Playas

               6 am waiting for the bus

We are now on the coast if Playas. Our journey here was hot, long and confusing.  The bus rode through the Andes mountains, which are absolutely breath taking. We were as high as the clouds and slowly wound our way down to Guayaquil a big, dirty, tough city in the south, where we needed to take our connecting bus, to the coast.

 The station was what  jay would call, " a shit  show".  There was a swarm of unfriendly faces, smiles hiding behind neutral expressions. We were the only gringos (foreigner) in the crowd, like 5 fish, lost at sea. 

It was an airport of a bus station with at least 3 floor levels of buses, coming and going. Spanish is the national language and hardly any English is spoken. So when we purchased our tickets by speaking charades and miming, we counted our lucky stars, that we bought the correct tickets. We were escorted to platform 53 by a man wearing a security jacket, he was the friendliest of the bunch.  

Guayaquil is a place where you keep track of your bags and valuables or you risk getting ripped off. Save for getting on the wrong bus and nearly missing the right one we made it to Playas. 

Playas is a fishing village and a weekend destination for Ecuadorians.  It is rustic and reminds me of my travels to Indonesia with dusty roads and garbage filled streets. It's definitely not your Disney vacation and that is exactly what I love about it. It is real life.   My children are experience a genuine way of life. They are noticing that not everything needs to be polished and perfect looking. There are different ways of living and a great approach to life is living from the heart. 

Zoe and Owen took our travel day in stride, with no complaints. After nearly 2 weeks of travel, it seems like we are finding our stride. Part of me wishes, we had more time on the road. I could do this for another 6 months, even a year.  I would love to show them the world but that is my gypsy blood talking, which I must keep to a simmer. 

We are staying at Chantal's (a funky mama), dad's guest house. It's a great place for us to hang out. The rooms are great with a kitchenette and the kids love the hammocks. Owen has found a love for playing euchre and Zoe has been making clay animals. 

Roger and Carmen own the guesthouse and are helping us with the fundraiser.  They purchased 60 books, abacuses and another math facilitator for the

 local kids.  On Thursday we will meet the children here and a couple of the authors.  It's going to be great fun and I cannot wait.  

 

Tomorrow we are off on a boat ride to an island and will hopefully see dolphins. I love the wonders of backpacking.  It's an adventure into the unknown, and  I am always reminded, that things unfold as they should. 

I leave you now with pics of street meat. Appetizing, I know. 

Merry Christmas

I am checking out of cyberspace for a few days.  Gonna check into reality and the material world. Have a great holiday and see you next week! I leave you with some photos of last week of us wet felting small balls which we will be stringing in the new year.  Love to you, Annie Bananie and friends

 

Christmas stocking

 Here are the concentrated faces of children hard at work. You might remember us sewing some stockings last year that were hung on our seasonal wreath.  Well I had forgotten about last year's endeavor and Grey (above) reminded me a few weeks ago of the fairies who left chocolate in our handmade stockings.  So this year we continued the tradition! 

 

 

Grandfather Sun

The longest day of the year will soon be upon us. I am so looking forward to celebrating the sun!!!
I love the sun. It's strength brings me strength!
It lights up my days and makes everything green and alive!
What would I do without the sun?
We always celebrate the solstices and equinoxes with a celebration
of food and a variety show for the kids.
This is a puppet of grandfather sun that
I am felting for the small skit I will do.

May the long time sun shine upon you!

Felted Butterflies

Children love butterflies with their beautiful colored wings and graceful flight. This is a very easy, rewarding project.

Take a piece of felt (or square piece of tissue paper) and fold it in half.

Cut out the shape of butterfly wings (make sure it's on the side where the folded pieces meet)Take a pipe cleaner and fold it in half

Slip butterfly onto folded pipe cleaner and twist pipe cleaner in place leaving some length for antennas.

Slip some beads onto antennas

Owen loved making his butterfly.

While we were crafting we sang the song:
"Fly like a butterfly, fly like a butterfly
fly like a a butterfly in the sky!"

Once we were done we hung our beautiful insects on our seasonal wreath. The children often look up and sing the song! The wreath hangs from the ceiling over our kitchen table. We decorate it with seasonal themes. It's an easy way to celebrate what's happening in our surroundings and the children love it.