July 2009 Archives

After five days in the Galapagos, I asked the kids to describe the experience.  Sam A said, "It would be a great place to refilm the Hitchcock movie THE BIRDS".    I would have to agree, but it was not scary in the least, quite the contrary!  Each day we ventured to a different island to take in the adorable and playful sea lions, watch the blue footed boobies dance, and witness the Frigget birds try to attract mates with their bulbous red throats.  But for the majority of the students, the best part was the multiple opportunities to snorkel with the sea turtles, sea lions, fish, rays, and sharks.  And thankfully, we only had a couple sea sicknesses that happened on day one.  After that, we had grown our sea legs.

Tomorrow we are headed to Rio Toachi for white water rafting and our farewell dinner.

This trip has been an unbelievable experience for all, as I'm sure they will all tell you late on Saturday night.

The Amazon was AMAZING!  Unfortunately, due to the dial up internet at this hotel, I will be unable to post photos.  However, students enjoyed their time at Sacha Lodge.  On Wednesday we took a two hour boat ride down the Napo River, in a torrential Amazonian downpour, to our lodge.  Once we arrived we walked along a walkway through a swamp that lead us to an interior lake.  It was beautiful!  That afternoon we adjusted to the Amazon by jumping off of the dock and swimming with the piranhas.  Don't worry,  no one was eaten.  We then headed back to our luxurious cabins, and I´m not joking.  We had hot showers, bathrooms in our cabins, electricity, and the best food the students have had yet!  For every meal we enjoyed desserts such as passion fruit cakes, tres leches cakes, and an assortment of puddings.

On Thursday and Friday we split into five different groups with each having a nature guide as well  as a local native guide. In fact, one of the guides was on Andrew Zimmerman´s Bizarre Foods of Ecuador.  So, each group had different activies each day, but we all ended up seeing the same things: a canopy walk, canoeing through swamps, climbing up a kaypak tree, walks through the jungle (multiple times), and visiting the butterfly sanctuary.

This morning we awoke at 5:00am to take the boat back to Coca and then fly back to Quito, where we are currently.

Tomorrow morning we have another early wake-up call, 5:00am, to get our flight to the Galapagos. The adventure continues!

 

Luckily, I was able to find some internet access, though it is still painfully slow.

Our drive up and over the Andes took us from our highest elevation of 14,000 feet to where we are now, about 200 feet..  We witnessed the changes in flora and fauna as we stopped a couple of times to take walks along the way.  Our guide informed us of the geology as well as the biology of the area through the mist and rain.  Yesterday we were fortunate to get a tour in Baeza of a reforested area where 250 different types of orchids thrive, though only about 10 different types were in bloom at the time.  Also, we got see some local animals like the tapir and the capibara.  We are now staying at a hotel with pool and waterslide, as well as monkeys, parrots, tucans, and a sloth. The students, teachers, and parents, have been able to relax a bit before we take our 2 hour boat ride down the Napo River to Sacha Lodge where we will be staying until Saturday. 

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a computer that is faster than dial up, so pictures are nearly impossible to upload.  On the positive side, our weekend in Otavalo was incredible.  We shopped at the largest outdoor market in Latin America and many students purchased a variety of textiles as well as handicrafts.  The next day we hiked up near the Cuicocha caldera where Otavalo is located in the valley.  The view was breathtaking. 

Today we start our descent to the Amazon.  It will be a two day bus trip that will have us staying in Baeza, then Coca.  On Wednesday we will take a 2-3 hour boat trip down the Napo River to Sacha Lodge. 

It is unlikely that we will have internet access over the next 5-6 days.  So, no news is good news!

 

We finished up with our last day of classes with a dance class learning how to dance the Salsa.  I would update photos, but I am currently at the slowest internet connection place around.  Not a lot of options in Otavalo.  This morning, host parents dropped of their kids at school and said their goodbyes.  We headed off to Otavalo, the largest outdoor market town in the Americas.  We shopped for an hour and half, had lunch at a local home where students had the opportunity to try cuy (guinea pig).  Now, we are off to shop some more.  We will be staying overnight in Otavalo and then head back to Quito tomorrow night.  Hopefully we´ll have a better internet connection.  Hasta Luego!

After classes today we headed to the Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world) museum located directly on the equator.  While there, students balanced an egg on a nail, stood in the northern and southern hemisphere at the same time, and did a little shopping. Tomorrow will be our last day of classes and our last day in Quito as we are heading to Otavalo on Saturday.

 

the middle of the world!

 

looking at the sun dial

C.L standing in both hemispheres.

L.H.  balancing an egg on a nail.

Ms. Kunze and the man dressed in the Intiraymi festival clothing.  Who is who?

everyone on the equator, or very close to it.

In Ecuador, as well as Colombia and Venezuela, many people rent a "party bus", which holds about 35 people, to celebrate birthdays, bachelor or bachelorette parties, or during November and December they celebrate the end of the year.  The Academia rented a Chiva for our students to get the experience of what they are like.  A band plays in the back of the bus, and when they are not playing, a DJ plays other music.  Everyone dances as the bus slowly moves through traffic.  Cars know to go around the bus because of its snail like pace.

 

 

 

Guayasamin is Ecuador`s most famous artist.  He was inspired by Picasso, el Greco, and Goya, among others.  We spent the afternoon visiting his awe inspiring museum.

Here are some photos of our day at Pichincha yesterday.

 

in the teleferico.BMP riding up the gondola

teleferico danger.BMP  the "danger" sign

Quito from Pichincha.BMP  picture of Quito from the top of Pichincha

Nueva imagen.BMP  our MPA group photo

Diego.Pichincha.BMP  our guide explaining Pichincha

Matt.oxigen.bar.BMP at the oxygen bar on top of Pichincha at 12,500 feet