This holiday season it definitely has not felt like Christmas is here.  This is my second year spending Christmas in Ecuador.  Last year it actually felt like Christmas because I spent it in Quito with an Ecuadorian family while I was taking Spanish classes.  We celebrated with presents and with a dinner with the whole family.  It helped me get through the holiday season.  This year is just not the same.  I returned late last night from Vilcabamba.  It was over 12 hours of traveling by bus and lots of waiting.  Now I am back in Guayaquil.  The sun is shining and it's pretty warm.  Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing.  I miss my family, the snow, the Christmas food, and the Christmas spirit.  I'll in Guayaquil Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then the 26th I leave for the Galapagos.  I am excited, but at the same time missing home.  It feels like a really delayed home-sickness.  I'm not sure what to do . . . go for a bike ride, swim?  None of which are Christmasy at all.  I think I will settle for finding the most Christmasy DVD I can find and hope for Skyping with the family.  Here are some pictures and videos from the last day in Vilcabamba.  You can tell I was getting a bit bored or going a bit crazy by some of the photos.  I ended up completing the same hike as the previous day.  I wanted to do it again to go by myself this time and stop on the ridge line to pass some time reading and just appreciating the view and life in general.

Day two was just as satisfying as the first.  Today's hike was much better than yesterday's, although I can't complain about yesterday's either.  Early on the trail I met a French girl who did the hike with me.  It was a bit more difficult hike, with more uphill sections and two ridge line walks.  The views were even better than yesterday's trail.  The hike was meant to take five hours, but we finished it in three.  The last hour or so had us come off the ridge line and down to a river bed.  This was my least favorite part of the hike.  It was riddled with barbed wire fence and trash in spots.  My hiking buddy even went head first into some of the barbed wire.  Luckily she wasn't bleeding.  No more than ten steps later she ran into a tree limb in about the same spot on her head.  Unlucky day, but she was fine.  It was really hot at the start of the hike and cooled down the higher we got with the help of the wind.  I came back and relaxed with the help of the hammock, a book, and some light rain.  The two pants that I brought with me are now drenched in sweat and caked in dirt and horse, donkey, and cow manure.  People on the bus to Guayaquil are going to looooove me in a few days!  Here are some pics from today:

Lovin' the rural life.

Which one is the jackass?

The valley with Vilcabamba waaaay in the background.

The amazing Andes

Trying not to act scared of the height

Part of the ridge line walk - parts were no more than 2 feet wide

This was my first day in Vilcabamba.  What an incredible place!  The surrounding views are stunning and the whole Vilcabamba vibe is one of relaxation.  I am staying about 2km outside of the small town.  Which means my legs are getting a good workout.  There is a system of great trails into the mountainside and valleys.  Many of them start a short walk from where I am staying.  I gave a trail a try this morning.  I had a great time.  The weather was really nice, maybe even a bit hot.  The start of the trail passed through a few houses on the way to a creek.  I was confronted by an angry chicken who brutally and ferociously attacked me.  Hahaha.  Maybe it wasn't so brutal nor ferocious but I am glad that I was wearing long pants.  Along the way I say a view birds, tons of butterflies, and about a 3 foot long snake (again, glad I was wearing pants hahaha).  The snake was on the side of the trail and slithered away quickly when he heard me coming.  The views were spectacular.  Leave it to me to become a bit lost (even with the help of a good map).  The beautiful thing is that the trails are self-guided and well mapped out.  This was one of the easier trails, so I'm looking forward to see what I can get into on the harder ones.  I think my schedule over the next three days will be the following:  eat breakfast, hike for 3-6 hours, read in the hammock and repeat


My legs are already a bit sore.  I've realized that it is time to get back into shape.  Here are some pics:

View of Vilcabamba and the surrounding mountains from my hostel. Some bearded man in front of Mandango Mountain. Jereminthiums haha.

After 9 hours in a night bus, I arrived in Loja this morning at 7:00.  The bus was pretty empty.  There was only a handful of passengers which was a bit strange.  I decided to try to take a sleeping tablet to help try to get some zzz's on the way.  Even with the sleeping tablet, not much sleep was had.  I'm looking forward to experiencing the ride during the day.  There must have been spectacular views.  The only reason why I'm guessing this is because of the twisting and turning through what felt like rugged mountain roads last night.  I am glad that I did take the night bus.  My body feels a bit off, but I'm sure I'll be back to normal very shortly.  I spent the day today just walking around Loja.  I really like it.  It is really clean and very walkable.  Tomorrow it is off to Vilcabamba.  I'll stay there until the 24th.  I plan on doing a lot of hiking and relaxing.  Here are some pictures of wandering around today in Loja:

View of the city

One of the plazas with mountains in the background Same plaza, different view Not exactly Ecuadorian, but still cool.  I heard a guy talking about them.  They claim to be Apache from the states. Side street market Wandering the streets of Loja Loja's version of a Christmas tree. The Gate to Loja which includes this castle and a bridge View from the castle Take care!