swimming in clouds

A story which describes one of the reasons I love to travel:
On the last night at Galapagos Alica and I decided to go out dancing. After we bounced from one bar bc it had too many white people danicng to Cher we found one that was full of Ecuadorians and tons of Salsa. It was fun even though the guys were about 5´2 and 100 pounds wet. As the bar closed the guys that we were dancing with leaned over and asked ´quieren venir a mi casa para tomar una copa de vino´? Translated into English: Do you both want to come to my house for a glass of wine? Translated from male to female: Lets sleep together! I may even have some wine. WASN´T HAPPENING! As we were leaving it started to pour outside. So we kicked off our shoes and started to run back to our hostel. However, as we were running and completely drenched we noticed a restaurant open and celebrating something. They had drinks and food; both of which interested me at the time. It was odd though bc all bars and rests were suppose to be closed. Alicia and I opened the cracked door and I told them in Spanish that I like to celebrate things, too! Immediately we had two drinks and two seats with the group of about 20 Ecuadorians. We talked, laughed and danced until 4 in the morning. The group was such a blast and were so inviting. They were celebrating their 3 year anniversary of the rest being open. I looked over at Alicia at one point in the night and she said ´this is so much better than wine´and I couldn´t have agreed more!

Alicia left on Friday :( and I met up with Laura on that same day in Quito.

Mindo:
I LOVE this city! We arrived in Mindo on Saturday. It can be bestly describes as a forest inside the clouds. You know when you look at a mountain and the top is really cloudy? Well, I am in that couldy part. Everything is so earthy. green and clean. Our hostel is so enchanting. It is like staying in the Swiss Family Robinsons house. To get into our beds we climb stairs, open a trap door, and arrive in a wall less and open area. OUR ROOM! We have to sleep with mosquito nets bc bugs are everywhere. However falling asleep to insects chirping and a water fall bubbling in the background and waking up to the birds singing is so inexplainably peaceful. This morning Laura and I went on about a 9km (total) hike to see waterfalls. Then we walked and did a 13 line canopy tour. This is my 3rd country to do a zip line and I must say that it is tied with Costa Rica. I have footage and pics that I will upload later. The guides let us do all sorts of fun tricks since Laura and I knew what we were doing. After, we walked back into town, drank fresh fruit bebidas and went to a chocolate store where I bought cocoa beans. (Nicole you would have loved it) They are so YUM! They take the beans then toast and peel them. There is no sugar added so it is just wholesome good for you cocoa. Later I have a massage and more ceviche.

Columbia:
I told my parents that I was going to Columbia and my mom tells me that if I get kidnapped to tell them I am a teacher and they aren´t going to get very much money. If you know me even a tiny bit then you know I pull the teacher card as often as possible to get discounts or out of speeding tickets. So if I get kidnapped we´ll see if the teacher card still works! Laura and I will be traveling for the next 60 hours by bus. We leave tomorrow morning at 5 from Mindo to Quito (2.5 hours), Quito to the border (6 hours), the border of Columbia to Cali (12 hours), Cali to Tegenga (30 hours). We will arrive sometime around Wednesday afternoon. I´m really excited! We are going up north then working our way down. We both discovered that we dive so that is def on our to do list. We plan on hitting up Cartenga, Cali, Medina, Tegenga, Baranquilla (Shakira`s hometown) and maybe Bogota.

I dont like white people:
Yes I know `Cassi you´re white`. Mostly, tourists are great company and are facinating! However, I get annoyed with loud large groups of white people. Also I got into an argument today with a terribly misinformed American this morning. First off he was playing Soldier Boy as loud as possible in one of the most tranquel places on the planet. (I told him to turn it off but when I wanted to go to a rave, do a bunch of drugs and dance he and his ipod would be notified). He then interrupts our breakfast to tell us how he is starting a nonprofit here in Mindo and shows us his ´business plan´. Basically, he told us that he was going to get Google to pass out a bunch of lap tops to the very very poor children that live here. And, by do so it owuld eliminate the poverty completely. I told him that giving a poor child a laptop only changes him to a poor child with an asset. He didnt understand that education was the missing link to helping a town. He also said that we should put collars on rabid dogs in town. Yes, bc putting collars on them will.....? Did that work for Old Yeller? Shoot the damn dog! He made no sense. The debate lasted a while but there is no point in writing all about it. He was an idiot and sadly from my same country.

Getting hit on doesnt get on my nerves:
I often hear people say `ugh I hate how men are in Latin American countries´. Honestly, mi vida, reina, amor, and guapa are perfectly acceptable terms of endearment at any given time.

A whole new type of dirty:
In the states, I´ll wear something one day and deem it dirty. When you travel, cleaniness is a horse of a different color. The spectrum totally changes. Showers are few and far between and clothing is worn at least twice before it goes into the `dirty´compartment in my back pack. For instance, Ill shower tonight and then next time I´ll change and shower will be on Wednesday night. Yea it sounds gross but it is perfectly accpetable in backpacker land.

If all goes well then I will be extending my trip. I hope to come back to Ecuador mid July, flirt around Ecuador for another week and a half, then bus it down to Northern Peru. I won´t have time or the patience on another bus to make it Machu Pichu. (that would be another 60 hours or so) sO I will need to come back to Peru at some point in time to visit the rest of the country.

Remember, life should be fun. Yes, a certain level of deep work at the same time. And working towards loving yourself. Finding the tools that aid you in doing this and making the commitment once you have these tools in hand. But all the while, maintaining a lightness of being and the ability to laugh.

I hope all is well with everyone!
Cass