Wow, did we ever cruise through analysis today. We finished the biggest of the contexts by lunch, leaving some small bags of stuff for later. Good stuff.

Even better was the fact that Ross decided to let us go off on on our weekend journey after lunch. So, after some hurried typing to get myself up to date on the blog and emails and a wolfed down meal of fried shrimp, the three of us (me, José-Luis and Jim) were off to the side of the road to wait for a bus.

The wait itself wasn't too long, but the bus we caught was absolutely packed. We had to stand for the first half hour or so and when we finally we able to sit, it was on flimsy plastic stools at the back of the bus, next to the bathroom. We made the best of our situation, though. Jim befriended a small girl by drawing pictures in the condensation on the window. I had a sporadic and halting conversation in Spanish with the woman sitting next to me, highlighted by my showing her the pictures on Jim's camera of our trip along the Inca road this week.

About halfway through the trip, they decided to show a movie. And thus we were subjected to an houra and a half of overdubbed Hilary Duff (one need not understand Spanish to pìck up how insipid anything involving Hilary Duff is).

Towards the end of the movie the bus finally began to empty out. People got off the bus at really random places with no towns or villages in sight - the sides of cliffs, the middle of fields, it didn't matter, that's where they wanted off. Jim and I got real seats (José-Luis scored one a while back).

It was a really dark bus ride once the movie ended. The sun sets at 6:00 pm here (almost exactly, and it rises at 6:00 am), it was foggy out and there were no interior lights at all. It was pitch black and a little eerie. Added to that, they played a steady stream of kight rock hits from the '70s. I really don't know how to describe how weird it feels to be sitting on a packed, pitch black, Ecuadorian bus while listening to "Mama Mia," so you'll just have to use your imagination.

Anyway, after the 5 hour journey, we arrived in Cuenca. José-Luis put and me in a taxi and went home (he lives in Cuenca and came with us because it's an election weekend in ecuador and you have to vote in your hometown). We made our way to El Cafécito, clearly a bar/cheap hostal designed for the backpacking expat set and those into that type of scene. It's functional, cheap, and clean. Just how I like it.

Tomorrow morning José-Luis is going to meet us here and we're going to spend the day museum hopping. I think he plans to take us to a salsa bar tomorrow night, a possibility which, frankly, frightens me a little. Dancing in public is not my strongest suit.

***

Sitting in the bar here at El Cafécito, Jim and I have noticed a number of smokers. That in itself is not surprising. What surprised us was the fact that up until this point we've hardly seen any smokers at all. José-Luis has had the occasional cigarette, but other than that, I think I've only seen one or two people smoking in the entire time we've been here.

On a slightly similar note, the bar isn't serving alcohol this weekend. We really wanted a beer after the bus ride, but it isn't to be found. From what we could gather, the government has forbidden the sale of alcohol this weekend due to the election. Are they afraid of alcohol inflamed political passions resulting violence? Are they afraid of people's judgement on the election issues oand candidates being compromised due to innebriation? I'm really not sure.

Anyway, I think I've written myself out for the day. With no beer to fuel me, sitting along at this table (Jim went to bed) in a crowded room has lost its charm.

Goodnight.