Thursday, August 8, 2013

Ecuador DAY FIVE/SIX July 26, 2013

Day 5 became a half-day, and our team took off the afternoon to venture down the slope to the town of Tena. We knew that Day 6 would be a recreation day, so we went down early to get some warmer air and a perspective from the lowlands level of the Amazon basin, approximately 1800 feet in elevation. Much to our chagrin, when we reached Tena it was still pouring rain and the river was nearing flood level. Nonetheless, we were happy to be in new surroundings and to see another part of the Andes region. When we got out of the three pickup truck taxis, we dodged raindrops and 13 of us checked in to the Hostal Loren's.






After settling in, we walked the town in the rain and later settled into a local pizzeria for a family-style dinner. After devouring pizza (it was pretty good), a few of us walked around Tena some more. We even went to a sports court and looked for moths in the rain... I truly must have a new appreciation for these little winged critters!



The following morning (Day 6), we loaded up 3 more pickups and set out on an expedition to Misahualli, where we piled into a 20-person boat, powered by an outboard motor, and set off down the Rio Napo to an Amazonian museum and zoo. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the native plants, animals, and people of the Amazon. When we returned to Misahualli, we disembarked and were entertained by some wild monkeys who live in the town, forage, and interact with local stray dogs. One was even grooming a stray dog (who seemed to love the attention)! Crazy.


 



 

 

 

 

 


  




After Misahualli, we drove to an area called Lagunas Azul and enjoyed a delicious Andean Quichua meal of mito, tilapia cooked on a grill in a banana leaf, and yucca. Then, some of us frolicked in the cool, natural pools while others hiked the local hills, admiring a vast array of butterflies.







 




By 5 p.m. we were back en route to Cosanga and the Yanayacu Biological Station where we unwound from our 1.5-day recreation... and a harried ride up the Andes as our drivers passed trucks in the limited visibility of curves, darkness, and thick fog. It was good to be "home" safe.

QUESTION: Doesn't this recreation day beat staying indoors with an XBox and some Cheetos?

41 comments:

  1. Yes, because I like it outside more because there are more things to do, and I love nature. It is bad to play video games all day and eat unhealthy foods.

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  2. First of all, I don't have an x-box and I don't have chips,(any kind), at my house. But I really love the outdoors because I get to stretch my legs and explore. Catching bugs are also cool like spiders and bees. I also made a rose beetle and a black widow fight once and the rose beetle won! It was cool!!!

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  3. I think the recreation day beats staying indoors and doing unhealthy activities. I think the outdoors are way better than indoors because in the outdoors, you can explore and discover many NEW plants and animals. It is also great for the human body to receive sunlight during the day and to get up and walk around.

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  4. I think the recreation day is 100% better than a day playing Xbox. The thing i like doing when being outdoors is exploring!

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  5. SEBASTIAN M.

    Even though I enjoy playing video games I would rather go to the outdoors. Based on the pictures that looks like a lot of fun.

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  6. JANE W.

    I think the recreation day beats way more than staying indoors playing on the XBOX and eating unhealthy foods because outside there is so many things to do like you can exercise, explore the nature and many more.

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  7. CHLOE S.

    I think that going outside is better than playing on electronics all day because outside you get to enjoy nature, fresh air, exercise, and you get to run around and play sports which is way better than just sitting home all day eating and staring at a moving screen.

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  8. Going outside and spending time actually running around or playing catch is much better for your physical health than any video game. I do have to say that it has been shown that video games can do things like improve eyesight, relieve anger, and some games even making you smarter with puzzles. These points don't help me prove anything because I would definitely prefer playing outside, especially what you are doing which looks awesome!

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  9. The day of recreation definitely beats wasting time indoors playing XBOX and eating unhealthy foods. I love to explore the outdoors and go camping, hiking, and fishing. I very much enjoy fishing both rivers and lakes with my dad and grandfather. Breathing the clean air and checking out the animal and plant life in the mountains is also a lot of fun.

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  10. NICHOLAS Y.

    I think that reaction day beats sitting in front of a screen while playing Xbox and eating Cheetos. I think reaction day is better because when you go outside you can do alot more things such as play sports, explore the environment, or spend time with your friends. I also think it is better because you shouldn't play too much video games or eat too much chips. Playing too much video games can cause you to have poor communication skills since there is minimal interaction with other people. There has also been studies stating that playing too much video games is creating a generation of kids with very poor social skills. Eating Cheetos is also not good for a healthy nutritional diet. Eating healthy foods can stimulate the brain. These are all the reasons why I think reaction day is better than sitting in front of a screen and eating Cheetos.

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  11. ZOE W.

    Recreation day beats staying indoors with an XBox and chips by a land slide. Going outside and exploring is so important and is way more fun than staying indoors. Staying outside is so important and gives everybody a chance to discover something.

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  12. ALEX W.

    I think the recreation day beats being a couch potato, watching Xbox, and eating cheetos beacuse people need to get fresh air and explore new species. AND WE NEED TO BE HEALTHY!

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  13. NICK M.

    I love playing video games. I also like exploring the outdoors. The outdoors is better though because you could get exercise and learn new things instead of gaining weight.

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  14. Recreation day is totally better than sitting inside, playing XBOX and eating unhealthy snacks. Going outside and engaging with the world, allows you to stay healthy, discover new places, meet new people, and can help you stay young at heart.

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  15. I definitely think that the recreation day beats staying indoors playing XBox and eating Cheetos because there is so much life outside rather than inside and you can do so many fun activities rather than lying around indoors doing nothing. You can even just grab a book and sit outside and explore the area.

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  16. Video games are great and all, but I think I would prefer to be outside on recreation day then to be staring at a screen the whole day.

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  17. BROOKE B.

    I think exploring nature is more fun than staying indoors and playing video games and eating junk food. Exploring the wilderness is very fun and I love to play with water so I would really enjoy a day like the one in Ecuador.

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  18. ALEXANDER R.

    Yes, because seeing the great outdoors and smelling, feeling, and tasting all of the things outside can make you happy and feel better. Also it is healthier to be outdoors than sitting inside and eating junk food and playing video games.

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  19. KALEN A.

    Being in doors can be fun but I would rather be out side having fun and doing fun stuff than stare at a screen all day.

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  20. Deffinatly because along with having fun you also get excersize which everyone needs.

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  21. I think it's better to be outdoors playing rather than indoors playing video games because there are so many more things to do outside. The outdoors has so much more to offer than a TV and an XBOX. Also playing on an XBOX can become very boring. Plus you need exercise and you can't get that playing XBOX.

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  22. I love to be outside like everybody else said, I would rather take a bunch of field trips everyday and go to new places than sit at a desk or play XBOX. I feel that you can remember more when you experience different places and expand your knowledge. For example, when I go to Greece and visit the ancient ruins I feel that I can remember more because Im actually there.

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  23. It is definitely better to be outside than being inside to play video games. On the xbox people play NBA 2K14, why play it there when you can do that outside. why have Cheetos which are orange when you can have an actual orange. When you play xbox you get upset because you lost the game and your team becomes worse, where as in the outdoors you can loose the game and still be good and have fun. When your inside you aren't active, but when your outside your active and healthy.

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  24. This day would definitely beat sitting around eating chips and watching t.v or playing xbox because of many reasons. First of all, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it has so much to offer. Also, This is keeping you active and healthy while playing xbox gets you fat and out of shape. Lastly, I love being out doors and it would be so much fun to do something like this.

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  25. Going outside is much better and healthier than playing video games and eating junk food. Being outdoors lets you explore new places and animals, but lying around all day could be very bad for your physical health. Going outside, especially in a place like Equador, is much more beneficial for you. Like Joanna said, why would you play a sport virtually when you can just walk outside and play!

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  26. I think that going outside is better than playing video games because it lets you have knowledge about animals and plants outside and it is good for your body. It's also good to play outside instead of playing video games inside because it gets you into shape and healthy.

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  27. Going outside and running around is better for you then sitting on a couch eating Cheetos (which I don't like) and playing video games or watching TV. I would be fine with either but I would rather be outside exploring than stuck inside.

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  28. Going outside and getting fresh air is so much better then being a couch potato. I would rather spend my time outdoors and be wit nature then sitting on a couch and eating unhealthy foods. It is also so much healthier to eat fruit and vegetables and run around outside then doing nothing.

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  29. I definitely think that a day outside beats sitting around playing video games and eating unhealthy foods. When you go outside there is so much more to do and it is much healthier to be outside in the fresh air than inside lounging on a couch.

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  30. Even though I like playing video games I still think that the recreation day is better because instead of being stuck indoors you could go outside and explore and have a good time.

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  31. LIZA B.

    I don't play Xbox and I'm not a big fan of Cheetos. I think reaction day is great! Though Im not an outdoor person because of my have fever and my poor sports' skills. I have a lot of allergies, I'm not an animal person because I secretly fear some of them, and I don't really like any sports except for dance. However, I see your point and I indeed would rather be outside than play boring video games and eat junk food.

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  32. COLE T.

    I don't play video games very often. But Recreation day is better than playing video games and eating chips, because you can actually explore and learn new things rather than sitting while playing video games and eating chips and not getting much accomplished besides gaining weight and beating a game.

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  33. RYAN H.

    Yes, but i believe once and a while you like to relax form a hard day at school and its easier to play x-box, though being outdoors and active is also nice to be able to play the stress away with football or swimming. Honestly i like them both (though i don't like cheetos rather have strawberries)

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  34. TAYLOR H.

    I like being outside more and it totally beats indoors, because of the fresh air. Also cheetos are unhealthy and why eat those and play video games all day when you can be out side with a healthy snack that is good for your body.

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  35. WESTON J.

    I would rather spend time outside rather then staying inside because then I can be a healthy person. I think that a person would feel better if they spent more time outdoors and they would feel happier.

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  36. STUDENTS,
    Thank you. This blog post closed at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 2.

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  37. I would go outside because it's better to be active and it's interesting to explore then just sit and eat.

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  38. I like to play PlayStation, but being outdoors is a lot more fun. Outside you can look for bugs and roll in the grass or play some hoops.

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  39. As much fun as it is to play video games and eat Cheetos, it's a lot more fun to go outside and play in the sun. Plus its a great way to keep your self in shape and active.

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  40. Yes, well for me at least. I think it's better to go outside than to do things that will just waist time.

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  41. YES!!!!!!! I love the outdoors it is so much fun to hike and play in the wilderness!!!!

    jack

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