Hola todos!
I have just returned from my 3 week excursion to the Galapagos; I learned and saw a lot (as always) and, despite the seasickness and heavy load of classwork, had an overall greaexperience.
First of all, it is not what most people think- people live there, trying to make a living doing whatever they can, which is mostly tourism these days. Since the sea cucumber industry bombed out and the park put heavy restrictions on fisheries to help conserve the natural ecosystem, most of it is geared towards park-related activities.
For the first two weeks I lived in the small, sleepy town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the island of San Cristobal, one of the four main inhabited islands. There I took a class at GAIAS, an aptly named university that functions as an extended campus of USFQ. The class itself was rigorous- articles upon articles of dense reading every night, a brain-wracking test every week, and a research paper due at the end. I probably could have done better, but honestly, when the front doors lead to the perfect white sandy beach, strewn with lazy sea lions and lapped by the most beautiful clear blue water, it is an understatement to say it was hard to concentrate on studies. I found the time to snorkel, or jog in my sandals, or just walk around every day, soaking it all in. My host family there was great- Ines, the mom, a bundle of energy and fire just over 5 foot tall; her 12- year old daughter Karol who taught me the most to date about Ecuadorian modern music; and my dad Leonardo, a relaxed, sarcastic, and fun guy from Esmeraldas who I loved to just joke around with. Everyone there, excepting my overactive professor, was so laid back, just seeming to be hanging out all the time; definitely different than Quito.
The islands themselves are amazing- the vegetation and animal life remind me of a motley crew, shipwrecked, adapting and getting along as they can, taking the strangest forms. Cactus trees, giant tortoises, marine iguanas that eat algae and shoot salt out of their noses, and hordes of others. We spent the last week on various islands- Isabela first for a couple of days, walking around and horseback riding, which I felt uncomfortable with, more so morally than physically. We went walking around a dense colony of marine iguanas, and snorkeled with penguins and sea lions in the bay nearby.
The path we took by horse was a steep, muddy slide through the garua (constant mist in the highlands) up to Volcan Sierra Negra. It is the second largest crater in the world, the last eruption taking place in 1912. The view was spectacular and I cannot deny it was fun to canter along the rim. My legs felt it for the next few days, though, too.
The next day back to a hotel at Santa Cruz, which became our base for the next few days. From there we went out to Bartolome on a yacht (again, guilty) with a creepy chef who was sneaking pictures of the bathing suit-clad girls (I stared him down, then talked to the guides about it), but cooked delicious food. We had a short, uneventful hike with a pretty view and then snorkeling again, which I ended up spending most of my time on the beach trying to get over my sickness.
Then the next day to Floreana, my favorite by far. The morning was rainy and dreary, the boat ride wet and uncomfortable, but by the time we got to the bay the sun was shining and we were all feeling better. There we snorkeled around, seeing plenty of cool underwater activity, and headed to the main part of the island. Our guide Duncan took us around to see the highland region, with the mysterious "pirate caves" and the only spring on the island on which the town of 100 relies. A peculiar story accompanies the island, involving a sexually adventrous baroness and her men, a few murders, some Norwegian farmers and a crazy vegetarian with his mistress. All tried to live on the island, and all disappeared or were mudered except (of course!) the good Norwegian farmers, whose descedents live to this day on the island.
Last day and we were all tired, we went to the Charles Darwin Conservancy (seat of evil for some locals) to see more tortoises and Lonesome George, the hallmark of the consequences of unwise exploitation of the environment. From there, we bused back to the airport, and after a thankfully short flight with flight attendents with personalities less appealing than that of a marine iguana.
I enjoyed it all to the best of my ability, and am happy with our time there. Now it is time to decide what to do after, as the program ends next Wednesday. I am off to the coast for sure to hike with some friends, and the mangroves are calling me back.
I will update as soon as I know, love you all and take care!
oh, and pictures are uploading as I type ;)
aly
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Riobamba to Rainforest, Andes to Amazon
I know it's been a while, but here I am, alive and very well! These past weeks have been a whirlwind, as always. We've made two trips so far- to see the Andes on one and the Amazon on the other, and each have been spectacular.
Our first trip began with a bus ride to Riobamba, an interesting city that I would like more time to get to know. On our way we had some interesting stops concerning environmental considerations in the area. Pine tree reforestation, a huge volcanic boulder moved many kilometers by lahar (a slushy mixture of glacial melt, mud, and debris), a lake in a volcanic crater with no apparent bottom, and rows of rose greenhouses guarded by barbed wire were a few. And so much agriculture! The hills were a patchwork of crops, potatoes growing on steep slopes and people collecting them.
We continued on to Riobamba, a city with a small town feel that I would like more time to explore. And it had great statues, too, like all the towns of the area. It was dark and cold when we arrived at Achikñan, a Kichwa community run hostel near Chimborazo. It was cozy and nice, and the food was soo good- all grown locally. It reminded me of my farmer market meals at home, so fresh and delicious! We talked a bit to the community members running the place- they began the hostel because in recent years the land had been overused from fertilizers to increase productivity. In addition, they accepted assistance from a Protestant American run development group, World Vision, to start up a milk and cheese business that has helped the community tremendously. The community has its own grade school also, taught in a combination of Kichwa and Spanish. Later in my cabin I talked with the head of the community by the fire about the community, language, culture, agriculture, how he got to be. Poor guy, he runs it all! I cannot imagine the responsibility.
The next day we headed up to Chimborazo for a long hike and for me, to enjoy the swirling clouds and jumping around on the rocks. We ended for a late lunch at a nice restaurant (as usual) in an unbelievably beautiful valley, where some of my peers proceeded to accost the poor alpacas. That night they surprised me with a birthday cake- finally I am out of those awful teenage years. I know everything will be easier now. ;)
The next day we spent mostly on a bus searching for the cloud forest, but I did not mind too much for the beautiful view from the window, and it was worth it. The paramo, the Andean forest, and the cloud forest were all so beautiful. The next day was devoted to Cotopaxi, and tired as we all were from travel, we trekked up the steep path to the refuge on a volcano long overdue to blow its top. From there it was back to Quito for a week of classes until we left for our next journey to Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the northeast rainforest of Ecuador.
The trip there was again long- first plane to Coca, a strange town, then boat on the Napo river to a Petroleum Security Station. We took a chiva (two story open air bus) to our next boat ride on the Tiputini river, arriving at the station after about 8 hours of travel. The facilities were beautiful and rustic, and the area was so quiet and wild. I fell in love with the rainforest- the sounds, the smells, the humidity, the unknown. As I learn more, I am more and more by it. At the station we hiked, wildlife watched, chatted with the researchers about their endeavors, and swam in the latte-like waters. Tiputini has the smallest monkey, the pygmy marmoset, which I got to see, and so many other things. Our guide, Ramiro, shared with us some of the indigenous uses of plants, stories of the forest (the ghost forest people that take children, called sachiruna), the wildlife. Again, I saw so many beautiful and interesting things. One night I decided to lop my hair off, (just a little, no worries), so I had some friends help outside of my cabin and finished it up on our night boat ride with a pocketknife. Just one of those things you have to do, you know...now my hair is somewhere in the Amazon, floating along, or is nesting material for some bird. Hey, I do my best to give back.
And then we returned to Coca to catch our plane out, but of course the rain started coming down in buckets and our flight had to wait for the morning. We explored the town a little- a strange place of shanty shops, peluquerias (haircut places), and lonely bars lit with dim green lights, containing a few men beckoning us in. It is the capital of the province, mainly because it is the gateway to the oil blocs of the Oriente, the rainforest. You could not tell though- there is a weird, uncomfortable vibe about the town. Our hotel, Hotel La Mision, was equally unsettling. Monkeys ran around, using people (including me for a good part of the time) for additional ambulatory perches, and other wild animals were stuck in small cages, pacing. It was especially depressing after seeing the same in the jungle, wild. My friend Eileen and I spent a good hour or two trying to console a young night creature, holding it in our laps as it tested our fingers for its mother's milk. Workers at the hotel passed, saying, "isn't it cute?" We didn't respond.
Now we are back in Quito, back to classes for a few days, and we made it in time for the big game today (soccer, of course) against Colombia- I just learned we tied! I still have a hard time understanding the soccer system here, as well as the enthusiasm for it.
Saturday we go to a condor refuge near Otavalo, a town known for its handicrafts. Here I come to bargain! I love it, I am comfortable in that market setting. And Sunday we go to the Galapagos for our 3 week long study- it is passing so quickly!
And the last bit of news- pictures! I am in the process of posting them as I type this.
Well, I hope everyone is well as always, ciao for now!
Te vayas bien,
allison
P.S. I was in a commercial here that was recorded at my house, eating dinner, and they made me spread mustard on my salad ( I still don't understand why, exactly...) My dreams of fame have finally been acheived- I am the famous gringa of Quito!
Our first trip began with a bus ride to Riobamba, an interesting city that I would like more time to get to know. On our way we had some interesting stops concerning environmental considerations in the area. Pine tree reforestation, a huge volcanic boulder moved many kilometers by lahar (a slushy mixture of glacial melt, mud, and debris), a lake in a volcanic crater with no apparent bottom, and rows of rose greenhouses guarded by barbed wire were a few. And so much agriculture! The hills were a patchwork of crops, potatoes growing on steep slopes and people collecting them.
We continued on to Riobamba, a city with a small town feel that I would like more time to explore. And it had great statues, too, like all the towns of the area. It was dark and cold when we arrived at Achikñan, a Kichwa community run hostel near Chimborazo. It was cozy and nice, and the food was soo good- all grown locally. It reminded me of my farmer market meals at home, so fresh and delicious! We talked a bit to the community members running the place- they began the hostel because in recent years the land had been overused from fertilizers to increase productivity. In addition, they accepted assistance from a Protestant American run development group, World Vision, to start up a milk and cheese business that has helped the community tremendously. The community has its own grade school also, taught in a combination of Kichwa and Spanish. Later in my cabin I talked with the head of the community by the fire about the community, language, culture, agriculture, how he got to be. Poor guy, he runs it all! I cannot imagine the responsibility.
The next day we headed up to Chimborazo for a long hike and for me, to enjoy the swirling clouds and jumping around on the rocks. We ended for a late lunch at a nice restaurant (as usual) in an unbelievably beautiful valley, where some of my peers proceeded to accost the poor alpacas. That night they surprised me with a birthday cake- finally I am out of those awful teenage years. I know everything will be easier now. ;)
The next day we spent mostly on a bus searching for the cloud forest, but I did not mind too much for the beautiful view from the window, and it was worth it. The paramo, the Andean forest, and the cloud forest were all so beautiful. The next day was devoted to Cotopaxi, and tired as we all were from travel, we trekked up the steep path to the refuge on a volcano long overdue to blow its top. From there it was back to Quito for a week of classes until we left for our next journey to Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the northeast rainforest of Ecuador.
The trip there was again long- first plane to Coca, a strange town, then boat on the Napo river to a Petroleum Security Station. We took a chiva (two story open air bus) to our next boat ride on the Tiputini river, arriving at the station after about 8 hours of travel. The facilities were beautiful and rustic, and the area was so quiet and wild. I fell in love with the rainforest- the sounds, the smells, the humidity, the unknown. As I learn more, I am more and more by it. At the station we hiked, wildlife watched, chatted with the researchers about their endeavors, and swam in the latte-like waters. Tiputini has the smallest monkey, the pygmy marmoset, which I got to see, and so many other things. Our guide, Ramiro, shared with us some of the indigenous uses of plants, stories of the forest (the ghost forest people that take children, called sachiruna), the wildlife. Again, I saw so many beautiful and interesting things. One night I decided to lop my hair off, (just a little, no worries), so I had some friends help outside of my cabin and finished it up on our night boat ride with a pocketknife. Just one of those things you have to do, you know...now my hair is somewhere in the Amazon, floating along, or is nesting material for some bird. Hey, I do my best to give back.
And then we returned to Coca to catch our plane out, but of course the rain started coming down in buckets and our flight had to wait for the morning. We explored the town a little- a strange place of shanty shops, peluquerias (haircut places), and lonely bars lit with dim green lights, containing a few men beckoning us in. It is the capital of the province, mainly because it is the gateway to the oil blocs of the Oriente, the rainforest. You could not tell though- there is a weird, uncomfortable vibe about the town. Our hotel, Hotel La Mision, was equally unsettling. Monkeys ran around, using people (including me for a good part of the time) for additional ambulatory perches, and other wild animals were stuck in small cages, pacing. It was especially depressing after seeing the same in the jungle, wild. My friend Eileen and I spent a good hour or two trying to console a young night creature, holding it in our laps as it tested our fingers for its mother's milk. Workers at the hotel passed, saying, "isn't it cute?" We didn't respond.
Now we are back in Quito, back to classes for a few days, and we made it in time for the big game today (soccer, of course) against Colombia- I just learned we tied! I still have a hard time understanding the soccer system here, as well as the enthusiasm for it.
Saturday we go to a condor refuge near Otavalo, a town known for its handicrafts. Here I come to bargain! I love it, I am comfortable in that market setting. And Sunday we go to the Galapagos for our 3 week long study- it is passing so quickly!
And the last bit of news- pictures! I am in the process of posting them as I type this.
Well, I hope everyone is well as always, ciao for now!
Te vayas bien,
allison
P.S. I was in a commercial here that was recorded at my house, eating dinner, and they made me spread mustard on my salad ( I still don't understand why, exactly...) My dreams of fame have finally been acheived- I am the famous gringa of Quito!
Monday, June 2, 2008
First Impressions
¡Hola todos!
I love that here you don´t have to search the internet to use spanish characters.
Sorry for the delayed update; it´s been go go go since I´ve arrived, and a series of small misfortunes have preoccupied me.
First, I arrived at the Mariscal airport in Quito on time, without any problems, having talked with some kind and cool people. All seemed smooth sailing, and then upon arrival...no luggage. I was tired and my Spanish wasn´t so good, so after some difficulty, I filed a report including the pickles and barbeque sauce I had. :(
My family met me at the airport, and were extremely warm and welcoming right from the start. Carmen, my mom, said that her house was my house with actual sincerity, and I talk to her about everything. My father, Marcel, works for the airlines, my 16 year old sister Gabby is constantly working on her homework and is very cool, and I´m in love with my little brother Juan Sebastian. He may only be 9, but he´s adorable. We play games, dance, and joke around together; my childishness finally has an opportunity to show itself, and I learn so much from him.
Orientation began bright and early the next day, and continued for the next two non stop. We also got an awesome insiders´ tour of La Iglesia Santa Domingo. We toured the restricted access convent library, musty and mysterious from the smell of old books, many that the Library of Congress only have copies of. It all seemed unreal and as though out of a page of one of the ancient books. Afterwards we climbed to the top of the Mosaic, two high towers, got to open two golden doors behind the statue of La Virgen to a mysterious back room, and go down into a dark and dank cellar that bordered on creepy. We walked the streets of the old town, saw the president´s place of residence (more on him later) and ate at an unfortunately American restaurant. All in all though, it was a very satisfying tourist experience.
Orientation continued, and we received another tour from the University we are attending, La Universidad San Fransisco de Quito. An hour´s drive to the fringe of the city, and then up to Pululagua, one of the only volcanic craters in the world that contains a town. From there we headed to La Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the earth. Actually, there are two; one for real and one that hoped to be. We tried out our skills with a blowgun (I hit the cactus dead on!), see a shrunken head, traditional houses, and do some activities to prove that we were indeed on the real equator. Contrary to contradictions, water really doesn´t spin to go down a drain on the equator, and it´s so much harder to balance! From La Mitad we headed through old town to El Panecillo/ La Virgen de Quito, a huge statue on one of the 7 sacred hills of Quito. The view was amazing, as well as the statue, which was made by the same artist of the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Then back to Old Town, where a huge parade of culture and a concert prohibited us from seeing La Compañia, a church with an inside entirely of gold. Also, a tricky man "selling water" stole my newly bought cell phone from my zipped pocket. Hey, I have to give him props for being so good at his job, even if I have to buy another.
The night life here is good, even if you have to be cautious; I actually had fun dancing! I also watched a film last night on the problems of conservation in the Galapagos in concern to sharks made by a local group that I´d like to get involved with.
As far as alcohol goes- the drinking age is indeed 18, but honestly a 13 year old could go to the store and buy a bottle without any problem whatsoever. The local beer, Pilsener, is comparable to my favorite Fireman´s Four; I don´t think I could be any luckier. Everything is so inexpensive; meals for $2, a huge beer for $1, mixed drinks for about $2, and everything else you can imagine.
Yesterday I attended mass with my family, which was a bit long but interesting, and afterwards we drove about an hour to La Valle Los Chillos, where traditional highland culture still lives on. Cuy, guinea pigs, roasted on huge sticks in the street- Juan Sebastian loved to point out their teeth and claws to me- there was a huge open air market with all kinds of bananas and potatoes that I have to go back and visit, and our meal was traditional- potatoes, platano frito, arroz, mote (a type of corn), and yes, I even broke my 6 years of vegetarianism to try un pocotito of cuy, the only meat I´ve decided to try to experience the local culture. As was expected, I still have a bit of a stomach ache, and my appetite is pretty dimished.
Classes have now started at USFQ now- two a day, ecology and spanish, each 4 hours long. Right now I have just finished Spanish class, and my brain is como un huevo revuelto. On Wednesday we go to Riobamba in the paramo, then to Volcan Cotopaxi, and an unplanned side trip to the cloud forest. I have learned so much- about the culture, people, myself, the language, and the landscape; it´s hard to take it all in. It is a beautiful, diverse place with so much to do and see, there will never be enough time.
To clarify, I do not mean to paint a picture of paradise; there are definitely many problems within the country, of which I continue to learn through different perspectives (my mom, my professors, and any Ecuadorians I talk to) and also many more of other countries, including the US. But to me this is a crucial part of the experience, and I try to view the problems I see as challenges with solutions instead of a hopeless reality, so it is not so bad.
And I promise, pictures soon! I love you all, miss you, and will try to keep this updated whenever I can! Now I am off to the Megamaxi to buy some clothes and a cell phone; still no luggage.
Espero que les vaya bien, abrazos, miss you all!
aly
I love that here you don´t have to search the internet to use spanish characters.
Sorry for the delayed update; it´s been go go go since I´ve arrived, and a series of small misfortunes have preoccupied me.
First, I arrived at the Mariscal airport in Quito on time, without any problems, having talked with some kind and cool people. All seemed smooth sailing, and then upon arrival...no luggage. I was tired and my Spanish wasn´t so good, so after some difficulty, I filed a report including the pickles and barbeque sauce I had. :(
My family met me at the airport, and were extremely warm and welcoming right from the start. Carmen, my mom, said that her house was my house with actual sincerity, and I talk to her about everything. My father, Marcel, works for the airlines, my 16 year old sister Gabby is constantly working on her homework and is very cool, and I´m in love with my little brother Juan Sebastian. He may only be 9, but he´s adorable. We play games, dance, and joke around together; my childishness finally has an opportunity to show itself, and I learn so much from him.
Orientation began bright and early the next day, and continued for the next two non stop. We also got an awesome insiders´ tour of La Iglesia Santa Domingo. We toured the restricted access convent library, musty and mysterious from the smell of old books, many that the Library of Congress only have copies of. It all seemed unreal and as though out of a page of one of the ancient books. Afterwards we climbed to the top of the Mosaic, two high towers, got to open two golden doors behind the statue of La Virgen to a mysterious back room, and go down into a dark and dank cellar that bordered on creepy. We walked the streets of the old town, saw the president´s place of residence (more on him later) and ate at an unfortunately American restaurant. All in all though, it was a very satisfying tourist experience.
Orientation continued, and we received another tour from the University we are attending, La Universidad San Fransisco de Quito. An hour´s drive to the fringe of the city, and then up to Pululagua, one of the only volcanic craters in the world that contains a town. From there we headed to La Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the earth. Actually, there are two; one for real and one that hoped to be. We tried out our skills with a blowgun (I hit the cactus dead on!), see a shrunken head, traditional houses, and do some activities to prove that we were indeed on the real equator. Contrary to contradictions, water really doesn´t spin to go down a drain on the equator, and it´s so much harder to balance! From La Mitad we headed through old town to El Panecillo/ La Virgen de Quito, a huge statue on one of the 7 sacred hills of Quito. The view was amazing, as well as the statue, which was made by the same artist of the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Then back to Old Town, where a huge parade of culture and a concert prohibited us from seeing La Compañia, a church with an inside entirely of gold. Also, a tricky man "selling water" stole my newly bought cell phone from my zipped pocket. Hey, I have to give him props for being so good at his job, even if I have to buy another.
The night life here is good, even if you have to be cautious; I actually had fun dancing! I also watched a film last night on the problems of conservation in the Galapagos in concern to sharks made by a local group that I´d like to get involved with.
As far as alcohol goes- the drinking age is indeed 18, but honestly a 13 year old could go to the store and buy a bottle without any problem whatsoever. The local beer, Pilsener, is comparable to my favorite Fireman´s Four; I don´t think I could be any luckier. Everything is so inexpensive; meals for $2, a huge beer for $1, mixed drinks for about $2, and everything else you can imagine.
Yesterday I attended mass with my family, which was a bit long but interesting, and afterwards we drove about an hour to La Valle Los Chillos, where traditional highland culture still lives on. Cuy, guinea pigs, roasted on huge sticks in the street- Juan Sebastian loved to point out their teeth and claws to me- there was a huge open air market with all kinds of bananas and potatoes that I have to go back and visit, and our meal was traditional- potatoes, platano frito, arroz, mote (a type of corn), and yes, I even broke my 6 years of vegetarianism to try un pocotito of cuy, the only meat I´ve decided to try to experience the local culture. As was expected, I still have a bit of a stomach ache, and my appetite is pretty dimished.
Classes have now started at USFQ now- two a day, ecology and spanish, each 4 hours long. Right now I have just finished Spanish class, and my brain is como un huevo revuelto. On Wednesday we go to Riobamba in the paramo, then to Volcan Cotopaxi, and an unplanned side trip to the cloud forest. I have learned so much- about the culture, people, myself, the language, and the landscape; it´s hard to take it all in. It is a beautiful, diverse place with so much to do and see, there will never be enough time.
To clarify, I do not mean to paint a picture of paradise; there are definitely many problems within the country, of which I continue to learn through different perspectives (my mom, my professors, and any Ecuadorians I talk to) and also many more of other countries, including the US. But to me this is a crucial part of the experience, and I try to view the problems I see as challenges with solutions instead of a hopeless reality, so it is not so bad.
And I promise, pictures soon! I love you all, miss you, and will try to keep this updated whenever I can! Now I am off to the Megamaxi to buy some clothes and a cell phone; still no luggage.
Espero que les vaya bien, abrazos, miss you all!
aly
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Building Steam
Hello all,
Despite promising myself not to due to my fervent dislike for technology, I am hopping on the boat and creating a “blog” (man, I hate that word- it just sounds bad…) Well anyway, in case anyone is interested in taking a peek at my view of Ecuador and Peru as I study and travel, here you have it. At least it forces me to organize my thoughts, which is never a bad thing, and this way no one has to hear stories as long, windy, and confusing as an Incan highway through the Andes; just nice quick, succinct writing. Brevity has never been my strong suit...
But there are always pictures! A picture says a thousand words, or something like that, and everyone likes them, so I will try my best to stay on top of it.
A refresher for what I'll be doing: my airplane lands in Quito May 27 and leaves from Quito August 15. The first six weeks I'll be studying Ecuadorian ecosystems and environmental policy, travelling around mainland Ecuador as well as the Galapagos. I will pursure a somewhat informal study of commercial fishing in the Galapagos, attempting to shed some light on the complications for the people, ecosystems, and politics involved and how these issues are being addressed.
The last four weeks...well, your guess is as good as mine. I've always had an itch to go to Machu Picchu, and would like to speak at least a little of the Quechua I've spent the last year learning. I am also lucky enough to have somewhere to stay in Lima due to some kind acquaintences (thanks Loncito!). Other than that, I am keeping my options as open as I am trying to keep my mind, staying as far away from the "tourist" label as possible for an obvious tourist and spending every minute learning as much as I can.
At the moment I am preparing myself in all the best ways possible- drinking too much coffee and alcohol, eating too much delicious food, and maintaining a rigorous schedule of lethargy. Three days until the boat sails, and I've barely spoken a word of Spanish. Better start practicing now!
Hasta luego, abrazos por todos,
aly
Despite promising myself not to due to my fervent dislike for technology, I am hopping on the boat and creating a “blog” (man, I hate that word- it just sounds bad…) Well anyway, in case anyone is interested in taking a peek at my view of Ecuador and Peru as I study and travel, here you have it. At least it forces me to organize my thoughts, which is never a bad thing, and this way no one has to hear stories as long, windy, and confusing as an Incan highway through the Andes; just nice quick, succinct writing. Brevity has never been my strong suit...
But there are always pictures! A picture says a thousand words, or something like that, and everyone likes them, so I will try my best to stay on top of it.
A refresher for what I'll be doing: my airplane lands in Quito May 27 and leaves from Quito August 15. The first six weeks I'll be studying Ecuadorian ecosystems and environmental policy, travelling around mainland Ecuador as well as the Galapagos. I will pursure a somewhat informal study of commercial fishing in the Galapagos, attempting to shed some light on the complications for the people, ecosystems, and politics involved and how these issues are being addressed.
The last four weeks...well, your guess is as good as mine. I've always had an itch to go to Machu Picchu, and would like to speak at least a little of the Quechua I've spent the last year learning. I am also lucky enough to have somewhere to stay in Lima due to some kind acquaintences (thanks Loncito!). Other than that, I am keeping my options as open as I am trying to keep my mind, staying as far away from the "tourist" label as possible for an obvious tourist and spending every minute learning as much as I can.
At the moment I am preparing myself in all the best ways possible- drinking too much coffee and alcohol, eating too much delicious food, and maintaining a rigorous schedule of lethargy. Three days until the boat sails, and I've barely spoken a word of Spanish. Better start practicing now!
Hasta luego, abrazos por todos,
aly
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