I took my time getting ready and still had 45 minutes for breakfast.
At breakfast there were two guys from England (I think). I didn't talk to them, but if I run into them later today I will. Even if I am leaving for the Galapagos on Monday, it'd be nice to meet someone on this trip. Maybe they'll be in Cuenca when I get back or maybe they'll be headed somewhere I'd like to go too.
There is some kind of staff meeting at the Spanish school today, so we'll be starting a bit late.
This staff meeting turned out to be a baby shower.
The last day of class went pretty well I think. Today we talked about people's obsessions with things. The first iPod (apparently that was huge in Ecuador), Hannah Montana, concert/sports tickets, etc.
At the end I was supposed to fill out evaluations for Esperanza, but I only understood some of the questions so I waited until later to fill out the rest.
After class I met with Santiago and we found tickets for my flights to/from the Galapagos (with help from the hotel owner). I only had $100 on me though, so we set up a time to meet later to pay the rest (after my second class). Santiago and I ate at a place near his work and then parted ways.
After my class I filled out the evaluations and then headed to the back to get more cash.
Santiago was supposed too meet me at my hotel at 6 to head to the travel agency to pay the rest. I was supposed to pay by 6:30. The agency called my hotel at 6:25 , and Santiago was still not here, so I went on my own.
The tickets including a special travelers tax ($10) were $520.75 and I need to bring at least $100 with me. The Galapagos entry fee (which must be payed in cash) is $100. I will also need some cash to get to my hotel from the airport.
Guidebooks recommend bringing your own water because it's much more expensive on the islands, but I don't think I'll have the room in my bag. It's about 25 cents for a bottle of water here and about $1 there, which does add up. But when I'm already spending $40 a night and $500 for tickets, $100 for entry, and who knows how much for boats and tours, a couple dollars a day for water doesn't seem like much.
Now I just have to figure out which islands I want to go to and which nights I'll need to stay on other islands (and where I'll stay).
After buying the tickets I meet up with Santiago and talk to his friend about accommodations. When he leaves I stay and look online for info about the specific islands. I really much prefer looking for this kind of info in books.
We're supposed to meet at 10 tomorrow to discuss it, but maybe he won't mind a quick stop at the book store first?
After being online for a while (I updated my blog a bit) I head back to the hotel for bed.

Days 44-46

Day 44: Skype Date (01/10/10)

I woke up at 4 am to some guy pounding on the front door of the hotel. At first I thought maybe I was just hearing things, but then it started up again.
Then there was a phone call and the owner got up to see what was going on. He and the person talked for a bit and then finished and he locked the doors again. The guy came back a couple more times. I think he finally quit around 4:30-4:45.
I woke up around 9, stayed in bed for a bit and then got up about 9:30.
I got dressed and headed to desayuno. The owner asked if I was writing in Spanish. I said no, but told him that my classes start mañana (tomorrow). I told him after that, only Spanish. He said good and joked about beating me with his belt if I didn't start writing/speaking in Spanish.
There is a parade this morning. The end of the street has been blocked off and on for the past few days. Yesterday there may have been another parade, or it was just a practice run.
There were people and horses dressed up. Today they made their way down our street. There were also cars decorated going by today. It looked almost like a Christmas parade. All the Christmas decorations are still up.
Today I think my plan is mostly just to read. I want to finish my book today and maybe do some walking around town.
After my shower I quickly checked my email, etc., then took a walk to the river and back.
I was hoping to have lunch at the vegetarian place around the corner, but I guess they're not open Sundays.
I walked around for a while and hoped to find the New York pizza place or a good looking almuerzos place. I didn't find either (hardly anything is open on Sundays) and settled for the Chicago pizza place.
I had calzone and Pepsi. It was alright. The calzone had two kinds of cheese. One was weird, the other was good.
After I ate I walked around for a while.
I saw a cathedral a ways down and decided to check it out. It was really nice, but obviously not an area packed with tourists. It made me a little nervous because I only kind of knew where I was.
I walked back to the hotel and watched TV for a long time. I watched some ice skating movie with Joan Cusack and Samantha (from "Sex and the City") and then "Princess Diaries:2."
At about 8 I got up and went to the bar around the corner to grab some dinner.
I just ordered the hummus plate and a glass of wine. I talked to one of the servers a while. It turns out he, his brother and his brother's wife actually own and run the place.
I finished my first glass and got a second. After a bit I payed and headed back to my room. The guy had shown me the rooms they had in their hostel there. I think I may stay there when I get back from Venezuela. The room was nice and the dormitorio only had 4 beds and a bathroom, not too bad. It's $8 including breakfast.
When I got back to my room I finished reading my book and then went to sleep. I reminded myself that class is at 3 tomorrow.

Day 45: Half Way Point (01/11/10)

Today I woke up and rolled over. I wasn't worried about the time because my only obligation wasn't until 3. A short while after falling back to sleep, I woke up to a knock on my door.
The woman that works at the hotel (sometimes) was at my door. She told me that my class time had been changed to 10am (it was 9:30).
I quickly got dressed and scarfed down my breakfast. Just as I was finishing my juice Mayra (the woman form the school) called to let me know I should come at 10:30.
I brushed my teeth (a second time) and decided to head over.
She told me there was internet access upstairs I could use while I waited. The two computers were already in use, but I sat at a table to write.
I made my way back downstairs just before my lesson.
The lesson went very well, I think I like my grammar teacher a lot. This afternoon, I'll have a different teacher for conversation, hopefully I'll like him too.
For almuerzo today I headed around the corner from my hotel to a veggie place I hadn't been to yet.
It was delicious. The soup was pretty plain (mote, onion, something else?) but the broth was excellent. Then there were some shredded carrots (and a few other things) as well as some kind of root (that I've decided I don't care for) with cauliflower and a little sauce. Mashed potato-y things, brown rice and some type of veggie with tempeh. It was so good. Definitely worth $2.00.
Afterwards, I headed to the internet shop.
Gabe apparently had turned his phone off all day Saturday, which was why he didn't answer when I called. Steph and Alina also wrote to me.
When I left the internet shop, I headed back to the hotel for a second and then Spanish round 2.
My afternoon conversation teacher is running late because of traffic. I made a mental list of things to do or look into later. I need to weigh the pros and cons for going to Venezuela. I'd really like to go, but I would be spending $400 just on plane tickets to be there for a weekend (not even a long one at that).
When my teacher arrives he apologizes for being late and asks if it's okay to start 15 minutes early the next two days (to make up the time). I say it's fine and we start our lesson.
So far I think I like him pretty well. I'm having a hard time remembering some of the vocab, but it's only my first day.
After class I came back to the hotel and rewrote my notes so I can understand them. I also did laundry. I still need to do some written homework for my grammar class, but I think I'm going to eat first (it's almost 8).
I wandered around the neighborhood and finally decided to go to a place called "Chipotle: subs and shots." I had a Pisco sour and a burrito de pollo. Both were good and the bill was only $6.50. Afterwards, I headed to the internet shop to call Gabe, but both international phones were being used. So, I checked email, etc., until one of the phones freed up.
I called Gabe, but it went straight to voicemail, so I called Hana. She didn't answer and her voicemail doesn't work, so I called back a minute later.
I talked to her for a bit, but she had to go grab some cleaning supplies before the store closed (she's having an apartment inspection tomorrow). I told her I would call back after (hopefully) talking to Gabe.
I tried Gabe again and he answered this time. He was record shopping with Morgan.
We talked a bit, but not too long because they were going to grab some food.
He asked me to call again tomorrow.
I feel too tired to focus on Spanish right now. I already did some studying, so I think I'll save my grammar homework for the morning (hopefully I'll get some sleep and feel revived).
Crossing my fingers for solid sleep tonight.

Day 46: Big Breakfast (01/12/10)

This morning I felt pretty well rested, but I still didn't want to get out of bed. I made myself get up at 9:15. Showered and had about 30 minutes for desayuno.
Today my breakfast was huge. He made me eggs, a bowl of yogurt with fruit, 2 rolls with jam and tea. I only ate one of the rolls, but finished off everything else then ran to class (I did some of my homework while eating).
Grammar class was good today. She looked over my homework and taught me a few new verbs (which we then practiced). I have more homework for tomorrow.
I need to do some studying before conversation class.
For lunch I came back to the veggie place (same as yesterday).
Today I had brown rice with beans, a small side salad, fried ripe plantains and veggie soup. I also had jugo today (mango and something else I think).
After lunch I headed back to the hotel for a bit, then decided to go to the post office. I sent Christina/Steph's letter, Natallie's, Hana's and Gabe's. It cost $2.00 per letter, a little expensive.
When I got back to the hotel, I decided to go to the internet shop until class (I had about 30 minutes left).
Gabe emailed me. I'm gonna call him tonight. I miss him and hope we can take a trip.
Tonight I'm having dinner at the place with the "Club" overhangs near my hotel. I ordered a veggie wrap and a dirty martini. Martini's good, hopefully the sandwich is too.
The wrap was pretty good, not spectacular, but just the right amount of food.
After eating I headed to the internet shop to call Gabe.
He wants to send me a package. I would love to get one, but I've got a feeling I probably wouldn't end up actually getting it. It was good to talk to him when he was alone (most of our other conversations are when he's around people, it makes it more difficult).
After talking to him for a good amount of time, I headed back to the hotel and got ready for bed.

Days 42-43

Day 42: CEDEI or Bolivar? (01/08/10)

I set my alarm correctly last night, but when it started blaring this morning, I was not ready to get up.
I stayed up late last night reading and didn't let myself check the time before trying to fall asleep. My eyes were dry and starting to puff up before I went to sleep though.
When I finally did get up this morning (about 9:15) the power was out. As far as I can tell they're alternating between 9 am and 1 pm for the blackouts. I think over the weekend there shouldn't be any blackouts (like when I was in Canoa).
When the power comes back on, I'm gonna shower, check email, and stop by the CEDEI office.
I'll ask some questions and if the answers sound good then I'll take the placement test (if they need me to, I think it's safe to say I'm a beginner) and head to the bank for the tuition money. If I'm feeling if-y I'll check out the Bolivar school and get back to CEDEI about my decision.
I think today I'll also send letters and look up Galapagos stuff. Maybe email Santiago about it.
Hopefully, I'll hear from Rafael about my suggested dates for a visit and be able to buy my plane tickets.
I'm looking through the "501 verbs" book my mom sent and cracking up.
Apparently, if you want to say "beat it" you say "¡Cómprate un calvo y péinalo!" the literal translation is actually "buy a bald man and comb his hair!"Hahaha WTF.
Took a nap (watched TV). Showered, and hit the internet spot.
Haven't heard from Rafael, but double checked the flight availability (the tickets are still available).
Looked at a couple sites for the Galapagos trips. They're ridiculously expensive. Hopefully, with Santiago's help I can find something good. Speaking of Santiago, he sent me an email that I literally could not understand. He kept talking about "her" or "she" but didn't reference any names. He said something about CEDEI and something about Peru...??
He also left his cell number, so hopefully I can meet up with him this weekend.
I did a little reading on the lonely planet website about Central American spots and Caribbean spots. It finally just started stressing me out so I quit looking.
Gabe wrote briefly. I'm going to be so excited if we pull off a short vacation together.
I left the internet shop and headed to the CEDEI building. I wound up just going ahead and signing up for and paying for a week's worth of classes. If I really like it maybe I'll sign up for more. If I don't like it I might give Simon Bolivar a try later. My first class/lesson is Monday at 3pm. I need to show up a little early to find out where it is etc. I hope I like my teachers because it's 1:1 lessons, so if I don't like it, it'll suck pretty bad.
After leaving CEDEI I headed to Tía to buy some yogurt. I missed lunch, so I had a yogurt/granola/fiber snack around 4:30. I bought some mani (peanuts) too, but they're weird. They're called Mani Cris and they're basically peanuts with a tough salty shell on them.
After my snack I was gonna nap, but wound up watching some soap opera-esque show for a while, then "Hey Arnold."
Around 8:15 I headed back to the internet place. My mom had written back about our Skype date. A couple other people had written me, so I wrote back (to some, I forgot about Alina and Carolyn!).
I did some general internet cruising for a while, then came back to my room.
It's raining, but it feels kind of nice (until you stop walking and then you just get cold quickly).
I didn't send the mail today, maybe tomorrow? I don't know what the post office hours look like on Saturdays.
I also really need to get more cash. After paying for the Spanish I'm left with about $30.
Well, I think I may do some writing or reading and then hit the hay.
I want to wake up a bit earlier so that I'm hungry for lunch at the appropriate hour (I haven't been getting hungry until 3 ish).

Day 43: Pay Phone (01/09/10)

So much for getting an early start. I stayed up reading and writing for a while and then decided not to set an alarm. I woke up probably around 8:30 or 9 but tried to sleep a bit more. I got up at 9:45 and headed downstairs for desayuno. Today there was melon jugo (juice). It was good, Cantaloupe maybe?
I read a tourist brochure while I ate.
Now I'm headed to the internet shop to check emails and maybe metropolitan-tours.com, then maybe the post office?
For lunch I think I might try "Aguacolle Café." They have veggie almuerzos and are a short walk from here (according to guidebooks).
So, metropolitan-touring.com was a bust. It was less helpful and I think a bit more expensive than the local tour site I looked at before.
When I left the internet spot I headed to where I thought "Aguacolle Café" was supposed to be, but it wasn't there. I'll have to look online again to find it. I walked around for a long while, but the places that came to mind weren't open. I stopped by the bank and then back to the hotel to hide my money. I decided to see of "Café Austria" was open (it's just a few blocks from my hotel). It was open. I ordered a smoothie and an empanada.
I had really wanted to go back to "Tiesto's" to try their empanadas, but I doubt their construction will be done by the time I leave.
I sat and read while I waited for my food and drink. I'm determined to finish this book before I start Spanish lessons.
The smoothie came first. It had both fruits and veggies in it, and was more of a juice than actual smoothie. I'm not sure how I picked this one specifically. It was ok, but the second wave of flavor was all veggie (which was a little gross).
My chicken empanada was delicious. At first I was a little bummed because I thought it was supposed to come with a few, but it was only one. Once I started eating, however, I was glad it was only one (very filling).
After leaving I walked back to the hotel and read another chapter of my book, then headed back to the internet spot.
I really hope that Rafael writes back about the dates for going to Venezuela soon. If he doesn't I might not be able to afford it.
Steph wrote me an email. It sounds like she's doing pretty well.
Santiago didn't write me about whether his phone is Porta or Movi, I hope he writes back tomorrow.
Elsa wrote me back saying that Jack made it safely back to Portland, but that she doesn't know Margaret's plan. I'm honestly a little ticked at Margaret.
I wasted a couple hours online and then decided I should probably get some dinner (if I planned on eating tonight).
I contemplated heading to the place around the corner that I've already been to, but I decided against it.
Instead, I headed to the place on the end of my block "Cacao & Canela" (Chocolate and Cinnamon). Lonely Planet online had only mentioned that sandwiches were cheap, but I thought I'd give it a try.
The menu (as far as food is concerned) is short. They have cheap sandwiches, a few appetizers and a few salads. I ordered a Ensalada César and an Aniseto.
The salad was definitely not a caesar, but I don't really care (it had ham and cheese and vinaigrette).
The drink is anise flavored liquor, rum and something else.
After drinking less than a quarter of it I was tipsy. Now I've eaten my whole salad and I'm not quite half was through the drink and I'm probably drunk.
I'm a little worried about what I'll feel like if I finish it.
I really want to call Gabe, if I can figure out how, but I think it's probably a bad idea. Plus he DJs tonight.
I caved. I went back to the hotel to try to find the international calling code for the U.S. (I could've sworn I had just seen it on something). I couldn't find it in my Spanish books or on anything else. I went to look at the tourist guides downstairs, but didn't find it there either. The owner asked if I was going to a discoteca, I said no and he laughed a little and then I tried to fold the brochure up and started getting flustered (I think I drank a bit too much of that drink).
I went to the internet spot and found the code(00) and then tried calling Gabe. He didn't answer. I called Natallie and we talked for a while and then her phone cut out. I called back and we talk some more. I tried Gabe again, but it went straight to voicemail.
After the calls, I headed to the hotel and watched part of "Sex In The City" in Spanish and then went to sleep.

Days 39-41

Day 39: Spanish Classes? (01/05/10)

Today I woke up and got ready for desayuno (breakfast). I had a roll (similar to a croissant, but not as flaky) that I filled with my egg, ham, cheese scramble, and juice and tea.
While I was waiting for my food (and while I was eating) I read a bilingual magazine about South American food. It made me want to go on an eating tour of South America. It is easy to find $1.50-$2.00 breakfasts and multi-course lunches (almuerzos), but I've got a feeling that at the right restaurants you could have a spectacular lunch for only a few dollars more. The $2.00 specials are filling, but there's nothing exceptional about any that I've had thus far.
After breakfast, I tidied my room and got ready to leave.
I headed first to the internet shop to respond to Santiago's email and to see if either of the schools had gotten back to me.
The schools had not replied yet so I just wrote back to Santiago.
I checked my other "emails" and Gabe had written to say that he got his passport application. I wonder if he knows he can go to the Multnomah County Building on Morrison and 11th for passport stuff? I will be ecstatic if he gets it in time to go to Costa Rica (or where ever)! I wrote a couple messages and then headed out for lunch.
I went to a place called "El Miel." I sat on the back porch. It's nice with lots of bright tiles and colors and a small garden. I saw a little tiny spider crawling around on the table. I went to relocate it and accidentally smashed it in the process. Sorry lil' guy.
I ordered Quinoa with mushrooms (and some other stuff) with a side of veggies and a cup of juice. The Quinoa was delicious and the juice is good too. Getting the bill however is taking forever. I think that's mostly due to the fact they only have one server who takes all the orders, runs all the food and makes all the drinks. 3 groups of people showed up right after I did too, so he's busy. The meal was delicious though. Hopefully, I can make it to the hotel before the rain starts (I left my raincoat and I'm wearing flip flops).
It never ended up raining. I made it to the internet shop. I got a couple new messages and wrote a few. I wrote to my mom, but I had to make it really short, because the power was going to go out any minute. Maybe after dinner I'll write a real one.
I went back to my hotel room and did some reading. I read "A Grief Observed," I got to page 70 then decided to take a nap for a couple hours.
It took me a bit to fall asleep and when my alarm went off it seemed too soon. I tried to sleep a while longer, but there was too much going on downstairs. I got up and got ready for dinner around 7:30.
I didn't have anything in mind for dinner so I started wandering down Calle Larga. I didn't see anything too promising so I headed up one of the cross streets and wound up at "Cafe Austria." In Margaret's guidebook they say that it is home to everything caffeinated, so I thought it was maybe only a coffee shop. Upon closer inspection I found there to be many tables of people eating meals, so I decided to give it a try.
I ordered mushroom tortellini (I think) and a glass of wine. I am sitting at the bar. While I wait for my food I check out their liquor supply. It's much better than most of the places I've been, but also more expensive.
They have some good happy hour prices though.
They have a whiskey called "Something Special," my guess is that it's probably not as good as they hope it sounds. I'm always wary of things and places that "toot their own horns." They also have a Heineken bottle that is the size and shape of a large wine bottle.
So it turns out, what I ordered is not tortellini, but it's still good. I ate a bit too much. It was very rich and it was a large serving.
After eating I walked back towards my hotel. I stopped in at the internet shop and wrote a longer reply to my mom. I also talked to Lisa on Skype chat, which was nice. I guess she's mostly been working at the NW store and that Harper quit. Harper quitting is a bummer. I really like her and working with her a lot. It's understandable though. She's got another job and wants to have more time to spend with her daughter.
I got to talk to Gabe for a bit on IM (instant messenger), which made me really happy. He's going to turn in his passport application tomorrow. I'll pee my pants if we get to take a trip together! We're supposed to talk again tomorrow.
I'm back at my hotel now and just about ready for bed. I'll probably try to finish "A Grief Observed" and then sleep.

Day 40: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back (01/06/10)

Today I woke up early. There are people with young kids staying here now. The combination of kids and church bells was too much for me.
I finally gave up and got out of bed around 9.
This morning at breakfast I read more of the culinary magazine on South American food and restaurants. Today breakfast was the same as usual, plus some jam for the roll. The roll today was different, denser.
After breakfast I came upstairs to shower and the power was already out. Hopefully, it'll be back on after only a couple hours.I showered in the dark. The room has decent light because of a big window to the courtyard, but the bathroom only has a tiny window near the ceiling (so it was dark).
After showering and dressing, I wrote a few letters then headed to the internet shop. I wound up staying a lot longer than I had anticipated.
I wrote to a few people and wrote more of my blog. I'm finally updated through all the entries in my first notebook.
Some of what I write in the notebooks I'm not sure if I should share on the blog. I've been leaving bits and pieces out, but sometimes it feels like I'm basically leaving out half of the entry.
I think my fever is back again. I really really hope I'm not actually sick.
The guy sitting next to me (well, 3 feet away, but that's more than close enough) at the computer place was obviously pleasuring himself to something on the computer. He kept looking at me and I couldn't tell if he was checking to see if I was noticing, or to trying to get me to notice. I wish I knew how to say "GO SCREW YOURSELF SOMEWHERE ELSE, PERV," in Spanish, but unfortunately I don't.
Gabe payed for his passport, it's gonna be 4-6 weeks (which is about what I thought it'd be). He found some really cheap airline tickets, but when I looked for round trip flights out of Ecuador I didn't have such luck. It's really expensive to fly internationally from Ecuador. I wrote him and suggested that maybe I could just buy a one way ticket to meet him and then a one way ticket back to the U.S. instead. Or we could always wait until I get back to go.
I need to find out about tickets to Venezuela.
After writing Gabe I headed back to the hotel, peed, drank lots of water, and then headed to the bank.
I only took out $200 because carrying more than that makes me nervous.
It seems to have gone ok, so hopefully the bank doesn't put any holds on my account.
I came right back to the hotel and transferred the money from my wallet to my passport pouch.
I ate some granola.
On the way to the bank I figured out where I'm going to have dinner tonight, "Zoe." I remember reading a review of it in Margaret's guidebook.
Right now I'm going to try to take a short nap before dinner.
The nap was more or less a failure. I basically just listened to music for an hour and a half. My burned arms are starting to itch a bit.
When I got up I got dressed and headed out. The restaurant is only 3(ish) blocks from my hotel. It felt like it was gonna rain, hopefully it doesn't dump on me when I leave.
I ordered an Apple Martini (on special) and Eggplant lasagna. The restaurant looks nice, but it's virtually empty. There is one other table of people. Two women, a man joined them later. The women sound like my worst nightmare. They're here for some type of conference. I get the impression that they're maybe not as dumb as they sound, but it's hard to tell. I would much prefer to listen to the music than their conversation though.
They struggled to remember how to say uno más. The one woman kept going on and on about how something at the conference lists the guy as her esposa then explains to the other woman that that means spouse. Ugh.
The drink was good, I'm glad I took my Pepcid before coming to dinner, though. The lasagna was really good, but I ate too much of it.
After finishing dinner, I came back to my room for a second, then hit the computer shop. Luckily it stayed busy enough tonight that he stayed open late. I got to talk to Gabe for a while. He's thinking about moving out of his house (apparently his sketcher creepy roommate is also thinking about moving). That (apartment searching) and the job search when I get back are two things I don't want to think about right now.
We talk about possible trip stuff for a while.
When Gabe and I are done talking, I head back to the hotel. I read for a bit and do a little reading, then it's bed time. I'm exhausted. My missions for tomorrow: Sushi for lunch (another place that Margaret's book recommended) and signing up for Spanish!

Day 41: Sushi (01/07/10)

Today I woke up later than intended. I had set an alarm for 7:45, but forgot to actually "activate" it, so it didn't go off. I woke up at 9:15, threw on some pants and went downstairs for desayuno.
I started reading "She's Come Undone" last night and brought it with me to breakfast. The owner "tisk-tisked" me and said "en Espagñol." He's probably right, it's probably easier to learn if I stop spending so much time reading and writing in English and allow myself to struggle with Spanish. The writing would be difficult to give up, but the reading would be do-able.
I stopped myself at chapter 5.
After breakfast the owner started talking to me about how the other tourists were drunk last night and made a mess of the water station. I told him I had heard it last night. He was starting to impersonate them being drunk, but stopped because they were about to walk by. He's pretty funny, I'm a little bummed I didn't get to see the whole reenactment. One of the girls that was with them began apologizing profusely, again.
I walked upstairs, got changed and headed out to check Spanish school prices again. I emailed one of the schools because on their website it shows that they do individual one week sessions, but doesn't list a price. I wanted to look up a few more things, but the internet was slow and the power was about to go out.
I went back to the hotel briefly and then decided to head to "Sakura Sushi" for lunch. I would be highly skeptical, but Margaret's guidebook said that this place was good. It's located across the street from Rio Tomebamba, so the view is very nice from the front window.
I ordered miso soup, a California roll and a limonada (lemonade).
I think I got 200% of my daily recommendation of sodium (the lemonade alone was 69% of the DV for less than half of the bottle).
The miso was good. Instead of having tofu it had thinly sliced mushrooms. The California roll was good but the rice was weird. The texture was like they had smashed the rice pretty flat and then rolled it. I always have a difficult time with really loose rice, but I'd much rather loose rice to smashed rice. The flavor was good though. I'm stuffed (again). I think I'll have a small dinner tonight.
I came back to the hotel after eating and did some writing.
I'm torn about a lot of this trip. I can't decide if I can really revive it at this point. I think it would be much better to just go home and plan a different trip later. First I need to decide about Venezuela and Peru and buy my Galapagos stuff.
I think for now I need to forget about Margaret and just worry about plans for myself (since she isn't communicating with me). I need to start making moves or the impending stress will crush me.
After a nap (I kept waking up because I was drooling on myself), I head to dinner.
It becomes almost immediately apparent that I picked the wrong place for small portions, but once seated I feel obligated to stay.
I don't know what I ordered, but the ingredients sound good, so hopefully it will be.
I struggled to decide on a drink and then decided to just go for some water. The black Russian was enticing though, maybe that will be dessert?
I think after dinner tonight I will go ahead and just sign up for the Simon Bolivar Spanish school. Their prices are the most reasonable and the other school probably hasn't replied to my email yet (judging from their prices for other programs the individual sessions are probably pretty expensive).
I'm supposed to write Gabe tonight, but I don't know what to say.
So, my dinner wound up being all the yummy ingredients piled on top of fried green plantains. Definitely NOT a small amount of food.
Eating alone is turning me into a 15 minute binge-r again (like I was while working at Kells). Tonight I stopped myself early, thankfully, but still ate too much.
After dinner I headed to the internet shop.
The other school (CEDEI) replied to the message I sent earlier that day. Their individual program is only $200 also. I was ready to sign up for Simon Bolivar, but now I'm torn.
The Simon Bolivar school also finally got back to my previous message. Their individual program (because of a promotion this month) is a little cheaper.
I emailed the CEDEI lady back and said I would try to come in tomorrow. I need to remember to ask her about meeting other people while in the individual program. The Bolivar school has weekly activities where you can meet people from the group classes, but I don't know about opportunities at CEDEI.
I wrote Gabe and babbled about a bunch of stuff, but of course, I forgot all the things I wanted to say as soon as I sat in front of the computer.
I got to talk to Alina and Carolyn for a bit, which was really nice.
I also got a message from Rafael saying that as long as I come to Caracas while he's there then I can stay with them. I looked for tickets and found some for under $400. I asked if the weekend of the 22nd would work, we'll see what he says.
After the internet place, I came back to the hotel and read about 100 pages of my book, then slept.

Day 38

Day 38: On My Own (01/04/10)

I wake up a bit later than I have been, but I have no idea what time it actually is because there are no clocks anywhere.
I hop in the shower, gather laundry and head downstairs. The washer is confusing, but I understand some of the settings. I take my detergent back up to my room, then head downstairs to ask the time.
The man that runs (I think owns) this place is very nice, but doesn't tell me the time. Instead he tells me my classes must be very soon. I tell him I'm not taking classes yet and he asks why and tells me there are lots of school (he starts rifling through things on the desk and hands me brochures for schools).
I thank him and head to the internet place. It's 10:15. I email Santiago to let him know where I'm staying.
The schools haven't returned my emails yet.
I email my mom about setting up a Skype date and then check my other email etc. I get a little bummed when I realize that no one has written at all. It's silly, but I don't really have a lot of people to talk to here, so email has become more important to me.
I get off the internet because the power goes out and I head to the bookstore. I manage to find a pocket Spanish-English dictionary and two small books for pleasure reading.
Afterwards I come back to the hotel hoping to restart the washer and do some writing.
Now I am going in search of an alarm clock and watch.
At the bookstore they recommended looking for both near the cathedral. They said that I would probably have to go to an appliance store for the alarm clock, but that the watch should be easy to find. I swapped laundry and headed out.
I passed by one appliance store because it looked like they only had large appliances (washer/drier, etc.).
I found another just down the street that had some smalled items, so I went in to look.
The only alarm clock I could find was a plug-in radio kind for $16 (ouch). So, I kept walking. After a while of walking without seeing anything I walked back down Mariscal Sucre (the one with the appliance stores) and stopped in the first shop I had passed up. Upon closer inspection it had nothing like an alarm clock.
Back at the second store I look up the word for alarm clock and ask the clerk. She leads me to the one I saw before and I ask if it is the only one. She says yes, then takes me to some clocks. The first one she pulls down is exactly what I want and is only $2.20 + $0.80 for batteries.
I´m glad I asked.
I went back to the hotel to drop a few unnecessary items off and the owner brings my (mostly) dry clothes to my room.
I thank him and hang up the damp items and then get ready to go in search of ibuprofen and vaseline (for my poor nose that's been on the verge of bleeding for the last few days).
I decide to go back to the pharmacy near the mall, because it has actually aisles so you can find what you need easily. Most (about 80%-90%) of the pharmacies here have everything in glass cases or behind the counter.
I walk down Borrero to Calle Larga and take that to a big set of stairs. The stairs lead to a bridge over the Rio Tomebamba.
I cross the river and head through the park of the mothers. I cross the 4 lane road and walk to, then through, the mall and down a block to the pharmacy.
I find ibuprofen right away, but have trouble finding vaseline. A woman who works there approaches me, but I have no idea what she said so I say "no se" then she asks if I speak English. I say yes and she asks if I need any help. I ask about vaseline and grabs some for me.
We talk for a while. She lived in San Antonio for 10 years and she really liked it, but her husband wanted to move back. She works at the pharmacy which she said is a "good job" here, that makes $500 a month. In San Antonio, she worked at CVS for 2 years, then worked at a spa making $500 plus tips for 4 days of work. She asked if I was married and when I said no she said "good, don't."
I decided to get some yogurt and then headed to the check out.
The walk back was a bit quicker (except for the stairs) because I realized I could by-pass the mall.
After eating yogurt with added fiber stuff and writing some, I decided to check my email in case Santiago or the schools had emailed back and to look up airfares.
I go to the internet place and check my email, no new messages. I sign in to Skype, no one is on. Gabe wrote me a short message and so did Hana. Jenny and Bill also wrote to me. I wrote them all back and then wrote to Margaret, Rafael, and Alina. Rafael about possibly visiting him in Caracas, and Alina about Costa Rica (since she's spent so much time there) because Gabe and I might try to head there.
I checked email again and Santiago had written, but I pretty much had no idea what it said. He uses an online translator when he writes to me and sometimes it makes sense, but other times, not so much.
I really hope that Margaret talks to her doctor about the altitude medication and that she wants to go to Peru still.
I put 3 more days of blog up (I'm up to day 16 now).
After finishing blogging I signed off, payed and headed out for dinner (at the hostel we'd eaten at a couple times before the others left).
I ordered a glass of wine and a mushroom, cheese and white sauce crepe. I feel awkward going to dinner alone. Breakfast and lunch are one thing, but dinner alone by candlelight? A little depressing.
So the crepe came out as soup with garlic bread. I've got a feeling he misunderstood my order. It was good though.
One of the guys working here speaks English and I had talked to him about Spanish programs before. He stopped to talk for a minute.
Dinner was pretty good and only $4.20 including the wine.
After paying I walked back to the hotel and utilized both the vaseline and the ibuprofen (I think I've got a fever), and brushed my teeth.
My new alarm is set for 8:45. I might read a little, but I'm almost ready for sleep.

Day 36-37

Day 36: Tiesto's (01/02/10)

Today is everyone else's last day in Cuenca. Elsa, Brent, and Camila are headed back towards Canoa tomorrow, early. Jack and Margaret will be flying to Quito in the morning.
Today I am very tired. Camila has altitude sickness and was back and forth between bed and the bathroom all night.
When I woke up I intended to shower right away, but Camila ran to the bathroom before I could. I showered a little while later and got dressed except for shoes and socks. Elsa came by and said they were about ready and they'd wait for me downstairs.
I put on my shoes, got my purse ready and then remembered my pills. So, I dug though the many containers to get the ones I needed. I saw Jack walk by just as I was digging (so I must not have been the only one behind Elsa and Brent).
I grabbed my purse, tidies my bed and then headed down (maybe 2 minutes later) and they were gone. No where to be seen and hadn't mentioned where they were headed for breakfast.
I got a little flustered, but decided to walk around to try to find them (this is not the first or last time that Brent has taken off without letting me know). When I got to the corner I didn't see them and I realized that after going through the trouble of finding my pills, I'd left them on my bed.
I went back, got my pills and then walked around the corner. I was about to head back and have breakfast alone at the hotel, when I saw the back of Jack's head in a hostel we'd eaten at a couple nights ago.
After breakfast Camila went back to the hotel and the rest of us headed to the big market. Unlike the others we'd been to, this one was two stories and had a lot of meat and other things, as well as the usual produce.
Next we met up with Brent and Elsa at the gun store. They were buying rifles to keep at the bodega on their property (where they are going to be building a house). They were $21 a piece. Once they were finally done, we headed back towards the hotel. We stopped in a small "natural" shop to try to find aloe gel (since none of the pharmacies seemed to have it). They had it for $5 and Brent winced at the how expensive he thought it was. I gladly payed the $5 and was excited to have found it for my fried arms.
Jack and Margaret stayed at the hotel and the rest of us went to Mall del Rio. We found Camila some shoes and then walked around (Elsa and Brent went home decor shopping). I saw some shoes I liked, but they were $40 at Payless and I'm sure I can get the same ones for the same price (maybe even cheaper) in Portland (if they have them).
We went bowling and played air hockey and then called Elsa because it had been much more than an hour (the amount of time they said they'd be shopping).
She said that they were ready and that we should meet them in the food court. So, we went straight there and I called to let her know where we were sitting (I wasn't sure if maybe they were already there and I just couldn't see them). She said that they'd be there in a few minutes. 20+ minutes later they still aren't there and haven't called, and aren't answering Camila's calls.
Finally, they call and tell us to meet them near Payless. They bought a bunch of stuff, including a ladder and fake Christmas tree, and they wanted to go to KFC to eat.
So we ordered food, except for Camila because it dawns on them that fried food probably won't help her upset gut. Elsa goes to the other food court and comes back empty handed. Camila ends up ordering some chicken and is instructed to peel off the fried crispy part. While we're waiting for her food and eating our own, Brent asks the time. He and Elsa are supposed to be meeting a guy to look at a property near Cuenca around 4. When he finds out it's 3, he starts obviously getting worried and a bit flustered. He starts ripping into her about "had she told them earlier, she wouldn't be wasting so much of their time now," (she was having trouble peeling the outside off of the chicken because it was really hot) and that she needed to hurry or they'd be late. This irritated me. I casually mentioned to him that if they had known that they'd be 25+ minutes later than the time they told us to meet them at, that we could have gotten food from the food court and already eaten food instead of just sitting there waiting.
He stopped talking for a second and then started freaking out about finding a cab large enough to fit the ladder in.
After eating we found a cab pretty quickly and came back to the hotel. Camila napped and I went to a book store with Margaret and Jack. We found a book on Peru that seemed pretty good and headed back to the hotel. About the same time Elsa and Brent got back from looking at that property (they're thinking about trading some of their property in Canoa for this property).
We all spent a little time resting. Margaret came by and asked if I'd be interested in grabbing dinner somewhere since it was getting later and Brent and Elsa were still shut in. I said I though we should probably wait to eat with everyone since they seemed pretty set on a specific restaurant etc. As we were talking Brent and Elsa came out of hiding.
They said "we're ready to go." And headed for the door, Margaret and Jack headed to their room for a second to grab something. I changed shirts and then headed out.
They were already around the corner when I got out the front door. We had just walked by Tiesto's the other day, but I couldn't remember where it was. I started to get flustered again, but then Jack poked his head around the corner to make sure I was coming. It was a good thing, because I had nearly turned to look the other direction.
When we got to the restaurant it was closed for a private party. Elsa talked to the chef and got us set up in the other room.
Margaret got potato soup, because of her upset tummy, and Jack and I shared lomo (steak) with mushrooms and onions in a red wine sauce.
I had tried to order a 1/4 bottle of red wine for myself, but the guy came back and said they were out of the wine sold in parts. That only full bottles were possible. So Jack and I shared a bottle (Santiago helped a bit too).
For desert I had "Hijo con Miel y Queso" which Santiago told me was a traditional dessert.
It was a dish made of a couple marinated figs, syrup and cheese. It was different, but very good (and rich).
Santiago, Elsa, and Brent had chocolate temptation which was also delicious. The top portion was almost a mousse, then the second layer was more like a light cake, followed by a layer of crunch. There was passion fruit drizzle on top and passion fruit sorbet/ice cream on the side.
Santiago and I exchanged email addresses and he is going to try to help me sign up for classes and maybe a home stay. He also may be able to help me book a trip to the Galapagos.
He is a very nice, 28 year old, gay lawyer that works doing general law with for the government.
After dinner we say our goodbyes and head back to the hotel. Camila left dinner early and is already asleep with the TV on.
I watch a little TV and fall asleep.

Day 37: Day of Rest (01/03/10)

I woke up and helped Camila get ready. We all ate breakfast and then start bringing her things down.
Elsa talked to the man at the desk and told him that unless I find a homestay, I will be staying here (Hostal Santa Fé) until further notice (while I take Spanish classes somewhere).
Afterwards I check out my two room options. I say goodbye to everyone and then pack up my things. When my room is ready I move all my stuff.
I decide to take a nap and don't wake up until late afternoon.
I head to the internet place and go online for a while. Still no one has confirmed me on Skype, but no one ever seems to be signed in anyway.
My friend Christy is on facebook and I talk to her for a while, which was really nice.
We haven't talked in forever. When I get back hopefully we'll be able to see each other once in a while.
After wasting a bunch of time, I pay and come back to the hotel.
I try to do some reading and watch a little TV, while eating some granola.
After reading and watching TV for a while, I make a list of things to do tomorrow and then fall asleep.

Days 34-35

Day 34: New Years Eve (12/31/09)

Today we wake up and have breakfast at the hotel again. Scrambled eggs, roll, jam, juice and coffee. After breakfast we all get ready and hop in the truck and head to Chordeleg (a town about an hour away known for it's jewelry). I ride in the truck bed again (it's actually a great way to enjoy the ride, aside from being afraid of being badly sunburned).
The drive starts out a little rocky. Brent doesn't know how to get there and doesn't have any way to look it up now that we're already driving. He checks the gas station for a map, but there are none. Margaret's book only has bus directions to Chordeleg.
We manage to find a couple older men, waiting for a bus, that know the way. They hop in the truck bed and we're off.
The one giving Brent directions from the bed loses his hat on the ride. His companion asks if I speak Spanish and when I tell him I don't he asks if I know French. We manage to have about a 2 minute conversation. (My French has all but disappeared).
They hop out and give Brent directions for the rest of the drive. We make it to Chordeleg ok and I realize that it's one of the places that was in the movie I'd watched ("Qué Tan Lejos").
From the minute we drove into town it became obvious that it was a jewelry town. More than half, maybe even more than two thirds, of the businesses were jewelers.
After spending about 20 minutes in one shop, Jack and I went in search of a bathroom. We finally found one for 0.$25 on the outside of the covered/enclosed town market. It was pretty gross, but it did the trick.
When we got back to the jewelry store they were still looking. About another 20-30 minutes later they were finally done there.
Next we headed up the road to look at other jewelers. Elsa and Brent were the only ones planning on buying more jewelry, with something specific in mind. Margaret and Jack suggested drinking a beer somewhere while they look. So, that's what we did.
When we were about half done with our beers the other 3 found us. We finished and went around the corner for some lunch (almuerzo, multi-course lunch special).
The food was pretty good, definitely filling and worth the $1.50 for popcorn, soup, entree with rice and beans, and juice.
After lunch Elsa and Brent went in search of pottery and things for their house. We hit the bathrooms (different ones) again and then sat in the shade in the park.
We saw Brent and Elsa come back for the truck so we walked down to the pottery place and helped load the truck. Off we went, back to Cuenca.
Once we were back Camila and I went to the mall to see "Avatar" and managed to get in this time.
The movie was pretty good, but entirely in Spanish (I got the gist). The theater was less than half full. When we got out, it was after 7 and we had a rough time catching a cab back to the hotel. We got back around 8 and the adults were finally out of bed.
Brent wanted to walk around and take pictures of the different scenes people had created for their paper maché people. There were lots of men dress as women stopping traffic by dancing seductively in front of cars (including cop cars) and then asking for money. There were also a lot of little kids in Halloween costumes.
It seemed that all of the paper maché scenes were politically oriented. At midnight they light them all on fire and shoot fireworks.
The adults all had kabobs from a cart for dinner, but Camila and I weren't hungry yet. We got hot dogs later that were GROSS (but sadly not the grossest I've ever had).
A short while later I was about to have a feminine emergency (T.M.I., sorry) so I headed back to the hotel. I got irritated waiting for Camila to decide if she wanted to come with me of not, so I just left. I got a little lost for a second, but figured it out.
The rest of the group came back a bit later and Jack, Brent, and I went around the corner for some drinks. Elsa doesn't drink and Margaret wasn't feeling well, so they didn't come.
Brent had Amaretto and orange juice, I had a piña colada and Jack had a Cuba Libre. These were the first decent cocktails we'd had (since I got here). Next Jack ordered a margarita and I had a South American drink. My drink was HOT and had sugar cane liquor and maybe peach juice? I don't know, couldn't figure it out and it didn't list ingredients on the menu. Brent called it quits after one and we got a surprise visit from Elsa, who ordered some tea. When we finished we went back to the hotel.
Jack had bought a bottle of champagne and since it was only a few minutes before midnight, insisted that we toast at midnight. I was surprised that he managed to get Brent to agree because of Brent's dislike for champagne. So, at midnight we toasted and then went to bed. The loud fireworks made it a bit more difficult to sleep. Camila had been up waiting for me to get back.

Day 35: Feliz Año Nuevo y Prospero Año (01/01/10)

Forced to wake up early again. Today since nothing would be open we had planned a trip to the Cajas National Park. After some difficulty finding our way there, we finally made it. The entrance fee for a non-resident was $10 and you got a nice map/brochure of/about the park.
It became apparent that this was not the same part of the park we'd driven through on the bus. The land was drier with sparser trees, but lots of lakes.
We were supposedly here to hike, but I think anything less than 2o minutes doesn't really count. We walked around, then at lunch, then walked some more.
There were beautiful views all around. The highest point we made it to was about 13,900 feet. Brent had his heart set on 14,00, but all of those points were on real hikes which we didn't have the time for today.
So we headed back to Cuenca. Camila begged me to let her sit in the truck bed and I reluctantly agreed. Camila is great, but I've spent literally all of my time with her (we were even sharing a hotel room).
When we got back to Cuenca Elsa, Brent, Camila and I went for a walk. We were headed back to the hotel to get Margaret and Jack for dinner when we saw them in a bar/restaurant on the way.
We all stopped in and decided to eat there.
Most of us ordered burritos. They were alright, no sour cream though.
After dinner we headed to the hotel for a walk.
We didn't end up walking far before we ran into a double-decker tour bus about to start a free tour of part of the city. So we hopped on the bus. We sat on the open 2nd level. They handed out whistles and pins to everyone and then we began our tour.
The city looks nice at night and the bus ride was pleasant. There was one street we went down that we had to duck to avoid hitting out heads on electrical wires (some of which are bare, with no coating), that was the only sketchy part.
Once off the bus we walked back to the hotel and called it a night.