I´m going to post first and then try to add pictures in another post, just to make sure that I get something up.
So last we chatted Clay and I were in Bahia. Since then we´ve taken a little ferry ride across an inlet to find ourselves in Canoa, which is definetly a ´Fin de Semana´place, packed to the brim with party people on the weekends but pretty quiet the rest of the time. We´re staying right on the beach in a hotel called Hotel Bamboo... they are sufficiently famous to show up on google, I think. Apparently the town didn´t really exist until this hotel showed up and attempted to make paradise. Honestly, it looks like something out of a Hep A awareness commercial, you know the one where everything is beautiful and lovely except for the ice, only they use purified water here.
We only stayed one night here last weekend (in my excitement at a good bar and lots of people I drank far too many cocktails and had a rough morning) before heading off to a place called Rio Muchacho, which is also googleable. It´s an eco-tourism organic farm, on which they attempt to set an example for visitors and students (they have agriculture classes) for eco friendly living in general. They grow/raise all of their own food and really have had a community flourish around them by instituting or pushing the government for a great eco-friendly school, a good road, power, etc. They also use composting toilets, and it was quite impressive to see how cleanly and really not gross this process could be. As clayton says, it´s an idiotic method we use, flushing down gallons of purified water with our excrement, seems a little counter-productive.
We paid $100 each (plus $20 tip each) for 3 days at this place and we had a guide the entire time. We made chocolate and coffee from the bean, tried our hand at jewlery and bowls from palm tree pods, went for a great horse-back trip for a day to a waterfall and looking for howler monkeys (no luck, unfortunately, though still good fun) and saw a great coming of age cerimony at the school. It was a really cool verimony, with the elementary school graduates having to kiss the flag to show allegiance. We also came across a Boa constrictor, to make up for not seeing the monkeys. The food was amazing, all vegitarian while we were there, though they do raise pigs. And the cook´s family came visiting on our second night, which gave us lots of opportunity to try and chat. They´ve invited us to dinner in Bahia this weekend. Quite an amazing place, lots of hammocks and relaxation time as well. I came across a harry potter book and devoured it while I was there. Great times, swinging over a river made the book even better, if you can believe it possible.
Oh yeah, they have trouble saying my name here (I guess they don´t want to say something that sounds so much like ´Don´, meaning sir). So I went by my middle name, Alanna, which they couldn´t quite say either, so I´ve been Elaina... add an ita to make it Elainita (little Elaina) and you can imagine that there was some confusion. None the less, I´ve found a name that they can say here and that I slightly recognise as my own.
So we´re back in Canoa. Last night saw our first hot shower in ages, though we´ve been thrown back into the tent tonight due to all those smart people who make reservations in advance. You can´t complain about tenting on the beach, though! Lots of love to everyone, we miss you lots and wish that you could be here with us.
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3 comments:
Hey my sweet. So sorry I missed you the other night, came in just minutes after you hung up, but dad filled me in so I felt "in the loop" and connected to you. I have been so remiss at sending you notes, but you are always in my thoughts. I ran into a women who teaches Spanish who I also worked with for the ESL/HS/RCA program and she was printing off a list of coloquialism (?sp) for her class. Some very strange literal translations I must admit! I am sure I have this wrong, but it was something like "how's your sheep hanging" to mean how's it going. Good for a chuckle and helped me to understand your frustrations at the language sometimes! It is so the same in the English language too!, probably all languages. As humans we do find interesting ways to express ourselves.
I can picture you reading Harry Potter from a hammock overhanging a river and indeed think it would only enhance the story. Thanks for sharing the mental picture with me. I keep meaning to ask, is that your new Alpaca sweater in the pictures from Otalavo? It looks beautiful. I will get on the internet to check out where you have been staying, but must run into town to indulge in a haircut and shopping errands. The sweater Nana had made for me is sewn together and looks lovely so I really want to find some buttons for it so I can wear it now. The weather is certainly cool enough in the morning, but this week has been lovely and sunny most days, unexpected as rain was forcast, so extra enjoyable. I have loads of tomatoes so will get out and harves them and with luck will get more beans if we continue with a little sun and no frost for a bit. Loads of love honey. Give Clayton a hug for me and enjoy yourselves. Wish I was there too, but so happy for you to be experiencing it and relaxing together. Loads of love and prayers, Mom.
you know who feels like a bad friend, me, for not having written you, oh how I love me some dawn, and oh how I hope the south treats you well, I miss you very much and you look so lovely, bubbly and tanned in your pictures. I wanted to aske when you get back cause I coming back out west my love for a little visit and I want to see my dawn very much, and you could never me a bitter old hag if you tried, good travels and lots of love , Nancy xoxo
Hi Dawn - Just read your blog and looked at some of your beutiful photos. Sounds like you are having an incredible journey and getting to experience some interesting cultural "affairs". I loved the photo of the sunset from your dining room table. I gather from your blog that you are over your stomach "bug" and are now able to enjoy the yummy ice cream and some of the other tasty dishes that are unique to the area. Looking forward to keeping in touch via your blog - Take Care - Love - Auntie Mary
PS - We are having amazing weather here - it is supposed to go up to 30 degrees on the weekend and sunny! We are just wishing some of our kids were here to enjoy it with us. Have a Happy Thanksgiving on Oct. 8. Do they have turkey there??
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