Ecuador

in Ecuador

There is a bar called Mango´s that we keep hearing from pèople to check it out. They will not say much about it so now you want to go even more. We get back to the Pit Stop hostal, and a few others from there have gone to Mangos so we are going to meet them there. Paul the Pit Stop owner calls his Cab driver friend who comes and gets us. Cabbie and his friend drive us past Mangos, when we mention something they say no that is no good we take you to the other Mangos. Hmm? so we pull into a very sketchy neighborhood, and drive in circles, Cabbie looks back at us and motions if we would be so inclined to purchase some cocain or perhaps a girl or two. No Gracias, just to Mangos please. we pull over and all get out of the cab. Cabbies friend gives the hand signal to me that i take as, stick with your friend and stick close to us. We get to the doorway of what we are suposed to think is Mangos II. The door man grabs cabbies wrist and shines a blue light over it, then he does the same with the other wrist. We are imediatly declined, Cabbie makes him look again, I am waiting to see an invisible stamp or something. Nope what shows up is a small little scar across one of the veins on the underside of his left wrist. Instant access. They frisk Christain and i and say ´Gringos, Much denero´ Like if the scar was not enough, this line makes me think ´Naahhh!! it is time to go, but we don´t instead we are ushured inside and down stairs to a load non whitey filled bar with half naked girls lying on the glass bars and tables. We try and order a beer and end up with a $35 bottle of crappy rum. Christian is a little more drunk than i, so i know i want to leave, but he still thinks that we are in Mangos and wants to go and look for the guys from the hostal. I pour Christian a drink and tell Cabbie and his buddy that we appreciate what he is trying to do for us, but we really just want to go to Mangos. He gives me a look like ´Mangos sucks´ after driving past it i think he is right. so back to Mangos we go, bottle of rum and drink in hand. We get to Mangos, and i can tell right off the bat that i do not want to be there. $15 to get in and $8 beers. Christian is determined so i pay Cabbie and give him and extra $2 and ask him to wait 5 or so minutes, cause i know when i go in i am going to want to come right back out. It is like a cross between Urban Cowboy, Sams Town on the way to Lake Tahoe and some really cheesy vegas casino. I hate it, We order a beer, find the people Christian wanted to meet, and now i am so over it that i just want to leave. Christian makes me stay 10 then 20 more minutes. I tell him i am feeling dizzy and sick, which is true. I secure i safe chaperone for Christian leave him with just enough Pesos for one more overpriced beer and a taxi ride home, and i am out of there!

In Quito now, it is like a dumpy Colombia, i see a lot of streets that look like the icky areas of San Jose or Crows Landing RD. if there were more pigs, cows, and stray dogs roaming around. The Colombia folk are fair skinned and very good looking, now here in Ecuador they are darker more Andes type folk, short old men with hunched backs wool ponchos and 40´s style hats, and leather shoes. People are still just as friendly as we encounterd through out Colombia. We have been on the bus for 26 hrs. with a little time at the border. We decided to get off in Quito for a few house so that we do not end up in Guayaquill at 2am, it is said not to be the safest place after dark. So instead we will either take a late bus from Quito or see about flying to the islands from here. A distant friend of mine Michelle, ´Girl´to others is flying into Quito tonight on here way to the islands, so we will hook up with her here or there.
and no Karen i have not tried guinnie pig yet, but i will.