Skip to main content

What a Difference a Day Makes!

OMG, today I woke up feeling SO MUCH BETTER!!!  I had a great night's sleep.  It was nice and cool, I even used the little blanket.  Didn't even need a fan which I was so worried about.  Of course this is due to the fog, or the garua, as they call it here.  The climate is exactly the same as a foggy day in San Diego, about 72 degrees and a little humid.

After getting up, I padded over to the continental breakfast area.  There was a place setting all ready just for me, with a coffee cup, a bread basket, a little covered bowl of cantaloupe, and little covered containers of butter and jam.  The lady had been waiting for me.  She immediately went to work in the kitchen and brought out scrambled eggs with tomatoes and some kind of square, firm cheese that doesn't melt but had a good texture.  I felt so special!

Then I walked down the beach into town, which was a much shorter and safer walk than the highway.  Along the beach, there were about 20 little cabanas in a row that serve food or drinks.


First I walked through town to see if I could find any restaurants for tonight and finally found the one that was recommended to me.  So now I know where I'll go later.

Back on the beach, I found a little palapa bar serving cocktails and ordered a Caipirinha.  It was very good and lovingly prepared.  (That is the wind blowing my hair, by the way.)


After that I was hungry so I decided to try one of these food cabanas.  I chose one called Cabinas Johnny because  I saw a bunch of English people sitting there so I felt safe, as far as food safety goes.  I ordered the seafood soup which was TO DIE FOR!  At first I almost freaked out because I thought there was cream or milk in it.  But it turns out they used a peanut paste to thicken it (I asked).  There was yucca which is like potato but chewier, and a cilantro-tasting herb, but stronger.  It was so good and for only $3.50.  I felt very happy before wandering back to my hotel.  At the end of the beach, I had to chuckle at the rock on the tip of the bay.


In the evening, I went back into town to the restaurant called Rasimar.  It actually appeared on the internet under Olon Restraurants so I chose it.  Had the shrimp in garlic butter -- good but seemed overpriced at $9.  They also served paella and lobster but the prices were quite high for me.

Then back to my room at 8:00 to watch a movie.  The town was actually picking up a little but I wasn't into trying to strike up a conversation in Spanish at that time.

Comments

  1. So glad to hear about the new and better day. That's more like it!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One Week Down Teaching English in Loja

I have officially completed one full week teaching English at in Loja, Ecuador.  It's been interesting, and I can't say I'm thrilled at this point.  The way things are done here is so different than at home, it's hard to go with the flow. I was offered the job by the school's "international recruiter" which was interesting.  There was really no interview, just a conversation about Loja.  I was told I started Monday so I started thinking of a lesson to introduce myself and have students introduce themselves.  My questions about who and when I would be teaching remained unanswered until Monday at 3:00 when I was supposed to meet with one of the managers.  She was out that day.  So I was eventually filled in, told that I'd be teaching teens.  If anyone knows me, this was my biggest nightmare scenario. So I started Tuesday night, from 3-6, one hour each to 3 Teen classes at the same level which is supposed to be Early Intermediate since they'v...

Lovely Loja

Loja is absolutely gorgeous! It's even prettier than Cuenca, surrounded by green mountains.  There are always big puffy cloud when the sun is out, or it becomes cloudy and drizzly and it's not quite as pretty then. I've been able to find things here -- laundromat, hair salons, post office, market,... My hotel is great -- Hotel Paris, and it's about $16 a night.  It's a huge room, they clean it daily, it's in a great location, and it's fairly quiet.  I think there are only 2 of us on the 5th floor. Even 5 floors up in a city, there is a rooster that starts at 4:15.  I can barely hear him but it's enough to wake me up. Sunday is Market Day.  I walked to one park and bought a lot of things from indigenous women selling jewelry and stuff.  The other market is mostly a vegetable and fruit market but I got a few other things there.  I can't wait to get my apartment and go to the market to buy fresh produce to take home! The town sq...

Arriving in Cuenca

I took a bus from Puerto Lopez to Guayaquil (4 hours), dragged my 70 lbs worth of bags all over the place, had a tantrum, and finally figured out where to buy a ticket to Cuenca and where to board at the Guayaquil bus station.  I timed it just right and got on the next bus within 15 minutes.  That busride was another 4 hours.  Once we started climbing, we went through Cajas National Park which is absolutely gorgeous!  Lakes and tall mountains all around, the bus zigged and zagged up to Cuenca. My hostel, the Posada Gran Columbia, was easily enough found with the help of a taxi.  My first room was adorable, with a skylight.  I thought -- cool!  Until morning.  The bright light woke me up at 6:00 and I still couldn't see outside. Check out the bottomless drawer in the dresser: So being a pain in the ass, I asked for a room with a window.  I waited around the next morning 20 minute, then another 20 minute, then another 20 ...