Peru: Cuenca to Lima

Today is Saturday, May 9th. I am scheduled to fly out of Cuenca for Quito tomorrow afternoon, and return to the Quad Cities on Monday. It has certainly been an eventful 10 weeks in Ecuador, but I am anxious to return home.

Yesterday morning at 2:00 AM we returned to Cuenca from an eight day tour of Peru. The trip was amazing, and I could probably write volumes about what we saw and did. Instead of writing one long post, I think it would be best if I break the trip down into smaller segments. Today’s post will discuss our trip from Cuenca to Lima, Peru. This was scheduled to be a one day trip, but as we all know when traveling, even the best of plans can go awry.

We boarded a bus on the morning of April 30 and left Cuenca @10:15. For several of the girls, this trip was the culmination of their stay in Ecuador, and they would be flying directly back to the States from Lima on May 7. Consequently we had to load quite a bit of luggage into our bus. One girl’s back seemed to be a “bit” heavy when I lifted it into the storage area. Her bag became the butt of several, good natured, jokes over the next week. We discovered when she went to check the back for her return flight that it actually weighed almost 100 pounds!

Our bus was to take us from Cuenca to the Peruvian border town of Tumbes. This is about a six hour trip through parts of Ecuador that were new to me. The Andes Mountains in Ecuador tend to be very green and lush. However, we drove through one stretch that I would have classified as being very arid and completely void of vegetation. This was my first exposure to a desert landscape in Ecuador.

Lunch was at an open air restaurant in Puerto Jeli, Ecuador. Puerto Jeli is located along a mangrove swamp near the coast of Ecuador. The meal proved to be a real treat. I ordered a “Chicharrones Mixto” platter. The plate was a combination (i.e. “mixto”) of fried shrimp and fried calamari, and was outstanding. I had never eaten calamari, and had always been told it could be quite tough. Mine was anything but tough. The calamari was very sweet and tender. I guess this only goes to show that fresh seafood has a completely different texture and flavor than what we can get in the Mid-West.

We crossed the border into Peru at Huaquillas, Ecuador. In order to cross the border, we had to stop on the Ecuadorian side and complete some paperwork. We then drove through the city of Huaquillas. This was an experience like no other. The streets were so packed with people, vendors, and vehicles, that only one car/bus/truck could pass through at a time. That is only one in a single direction. The driver, Ruben, had to take turns moving through the streets. People kept coming up to the windows to beg for money or sell us something . Beleive me when I tell you that they have “perfected” their act. They don’t give up easily and can really turn on their “sad” face.  Arvella tells me that this is a very dangerous city. Several years ago their bus had their tires slashed while waiting to pass into Peru. There were times when several of the girls got a little nervous.

Once we got through Huaquillas and were finally in Peru, we had to stop again at an immigration office. We all piled off the bus and went into the office to have our passports stamped. While we were in the office, two men approached Ruben and informed him that his bus was not appropriately licensed. These men had no official standing, but they offered to help him get the proper paperwork filed. There were signs all over the area telling people that all services were to be provided free and that people like these men had no official standing. Despite this Ruben allowed them to intervene on his behalf. After sitting for an hour on the bus with no air conditioning, the proper paperwork was taped to the windshield and we were allowed to leave. However, the two men who “helped” demanded money for their services. They were not happy when we refused to pay them!

The drive to the Tumbes airport was a short one. We arrived at the airport at about 5:00 and stopped at the gate before proceeding into the airport proper. The security guard informed Ruben that he had ten minutes to drive to the terminal, unload all of us and our baggage, and be out of the airport. Don’t ask me why—I have no idea, but when you are in a foreign country you don’t argue with t hem.

The Tumbes airport is tiny! I would guess that it is no larger than a good sized high school gym, and the waiting area is not air conditioned. The parking lot was completely empty—not a car in sight! It was now 5:15 and our flight was not scheduled to leave until 9:30. That meant sitting in the terminal for over four hours. It was cooler outside, but the mosquitoes were voracious. There was also no place to sit outside, and we were told we couldn’t sit in the grass. The next four hours was to be a bit uncomfortable for all us. When we were finally able to check in and go through security, we discovered that the gate area was air conditioned. You can imagine our relief!

As I said before, the Tumbes airport is not exactly a major airport. There is only one flight in, and one out each day. The incoming flight from Lima arrived on time, and it was not long before we were allowed to board it for its flight back to Lima. It was at this point that things began to go downhill.

After about 30 minutes of sitting on the plane, the pilot announced that there was fog in Lima and that our takeoff would be delayed. Not too long after that we de-boarded and returned to the terminal to wait for the Lima airport to reopen. At about 11:00 an announcement came over the intercom that the flight was canceled and that they would attempt to fly to Lima in the morning. By this time we had been in the airport six hours. Needless to say some of the other passengers were quite upset and one became pretty aggressive. We just sat in our little corner of the terminal and tried to mind our own business. Some of the girls stretched out on the benches/floor and slept.

Christina, our CEDEI program coordinator got on the phone back to the travel agency in Cuenca to find out what we should do. The problem was that at midnight the airport was closing and nobody would be allowed to stay anywhere on the grounds. Fortunately Appullacta (the travel agency) was able to line up hotel rooms for us in town (@ 25 minutes from the airport). The airline rounded up someone with a van to drive us into town (I think we were among the few who received any assistance. This was probably because were weren’t being obnoxious.), the van was large enough to seat all of us, but we had to load the luggage on the roof. I sent the girls back into the terminal and braved the onslaught of the mosquitoes to help the driver load the bags. He stood on the roof and I handed he the bags—remember the 100 lb. bag?
Once we got to the hotel, one that advertized itself as being a “four star hotel” we discovered:

• The air conditioning was not turned on in any of the rooms until we got there (remember, this was coastal Peru, not far from the equator).
• There was a disco going full swing below our rooms (it was now almost 2:00AM).
• The hotel would not provide us with any potable water. If we wanted any water, we had to pay a $1.00 for each bottle.
• There was a pack of free cigarettes in each room.

As I said, it was now 2:00 AM, we had sat in the airport for seven hours, it was hot, and we needed someplace to crash. There is an old adage that says: “Any port in a storm”. We took the rooms and tried to get some sleep. Wake-up was in only four hours because we had to be back at the airport by 8:00 for our flight.

We arrived back at the Tumbes as directed, only to find that the Lima airport was still closed. We spent another two hours sitting in the terminal before the fog finally lifted and we were able to take off for Lima. We arrived in Lima about 1:00 PM— 14 hours late. Our tour of Lima was scheduled to leave from our hostel at 2:00. Instead we left the airport and went straight into the central city for our tour.

Some of you may know that my daughter Amy was scheduled to fly into Lima in the wee hours of the morning to join us for the trip. She, too, was caught up in the mess. In her case, her flight was diverted to Guayaquil, Ecuador where they spent several hours sitting in the terminal. Neither of us had any idea of where the other was. We were able to swap a couple of emails, but I didn’t know when she would be arriving. Fortunately our tour coordinator was on top of that. When we caught up with him in the Lima airport, he told me that Amy would be arriving in 20 minutes, so we just waited for her before leaving on our tour.

Needless to say, this was a rather rough start to our trip. However, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” We all now have a new set of stories to tell about the problems of group travel in foreign countries!

Elections 2009

Election Day is coming to Ecuador on Sunday, April 26. It is a major event in the country. In 2008, President Rafael Correa dissolved the Congress and convened a special constitutional assembly, which wrote a new Ecuadorian Constitution. The proposed constitution went to referendum in September of 2008, and was approved by a wide margin. The new constitution required that all political offices be up for election this spring. While President Correa, is considered a “shoo-in” (his approval rating is in excess of 70%), many of the other offices are being hotly contested. The campaigning on the streets has been interesting to watch. People seem to be very involved in the process.

There are several unique aspects to elections in Ecuador and I wonder how much they would be supported in the U.S.:

1. While the elections are not scheduled until Sunday, there will be no liquor sold anywhere in Ecuador after Thursday.

2. Voting in Ecuador is mandatory for anyone between the ages of 18 and 65. Voting is optional for the illiterate and for senior citizens over the age of 65.

3. Active members of the military are not permitted to vote.

4. Failure to vote results in a fine equal to one month’s salary. If you do not vote, and do not pay the fine, you cannot enroll in school or access any government services (i.e. purchase license plates for your car, get a driver’s license, etc.).

5. There are no absentee ballots. If you must be out of the country on Election Day you are subject to the fine for not voting. I know of one individual whose business is requiring him to be in Brazil on Sunday and as a result he will responsible for paying the fine for not voting.

Two nights ago (in the middle of the night) a large truck pulled up outside of Macondo and many boxes were unloaded under heavy security. The road was completely closed and members of the military were stationed along the street. Since there is a polling place next door, we can only surmise that they were delivering the ballots and other election materials.

It will be interesting to see how efficiently the elections are carried out Sunday. By being next door, we should have a “front row seat.”

Random Thoughts and Observations

Volleyball
You may recall from previous postings that there are three things common to all communities in Ecuador: a church, a central plaza, and a soccer field. The church is usually pretty obvious, but sometimes the plaza and soccer field are combined into a single location. This was the case with St. Bartolome which we visited several weeks ago.

I can now add a fourth item to this list: a volleyball court. Almost every time we pass through a town, no matter how large or small, we see volleyball courts. Often these courts also include basketball goals at either end. However, the main purpose of the court is for playing volleyball.

Diego, our guide on a recent trip to Cajas National Park, and I got to talking about the explosion of volleyball courts across Ecuador. He explained that they play a version of volleyball that requires three players per team, and that they are very serious about the game. Apparently there are tournaments held most weekends and it is not unusual for winning teams to pocket as much as $500 per team member.

One thing about this that I found interesting is that the sport is played by males only. You never see girls playing volleyball in these tournaments.

Gripe
All of us seem to be battling some form of the “creeping crud” this spring. Symptoms have included upper respiratory problems, stomach flu (my personal nemesis–twice), and swollen glands. Several of the girls broke down and visited a doctor. The diagnosis, seemingly regardless of the symptoms, has been “gripe” (pronounced: “greepay”). It has almost become a joke among the group. Every time someone coughs, sneezes, or complains about a stomach problem, the reaction is always the same: “gripe”. Some of us are convinced that if we fell and broke a leg, the diagnosis would be “gripe”. Our goal is to get everybody back to some semblance of good health before we leave for Peru on the 30th.

Represa de Paute

This weekend’s trip took us east into the Andes Mountains to the Hidroelectrica Paute. This represa (dam) is located along the Rio Paute and produces a great deal of the electricity used in this part of Ecuador. When the planned system of dams and hydroelectric plants is completed, they will lower the cost of electricity significantly. Having toured both Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam in the Southwest, I was looking forward to seeing if this dam is different. It is.

To get to Guadamales, where the dam and power plant are located is a four hour bus ride over some of worst roads I have traveled in Ecuador. Much of the 130 km is not paved, and is nothing more than a one lane rock path. Remember, 130 km is @ 81 miles. That means our average speed was a nail biting 20mph. That will give you some idea of the quality of the roads. At one point, while going through a small village, Romulo didn’t see the sign warning him of an upcoming speed bump (many of us did notice it), and didn’t slow down as he approached it. Speed bumps aren’t like what we are used to in the States. In Ecuador they are @12” high and four feet across. Usually they are painted with yellow stripes—this one was the same color as the dirt road. We were all tossed around a bit when he hit it at “full speed”.

On the upside, the scenery was fantastic. We were traveling through narrow mountain valleys that were covered with lush greenery. Sometimes we were near the top of the valley looking down, and other times we were at the bottom looking up. The only thing that tended to break up the greenery were the many small farms that dotted the hillsides. I had to wonder how the cattle could “hang on” to the steep slopes as the grazed. When as we neared the plant, we could see waterfalls falling thousands of feet down the mountainside and there were times when the bus had to drive through the streams just before they continued their plunge to the river far below. Some of us may have suffered some bumps and bruises on the trip, but the riding through the mountains was worth it.

The hydroelectric power plant was also interesting. The power plant is carved out of the mountain. To get to the inner workings of the plant we had to walk several hundred yards through a large tunnel to an even larger room that housed the ten turbines. This room had to be four stories high and maybe 200 yards long, and was just one of several floors that made up the complex, all of which were carved from solid rock.

Before the start of the tour, we were all issued little headsets. The guide then talked into a microphone which broadcast his voice to headsets. This was so that, maybe, we could hear him over the noise. There were many times when it was still difficult to hear what he was saying. Of course, it mattered little to me because the tour was in Spanish. I could take a little consolation in the fact that our best Spanish speakers had difficulty with the tour because much of what he was saying was highly technical.

As I said earlier, this dam and power plant is designed differently than what I have seen in the U.S. Both Hoover and Glen Canyon are very tall structures where the power plant is incorporated directly into the dam. Represa de Paute is a much smaller structure, and the power plant is located several miles away. The water enters tunnels at the bottom of the dam. These tunnels are 15 meters (50 feet) in diameter and over 6000 (3.75 miles) meters long. They go directly through the mountain at a sharp downward angle. It is the force of this falling water that powers the ten turbines in the power plant.

During my previous tours of Hoover and Glen Canyon, we were allowed to see the turbines from an elevated “viewing stand.” We were not allowed anywhere near the inner workings of the dam. Such was not the case yesterday. Not only were we allowed on the floor where the turbines were located, but we actually went into two of the turbine structures. One was shut down for repairs and we stood on a metal grate over the fast flowing water and looked at the nickel/steel “waterwheel” that spins when the water id directed through the room. Our guide told us that should something happen, and the water be redirected through the room, we would have less than three minutes to get out of the tiny door to safety. We then went into a functioning turbine where the shaft that powers the magnetos was turning at a speed of 30 km per hour. One of the other stops on the tour that proved to be hit was a trip into one of the ventilation rooms. Being inside of a mountain it is essential that the ventilation system keep the plant reasonably cool. The need to move a great deal of air in a small space creates a strong force. I now know what it is like to stand in a wind tunnel.

I’m sure that OSHA would be having a fit if tourists were allowed into some these areas in a power plant in the U.S., and most of the girls found the trip to be boring. However, the opportunity to get “up close and personal” with the inner workings of a power plant of this magnitude is a once in a life time experience, and I’m glad I went–bus ride and all.

Churute

Last weekend we took an overnight trip to Churute. Churute is located on the west side of the Andes near the coastal city of Guayaquil. The drive up, and over, the Andes put us back into the hot and humid weather of coastal Ecuador. Along with the climate change, we experienced a significant change in the vegetation that is common to the area. It was this change that brought us to Churute.

Churute, itself, appears to be an economically depressed area. While there are some very nice haciendas, most of the residences were in poor condition. Cleanliness also appeared to be a general problem.

There were three main goals for our trip.

1. 1. A visit to a cacoa/banana plantation
2. 2. A hike in the rainforest in search of howler monkeys
3. 3. A trip through the mangrove swamp.

Our first stop was at the 1400 hectare (@3500 acres) “La Hacienda El Secadal”. We were greeted along the highway by our local guide Orlando. For most of our trips we are accompanied by a guide from Cuenca (Diego Maldonado) and employ the services of a guide who is knowledgeable about the area we are visiting. Once we entered the plantation, we were joined by the “engineer” (I assume he is the manager of the overall operation) who was to serve as our host. Rigoberto was very knowledgeable of the entire operation of this large business.

El Secadal is a multi faceted business. In addition to raising cacoa (their primary crop), they also have 20 hectares (@50 acres) of bananas (this was described as a “hobby”), 1200 head of Brahma bulls, and groves of teak trees that line the roads that crisscross the plantation. The teak are very tall, straight trunked trees that when harvested will yield a significant profit for the plantation. It takes about 20 years for a tree to reach the point where it can be harvested. I understand that the banana portion of the business is being phased out to be replaced by additional cacoa trees—there is more money in cacoa.

We stopped to hear Rigoberto explain the process for raising cacoa. All of the trees on the plantation are started from slips taken from the “patron” (mother plants). These slips spend three months growing in a fabric covered greenhouse. These small trees are then bundled in large plastic bags for 30 days before being transplanted into the fields. The field we visited consisted of trees that had been planted in 1997 after El Nino destroyed the plantation’s entire banana grove. Each tree will produce a number of large seed pods. These 9-10” long (6-7” in diameter), dark brown pods take five months to ripen. The plantation harvests at least two full crops each year. Once ripened, you can tell because the pods turn a bright orange in color, they are harvested and the seeds are removed to a bamboo platform where they covered with plastic tarps an allowed to “ferment” for five days. The seeds are stirred, by hand, several times a day. After the fermenting process ends, the seed are processed and ready for sale as cocoa. Rigoberto explained that the processed seeds sell for $1.00 per pound.

Rigoberto and Orlando searched the fields until they found four ripe seed pods. Rigoberto cut the pods open to show us what was inside. The seeds (@ 1” long) were covered with a white, gelatinous, substance. When you take the cover off of the pod it almost looks like a Dairy Queen ice cream cone. We were told to pick a seed, or two, and suck the white stuff off of the seed. Orlando cautioned us to not bite into the seed! I was quite surprised by the flavor (once you get by the “yuck” factor). It tasted nothing like chocolate. The flavor was sweet and kind of fruity. Between the 10 of us, we ate all four of the pods.

Our next stop was at one of the banana groves where Rigoberto explained how this crop is grown. Some of the highlights included:

• The trees at el Secadal originally came from Costa Rica.
• It takes @10 months for a bunch of bananas to mature. Once the bananas mature the tree dies. They cut it off @5’ from the ground and another trunk grows from the roots.
• Between the time when the bunch first appears and when it is harvested, the bunch is kept in a large plastic bag to protect it from insects.
• A bunch of bananas is quite large. I would guess that they are at least 50-75 bananas per bunch.
• By an agreement with the U.S., only bananas that are absolutely perfect can be shipped to the States. Any banana with an imperfection is shipped to other Central/South American countries and Italy. However, el Secadal also uses these bananas as feed for its livestock.
• Banana leaves are big–@3’ long

After the stop at the banana grove, we were driving through the cacoa fields when Orlando spotted a stray banana tree among the cacoa. Hanging from the tree was a bunch of ripe bananas. Romulo (our driver) stopped the bus and we followed Rigoberto and Orlando into the trees. Once we got to the tree, Rigoberto shooed off the wasps that were feeding on some of the bananas and began distributing the ripe fruit to us. You have NEVER tasted a banana as good as one that was just picked from a tree growing, wild, in the field! I now know what bananas should taste like—I may be spoiled for life.

Our second goal of the trip was a hike into the rainforest in search of howler monkeys. This hike had the potential to bring back memories of our hikes in the jungle. After talking to Diego about it, I elected to not wear the rubber boots that had been issued to us. I was glad I did because the trail was not nearly as muddy, and I appreciated the support that my hiking boots gave me. Orlando was a little concerned when we had to cross a shallow stream, but my gortex boots kept my feet nice and dry.

This hike proved to be a little more of what I had imagined the jungle to be like. The path was more overgrown, and there were many places where we had to duck under low hanging branches and vines. The vegetation consisted of tall grasses, ferns, and large tropical trees. We had been warned to spray up with Detan to ward off mosquitoes. Following Diego’s lead, I choose not to. I paid for my decision with one, lonely, bite on my hand. I don’t where the mosquitoes were hiding, but I didn’t see any.

Unfortunately, after hiking 2.6 km (Diego had a GPS) we also failed to see any monkeys. Several people claimed to have heard them, but they proved to be quite elusive. Even though we didn’t meet our goal, I thoroughly enjoyed the hike. The only downside was that when we returned to our hostel, we discovered that they did not furnish towels. It is a little difficult to wash off “jungle sweat” when you don’t have a towel. Some of the girls used a t-shirt for a towel. I decided that we were all sweaty, so I probably wouldn’t offend anybody by not showering until we got back to Cuenca the next evening.

The place were staying Saturday night, Campamento Turistico La Hojarasca, did not prepare dinner for us—we were on own for cooking dinner. In preparation for this we stopped at a town known as “26” (because it is 26 km from Guayaquil) and purchased four pounds of fresh shrimp at $2.50 per pound. This was an interesting experience for me. Romulo pulled into a parking place and Diego, Orlando, & Christina hopped off. I thought I’d join them and record the transaction “on film”. Orlando saw me and whispered something to Diego who told me to leave the camera on the bus and stay close to him with the warning: “This place isn’t safe.” I tagged along (without the camera) and could see where there concern was coming from. As the only “gringo” around I was the object of everybody’s attention!

Dinner was a group effort. Romulo and I peeled and deveined all four pounds of shrimp. I will tell you that one of us was a bit more “anal” about removing the veins! Kiley and Christina fixed mashed potatoes and pasta, and Diego took responsibility for preparing the shrimp. He started by sautéing onion in butter and olive oil. Then he cooked the shrimp in that mixture before adding red pepper, more onion, and a bit of cilantro. The dished was finished with white wine and “cream milk”. The result of our efforts was a very satisfying dinner. The rest of the girls helped with the dishes and kitchen clean-up. After dinner we retired to the covered patio and settled into one of the hammocks that are available for visitors. We spent the next couple of hours talking with the students as they “relived” some of their experiences in Ecuador. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them a little better.

After an “interesting” breakfast of “balon de verde” (mashed plantain and cheese in a baseball sized ball), two slices of cheese and a hot dog bun, we were off to the manglares. I was really looking forward to this trip. Everything that I have seen, and heard, about mangrove swamps led me to believe that we were going to see unique plants, birds, and animals. Unfortunately our trip was a bit disappointing:

1. We waited on the dock for almost 90 minutes for our canoe to arrive (This meant that a scheduled hike to a waterfall was canceled.).

2. Once in the canoe, our trip consisted of nothing more than a two hour boat ride. I was fortunate to be sitting right by Orlando (an avid bird watcher) so I had the benefit of seeing a number of species of birds and having him talk about them. Unfortunately, none of the other students benefited from this.

3. There was no narration from the guide. He didn’t even point out the defunct shrimping operation and explain how it has impacted the ecosystem. I had to mention it to him.

4. We saw no animals to speak of (There lots of tiny crabs wandering around in the mud, but that was about it.).

The highlight of the trip through the manglares was when several of the girls needed to use the banos. In order to accommodate them the canoe was nudged ashore and the girls climbed out. What they weren’t expecting was that they immediately sank about 10” into the mud. Watching them struggle through the mud to get to higher ground was hilarious. To quote Lisa: “I left my dignity in the canoe.”

All-in-all, the mangrove swamp was interesting, and I’m glad I had a chance to see it. It just didn’t live up to any of our expectations.

Pictures

I have been uploading pictures from my time in Ecuador to the internet. If you would like to view the pictures, they are available at: Flickr Photo Sharing

All you need to do is click on the above link and it will take you to my “flickr” account. Once there, select the “Ecuador 2009″ photo set, and my pictures will be available to you. You can also see my pictures from last year’s trip by clicking on the “Ecuador 2008″ photo set.

Odds and Ends

It has been a busy couple of weeks since I last wrote. Since my last posting we have seen, and done, several interesting things.

CEDEI School: Our host university (CEDEI) operates an elementary school for Ecuadorian children that is quite unique. This pre-school –fifth grade school was designed as a bilingual school. Every classroom is staffed by two teachers. One of the teachers is a member of the “National Team” and the other is assigned to the “International Team.” National Team members are native Ecuadorians who are all certified teachers. The International Team is made up of native English speaking teachers. Unfortunately these teachers are not trained educators. The curriculum is designed such that whenever the “National” teacher is leading the class, all instruction is in Spanish. When the teaching is the responsibility of the “International” teacher, the instruction is done entirely in English. Because of this approach, by the time the students reach third grade they are fluent in both Spanish and English. It is a good thing that they are, because in fourth grade French is introduced as a third language. Another thing about the school that makes it unique is that they service a number of students with significant learning disabilities. Traditionally these students are left out of the educational system in Ecuador.

Earlier this week I was invited to lead a four hour workshop for the teachers at CEDEI School. It proved to be another new experience as many of the National Team members lacked some significant English language skills. I was asked, specifically, to lead the workshop in English (which was just as well since my Spanish is still pretty basic). Despite a number of “furrowed brows” from the Ecuadorian teachers, the workshop seemed to go well. In the near future I will be assisting the staff in the selection of the new International teachers for next year. When I retired from the Orion School District in 2005, I never dreamed that this is what I would be doing four years later.

Bicycles: Bikes are a very common form of transportation in Cuenca. During the last two weeks I have seen several rather unique uses of bicycles. The first was a man riding his bike with a five gallon bucket of sand resting on the bar directly in front of the seat. His arms stretched out to reach the handlebars and served as braces to keep the bucket from falling. Two days later I saw a man going to work with his brand new “weed wacker” strapped to the bike. The gasoline engine was hooked on the bike right behind the seat with the long arm of the equipment reaching beyond the front of the bike. It reminded me of a jousting knight from the middle ages. Finally, Ecuador has national elections scheduled for April. Yesterday I saw two bikes pulling large (4’ X 8’) campaign signs around the streets of the city. Remember, none of the streets are paved. They are all cobblestone streets. I can’t imagine what it would be like to ride a bike on the streets, much less carrying a bucket, a “weed wacker,” or pulling campaign signs!

Symphony: Twice in the last two weeks we have attended concerts presented by one of the local orchestras. The first concert was presented by the Cuenca City Symphony and included pieces from Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms. One of the pieces featured an oboe soloist who was outstanding. The second program was three pieces by Beethoven, and was presented by a youth ensemble. The soloist for this concert was a pianist, who was also very impressive. Thursday we are going to another concert that will feature all Russian composers.

What impresses me about these concerts is that they are free to the public. Apparently the cultural activities such as these are seen as a priority by the Ecuadorian people and they dedicate tax dollars to support them. It is unfortunate that we don’t put a similar premium on this kind of activity in the U.S.

Road Trip: Two weeks ago we went on a road trip that included stops in San Bartolome, Chordeleg, Gualaceo, and Bulkay. San Bartolome is a small village known for the making of guitars. One of our stops was at the shop of a local guitar maker where we were able to see how he does his work. Chordeleg is one of my favorite stops each year. This small village is known for the manufacture, and sale, of silver jewelry. We spent an hour in Chordeleg, and I behaved myself by not buying anything. However, I did do some “pre-shopping” for when Marg joins me for a couple of weeks in April. Like Chordeleg, Gualaceo is another city that I enjoy. Sunday is market day in Gualaceo, and the city is bursting with people. It is fascinating to walk the streets and visit the outdoor market. You don’t really need to buy anything. The “people watching” is amazing. Of course we did visit the new, indoor, market where we sampled fresh tortillas (hot off the griddle), roast pig, mote (a dish very similar to hominy), and llapingachos (a small potato cake). I did pass on the cuy that was roasting just outside the market. Bulkay is a place where we had stopped my first year in Ecuador. This very small village is known for its Ikat weaving. You may remember that Ikat is a tie-dying process where the yarn is tie-dyed in a manner such that when it is woven into cloth, the finished product has a distinctive pattern. We visited a workshop and were “walked” through the process from start to finish. I did break down and buy a table scarf—I figured I just couldn’t go through the day without buying something.

Construction: There is a great deal of construction work going on around Cuenca. New stop lights are being installed at almost every corner. The lights are equipped with little chirping bird sounds to indicate when it is safe to cross the street. Each direction has a different sound. The chirping bird isn’t too bad, but the cuckoo clock is annoying! If you think that this will make things safer for pedestrians, think again. Drivers still ignore the lights, and the pedestrian does not have the right of way. Several of the old cathedrals are undergoing significant exterior renovation. This is a major project since the buildings are concrete stucco that requires the damaged surface to be removed and replaced. One cathedral appears to be getting an entirely new tile roof. Actually they have carefully removed the old tiles, are replacing the substructure and will be putting the original tiles back on. It’s quite the project.

The cathedrals are not the only renovation projects going on. There are many of the old buildings wrapped in tarps that are being refurbished, as well. The one big change that I have noticed is the scaffolding that is being used for these projects. Three years ago scaffolding was made of large bamboo poles tied together. Now more modern (and safer) steel scaffolding is used. However, it is not uncommon to see the construction workers, three stories up, walking on bamboo poles instead of wooden planks.

Esteban: A good friend of Arvella’s joined us for dinner last night. Esteban is a native Cuencano who graduated from St. Ambrose several years ago. He now works in the family business here in Cuenca. They sell auto body parts to mechanics around the city who are repairing damage cars. We got to talking about his business and how it has been impacted by the slow economy. Esteban explained that December and January are usually their strongest months each year, and that held true this year, as well. However, the expected downturn in business in February and March never materialized and they are having one of their best years ever. This tells me two things. First, driving hasn’t improved to the point where there are fewer accidents, and second, people are repairing their cars rather than purchasing new ones. That is probably an indication of how the economy has been impacted by the world-wide recession.

Last weekend was spent in the coastal area of Churute. An account of our adventures in the manglares will be the subject of my next posting.

Ceviche

Someone asked if I was going to blog about ceviche. The question came up because upon our return from la Selva, we stopped at a local seafood restaurant for lunch and ordered ceviche.  Unfortunately it seemed to have a two day, deleterious, impact on my gastro-intestinal system. This is the first time in three years of coming to Ecuador that I have experienced this facet of  travel.

Basically ceviche is a kind of seafood soup that can be served as either an appetizer or a main dish.  Several of us had Ceviche de Camaron (ceviche with shrimp), however, varieties using other seafood were available.

According to Wikipedia, ceviche is marinated in a citrus-based mixture, with lemons and limes being the most commonly used. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to become denatured, which pickles or “cooks” the fish without heat. Traditional style ceviche was marinated up to 3 hours. Modern style ceviche usually has a very short marinating period. With the appropriate fish, it can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the ceviche to the table. Even though it is a soup, ceviche is served cold.

Every Latin American country has given ceviche its own touch of individuality by adding its own particular garnishes. In Panama, ceviche is served with little pastry shells called “canastitas.” In Peru, it is served with slices of cold sweet potatoes or corn-on-the-cob. In Ecuador, it is accompanied by popcorn, nuts, or corn nuts. Ours was served with a bowl of popcorn which is then put into the ceviche. The version we had was also heavily seasoned with onions and cilantro.

I think that I have had my last ceviche!

la Selva

After arriving in Cuenca late in the evening of March 2, I had a quick “turn around” before leaving for our jungle adventure. The bus for “la Selva” departed at 6:45 AM on March 4. Tuesday was spent rounding up some last minute supplies, packing and generally getting reacquainted with the staff at CEDEI.

Loading the bus offered me the first opportunity to meet our group. This semester’s program is hosting only eight students (all female), but they seem to be an interesting “lot.” Two of the young ladies are from Syracuse University (Cheryl & Lisa), three hail from Luther College (Leah, Alex, and Kiley), two from St. Ambrose (Addie & Sarah), and one from Montana (Lauren). Generally, they are a lively bunch that is willing to try most anything (i.e. all have tried Cuy). Accompanying us on the trip were Arvella (Spanish professor from SAU) and Esteban (Director of International Programs at CEDEI).

The first day of the trip consisted of a very long bus ride. Our evening destination was the small city of Puyo—a 12 hour bus ride from Cuenca. Much of the route was along the Pan American Highway. This is the same route that we have followed the previous two years as we traveled from Quito to Cuenca. I was anxious to see if it looked any different taking the highway in “reverse.” Several thoughts/observations stand out:

1. The highway is no better than what I experienced the previous two years. Many stretches are still nothing more than a crushed rock road, and other parts are littered with large potholes. There were some significant parts of the highway that were being repaved with concrete. However, in Esteban’s view, those were the sections of the highway least in need of repair.
2. The scenery was much the same: fog. At one point we rounded a bend only to find a cow standing in the middle of the road. Carlos, our driver, deftly missed her by only inches, but she was difficult to see in the heavy fog.
3. The level of concern for safety has not changed. At one point I saw a pick-up truck passing a large dump truck while being passed by a car. All of this was with a fourth vehicle coming towards them from the opposite direction. That made four cars abreast on a two lane highway. Need I say more?
4. I did notice three “farms” being worked by tractors. Remember, because these “farms” are located high in the Andes, they are small and located on very steep terrain. I saw one IH/Massey Fergusson (I couldn’t tell for sure, other than it was red), one Ford, and one John Deere. Each was pulling a four bottom plow.
5. They are still not cleaning up from landslides. It is common to find large portions of the highway covered by rocks and debris. I guess that just serves as another obstacle to surmount.

Lunch that first day was in Banos de Ambato. Banos is a tourist town located at the base of the volcano Tungurahua. “Tungi” is the volcano that we watched erupt from @ 20 kilometers away last year. The consensus is that if “Tungi” were to have a massive eruption, the people of Banos would have ten minutes to flee to safety before the entire city would be overrun with lava. We noticed several interesting “defensive” measures taken by the town. They have dug some very large “canals” (they looked to be @100’ across and 30’ deep) that are designed to channel the lava around the city. Hopefully they will never have to test the system.

We arrived at the edge of the rainforest (Puyo) early in the evening that first day. Our lodging was at the “Flor de Canela Lodge”—a beautiful lodge made up of separate “cabanas” in a heavily forested area. Each cabana came complete with thatched roofs, bathrooms, TV’s and a refrigerator. Oh, and over every bed hung a large mosquito net to protect you while sleeping.

To get to Flor de Canela we had to carry our luggage across a narrow footbridge that was suspended over a river. It rocked and swayed with every step. However, the trip was worth it. The lush tropical plants were beautiful, and I was awakened in the morning to the squawking of a large red parrot just outside my door. It had rained all night, but the sound of the rain hitting the thatch roof was quite soothing.

It you would like a look at Flor de Canela, their web address is www.flordecanela.com.ec

The next morning it was back on the bus for another three hour ride (in the rain) to our final destination a little farther into the rainforest. We were scheduled to spend the next two nights as guests of the Cotococha Amazon Lodge along the Rio Napa near Tena, Ecuador. The lodge itself was going to be a unique experience. Again, were all “put up” in thatched roof bungalows. Mine was a second floor “apartment” with a porch overlooking the river. Instead of listening to rain all night (Esteban had promised that it would stop—and he didn’t lie) we were serenaded to sleep by the sound of the rapids just downstream from the lodge. The accommodations were a bit more rustic than those of Flor de Canela. Yes, we had a bathroom with “hot”water showers, but it stopped there. It is the mission of Cotococha to be an environmentally friendly facility that requires guests to “live Amazon life in style.” Electricity is available in the main dining area for two hours in the morning and from 5:00-10:00 in the evening (and always in the bar—go figure). There is NO electricity in any of the bungalows. Every evening they leave two lit kerosene lanterns on your front steps. You are told that there is enough kerosene in each one to last all night and that you shouldn’t turn them off. I always left one on the steps (I didn’t see a need for two) and put the other in my bathroom and closed the door when I wanted to go to sleep. Usually we were in bed by 9:00 because there wasn’t anything else to do, and not enough light to read.

You might want to check out their website at: www.cotococha.com.

There were three main activities scheduled for our two days at Cotococha. The first afternoon we boarded a long “canoe” that seated everybody (12 passengers and two crew) side-by-side on narrow benches under a nylon cover to protect us from sun and rain. The canoe is powered by a large outboard motor. We then took a three hour cruise downriver.

Our first stop was so that the boatman could take care of some official paperwork. We all got out of the canoe and quickly discovered the area was populated by a large number of capuchin monkeys. Watching them leap from tree to tree was amazing. I have several close-up pictures of them. I joked that they were union workers sent out to entertain the tourists. After about 15 minutes of being entertained by the monkeys we were once again in the canoe and heading downriver. After a bit the boatman pulled the canoe up to shore and the crew fixed us a nice lunch that consisted of a rice dish, salad, bread, and an apple. The seats were removed from the canoe to give us someplace to sit. I did notice that one of the crew members carefully “washed” his hands in the river before preparing our plates. It was a refreshing place to take a break before heading out for amaZOOnico

amaZOOnico is a wildlife rescue center that was founded in 1993 to “rescue” wild animals that had been confiscated by the Ecuadorian government. These animals were destined to be traded illegally on the black market. Animals are also brought to amaZOOnico by people who had purchased them, illegally, thinking that they might be cute pets only to find that wild animals quickly become “uncute.” For example, monkeys cannot be housebroken. Another source of animals for amaZOOnico is babies whose mothers have been killed by hunters. Most of the animals are in poor health when they arrive at the facility and 25% of them die shortly after their arrival. Another 25% can be successfully rehabilitated and set free to live in the wild. The remainder become permanent residents of amZOOnico. For further information about amaZOOnico, visit their website at: www.selvaviva.ec.

Our tour of amaZOOnico lasted a little over an hour and we were able to see monkeys, including capuchin, spider, leoncillo, and lanuda (more than 150 have the “run of the place and others are in enclosures), parrots, macaws, toucans, tigrillo, wild boar, tortuga, capybara, a trumpeter bird, and an anaconda. While it was an interesting tour, it was also quite depressing to see these beautiful animals being kept in cages. For instance, our guide pointed out that the toucans came to them as babies because their mother had died. Since she had not taught how to forage for food, they are destined to live their life in a cage. I had to wonder, would it have been better for the babies to die in nature (which would have been the natural course of events), or are they living a “better” life in captivity?

On the way back to the lodge, we stopped at a Shuar village along the river where we were shown how they pan for gold (yes, she found some), make pottery (including how it is “glazed”, painted, and fired), and make a very strong alcoholic beverage from yucca. We were all offered an opportunity glaze and paint an unfinished piece of pottery, and also were given a taste of the yucca beverage. After the demonstration, pieces of pottery were for sale.

Life along the river is interesting to watch as you motor by.

1. Dugout canoes are sitting along the banks of the river with no one in sight. These are canoes that are “dugout” from a single log and used for transportation.
2. The people you see along the river are often fishing with nets, or washing clothes. However, we also saw one group of youngsters playing with a large piece of what looked like Styrofoam in the river. I commented that kids are no different anywhere in the world. Give them something to play with in water and they can have fun with it.

Once back at the lodge it was time for a much needed shower (with cold water), and a short siesta before dinner.

Day two at Cotococha was scheduled as a full day of jungle activities. The day started with a short canoe trip up river for a hike back to the Las Latas waterfall. The hike was a little more than an hour long and ended at a beautiful waterfall where most everybody swam and played in the pool at the base of the falls. Following play time (of which I did not partake) it was another hour back to the Rio Napo. A few thoughts about the hike:

1. In the jungle you do not wear hiking books/shoes. Instead, your footwear consists of a pair of thick soled rubber boots that come up to your mid-calf area. While the boots seem to be thick soled, you feel every rock or stick you step on. Also, they give you absolutely no support.
2. The trail through the rainforest is one long slog through the mud. There are also some very steep stretches (also covered with mud). At one point a stream ran down the trail and we had to walk through it. It was slippery and quite treacherous. I fell twice. After the second fall the camera went into the backpack until we got to the waterfall and I could clean it up.
3. Our guide stopped at several points along the way to discuss the flora and fauna.
• We saw a tree that had to be at least 30’ around and he estimated its age at 200-300 years. He explained that you couldn’t determine the age of the tree by counting the rings because the tree has no rings. This is because there is no growing season in the rainforest that allows the development of separate rings for each year.
• We were shown a fruit that if you ate the outer layer, you would be fine. However, the center is toxic and depressed locals will use it to commit suicide.
• He pointed out a large nest of insects on a tree that can be rubbed on your skin to serve as a natural insect repellent.
• We all were given an opportunity to hold a 7” long millipede. It was kind of a velvety feeling as it walked across your hand.

After returning from the waterfall, Arvella and I hopped into the canoe for a ride back to the lodge. Everybody else grabbed an inner tube and “tubed” back. They had a great time floating through several rapids. I felt that as the official group photographer it was my duty to stay on board and photograph the event for everyone else. I also was concerned about how having the “Great White Whale” floating down the Rio Napo might look!

After arriving back at Cotococha, we took a short break before enjoying a nice lunch. Following lunch there was time for a siesta before our 3:00 hike. I went down to my bungalow intending to relax for a bit, only to discover that the old legs were having trouble getting up the steps. I was also experiencing some significant cramping in both legs. Discretion being the better part of valor, I decided one long hike a day was enough. In retrospect I think my problem was a combination of the lack of support from the rubber boots, and some pretty significant dehydration. While I missed going on the hike (I wasn’t the only wimp, only five of the girls went). I think I made the right choice. During this hike the girls got to swing on a vine (ala Tarzan), practice weaving reeds, putting on “war paint,” and seeing, up close and personal several of the members of the local insect population. They even got to eat “lemon ants,” and yes, they actually taste like lemon.

This final hike concluded our last day in the rain forest. Although I do have several random thoughts:

The jungle is not how I pictured it in my “mind’s eye.” I was expecting dense overgrowth with many large ferns and vines. That simply was not the case. Yes, there were some large ferns, and the bamboo had grown to 6” in diameter and over 50’ high, but, generally speaking, the overgrowth was not particularly dense. Nobody had to hack their way through using a machete (although the guides did carry one).
There was a significant lack of wildlife. Other than the monkeys running around the little village where we had stopped, and what we had seen at amaZOOnico, we saw NO animals. The same was true for birds. The only birds that I saw were some very tiny hummingbirds outside my bungalow and some water birds along the river.
I had fully expected to be fighting off insects by the thousands. This, too, proved to not be true. I came back with two matching mosquito bites (one on the back of each hand) even though I quit using the Detan (bug repellent) partway through the second day. I did come across a very large group of leaf cutter ants doing their thing one day. They were in a straight line moving across the jungle floor. One group was headed one way with each ant carrying a large piece of a leaf, and the other was heading back the other way “empty handed.” Occasionally I would see some very large and brightly colored butterflies, but they were never close enough to photograph them.
While the lack of birds, animals, and insects (NOT) may have been disappointing, the beauty of the flowers and the unique trees was not. There were many brightly colored flowers (mostly in various shades of red). They were of many different sizes and shapes. I saw cacao trees loaded with “fruit”, trees that appeared to be supported by as many as twenty legs instead of a single trunk, and the aforementioned bamboo. When we think of bamboo, we think of fishing poles and house plants. In the rainforest, this very strong, and lightweight, wood is an integral part of any building or construction project.
The weather, now here was another surprise. I went to the jungle fully expecting it to be blazing hot and very humid. Somewhat like what I had experienced in the Galapagos Islands two years ago. I was not disappointed by the humidity. Any time you were very far off the river, you could almost “cut the air with a knife.” I would soak through a T-shirt in a matter of minutes. Even the guide was impressed by how much I was sweating! (Hence the source of the dehydration.) The temperature was another story. Actually it was pleasantly cool near the river, it never felt oppressive, and I slept with a blanket on both nights. I had gone to the jungle expecting to spend the nights lying in bed sweating, only to find that to not be the case.

It is possible that all of this is because we were actually not very far into the jungle on the trip. Our location on the Rio Napo put us on the western edge of the rain forest. However, last year’s group went much deeper into the Oriente and reported similar reactions.

We left Cotococha on Saturday morning for the bus trip back to Cuenca. Along the way we stopped in Rio Verde to check out another waterfall (Pailon del Diablo). Esteban assured us it was a ten minute hike to the waterfall. This time he lied. In fact it was another 45 minute hike to the waterfall with another 45 minutes back. It was worth it, though, when we arrived at this magnificent cascade that fell hundreds of feet to the canyon floor.

Saturday night was at the Hostel Bambu in Riobamba. Not much exciting to say about this city of 150,000. Sunday morning we were scheduled to take a train ride up to “The Devil’s Nose” in Alausi. This is supposed to be a beautiful trip where you can ride on top of the train to get a better view of the Andes. Unfortunately when we reached Alausi we found out that there had been a landslide in the mountains and there would be no departure for “The Devil’s Nose.” A disappointed group re-boarded the bus and arrived back in Cuenca at 1:00 in the afternoon.

All in all, our trip to la Selva was a worthwhile experience. I will be working on posting my pictures to flickr in the next couple of days, when I do; I will send all of my friends and invitation to view them.

Ecuador 2009: The Prequel

My latest adventure to Ecuador will begin with my departure from Moline International Airport on March 1. Yes, that is about two months later than the past two years. As you may recall, in 2007 and 2008, I left the QCA in mid-January and returned home in mid-March. The downside of the change in schedule is that I was fortunate enough to “enjoy” the January and February weather in the Quad Cities this year. My friends in Cuenca cannot even comprehend what a temperature of -29 degrees is like!

However, there is an old adage that says that when one door closes, another one opens. The same is true with this change in my schedule. Spending the second half of the semester in South America will afford me the opportunity to visit new places and experience several different cultures. In addition to that, my wife will be able to join me in Cuenca for two weeks in April. That, alone, makes the change worthwhile.

I thought I would start this year’s blog with a preview of the new places that I will be visiting this spring. My schedule calls for me to arrive in Cuenca on March 2, and I will head home on May 11. My stay in Ecuador this spring will be almost three weeks longer than in previous years.

When I arrive in Cuenca, the students who are part of our program this spring will be just finishing their first block of classes. They will be taking their final exams March 3-4. The academic calendar at CEDEI calls for a five day “spring break” after finals. During that break, we will travel to the northern portions of Ecuador for a “jungle cruise.” While I have not seen a formal itinerary for the trip, it is my understanding that we will spend the bulk of the five days in the jungle visiting small villages and hiking (both day and night) in the jungle. This is a trip that I had hoped to take last spring, but due to some political problems between Ecuador and her neighbor to the north (Columbia) the trip was delayed by several weeks and I was forced to return to campus to finish my classes here. I am really looking forward to learning how people live in the jungle as well seeing the flora and fauna first hand.

The next new adventure will be a weekend in the Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve. Churute is located on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Both the jungle trip and this one will give me a chance to experience the more tropical side of the Ecuadorian climate. Remember, Cuenca is located in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of @8400 feet. The climate is very temperate with temperatures in the 60’s – 70’s. I expect that Churute will be much warmer and more humid. I remember how hot and humid it was in the Galapagos Islands in 2007. I expect that this might be similar to that. If so, I will probably melt off a few pounds.

On March 28, we will travel about an hour outside of Cuenca to a large hydroelectric plant for a tour of that facility. The vast majority of the electricity in Ecuador is produced in plants like this one. Many years ago, I was able to take a tour of Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona. It will be interesting to compare the two.

One of the largest festivals of the year in Cuenca is “Cuenca Days”. This is an annual celebration of the founding of Cuenca (also known as “The Athens of Ecuador”), and includes parades, art shows, special museum attractions, and festivals in many of the parks. It will be a side of the Ecuadorian culture that I have not seen.

Finals for the second block of classes are scheduled for the last week in April. You may be wondering, ‘If the classes are over the end of April, what is he not returning to the States until May 11?” There is a good reason for this, some may even call it the “piece de resistance”. The semester for the students concludes with a weeklong trip to Peru, and I have to go along. We will fly to Lima, explore the Peruvian capital as well as trips to Cuzco, and Machu Pichu. Cuzco is located high (10,800 feet) in the Andes and is the historic capital of the Inca Empire. Machu Pichu (“Old Peak”) was built around 1460 AD but was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place. The “old” historian in me is really looking forward to this part of the trip.

While Marg is in Ecuador we plan to hike in Cajas National Park, travel to Gualaceo and Chordeleg on market day, tour Cuenca, and (hopefully) take a bus trip to Ingapirca. I will be joined on the Peru trip by my daughter, Amy, who has decided to vacation in Peru with us. All in all, it looks like it will be another ten weeks of adventure and learning, I look forward to sharing them with you.

Saraguro

This weekend we traveled to the mountain village of Saraguro. The trip was, once again, over the Pan American Highway. Calling this road a “highway” is a real misnomer. The road is filled with large potholes and one lane is often blocked by debris from landslides. At one point I asked if you could catch fish in the potholes and was told, “Not yet!” The road conditions were further complicated by fog and rain.  For a good portion of the trip I stood in the door well so that I could talk with Arvella, Katie (our CEDEI program coordinator), and Xavier (our guide). The driver was constantly swerving to avoid the larger potholes and debris, and it wasn’t long before I was a “little green around the gills” and had to take a seat.  After more than two hours of bumping, bouncing, and swerving, we stopped for a break at a little gas station. After getting off the bus, Xavier told me that he had never seen the road in that bad of condition. We finally arrived in Saraguro almost an hour later than expected.

After checking in, and getting our room assignments, at the hostel, we met our native guide Asunción, and boarded an interesting mode of transportation called a “Chiva.” I’ll do my best to describe this vehicle, but I’m afraid that words alone won’t do it justice. Try to picture in your mind a truck about the size of a grain truck only with most of the back removed. Instead of a large bin, there are six rows of benches with a metal roof that is low enough that you would hit your head if you stood up. The sides are basically open, except for the supports holding the roof. OSHA would not have approved of the lack of side rails to keep you from falling out. The benches are made out of 2” X 8” boards with minimal padding. The backs of the benches are the same, and you sit four to a row—packed in like sardines. Those people sitting in the middle had a distinct advantage of those of us sitting on the outside because at least they had some protection from the rain. Of course, their ability to “sight see” was severely hampered.

Saraguro is known for being the best example of an indigenous tourism agency being able to promote their area while still maintaining their traditional values and way of life. The reason for our Chiva ride was to get to the small town of Gera.  Gera is a town of less than 150 families and is so far off the beaten path that the only way to visit there is if your group has worked with the tourism group to arrange the visit. When I say “off the beaten path,” it is not an understatement. The “road” to Gera is only one lane wide and is nothing more than two tire tracks through the mountains. It is strewn with rocks, potholes are common, and there are significant portions that are flooded out. The path is so narrow when I looked straight down the side of the Chiva, there was no road to be seen, just rocks and vegetation. It was a bone jarring 45 minute trip to Gera! No thrill ride at Disneyland can match the adventure of a trip through the Andes riding in a Chiva.

Our first stop in Gera was the residence of a small family that was to introduce us to “huahango.” Huahango is a local brew that is made from the agave plant. It is a beer-like drink that is quite common in the area. After a quick lunch, the residents brought out a large vessel filled with this beverage. They explained that it is to be drunk from a special container called a “dime con quien viniste.” (In English: “ tell me who you came with…”)  This “cup” (I can’t think of a better word) has one hole for filling, but two separate compartments. As you drink from the one, it refills from the second. The tradition is that once you take your first sip, you are to continue drinking until the both of the compartments are empty. Everybody gave it a try, and we managed to drink the entire pot of huahango. They told us that this was one of the few times that a group has done that! While I don’t think that the alcohol content was very high, there was something in the brew that gave all of us gas. Some of the group were pretty uncomfortable for the next two days.

After “enjoying” the huahango, we went on a short hike, in the rain (rain was to prove to be our constant companion for the entire weekend), to a beautiful point overlooking the valley. The hike was originally scheduled to take three hours, but Xavier feared that the rain would make the trip too dangerous for us. They tell us that the view from our intended destination was spectacular, but I can’t imagine that it would have been better than what we experienced. We stood out on the point in a cold rain and talked about the history of the Saraguro people.

The Saraguros were originally sent to their current location, an hour north of the city of Loja (it is thought from Bolivia), by the Incas under their system called “Mitimae,” a way of controlling “troublesome” groups. Perhaps for this reason the culture of the Saraguros has remained defiantly strong. Some say that their distinctive black clothing is due to their remaining in mourning for their old home, but a more practical explanation is that it keeps them warm in an area with an extremely varied climate. The traditional Saraguro dress is: the men sport ponytails, hats, black ponchos and knee-length black trousers; the women wear pleated black skirts, shawls fixed with a pin, and the famous wide-brimmed while hats decorated with black spots under the brim. A high-quality Saraguro poncho retails for up to $400!

 The area itself is also fascinating. The town center is of the colonial era, with many old, mud, buildings in the main plaza and streets around it. On Sundays people come from all over the country to buy and sell produce at the Saraguro market, creating a buzz in the normally sleepy town. In the villages that surround Saraguro – such as Gera, Oñakapak and Lagunas – there are great opportunities for hiking and camping.

After our history lesson, it was back on the Chiva for our trip back to Saraguro and a couple of hours of rest in our dry rooms at the hostel.

Later in the evening, we boarded our bus (we were through with riding in the Chiva) for a short ride to a weaving shop. The weaving practiced in Saraguro is different from anything we have previously seen. The Sarguros are known for their hand woven cotton fabric. The weaving is done on a large loom and is a very labor intensive process. For example, I purchased a tablecloth that took more than 20 hours to weave. When you consider that it cost $20.00, that works out to less than a dollar an hour for labor, and that doesn’t include the cost of the thread. I also purchased a rainbow colored “pachakutic.” Each of the colors in this narrow scarf represents each of the indigenous groups that inhabit Ecuador. As you travel around Ecuador you will see this rainbow design used in many ways. It is just one more example of how much the people of Ecuador value their native heritage.

After our visit to the weaving shop, Asunción and Xavier led us across the yard to the place where we were to spend the rest of the evening. The festivities began with an excellent dinner that consisted of sopa de quinua followed by the main course of pollo, mote, arroz verde, small (thumb sized) papas, and  babaco for dessert. Our beverage was horchata. Horchato is a pink herbal beverage that is served warm. It looks like Hawaiian Punch, but it has a very different flavor.  Dinner was excellent, but was to prove to be just the start of the evening.

Following dinner, four Saraguros took the stage with their traditional musical instruments and played a couple of songs for us. However, after those pieces, out came the microphones, speakers and amplifiers. For the next two hours they played some upbeat versions of their traditional music and most of the students, Asunción, and our waitress worked off their dinner by dancing to the music. It got to be a pretty wild evening before we reboarded the bus for our trip back to the hostel.

Sunday morning was to prove to be the highlight of our trip. After a short bus ride, we hiked to “Baño del Inca.” The hike to this cave in the side of the mountain was not very long (@ 30 minutes), but it was all up hill in a driving rain. The path was either a muddy strip, or wet rocks. Xavier cautioned us to be careful because the route was really quite treacherous. We were joined on this hike by Asunción’s daughter, Merci, a sweet seven year old girl who was dressed in the traditional garb of the Saraguro people. While the hike was an interesting challenge, it was not the purpose of the trip. Once we reached the caves, we participated in a traditional Incan ceremony that honors the Pachamama (Mother Earth). I have asked several people about the ceremony, and have yet to develop a clear understanding of its purpose. Some people tell me that it is a “cleansing” ceremony designed to help restore “balance” in your life, and others say it is simply a way of recognizing the importance of Pachamama. One thing that everyone agrees on is that it is not a religious ceremony.

When we first arrived at the cave Asunción spent some time explaining what was going to happen during the ceremony. At one point he and Xavier were pointing at me. It seems that I had been designated as the leader of our group, and they were explaining to the students the importance of having a good leader and following his/her example. It kind of made me worried about what was to come.  We then moved to an adjoining cave where three Saraguros had set up for the ceremony. Through a bit of pantomime, they explained that I was responsible for holding a ceremonial staff and would be the initial participant in the ceremony. We were told to think about what is important to us in our lives throughout the ceremony, and to follow along with the three leaders. Some of the highlights included:

·         Several times we faced each of the cardinal directions while the leader recited a tribute to one of the four elements (fire, water, earth and air). Each recitation was followed by a blowing of a horn made from a conch shell.

·         We were all offered a drink of “medicina tradicional”. We had been warned that this was a strong, alcoholic beverage that didn’t taste good, and that it would be an insult to make a face after drinking it. It was “served” in a small sea shell (everybody drank from the same shell). As the group leader I got to go first. The best description of the taste that I can come up with is that it was a cross between a very strong vodka and dish detergent.

·         Following the drink, one of the leaders came around and blew incense in our faces.

·         At another point the leader took a drink of an herbal potion, held it in his mouth and sprayed it on each of us.

We had been told that the ceremony would affect each of us differently, with emotions running from very intense to a kind of “so what” attitude. We had several students who were so impacted that they were crying by the end of the ceremony, while others seemed to not have any reaction to it at all. My personal reaction fell somewhere in between the two. By the end of the ceremony, I felt very calm, relaxed, and peaceful. I have to wonder if my reaction would have been more intense had I been able to better understand the language. The language was primarily Spanish with a smattering of Quichua mixed in. Those of us who could speak Spanish seemed to be more emotionally impacted by the ceremony.

There is some controversy over ceremonies of this nature. I will go into greater detail about the controversies in a later posting.

Following the ceremony, we slid back down to the bus. By this time the rain had stopped, but the combination of the steep terrain and the muddy path made it an “interesting” hike. I wondered how happy the bus driver would be about us getting on the bus covered in mud.

The rest of the morning was spent in the area around the city park. One of the things that the Saraguro people are known for is their intricate bead work. Sundays are market days in Ecuador, and there were many vendors who were selling their necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and the very fancy collars that are part of the traditional outfits that the women wear. Of course, I purchased several items for my daughter.

Following this we reboarded the bus and left Saraguro for our lunch destination. I often wonder how people find some of the places we go. In order to get to our lunch location, the bus driver drove for at least 30 minutes on another one lane, dirt road. We were out in the middle of nowhere and pulled up to what looked like a private residence. Low and behold, this was where we were going to eat. Lunch was another traditional meal that consisted of mote, papas with salsa de sambo, avas, horchata, and CUY. Yes, I have now eaten cuy, in fact I had three servings because several of my tablemates didn’t want theirs. Before you start thinking that I was over eating, think again, each serving was no more than an inch long, and consisted mostly of a very tough piece of skin and very little meat. While the flavor wasn’t bad, it certainly isn’t something that is going to become a staple in my diet. It was chewy, fatty, and didn’t have much flavor. I hope that all of my loyal readers are now happy that I have tried this local delicacy.

The rest of the day was a long, bumpy, ride back over the mountains to Cuenca.

Note: I have intentionally not provided you with translations for many of the Spanish terms. I thought maybe you might enjoy the challenge of looking them up for yourselves. Next week, I’ll post a glossary for those of you who don’t want to decipher them for yourselves.