The Carribean Coast

I have one week left of this amazing adventure that has taken me all over the wonderful country of Colombia, and some of Ecuador. I feel that I am appropriatly finishing up at the top of the country seeing amazing beaches and jungle. Last week I spent four nights in the national park of Tayrona which has some of the most amazing geography that I have ever seen. Jungle covered mountains of the sierra cascade right down to the coastline where there is cove after cove of beautiful beaches and amazing rock formations. Currently I am experiencing quite a contrast in Cartagena, a tourist heavy colonial town. Cartagena was one of the first places, if not the first place, that the Spanish landed when they colonized South America. There is a beautiful old town surounded by a high wall. It is hot here and the economy is about 70 percent based on tourism. This mix is hard to deal with sometimes and I am glad that tomorrow I will be on my way back to Santa Marta, near Tayrona, and then back to Medellin for a few days before I fly home. Although I will definately enjoy the last week that I have in Colombia, I am ready for that flight home to Seattle no matter how cold and rainy it might be. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Aly

Canoa

I have made it to a small beach town called Canoa on the coast of Ecuador. I took a chance and headed for a spanish school here that has one on one tutoring and is on the beach. I gamble was worth it and now my days consist of the following. At 8:00 i wake up in my private room and walk out to my balcony. there i lay in my hammock that looks out to the ocean for a while before walking downstairs for breakfast with other the other students, mostly canadian. At 9 i have lessons with an old man named Jaime who is the father of the man who owns the hotel and school. The family, mother, father, grandfather all do lessons. There is also a girl from a nearby town who sits in on my lessons so she can eventually teach them herself. From 11 to 1 I swim or nap or lie in my hammock. At one there is lunch. After lunch again I swim nap lie in hammock or try to surf. At 4 I have another 2 hour lesson, dinner at 7 and more relaxing and hanging out with the other students. I will be here for at least a full week and will likely decide to extend my stay for another week afterwards, before returing to Quito for one or two days and then fly back to Bogota. Not a bad plan I think. I will try and post some photos soon, but it is hard to get to the internet here and there is a daily black out for one or two hours. All my love to everyone at home.