Thanks for the Memories

Tomorrow I am leaving the gorgeous Galapagos. I'm very sad to say goodbye, but also, I'm tired and broke and ready to sleep in my own bed (I use the term "own bed" loosely, since 1. it's not my own bed, and 2. I just moved and have only slept in my new bed once!). It's been the most amazing trip, and I'm going to remember it forever.

On the way to the internet cafe, I was trying to think of my very favorite memory of the Galapagos, but was unable to come up with just one. However, I was able to narrow it down to three, and one of them is just Isla Isabella, the most beautiful island in the world. We spent three days on Isabella, and I would've been happy to spend the whole entire trip there. It's not as touristy as the other islands, although it is the biggest island in the Galapagos. The cruise ships don't usually stop there, which makes it a glorious stop for sun and snorkeling. The island's port town, Villamil, is totally chill, with sandy streets and grass shacks, and a long white sand beach with swaying palm trees and black lava reefs jutting out into the ocean. It was totally picturesque, and it was amazing that the landscape wasn't ruined already by highrise hotels and resorts.

While on Isabella, we partook in a half day snorkeling tour. It was just us and a guide, and we told him we wanted to see sharks. He took us to a small lava island about ten minutes off the coast, and as we climbed out of the boat, he reminded us to take our snorkels and cameras. We walked about ten minutes, picking our way carefully over the black rock, until we came to a small canyon in the rock. Looking down, the guide pointed out about 5 or 6 white tipped sharks, swimming and sleeping below. Satisfied, our group continued on, past barking sea lions and hissing marine iguanas. Finally, we arrived at a small shallow inlet, and our guide told us to put on our gear. He pointed into the water and said "Now you swim with sharks." We all laughed, thinking he was out of his gourd, but his deadpan face told us he was completely serious. I asked him if these sharks tended to feast upon gringos, and he laughed and said they were vegetarians. Hmmmm...I'd never heard of vegetarian sharks, but I was willing to believe anything if it would get me in the water. Once we were all goggled and flippered, the four of us carefully and slowly got into the inlet. At one point Coreen brushed my leg and I screamed, thinking it was a shark, and everyone got mad at me for giving them heart attacks. We swam together, us girls holding hands at some points, until we saw the sharks. Now, they weren't HUGE like great white sharks, but they were BIG. At least 5 or 6 feet long, with beady black shark eyes and I'm sure rows of sharp white shark teeth. I think I forgot to breath for about a minute, and when I finally started again, I was hyperventilating. Also, I kept getting water in my snorkel, and had to raise my head above water in order to blow it out, thus taking my eyes off the man-eating "vegetarian" sharks. After about two or three minutes, Coreen looked at me and Alena and said, "What the f*** are we doing?! Had enough? I'm getting out." Relieved that we weren't the only ones freaking out, Alena and I followed her out of the water, until the guide forced us back in, shaking his head with shame at our sad pathetic excuses. All in all, we were probably in there for ten or so minutes the second time, and we saw quite a few sharks. At one point there were three swimming in circles around us. Again, I kept forgetting to breathe. I was more than relieved when the guide finally let us scamper out of the water, tripping over our flippers in our rush to leave the sharks. However, that was probably one of my favorite memories of my trip. It was so scary but so funny at the same time.

Later on that same day, as we recovered from our near death shark attack, the guide stopped the boat and told us to get in the water. He pointed out two or three dark shadows in the water that turned out to be giant turtles, and so we all gladly got in. We swam around chasing turtles (they are surprisingly fast in the water) until we were cold. As Alena, Chris and Coreen were getting in the boat, two small sea lions popped their heads out of the water a few feet away, so I ended up staying in and playing with them for the next fifteen minutes. It was amazing. They dipped and flipped and rolled and twisted. I played copy-cat with one of them, and she would mimic me (but far more gracefully!). Then she would swim away, then flip around and head full force towards me. The instant before collision, she would suddenly flip and glide down the length of my body. One of my friends took a video, and as soon as she uploads it, I will post a link so everyone can see. That was my other most favorite experience.

So, all in all, I had a most fantastic time. I know the chances are slim that I'll ever get back here, but I would definitely recommend everyone to get out here while you still can. You won't regret it.

I Do Love a Good Boobie

The animals here are all so friendly!! Charles Darwin was right, there is something unnatural about how unafraid the animals are of people. It's like being in a zoo, but you are able to walk up and practically pet whatever animal is right in front of you (although you aren't supposed to touch the animals, or molest them in any way. There are many people around who take care that the Galapagos stay as pristine as possible.).

So far this trip, I have walked within a foot or so of land iguanas (they look like dinosaurs), marine iguanas, sea lions by the dozens, lizards, giant turtles, crabs, and birds of all sorts. They are amazing. Often they look like they are posing just for you, as you snap away photo after photo.

My favorite bird is the Blue Footed Boobie, of which our tour group was able to witness it's famous mating dance, and let me tell you, it was as cartoon-like as everyone says. We sat and watched for about half an hour, and I could have watched for longer, except the tour group was moving on. It is worth a trip to the Galapagos just for that.

Anyhoo, I'm off the Isla Isabella for the weekend. Cheers and happy thoughts!

Swimming with Kings

"On the count of three...THREE!" Our guide for the day, Charlie, dropped me into the freezing cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, about five miles off the coast of Santa Cruz, one of the islands in the Galapagos. It took a minute or two for my wetsuit to warm up, and meanwhile I was gasping and shouting, "It's f-ing FREEZING!!" My amigos were all around me, fitting their snorkles or already bobbing around face-down in the water. After a few false starts, I too was ready to investigate life below sea level.

As my eyes focused through the snorkle mask, I was amazed to see all sorts of brilliantly coloured florescent fish darting in and out of the surrounding volcanic rock. A school of silver guppies literally swam through me, dodging here and there around my waving arms. All thoughts of the icy coldness of the water were immediately forgotten. The current carried me without a fight, as I floated on top of the water, ocassionally kicking to keep myself from crashing into the rocks. Suddenly, a large object splashed down into the water directly in front of me. As the bubbles cleared, I saw a shiny brown sea lion swimming in lazy circles about three feet from where I was! It darted away after about a minute, to chase down some dinner. However, three more sea lions took it's place, and one swam alarmingly close to me, curiously eyeing me with his huge blue eyes.

Their bodies were incredible. Sleek and chocolate coloured, they flipped and turned, chased and rolled in between the rocks. A few circled around me, but never bumped into me, though one came close. As the other two disappeared, the last one swam right up and peered into my goggles before he flipped around and cruised away to find his friends.

I couldn't believe I had just swam with sea lions.

Fireworks

For the last three or four days, I have been woken up by a fireworks show. I have no idea what would possess people to fire off sparkley coloured lights at 7am, but let me tell you, nothing says "Up and at `em!" like a gunshot next to your head. It must be a Christmas tradition, because there have been fireworks nearly every night as well. Feliz Navidad! Bloody Ecuadorians...

Los Muchachos

These are three of the five boys who make my life a living hell on a day to day basis. Yet, how could I not love them? Chicos.

Chillax, it`s all good

I am finished classes for the semester!! Other than taking my 15 year old boys out for pizza at 4:30 this afternoon (they deserve it; they never once were able to push me over the edge into insanity!), and a two hour exam next Saturday, I`m done like dinner! It is a relief to be done. This semester is not what I expected, and I`ve been so stressed out about school and making friends that I`ve gotten myself into quite a tizzy on more than one occasion. December is my month for decompressing, and figuring out what I want and need to make this a more enjoyable experience.

The first thing we did to celebrate was go to a local hookah bar. I`ve never smoked hookah before (I`ve never smoked much of anything other than a puff or two of a cigar--eeeew!---and some clove cigarettes with Tam...). It took me awhile to get used to it, and everyone was making fun of my "gaggy-face" (for those of you who have ever spent a significant amount of time with me, you know which one I`m talking about!). As there were a few hookah virgins in the crowd, we got a combination of peach and mint flavour, and I have to say, the taste was very enjoyable. I would definitely try it again. And Mom, don`t worry, there was nothing but molasses tobacco in the hookah pipe. I felt like the Cheshire Cat!

Yesterday I went to Cajas National Park with my friend Ty. I`ve been dying to go since I got here, but circumstances had thus far prevented me from going. Cajas is about an hour away from Cuenca, and you can spend DAYS wandering around the mountain passes and visiting the hundreds of lakes. The views were absolutely incredible and I kept exclaiming "I can`t believe I`m in the ANDES!!" Every hundred feet or so, we were awarded with a new breathtaking vista, and I took a number of pictures (to view, go to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=74172&l=49fcb&id=779435523). The day was perfect. It was a little chilly in the morning, but soon the sun came out, and a slight wind to cool us off. At the highest, we were about at 3000 meters, and the altitude definitely affected my ability to breathe. It was a gorgeous hike; we started on a trail called Tres Cruces (Three Crosses), or so we think, and ended about 5 hours later back on the highway. By the end we were more than ready to be done, and though we could see the highway, it was so far off. At one point, we were sludging through marshland, off the beaten track, so we could get closer to the road. It was quite a wet and mucky adventure! I was so tired afterwards, it was all I could do to eat dinner, and I was asleep by 8pm! I woke up with a bit of a sunburn this morning, mostly my neck and the right side of my face (I forget how easy it is to burn at high altitudes!), but surprisingly my legs aren`t stiff or anything. I can`t wait to go back (although next time I might do a less ambitious hike).

My Christmas plans are starting to sort themselves out. I leave next Saturday night for 11 days in the Galapagos, which I`m really looking forward to, despite the fact that it`s the start of tourist season, and therefore the islands will all increase their already expensive prices to make things outrageously expensive. I have to look at this as a chance of a lifetime, and not worry so much about money, but when I`m only getting paid $250 a month, it`s a little hard not to think about it. However, my generous parents have contributed to the trip as a Christmas present, and as I`m going with other poor teachers, I`m sure we will be as spendthrift as possible. I`m looking forward to seeing all the endemic animals, the Galapagos turtles, the walruses and all the amazing underwater culture. I can`t wait to snorkle and relax on the beach, to hike around and visit some of the other islands. It should be a blast. I will be back in Cuenca by Christmas, and apparently Cuenca is the place to be on Christmas Eve. After Christmas, I`m planning on heading down to Vilcabamba, otherwise known as "The Valley of Longevity," where some of the inhabitants claim their relaxed lifestyle has made them forever young. I`m planning on taking a horse trek through the Andes, and maybe a massage or two for good measure. Hopefully, someone or another will join me, although I`m not adversed to spending a little R&R by myself (deep down I am a hermit, although I hide it well!).

Always,

Emily