¡Saliendo de Quito!

 Wow, can´t believe that we´ve been here for about 2 1/2 weeks.  We are now done with our stay in Spanish school and ready to start heading further south.  Tomorrow morning we will leave for El Chaupi, a really small village 1 1/2 hours outside of Quito.  From there, we will take a short ride in the back of a pickup into the Parque Nacional de Los Illinizas and start our trek to the high mountain refuge there and (hopefully) summit Illiniza Norte.  Five years ago when I was in Ecuador, I went to this same place with my class called Excursionismo y Escalada and we climbed up to the refuge together, but there was too much snow to summit.  The weather changes minute by minute here, considering we are on the Equator and between 8-9,000 ft.  Here is a link to the page that has some great pictures of the area: http://www.summitpost.org/illiniza-sur-iliniza-sur/151054 (but mind you that we are going to be hiking Illiniza Norte) !



Dave and I have found a comfortable routine here in Quito during our weeks of Spanish classes and (practically) homestay.  We were SO lucky to find the place where we stayed!  Nieves, the owner of the beautiful house was the most gracious, laid back, and welcoming host.  We spent many evenings cooking together and hearing stories of her past in Colombia, Ecuador, the US, travels abroad, and return to Ecuador.  She loved to partake in our beer and wine also!  Dave had a bit more difficulty understanding her when she started speaking a bit quicker!  It was a great way to reinforce our Spanish skills and experience more of the culture while staying in one spot for a longer period of time.  Not only did we have plenty of time to visit with Nieves, but we were able to go over to my old host family´s house twice so that Dave could meet them and to catch up on the last five years.  Martha, Catalina, and Ricardo have not changed a bit!  Their family is all doing well and we had such a good time laughing over past times and recalling different stories and memories from when I lived with them.  For example...how they never understood why I liked to go camping or walk uphill voluntarily with a big backpack in the high altitude...

Dave and I enjoyed our time in Spanish school and I feel much more prepared to begin working in January with the little rascals.  My head has been flustered with language overload, but I have plenty to work on for the rest of our trip.  It was great to have not only language lessons, but a big part of the lesson is to engage in conversation about different cultural topics and lifestyles.  Dave and I both had some great chats with our teachers and got a bit of a reality check about Ecuadorian life. Our days in Quito have consisted of school 8:30-12:30, lunch, walk around the city/nap, dinner, reading, sleep.  We were able to visit most of the big beautiful parks around the city and I acted as Dave´s guide, more or less, for Quito.  It´s been fun to share this big part of my life with him.  Love the price of the fixed lunch plates...$2.50.


We had one interesting incident on the mountain two weekends ago when we were attempting a summit on Volcán Ruca Pichincha.  Outside of Quito, there is a goldola system  called the TeleferiQo which takes you up to the top of the Andean valley.  From the top of the gondola, the views of the city are amazing and it´s possible to hike for about 3-ish hours to reach the summit.  Oh wow, the weather that day was quite interesting.  We seemed to have a mix of everything...rain, sun, snow, downpour, hail, fog.  We were really enjoying the hike on the way up, crossing huge ridges and hiking alongside vast valleys.  The flora up at the high altitude in a volcanic area is stark but impressive...huge folding columnar basalt and patches of shifty pumice with cactus-like flowering brush.  Last time I was up there, I remember being with my friend Jesse, unable to completely summit because of the slippery rocks and cloudy conditions.  This time was not unlike the last, and Dave and I decided not to traverse the slippery vertical rocks (about a 5.6/7 climb really) and headed back down.  During the ascent, the trail follows a SUPER exposed ridgeline before becoming a bit more sheltered toward the top.  As we headed back out, we noticed that we were reentering this exposed ridgeline.  The skies were dark all around us, a sort of "impending doom" feeling.  There was awesome lightning all around and it was relatively close.  At this point, I was enjoying the natural wonder of this lightning storm and had not fully entered a panic state.  It didn´t take too long before the lightning flashes and thunder booms were less than a milli 
second apart.  And remember where we are, on an exposed barren ridgeline.  Wow...was I excited to be in that particular spot at that point in time....NO!  One lighting strike and thunder boom...I was on the ground.  It felt like a sonic boom.  The next one really had my hair rising on end and I literally fell flat to the ground and started a full body panic attack, crying and all.  Fun...not really.  From there, Dave and I literally ran down the mountain to try and find lower ground.  Ps-I don´t run down mountains, but I did.  We were running down this ridgeline at about 12,500 ft with PURO hail everywhere.  After finding another group of hikers who knew an alternate route down instead of the main trail, we followed them.  The next ultra awesome part was when we had to pass under the huge power lines and electric towers.  Haha, after all, Dave and I arrived at the gondola soaking wet (we had rain jackets but forgot rain pants).  Phew!  We both decided that we had a great time, after the fast and even though it was super scary...it was a kick in the pants!  Nevertheless, we are here safe and sound...and ready for the next volcano! 
 

Other than that ultra thrilling Ecua adventure, we participated in the Ciclopaseo where they close down one of the major streets in Quito on Sundays and open it up to cyclists, bladers, and whoever else!  I rented a super ghetto bike and Dave decided he wanted to rollerblade.  Just kidding, Dave and I were both on bikes.  We zoomed through the new and old town of Quito which I would never dare try and cycle.  It was a great way to pass a Sunday, even though my chain broke on one of the uphill sections.  Luckily, there was some random (seemingly homeless) bike mechanic dude that fixed it for 1 buck...including a quick tune up and oiled chain.  PERFECT! Thanks Quito.  This past Saturday we decided to go out of town to Termas de Pappallacta, these awesome hot springs.  We had plenty of Ecuo people-watching and major relaxing time, after being dropped off at the wrong place by the bus driver, who was assuredly crazy. 


 
Now here we are, looking forward to the next new thing, leaving only good memories behind of Quito, especially of Nieves and my host family, and looking foward to exploring the mountains and rivers further south.  Illinizas, Baños, Tena, Riobamba, Altares...here we come! 


Hasta Pronto,
Elisabeth y David

Options

I have been thinking a lot about the idea of having options or choices in life. What got me started on this topic are the conversations I have been having with my Spanish teacher here in Quito. He has a hard time understanding the idea of quitting a job to travel through foreign countries. He is focused on paying his monthly bills, not unlike a lot of North Americans. At first I thought options and choices were only available to the upper class (if you live in the United States and are reading this blog I consider you to be in the upper class).

As I discussed this topic further I realized that everyone has choices in life that we must make. Some have more difficult choices than others. For example, a basic salary in Ecuador is $250 per month. To live out a basic lifestyle costs around $500 per month. So the typical Ecuadorian is faced with a couple of options:

1) Get a better paying job. This may or may not be possible given the economic situation, ability, or education level.

2) If married, both husband and wife would need to work in order to meet a basic existence. $250 + $250 = $500. This leaves kids that need to be raised to the grandparents or someone else.

3) Try to make ends meet on $250 or suffer through some of the effects of poverty.

Some of the women we met in Nicaragua had even more difficult choices. We heard stories of many women who faced the choice of either not providing food, shelter, and basic needs for their children or entering into prostitution. I think it is impossible for us to even consider what we would do in their situation. Many of those women have chosen to follow Christ, and therefore leave their life of prostitution not knowing if they will be able to provide for their families.

One big question that this has caused me to think about is... Has God promised to provide for our physical needs? I don´t think that he has. I think that he promises to take care of our eternal needs and often times provides for us in this life, but there are many examples from around the world where He is not providing for the phyisical or temporal needs of his children. I won´t go into this issue any further here as their have been many great Christian thinkers who have addressed the problem of evil.

Considering the options and choices many people around the world face helps me to put into perspective the options that I have. At the very least I should enter into conversations with God about the choices I am making with thankfulness and humbleness and not in a spirit of discontent.

I would love to see comments from others on this topic.

¡Bienvenidos a Quito!

Playa Grande outside of Muntezuma, Costa Rica

Well, one of the most exciting parts of using a computer in a Latin American country is it´s capacity for allowing the following punctuation marks ¿ ¡ ç ú ü € etc.

We are finally here are are having a great time on our fourth day in the city!  We arrived in the middle of the day and jumped into a can ride through the hectic city into the colder temperatures of the Ecuadorian andes...much appreciated!  Dave and I took out our long-sleeved shirts and jeans to put them on and realized that we weren´t really wearing anything except for our bathing suits and sunscreen for the last two weeks in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

(Waterfalls outside Montezuma)

After explaining to our cab driver where our place is, writing down the address so that we could see it, and having him read the map while throwing the car into reverse on the roadway...we arrived!  Our hostel that we stayed in for the past few days has been fantastic!  ...Minus the incessant dog barking at all hours of the night, we are truly comfortable and have lots of space.  The hostal where we are now, Casa Bambú has a huge terrace with a view of the city.  The uphill hike to get there was a bit taxing for me at first while acclimating to the new altitude (between 7,500-9,000 ft at any given time).  Unfortunately and fortunately, we are leaving to try and rent a room in a big compound from a Colombian woman not too far away from our Spanish school.  It will be nice to have some peace and quiet from all the hustle and bustle of people leaving and arriving at the hostel.  We are still waiting to hear back from the woman who has the room for rent...very impatiently :)

(This is Dave´s "in transit" face on the ferry from The Nicoya Penensula to he Costa Rican mainland...heheh!)




It was unbelievable the wave of nostalgia that I felt as soon as I was back in Quito.  I LOVE it here and I think that Dave likes it too.  You´ll have to ask him personally :)  Dave and I wasted no time and headed straight for the old town.  We wandered around and briefly visited all the major plazas and took a look at the outside of the big churches.  I always forget how narrow the streets are here and how the busses BLAST exhaust in your face at the blink of an eye.  We had some massive downpours our first day and some impressive lightning.  Right now it is the rainy season in Quito, but the last few days have been partly sunny and comfortable. 

Saturday was our day to get our lives together.  We finally tracked down a Spanish school and were excited that today was our first day.  We looked and looked and wandered the streets of Quito trying to find an apartament for rent, but alas...either places were booked up or apartaments unfurnished.  We got this place a steal at 10$ a night with a really nice Colombian host-mom!  http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/137788  Welcome to our mansion.

We have been walking everywhere for the past few days and it has been great.  Yesterday, we climbed all the way to the top of the clock towers and rang the church bells in the Basilica while enjoying an amazing view of the city!  The ladders were sketchy and totally made our stomachs turn upside town, but worth it nonetheless.

Lunches are key here in Eucador.  Everybody eats a sizable breakfast, HUGE lunch, and light dinner.  After a fantastic lunch, we just people watched in the Plaza San Francisco for a while.  Love the Ecuo fashion sense.  I think that the only way that Dave will fit in is if he finds a tight pair of acid washed skinny jeans and a muscle shirt with some sort of rhinestones or silver glittery writing.  This would be truly fascinating to see.  For me, well...it´s just hopeless.  Even when I dyed my hair black last time I was in the country, I don´t fit in because I´m taller than the rest of the continent.  I guess it will be fun at some point when Dave and I start making the big bucks and can travel to Switzerland, Sweeden, Germany, and Austria and not stick out like a sore thumb :)


Dave and I had a great first day of Spanish school here.  Learning a lot that I will need come January as I chase around my bilingual class of first graders....
Off to find an almuerzo. Still trying to find some time to meet up with my host family.  I was able to talk to my host sister on the phone.  Can´t wait to see them again and have Dave meet them and practice his budding Spanish skills. 

Hasta Pronto, Liz and Dave
 

Playa Samara, Costa Rica

 

We´ve skipped over the border and are now enjoying the beach in Costa Rica!  Via a semi convoluted path, we left San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua about 4 days ago and took four busses to get across the border between Nicaragua and Heredia, Costa Rica.  We loved Nicaragua and were able to stay at the beach there for 3 days.  Dave and I tried our luck at surfing...and it went fairly well!  We both managed to fumble our way through the inconsistent swell and catch some waves, along with getting battered by many.  The place we stayed in San Juan del Sur was fun and basic...the lady who owned the house was named Sara, and we were to call her Mama Sara.  She was a voracious cook and would give us tiny meals about three times a day, including a banana every morning.  We met some nice people from Quebec and Germany there and spent many hours on the balcony chatting and drinking beers while watching the passersby (?) on the street below. We saw Kelly and Pete for the last time at Playa Madera, attempting to surf the whitewash of double overhead waves behind us.  There was quite a swell in Nicaragua. 

But we are here now in Playa Samara, absolutely loving every second.  After the multiple connection bus ride, we arrived in Heredia, Costa Rica. We were able to see much of the countryside between Nicaragua and San Jose, Costa Rica from the left side of the bus except for when the crazy pounding rain which forced us to close the windows and assume our positions in the sauna bus.  

Heredia is at a higher up in elevation with a welcomed break from the heat and humidity of San Juan del Sur.    After wandering around Heredia for about an hour, we finally found a hotel and were able to drop our bags and get some food.  Our plan was to meet up with my cousin Spencer and travel with him and a few of his friends the following day to the coast.  He just moved to Costa Rica about 10 days ago and is beginning a study abroad program for the entire year!  We were able to see him and hang out over dinner and drinks, returning to our hotel and a lovely cockroach between the

 matresses.  yum! 

 

The next morning was spent navigating the city of San Jose to find the bus station and depart for the Nicoya Peninsula.  Dave and I ended up staying at Playa Samara where Spencer and his friends continued north to another beach to find nesting sea turtles...or something like that.  Dave and I couldn´t bear to leave this place, especially after two days of travel and waking up to a crystal clear day on one of the most beautiful beaches I´ve ever seen! We´ve spend the past few days in this amazing hostel called Casa Brian, an awesome place owned by a Canadian ex-pat who decided he never wanted to leave after a visit in 1982.  We surfed again this morning and took a long walk out to the point alongside the cove.  Beautiful.  We´ve included a few pictures of the last few days, so we hope that you enjoy them!  We are planning to head out to the southernmost part of the Nicoya Peninsula...either tomorrow or the next day.  It´s hard to find places that are open on Sundays around here (transportation, etc).  Kinda just a sleept day in a beautiful town on a beach in the middle of nowhere, Costa Rica.  Not bad.  

I screamed yesterday when I saw an iguana about the length of a golden retriever.  Dave and I got worked with surfing this morning.  My skin is peeling like I have leprosy...just a little whitey Oregonian who makes it to the beach.  Enjoying the comradery of meeting people from all around the world and taking time to just be.  relax.  not thinking about anything.  

Hasta la proxima vez, 

Elisabeth

Travelling Thoughts

Time passes a little slower when you are travelling. You have time to think about what´s important as well as the meaningless. On top of that you get to experience some pretty cool places and people along the way. Being on the road is not without its difficulties and and frustrations. For example, when you have been on a bus for 6 hrs its dark and rainy and you´re´ in a town you don´t know that much about, all you want to do is find the closest cheapest place to stay. That place is never going to be very nice or have the ambiance you want.

When we woke up the next morning I was wondering why we were doing this trip in the first place. After dragging myself out of bed and down to the beach for a swim in the mellow surf, looking around at the white sand beach surrounded by jungle I began to realize this isn´t so bad. Then, after speaking briefly with Liz and immediately agreeing that we weren´t staying in that hotel another night, we packed up our bags. Arriving at our next hostel (which I believe Liz has described in her post) things begin to pick up even more and I remember what a blessing it is to have the time and the resources to be on this trip. After relaxing, enjoying an attempt at surfing, eating banana pancakes, and getting several reliable suggestions on where to go next I am looking forward to the adventure that is ahead. The adventure is getting there, finding the right place to stay, and the thoughts and prayers we will have as we go.