Today was our first "free day" for the trip, which basically meant we were able to spend the day however we pleased. Nine of us planned a trip to go ziplining at a place called Cuenca Canopy. I thought this would be an interesting and new experience that would keep pushing me to try new things. It was one of the coolest things I have done here in Cuenca. Having a fear of heights, I was easily distracted by the wonderful views around me of lush, green mountains and small, colorful village houses a town over. With a warm breeze in my face, and spending time with the other students, zip lining was definitely a great option. After, they served us horchata con limon tea and served us a delicious corn tamale. So used to their food now, it was the best snack I ever had. The tea smelled like lavender or some sort of sweet flower and the corn tamale smelled like cheese as steam rose from it as it cooled down. It was the perfect way to relax after the adventerous zip lining shanegins.
After ziplining, we made our way to Piedra de Agua; a spa resort that offered massages, mud baths, pools, and hot tubs. When we got there, it was clearly there to attract tourists; it was simplified and beautiful but typical to something you would see at a hotel in the U.S. We stayed for about 45 minutes and left due to the weather starting to cool down. I've noticed it's getting colder and I think they are entering their wet season. Clouds grow larger and darker every day.
Overall, both places we went to today were hot spots for tourists. Both places I saw Americans, who would talk to us in English and ask our opinions about the places as soon as they saw us. I've also noticed that not only do they speak in English to us, but Ecuadorians try to as well. When I'm with the group, they see causasians so they instinctively label them and speak to them in English. When I'm alone, a lot of people will try talking to me in Spanish. I think this shows the effort and labeling that Ecuadorians do when they see Americans. It'd be ignorant not to acknowledge that plenty of people in America do this as well. I think overall, people need to stop generalzing and make assumptions about someone else's culture. This will in turn, set up ways to communicate easier and not insult the other person's culture, although it may be unintentional.
