Polonia Ensemble in Ecuador

Day 1: Guayaquil

Day 2 - 4: Puerto Rico
La Barquita
Isla de la Plata

Day 5: Middle of the Word

Day 6 - 11: Ibarra - Festival
Paz y Cultura Para el Mundo
TV Day
The Charm of Cotacachi People


Day 12: Quito

Day 13 - 16: Baños adventure
Jungle at its purest!
Hike to waterfalls
Dance all night
Go jump off the bridge

06-14-2009 to 06-17-2009  La Barquita - Sun, Sand and Waves  Joanna Tomaszewski

    We arrived to the town of Puerto Rico a few hours before midnight. The only impressions we got then were those of a mysterious and dark place, with the entrance acting as a portal and taking us from an outside world of dusty and cracked soccer fields to an enormous bark arc and overbearing and tall palm trees. The next morning would bring all of our impressions to life.
    Awakening to the unexpected were always my favorite parts of arriving at our destinations by night. I so clearly remembered feeling the same way 4 years ago in Lozenetz, Bulgaria as I did when we got to La Barquita, and even our hotel in Guayaquil just a night prior. We arrived to what we thought was an uncivilized town by the moonlight. But by daytime, everything came to life.
    When we awoke from under our mosquito netting and peeked out through the door, the atmosphere was unimaginable. The exotic flora and fauna seemed to be in such peace with itself and with everything and everyone around it. Breakfast was served in the giant ark by some of the most hospitable people we encountered. Eggs and bread rolls- as we would soon learn- were going to be the regular meals of the morning, but we perceived it as an unexpected surprise.
    With stomach’s full and with the laid- back atmosphere of our new haven, we were ready for a relaxing day on the beach. Little did we know it was finally time for the long anticipated surfing lessons that we heard so much about!
    We walked under a hut and through a sandy cove, where we were introduced to Rodrigo, our instructor who introduced himself with a pep talk that we’ll never forget. In his broken English, he told us about our soon to become passion. “People spend years surfing, and the reason that they keep doing it is because after one day, it’s going to hold a dear place in your heart. I’m going to get everyone up on the surfboard, and after that, just have fun!” We lined up single file on the beach and did about an hour of on- land surfing lessons. The only thing that you could decipher from our camouflaged, sandy bodies was our smiles.
    With sore arms and high hopes, we took off on the water. One- by- one, each member of our group stood up on the board. For some, it was a natural calling. For others, it took a few more determined attempts. But for all, it was an unbelievable and unforgettable experience. By the end of the day, only a handful of passionate ones were left. We strapped the board off of our ankles, sat on the beach and looked over the horizon. Watching the massive white monsters crashing into each other and watching them wash away our footprints on the shore, all we could think about was the fact that we were a part of the ocean now. We rode those waves ...and we left a part of ourselves behind with La Barquita.

Joanna Tomaszewski

    It was another day in paradise for everyone in Polonia. Everyone was still talking about horseback riding on the beach and through the Ecuadorian back roads. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating with us, so some people decided to just chill and relax in our comfortable and calming hammocks. With their newly acquired skill, those who succeeded in surfing decided to go for round two. Although the waves were not as big as those seen in Hawaii, getting on top of the surfboard and riding a wave is definitely a great feeling of excitement and accomplishment. Even with the sun not present, the beach was still beautiful and awe inspiring. The beach area had a raw, untamed and exotic feel to it and that’s what made it so great. Sadly, it was our last night at our hotel so everyone was packing at night and getting ready for our early departure in the morning.

- Jonathan Krysinski -