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Saturday, February 18, 2006
Slow bus across Ecuador
Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador
One of the problems of not being able to keep this blog up to date
while travelling in remote areas is that by the time I am able to write,
there is so much to tell about. Here are a few highlights from recent
days:
- I did a number of additional hikes with Victor, my Quichua Indian
guide at Shangri-La -- some through primary forest, and some through
secondary forest that had patches of agriculture. On one of these, he
took me to two Quichua villages where his family lives. There, I took
pictures of curious school children, and greeted them with a few Quichua
words I learned, but have since forgotten, which amused them greatly. At
Victor's uncle and aunt's place -- a bamboo hut -- I was offered the
local beverage, chicha de yucca. This, I had read, was made by older
women chewing the root of the yucca plant, and spitting the mixture of
chewed up yucca and saliva into water, where it is allowed to ferment
for a couple days. I knew about this process, but also knew it is
offensive to turn down an offer of chicha de yucca. In the end, I sipped
a bit of it, and then got Victor to surreptitiously finish off my bowl
of the stuff. It really wasn't bad tasting -- just the thought of
drinking someone else's gob kind of made me squeamish.
- One day we did a trip down the Ansu River into the Napo River on two
truck tire inner tubes lashed together. It was very relaxing floating on
the tube in a bathing suit and watching the jungle go by with exotic
birds flying around. The junction of the two rivers is a favourite spot
for kayakers and there was a group of Americans kayaking as we floated
by. Victor assured me there are no piranhas in these parts, although
they do exist further down river. Apparently you can swim with them, and
they don't usually go into a feeding frenzy unless they taste blood.
- After Shangri-La, I had planned to spend a night in Tena to get washed
up and organized, as all my clothes were dirty from the jungle. But I
was warned that a strike was planned the next day that would shut down
all roads and transportation in Napo province for an indefinite number
of days. I was advised to get out of town immediately, while the buses
were still running. To make a long story short, I ended up taking buses
all through the night, and having to walk four kilometres on a dark
country road around midnight, unable to find a place to stay (hotels
close their doors early in Ecuador, and no one answers if you knock). I
ended up taking numerous buses right across the Andes and to the Pacific
coast, an ordeal that involved 19 hours on slow buses. At several points
roads were knocked out by landslides, and at one place there was a 20 km
lineup of cars and buses at 3 a.m. until the landslide could be cleared
enough that traffic could get through. Then there was a mad race of
vehicles passing one another on blind curves on dangerous mountain roads
as everyone tried to make up for lost time. At least there was a big
picture of Jesus at the front of the bus to provide safety.
- Ecuadorian buses are not much fun. Riding them right through the night
is even less fun, as I can't sleep. The drivers blare music so that the
speakers rattle, or worse, they play bad videos. Usually these are bad
Hollywood action movies dubbed into Spanish. On one bus, they had the
nerve to show one of the Arry PottER movies, until passengers began
yelling "fuera!" (out with it!). It was quickly replaced with a more
appropriate bad Chinese kung fu action movie dubbed into Spanish, which
settled everyone down. Although the buses are infinitely more
comfortable than Guatemalan chicken buses, they are much less
comfortable than Mexican buses, which in many cases are better than
Greyhounds. The buses stop everywhere, and average speed, when they
aren't racing down canyons, is only around 40 km/h.
- Although I generally like Ecuador, and find the people friendly, I
have one other pet peeve aside from the buses and the general love of
noise. Ecuador is a coffee producing country, but most Ecuadorian
restaurants give you a cup of hot water or hot milk and a jar of Nescafe
if you order coffee. Yech! I guess all the real coffee is exported.
- On the plus side, there's a fantastic variety of fruits that are made
into wonderful juices. These are surpassed among the countries I've been
to only by Colombia. Aside from the juices that are familiar to North
Americans such as pineapple, blackberry, and papaya, there are others
that most gringos haven't heard of -- naranjilla, guayabana, and
numerous others.
If it's nice tomorrow I plan to spend the day at the beach on the
Pacific trying hard not to think about all the freezing rain, snow, and
miserable weather at home. I'll be back in that soon enough.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Back in the highlands
Latacunga, Ecuador
Yesterday afternoon I arrived back in the highlands after a few days
on the Pacific Coast. Latacunga is a small city that has been destroyed
three times by eruptions of the volcano Cotopaxi, and each time the
residents have rebuilt it. The last eruption was over 100 years ago, and
one of my guidebooks, written a few years ago, suggests it isn't ready
to erupt again for a few years yet.
The trip to the Pacific Coast had its ups and downs, but in hindsight, I
probably should not have done it, and spent more time in jungle and
highlands instead. There were many long intolerable hours spent cramped
on slow buses that stopped everywhere, it was hot and muggy, the beaches
were dirty, and added to that I got sick for good measure. Atahualpa
punishing me for actions of the Spaniards 500 years ago no doubt.
I did get a chance to bounce around in waves that were high enough for
good surfing, and also had a chance to experience the Pacific side of
Ecuador. It seems generally poorer than many places on the central
plateau and many houses perched on stilts sit above festering flood
waters. There are vast banana plantations on the lowlands between the
coast and the mountains.
Despite a bus ride that cramped my legs so much I could hardly walk when
I got off, the scenery climbing the Andes from the coastal lowlands was
spectacular. The mountains are green and rounded -- not jagged like the
Rockies. Cultivation and animal grazing is done as amazing elevations
and on incredible slopes.
Today, against my better judgment, I went on a day hike to Cotopaxi with
a guide and an Irish/Greek couple. I was feeling weak already from being
ill and on antibiotics, and you shouldn't do any tough climbing coming
from the coast without acclimatizing to the altitude for a few days. I
felt dizzy and often had to stop to gasp for oxygen, but fortunately
didn't experience any of the more serious symptoms of altitude sickness.
It was worth it -- even though the views weren't like the crystal-clear
sky travel posters, they were better than I expected, and the clouds
often cleared enough to see much of Cotopaxi's snowy cone. I had feared
the mountain might be completely obscured by clouds.
The snow was probably about 500 metres higher up in elevation. We
climbed at 4,500 metres (14,000 feet), but I didn't need to get any
closer to the snow. I'll see more than enough in one week from now.
Tomorrow and Saturday I plan to check out a couple of Ecuador's better
known Indian markets. Unless anyone wants me to bring back a llama or
some piglets, I don't think I'll find much tomorrow, but it should be
colourful.
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Thursday, February 23, 2006
A trip to Saquisilí Animal Market
(Written at Otavalo, Ecuador)
When my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. this morning, it seemed too
damned early to get up -- especially on holidays. A short while later,
as I left the hotel, the guy at the front desk knowingly asked me:
"Saquisilí?"
"Si," I replied. About the only reason a gringo would be up so early.
Saquisilí is the most important indigenous market in Ecuador, and it's
held every Thursday morning in the town of Saquisilí, about 20 minutes
outside Latacunga. Walking through the still dark streets, I saw other
people headed in the direction of the bus station. Shortly, a bus made
the rounds of the streets, the driver's assistant shouting out
"Saquisilí!" I hopped on.
The market has a section for household supplies, fruit and vegetables,
hardware, etc. It is mostly geared to local needs, though there is a
section of Otavalo weavers featuring ponchos, bags, and other things
aimed at tourists. I was headed though to the animal market, just on the
edge of town.
Things were getting underway when I arrived at 7 a.m. People were
already leaving with pigs or sheep on ropes -- some leading a number of
them. Others were hauling away their purchases in the backs of pickup
trucks.
Watching the people is as fun as watching the animals. The Indian women
wear their distinctive pork pie hats, and many carry babies on their
backs. I was amused to see one very traditional looking Indian woman
talking away on her cell phone. It seems absolutely everyone in Ecuador
has them.
The animals were divided into different areas -- sheep, cattle, and
pigs. There were some llamas in with the sheep, and there were a few
horses and donkeys, but the main action centred on sheep, cattle and
pigs. The pigs were by far the most upset about the market experience.
Some were struggling to pull at ropes tied to their legs.
I took pictures of animal and people. Some people smiled for the camera,
a few objected, but most people simply ignored me. There were a few
other tourists, but the locals were far too engaged in business to pay
much attention. The most amusing encounters I saw were people struggling
to control pigs, some of which were quite huge and had minds of their
own. One young man was practically pulled off his feet when his giant
porker took control of the rope and went charging into an area of animal
feed. Many women led many piglets on ropes like professional dog
walkers.
It was still early when I returned to Latacunga and checked out. This
was one of the clearest, sunniest days so far, and I had good views of
the mountains as I took a bus north to Quito, and then another bus north
to Otavalo.
I'm now back in the northern hemisphere, having crossed the Equator
between Quito and Otavalo. Otavalo's main market is Saturday, and it is
more geared to tourists, specializing in indigenous weaving. It too has
an animal market. I'm here for a couple days, so hopefully can hike and
take in the market.
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