I think Europe is very romantic. I liked visiting Germany two years ago, but I felt lonely a lot because it's just so romantic. In my opinion, the best was to experience Europe is with a love.
Well, La Cumbrecita is a very European town. It was like being in old fashioned Germany. Very cute, very touristy, very family-oriented, very…romantic. I’m sola-don’t want to be around love-stuff at this time. No thanks hombre.
So I felt lonely a bit while I walked around the town. I also missed my family more than normal. I think it’s because my ancestors (like many people’s ) were from Europe and it makes me think of my home. My mom’s yummy saurkrout (it’s from a can, but that’s not the point).
After rappelling, we started to walk back to town. Then the guia stopped.
What’s going on? He pointed to the sky and said a whole bunch of Spanish words, quickly.
I got the point and sat.
10 minutes later, the sun set over the mountains. Beauty. Pure, natural, God-made beauty. Nothing can top it.
When I finally got back to town, it was getting dark quickly. I am a mujer and sola. Not safe. So I started wondering around looking for the hostel. There was only one in the whole town, so I knew it couldn’t be too hard to find…I was wrong. A little over one hour later, I climbed on the top bunk (two other girls from Buenos Aires where staying in my room too). I could have fell asleep at that point, but my stomach wouldn’t let me.
Ugh. Mad, I sat up in my bed. Why do I always have to be hungry when I'm tired?
I jumped off of the top bunk (no ladder of course). I unzipped my backpack and pulled out a can of tuna. I didn't have much money left over from both rappelling and the hostel. This will have to do. I schlepped into the kitchen and rummaged around for a can opener. No hay.
They had something similar to a can opener. Actually, it's really not similar, but I figured it out (after 45 minutes of trying and spilling fish juice on my pants...lovely). As I ate, I thought about what I was going to do the next day. I couldn't do much without dinero. I'd walk around town (about two hours of walking and seeing the cool stuff that everyone sees here) and then I guess I'd go home. I was a little bummed because I wanted more adventure, but it just wasn't meant to be.
On my way back to my room, I glanced at the coffee table. It had piles of brochures on it. I couldn't see well (the lights didn't work), so I picked up a brochure. A small piece of paper fell out of it and into my other free hand.
God works in mysterious ways...
A free admission ticket to a theme park literally fell into my hand.
The next morning I bounced out of bed with a spring in my step! I'm blessed!
I walked around town and avoided all the shops like a plague. With my map, I visited the waterfalls and other "touristy" spots. Then I headed toward the theme park. It's winter here, so it was pretty dead at the park. There wasn't much to do, but they did have a map for people who wanted to trek.
I knew it wasn't the safest thing to do, but I am not going to live my life too scared to take chances. There's too much that is missed when people do that. So I trekked in the forest of the sierras for about 1.5 hours ( I walked fast) and caught a bus home (just in the knick of time).
Overall, it was a great weekend! I spent a lot of time alone, but I made friends (my roomates) and God was definatly with me the whole time. I could feel Him. So I guess I really wasn't alone was I?
besos.
