Catch-up Ketchup Catsup

Alrighty, it's been a long time since I've written in here and I'm pretty behind. I'll just write what happened on the weekends cuz that's the only time anything exciting happens. Classes justed wouldn't be that interesting to write about.

So weekend after the jungle, I went to Riobamba with Beth and Stephanie to take the train down the Nariz del Diablo (Nose of the Devil). We arrived Saturday afternoon and hit up a local market where I did some birthday shopping. I got a bag called a shingra. It's a woven/knit bag made out of soft yarn with llamas on it. Orginally they're made out of a plant fiber but I didn't like those as much and they were rough feeling. I also got a weaving with Galapagos animals on it. The iguana was poorly placed and looks like it has a green mohawk which is actually supposed to be a plant. Then we went to buy our train tickets for the next morning and we also rented a seat cushion. Possibly the best dollar I ever spent in Ecuador. We wandered in and out of some of the shops before finding a pizza place for supper. Yum! It was delicious pizza! The rest of the night we spent talking in our hostel and making PBJ for the next day. Sunday morning came very early as we had to be at the train at 6am. We climbed up on top of the train (yes, on top, those are the best seats for viewing, comfort, well not so much) and claimed our spots. We nibbled on PBJ for breakfast and fended off annoying venders trying to sell us coffee. The train ride was just as cold as promised. I only had a scarf with me (which I grabbed at the last minute) but it wrapped nicely around my head too. It drizzled part of the way too. The problem with rainjackets is that they only cover the top of your body. Your legs still get wet. We ended up buying large pieces of plastic to cover the rest of our bodies. Even though the weather was iffy, the scenery was amazing!!! Huge mountains, rolling patchwork green hills, little kids waiting and hoping people throw candy. We got off at the first stop by which time the sun was shining. The mid morning meal was fried empanadas which is bread with cheese inside. I ran into the girl from Germany I met on our jungle adventure. It was pretty ironic. We continued on to Alausí where we picked up more passengers. By this time it was about 11. Then we started down la Nariz del Diablo... So Lonely Planet makes it sounds all scary and dangerous. I don't think the person who wrote the discription actaully did it. It was pretty boring, well in comparison to how it was described. It's famous because supposedly it's some great engineering feat that they can get a train up and down this mountain. What makes it special is that sometimes the train goes backwards. No matter what, it was fun with friends. We got back to Alausí about 1 and headed back to Riobamba for lunch and then back to Quito. We were all excited because we just barely made the bus, if not we would have had to wait another half hour. Then about 20 minutes into the trip, it broke down. But somehow, as always, they were able to fix it and we made it back to Quito safe and sound.

The next weekend, Steph and I went to Otavalo on Saturday to do some Christmas shopping. And shop we did. Hahaha, it's a good thing there's ATMs in Otavalo. I bought a bunch of stuff. I can't tell you everything though. Some of it has to be a surprise. I got another birthday present for me. I love the outfits the indegenous ladies from Otavalo wear, so I decided the best way to remember it, is to have one! It was really fun to buy, having this old indegenous lady and her son help me put in on and match the belt and hair tie to the blouse. It's looks really neat too. What else did I get??? Pie, yum! We stopped at the Pie Shop for a mid morning snack. (So I talk about food a lot, that's because I pretty much eat the same thing everyday so any deviation from it is exciting) I got a small hand carved nativity set. Ooohhh, a gorgeous handknitted scarf that matches a hat I bought earlier. One of the few reasons to look forward to winter aka what I'm coming home to, yuck. I think the rest was gifts. I got really burnt. (That was free) I wasn't expecting it to be sunny and hot. Hmmm... Yeah, I think that's all the excitement from Otavalo.

There now I'm only one weekend behind, until tomorrow. Yeah! I'm going to the beach tomorrow but not till at night. First I have to cut up a toad and analyze its stomach contents. Gross!!! It's an ecology class!!! Not anatomy!!! Oh well, maybe I'll just be the scribe, it's a big group.

Time to go home! If you get a chance, write me an e-mail!