The Ninja at Night

The sick stick together

Half way to Cuenca Christina started to have stomach pains again. She took her meds but nothing helped and there was nowhere to go and no one to ask for help. We were stuck on a six hour bus ride with three hours left to go. Next to us was a couple from Canada that we met earlier at the Quilotoa tour. I think they thought we were a little crazy because Christina was trying to hide her extreme discomfort and there was also that moment when we got to the station and we were standing there at the entrance and they were asking us whether we were going to take the bus or get a taxi and Christina says I am sorry I have to go to the bathroom and runs away. They were just standing there wondering what do I do now and then they just walked away. I was embarrassed but whatever.


When Christina finally returned from the bathroom I called our couch surfer Joaquin to tell him we were here and he came to get us at the bus station. I was a little surprised when I saw him. He was not what I had expected. He had this wild hair, gauges in his ears, and this leather jacket. He looked like something out of an eighties movie. Did I mention he was a ninja.

In the car we told him of Christina’s unfortunate situation and he informed us that both of his parents and his brother were doctors and that when we got to his house he would find something to help. He did give her meds and everything got better at least for the moment. He then told me he was going out because there was a big party tonight and he wanted to know if I wanted to join him. I felt bad leaving my sister curled in a ball on the bed while I went out partying so I stayed behind. Thank god I did because things got crazy.

He left at around 9:30 and he came back to the house at about two when the bars close and came in our room to get his computer. He was obviously drunk because he said a mumbled I am sorry and stumbled out of the room. I did not think anything of this partly because I was half asleep and partly because I did not think it possible for anyone to party any more. Well I was unfortunately wrong. He started playing house music at window shattering volumes and laughing with his friends. I was not really bothered too much by this during the night but when at 9am the music was still going it was a little much. We were up at this point, Christina reading and me on the computer when one of his friends stumbled into the room mumbled something and then fell face first on to the bed next to Christina. No hands out to break the face nothing just pillow to face. Christina had a look of terror and we both weren’t sure what to do. Joaquin came in to find him but there was no waking him and he apologized profusely about his friend. It was fine no harm done. Later while he was still laying out cold in our bed another friend came in and we were talking and we looked down and he was moving his shoulder to the beat like Bernie in the movie Weekend at Bernie’s. It was the funniest thing. We could not stop laughing. He would not respond to any of our questions he just laid there moving his body to the still blaring house music.

Main Square in Cuenca

About a half hour later at around 10:30 it was all over and everyone was either gone or asleep. Christina and I could not just sit around all day so we got up and went to explore the city.

Laura