VOLCANO DANCING1

Cindy and Roy Peru Part 4

Cindy and Roy Peru Part 5

Cindy and Roy Peru Part 3

Cindy and Roy Peru Part 2

Cindy and Roy in Peru Part 1

Meow!

Roy and I are definitely bringing smiles to the faces of the Ecuador people. However, usually it’s while they are laughing at us.  Needless to say, today was no exception. After going to a local market for some fresh produce and seafood we boarded our bus back to our little seaside home. While waiting for the bus to depart a young man got on the bus and started to meow! That's right meow over and over like a cat as he went up and down the aisle of the bus. Since the bus fee is predicated by your destination, Roy got his $1.00 out to pay for our customary ride from the market. For some reason Roy thought that the meow' was the guy that collects the money on the bus, so he started to tell him we wanted to go to Playa Azul. Roy handed him the $1.00 and then the fun began. The boy signaled 2, Roy said 2 for bus, the boy said meow meow, Roy said huh? The boy held up one finger and said meow.  Roy said two, the boy held up two fingers and said meow meow and then he took Roy’s $1. Everyone was listening and they all started to laugh on the bus. The boy then got off the bus and came back on with two ice cream cones and a big smile. He handed us the ice cream and said meow meow! Everyone on the bus laughed and clapped. Apparently, the boy had a cart outside the bus, and he was the ice cream man!!! He meowed to let everyone know he was selling ice cream! OMG you probably had to be there, but we were both laughing so hard that tears were rolling down our faces and a few faces around us. Meow meow sure can bring a smile to your face in more ways than one!   

An Ecuador Bus Trip!

All aboard the Ecuador Bus!  We went to the bus station at 7am yesterday morning in search of a bus that would take us about 180 miles down the coast to our next destination. After lengthy discussions in Spanish with about a dozen kind Ecuadorians, we were escorted to the right bus and seated comfortably in the front seats. As our bus started down the dirt road we then kicked off our flip flops and settled in for a long boring ride. Imagine our surprise when our bus came to a stop about fifteen minutes later next to a large group of people on the side of the road. Instantly, with wicker baskets of all shapes and sizes in hand, they entered the bus showing their goods to the bus driver and his side kick. It became apparent that they both received free samples as the price of admission onto the bus. To our delight, moments later the baskets were all held in front of us the two smiling Americans in the front seat. Unlike many, Roy and I have never been geeked by street food prepared in some faraway place under God knows what conditions of cleanliness. In fact, we have eaten some of the tastiest delights prepared by locals. So, since it was early morning, our first choice were two warm corn muffins filled with a salty cheese for 50 cents. The next stop was about an hour later where we indulged in two huge plastic cups filled with an array of cut up fruit $1 dollar. Third stop twenty minutes or so we scored us a dish of french fries covered with ketchup, mayo and a hot dog on top just $1.00. I would like to say that’s where it ended but to be honest…it was only the beginning. In the next few hours stop after stop we managed to have warm honey filled cookies, fried bananas, ice cream cones, boiled corn with cheese, some drink concoction and several bottled waters. We did show some restraint and passed on the stuffed green rolled up thing and the deep fried bread filled with what we thought was fish. Time just flew between courses of food we purchased especially when a man standing in front of us started to sing and shake maracas as his little boy went around with a hat and collected money. Then there was a loose chicken for a bit that had everyone laughing and screaming. But the best was that at every stop a pitch man jumped on the bus to sell some special powerful lotion to keep you young. The men reminded me of the guys selling stuff at the State Fair every summer. Although I was tempted, it was clear from the looks of things that the pitchman didn’t benefit from their products… so I passed.

Most people would think that we would catch a little shut eye on a five hour bus a trip in Ecuador but who would want to sleep with all this amazing activity going on. The time just flew and I have to admit that we were a little sad when we finally reached our destination. It felt like we were leaving a big party filled with really good friends. But the time had come so we bid our bus driver, his side kick and all our new friends adios.

Today, while sitting on the best beach ever in Ecuador, I found myself imaging what might possibly be on the Ecuador traveling bus next week when we once again climb aboard.  Maybe we will even try that wrapped green thing or stand up and sing a song or two of our own! Gotta say we LOVE LOVE this place!