Vilcabamba, Day 90: All is Love
So I realize haven’t updated and told about some things for a while, but I’ve been enjoying the present moment in Vilcabamba and moving around a lot in the start, while trying to relax as much as possible. It’s a time of healing for me, as I started getting some weird blister-wounds during my journey along the coast, south into Guayaquil. I thought it was because of my bad decisions of diet change at the time (loads of ice cream and bread and still the white rice that is inevitable when eating out as vegan or vegetarian) + the humidity and bacteria. Some people told me high sugar levels in the blood causes wounds not to heal. So when arriving to Guayaquil I decided to be vegan again, non-gluten, non-sugar. The wounds did not heal more though, as it was crazy humid in Guayaquil. At least, this is what I thought was the reason.
Being in Vilcabamba, a site for alternative people and apparently an inter-dimensional vortex, I’ve seen an acupuncturist and a specialist in MMS. MMS stands for Miracle Mineral Supplement and is a mineral salt that oxidizes the pathogens in the body. It takes 5 electrons from a pathogen and explodes it, so to speak. I do not fully understand is yet, there fore I’m just forwarding what I heard at a conference and one-to-one with the specialist this morning, but it’s supposed to only attack pathogens (the diseases, parasites, bad bacteria and such) in your body. Like this, all the toxins gets released and you fell bad, obviously, during the cleansing but get rid of so many things and toxins meanwhile. It’s taken in drops in water, phasing into and out of it during a 4 week cleansing, and is basically Sodium Chlorite which is activated by Hydrochloric Acid and then turns into Chlorine Dioxide. The oxygen level is not very high though and there fore it should not harm the body, which a lot of oxygen can actually do. This is how I understood it, but I could have gotten it wrong.
After seeing the acupuncturist, talking about diet and my apparent temporarily weak immune system (wounds won’t heal, inflammation and blisters are continuesly created, missing period, low energy) I decided to introduce, first time in 2 years and a bit strange to me but maybe necessary, eggs into my diet. Not because I believe a vegan diet it insufficient in general or unhealthy, but because I simply cannot get everything I feel I need while traveling in these countries. Some places, but definitely not all. I stopped with the white rice, gluten, sugar except some raw honey once in a while, and I will not reintroduce milk or cheese into my diet. I also use the raw honey for my wounds + plantain leafs (vejbred på dansk) chewed and mixed with saliva (both really doing a great deal in healing the wounds, works fantastic). In this state I feel like I need to step over the limit of some of my beliefs and take care of my body. When home in Denmark, I will implement the vegan diet again and take care of getting everything I need – being in a permanent place with good food sources.
Brendan came to town two days ago and we are now catching up and doing some more treatments hopefully. I am a bit torn in the decision of staying or moving when my visa runs out, but I think I will go to Peru. It is tempting to stay with Cedar and Andrea though, them being so nice company and with their plans for going to Puyo to see a shaman and do more ceremonies – which brings me to my next and last subject: We did a San Pedro ceremony two days ago, lasting until last morning. It was in a very nice space – Olivier, a friend, had found a little family on the mountainside who had build an open temple structure out of natural materials with clay floor wth the flower of life painted on it. The weather and maybe earthquakes had made the area with flower break into 3 pieces in a spiral, very beautiful. There were palm leaf mats for us, a little alter, a bucket, blankets and it was all free, donations appreciated not but obligatory. We had all taken all our crystals and made a symmetric alter in the middle, also with sacred herbs and such. We had fruit with us, blankets, other foods to ground ourselves should the trip be too intense and loads of music instruments. The idea was to have a quiet, meditation ceremony where one could talk and play music if needed but quietly. The trip itself was quite mild for me and all others and only one got a bit sick, which is normal when drinking concentrated cactus that kind of tastes and feels like bitter, sour, gooey, slimy plant and earth. Not the most tasty coctail! My throat got slimy for some hours after and I got a bit nauseous, but besides that the trip was full of love, giggles, sillyness, intense (good) body energy, a heightened sense of taste, sound and feeling. I felt like this medicine should be used for running around and playing like children, like one can feel the need to on acid – healing and honoring your inner child. But this was on the other hand a quiet, safe and sound place to do it. Olivier came around, spreading incense, asking everyone if they were good, smiling, hugging, assisting and playing the most fantastic, spacey tunes on his guitar. Me and Cedar played on my Kalimba, enjoying the explosions of taste of different fruits and a quinoa salad he had brought. I also felt and saw in visions how everything is vibration and interconnected. That was probably the only vision I had though, and the rest might come to me later on. It kind of felt like my mind and thoughts went in slowmotion through this thick substance of energy and that could be because either: I’m not ready for the knowledge, or there was none for me that time. Who knows 🙂
In the morning, after some sleep, a black cat came with the craziest munchies, trying to eat everything of ours it could get it’s tongue on, crazy-cuddling my belly, face, neck, legs, meowing at everything it thought could be eaten (even cigarettes, several times, when one was rolling one) and continuously lying on or beside me. I have this weird attraction of cats on this journey – cats come and lie on my lap soo often, even though its owner is in the room.
I think I’m missing home, or at least Europe, a lot. I find myself researching more about Italy, which I decided to visit, than Peru, which is my next destination!
I seem to be a bit lost of what to do next right now and just want to relax to heal. Sigh. At the same time, I can’t stop being happy and relaxed after the San Pedro ceremony (which is known for being a heart medicine, giving love) and I try to take things quite lightly as stress and worry do not do me any good anyway.
(Later)
It’s weird to be such a searching soul, traveling with random company or alone – in essence alone – because alone is pushing boundaries; alone is challenge; alone is knowing oneself; growing..
But it can be so lonely. Now that I’m alone in a kitchen build of bamboo by the river in nature, away from town lights and car noise – only with music of my choice, the river, the crickets of the jungle it feels so lonely. I talked to Vanesa earlier about how lonely it can be. But I believe we still both know how freeing it can be.
It’s a paradox.
When does one get so much rid of the ego? The ”what-if” feeling, so that one can enjoy The Now fully? Enjoy a hug from a friend as much in the now as when wishing for it far away? Appreciate the company of the people present and the joy of every day things, like a little child discovering them for the first time? Of course one can do so – I’ve seen people behave like this.. But why is it so hard for myself and many others?
Guayaquil, Day 77: Last day pics
I had to take the bus in the evening so me and Carlos went on a biking trip on a little island in the river.
Bridge to the island – there are no roads there, only biking paths.
On the island where me and Carlos had a bike ride, this father was running beside his biking daughter, encouraging her, singing:
“You can do it.”
“I believe in you”
“We’re almost there”
“You can do it.”
“So close.”
“See the bridge?
Now we’re there”
Entangled tree on the island
Crocodiles on the island
Island in the river by Guayaquil
(Later)
Goodbye Guayaquil. It’s been nice and noisy – now I’m ready for healthier times in mind and body.
Now traveling alone, and yet there’s always someone to talk to. I went for the bus for Loja, e city in the south of Ecuador, where I will change for the bus to the lang awaited Vilcabamba. I spotted a who I though might also be a tourist. We watched and waited as the terminal worker played tetris with luggage in the side luggage rooms in of the bus, to make everything fit. I took quite a while and we finally dragge dour bags to the other side of the bus to put them in there. The girl was a few steps ahead of me in the embarkment queue when she, after showing her ticket ran to the other side of the bus, pulled her bag out and went to sit by the wall of the terminal. I feared the same would happen to me and right I was – we had too early and had tried to take the wrong bus. I ran around to find the terminal worker who was soon pissed to pull another ignorant tourist’s luggage out of the packed bus and I went to sit by the wall by the girl who laughed and welcomed me. We started talking and when the bus came (the right one: I asked first this time) we of course had seat numbers right next to each other. How nice. She was also going to Vilcabamba btw!
On the way into the night we drove by a number of trucks where the one facing the road had the number 22. ^^
(Later, the morning after when arriving to Vilcabamba)
Our first hour in Vilcabamba after putting our stuff in a hostel, we met two nice guys, one from Italy and one from Canada, who invited us for breakfast at the house they rented. What a perfect first day, we were also offered to stay at their house for free!
Julia, the girl I traveled with to Vilcabamba from Guayaquil. View from the boys’ house 🙂
Breakfast on the roof of the house on the hill where Ceder and Andrea lives, with view over Vilcabamba! Perfect 1st day!
Vilcabamba
Vilcabamba
Vilcabamba
Art shop in Vilca
Art shop in Vilca
Guayaquil, Day 76: Shopping
Agua, canquito, agua, agua, agua, aguaaa.. Ey agua, canquito, agua, agua, agua, aguaaa…
Tssst, baby, tsssst, baby I love yuuu.. Princesa, tsssssssst!
Pssssst (whispering) – Euro, pound’, e’chaaan’e? Money e’chaaan’e?
These are some of the sounds I’ve gotten used to while shopping or just walking in the streets of Guayaquil. Not to mention all the kinds of things sold on the buses everywhere in Ecuador. Although ”Canquito” is probably not a word, that’s what I heard and I didn’t check what the guy was actually selling.
– The last one, the quote on money exghange, surprised me though: A guy stood on the busiest street in the center, whispering these words. Another guy was flapping the biggest bundle of money I’ve seen in a while, completely out in the open, without saying a word. Just the sounds of the money flapping.
I’m happy to be able to buy some necessities, but I’ll be out of here soon for nice and quiet Vilcabamba.
Guayaquil, Day 75: Hectic experiences, fasting and religion
So me, Randy and Spencer were invited to join Carlos in his English teaching of kids from 10 – 14 years old. The boys stayed at a hotel and were told they could come around 9 – the hotel was 5 blocks from the school. However, I had to get up at 6 to go with Carlos to the school, to start and teach at 7.10. After only 5,5 hours of sleep I got up had a cup of tea – I soon learned that Carlos does not eat breakfast. So I thought I’d not break the fast either and fast with him until lunch. We went with the bus and then the ’metro’ to school, which is just the same as the trole bus in Quito (a two-car bus) – but here they call it metro. Carlos actually doesn’t live in Guayaquil but in Durán (as the band he says) which is two bridges, a peninsula and 30-40 minutes away from the center of Guayaquil. When we arrived to the school I met every security guard, the principal, some other teachers and the receptionist in order for them to recognize me. There was a lot of security in that school and they were definitely keeping an eye on everyone. All staff except the security guards wore shirts, creased pants, suit vests, the women: low heels, jewelry and make up. The school was huge and old and 2 presidents of Ecuador had attended the school in the past. In Guayaquil it’s very hot at the moment (possibly always) – like between 28-35 degrees and very humid. Bus as it’s a catholic school, the staff wears a lot of clothes (too much in my opinion) and there fore the offices and the reception are like being in AC hell! It’s so cold I’d rather be in the hot classrooms. Also all the kids wear uniforms. I’m definitely the most colourful and out-standing person in this AC, uniform maze, with my purple shirt, blue shorts and turquoise jewelry. And blond hair… No matter how strict a uniform I would wear, I would still stand undeniably out, let’s face it.
After all students had gathered in the school yard to sing a morning song with the principal, they were dismissed one class at a time to go to their classrooms. Before any class start during the day they say the Lord’s prayer and other prayers before starting. After I introduced myself to the first class, asked the students a few questions and read something from the mystery book they’re reading atm (ghosts, crop circles, magic), a teacher (who I first thought was another principal or boss of some kind because of the start of the comment he would make) went up to Carlos and me, very seriously, saying: I have an advice. Next time, bring her – the students work so much harder! He then smiled, laughed and went down the hallway.
After a few classes I started feeling really, almost uncomfortably, famous – the kids would scream and go crazy when they saw me, and the cheeky teens would ask for my facebook and number and if I was married or had a boyfriend. It accelerated when the Canadian guys joined me later and there was both female and male foreigners for the students to look at – it got so hectic in the last classes. We got bows, loud applauses accompanied with whistles, kisses on the cheeks, handshakes, even more screaming teen girls and also boys, really creative and beautiful drawings and it culminated when we had to force our way out of selfie-mad hordes of teens who swarmed around us with smartphones and papers and pens for autographs and facebook names. I cannot underline how much I’m NOT over exaggerating here, I have not in my life experienced anything like it! It was pure, hormone-madness! But we were still glad we had the opportunity to show the kids something new.
After school we had the chance to go to the roof and take pictures of the city. After that we went to the river promenade, Spencer, Randy and I, to walk along it up to a light house which has a beautiful view over the night lights of the city. I send them to the Terminal with a taxi after that and it had been the perfect day for a goodbye.
Sweet, curious kids 🙂
A class I taught with Carlos 🙂
Guayaquil, Day 74: Materialism
Bye-Bye hula hoop! I hope you found a new and creative owner who will take you on new, exciting adventures J (I accidently left it behind on Los Frailes, a beautiful beach, near Puerto Lopez)
I seem to he shedding things more and more these days – so far I’ve left behind: A pair of shoes, a jacket, a top, a onesie, a t-shirt, food, a hula hoop, a hair brush, a phone charger, a backpack, a spanishgrammar book (not on purpose, that sucked) crystals, a camera lens, a wallet, a box, photos, postcards and probably more I don’t remember. Some unintentionally, some for presents, some on purpose – some broken. I feels great to get rid of things! And I’m trying not to buy more than I had when I came.
So before I unintentionally left my hula hoop at Los Frailes, a long lagoon with white sand, I borrowed this German girls’ snorkle and went snorkling to see some more fish. I saw a parrot fish again – big and round but flat on the sides. It has two ’rows of teeth’, more like one half circle formed tooth above and below. It is white/marble shining with the most psychedelic neonblue patterns. And blue spots. Really beautiful.
It kind of scares me that a shark could theoretically appear while I’m snorkling on 4 meters deep waters, but I guess they don’t go that far in. Still, I look over my shoulder and out in the deep blue once in a while, trying not to let the panic and imagination from several horror movies overtake me.
I’ve fallen into this massive sugar-mania hole where I buy ice cream everyday, sometimes several times a day. It’s satisfying for a while, but then I just want more. Also it doesn’t help with all the delicious breads they sell every where here. I decided that when I arrive to Guayaquil, where vegan options and such will be more available, I will start being completely vegan again and stop eating sugar. And also bread. But one thing at a time. Right now, the sugar addiction needs to go! Really, get lost. Now.
On the bus to Guayaquil, which should take 3,5 hours, there had been a car accident on the road where a bus had completely diminished the front of a pick-up truck. We waited for an hour to pass the queue and was quite delayed, into the evening. Me and Randy were sitting in the back of the bus and this kid got on, seating himself in front of me. He was standing up most of the time with his back to the wall after we went out of the town he got on in, and was talking to people. When a man went on the bus to sell coconut milk in bags (all kinds of vendors go onto buses to sell home baked goods, juice, snacks, and even ice cream in cones), the kid/young guy in front bought two and handed me one. I said not thanks and he ended up drinking both, slurping them up in seconds. He afterwards threw the plastic bags out the window and I tapped him at the arm, objecting. He turned around surprised and I told him in spanish not to throw garbage out the window and asked him why he did that? He said, ”Oh, I forgot, I forgot”. Oh right, I also just forgot that nature existed.
He afterwards talked to me, asking me all the regular questions after a while, what my name was, where I came from, how old I was, and then when he didn’t dare, the coconut man asked me if I was married. The kid was 18 and in High school. After a while he got off the bus, the coconut man as well and a family sitting in the back seats. Randy scootched over to me, asking what that was about. I told him about the trash out the window and the questions. After that Randy told me that when the kid had gotten onto the bus, the first thing he did when the bus was still holding still was to take out a little baggy with a tiny blue spoon in it, take a bump of coke (assuming it was coke as we’re in South America) in each nostril and then a third in the first nostril. He then handed the baggy out the window to someone in the street. Randy said it blew him away, that he had never seen anything like that, in day light in a public bus. I was quite surprised, but then put a few pieces together: the guy standing up so much and talking, him slurping the coconut water so fast and with so much thirst..
Still though, I was quite surprised. He had been pretty sneaky about it.
Entering Guayaquil, the biggest city in Ecuador, I had the creeps a bit about entering the coorporate world, but was also a bit exciting about getting the things I had needed in a long time: A rain jacket, a tarp for my hammock, a wallet that’s not broken, a new backpack where the zipper workds and so on. Things that are not available on the coast as far as I’ve seen – at least not in the quality or looks I wanted.
After meeting my host, Carlos, in Guayaquil and finding out that Randy and Spencer had to take a bus further to Peru the next day instead of the same evening, Carlos helped finding a cheap hotel they could stay in. The boys had to take a bus in the evening the next day, so they had the opportunity to join me and Carlos at Carlos’ work place the next day – a big, private, catholic school where Carlos teaches english. So we have a prolonged goodbye which pleased me. It was going to be sad not to be traveling with those guys any more!
Puerto Lopez
Los Frailes
Termite/ant ‘hive’ in tree, very very common everywhere n Ecuador.. They create ‘paths’ or veins as I like to call them, up the tree trunk and branches,
Carlos, my host in Guayaquil 🙂
Parque Iguana – a park in the middle of the big city Guayaquil where lizards are tame and live in the park.
Puerto Lopez, Day 72: Isla de la Plata
Today we got up early-ish to go on a tour with a group to the Poor Man’s Galapagos – Isla de la Plata, which means Silver Island. There’s a lot of the same animals living there as on the Galapagos, but I guess not as many. On the island itself there’s a lot of birds – Bluefoot and redfoot boobies (yes, that’s a bird, many jokes were made that day), different kinds of seagulls and albatros. We did not see any Albatros though, unfortunately. However we went for a 2-3 hour walk on a really dry island where bluefooted birds would nest in the paths and have the fluffiest white babies, shrieking, resting on their feet. The female boobies would quack at us, the males whistle. After the walk we went snorkling for some time, wow it always astonishes me how beautiful it is. We saw all kinds of strange fish, including a very long, ligt blue and yellw striped UV kinda fish. There was also an eel and many corals. Small fish trying to eat my bracelet when was not looking and big fish with huge foreheads. No sharks. Phew.
I was absolutely exhausted after coming back to the main land, after an hour boat ride on hard waves. It took my body 6 hours to readjust to not being in/on water. I felt I was swaying every time I stood/sat still and it’s been interesting but exhausting! Now off to bed with Granadila, my new favorite fruit J
Blue footed boobies
Sea turtle!
Puerto Lopez, Day 71: Giggle Town
So we have reached Puerto Lopez, a bigger and more touristy town than Canoa, the port close to ”Poor man’s Galapagos” – Isla de la Plata. We’ve been traveling by bus, changing at a few places, giggling the whole way. I guess we’ve all been overtired and the language Spencer and Randy uses, rather their slang, will eternally amuse me. Never before, in so few days, have I heard so many weird and self-invented expressions and words and laughed so much of it. ”Filthy pidge”, ”Scuzzy”, ”Heinous”, ”Turkey” and I don’t know how much more. It’s hilarious, we’ve been in giggle town all day, as Randy described it. We are going to part soon in Guayaquil and I’m really not looking forward for it; I’m going to miss them soo much! Based on those two, I decided I love Canadians (which is poorly based for such a big nation, but I just love their language and way of being nice already).
On the bus though there I felt quite uncomfortable and a bit disgusted of the way people treat animals here, once again. In the luggage rooms under the buss, next to the wheels and the engine, chickens would lie, feet bound together, sometimes in bags with their heads peaking out, but mostly just thron in with the bags and suitcases in the dark. Poor chickens and roosters where hyperventilating of feer, not saying a sound.. I asked one bus driver if there wasn’t a better space for them. He laughed at me, shook his head and closed the door.
Before we left Mompiche, I had this nice french girl design a macrame tiara for me with my green calcite and some wooden pearls. It ended uå pretty nice! Excited to wear it for the next trance festival ❤ When we hd arrived to Puerto Lopez I looked at some jewelry at this artists’stand and he recognized me from Mompiche, as he ha ased me the same question with the macrame I have in my hair; who had made it. We laughed and talked and he made me a little present, while saying he could teach me some designs. I might have time for it! Would be nice to learn some more 🙂
Spencer and Randy messing around ;’D
A coconut
– Split in half, perfectly
But wait, what is this?
“Manzana de coco” – a delicacy, the coconut sprout made out of the water inside.
Puerto Lopez
Canoa, Day 67: New travel partners and friends
I left Mompiche the morning after a very eventful night. I had met Christian, whose farm I volunteered at in Santo Domingo, in the streets of Mompiche and he had agreed with a man to build a Temazscal on the beach in Mompiche and host a ritual. I was invited, and on my way there the last night before I would leave Mompiche, I bumped into a girl named Terri whom I had met some days prior. She’s from Cape Town and we had some good hours together whenever we would see each other on the beach. She had a bad day and I took her with me to the Temazscal. It was full moon that night I knew, but we couldn’t see it behind the clouds. Christian had build a big bond fire and me and Terri were the only ones that had arrived, even though I was late. We went to swim in the very low tide, seeing the full moon appearing on a starry, clear sky. The clouds had parted on this special night and stayed like that for the whole ritual. I had asked Terri about what season the phosphorrescent plancton would appear and she said she didn’t know. When we walked into the water she exclaimed: ”Oh, they’re here!”
I looked down but saw nothing. I looked closer and suddenly saw the small, turqouise-blueish sparks that occured when I walked through the water. We splashed, jumped and ran, laughing loud when moving our hands rapidly through the water: seeing the green-blue lights lit up and sparkle. We were lying in the shallow low tide, directly under Orion’s Belt, looking at the stars and talking excitedly about how perfect this was.
We went up to the Temazscal at the sound of the ”Carracon” – a big conch with a natural formed hole in the top which allows one to blow into it a make a long trumpet-sound. We gathered, seven people, in a group and Christian, the night’s shaman, explained how we would enter and what would happen. First, usually the women, walk around the fire from the left to the right, thanking it on the way. One by one we did so – walking from the right to the left around the Temazscal afterwards so an 8 shape was made, and one by one entered the Temazscal from the left to the right around the middle hole, saying a prayer to Mother Earth at the entrance. When every one had entered, the shaman, who will not enter yet, takes a shuffle and takes the hot stones (preferrably lava stones if acquired) out of the fire and puts them into the hole in the middle of the Temazscal. The people inside welcomes the grandmother of Mother Earth every time a hot, red-glowing and sparkling stone enters the hole; ”Bienvenidas abuelita”.
When all the stones needed are present the shaman enters with a pot of water and incents and covers the entrance (with the plastic cover that covers the whole bamboo/linnen (or palm leaf) structure). He starts speaking, thanking everyone for being there and sharing this ritual; saying thanks to Mother Earth and some prayers perhaps. He throws incents on the rocks and starts singing songs of purification. He pours water on the rocks and the little space quickly becomes hot and steamy with the smells of incents: in our case the lemongrass in the water. We were not many people in the structure which was nice – that way we could lie down if needed. I usually do that after 5 minutes as it gets too hot sitting up. The earth is nice, cool and ground level has more oxygen. In the 20 minutes we’re in there I face the earth, talk to Mother Earth, try to meditate or just simply feel my body and try to get through the heat. The first 20 minutes are always the hardest for me, so far. We do 20 minutes 3 times, with breaks in between where one can jump into the sea. It was lovely being able to, this time under stars, silvery clouds and the full moon even. Magical. The second time I went in I started seeing the faces of all these ancient Egyptian dieties and also quick shots of places I do not know, from different times; dirt roads, asphalt streets with cars, and other places. I was wondering why I was seeing these things and felt an urge to break out into tears. It helped submerging myself in the ocean afterwards, looking at the stars and the familiar Orion’s Belt.
After we were done I was tired, in a strange mood and really hungry. I have had the idea of getting a veggie burger when coming back to the hostal but I realized, with all the delays, that it was almost midnight. When I passed this animal shelter that is on the beach, the dogs that usually are nice and cuddly all surrounded me while walking, snarling and barking loud. I guess they were protecting their house, but still it was weird. I tried to speak nicely to them but just ended up getting affraid and nervous, as some of them were snapping at my angles while I was walking. It was weird to me, as I had petted them right before the Temazscal with Terri who works there. I was bothered by myself getting nervous as I knew they would smell it. It bothered me so much at last, I made an irrational decision; I started running away from the dogs which of curse fueled their hunting instinct and they started running after me, barking and snarling. I had a towel which I bashed at them several times to get them away and had to run half a beach (which is quite far) before they left me, to run back. I was exhausted, shaken, out of breath and couldn’t believe what had just happened. This was the strongest energetic and weirdest night in a long while! What the fuck.
The next morning I traveled to Canoa with two Canadian guys I had met at The Mud House, the hostel in Mompiche. It’s day 68 now and we are enjoying the beach and sun here. The boys are learning how to surf and I think I’ll go down to the beach in the hot, glowing sun and watch them while swimming a bit. Maybe read Siddharta, the book they both just read.
The surfer dudes Spencer and Randy! – Canoa
Good morning-yoga! – Canoa
Canoa
Mompiche Morning shot
Wet sky. – Mompiche
Oh starry sand. – Mompiche
Mompiche Mirrors ❤
Cuty girl in Mompiche. I helped her walking a bit on the slackline 🙂
El Negro walking
Update from Muisne, Day 62
I completely forgot to tell you about this ancient, huge sea turtle we found when walking on the beach!
It was stranded and we pushed it back out into the sea; Mono/Carlos swimming it all the way further out so it wouldn’t go the wrong way again. It was soo beautiful and incredibly big, I’ve never seen anything like it.
Almost like quicksand close to the mangroves!
The start of the Mangrove. I realized I needed a boat to see more close-up – there were islands of Mangrove nearby in the sea as well.
Pretty fish on the beach, dead though. But it looked like a conch!
The poor turtle ❤
Beautiful creature
Mompiche, Day 63: Tourism
In Mompiche. Here there definitely have been tourism for a while: everywhere there are signs for hostels, cabañas, massages, hotels, surf classes, WiFi, american food and even signs in english. Also there are plenty of decos, colours, and ’Artesanas’ (handcraft). People sit in groups playing guitar while singing, and I’ve even seen TWO slacklines so far! First time here in South America.
I’ve decided to stay at The Mud House as a paying tourist despite of the plentyful help from the American host for finding places for me to volunteer at. I feel like a break now and it seems like the universe agrees; there’s not much work anywhere, or space, this busy tie a year. I might try to sell some photos on the beach and fruit faste for a few days. I’m not succesful in being vegan these days and my stomach is not happy about it!
EDIT (day 65) I’m now in my second day of grape fasting, with cacao+maca in the morning, and I’m craving all kiinds of food! Especially things with fat, salt and sugar 😉 My brain’s a detoxifying mess; I keep forgetting where I put things, get light brain fogs and dizziness, feeling all the toxins getting released in my bloodstream and reminding me to drink loads of water.
Wind ❤
Bookshelf in La Chocolato Café
Little cartoon in spanish 😀
Anyone care to translate?
Deco in La Chocolato Café
Muisne, Day 62: Party and last day
Haha experiencing 1st of January here on Muisne would make you feel like you were in Copenhagen on (any day of the week) night out: People are going completely salsa bananas crazy and beer is constantly thrown on the ground or swept off it. People are surprisingly out of control and it’s actually nice to see, even though the compliments I get are now accompanied with no sense of personal space together with slight uncoordinated touches and spilled beer slops. But nice, because – the before so quiet and reserved Ecuadorian people are now roaring with laughter while falling over each other, screaming along on the latest popular salsa jingle.
Something similar I realize I get disgusted by when seeing Danes do it because it happens so damn often, it seems we don’t ever control ourselves when going out, but here it just makes me happy. Unlike what I’ve seen much of in Denmark, people ehre include their children a lot, carrying them around all night while they drink, dancing with them and laughing until they crash on some put-together chairs in the bar and then the parents party on.
Muisne, Day 61: Happy New Years!
My New years eve went pretty chilled; for some hours I felt strangely malplaced, alone and silly for dressing up as the schedule here is way different here than at home.. Not that there has to be a schedule but I realized I expected one because there had apparently always been one or at least expectations in my mind for certain events on the day. After a late lunch and after cooking for 2-3 hours alone so we I/we had something else to eat than the planned dinner of fish, I lit some Palo Santo, tidied my room, dressed up a bit and waited. And waited. I guess I was waiting for Amelia to invite me upstairs or to say something that would make us gather, but she just stayed up there with her boyfriend Carlos, and his son with a closed door and I didn’t want to intrude. Amelia mentioned at some point that they would eat at twelve. Twelve! But that’s when everyone are usually quite drunk already and have eaten and talked together for hours. I didn’t know what to do with myself for so many hours, for some reason suddenly. When It was seven in the evening I asked Carlos passing by my door what they were doing and if we were going to do something together. He said they were watching TV, and there was no hint of them changing plans it seemed. I then waited, watched three different documentaries and got my hands on a beer meanwhile. Suddenly everything seemed to happen at once and there were people in the kitchen cooking, a fire going on outside, talk and laughter and I went down to be with Amelia and Carlos and the Italian family who also staying at the hostel.
After eating and talking for some time, I’d made a contact in Italy with a friend of the family who traveled with them. Meanwhile the clock hit midnight. We went out on the ’street’, or rather dirt road, and saw the fireworks and fires all the way down the road. There’s a tradition in Ecuador of making a human sized doll and putting all the bad things that happened the previous year and all the wishes and hopes into the doll and then burning it. It’s very strange seeing the heads being sold in stores all over the country without having a clue why and what they’re for. It made sense when I on the 31st saw whole families of the dolls sitting together outside houses, ’waving’. But still a bit strange, especially seeing human sized silhouettes in the bond fires at night!
Amelia and Carlos
Iguana on the beach! Trying to be intimidating 😀
New Years
Carlos A.K.A. “Mono” climbing the palm trees for ‘Pipas’, coconuts.
NomadeSylfiden 
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