bienvenido

Hola amigos...

though i am a bit caffeine deprived this afternoon after a wonderful meal here in Otavalo, Ecuador, i shall write an entry of the day¨:

the traveler's life. it was surely missed this past year. life is so simple these moments. wake up, find breakfast. perhaps hike a trail or tour the town. find food. do some reading, writing. umm...more food. socialize, meet people. enjoy the moonlight.

i am quite tired after an adventure through crazy paths not meant to be traveled by tourists heading into town from my hostel in the hills. i chose the simpler of the paths from La Luna hostel, perhaps an 1-2 hr circular hike. well, as i had been told, the map wasn't all that helpful. so i took some chances down (actual) cornrow paths before coming to mini-cliffs barring entry to a larger path i spotted. so i chatted to a couple of cows about the weather, altitude, etc, before heading back up the path.

here's a good spot to chat about these great heights. the ecuadorian highlands a just a tad higher than foggy bottom (aptly named for being swamply located at sealevel). about 10,000meters higher on avg. physiofans, what does that mean for us human beings used to lower altitudes? that's it-less oxygen, more rapid breathing and a couple of days to adjust (renally perhaps). in the meantime, whereas in dc i could walk a couple miles without trouble from the ole windbags, here in highland ecuador i walk up an incline for a couple minutes and i'm huffin. mmm yes.

long story shorter, and after bumping into some indigenous who probably had not tasted the new Tangerine Frappuccino Juice Blend at Starbucks, for shame, and did not seem to speak the spanish i knew, i found my way to an actual road which took me to town.

Breaking it down, it is 232pm, i have already eaten 2 meals and have toured the country side without being eaten by wild dogs or ridiculed by pigs on the roadside for my blue, cambodian hat...quite an accomplishment mind you. the rest of the day? finding coffee (i may have ditched the whole 'wean body off caffeine during school breaks' idea), visiting a local grocery store, and finding my way back to my lovely hostel (http://www.hostallaluna.com/about_us.html).

pics to come. love is already being send via airwaves to the states, puerto rico, or anywhere else my vicinos lie.

hasta luego!