Weekend 2 A: El Chorro de Ingenio

I still cannot believe I am here. It is as if I've developed new blood vessels to aid in the spike in circulation, my brain is so overloaded with new experiences. Attention every college student - especially Kathy: leave your house. Live abroad.

On Friday night, Miguel, the coordinator of PESANE, invited us for a day at the ecological park. So, Saturday morning, I met up with Kelsey, and Noe, Lisette, Monica, Andres, Hugo, and Miguel, to go to the Chorro del Ingenio. We took a bus to the outskirts of town. Naturally, our first stop was Pollo Feliz, where we purchased the only food they sell: fried chicken and enchiladas. Then, our trek began. We wandered through what seemed like a community backyard, down a long, long winding road, with the heat on our backs and water bottles in our hands. I liked it. This is going to be very blonde, but I really felt "in nature".

After about half an hour, we finally reached the Chorro. Miguel, arguing that he would soon bring a large youth group from CASA, got us in for free. After he convinced the manager, we lunched, and entered the park, walking through fields of cactus. I had no clue that there are so many varieties - large, small, yellow, green, pointy or reminiscent of flowers, many in bloom. There were cactus nurseries, cactus fields, and a garden of rescued cactuses. I even bought cactus soap and cactus snacks. I have lost all respect for the cactus vendors at elementary schools Mothers Day sales. Amateurs.

After a while, we descended to the wetlands, walking across a large cement bridge through the stream. The stream only fills up during rainy season, so there was a minimal amount of water on the bottom. Huge rocks and green plant growths littered the fertile black soil. We continued down a dirt path, and before I knew it, stumbled upon the bank, the same rocky bottom we gazed at earlier. We walked on the rocks, and I was surprised to find myself on a mini-cliff, gazing even further down from my standpoint. A burning desire to get all the way down surged through me, one that I believe also infected everyone else, because that is exactly what we did. Carefully but rapidly, feeling out rock by rock, using our hands and our feet, we descended. Some of these guys really knew what they were doing. I, personally, felt not so much like a mountain cat but like a mountain monkey - and I loved every minute. Risk is an integral component of fun.

We finally reached the bottom, the only part where any water remained. We spread out on the rocks, absorbing the sun, with trees and sky miles above us, as we tossed rocks into the still water. Bloop! Splash! Someone blasted MP3s from his music phone. Kelsey sat still, taking pictures. Hugo stood off to the side, gazing at the water. I was a lizard.

Walking back, I could not believe we had climbed so low and gotten so high.