I have been in Cumbaya since my arrival, meeting other volunteers and learning more about what I will be doing from those who have been in the program for about a year. The other day all the volunteers went to pappallacta, a place known for its´ hot springs. It was a great time to get to know those who have been in the program for a while, learn more about Ecuador, and of course experience a unique and picturesque area high up in the mountains. The area was set up along a gushing ice cold river. Along the river were, surpisingly, several different pools all ranging in temperature from the frigid river itself to water so hot that it felt as if your skin was burning and you had to enter both methodically as not to shock your system. There were also grottos set up trapping the steam where you could sit and have a soothing steam bath. I hope to add some pics very soon.
Yeasterday and today will also be touristy things that include traveling to the capital, Quito, and to the middle of the world complex. Today was the historic Quito. There I walked the crowded streets with people crammed tightly up to Independence square. Stopping along the way in a couple of very old churches. Myself and three others were surprisingly admitted into the capital building as the last tour of the day. Several other tourists were quick to gain admittance and we all were shown the presidents musuem inside the capital building seeing gifts given to the present president that may never find there way to a public museum. The best part was that myslef along with my own tour volunteer from Cumabaya were getting to know the young tour guide for the capital.
I was happy to learn that the president has a large flat directly above the capital building. As soon as I heard that information, myself and my guide Santiago started to go to work on the tour guide to let us have a private tour of his flat since the president was not there. She refused, however, after the tour ended she asked me to write a comment about the tour and my stint in Ecuador. As I was writing and the rest of the group filed out she asked me, ¨would you still like to see the president flat?¨ I said of course we did, and with that we walked up a flight of private stairs and were ushered in to where the president resides when he is in the capital.
His flat was of course very clean and huge to say the least. Here is the best part. As we are being shown out she haphazardly says, ¨and there is the president´s bathroom, if you have to go, then go.¨ So, eventhough I didn´t, my ears peered back and I replied, ¨Ok, I gotta go!¨ I then went into this huge bathroom with a one lonely toilet at the end of a short hallway. So I did what anyone would do, I tinkled on the seat and left! Ahh, good times.
