Tena

Tena was not what I expected, yet fun all the same. Rebecca´s house was not actually in Tena, so really I should say Archidona -- a small town (although large after Las Tolas) ten minutes in car away from Tena. Most interesting to see was how extremely dry it was. We were in "the jungle" and yet everything was dusty. All of the rivers we went to were at least 10 feet below normal, and this at the end of the rainy season. Rebecca and especially her father were very shocked and I think a little worried. When water costs more than gasoline you know something isn´t right...

at the zoo with the rescued monkeys

en las cavernas
a formation in the shape of a cauliflower

a bridge in Tena, destroyed in six hours of rain

Misahualli

Making Chicha de yuca, a beverage in Ecuador commonly fermented with the aid of the maker´s saliva

A taste of Chicha (made without mastication)

Vessel used in the making

Water damage/level

Monkeys run wild in Misahualli

Back to the fast-paced life

Today I left Las Tolas with much sadness. I actually cried when I was hugging Amparo goodbye. Funny how I cried at first because I wished to leave, and cried at the end because I felt like I could live there for the rest of my life. I seriously considered (and am still considering) saying ¨screw sight-seeing¨and staying in Las Tolas until the day of my flight.

Tonight I´m in Quito with Rebecca, the girlfriend of my Las Tolas family´s employer. Tomorrow I will go with her to Tena (the amazonian jungle baby!) for a few days. After that I haven´t decided exactly where I´m headed, but it will probably be Baños.

My Las Tolas Family
Daniel, me, Justo, Amparo, Juan, Jenny, Edy, Sebastien
(it was late at night, they usually never stop smiling)