Greg's Ecuadorian Adventure

One year ago last weekend, I went to Baños . Surprisingly, I have not been back yet.  But on weekends that are extended due to holidays, such as Guayaquil Day , I have to go far enough away from Quito . Not because I hate Quito... no. I love Quito, but I need to get out of the city sometimes. This three day weekend is brought to you by Cuenca , the furthest point south in Ecuador I have been so far. I really hope to make it to Loja soon, which is a bit further south. The best city map I have seen in Ecuador! Historic Center of Cuenca Anyway, the weekend not only marked Guayaquil Day but also the end of the first partial / making period / grading period. Brenda and I concluded that we both needed to go to Cuenca still, so we booked out tickets a few weeks in advance. That week, I feverishly worked my butt off with planning and grading so that I would have an uninterrupted experience from all things work-related. Cuenca has an impressive 52 churches! We (Brenda) book...

It has been a month since I returned to Ecuador from my summer adventures. Seeing as I neglected to update my blog since Bolivia, I am going to do a little back tracking before I delve into some of my most recent adventures. When I got back from Bolivia, I had a week to relax, regroup, and unpack my belongings into my new apartment. The dry season is real. Dry air, crazy amounts of dust and dirt particles being swept up in the air... and all of this created the perfect storm for an allergy cold. I have had strong allergic reactions to dust in the past... leading to extreme drainage of mucus into my throat and stomach. What this basically does is give me flu symptoms and a lost voice. I was intending on going to Otavalo at the end of this week but I was projectile vomiting from my allergies for a good two days, and was confined to my bed to rest and recover my health. I resorted to purchasing as many gifts as I could stuff into a suitcase at the mercado artisanal at Jorge ...