Read about our first week in Villanueva Villanueva - Week 2 During our second week in Villanueva, our volunteering schedule was shuffled around a bit. The director decided that she wanted Dennis, the writing expert, to focus on teaching written English to the older students, who are only at the main campus. And she wanted … Continue reading Kicking Back in Villanueva
Tag: nature
Monkeying Around in Puyo
Puyo, Ecuador turned out to be a bit of a disappointment -- at least as far as the city itself. We didn't see why anyone would recommend going there except for nearby attractions. Like the Amazon -- Puyo is the closest jumping off place to tour the jungle; even the tours leaving from Baños go through … Continue reading Monkeying Around in Puyo
Baños to Puyo
After our session of Performing and Poetry in the park, we jumped in an Uber and headed over to the bus terminal on the east side of Ambato. Destination: Return to Baños de Agua Santa Sunrise in Ambato, Volcan Tungurahua in the distance Our return trip to Baños involved two little lessons about the importance … Continue reading Baños to Puyo
Pailon del Diablo, Ecuador
Wrapping up our two-night stay in the resort town of Baños, we decided that the one thing we really wanted to do before heading back "home" to Ambato was to tour Pailon del Diablo (The Devil's Cauldron), a reputedly awe-inspiring waterfall a few miles out of town that many of our students had mentioned was … Continue reading Pailon del Diablo, Ecuador
Layover in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala
Originally, we'd planned to spend 4 nights in San Pedro at the home of our rescuer Rene, which would get us through New Year's Day, and then we'd have more options about where to go until our next gig. But we soon developed such a fondness for San Pedro, Rene's home, and Rene himself, that … Continue reading Layover in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala
A Weeklong Introduction to Lake Atitlan
With a week to spend at an Airbnb in Santa Cruz la Laguna on Guatemala's Lake Atitlan, we had a chance to absorb the local color, which is a vibrant blend of trendy establishments catering to tourists and ex-pats, as well as a traditional native lifestyle, with a strong Mayan presence. And of course incredible … Continue reading A Weeklong Introduction to Lake Atitlan
Seeing Cenotes!
Fri. Nov. 26, 2021 When visiting Yucatan, chances are you might want to visit one of its fine beaches. But you can also have a great time in the water, and see some geological wonders to boot, farther inland at the cenotes. What are cenotes? They are sinkholes connected to underground water -- deep pits … Continue reading Seeing Cenotes!
Tooting Your Own Horn
You rarely even see an alphorn, much less hear them played. And more rarely still do you have a chance to play one yourself. Head over to our new blog post to find our how to toot one yourself in the Sierra Nevada "Alps".
Wild Horses and Talking Rocks
https://youtu.be/RDkiePf44LY A short video of our friendly "neigh"bors in Silver Springs, NV Do rocks talk? Yes, but the problem is nobody knows exactly what they're saying. Petroglyphs, left by Native Americans many centuries ago, are etchings on rock that seem to be conveying some kind of important message for future generations. Unfortunately, they forgot to … Continue reading Wild Horses and Talking Rocks
Getting Out in the Reno Area
We've been holed up in Nevada, mostly in the Reno area, waiting out the pandemic. And waiting, and waiting. But even while a lot of businesses are closed, including our own, we've avoided going stir crazy by getting out to do some social-distancing hiking and exploring in the great outdoors. Who Dat? Right in Reno, … Continue reading Getting Out in the Reno Area