Day tripp´n

It was tempting to be lazy and just watch TV and try to study on Sunday, but instead I was intrepid, finally, and did a day trip. The school charged a lot of money to go to two towns known for their markets - one a real local´s market with mostly fruits and veggies, and the other a town known for its filigree jewelry. But I knew I could take a bus there and so wanted to give it a try. First I had to get to the bus station, which is 2 kms north of downtown, which is probably 2 kms north of my house. so for the first time since I´ve been in Cuenca, I took a city bus. About 1 minute after I hopped on, I thought my bad bus karma had struck again, as we appeared to be stuck at an intersection and all non-bus vehicles were turning around or going down a side street. But after a few minutes we were moving again. While one of my host brothers had said that it would take a long time, in 15 minutes I was at the bus terminal, which is about the same amount of time just driving directly in a taxi would have taken. The only thing interesting about the ride was when a guy got on with a chicken under his arm. Its the little things that remind me: I´m not in America anymore. He was a good chicken and the only time he squawked was when I was getting off the bus at the terminal.

As I passed by the bus exit, a bus going where I wanted to go was leaving, but I was too shy to try to just hop on. Then I regreted that decision when I was inside the terminal and the lady in the office of the company I needed to take didn´t want to sell me a ticket, she just said "go on ahead to the bus." But I didn´t know she said that, so didn´t go through (you have to pay 10 cents to leave the terminal) and went back to try to get a little more clafication. But none was forthcoming so I passed through and stood in front of the bus going to one of the towns I wanted to go to. Buses left for the town every 15 minutes so I didn´t lose too much time being confused. But unfortunately the bus was going to the town I was less interested in visiting (the market) and the other town was 5 kms away uphill. The bus ride took only about 55 minutes and cost 50 cents. I got to the town, headed to the market and spent approximately 2 minutes there. I hate markets anyway and this one didn´t have things for tourists (as the books mentioned). So I headed for the jewelry town. Both guide books I have said that the walk between the two towns was pretty, and I figured that with independent confirmation of that, I was safe. So I headed off, following the buses that go between the towns. It took about 5o minutes to walk the uphill route (I didn´t see anyone else walking). In the second town there wasn´t really a market, just stores, but whenever there´s a lot of jewelry and its all the same, I´m not very interested. Plus I had visions of $6 earrings and that wasn´t the case. So after about an hour and a half I hopped on a bus back to Cuenca. Once there I decided to walk back to the center of town to go by a church I´d been meaning to visit. I was lucky that it was sunny and the walk to town wasn´t far at all. And that´s when I tried the ice cream place. Heaven! Pistacio is one of my favorite flavors that isn´t chocolate based. I sat on a bench in the central square to eat my cone/bowl. Then I wandered home. I was on the last few blocks before home when it started to sprinkle very lightly. About 3 minutes after I entered the house, it started pouring. Great timing! I was proud of myself for finally being more adventurous and seeing some of the surrounding area. I like the landscape more than I did Guatemala´s but I can´t say I´m blown away with what I´ve seen so far. Maybe the parts of the sierra (the Andes) closer to Quito are more impressive.

Another student at the school this week just finished her first year at the b-school at Michigan. Crazy. I leave Friday for a town 5 hours south from which I can take a bus to Peru. I hopefully will be arriving on Sunday morning in Lima, and I leave Tuesday morning for Cuzco and Machu Picchu!