Río Negro

Back in Baños after spending 5 days in a small town of 500 people or so, called Río Negro. The lion was gone. Only a trace of his paws remained. Just weeks ago, having been startled by him, giving us all a hearty laugh, and then climbing him to pose for pictures made me miss his presence watching out over my favorite back yard in Ecuador.

Río Negro is a tiny town just outside of the jungle. Around 400 people reside there. I stayed at the Krishna Consciousness aka Hare Krishna Temple called Vrindavan. Vrindavan is a large reserve of land, nearly an hour’s walk from town.

As soon as I stepped off of the bus, arriving in Rio Negro, I saw two older-than-me gentlemen sitting outside of a local tienda. It reminded me of the old-time gas stations where you could always count on seeing the same groups of men sitting around “shooting the shit” as we call it in Tennessee. Thus, I asked if I might sit with them for a spell. So there we three sat, Olger, mid-fourties, Gonzalo, mid-seventies, and I, gringa, new-in-town. The conversation was delightful! After around 45 minutes had passed, they helped me flag down a “taxi” which was actually an ordinary truck. Somehow they are identifiable as taxis by people other than me. I hopped in and was off to Vrindavan!

The next day, I bathed in the river, had prasadam for lunch, and then leisurely walked the hour back to town. There, in the same place, sat Olger and Gonzalo. “Hola! Buenas tardes!” We had another happy chat, and made a date to play cards the next day. Thus, the following day, I again walked into town, only this time we moved into a local friend’s restaurant, where a felt cloth and cards were ready on the table. Four local hombres played the Ecuadorian version of Rummy for money with a gringa. Such a treat! Surely they thought I was easy prey. Since this was my first time playing Rummy by these rules, I was losing at first. However, Gonzalo passed his good luck on to me, and I ended up winning the most! I offered to buy them all a drink with my winnings, but they refused, saying, “Keep your money! You earned it! We shall have a chance to win it back the next go-round!” And with that, I headed back “home.”

By this hour, it was nearly dark, but that did not concern me at the time. After walking for mere 15 minutes it was closing in on pitch dark, the kind of dark where you cannot see your hand in front of your face, dark. As I began to wonder how many hours it would take for me to walk all the way back without being able to see, and what sort of creatures come out at night to feed on lone tourists at the jungle’s border, a truck stopped and offered me a ride. “Thank you so much for stopping!” He was a kind, young local, and he had been studying English for awhile. I willingly helped him practice, as we slowly made our way down the bumpy dirt road. “How much do I owe you?” “No charge!” I love this town.

Vrindavan was a special place, full of tranquility. Chanting gave me the grounding I had been seeking. Every night, I walked out into the road to star-gaze. The first time I did this, I saw 3 shooting stars in less than 6 minutes!  

Excerpt from my journal written in Río Negro:

Night reveals the glow head of an inch worm that only moves when you shine a light on it. Its’ head is like a glowing grain of sand. Today I saw a butterfly as big as a bird! Pitch dark. Stars blanket the sky. I am alone here in this place now, with only the sounds of the river on one side, and the cascade on the other. In bed, Shiva’s cascade at my head, the sonorous river at my feet. The former president of Quito’s temple is here, from Columbia, and an Italian Scorpio. My service of choice is dishwashing. The kitchen is open air. Like a rainbow kitchen, except with a real roof instead of tarps. The dishwashing station is fed from the river. My first day here I was served it as clean. I drank half the cup. Rats, bats and a cat. He thought there was a bat in his room, and I did not know that “murciélago” means “bat” in Spanish. A light went off in his mind and he excitedly proclaimed, “BATMAN!” Communication is the key, but oh that made me laugh so hard. I miss little Diego turning over in the next room, thus rocking the whole floor. It was comforting. Now I am here alone, surrounded by the breathing of the forest. 

This is where I bathed the first morning. Is the water cold? Yes, very!

View to the right

View to the left

This butterfly landed and began feeding on my towel.

It would not leave no matter what I tried!

Moths are messages

The insects are not bothered by people, and do not scatter for fear of them.

It is one big community of life!

Entering sacred ground

Shiva's waterfall

This is where I bathed for the next 4 mornings!

The waterfall is over 6 feet high, thus that rock is huge!

This day it was raining, so I hung my stuff up
inside of that dark space which is a cave.

This was my view out from under the waterfall.

Find the light switch.

The temple

Temple room

Hare Krishna!!!

See the triangular window on the right? That was my room.

The walk to town

Sometimes you've just got to scratch it!

Crossing the bridge into town