With my study abroad group I have gone on two trips since San Clamente. First we went to the Amazon, and stayed at this awesome hotel on the Napo river. While we were there we visited several indigenous communities. The Zapara community was my favorite. Someone from their group spoke to us for a long time about how the Zapara people were dwindling, and trying to regain their culture. There are very few Zapara left because during some tribal type wars with other indigenous groups the Zapara women fought at the front lines, and many of them died. Due to the small number of women the population fell sharply over the next several years, and even now struggles. There are only three old women who still speak their language fluently.
While we were in the Amazon we were able to hike a bit in the selva, visit another mariposario (butterfly sanctuary), see indigenous methods of making ceramic pieces, and rope, and a native drink called Chicha which comes from a yucca plant and is fermented to become an alcoholic drink, we also got to go tubing down a river, and visit a zoological reserve. The Amazon may be my favorite trip thus far. Here are some pictures!
The other group trip we went on was to some afro- Ecuadorian towns, and then to the mostly afro-Ecuadorian populated beach area called Esmeraldes. Helen, my friend from high school, came and visited that week, and it was awesome to have her in Ecuador. In Playa del Oro, one of the communities we visited, a group of kids performed a marimba dance. There was live music, and the drum beats were incredible. The boys’ feet hit to the floor as the drummers palms sounded out the rhythm- the thuds echoed around the small community center, and the girls hips
swayed side to side, dictated by the music. Their dance was my favorite part of our visits to the communities. After their performance they invited us to dance with them at their town bar. It was tiny, but a lot of fun. I danced with an older man, probably in his late 50’s, and he was AWESOME. He spun me all around, and laughed when I couldn’t follow his steps, and moved our arms all over the place. His white hair, and missing tooth might have been unattractive to some people, but I thought they were entirely endearing, especially when his face lit up in laughter.
We went to the beach from there, which was overcast, but still great just because it was the beach. Here are some pictures!
I have also gone on some self-organized trips. Right before we went to the afro-Ecuadorian communities we went to a lake called Quilotoa. The lake formed a few hundred years ago in the crater of an old volcano. It is 250 meters deep at its deepest point. We hiked down the crater until we were level with the water. Even when you are there, the lake looks fake because it is unbelievably picturesque. Don’t we look cropped in?
Then a few weeks ago we went on another trip to a volcano called Chimborazo. It is the closest point to the sun in the western hemisphere due to the equatorial bulge. At the base there is a small graveyard for climbers. Some of the headstones have ice picks on them… We stayed the night in a refuge a little ways up the mountain (maybe an hour hike), that is at 5000 meters elevation. The air was noticeably thinner. We didn’t realize that we were meant to bring our own sleeping bags or blankets. Luckily the owner found some blankets to lend us, but I wore all my clothes to bed (three pairs of pants, and like 5 shirts), we slept cuddled up close, and it was still freezing. The next morning was so clear, and I could only wonder at the majesty of the mountains. I said a little prayer of gratitude for the beauty of the earth. Pictures!
Then last weekend we went to Guayaquil, the biggest city in Ecuador, and Cuenca, another of the notable cities in Ecuador. I will write more about those in a few days. Also, last night I went to a Juanes concert. If you don’t know who he is, you should youtube some of his songs (Camisa Negra, Fotografia, A Dios Le Pido) and google some of his pictures. He is beautiful, and I love his music.
I miss everyone, and can’t wait to be home!
