Hola Chicos!
Well, I´m very glad we learnt some spanish before coming here. Nearly none of the locals speak English, including the girl we struggled to book spanish lessons with. On top of this, nearly all tourists speak a little spanish, even the Americans. Even when wearing the full gringo uniform, looking as touristy as is possible without turning Japanese I still get Buenas Dias´d by similarly clad 6ft tall white blokes who I imagine are called Brad, or something. I now have a hand made scarf after an indigenous village tour. This scarf couldn´t be any more hand made without impregnating the sheep personally and after the demonstration of the painstaking processes involved I dare anyone to leave without one. Even Emma has one and she´s allergic to wool. We are now staying with a Ecuadorian family in Otavalo which has just run out of bottled gas. Apparently further supplies are looking dubious so I may have to brave a salad. There is an exceedingly dodgy electric shower which seems to do nothing, until you flick the switch, when is gets colder.
Much to our amusement we (including our 65 year old danish housemate) get ´hola chicos´ from all at the spanish school and the Otavalen host family including the hosts three year old daughter (Chico = boy, Chica = girl).
Otavalo has been a great place to learn spanish and do some day trips on the weekend. We agreed on a compromise to hike up Fuya Fuya mountain (a tough four hour hike starting at 3200metres and up to the top, 4200metres) rather than the ten hour hike at similar altitude that Cedd wanted to do (impossible mi amigos). After the first ten steps we were out of breath! but despite this managed to do the hike following a long way behind our mountain goat of a guide (he can do it in 1 1-2 hours). We also visited Peguche waterfall, a site of special spiritural significance, where the idigenous people perform rituals, some involving guinea pigs! (we can fill you in with the gory details later, not over dinner).
oh and by the way Cedd has so far wimped out of trying roast guinea pig a local speciality. [I have tried three local beers though - Cedd]
Top of fuya fuya
Scarf Man
Much to our amusement we (including our 65 year old danish housemate) get ´hola chicos´ from all at the spanish school and the Otavalen host family including the hosts three year old daughter (Chico = boy, Chica = girl).
Otavalo has been a great place to learn spanish and do some day trips on the weekend. We agreed on a compromise to hike up Fuya Fuya mountain (a tough four hour hike starting at 3200metres and up to the top, 4200metres) rather than the ten hour hike at similar altitude that Cedd wanted to do (impossible mi amigos). After the first ten steps we were out of breath! but despite this managed to do the hike following a long way behind our mountain goat of a guide (he can do it in 1 1-2 hours). We also visited Peguche waterfall, a site of special spiritural significance, where the idigenous people perform rituals, some involving guinea pigs! (we can fill you in with the gory details later, not over dinner).
oh and by the way Cedd has so far wimped out of trying roast guinea pig a local speciality. [I have tried three local beers though - Cedd]
Top of fuya fuya
Scarf Man
posted by Emma at 8:09 pm
4 Comments:
Well I am in Thailand at internet cafe reading your very funny blog and thinking how adventurousm you are! It sounds wonderful. My bungalow has a gigantic hot shower but little else! However it is very near beach and the fact that it resembles a dog kennel with a shower doesn't matter much! Am with my slightly mad friend from Chang Mai who can't eat after 5.00 and is now in bed ( 9.00). Going snorkelling tomorrow on boat trip to 4 islands, should be fun. I am going to get her to teach me a bit more Thai but even she has failed to acquire another towel and pillow so perhaps speaking the language is less important than understanding the Thai propensity to say yes to everything and hen do absolutely nothing!
Love Mum
Well I am in Thailand at internet cafe reading your very funny blog and thinking how adventurousm you are! It sounds wonderful. My bungalow has a gigantic hot shower but little else! However it is very near beach and the fact that it resembles a dog kennel with a shower doesn't matter much! Am with my slightly mad friend from Chang Mai who can't eat after 5.00 and is now in bed ( 9.00). Going snorkelling tomorrow on boat trip to 4 islands, should be fun. I am going to get her to teach me a bit more Thai but even she has failed to acquire another towel and pillow so perhaps speaking the language is less important than understanding the Thai propensity to say yes to everything and hen do absolutely nothing!
Love Mum
I am at home with a hot power shower, gas from the main and a flushing loo, English still a problem here however. For Christmas we plan to turn off the electricity, light candles and long for a less ordered life. Happy Christmas, and thanks for the messages
Sherwood
lovely choccies and we have been saladJ[m,; dodging over the past week. kjokp -says Ben. As you can see Ben wanted to put his input into the message. We all wish you a very Happy New Year. Love the Cardiff mobxxx
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