One Last Snack, Then Home Again, Hippety Hop

Did not get to
"the most beautiful beach in Ecuador"
although it's only
an hour or so away
from my little beach hideaway.
Did not get to
the indigenous town
fresh breezes, history, sulfur springs
near
"the most beautiful beach in Ecuador."
Last day
no desire to adventure out
away from my shady hammock
above the ocean
except
to wrap myself
middle-eastern style
against the sun
and take a long walk
to sample the famed
corviche
at a shack that's renowned for it.
The dough is made with ground peanuts
(peanut butter?)
molded into a potato shape
around fish or shrimp or chicken
and deep fried.
Looks like a potato, in fact
and you cut it open baked potato style
to eat it with a squeeze of lime
or hot salsa
crunchy, gooey, muy rico
with a tall glass of lemonade.
And now it's time to go home.
Wet bathing suit in backpack.
The end.

Last Day in Paradise

Swim, walk on beach, eat, read, repeat.
Wake up tomorrow before dawn
on the beach
but
go to sleep
in my bed in NY.

Poor Man's Galapagos

Excursion out of paradise
with Argentinian couple from the cabin next door.
Isla la Plata
“The Poor Man’s Galapagos”
recommended by LP and others as a
“must see”
if the Galapagos are out of reach.
Off we go
on a little boat
full of tourists
from different parts of the world.
A breezy hour on the open sea
and then
up looms the island
birds circling
cameras come out
we wade ashore
wait
form groups
choose routes
wait
in a scorching sun
more pix
and then
we hike
brutal sun
brutal heat
slo-o-o-o-wly
in a line, in a pack, I have no hat
a little Bhattan Death March
of several hours
to see
some birds
two or three kinds
including, at the turn-around-point of our march
the famed blue-footed bootie
who hides
‘Where’s Waldo’ style
in jungle foliage.
Ah, there!
Cameras.
And we hike back
brutal sun, heat
to the boat
plunge into the ocean
the brass ring at last
sandwiches
back to mainland
Gilligan’s Island meets Huis Clos.
Kinda fun
kinda not
so happy to be back in my hammock
in Paradise.

Paraiso

Taxi→propeller plane→taxi→chicken bus→walk→
Paradise at the end of the road.
A thatch-roofed cabin on a hill
in the forest
a panoramic view of the Pacific
from the hammock of my little balcony
jungle sounds mixing with the sound of thunderous waves
northern hemisphere stars meet southern
great ceviche
good conversation in the main lodge of the hostal over meals.
Wondering why I am among
the fortunate few.

Photos of week one

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2059239&id=1234532784&l=609cc2073d

Fanesca!

Chicken bus, literally, to Quito
as people from the animal market piled on.
The most rickety bus I've been on yet in this country
and the end-of-the world movie
they cranked up at top volume
wasn't a good sign.
But here I am again
in time to try the famous Ecuadorian fanesca
for lunch
made only this time of year.

Because It's There

Walked all over Otavalo
watching the city wake up.
Then followed the old railroad tracks
to the little weavers' town of Peguche
and from there
up to a waterfall
me and several hundred school children
so I was right at home
chatting it up with them and their teachers.
Accompanied from Peguche by my
new best friend
woof-woof, one blue eye, one brown
who stuck to my side for a couple of hours
as I got lost and found and lost
in the mountains above the falls
looking for the next stop on my walking tour.
Shared my water with him
and then
had to trick him into returning to Peguche
with someone I stopped on the road
afraid he'd follow me back to Otavalo
and be lost.
So sad to see him go.
I may have become a dog person
very late in life.
Kept climbing
and getting lost
offered directions
rides
finally
a summit
views
a magical tree called el Lechero
my goal
because it was there.
Back to town
and a well-earned lunch.
Chatted with a delicious older couple
who'd moved to Israel
from Argentina.
When discussing our hotels
I confessed my sleeping neuroses.
Said she:
Oh, well, you're Jewish, of course.
After lunch
found a secondary school
across from the bus station
where I asked if I could see a class
and was left alone
in a classroom
with fifty or sixty 8th graders.
Really.
We did a little English class
I made them laugh
I left them
with no adult in the room
as they'd been when I arrived.
The one adult I saw there
sat behind a door labeled 'inspector'
and initialed students' homework notebooks
without reading what was in them
or recording anything.
Finished up the day
with music.
Arrived early
and was able to talk to the musicians
as they set up
about what their instruments were called
and how they were tuned.
Excellent day.

* * * * * * *

6 AM animal market.
People being yanked around by unruly pigs
dead chickens, live chickens, chickens in between
guinea pigs (a local specialty)
cows, bulls.
Almost too sad to take pictures.
Almost.
¿Donde esta el restaurante vegetariano?

Mountain Chill

Back in the land
of eating.
Tena marked by
numero uno river adventure
and bad food.
Arrived Papallacta thermal springs
mountain hike in the rain
paramo, cows, llamas, views
up, up in the thin Andes air
resort hotel--not my style
but with a good restaurant
and hot sulphur baths
at any hour
5AM, for example
alone, naked, in the dark
exquisite.
Lunch at hotel:
Locro de papas (potato soup with cheese and avocado)
Salad from their organic garden.
Dinner at the local--and delish--shack
at the bottom of the road
local trout
with an aguardiente to take off
the mountain chill
followed by a canelaza in the hotel bar
naranjillo juice, explosive liquor, cinnamon, served hot
not the best idea to down two stiff ones
up this high.

* * * * *

Offered a lift to my next stop
by a lovely couple from Colorado
traveling in style
with a four-wheel drive
driver and guide.
Saved me from a multiple-bus trip
flagging down my next ride roadside.
Benefitted from their knowledgeable guide
and a stop at a pristine lake at the top of the world
and another at the equatorial line
(yes, Bill, the water drains in two different directions)
Thank you, Carol, Rick, Alfredo and Arturo.
Have arrived in Otavalo
just in time for an excellent lunch
blackberry juice
avocado with shredded chicken
Llapingachos (corn and cheese dumplings) served with
fried eggs, some meat thing I didn't eat, mote (hominy) and more avocado
too much food, but no such thing as too much
ripe avocado. Yum.

* * * * * * *

Hung out in the main plaza
walked around the crafts market
didn't buy anything
hate to shop
picturesque town.
Overpriced, unmemorable dinner at the hotel
because I'm tired out.
Buenas noches.

Jungle

Five hours on a bus
no bathroom
dying, about to burst
had to get off
when we stopped for more passengers.
Heard the bus belch as I relieved myself
engine turned over
emerged to see bus pulling away.
Chased it down
And now, I am:

In the foothills of the Andes
at the edge of the Amazon jungle
and in the middle of nowhere.
Backwater, they name is Tena
a dusty river town
where watching the bulldozers digging up the road
passes for entertainment
and tourists come largely in large groups
descubriendo Ecuador
by private tour.
Odd woman out here
off to pitch myself into Class IV rapids tomorrow
through canyons in the jungle
by raft
Toto not in NY anymore.

*****************

Problem.
Up at 4
no coffee anywhere in this town
before 7:30
even the instant stuff
that they think is coffee here.
Remember to add early cup o joe
to the Goddess of Insomniatic Travelers’
wish list.

******************

26K of whitewater rafting
(and some awesome whitewater kayaking in the final stretch)
through jungle canyons.
Spectacularly beautiful
mad fun
covered with sand fly bites
worth the trip from Quito.

Quito--sort of cool, but I'm out

Quito=big city
but not too big to
have covered multiple sights
on foot
in an ambitious morning.
Old town
new town
all around town
stores shuttered on Sunday
but church services
rocking out
sounding like the party bus
blasting from colonial buildings
and parks
closed contemporary galleries at the art museum
but spectacular museum of indigenous crafts, a highlight.
For lunch
A fish ceviche so good I almost cried
served with popcorn and banana chips and roasted corn kernels.
To drink, a rosero
sweet but refreshing
with pieces of corn and pineapple and strawberry.
Figs with cheese for dessert
in a gloppy molasses sauce
the figs were candied
not something I'll be ordering again.
Ambition faded in the afternoon
Quito=big city.
May I go sleep in the jungle tomorrow?
Cuban dinner
for pure convenience
near hotel
very good.
Tomorrow to the Amazon basin.

Sing, oh goddess of insomniatic travelers

Sing, oh goddess of insomniatic travelers
sing to me of
quiet rooms
on top floors
end of the hall
away, away from common spaces
noisy guests
dining areas.
Let there be no barking dogs
nearby roosters
party animals of any kind
school groups--or any groups.
Let there be
a fresh breeze through the window
thick walls
and a hard mattress
and most of all
a respite from my Furies.

Here

Slightly
outside my comfort zone
and very
pleased.
Outside...
not because I'm in South America
for the first time,
but because
I'm alone
sitting at a low table
on the sidewalk
in Quito
una pajara rara
middle-aged
gringa
asking questions about the snacks
"No conosco la comida de aqui"
Okay, so fried banana balls with cheese
and getting a buzz on so she can
sleep (we'll see)
A mean mojito
a glass of good Chileno tinto
Am I ever out
on a Saturday night
alone?
With le tout Quito
(under 30)
Beautiful faces
Not PC to say
People are just prettier in
some places
than others.
But some major fuck-me shoes
on the ladies, pobrecitas
You have nothing to lose but your
Nevah mind.

Day began at 5 AM
in NY
with an underground explosion
Me in bed
Printer started talking
Phone died
Fires on the street
We're out, said Bill
Woke up Leo
to seek higher ground
(Actually grandma's--19th floor)
Firechief in the lobby of our building
"Go back to bed. We're monitoring it."
As if I ever went back to bed.
In any circumstance. Ever.
Thank you, firechief.
Some people get out. Some don't.
NY 2001.
An ounce of prevention.

Not an auspicious beginning.
Then a delayed flight
and a missed connection.
But finally
here I am
on the equator
high enough up
to need a sweater.
Buenas noches.