Well, we are just back from our beach weekend. We stayed in a very tiny town by Esmeraldas, which is along the northern coast kind of by Colombia. The drive there took quite a few hours, but driving through the mountains was really gorgeous. The further out of the city we got, the more it seemed that everyone lived in a shack. That's probably a generalization, but it definitely seemed that way.

Exploring the beaches was lots of fun. Some areas were very rocky... not like there were a lot of pebbles, but rather giant boulders that had developed intricate caves and crevices from the waves. It was cool to climb up rock hills and see what the water had done to these massive stones. Eben took lots of pictures during our little expedition. I managed to slice open a chunk of my foot on what I maintain was a 100-ft-wide clam, but Eben says it was more likely a sharp rock. Other than that, good times.

So this is what I have learned over the weekend:
1. Being vegetarian in Ecuador means eating a lot of cheese and bananas. Sometimes rice. This is why life is better when you have a personal chef to make more interesting meals.
2. When driving, it is expected that you pass the car in front of you if it is driving too slow. Determining speed limits is essentially pointless since there appear to be no speed limit signs on the roads. Passing cars on narrow roads that wind around a mountain is indeed a dangerous act, but still encouraged, even if the car you are passing is a police truck. Nobody seems to mind.
3. Pilsener appears to be the only beer available in Ecuador.
4. If the Ecuadorians are using SPF 50 on the beach, and if you (the American who is indeed part Irish) are using SPF 30, this is probably a bad idea. Sadly, I did not learn this until after I got sunburned on the left side of my forehead. Yes, only the left side. It is beautiful.

I expect to have many more revelations over the coming weeks. :) I really want to start working with Ricardo's mom soon, but since she is not working this week, I have a feeling that it still won't be for a while. I guess it's nice to relax for now, but I want to feel useful! Soon enough, I suppose.

That's about it. The plans for the week include a formal visit to the Equator, exploring museums and churches in Quito, and speaking more español.