thinking of a dream i had

a photo journal by Marshall Franklin Long. See more of my work here...
23 hours ago
Estamos en Salinas! After our first experience with a South American bus terminal and a 3 hour bus ride, we arrived at the tip of the peninsula where Salinas is located (it is the westernmost city on mainland Ecuador).  The city is a pretty major tourist destination, and we read that it’s sometimes called “little Miami”.  There seem to be mostly tourists from other parts of Ecuador and South America - there are not many Gringos (but more than Guayaquil).  Getting here was an interesting experience.  We got a taxi from our hostel in Guayaquil to the bus terminal, and quickly learned that the lines on the roads are more of a suggestion than a rule - drivers in Guayaquil use hand signals and horns as much as their turn signals to communicate with other drivers, and the shoulder is totally fair game (our driver utilized it several times to get around traffic).  We got to the terminal in one piece without any idea of where to go, what bus to take or what time we could catch one to Salinas.  Every guide book we’ve read warns of the dangers of being robbed in bus terminals, so we were a little on edge.  It took us a minute to figure out where to buy tickets, and then once we found it we had to dodge some sketchy men with pantalones suicios (dirty pants - clearly not employees) who tried to hustle us in Spanish.  It was the textbook scenario that we were warned about so I scurried away while Marshall stared them down.  The huge hallway where tickets are available for purchase has no less than 70 options/windows to choose from, so we were pretty confused but trying not to look like it.  Finally we saw a window for a company that had been recommended to go to Salinas and stood in line.  Once we got to the window, we were informed that we needed to be in the next line over in order to get a ticket to where we wanted to go.  Fortunately that line wasn’t long! The reason that line wasn’t long is that the bus was departing in 8 minutes.  (!!)  The terminal is at least three levels and about the size of a large shopping mall, so we were a little pressed for time.  I couldn’t understand anything that the man behind the glass was saying when we bought our tickets, so we didn’t realize the issue with the time until we walked away with them.  I asked him where we needed to go, and he said the second floor (we got that much, at least!)  However, it turns out that the second floor really means the third floor, which we learned after turning up super confused at the top of the escalator and getting further directions from a security guard who clearly saw that we were going nowhere fast.  He pointed up to the third floor (and said again, “segundo piso”) so we raced upstairs and figured out that the “98” on our ticket meant the gate that our bus was departing from.  Found it!  We were the last two to board the bus, and per all the guidebooks that we studied we had packed everything into our large packs and were prepared to bring them on the bus with us (everything you read tells you not to leave any belongings below the bus).  The bus operators were not having it and were very firm with us, and I eventually had to empty part of my pack to get out the things that I absolutely could not have stolen (money, credit cards).  I held up the bus for ten minutes as I frantically looked for everything (of course the money is stashed in numerous places, not all in one…) and once we finally got on I felt pretty stupid.  The bus line that we took was really nice and we were the only tourists - nobody else even checked any bags below.  And it gets better: Bus employee, reaching our seats at the back a few minutes after we departed (in Spanish): “Sandwich or cola?” Me, not understanding at all (also in Spanish): “We are going to Salinas” Him, smiling (still in Spanish): “yes, I know, would you like a sandwich or cola?” Me, ready to die: “Aaaahhh…no gracias” The rest of the bus ride I practiced how to apologize for being so stupid when we got off in my head. This photo was taken after we arrived today and got settled in at Coco’s, where we’re staying.  It’s beautiful here and the accommodations are really nice (smaller TV, but we upgraded to a shower curtain).  Very tropical, lots of palm trees, and a nice long stretch of beach.  We’re off to walk along it now and try to find the “rustic cabin disco” that we read about.  Sounds too awesome to be true.

Estamos en Salinas! After our first experience with a South American bus terminal and a 3 hour bus ride, we arrived at the tip of the peninsula where Salinas is located (it is the westernmost city on mainland Ecuador).  The city is a pretty major tourist destination, and we read that it’s sometimes called “little Miami”.  There seem to be mostly tourists from other parts of Ecuador and South America - there are not many Gringos (but more than Guayaquil). 

Getting here was an interesting experience.  We got a taxi from our hostel in Guayaquil to the bus terminal, and quickly learned that the lines on the roads are more of a suggestion than a rule - drivers in Guayaquil use hand signals and horns as much as their turn signals to communicate with other drivers, and the shoulder is totally fair game (our driver utilized it several times to get around traffic). 

We got to the terminal in one piece without any idea of where to go, what bus to take or what time we could catch one to Salinas.  Every guide book we’ve read warns of the dangers of being robbed in bus terminals, so we were a little on edge.  It took us a minute to figure out where to buy tickets, and then once we found it we had to dodge some sketchy men with pantalones suicios (dirty pants - clearly not employees) who tried to hustle us in Spanish.  It was the textbook scenario that we were warned about so I scurried away while Marshall stared them down.  The huge hallway where tickets are available for purchase has no less than 70 options/windows to choose from, so we were pretty confused but trying not to look like it.  Finally we saw a window for a company that had been recommended to go to Salinas and stood in line.  Once we got to the window, we were informed that we needed to be in the next line over in order to get a ticket to where we wanted to go.  Fortunately that line wasn’t long!

The reason that line wasn’t long is that the bus was departing in 8 minutes.  (!!)  The terminal is at least three levels and about the size of a large shopping mall, so we were a little pressed for time.  I couldn’t understand anything that the man behind the glass was saying when we bought our tickets, so we didn’t realize the issue with the time until we walked away with them.  I asked him where we needed to go, and he said the second floor (we got that much, at least!)  However, it turns out that the second floor really means the third floor, which we learned after turning up super confused at the top of the escalator and getting further directions from a security guard who clearly saw that we were going nowhere fast.  He pointed up to the third floor (and said again, “segundo piso”) so we raced upstairs and figured out that the “98” on our ticket meant the gate that our bus was departing from.  Found it! 

We were the last two to board the bus, and per all the guidebooks that we studied we had packed everything into our large packs and were prepared to bring them on the bus with us (everything you read tells you not to leave any belongings below the bus).  The bus operators were not having it and were very firm with us, and I eventually had to empty part of my pack to get out the things that I absolutely could not have stolen (money, credit cards).  I held up the bus for ten minutes as I frantically looked for everything (of course the money is stashed in numerous places, not all in one…) and once we finally got on I felt pretty stupid.  The bus line that we took was really nice and we were the only tourists - nobody else even checked any bags below.  And it gets better:

Bus employee, reaching our seats at the back a few minutes after we departed (in Spanish): “Sandwich or cola?”

Me, not understanding at all (also in Spanish): “We are going to Salinas”

Him, smiling (still in Spanish): “yes, I know, would you like a sandwich or cola?”

Me, ready to die: “Aaaahhh…no gracias”

The rest of the bus ride I practiced how to apologize for being so stupid when we got off in my head.

This photo was taken after we arrived today and got settled in at Coco’s, where we’re staying.  It’s beautiful here and the accommodations are really nice (smaller TV, but we upgraded to a shower curtain).  Very tropical, lots of palm trees, and a nice long stretch of beach.  We’re off to walk along it now and try to find the “rustic cabin disco” that we read about.  Sounds too awesome to be true.

1 week ago
5 notes
Another one I shot for the Keepers. Marlon’s a busy dude, so we had to squeeze this shoot in the 10 hours he had between flights. We shot it at his very cool apartment. metromag: At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs. But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.   Today’s featured Keeper is Marlon James, a Jamaican ad man turned author who tells the truth — or at least his version of it.

Another one I shot for the Keepers. Marlon’s a busy dude, so we had to squeeze this shoot in the 10 hours he had between flights. We shot it at his very cool apartment.

metromag:

At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs.

But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.  

Today’s featured Keeper is Marlon James, a Jamaican ad man turned author who tells the truth — or at least his version of it.

1 week ago
7 notes
Yep, shot this one too. metromag: At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs. But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.   Today’s featured Keeper is Is/Is, a self-proclaimed “witchgaze” band that’s big in DeKalb, Ill. (and in our hearts, too).

Yep, shot this one too.

metromag:

At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs.

But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.  

Today’s featured Keeper is Is/Is, a self-proclaimed “witchgaze” band that’s big in DeKalb, Ill. (and in our hearts, too).

1 week ago
9 notes
This one too! metromag: At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs. But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.   Today’s featured Keepers are Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, who are bringing diverse dance styles to the masses.

This one too!

metromag:

At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs.

But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.  

Today’s featured Keepers are Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, who are bringing diverse dance styles to the masses.

1 week ago
3 notes
Shot by me! Lucked out with awesome light in the Guthrie’s lobby. Stephen was fun to shoot. metromag: At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs. But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.   Today’s featured Keeper is Stephen Yokum, who has been in more than 70 theater productions at the Guthrie. 

Shot by me! Lucked out with awesome light in the Guthrie’s lobby. Stephen was fun to shoot.

metromag:

At first glance, this year’s Keepers are a ragtag bunch. Their mediums run the gamut from good old-fashioned pen and paper to the human body; their habitats are classrooms, venerable theater stages and rock clubs.

But here’s where this diverse group converges: Each Keeper has talent to spare, and is an indispensable cog in the wheel of Twin Cities culture. For that, we have presented them with some fancy words, and a pretty picture in an attempt to flatter them into never leaving town.  

Today’s featured Keeper is Stephen Yokum, who has been in more than 70 theater productions at the Guthrie.