arrived in Ecuador last week
love this place
sandy hair, salty skin, itchy mosquitos bites, sunsets, good people,
what could be better?
Columbia soon then back to California in just two weeks 
June 29
The guy on the bus signals to me and points out the window: “Puerto Lopez.” It’s dark outside and there are people shoving hostal recommendations in my face. I don’t understand anything they are saying and I continue walking in my sleepy daze, hoping they’ll all leave me alone (and hopefully not get mugged).
I pick the first ok hostal I see, throw my things on the bed and think food. I had been on the bus since 9:45 am and it was now 9:15 pm. There was nothing in my stomach but potato chips and Doritos from the vendors who had hopped on the bus, strolled down the aisles with their basket of snacks and hopped right back off at the next stop.
Puerto Lopez is a quiet town at night and I am lucky to find one restaurant open. There is no menu and everyone has the same plate: 1/4th of chicken (the chickens here are normal size — not US size ), rice, a pinch of lettuce and a few dices of tomato. I point to a plate and sit down on a cold, linoleum chair. I feel guant, in need of a shower, uncomfortable and lost but I’m too exhausted to fix these things. It’s a strange and helpless feeling not being able to communicate my thoughts; at times I feel like a lone alien.
June 30
It’s a new day and I am waking up to the smell of the ocean, the comforting sound of the rolling waves and tiny gritty specs of sand on my skin. I feel the mystery of the oncoming day; the excitement of what I could uncover. Under the cloudy, overcast sky I take a walk around the very small, lazy town. The coast is lined with hut after hut of little juice and alcohol bars and of fresh ceviche. I pass vendors selling dresses, souvenirs, handmade jewelry (where a woman makes my fish tooth necklace as I wait) and all kinds of restaurants. I chat with several locals (there aren’t too many tourists here), drink rum and discover how surprisingly warm the ocean water is.
Ceviche
July 1
I am yet again on another bus but this time to a place called Montañita only 2 hours away — a little surfer town known for their chill vibe, hippie-life and partying. The minute I step off the bus, the vibe rolls through me: the musky sea air, locals strutting around barefoot with their surfboards and dreads, seashell necklaces and hemp bracelets everywhere, music vibrating the small stone streets and something extra that is inexplainable. Friendly, relaxed people, loud music all day and night and performers juggling fire down the street for some evening entertainment — I immediately love this city..
July 8
Still loving it here in Montañita (I’ve already met a few people who never went back home and now live here after one visit — I can see why!) but it’s time to move on to a new city. Heading to Guayaquil for a night then crossing the border to Peru..
Spent a couple days in Ecuador´s capitol Quito! Quito is a busy business town with a lot of character; cobblestone roads, beautiful architecture, parks and statues.
This is actually my first time I´ve been alone since I´ve been on my trip so traveling and sight-seeing by myself allowed me to remember to take more pictures!
Yummy breakfast at this restaurant made of wood
the hostal I stayed at
My room ($7 a night!)
I headed over to a little market with tons of handmade crafts, wool (made of llama fur), jewelry..
La Ronda - a beautiful narrow street where poets, artists and painters have lived
Santa Domingo
Lunch! McPollo
This awesome thing was in a park
I´m on the coast now (and it is amazing!) and will update soon!
If I could describe Ecuador in one word I would say: green. Everything is so lush and alive; it is beautiful.
Baños, Ecuador
Baños is definitely one of those lush, must-see cities with tons to do. I was there for 7 days and had an awesome, relaxing time. A tiny town tucked in between waterfalls, volcanos and mountains, there are open markets (thick ponchos for $12, wallets for $3 or less and I bought an amazing leather suede fringe bag for $6!) and activities all over: river rafting, bridge jumping, canyoning, jungle tours, hiking.
One of the best things they have are the mineral baths that are open all day. The mineral water comes straight down from the hot volcanos and is so therapeutic! After a steaming bath, it’s time to hit the bars! The nightlife was quite fun 
Our flaming shots!
Quilotoa
Quilotoa
Yesterday, me and a couple backpackers went to Quilotoa; an even more tiny town up in the mountains with a hike down to a small, crystal blue lake. The only things that exist in this town (you can walk the whole town in 5 minutes) are llamas, ponchos and a few hostals. It was freezing; dry, blistering, slap-in-your-face freezing. What surprised me was how stylish the women were! They all wore fedora hats with feathers (yes the hats that douchey guys wear in LA..), bright colored scarves, poncho sweaters, skirt, stockings and small black heels. Muy interesante!
That town was far too cold and quiet for me so I left in the morning and am now several hours away in Quito (the capitol)! I think Ill explore for a few days then head to the coast. With all the bad (losing my flip camera and Usb flash drive; no more videos 
, food poisoning and currently have a cold) and good (seeing something new every minute, meeting fellow travelers and locals, improving my spanish), overall I’m loving my first week backpacking. I will be joining more volunteer programs soon; I’m already missing the community feel and having a bigger purpose!
After a few hours of sweaty, never-ending work we cool off in a nearby river. A dead green snake that looks like a rubbery toy (red tongue and everything!) floats by. Not quite a rooftop pool but it is the highlight of my day.
Earlier in the jungle, we find a furry baby tarantula with color coordinating blue and orange legs. It is the size of a quarter and I instantly think how lovely it would look hanging as a pendant around my neck.
I´m in shock with everything I see here in the jungle, especially the prices at the local mini mart (which is just a tiny built shack atop a front yard)! $0.35 for a bottle of water, $0.70 for a bag of grapes and $1.00 for a huge bottle of beer — and those are retail prices!
6/13/11 Monday
Hiking almost 5 miles to stay in another Shuar village called Iirshim,
Sleeping on a bed made out of wood (no mattress!),
Eating a wild animal that was killed and cooked for dinner.
What a day! I would have never believed I would sleep on a wooden bed inside of a hut with no electricity made out of bamboo but it feels exhilarating, primal, free..
Iirshim is very, very remote and in the altitudes of the mountains. One family lives here and I am amazed at how much they have built here. There are benches and chairs made out of trees (which look very difficult to make and done very cleverly!) and there are several huts here including a kitchen, bathroom, their house and ours. Our house is made completely of bamboo and there are bunk beds made out of hard wood and even an upstairs! There are several little boys and girls and they all sang and danced for us in their traditional jewelry and costumes (with their father playing a wooden flute and guitar). In return, we showed them how to do the hokey pokey.
The only thing I miss the most is food! The diet here is very basic and bland — a mixture of yucca, potatoes or pasta. I never feel completely satisfied and I obsessively fantasize about tacos.. pizzas.. fettuccini alfredo.. mm!
The Shuar people are very interesting and so kind. We even got our own Shuar names! Mine is Shiram (means muy bonita!). One of the main purposes of our volunteer work is to also help make it tourist friendly. With more income, they are able to buy as much land as they can so the government won´t cut down their rainforests. The jungle here really is beautiful and they are fully sustained by it — so inspiring!
Holy %!$? This isnt real. I made a huge mistake.
These are my first thoughts as I make my way through the wet mud and the tangle of branches I am tripping over. I follow a Shuar member who doesnt speak english. He says ¨tu casa.¨
My casa is a tiny space closed in with irregular wooden planks and pieces. There´s open areas and the familiar smell of wet nature (or is it mold?) fills my senses.
This is the craziest thing I´ve ever done. I´m literally living in a jungle. Me and my awesome ideas.
There´s at least a toilet and I´m hovering over it, when I see a flicker in the corner of my eye. It´s the ugliest beetle creature with the longest tentacles I have ever seen! A neon green grasshopper-looking thing on the tank looks at me and a spider skitters by my shoe on my left. The bathroom door doesn´t even shut. I want to cry. Cry into a bottle of tequila.
Ok, jokes over. Can someone come get me now?
I stare at my bag and think about the one lipbalm I brought with me, moisturizer, hair conditioner and deodorant. I want to laugh. I might as well throw out my whole bag right now. I´m beginning to realize the reality of how deep in the jungle I really am…
strippedcanvas