Rio (la la la) Bamba

So much to recount, but you´re not going to get here, because I´m tired and a little bit drunk. Plus there is a small Ecaudorian child coughing behind me in a way that really scares me. I think she´s got Tuberculosis or Cholera or one of the white man´s diseases we´ve bequeathed to this country. In any case she might need a tetanus shot, and though my repeated viewings of Pulp Fiction qualifiy me to administer such a shot, for insurance purposes I am reluctant to do so.

We´ve finally left Canoa, the tranquil beach lifestyle was becoming a bit too stressful for us. Now, after two solid days of bus and beautiful scenery, we´ve arrived in Riobamba, in the lowlands of Ecuador. The bus ride offered the first real glimpse of the natural beauty of Ecuador, plus I saw a lot of animals. Sure, they were your garden-variety farm animals (with the exception of a well-coifed llama) but here´s the rub, they were hanging out on mountains and along sheer cliffs. I´ve taken to naming each animal in my head in both Spanish and English as I see them. It´s a little game that keeps me from going crazy after the death of my Ipod in mysterious fashion. Instead of jamming out to the sounds of Public Enemy or National Public Radio, inside my head I am trying to remember how to say duck in spanish. So far I´ve seen a ton of creepy chickens, some unhappy black pigs, wallowing in their own filth, as they are wont to do, many horses, a couple of jackasses (or burros for my spanish speaking donkey lovers), plenty of sheep, multiple cows, a possible goose sighting, and at least seven unicorns. I do have other anecodotes to regale you with, as well as a new book report, but I´ll save that until the child behind me is safely quarantined. I will say this, please add ´on an Ecuadorian bus´ to my list of places I would hate to die. Thank you