Well yet and other early morning rise. So here is a groggy hello to all you road weary travelers. With just enough time to inhale breakfast and catch a private bus from Banos to Cueanca. A big thumbs up for the private bus. The group was off and rolling. We decided to hire a private bus instead of taking the regular bus. It was much nicer because we could stop for Kodak moments, Lunch, bathroom breaks and also stopped at the Inca Ruins on the way to Cuenca. From Cuenca we would have spent half a day and 40 dollars to go see the ruins. The private bus only cost 12 dollars extra per person. Totally worth every penny to have a the added convenience. On the way we also stopped at a farmers market in some small town on the way. Lots of the indigenous people out selling their produce and what ever else they had for sale. We were told that the locals here don't like to have their photo take so if we wanted to take their photo to do it from a distance. Now do I listen to what I am told to do. Well, sort of. I only took 325 photographs in the market and only one person thought I was taking their photo. Which of course I was. I just put on the neck strap and held the camera down at my belly auto focus and wide angle. That is the only time you will really see me use the auto focus feature. I had to learn to shoot from the hip in high school. That was the only way to get photos of many of the shy students. I have to say I loved all of the colors in the market. It makes flea markets in the US look boring by comparison. After the market it was down the road a ways for lunch at some hole in the wall. Decent food cheap and it didn't clean out the colon for the next week so not bad. Now their swimming pool, well, alligators wouldn't have swam in it. Back to the bus. With Mario Andretti at the wheel we made some good time to the ruins. The ruins were pretty nice. Not really large by some standards but nice non the less. It was interesting to learn some of the political and racial bias about the locals and tourism to the ruins. Such as how the locals own the ruins and didn't want half breeds working there or giving the tours there unless the spoke the local language. That kind of thing would never fly in the US with all of the political coward ness we have to suffer with back home. That's right not political correctness it's political coward ness. I have to give the Ecuadorians credit they enjoy a much simpler and slower pace of life. Their value of family is top notch compared to the US. They don't seem to measure life by how much crap they own or how much nicer their Escalade is than your Honda. All though some of that does happen here. Over all they enjoy life and most seem to be really happy, poor by American standards but happy non the less. So far most every person I have met has been super friendly and has been as helpful as possible. Back home it seems you more likely to get the middle finger than a smile. Not here. Although here being too nice to a local woman is considered flirting. Oops. I wonder what making out with a chick is considered. I hope I don't have to get married before I leave Ecuador. My friends would really get on me for that. I wonder if they let me live it down for just bringing a few of the local girls home. If Baskin Robins can have 31 flavors why can't I.....
