Playas...Today we woke up at about 4:00 A.M for our drive to the coast. The name of the city we stayed at was Playas (literal English translation is Beaches) and it was about a six hour drive from Cuenca. The drive was particularly South American in the fact that the roads were really bumpy, swerved through seemingly perilous stretches, and there was fog everywhere. It was really beautiful (maybe even majestic) to see the sunrise as we were driving through Cajas National Park. We stopped for a short break after Cajas and then we pressed on. Going down the mountains was the worst part of the trip -- lots of bends in the road -- and it was practically impossible to get any rest. Once we got through the mountains it was smooth driving to the coast. The landscape -- vegetation, architecture, and everything -- seemed to change drastically as we got closer to the beach. We also drove through the city of Guayaquil (the largest city in Ecuador) for about a half an hour. After driving through, I now understand why our program prohibits us from visiting Guayaquil by ourselves (without our families or someone with the program). It just looks run down, tougher, and more prone to crime than Cuenca or even Quito. Maybe we hadn't been to the right places in Quito,...I don't know...but I was noticeably uneasy while we were driving through. I don't think that I will ever live in Guayaquil, that is.
We finally got to Playas around noon (we actually hadn't left the house until about 6). Once we got there, we had a bite for lunch and then we were off. Immediately, I was struck by the differences of beaches here than in the States or otherwise. People just seem to be so much more laid back, tolerant, and joyous here than any other beach I've been too. No one seems to be conscious about their bodies here -- or maybe is that just me being ignorant to subtleties of culture...? Regardless, I felt so much more at ease at this beach and it was the beach of dreams. En el mar, la vida es más sabrosa (In the ocean, life is more rich) is what my host dad told me as we were both running for the surf. I felt great swimming, jumping, and splashing -- as if there was no need to worry about anything at all. Total relaxation. We stayed at the beach until sundown, then went back to the hotel to swim in the hotel pool, and then we finally had dinner and went to bed. It was a strange day -- a lot of new experiences -- but also one that I'll never forget.
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