Catch up

I'm really behind and things seem to be accelerating so I need to catch up. Okay last I wrote seriously, I was in Mindo two Wednesdays ago. Mindo was a small town and not that exciting. I went hiking with the Americans and it was enjoyable. I might have had more fun by myself but they were biology students just fresh done with a course so had a good eye. They pointed out many animals and bugs I would never have seen. The best part was using a cable car to go over the canopy to get to the side with the waterfalls. An hour hike later, a nice waterfall. Pictures might be coming soon. I separated from the Americas. The next day (Thursday), I saw butterflies at a mariposa farm (butterfly farm) and it was nice. There is so much life and death in a butterfly cage. They die so quickly but they are useful to feed fish and frogs. I walked a lot that day. I stayed too long in Mindo because it is really a one day visit.

I got up really ear and caught the bus back to Quito at 6:30 or 7:30. That day was preety uneventful. I found a hostel on my own, went to my school to find out about the jungle visit, and shopped. I spent around 150 dollars on one outfit. I bought a waterproof jacket for 80 dollars, socks for 14 (totally worth it because they rock), 34 dollars for water proof pants, and 15 dollars for a hat. Some of the things I needed or wanted where a bit more expensive here in Ecuador than in the States. Oh yeah! It started to rain in the afternoon so I hun out at the South American Explorer club. That is when I made the Knocked Up mistake. It was raining pretty hard and I had forgot my great water proof out, poncho, or umbrella so I decided to watch a movie. I choose Knocked Up and it was really funny. I made the mistake of watching it in English. I got so absorbed. I did not get to see the very end but when I left I was actually confused as to where I was at. Why was I not in America? For one moment, the first moment, I got so homesick. I missed the sillness of friends and I missed cussing. I walked around Quito and got over it. I have decided to not watch movies in English only again in Ecuador. I had also meet up with Brian at SAE to chat about our planned hike up the mountain Pinchincha (spelled most likely wrong).

The next day was more shopping. I was slightly tired so the night before was resting and sleeping. Oh! I had exchanged one of my books for another book the day before. I got a horror book called Blue Moon full of short stories. I read that a bit the night before. I shopped and got everything! Go me! I had plans on uploading in Quito but got a call from a girl named Nikki from couchsurfing. We met up and started to chat. She had confused me by saying catch up which apparently means meet up or hang out in Australia because I actually we thought we had met previously but I had no recall of her. We started to walk to a free music festival in the park and it started to pour. There was very little notice. It started to rain lightly which I was fine with. Nikki started to pull out her umbrella when we saw it coming. It was line of hard raining heading straight for us. I have never see anything like it. I tried to get my umbrella out in time but it still got me a bit. We caught a taxi to Plaza Foch (think their Mill street but more like a block and part of it is Plaza Foch) and drank hot chocolate and ate potato fries at Dragonfly. Two for one drinks are the balm. We chatted and she wanted to go up the coast on the 30th of September after she returned from the Galapagos islands. I changed my plans and decided instead of another week of Spanish school in Quito, I would head to the coast instead. We were also staying at the same hostal - very cool. We hung out that night and watched I, Robot in English with Spanish subtitles or maybe reversed. It was better than I expected.

Side note, my brain is switching a bit to Spanish and I seriously feel like I'm losing my English a bit. Or I just need a refersher. I look at words and they do not look quite right but I cannot tell if they are wrong or my brian just like the Spanish spelling better.

The next day, Sunday, I took the Teleferico up the side of Pinchicha. The Teleferico is a like a inclosed cable car that goes up the side of the mountain and my brain refuses to give me a better word. Brian and I forgot food and it was a seven hour hike. Okay, we did have cookies. When coming down the mountain (love that phrase), we ran into some other hikes. Swore one was not Ecuadorian because he had white hair, skin, and blue eyese. Spoke really good Spanish and not great English. I told him we could not stay long because we were hungry. He then promptly gave me an apple and bread. Later he gave me a postre (which I cannot remember the English word) Dessert that sounds similiar to postre and pastel. Horrible! I meet up with Clara (German girl) and Nikki for dinner with me and Brian. Clara has been sick and I really miss that girl. We had a really nice connection and she dances really funny.

Jump to the present, I'm running out of time so I'm going to give everyone a soap opera moment. Most people know just how excellent I'm at flirting. How I run in the opposite directin quite well. Well yesterday, I went to a museum and they come with guides. I started to go down the stairs and I saw one of the most attractive (to me) Ecuadorian man I have ever seen. He is not super hot but very cute, short, and muscular. I of course was going to walk right on by but he was my guide! I actually flirted a bit and did not blow him off in like 5 minutes! (It is one of my talents.) But I was still me. For example he asked if "Te comes" which translates in my world to "Do you eat?" I thought it was a silly question so I said Nunca (Never) but then answered seriously. He was one of the most polite flirters in Ecuador as well. He actually tried to remember my name and asked me how to say respect in English. He then told me in English "With most respect, who have nice eyest" A usual compliment with a twist. He was fairly obvious about his interest and I was politely friendly. Not as distant as usual but definitely not where I should be. Well, two Australian girls (Nikki and Claire) got me to go back to the museum when it was close and wait for him. I stalked two guys but missed Daniel. Sooo...., in the interest of getting better and being more obvious, Nikki and I are going back to the museum to track him down. Am I nervous? Hell yes. Do I even know what I want? Hmmm... no but I would like to maybe go to lunch or dinner. I will tell you all what happens in the next episode.

To be continued ...