A Day at Pululaua

Hello everyone,
Yesterday at Puluylaua was an absolutely incredible day. I didn´t know what to expect because I had very little infomation about Pululaua. All I knew was what Chris told me which was bring cloths for cold and hot and for rain and sun. I knew he was taking his whole family and that Puluaua had something to do with an old volcano that had colapsed, creating a deep crater.
Well, when we got there I found the most gorgeous vistas and scenery I have seen since I have been here. The volcano did colapse creating a crater that drops down about 2000 feet, from a rim of about 13,000 feet. It is completely coverd with vegetation of the kind I saw in Mindo and thought was jungle, It is not jungle, but what they call here a CLOUD FOREST. What that means is that the forest is dense but because of the altitude it is constantly either surrounded or engulfed in clouds. Hense the advise of bringing clothes for every kind of weather because that is what we had over the course of the day. When the clouds were not over us the sun was very hot, and when the clouds rolled in it got cold and though it didn´t rain the air was very moist.
At the botton of the crater is farm land that is lush. They grow corn and other crops there, but the other crops were not planted while we were there.
A friend of Chris´ is building a house in the crater and has the shell built plus a covered shelter away from the house. We had the most fabulous picnic in th bottom of the crater. We cooked chorizo sausages for appetisers, and had steaks on the grill along wth potatoes and vegetables, wine and carrot bread. The kids ran in the grass, and we watched the scenery change minute by minute as the clouds rolled in and covered the area and then rolled out again.
We left there in the late afternoon and stopped at Mitad del Mundo, only we went to the REAL equator, and took a guided tour that was fascinating. We stood directly on the equator, balanced and egg upright on the head of a nail, and saw some demonstrations that were incredible. One had to do with the swirl of the water going down a drain. Whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere when water goes down a drain it swirls counterclockwise, I think. They had a portable drain and moved it a few yards off the equatorial line and we saw the water swirl. They then put the drain right on the equatorial line and there was no swirl at all, the water goes straight down the drain.
It was a truly fascinating tour and I got some good photos.
I was really beat when I got back to my apartnent and slept soundly all night, which I had not done for a couple of nights.
I got up this morning and had a long quiet time and prayer time, and a slow quiet breakfast. I got my shower and went to the catherdal for church.
Tomorrow I will call the language school and talk to them about what they may have to offer that would suit my needs. I get along quite well, but I want to see what they can design that might help be better understand what people are saying, and correct some of my speaking as well.
This afternoon I am going to the park and just have a relaxing afternoon. I went to the grocery store and got more food that I can prepare in my apaprtment. Nothing fancy just hot dogs, frozen dinners, some fresh fruit and yogurt, which I have missed.
In my quiet time this morning I found myself focusing on how much better I am feeling. I am finding a peace in these days that seems to be related to the balance of solitude and time with people who have become my friends and my time exploring the beauty and wonders of this magical place. I really do feel a calm and a healing beginning to take place that is hard to describe.
Physically I am feeling terrific, but the ever present hills and the stairs are hard on my legs. My feet don´t bother me at all which is a bit of surprise, given all the humidity, but going up and down stairs and huge steps and hills is taxing. The sidewalks everywhere are very rough and uneven with huge steps. So, I just go slow, and slow suits me just fine. I have no hurrys and no worries.
Well, Adios again for a while.
Glenn+