Ethnic Clothing
If you elimanate the really large cities, about 50 % of the adults we see are wearing some ethnic clothing which is quite amazing to me that they have ignored fashion for so many years. They must be proud of their heritage. We heard that about 70% of all Ecuadorians are indigenous. No wonder this country has such diverse and colorful people!
Diet
Almost all places we had basically the same diet: rice and fried yucca, green bananas, ...best of all...potatoes. Can you imagine so much starch...it does catch up with them as they get older as many were not thin.
Speed Bump Vendors
So often, when the bus came to a speed bump...a vendor would jump on as the bus slowed down. He would be selling ice cream, drinks, breads, fried potatoes or green bananas, candy, or fruit. Then when the bus came to another speed bump, off he'd hop. Great plan!
Back in Cuenca
It was nice to get bacl to quaint Cuenca. This time we visited several museums. The museum of culture had a display of about 10 shrunken heads! There were also many displays showing how people in different indigenous tribes lived. The cultural museum reminded us of how much we have seen in Ecuador as it seemed that every exhibit was a review of much that we already have seen through our experiences around the country.
We were surprised that there seemed to be no security except for a few video cameras in another museum that displayed thousands of artifacts...most were ancient (one stone head was dated 13,000 BC) and priceless. Many items were positioned precariously and seemed to be in danger of falling over.
We visited with the friends, Peter and Chris, that we met in Alausi and they invited us to have dinner with them at their house...Tom and Linda, also from Portland, Maine, joined us for dinner and visiting. There was much talk of grandkids, kids, and the expat community in Cuenca that is growing rapidly because International Living magazine has named Cuenca the best place in the world to retire. Many Americans are moving here to take advantage of the low cost of fuel, services, food, and also the great weather which averages about 60 degrees F. The next morning, we headed off for three more sites. A cloistered convent built in 1599 was full of items some of which were the dowries paid when daughters entered the convent. Since girls as young as 12 entered, many toys and music boxes were also there. Cuena's most famous church had a 3D last supper scene with life size statues. The last place we checked out had many detailed mask on display. Then it was time to head for the bus station.
Our Final Bus Ride
We actually savored our last bus ride heading for Guayaquil. We never tire of watching the clouds creep up the mountains or the passing farms or small villages. Seeing a kid tending his flock do a cartwheel, another chasing a tire, and another playing with pop bottle caps brings the gorgeous landscapes to life. We have traveled by bus for about 60 hours...not counting short city bus rides. It has been a great (and cheap) way to see so much of Ecuador!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Top of the World
Our bus trip to Guaranda took us within 5 km of Mt.Chimborazo... an inactive volcano which is the furthest point from the center of the earth due to the earth's bulge at the equator! The clouds completely hid it on the way to Guaranda so we had to just be glad we had seen lots of farming on the highlands, herds of picuna (smaller than llama) shepherded by shawled locals and dairy cows tethered on the grassy higher slopes where they were milked into cans carefully carried down by the farmer. As we got higher, the bus windows fogged over and dripped with water so we had to keep wiping the window to peek out at a barren land covered with ash. The only homes we saw up there were dug into the mountain. We went down hill to get to Guaranda which was quite a large town filled with shawled and hatted locals. It rained as we walked around town checking out the markets and finding a bit of lunch...which we ate in a center park and the whole time some guy talked to Rog in Spanish (probably the town's goofball) and another stared at me. When Rog had eaten a much as he wanted, he handed the dish to the man staring at me...and he gladly ate it. Around 2 we got back on the bus to head back...and the sky opened up for us and we got great views of Mt. Chimborazo!! As you can imagine, it was majestic. Snow covered much of it ... the clouds eventually decided we'd been lucky long enough!
Chicken & Fries & Rolls
Have I mentioned that the most common meal around here...and we devoured lots of...is grilled chicken and fries. Mmmm. There is a grill on most every corner. And the fresh baked smell of bread is on every block...and those rolls melt in your mouth! (Joyce you would be in heaven!)
Museum Of Religious Article
We sought out the #1 sight (according to Lonely Planet) in Riabomba...the Museo del Convento de la Concepcion. It was housed in an old convent and filled with ornate statues, art works and religious articles. Such riches. Glass cabinets crowded with tiny dishes, animals, clothing, household furnishing, etc, etc, etc with a baby Jesus in the center. Statue of Mary laying in a bed wearing a gold crown & pearled necklace in jeweled gown (all the real thing). Life size crosses with Christ dripping with blood. Priest robes embroidered with gold and silver and jewels. And the most prized- a monstrance (to hold host) adorned with 1500 precious jewels and casted with solid gold weighing 797 lbs.
Rich exhibit!! And no guards anywhere! But then, who could dare try to carry that out! Once again, a reporter happened to be there and took our picture & interviewed us! She was from the Ecuador public TV station and told us to watch for us on Tv. We won't know how to act when we become ¨common folk¨again!
Train Museum
Next we headed for the train museum where we could also get tickets for a train ride we hope to take tomorrow. Got the tickets but the museum was closed...guess they felt sorry for us...or our ¨celebrity status¨ shone through....because they unlocked the museum and let us tour it! Free!
On to Alausi
Our train trip starts in Alausi, so we bussed there passing panormic views of farm plots that made a gorgeous quilt like view. Our photos just can't capture the immensity or beauty of the view. A huge statue of St. Peter sits on a hill overlooking this quaint town. We took a walking tour noticing that they seem to be doing lots of repairs on many of the older buildings. Evidently, they are resurrecting the train from Riobambo which will connect again to the section still in operation here...so it will become more of a tourist destination. We met two couples from Maine who winter 6 months in Cuenca. They love it! No way could we be that far from family & friends that long...this is long enough!
Our bus trip to Guaranda took us within 5 km of Mt.Chimborazo... an inactive volcano which is the furthest point from the center of the earth due to the earth's bulge at the equator! The clouds completely hid it on the way to Guaranda so we had to just be glad we had seen lots of farming on the highlands, herds of picuna (smaller than llama) shepherded by shawled locals and dairy cows tethered on the grassy higher slopes where they were milked into cans carefully carried down by the farmer. As we got higher, the bus windows fogged over and dripped with water so we had to keep wiping the window to peek out at a barren land covered with ash. The only homes we saw up there were dug into the mountain. We went down hill to get to Guaranda which was quite a large town filled with shawled and hatted locals. It rained as we walked around town checking out the markets and finding a bit of lunch...which we ate in a center park and the whole time some guy talked to Rog in Spanish (probably the town's goofball) and another stared at me. When Rog had eaten a much as he wanted, he handed the dish to the man staring at me...and he gladly ate it. Around 2 we got back on the bus to head back...and the sky opened up for us and we got great views of Mt. Chimborazo!! As you can imagine, it was majestic. Snow covered much of it ... the clouds eventually decided we'd been lucky long enough!
Chicken & Fries & Rolls
Have I mentioned that the most common meal around here...and we devoured lots of...is grilled chicken and fries. Mmmm. There is a grill on most every corner. And the fresh baked smell of bread is on every block...and those rolls melt in your mouth! (Joyce you would be in heaven!)
Museum Of Religious Article
We sought out the #1 sight (according to Lonely Planet) in Riabomba...the Museo del Convento de la Concepcion. It was housed in an old convent and filled with ornate statues, art works and religious articles. Such riches. Glass cabinets crowded with tiny dishes, animals, clothing, household furnishing, etc, etc, etc with a baby Jesus in the center. Statue of Mary laying in a bed wearing a gold crown & pearled necklace in jeweled gown (all the real thing). Life size crosses with Christ dripping with blood. Priest robes embroidered with gold and silver and jewels. And the most prized- a monstrance (to hold host) adorned with 1500 precious jewels and casted with solid gold weighing 797 lbs.
Rich exhibit!! And no guards anywhere! But then, who could dare try to carry that out! Once again, a reporter happened to be there and took our picture & interviewed us! She was from the Ecuador public TV station and told us to watch for us on Tv. We won't know how to act when we become ¨common folk¨again!
Train Museum
Next we headed for the train museum where we could also get tickets for a train ride we hope to take tomorrow. Got the tickets but the museum was closed...guess they felt sorry for us...or our ¨celebrity status¨ shone through....because they unlocked the museum and let us tour it! Free!
On to Alausi
Our train trip starts in Alausi, so we bussed there passing panormic views of farm plots that made a gorgeous quilt like view. Our photos just can't capture the immensity or beauty of the view. A huge statue of St. Peter sits on a hill overlooking this quaint town. We took a walking tour noticing that they seem to be doing lots of repairs on many of the older buildings. Evidently, they are resurrecting the train from Riobambo which will connect again to the section still in operation here...so it will become more of a tourist destination. We met two couples from Maine who winter 6 months in Cuenca. They love it! No way could we be that far from family & friends that long...this is long enough!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Riobamba
Moving on to Riobamba
Got outta Quito before 8 and headed to Riobamba. It sits in the high valley between the Andes. Most of the women here wear ponchos and wear their hair very long and bound with embroidered ribbon making a loooong ponytail. Both men and women wear hats with birdfeathers...some are like bowlers and others stetsons. Most women also carry a baby or basket on their backs. We have seen so many young kids here...so diferent than China!! We took a hike in the nearby hills and saw lot of volcanic rock & dust and a good view of a nearby inactive volcano. We met a girl from TelAviv who is coming to teach English in Riobamba as a volunteer. She says it is very popular in her country for the youth to take time to volunteer abroad. I asked what life was like in TelAviv...she said very safe and nice. Not the picture I had in my mind.
Strange Sites
-people eating chicken at KFC with plastic gloves
-if a store is selling TP (and we have only seen one brand)...it will be displayed in their front window
-beware...just because you find a drink in a cooler...doesn't mean it will be cold as many are not plugged in
Day Care
Many small children and babies are behind counters, under carts, between shelves, on mom's back, nursing in mom's arms or playing in front of store or streetside cart...no need for day care!
Kindness
Had to point out just two kind acts that happened to us yesterday...as we were hailing a taxi, a gray car pulled up and waved us in. We hesitated...and then a man on the street came over and said ¨No, no!¨ and proceeded to hail us down a marked, yellow taxi. A storekeeper whom we had just bought a drink from spoke to us in English. So in our conversation, we said we wanted to find a trail in the nearby hills...he left his store...hailed down a taxi and told him exactly where to take us! So many times, so many people have gone out of there way to be kind and helpful to us...it's like we are surrounded by guardian angels!!!
Got outta Quito before 8 and headed to Riobamba. It sits in the high valley between the Andes. Most of the women here wear ponchos and wear their hair very long and bound with embroidered ribbon making a loooong ponytail. Both men and women wear hats with birdfeathers...some are like bowlers and others stetsons. Most women also carry a baby or basket on their backs. We have seen so many young kids here...so diferent than China!! We took a hike in the nearby hills and saw lot of volcanic rock & dust and a good view of a nearby inactive volcano. We met a girl from TelAviv who is coming to teach English in Riobamba as a volunteer. She says it is very popular in her country for the youth to take time to volunteer abroad. I asked what life was like in TelAviv...she said very safe and nice. Not the picture I had in my mind.
Strange Sites
-people eating chicken at KFC with plastic gloves
-if a store is selling TP (and we have only seen one brand)...it will be displayed in their front window
-beware...just because you find a drink in a cooler...doesn't mean it will be cold as many are not plugged in
Day Care
Many small children and babies are behind counters, under carts, between shelves, on mom's back, nursing in mom's arms or playing in front of store or streetside cart...no need for day care!
Kindness
Had to point out just two kind acts that happened to us yesterday...as we were hailing a taxi, a gray car pulled up and waved us in. We hesitated...and then a man on the street came over and said ¨No, no!¨ and proceeded to hail us down a marked, yellow taxi. A storekeeper whom we had just bought a drink from spoke to us in English. So in our conversation, we said we wanted to find a trail in the nearby hills...he left his store...hailed down a taxi and told him exactly where to take us! So many times, so many people have gone out of there way to be kind and helpful to us...it's like we are surrounded by guardian angels!!!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Rainforest, Ann Curry, Oil Wars, and more
Plastic Bottle Uses
Here we ways we have seen plastic bottles used:
Christmas trees
Christmas ornaments
lamp shades
made into a barrel to discard other plastic bottles
filled with who knows what for sale on the street
collected by children probably to get $$
Cost of Drinks
16 oz water usually 50 cents
12 oz Coke usually 80 cents
30 oz Pilsener beer usually $1
So why don't we see more drunks??
Coca - Gateway to the Jungle
After a couple hours of horizontal sleep in our hotel (no way could we sleep on that overnight bus)...we got direction to the church. It was Catholic and suppose to start in five minutes after we arrived. The church was full ...but as it seems is normal...we all just sat there patiently for almost 30 minutes. Later we walked around taking in more of the Flora Carnival celebration. Lots of foamy spray and water being dumped. Our hotel has a pool so that and some bridge filled the day.
Amazon Rainforest
Strange...I only connected extinction with the Ice Age. How wrong. It was also the miraculous birth of the amazing Amazon Rainforest as the ice and cold on the poles squeezed multitudes of plants and animals toward the equator. Surrounded by gigantic flora that towered above us, an array of birds flying over us while huge spiders and insects crawled near me and howling monkeys and a chorus of creatures creating a musical masterpiece...I could on thank God, the master creator....and also wonder if I was on the movie set of Honey I Shrunk the Kids! At Coca we loaded a long speed boat alone with Ann Curry, and a NBC film crew and headed down the wide and muddy Napo River toward the Sani Lodge. For 3 hours we passed lush landscape with tiny openings for homes and large gashed out holes in the jungle dug out by an oil company (originally Texaco...not sure who bought them out) where we slowed down so the film crew could get good footage. So not only were we enormously blessed to spend time in the jungle, but also in the middle of a mounting war between the oil company and the indigenous Kichwa and Huarani tribes...previously not friendly but now united for strength in this war. A cold lemonade and many of the Kichwa staff welcomed us and after a 3 course meal, we joined up with two young couples and took our first of many canoe rides in the black lagoon and its tributaries near the lodge. Our native guide (Humberto) and our English speaking & also native guide (Fredy) skillfully pointed out, identified and filled us with facts about the flora and fauna we passed. The vast depth of their knowledge and respect & love of their jungle seemed to have no end. This rainforest is unique because it relies on only the nearby abundant Andes mountains streams and the intense heat of the sun here on the equator which causes much evaporation thus creating an amazing water cycle. This allows millions of species...many found only here...to flourish. One 700 year old tree alone housed over a million insects. Its root system was about 500 m and it is surrounded by walking trees all competing for the nutrients in the meager 30 cm of soil. The clay sub soil is another reason for the huge evaporation rate and the high Andres trap the clouds causing much rain. We sat quietly and very still as our canoes glided over the lagoon where we spotted black caiman and were told hid anacondas, electric eels and piranha. There seemed always another bird to spot...over 500 species...and it was especially fun watching the parakeets chat at their community center at the salt lick and thou we had to wait a long time, the site of vividly colored macaws and toucans awed us. The noisy and slow stinky turkeys gave us lots of laughs. We never tired of watching the antics of the monkeys...we saw 4 species…as the frolicked in the tree canopies, jumped across the streams right in front of us and shook branches to try to scare us away. We tracked a tapir and peccary (wild pig) but only got a glimpse of the peccary. Rog got coaxed into letting a huge, black tarantula walk up his arm and munched on lemon ants. We learned how to tickle a frog and multiple uses of the many plants. After hours on the trail in tall rubber boots, in canoes and in the viewing tower, we too could spot and even name some species! The conch shell called us to extravagant meals and around 9 p.m., we took a quick cold shower and crawled into our tent plopping down on the rather hard mattress and fell asleep quickly in the pitch black to the sounds of the jungle. At 5:15 a.m. we were walking the plank dock (think of Peter Pan...tick tock) at the edge of the lagoon ready to catch our canoe ride to breakfast. One after noon we visited the Kichwa Sani community center where about 500 gather for events and 125 kids go to school bussed via canoe. We got a tour of a typical home completely built of material found in the jungle. We participated in their traditional dance and some of us ate heartily the fish, green bananas, coca beans and big fat roasted grubs (Yup, Rog did & Jane didn't) that they had prepared for us ...all found locally. Fredy (our guide) had not been feeling well and so a few of the woman performed a cleansing ritual that included smacking him with leaves that left large welts on him and then rubbed him with a strong smelling (like Ben Gay) ointment. It occurred to us that if some world disaster happened...the indigenous tribes would probably be far better off than the rest of us.
All I can say is ...twenty six alphabet letters and a ream of paper would not be enough to even begin to justly describe the rainforest and how I felt there. (The 200 plus photos we took might help.) What a glorious world God gave us!!
Oil Co. vs the Rainforest
As I said earlier, the same time we were experiences the wonders of the rainforest, we found ourselves at the epicenter of a boiling fight. Though we knew a bit, we learned much more in the few days we were there talking to Ann Curry, the NBC crew, an UK freelance writer, the spokesperson for the Kichwa and many of the natives themselves. The fight is obvious. Big money against a rare and unspoiled rainforest and the people who live there and love it. Malaria kept the Spaniards out...but how will they keep the oil company out? Here are a few facts we learned:
1. the oil they could get would last the world a mere 7 days
2. Ecuadorian indigenous tribes have few rights & the gov't can take the land &/or oil "for the good of the people"
3. many of the species in the rainforest have not been ID let alone tested for possible benefits
4. much of the profit made at several of the lodges is being used to fund the fight
We felt privileged to have An spend time talking with Rog and I about this battle that was obviously dear to her. She spoke of a God who created so many species that we have not even discovered them yet and talked of the importance of all of us to connect the dots...we drive the cars. She said our stay at the lodge was helping the fight and the spread of support hopefully. She hoped we were not experiencing "The Last Days". Finally, she shared a statement by the Kichwa spokesperson: We have never lost a battle and we are prepared to do whatever we need to win. We are sharpening our spears. Ann purchased a spears to give to her 18 year old son and as she stood on the dock...dressed in her jungle gear and holding that spear...it struck me how symbolic...there stood a warrior ready for the battle.
Our Rainforest Groupies
My writing about our Sani Lodge days would not be complete without including the two couples we spent much of our time with. Rhory and Katie are from Vancouver and both are archaeologists who work for an oil company doing field research. They were between assignments so had till May to travel. They were excited about everything and willing to do anything! Rajiv and Caitlin are both New York lawyers. Rajiv (born in India) was specializing in the ecology field and Caitlin was in private practice. Rajiv was enthusiastic and had traveled a lot. He loved the bugs. Caitlin was quiet and pleasant. Everyone was agreeable and we never heard a complaint and never had to wait for anyone. We all agreed the Danish and English birding people were way too serious and much more patient. We had several discussions about the oil fight. Since Rhory & Katie worked for one, they shared much background information. Katie said she heard an oil guy telling someone, "We have more money than God and we get what we want." Rajiv hopes he can someday have the prestige and experience to help. At the end, we exchanged emails and warm hugs. What a bonus!!!
Papallacta Hot Springs
We made a dash to the bus station when we got off the boat and caught the next bus to Papallacta...unfortunately the wrong one as it stopped often, passed close to the Columbia border so had a border check and we waited almost an hour at another bus station...and it was two hours late in arrived in Papallacta. Oh well, luckily the first hotel had a room and by 9:30 pm we were in a steamy thermal bath pool relaxing! We spent the next day in and out of the various pools, Rog went hiking in the mountains discovering waterfalls and seeing lots of cows & the first milk truck...while I got caught up with my writing. Our hotel room had a thermal hot tub and a fireplace. Luxury!!
Failed Attempt
We took the bus to Quito and then followed a lead I had found on the internet to locate the Missionaries of Charity. After several stops and asking many locals, none was found. Guess God had other plans for us.
Here we ways we have seen plastic bottles used:
Christmas trees
Christmas ornaments
lamp shades
made into a barrel to discard other plastic bottles
filled with who knows what for sale on the street
collected by children probably to get $$
Cost of Drinks
16 oz water usually 50 cents
12 oz Coke usually 80 cents
30 oz Pilsener beer usually $1
So why don't we see more drunks??
Coca - Gateway to the Jungle
After a couple hours of horizontal sleep in our hotel (no way could we sleep on that overnight bus)...we got direction to the church. It was Catholic and suppose to start in five minutes after we arrived. The church was full ...but as it seems is normal...we all just sat there patiently for almost 30 minutes. Later we walked around taking in more of the Flora Carnival celebration. Lots of foamy spray and water being dumped. Our hotel has a pool so that and some bridge filled the day.
Amazon Rainforest
Strange...I only connected extinction with the Ice Age. How wrong. It was also the miraculous birth of the amazing Amazon Rainforest as the ice and cold on the poles squeezed multitudes of plants and animals toward the equator. Surrounded by gigantic flora that towered above us, an array of birds flying over us while huge spiders and insects crawled near me and howling monkeys and a chorus of creatures creating a musical masterpiece...I could on thank God, the master creator....and also wonder if I was on the movie set of Honey I Shrunk the Kids! At Coca we loaded a long speed boat alone with Ann Curry, and a NBC film crew and headed down the wide and muddy Napo River toward the Sani Lodge. For 3 hours we passed lush landscape with tiny openings for homes and large gashed out holes in the jungle dug out by an oil company (originally Texaco...not sure who bought them out) where we slowed down so the film crew could get good footage. So not only were we enormously blessed to spend time in the jungle, but also in the middle of a mounting war between the oil company and the indigenous Kichwa and Huarani tribes...previously not friendly but now united for strength in this war. A cold lemonade and many of the Kichwa staff welcomed us and after a 3 course meal, we joined up with two young couples and took our first of many canoe rides in the black lagoon and its tributaries near the lodge. Our native guide (Humberto) and our English speaking & also native guide (Fredy) skillfully pointed out, identified and filled us with facts about the flora and fauna we passed. The vast depth of their knowledge and respect & love of their jungle seemed to have no end. This rainforest is unique because it relies on only the nearby abundant Andes mountains streams and the intense heat of the sun here on the equator which causes much evaporation thus creating an amazing water cycle. This allows millions of species...many found only here...to flourish. One 700 year old tree alone housed over a million insects. Its root system was about 500 m and it is surrounded by walking trees all competing for the nutrients in the meager 30 cm of soil. The clay sub soil is another reason for the huge evaporation rate and the high Andres trap the clouds causing much rain. We sat quietly and very still as our canoes glided over the lagoon where we spotted black caiman and were told hid anacondas, electric eels and piranha. There seemed always another bird to spot...over 500 species...and it was especially fun watching the parakeets chat at their community center at the salt lick and thou we had to wait a long time, the site of vividly colored macaws and toucans awed us. The noisy and slow stinky turkeys gave us lots of laughs. We never tired of watching the antics of the monkeys...we saw 4 species…as the frolicked in the tree canopies, jumped across the streams right in front of us and shook branches to try to scare us away. We tracked a tapir and peccary (wild pig) but only got a glimpse of the peccary. Rog got coaxed into letting a huge, black tarantula walk up his arm and munched on lemon ants. We learned how to tickle a frog and multiple uses of the many plants. After hours on the trail in tall rubber boots, in canoes and in the viewing tower, we too could spot and even name some species! The conch shell called us to extravagant meals and around 9 p.m., we took a quick cold shower and crawled into our tent plopping down on the rather hard mattress and fell asleep quickly in the pitch black to the sounds of the jungle. At 5:15 a.m. we were walking the plank dock (think of Peter Pan...tick tock) at the edge of the lagoon ready to catch our canoe ride to breakfast. One after noon we visited the Kichwa Sani community center where about 500 gather for events and 125 kids go to school bussed via canoe. We got a tour of a typical home completely built of material found in the jungle. We participated in their traditional dance and some of us ate heartily the fish, green bananas, coca beans and big fat roasted grubs (Yup, Rog did & Jane didn't) that they had prepared for us ...all found locally. Fredy (our guide) had not been feeling well and so a few of the woman performed a cleansing ritual that included smacking him with leaves that left large welts on him and then rubbed him with a strong smelling (like Ben Gay) ointment. It occurred to us that if some world disaster happened...the indigenous tribes would probably be far better off than the rest of us.
All I can say is ...twenty six alphabet letters and a ream of paper would not be enough to even begin to justly describe the rainforest and how I felt there. (The 200 plus photos we took might help.) What a glorious world God gave us!!
Oil Co. vs the Rainforest
As I said earlier, the same time we were experiences the wonders of the rainforest, we found ourselves at the epicenter of a boiling fight. Though we knew a bit, we learned much more in the few days we were there talking to Ann Curry, the NBC crew, an UK freelance writer, the spokesperson for the Kichwa and many of the natives themselves. The fight is obvious. Big money against a rare and unspoiled rainforest and the people who live there and love it. Malaria kept the Spaniards out...but how will they keep the oil company out? Here are a few facts we learned:
1. the oil they could get would last the world a mere 7 days
2. Ecuadorian indigenous tribes have few rights & the gov't can take the land &/or oil "for the good of the people"
3. many of the species in the rainforest have not been ID let alone tested for possible benefits
4. much of the profit made at several of the lodges is being used to fund the fight
We felt privileged to have An spend time talking with Rog and I about this battle that was obviously dear to her. She spoke of a God who created so many species that we have not even discovered them yet and talked of the importance of all of us to connect the dots...we drive the cars. She said our stay at the lodge was helping the fight and the spread of support hopefully. She hoped we were not experiencing "The Last Days". Finally, she shared a statement by the Kichwa spokesperson: We have never lost a battle and we are prepared to do whatever we need to win. We are sharpening our spears. Ann purchased a spears to give to her 18 year old son and as she stood on the dock...dressed in her jungle gear and holding that spear...it struck me how symbolic...there stood a warrior ready for the battle.
Our Rainforest Groupies
My writing about our Sani Lodge days would not be complete without including the two couples we spent much of our time with. Rhory and Katie are from Vancouver and both are archaeologists who work for an oil company doing field research. They were between assignments so had till May to travel. They were excited about everything and willing to do anything! Rajiv and Caitlin are both New York lawyers. Rajiv (born in India) was specializing in the ecology field and Caitlin was in private practice. Rajiv was enthusiastic and had traveled a lot. He loved the bugs. Caitlin was quiet and pleasant. Everyone was agreeable and we never heard a complaint and never had to wait for anyone. We all agreed the Danish and English birding people were way too serious and much more patient. We had several discussions about the oil fight. Since Rhory & Katie worked for one, they shared much background information. Katie said she heard an oil guy telling someone, "We have more money than God and we get what we want." Rajiv hopes he can someday have the prestige and experience to help. At the end, we exchanged emails and warm hugs. What a bonus!!!
Papallacta Hot Springs
We made a dash to the bus station when we got off the boat and caught the next bus to Papallacta...unfortunately the wrong one as it stopped often, passed close to the Columbia border so had a border check and we waited almost an hour at another bus station...and it was two hours late in arrived in Papallacta. Oh well, luckily the first hotel had a room and by 9:30 pm we were in a steamy thermal bath pool relaxing! We spent the next day in and out of the various pools, Rog went hiking in the mountains discovering waterfalls and seeing lots of cows & the first milk truck...while I got caught up with my writing. Our hotel room had a thermal hot tub and a fireplace. Luxury!!
Failed Attempt
We took the bus to Quito and then followed a lead I had found on the internet to locate the Missionaries of Charity. After several stops and asking many locals, none was found. Guess God had other plans for us.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Pedernales then Santa Domingo
Bus to Pedernales then Santa Domingo
We made up some peanut butter sandwiches and drank on more pineapple juice then started for our bus to another bus to another bus to arrive at Santa Domingo de Los Colorado...about undefined hour bus ride on really good roads. The first bus had pretty dirty windows...and right away the symbolism hit me....only if you look beyond the dirt will you see the true beauty. This lesson we have felt in all our travels. As always, we get to see many scenes that in USA are hid behind closed doors: tossing wash water, brushing teeth, butchering chickens & pigs, kids riding sticks as horses, a lady riding the bus with two live chicks on her lap, locals peering out the openings in their homes as we pass, laundry being hung and some cute little piggies eating the scraps outside a restaurant. We pass many homes we would consider shacks but with breathtaking views or right on the beach. Location, location, location! Most villages are about the same as the last...with very few autos but lots of horses as the terrain is very mountainous... and all are plastered with election posters. Here and there...seems like in no where land...there are little restrurants with big steaming pots and a table or two...they too are plastered with election posters. Lots of cows around and since we see milk cans by the road and being carried by horses, guess they are dairy cows. The bus is a constant flow of people as it seems to stop where ever people want on or off. Quite often, a vendor or two will hop on the bus selling various food items...and hop off at the next stop. When we got into the area with lots of banana and cocoa farms, the houses were better constructed...with cement and blue glass in the windows and we saw more and more autos. Obviously more money. The only part that bugs me is when they are showing a movie as it is usually very violent or full of sex...why do we feed minds with such junk? But overall, we have really enjoyed our many bus rides. And the price is right...from 25 cents for short ones, $1 or $2 for 2or 3 hours to $10 for our 9 hour ride. Wish it was this easy and cheap to travel by bus in USA!
Templor
While in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados we were traveling by taxi to visit a local indigenous village when we heard some girls shriek alongside the road, then our driver stopped the car and we noticed that the car was still moving as if it were being buffeted by strong winds. I opened the window to see if it was windy and then noticed telephone wires and poles swaying back and forth and finally realized that we were experiencing our first tremor (temblor- in Spanish). It lasted about 10 to 20 seconds and later we spoke with a local tourist guide who told us that it was centered in Colombia and was a 7.0 earthquake there. It was the strongest tremor that she had felt in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados in ten years. What luck! We hope there were no bad effects of the earthquake elsewhere.
Santa Domingo & Mucho Help
When we got off the bus at Santa Domingo, we noticed an info center so we went in. What luck! An extremely helpful, English speaking girl not only got us lined up for a visit to a nearby Tsachitas Village, but also loaded all our photos onto a flash drive, directed us to the local Flora celebration, helped us get the next bus tickets we needed and gave us a map of Quito marking the bus station we will need to find there!
Tsachitas Village
The Tsachitas are the indigious people in the are around Santa Domingo de Los Colorados. We think Colorado might mean color as this tribe's custom includes wearing skirts with many bright colors and head pieces with colored ribbons hanging. The men have red dyed bowl cut hair cuts and wear a ring of sheep wool on top. All have black lines on their faces and black rings on their legs and arms. Our personal guide was none other than the village shaman. She walked us through the forest showing us various plants used for medicine, mood altering and body painting. She also performed various rituals over Rog...so if he acts different when we get home...you will know why. She must be well respected as she is also running for some political position and her face is on several election posters! We were treated to a music and dance demonstration and watched as they prepared a fish meal in banana leaves. A TV crew was there as well...and we got interviewed by them. How do we rate!!!!
We made up some peanut butter sandwiches and drank on more pineapple juice then started for our bus to another bus to another bus to arrive at Santa Domingo de Los Colorado...about undefined hour bus ride on really good roads. The first bus had pretty dirty windows...and right away the symbolism hit me....only if you look beyond the dirt will you see the true beauty. This lesson we have felt in all our travels. As always, we get to see many scenes that in USA are hid behind closed doors: tossing wash water, brushing teeth, butchering chickens & pigs, kids riding sticks as horses, a lady riding the bus with two live chicks on her lap, locals peering out the openings in their homes as we pass, laundry being hung and some cute little piggies eating the scraps outside a restaurant. We pass many homes we would consider shacks but with breathtaking views or right on the beach. Location, location, location! Most villages are about the same as the last...with very few autos but lots of horses as the terrain is very mountainous... and all are plastered with election posters. Here and there...seems like in no where land...there are little restrurants with big steaming pots and a table or two...they too are plastered with election posters. Lots of cows around and since we see milk cans by the road and being carried by horses, guess they are dairy cows. The bus is a constant flow of people as it seems to stop where ever people want on or off. Quite often, a vendor or two will hop on the bus selling various food items...and hop off at the next stop. When we got into the area with lots of banana and cocoa farms, the houses were better constructed...with cement and blue glass in the windows and we saw more and more autos. Obviously more money. The only part that bugs me is when they are showing a movie as it is usually very violent or full of sex...why do we feed minds with such junk? But overall, we have really enjoyed our many bus rides. And the price is right...from 25 cents for short ones, $1 or $2 for 2or 3 hours to $10 for our 9 hour ride. Wish it was this easy and cheap to travel by bus in USA!
Templor
While in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados we were traveling by taxi to visit a local indigenous village when we heard some girls shriek alongside the road, then our driver stopped the car and we noticed that the car was still moving as if it were being buffeted by strong winds. I opened the window to see if it was windy and then noticed telephone wires and poles swaying back and forth and finally realized that we were experiencing our first tremor (temblor- in Spanish). It lasted about 10 to 20 seconds and later we spoke with a local tourist guide who told us that it was centered in Colombia and was a 7.0 earthquake there. It was the strongest tremor that she had felt in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados in ten years. What luck! We hope there were no bad effects of the earthquake elsewhere.
Santa Domingo & Mucho Help
When we got off the bus at Santa Domingo, we noticed an info center so we went in. What luck! An extremely helpful, English speaking girl not only got us lined up for a visit to a nearby Tsachitas Village, but also loaded all our photos onto a flash drive, directed us to the local Flora celebration, helped us get the next bus tickets we needed and gave us a map of Quito marking the bus station we will need to find there!
Tsachitas Village
The Tsachitas are the indigious people in the are around Santa Domingo de Los Colorados. We think Colorado might mean color as this tribe's custom includes wearing skirts with many bright colors and head pieces with colored ribbons hanging. The men have red dyed bowl cut hair cuts and wear a ring of sheep wool on top. All have black lines on their faces and black rings on their legs and arms. Our personal guide was none other than the village shaman. She walked us through the forest showing us various plants used for medicine, mood altering and body painting. She also performed various rituals over Rog...so if he acts different when we get home...you will know why. She must be well respected as she is also running for some political position and her face is on several election posters! We were treated to a music and dance demonstration and watched as they prepared a fish meal in banana leaves. A TV crew was there as well...and we got interviewed by them. How do we rate!!!!
Earthquake
Yup we felt the earthquake today--we were in a taxi and the whole car started to wobble and all the wire around us were swaying. We heard it was in Columbia and registered at 7.0....wow...another experience!!! We just got to Quito and are leaving for the jungle tonight via an all night bus ride. Can't seem to pass on any of the great adventures in Equador! Not sure where the next computer will be...we will be in the jungle 4 or 5 days...take care! And Bek, enjoy the Bahamas...like I needed to tell you that! The rest, enjoy the snow!
Love ya lots,
Mom
While in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados we were traveling by taxi to visit a local indigenous village when we heard some girls shriek alongside the road, then our driver stopped the car and we noticed that the car was still moving as if it were being buffeted by strong winds. I opened the window to see if it was windy and then noticed telephone wires and poles swaying back and forth and finally realized that we were experiencing our first tremor (temblor) in Spanish. It lasted about 15-20 seconds and later we spole with a local tourist guide who told us that it was centered in Colombia and was a 7.0 earthquake there. It was the strongest tremor that she had felt in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados in ten years. What luck! We hope there were no bad effects of the earthquake elsewhere. Now in Quito at the very modern bus station (Quitumbe Station) using their computers but will soon leave Quito for Coca where our jungle trip is scheduled to begin on Monday.
Love Dad
Love ya lots,
Mom
While in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados we were traveling by taxi to visit a local indigenous village when we heard some girls shriek alongside the road, then our driver stopped the car and we noticed that the car was still moving as if it were being buffeted by strong winds. I opened the window to see if it was windy and then noticed telephone wires and poles swaying back and forth and finally realized that we were experiencing our first tremor (temblor) in Spanish. It lasted about 15-20 seconds and later we spole with a local tourist guide who told us that it was centered in Colombia and was a 7.0 earthquake there. It was the strongest tremor that she had felt in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados in ten years. What luck! We hope there were no bad effects of the earthquake elsewhere. Now in Quito at the very modern bus station (Quitumbe Station) using their computers but will soon leave Quito for Coca where our jungle trip is scheduled to begin on Monday.
Love Dad
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Mompiche
Bus to Mompiche
Looking out the bus window is like watching a documentary. You see lots of landscape and snippets of the daily life. Here are a few: freshly washed green everywhere; balsa trees with thick, smooth mossy green trucks & canopy of leaves on top; rolling hillsides pastured by cows who are herded by cowboys; scores of isolated bamboo or board houses with rusted tin roofs on stilts with hammocks strung under them and lines and lines of clothing drying all around them; children playing in mud puddles that often surround these houses; scores of small towns with tiny stores made of rough cement or homemade red bricks covered with tin roofs; all in slow motion and peaceful. My favorite site was right beside me on the bus...the face of a 13 day old infant in her mother's arms. He little whimpers, content expression after nursing and then as she slept deeply on the over crowded bus as the worn tasseled curtains flapped above her. I wondered what her life would be like. I reflected back on all the precious infants I have cradled...my children & grandchildren...and I could almost feel the wind of time blast by me!
Mompiche
We are awed by the beauty of this bay and the quiet village of Mompiche. It has everything that gorgeous beach resort have...except high rise hotel, large gift shops, lots of tourist and diet coke. Our hotel is mostly bamboo and thatched roof with a large veranda and a panoramic view of the bay where frigates and pelicans swoop...for $30. Several young surfers have found this place and we watch as them as they ride the waves. One of the couples...Dan and Michele...we met in Canoa followed us here so we have shared laughs, stories and meals...one where they had ordered grilled chicken before we arrived and found out there was pizza...so we shared both meals. The pizza was cooked in a portable oven on the beach and topped with fresh peaches and pineapple ... the costliest meal so far $22! For breakfast we all got crepes with rich bananas and a thick caramel topping.l We also have sucked down more delicious juices. Today Rog was encouraged to smell a variety of fruit before it was put in the blender. He found another great tasting juice, araza. Mostly we dine on fish and shrimp served with rice and deep fried fresh cut potatoes. Not losing any weight! Our long beach walks hopefully help me from gaining weight!!
Looking out the bus window is like watching a documentary. You see lots of landscape and snippets of the daily life. Here are a few: freshly washed green everywhere; balsa trees with thick, smooth mossy green trucks & canopy of leaves on top; rolling hillsides pastured by cows who are herded by cowboys; scores of isolated bamboo or board houses with rusted tin roofs on stilts with hammocks strung under them and lines and lines of clothing drying all around them; children playing in mud puddles that often surround these houses; scores of small towns with tiny stores made of rough cement or homemade red bricks covered with tin roofs; all in slow motion and peaceful. My favorite site was right beside me on the bus...the face of a 13 day old infant in her mother's arms. He little whimpers, content expression after nursing and then as she slept deeply on the over crowded bus as the worn tasseled curtains flapped above her. I wondered what her life would be like. I reflected back on all the precious infants I have cradled...my children & grandchildren...and I could almost feel the wind of time blast by me!
Mompiche
We are awed by the beauty of this bay and the quiet village of Mompiche. It has everything that gorgeous beach resort have...except high rise hotel, large gift shops, lots of tourist and diet coke. Our hotel is mostly bamboo and thatched roof with a large veranda and a panoramic view of the bay where frigates and pelicans swoop...for $30. Several young surfers have found this place and we watch as them as they ride the waves. One of the couples...Dan and Michele...we met in Canoa followed us here so we have shared laughs, stories and meals...one where they had ordered grilled chicken before we arrived and found out there was pizza...so we shared both meals. The pizza was cooked in a portable oven on the beach and topped with fresh peaches and pineapple ... the costliest meal so far $22! For breakfast we all got crepes with rich bananas and a thick caramel topping.l We also have sucked down more delicious juices. Today Rog was encouraged to smell a variety of fruit before it was put in the blender. He found another great tasting juice, araza. Mostly we dine on fish and shrimp served with rice and deep fried fresh cut potatoes. Not losing any weight! Our long beach walks hopefully help me from gaining weight!!
Monday, February 4, 2013
San Jacinto Beach Days
Why leave? We dragged this stop to 3 days...reading, playing Bridge on the veranda, taking dips in the pool and walking the beach. We admired the pelicans vigilant hunt for food as they skimmed the waves the the fishermen's skill in getting their boats from dry land, over the breaking waves and to calm sea. In short, we just relaxed.
Weekend Crowd
On Sat, the weekend crowd came in with bathing suits on (locals just wear clothing= and even saw one kid with muscles (floaties). Also saw the first car seat since leaving USA. Two soccer games played on the low tide beach drew a crowd...and tarps and hammocks were strung on the bamboo poles stuck in the sand. The sun came out strong and turned the ocean from gray to a sparkling turquoise. Loving it!
On to Canoa
We hopped buses until we got to Canoa...another beach town though bigger than the last and busier. We arrived on Sunday so the beach was loaded with people chasing the waves or eating at the beachside bamboo stands. Rog found a beachside hotel for $25 and soon we met 3 couples from Vancouver. We ate dinner...shrimp in coconut sauce...with one couple who like us love the adventure of traveling. The woman lived on the Galapagos Is for several years and actually knew the Angermeyers...the family that the book we are reading, My Father's Island, is all about! Another couple also combined their travels with missions. They are connected with gfs.org (I'll have to research that later). We plan to eat dinner with them tonight. The other couple are newlyweds. She is an online teacher (so I got her info for Bek & Jake) and he is going to take a leap of careers...from nursing to scuba diving instructor. It is comforting to spend time talking in English to kindred spirits...as we sat in the ocean breeze with the crashing waves as a background.
Why leave? We dragged this stop to 3 days...reading, playing Bridge on the veranda, taking dips in the pool and walking the beach. We admired the pelicans vigilant hunt for food as they skimmed the waves the the fishermen's skill in getting their boats from dry land, over the breaking waves and to calm sea. In short, we just relaxed.
Weekend Crowd
On Sat, the weekend crowd came in with bathing suits on (locals just wear clothing= and even saw one kid with muscles (floaties). Also saw the first car seat since leaving USA. Two soccer games played on the low tide beach drew a crowd...and tarps and hammocks were strung on the bamboo poles stuck in the sand. The sun came out strong and turned the ocean from gray to a sparkling turquoise. Loving it!
On to Canoa
We hopped buses until we got to Canoa...another beach town though bigger than the last and busier. We arrived on Sunday so the beach was loaded with people chasing the waves or eating at the beachside bamboo stands. Rog found a beachside hotel for $25 and soon we met 3 couples from Vancouver. We ate dinner...shrimp in coconut sauce...with one couple who like us love the adventure of traveling. The woman lived on the Galapagos Is for several years and actually knew the Angermeyers...the family that the book we are reading, My Father's Island, is all about! Another couple also combined their travels with missions. They are connected with gfs.org (I'll have to research that later). We plan to eat dinner with them tonight. The other couple are newlyweds. She is an online teacher (so I got her info for Bek & Jake) and he is going to take a leap of careers...from nursing to scuba diving instructor. It is comforting to spend time talking in English to kindred spirits...as we sat in the ocean breeze with the crashing waves as a background.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Ecuador
String of Photos and Resume
The young Spanish girl that I wrote about who is looking for an American husband must have stayed up all night because the next day, she gave me a string of photos and her resume...giggling the whole time. So I am looking for her match...any ideas?
Tanzania Connects to Guayaquil
The more we travel...the more connected the world becomes for me. Who would ever imagine our Tansania trip would ever connect to Guayaquil! And yet, I am using the same set of felt bible story pieces here as I cut out while gazing at Mt. Kilamajaro...made by the same USA company. It feels like another comforting nod from God.
Last Day in Guayquil
When we left USA a month ago, I really thought we'd be working and living in an orphanage...wrong. Instead God...cause we sure had little say in it...gratiously placed us in the home and hearts of the Orellana family. And through Sonnia, we met with over 250 kids mostly whose parents were squatters. Using our teaching skills, we could create lessons ... hopefully foundation blocks for solid Christian lives...using crafts, games and storytelling that adjusted to the space, time frame and # of kids ...as we never knew anything for sure when we walked in the door. And God also gave us Tatiana...an able and spirt filled translator. The last group of kids were worked with were filled with kind and thoughtful kids. We got so many long, loving hugs as we said goodbye to the kids and the staff and the pastors...all thanking us over and over and wishing blessings on us as they walked us to the door. My warmest and biggest hug came from Sonnia....with tears racing down our cheeks, we whispered "Amigo" to each other. Tatiana insisted on driving us to the bus station, helping us buy our tickets and then walking us to our bus line. How lucky can you get?
Two Gringos on their Own
For the first time since we left USA...we're alone with just our loaded backpacks, peanut butter (and a few m&m's) and the survival skills we have learned...two gringos in a sea of Ecuadorians. We took the bus to Manta...transferred to another....and then later another and finally arrived in San Jacinto...a small fishing village with miles of almost empty beach very close to the equator. We are in probably the nicest hotel here right on the beach with a pool, hammocks and a full breaKfast for $40. We strolled down the dirt road that lines the shore thinking how valuable these homes would be in the USA. Local kids played in the waves...did they realize how lucky they were? We sure knew how lucky we were!!
The young Spanish girl that I wrote about who is looking for an American husband must have stayed up all night because the next day, she gave me a string of photos and her resume...giggling the whole time. So I am looking for her match...any ideas?
Tanzania Connects to Guayaquil
The more we travel...the more connected the world becomes for me. Who would ever imagine our Tansania trip would ever connect to Guayaquil! And yet, I am using the same set of felt bible story pieces here as I cut out while gazing at Mt. Kilamajaro...made by the same USA company. It feels like another comforting nod from God.
Last Day in Guayquil
When we left USA a month ago, I really thought we'd be working and living in an orphanage...wrong. Instead God...cause we sure had little say in it...gratiously placed us in the home and hearts of the Orellana family. And through Sonnia, we met with over 250 kids mostly whose parents were squatters. Using our teaching skills, we could create lessons ... hopefully foundation blocks for solid Christian lives...using crafts, games and storytelling that adjusted to the space, time frame and # of kids ...as we never knew anything for sure when we walked in the door. And God also gave us Tatiana...an able and spirt filled translator. The last group of kids were worked with were filled with kind and thoughtful kids. We got so many long, loving hugs as we said goodbye to the kids and the staff and the pastors...all thanking us over and over and wishing blessings on us as they walked us to the door. My warmest and biggest hug came from Sonnia....with tears racing down our cheeks, we whispered "Amigo" to each other. Tatiana insisted on driving us to the bus station, helping us buy our tickets and then walking us to our bus line. How lucky can you get?
Two Gringos on their Own
For the first time since we left USA...we're alone with just our loaded backpacks, peanut butter (and a few m&m's) and the survival skills we have learned...two gringos in a sea of Ecuadorians. We took the bus to Manta...transferred to another....and then later another and finally arrived in San Jacinto...a small fishing village with miles of almost empty beach very close to the equator. We are in probably the nicest hotel here right on the beach with a pool, hammocks and a full breaKfast for $40. We strolled down the dirt road that lines the shore thinking how valuable these homes would be in the USA. Local kids played in the waves...did they realize how lucky they were? We sure knew how lucky we were!!
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