Alausì! Shout it out of the bus driver's cabin and he kindly lets us out on the highway so that we can walk down the wonderful road to the small town. Our almost last stop in Ecuador before heading to Peru via Machala.
And so that the farewell doesn't become too difficult for me, I would like to use the following story to say goodbye to Ecuador. As always, with a few pictures of Alausì and Cuenca, one of the most beautiful cities in South America.
Dedicated train enthusiasts and members of the German package tourist group. And.. they only speak German, of course. Mr. Cool:I have no idea what his real name is. The Ecuadorian security officer who also works as a tourist information, guide, and a self-proclaimed train expert, and of course, only speaks Spanish. The Ticket Seller: Highly motivated and needs 15 minutes per customer to sell a ticket and can... tadaaa. only speak Spanish. Let the show begin...As I enter the train station hall, Mr. Cool kindly gestures me to sit down as there is an elderly couple at the counter. It will take another 15 minutes. It must be mentioned here that if you ask, Everything in Ecuador takes 15 minutes. So I sit there and watch as the lady complains that she didn't receive a ticket. The ticket seller, by his name, points out to her that the receipt in her hand now represents the ticket. Mr. Cool smiles at me and symbolizes with hand gestures that he has the situation under control. Well.... ok.. I don't see any danger to safety coming from a seventy-year-old lady, but... Thanks! Finally, it's my turn. Well, at least almost, if it weren't for the German tour group suddenly rushing in a bit stressed. The Cathedral of Cuenca is considered a World Heritage Site. Hmm.. actually it's only the guide who rushes in, muttering something at the counter about a wrong reservation, and runs away. Mr. Cool, sensing danger, chases after him. Both disappear behind the tracks and the tour group stands there like a group of abandoned chickens on a raft in the middle of the sea. The city is adorned with many small parks. Enter Klaus and Thomas: While Klaus dares to approach the counter himself, Thomas stands there somewhat awkwardly. The scene that follows is great! Klaus, a bit lost as neither the counter clerk nor he speak a language they both understand, simply says Ticket! Then it gets complicated and he becomes increasingly nervous and looks at Thomas. And where the hell is the guide??!! Thomas rushes to Klaus' aid, and in a Stuttgart accent that is barely understandable even to me, he murmurs something. The visibly overwhelmed counter clerk looks around desperately. Klaus becomes impatient. After all, he's used to a different situation in Germany! Thomas' left eye twitches and they both wave their arms in gestures. The counter clerk looks desperate. When asked which train, the whole group, and that he needs the documents, the answer he keeps giving is: I don't understand Spanish, two tickets please. In the Museum of Modern Art in Cuenca Enter Marco! I like Marco. I met him on our first day. We had lunch with him and had a long conversation in German and Spanish. Now I am firmly convinced that Mr. Cool has shot the guide. He waves at me joyfully and asks me in German if I want a coffee. 'No gracias. un poco mas tarde con la comida! The scene falls silent! Klaus, Thomas, and the counter clerk look at me first, and then even more puzzled at Marco. Marco senses something bad when the counter clerk frantically beckons to him and disappears back into his kitchen with a grin directed at Klaus and Thomas. Thomas runs up to me and asks if I speak Spanish and if I want to help him. Since I'm nice, I do it, and in response to his question of where he has to get on the train with the ticket, I come up with a suitable phrase: 'Always follow your (Devil's) Nose!' Graffiti in Cuenca But somehow, only I found my statement incredibly funny. While my two German friends didn't really understand the link with the nose and left with a sighing Thank you, the reappeared Mr. Cool pats me on the shoulder... and asks if everything went well? Yes, I say, what a great morning, and an hour later, still smiling, I leave the train station hall looking forward to the Venezuelan star breakfast. Ecuador, Love Life!