Bellavista Cloud Forest Quito

... if they w**e just being nice *r they meant it!

Saturday we all slept in and had a cruisy day. We b*ught a bed f*r Sal*me, and t**k it h*me in the 2 d**r hatch back! I c*uldnt believe we g*t it in th**e...well it *nly half went in and Pedr* was crammed in the back with it....it was a slight f*r s*re eyes. It w*uld definatley been illegal in NZ. Actually pretty much ev**ything d* with driving and parking that takes place h**e w*uld be illegal...again I f ...

... quickly through traffic. The cost was 25 cents each for adults and 12 cents each for the children. The trolley bus was right at the bus terminal, you bought a token from the kiosk and put it straight back into the turnstyle to gain entry to the bus platform. Initially we had some difficulty working out which bus to take. We were told by one person that you could take any bus, so we got on the first one that came in, and so did everyone else who ...

... to be relevant.


On participant observation

Participant observation is a very central concept to my whole field study as I myself function as the exact intended subjects of my study, that being a foreign (non-Ecuadorian) volunteer; I pay the monthly fee of 500$, I work in the projects established by FEVI, I live with a host family, I’m in a foreign country with it’s foreign cultures, I’m racially different than the locals, etc. Though I share ...

... to the rim. Once again, the lungs were at full capacity and the path was even steeper than the day before. I eventually found a way not to slip backwards constantly. One foot planted only one boot length in front of the other and one deep breath in on the left foot, one breath out on the right. It was hard work not made easier when Chasqui started singing. *******. Two hours later we reached the top but only after our guide played a jolly jape telling us we were finished when we still ...

... which is even more ridiculous. Even though our return flight was exactly 14 days away, we intended to extend it so we argued with him and he eventually gave us a 30 day stamp which is still far short of the normal 60 or 90 days that is apparently customary. I was so angry that I figured it was unlikely I would want to stay in a country with people like that longer than 30 days, but as I cooled down in the line to be searched to leave the terminal I decided it was worth kicking up a ...

... some trousers equally troubled by an outlandishly-sized pair of buttocks. This strange creature then proceeded to ask Cynthia where she was from, before shuffling off and mumbling incoherently at other passers-by. Rather odd to say the least!

After a little wander in the park our first stop was Basillica del Voto Nacional, a huge gothic church in the north part of of the Old Town. We decided to climb to the top. This involved going up a ridiculous ...

... expected - but we get to get so close to the animals. Yesterday, we had a new lion arrive at the center. It is an 18 year old lion that was confiscated from a circus due to mistreatment. It had spent itīs whole life being kept in a small cage, so it has problems walking, and was hit on the head and now is blind in one eye. He was very timid when he arrived and we all gathered around to help transport him to his new home - a nice grassy enclosure with a ...

... burned (as I was far too lazy). I am living proof that if you put sun cream on a certain area, writing for example the words īthis is the only part of your back that isnīt going to burn, you lazy ****ī, it will in fact be true. I didnīt have the writing but the sentimentīs there.

Cue lots of sitting in the shade drinking beer, lying on my front in bed and getting bitten to death by mozzies. Another pleasant side-effect of being burned is ...

... to be accurate) and participate in various experiments to show that you are on the actual equator. Pretty convincing actually, a fun diversion and it was exciting for me to officially set foot in the southern hemisphere even though I was below the line in the jungle. Sampled a local village restaurant. The Ecuadorians like their starch! I had this roasted pork thing that came with plantain ...