Guayaquil and the coast!

Alright, I'm so not tech savy it is not funny. I keep on forgeting on how to do things so I keep on relearning. It took me an hour to download picasa, load my photos, and figure out how to upload. Mainly the trouble was with the user but I'm working on that. There was trouble with downloading picasa. But this cafe is super cool because the upload speeds are pretty fast. I'm soon going to be uploading a photo of my butt. It is not the best photo but it shows off the bruise I got when I fell down the stairs. If you do not want to see my butt, do not look at the bruise folder. I'm also not taking as many pictures of the coast. I think it is because I'm traveling with Nikki.

Right, so if anyone has questions, post them in the comment field and I will answer them in my next blog. I have decided it will be Q&A time for Shilo. Some questions I have recieved are "Are you cold, what does the coast look like, and stalking implications?" All of these and maybe more will be answered next time.

Last I left off, I'm waiting at the bus terminal for the woman Vany who I'm suppose to couchsurf with Nikki. I waited for around an hour and half to two hours. I felt really bad because my stomach was still upset from throwing up earlier that morning. I bought a personal pizza and 7-up to try to calm the stomach down. It did not work. When I met Vany I was exhausted and feeling unwell. Vany and I took an unmarked taxi to Andrea's place to drop my stuff. I complimented Vany's earnings which she promptly gave to me. I tried to decline but it was not happening. Vany then wanted me to go with her to the airport so I could point out Nikki. I tiredly rode the bus to the air terminal where Vany started to freak out because we thought the flight arrived at 4:30 but it arrived at 3:30. It was 4:30. We walked around then went back to the original point where Vany then saw Nikki. Vany did not need me at all. I spoke a bit of English to Nikki but tried to keep it in Spanish. Now the fun bit was that Vany is too nice. She said she could take both of us but in fact had family in town. She knew she would have family but did not realize how much.

Nikki was going to stay with Paulo´s family and I was staying with a girl name Joanna. Alright, not a problem. So we all waited at the airport for Paulo's wife Karen to pick us up. Karen came in a truck with her two adorable girls. Vany took off and I have not seen her since. Karen drove us to Duran which is actually quite far from the center of Guayaquil. I still felt like crap. We got to their pretty house and Karen showed me where I could rest. These people are just too nice. The parents were going to sleep in the kid´' room which did have three beds and Nikki was going to take their bed. Wow! Of course, then a stranger is not sleeping near their kids. I went in to visit the girls' room. They promptly showed me a lot. The girls folded paper for me and made what look like a frog face but the eldest drew a cat face on it. I sat in a tiny sit while they put a sparkly headband with two little attennas on it on my head. The youngest kept on asking me the name of shapes in Spanish and I could not help her. I wandered out to the living room and the mother looked at me. She said "I thought you were tired". I shrugged because I'm a sucker for kids. I sat with the kids a bit longer but really did start feeling worn out.

I rested on their bed for like an hour when they served dinner. It was so delicious! and I could not eat much. It was fresh veggies with bits of grained fed chicken on delicious rice. So much onion! I ate like four or five bites. And their was tomato of the tree juice which I did not drink. I ate soda crackers. Vany wanted to go out dancing apparently (she had told the family) and I was having nothing to do with that. Neither was Nikki. She had just spent 8 days on a boat in the Galapagos Island and she was tired. Andrea came over to pick me up. It amazes me how much time and money these people put into both of us but especially me because I experienced it directly. Part of the problem is that I do not think they could comprehend woman traveling alone. I did not need Andrea to come pick me up. I could have been put in a taxi alone and it would be cool. Andrea hung out with the family because the couchsurfers are a close knit group in Guayaquil. Andrea and I then took a bus to some part of Guayaquil. Not all the way to her home. I convinced her that we could take a taxi and I would pay. She actually let me pay.

I got to her house to learn that actually I would be staying with Joanna. Alright. Whatever just let me sleep. Not yet! Joanna came over and we caught a cab to a different part of Mira Flores (the name of the barrio). I was zoning out because I was tired and traffic is always kinda crazy so I never pay attention. Blue blazer passing in front of us WHAM!!

The taxi slammed into the green blazer and my head slammed into the side of the taxi. Joanna got the name of the plate of the blue blazer because it had ran a stop sign. The taxi driver tried to give chase. The blue blazer actually came back for some reason and whipped right on pass. The taxi driver valiently tried to chase but could not turn fast enough. We got out and that was that. Except the driver could not get any help from the police because there was no pictures. I was completely fine. I got no bruises and have had no trouble since.

Joanna and I got to her home where I had to meet the whole family right then. We watched TV for a while. They watched a Killers video just because I liked it. Joanna and I then shared her brother's bed because it was bigger. So I met her for an hour and I'm sharing her bed. No problem because I'm exhausted. I go to be at like 11 but have to get up at 6:30am because Joanna needs to get to work. I get up and get mostly dress but no one seems in a hurry. We eat breakfast and Joanna like "Lista?" Hell no, I have not brushed my hair or anything but I'm rushed off to Andrea's house. Bye Joanna! Andrea then takes me to the center part of town on a bus because she is working there today. I'm staring to get impatient because people on pushing me different places but I want to go my own way. Andrea finally sets me free. But first, we argue about direction because I will later learn that my map is slightly wrong on one street. Oh well, it all works out.

I explore the city and try to find my bearing. I'm still very grumpy because I have not much sleep and I'm still getting over my stomach thing. I come to a street corner and Wow. There is art on the side of a building. A lot of art, it calms me. This is why I travel. To find the beauty in different areas. There is a phot that reminds me of Tempest so I take a photo of it. I'm feeling a bit better. I then find a travel agent so I can book a trip to the Galapagos Islands. The guy does not do economy tours anymore but can book me a flight. Done. Chevere (cool), he also accepts travelers' checks. Woohoo! I'm no longer carrying 450 dollars worth of travelers' checks with me at all time. Only 150. But I´m excited that he accepts them because most places do not and the banks will change them to money but charge some interest rate. I got them to a one to one rate. I'm leaving from Guayaquil on the 13th of October and returning on the 22nd.

I´m off. I explore Guayaquil more. There is two main touristy sections in Guayaquil: 9th de Octobre blvd and the Malecon 2000. The Malecon is right on the river and stretches for blocks and blocks. I walk north to the MAAC (Museum of Anthropology and Arte Contemporia) and run into the cutest cat! I pet it and there is even more calm in my soul. I accidently spill water which startles the cat but not too much. It then starts to drink from the puddle. I have now repaid it for its kindness. I reach MAAC and sit to wait for Nikki. We were suppose to met at noon. I wait until 12:30 and decide to walk to the Peñas on my own.

Peñas is a sction of town just north of the Malecon. It used to be a rough part of town but parts of it are now really safe. It is really pretty and there are pictures up of it now. Oh right, I had misplaced my camera so Joanna lent me hers. So nice. The streets are really narrow and the buildings are liek two to three stories high. Also, it is built on a hill so it is all uphill. I get winded and this guard chats me. I do not understand a lot but he does tell me to take stock because there is more up. I'm like I will go straight. He looks at me weird. I go straight and pass this gate which I did not notice. Another younger gentleman talks to me but I again do not understand a lot. I keep on going. He whistles at me but I ignore it because you have to ignore since it happens so often. I see no guards and the buildings are not as pretty. I get to a spot and this other guy says "You want to go back the way you came" Alright, I go back the way I came and go back through the gate of safety. Nikki calls and says she is running late because she is really far from central which she did not realize. She is going to met up with another Aussie and then me in a few hours. All good but she still wants to see the Peñas. Okay back to the MAAC.

Well everyone that has read my blog now knows this bit. This is where I ran into the hot guide and did not make anything happen. Saddness. Nikki calls while I'm in the museum because her and Claire are in Peñas. I will be there as soon as the guide stops showing me around. He asks if I'm cold. Nope! Oh shit. I had forgotten my really cool jacket in the lunch place in the Peñas. I biff it with the guide and I'm off again. Up. Up. Up. the stairs running so I can meet the girls and get my jacket. Run into the girls outside the right place (what a cowinkadink) (coinicdence (I wish I could spell)). I run in hoping agains hope. YES. My jacket is still there.

Flashback --- Lunch was in a woman´s home. Peñas is hot because the buildings trap the heat. I get a lunch that I do not like very much for 1.50 (the usual). This boy across the way wanders in to watch TV but no really to hit on me. He is only 20 and kinda awkward looking. He sells handicrafts here and in Matañita ( a coast city) where I do plan on being. He starts off sitting further away but puts that chair back so he can sit at my table. He asks if it bothers. No not really. The usual questions insue. Where are you from? What part of the states? How old are you? What is your name? and then the usual compliment. You have really blue eyes. Thank you. He then turns on Chuck Norris: Texas Ranger. Too funny. I pay and go to the museum unknowingly leaving behind the jacket -- Flashback over.

Woah, we are back in real time. The girls and I walk in Peñas. We use an internet cafe and in fact go back to MAAC for a stalker moment to find Daniel. Does not happen. Then back to Peñas for drinks. There is a bar at the highest point (yes I walked all 350 stairs again - they label them for you so you can know) with the best view. They sold beer, cola, and wine by the crate. Claire wants beer, I want cola, and Nikki wants wine but cannot drink it by the crate. They discuss it and discuss it. I go out to call Joanna and she says dancing is near Peñas cool. She will meet me there. Alright. Go back. Nikki and Claire have got the staff to go out and buy wine. Impressive. Joanna shows up and in fact dancing is in the Mira Flores section. Miscommunication because of the phone and the fact that they will not tell me no! Nikki wants to get back earlier so bye Nikki.

Joanna and I take the bus 52 back to Mira Flores. I take a quick tepid shower and get ready. Some funny moments: yes, I do have to warm (iron) my shirt because Joann thinks it is better and if I did not do it. She would have. Blah. Yes, I try on two different pairs of Joanna's sandals because they look better. Ahhh! I do not care that much when I'm home but I'm her guest. We are ready to go out. Fabulous.


Photos are completely up and I need to leave because 2 hours and half in an internet cafe is enough. What I do for all of you (and me).
Ciao!