Journey to Ecuador’s Northern Mountains

Disclaimer: Yikes. Too many photos and too slow of an internet connection. Don´t think I´ll do any more captions. Sorry!

Journey to Ecuador’s Northern Mountains

We were only away from Ceilidh for 2 weeks but it is a though we stepped into another world and separate time structure. We visited Quito, Mindo, and Otovalo and saw many of the small towns and villages sprinkled thru the mountains and valleys along the way. Ecuador is the smallest country in South America at 256,370 sq km or 98,985 sq miles. The population is somewhere around 13 million people. These figures exclude the Galapagos Islands. It looks like we won’t be visiting there this time round so I’ll save their stats for the day we do. Within mainland Ecuador the numerous cultures and broad biodiversity are astounding. I hope someday to return and visit all the areas and peoples of this fascinating part of mama earth.

Quito
Photo link: http://public.fotki.com/svceilidh/quito/
Rich and I took the bus from Bahia on the coast directly to Quito, a 9 hour ride. The bus was quite comfy and the scenery flying by the window much better than any nature film. Winding alongside joyous mountain streams and small villages we saw fisherman and their families working with nets and drying fish and then on to agricultural areas with banana and bamboo groves alongside flooded rice paddies. Climbing higher the population became sparser and the vegetation changed rapidly from one species of shrubs and trees to completely different varieties right before my eyes. Must admit I would love to have stopped and spent more time with the wild looking trees and shrubs along the mountain paths. Quito lies in a bowl like valley between volcanically created mountain ranges. Near the top of the western range we bumped into the clouds and rain and didn’t come back out for some hours as we descended the other side. I think the mountains to the east and west of Quito are around 4500m or 1476 ft. Quito it’s self is (I think) is around 3300m (1082 ft).

As we came out of the clouds the green mountains reappeared with hillsides covered in swaying giant bamboo. The bamboo is used for everything here – props during brick and cement construction and only material used for many of the homes. It is done beautifully and with an artists touch. Varied angles and types or sizes making pleasing patterns on the sides, windows, and doors of the structures. And still the bus rolled forward. Before long we were in the sprawl of Quito. In the photo link later you’ll see what I mean. It is HUGE.

Arrival was exciting and we found a wonderful hostel in the New Town area. One of our reasons to visit Quito first was to apply for our US Passport renewals. On our first day we managed to combine the renewal application with a visit to the nearby Casa de la Cultura Museo and Art Gallery plus a stroll thru the beautiful Parque Ejido. Ecuador knows how to display art and portray the successions of culture. The Museo provided captions in English as well as Spanish combined with arrows and display numbers to help guide you thru the centuries.

Night life in and around the New Town in Quito is a happening place. Restaurants, tourists from every land, tour companies offering trekking, rafting and Amazon jungle tours. Every night there were people filling the streets and music filtered out of clubs and restaurants. It is not a quiet place. The city is alive and kicking all the time. We enjoyed eating at a few of the restaurants, sampling different types of food. One night Thai, another Indian and of course Ecuadorian.

New Town and its museums visited we moved on the next day to Old Town. There are two different electric bus lines that run the length of the city and provide inexpensive public transit. We took one such bus into the heart of Old Town early in the morning, arriving at Plaza de La Independencia – described as the heart of the colonial city. There are so many churches and more museums to choose from. We started out with El Sagrario. It sits just around the corner from the Cathedral on the Plaza Grande. It was small, dark, old, and quiet. A very happy feeling pervaded the entire structure and I was very pleased we visited. Next on to the Cathedral. It was huge, bright and the best maintained church we visited in all of Quito. Owned by the Jesuits, it was first built in the 1500’s and then continued to be built onto and rebuilt all thru the years. We accepted the offer of an English speaking guide and learned such interesting details. One of which – there are 50 kilos of gold leaf in the church. Everything is covered with glitter. The church does not allow photos so we purchased postcards. We’ll scan them sometime and add them to the photos online.

I think we took a break about then and sat in an internet café called Papaya Net. Had some refreshments and checked email. Then on to more street wandering and church visits. Some of the churches were so run down it is amazing they are still standing. The streets in old town are narrow and cobble paved. If it had not been for the hills swooping up in the near distance I would have been reminded of old New Orleans. As we walked to the Plaza de San Francisco we passed huge numbers of riot police (just checked with Rich and he says around 50 or so) complete with riot shields, body armor, head gear that looked like a welding mask and BIG guns. They were all just standing around chatting. Continuing up the street to the church there was a large boxy thing in the middle of the road. Turns out it was a water cannon – just parked there. We tried to find out if the vehicles and riot police are just natural phenomena and, if not, what was the anticipated need. Never did find out but we suspect it has to do with the rapidly approaching presidential elections.

My favorite museum was Museo de la Ciudad, just north of the Plaza de San Francisco. The description in the guide book did not sound appealing but we wandered down a street, thru and arch, and there it was. It is housed in a beautiful old hacienda style structure with a large inner courtyard. The displays take you thru Quito’s history from pre-Hispanic times to the 19th century. Unfortunately, they also did not allow photos. Such an interesting approach to the introduction of history. We were the only people going thru the display just then so it was a private viewing. As you entered the first display area you walked thru layers silver strips of plastic hanging down to form a thick curtain. Once thru the opening the walls became cave like and wound you thru lifelike (and life size) displays of cave life and jungle huts. The next room jumped to the overview of Quito and its different peoples and outlying areas using 3 different video displays and a map painted on the floor that stretched from on end of the hall to the other. Very cool. From there the experience continued to fill my senses with wonder and appreciation for the presenters. Dioramas and reconstruction of complete huts and shop fronts depicted the various times, peoples and ways of life.

Mindo
Photo link: http://public.fotki.com/svceilidh/mindo/
Mindo is a village 2 plus hours from Quito. We arrived via bus and marveled as the countryside continued to become greener and greener. The bus drove over the bridge with a rushing mountain stream galloping below and onto the main street. As we departed the bus we met Claudia. She owns the hostal El Rocio. You know how you meet someone and have an instant connection? So it was. We went with her the half mile or so to her hostel and found it the perfect place to base our visit. We stayed on the third floor and hung out in the many hammocks lining the porches, watching the incredible birds playing in the tree tops. After stowing our bags we went downstairs to find Claudia talking with one of the women we had seen on the bus. Hard to miss her because she had gotten on the bus with a very distressed and noisy sack. She had gone to town to purchase a kitten and come home with this cute bundle of fur. He was in the process of playing hide and seek in Claudia’s hair and seemed ever so happy to be out of the bag and off the bus. Claudia asked if we were hungry and suggested we follow her friend down the road a bit further to her family’s restaurant. It is situated on a trout stream, has extensive gardens, and hangs humming bird feeders every 5 feet all along their covered patio/dining area. Sounded wonderful to us so off we went. Walking up the dirt road we saw more of the incredible plant life and enjoyed the cool air. At the restaurant we found a lovely outdoor seating area within 10 feet or so of the hummingbird feeders. Enjoying the garden, hummingbirds, and a fantastic meal of fresh trout (truncha) the time flew by.

It was quite a contrast that night. From Quito’s crazy city energy and noise to Mindo’s hushed jungle with occasional bird and frog songs. I slept ever so well! We walked the next morning into Sanctuario de Cascadas – an hour walk up a dirt road to an impressive number of waterfalls. Beautiful plants, lovely water and perfect day. They have a cable stretched across the canyon that carries a shuttle car so you can reach the falls more easily. It was fun to see the views as we sped down the cable. After viewing many of the falls we decided to start the trip back. Just as we reached the cable shuttle car the rain let loose and soaked us. Everyone was laughing and enjoying just being. On the other side the dirt road was now a mud wallow. A pickup with a family bundled in the cab kindly offered us a ride so the journey back took a fraction of the time.

The next morning the rain had cleared and Claudia asked if we would like to visit the protected forest. Sounded good to us! So off we went with two more of her friends, Sonia and Luis, plus a lovely girl from Germany who was in Ecuador studying tourism. In order to reach this remote place we all piled onto a rather dated tractor. Sonia was to fix lunch for us at the kitchen facility on the property while we hiked so she stowed the food in laundry baskets in the tractors scoop bucket. He he. The seats were slat benched attached above the big aft tractor wheels and the ride was long – about 1 and ½. What fun. So many new plants and insects. Once there we found more beautiful waterfalls and enjoyed the hike. Sonia cooked a lovely meal for us and we turned the tractor Mindo bound and were back at El Rocio. The next day we had a bit of time before our bus left for Quito so we went to a butterfly farm. Wait till you see the photos! I could go on an on but I’ll try and add captions to the photos as well so you can get more of a blow by blow. I know you all have heard me say how much I love the green and how healing it is. I shall never forget my trip to Mindo and always have a jewel to take out and marvel over for as long as I live.

Quick trip back to Quito for one night just to pick up our new passports and then off by bus again – this time to Otovalo.

Otovalo
Foto link: http://public.fotki.com/svceilidh/otovalo/
Otovalo is 2 hours north of Quito, located in a beautiful inter-Andean valley. It is surrounded by the volcanoes of Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Mojanda. Its origins go back to around 13000 years BC. The outlying cities specialize in various world class handicrafts that are exported all over the world. Otovalo hosts the largest South American outdoor market place. I think the peoples and the scenery are the most memorable but you can judge yourself from the photo link. In Otovalo, most of the women and children maintain the traditional dress of the Andean Quichuas. The language most spoken among these people is Quichua but those who interact in town and work in the market also speak Spanish. The traditional dress for the women consists of blue or black ankle length skirts, white embroidered blouses with lace of cuffs and the neck and cloth sandals. The men are more often seen in some type of more western dress – T shirts and long pants but wear their hair long in a braid that trails down their back. Many also wear the traditional felt brimmed hat. These are by and large a very small people. I was surprised to find myself often the tallest person on the crowded street.

We arrived by bus from Quito on Wednesday and located a hostel. The two big days for the artisans market are Wed and Sat so we made our initial visit and marveled at the many goods, peoples, and colors. The market takes place every day of the week but Sat is the BIG day. We were ever so interested to see exactly what that meant and were not disappointed. All of our gift shopping accomplished by Friday we had only to wander the streets and enjoy the hive like hum of commerce. When we arrived on the streets Sat morning around 7:30 the streets were closed to vehicles and venders were putting the last merchandise out for display, ready for the busy trading day. We were walking at a fast pace out of the city to visit the large animal market – a 20min or so walk to the edge of the town. What a scene it was. Pigs, sheep, cows, horses, and burros. Looked for lamas but didn’t see any. There is also a small animal market on the other side of town selling chickens, ducks, rabbits and guinea pigs (called cuy and considered yummy food) but we had not awoke early enough to get there as well before they closed down. After strolling around the animals we walked slowly back thru the waking town and numerous vendors and found a lovely breakfast, marveling at the increased activity and wondering where all these thousands of people came from. Wish you could have seen these sights and experienced the ambiance. During the quieter days as we strolled the markets we struck up conversations with many of the vendors and became friends. It was fun to talk with them on chance encounters as we made our way thru the city streets.

On Friday we took a tour with a gent named Washington and his brother Pablo to the outlying areas around Otovalo. It is in these outlying villages that the goods sold in the market are made, mostly in the old tradition, then sold at the market as well as exported. Our first stop was in Peguche. Peguche’s main craft exports are weavings and tapestries. We did not visit any artisans, choosing instead to linger at the Cascada de Peguche – a lovely waterfall that is a site for ritual purification for the Otovalo peoples. Approaching the falls the healing and wholesome energy rushed out to meet me, enveloping my being as it wrapped the happy dewy mist all around me. I smiled during the entire visit and my feet were light as a dancer on the path. It is a very special place.

Our next stop was at Parque Condor. The reserve was created to rescue and rehabilitate birds of prey, including condors. It provides environmental education for the community and thru the flying demonstrations engenderers a love for these beautiful creatures. Watching the great hawks soar into the clean mountain sky was breathtaking. I could feel myself flying with them. At the end of the demonstration the handlers brought out a small peregrine and allowed the audience to hold him. I waited till the last person was thru and then had my turn. What a lovely being. I was able to converse with him and feel a connection. If only I had real wings! The large area set aside for the park also contained many roomy enclosures for the injured birds that would never be able to leave the park. They all looked well tended and had plenty of room to move around within their enclosures.

Next stop was the lovely crater lake of Laguna Cuicocha. It sits at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano at an altitude of 3,070m. There are 2 islands on the lake but they are closed to the public and open only for biological studies. The view from above the lake was spectacular. The color of the water with a back drop of dramatic volcanic mountains and a blue sky dotted with pinto clouds. On the drive to our next stop we wound alongside a river and watched women and children in the streams up to their waist washing clothing and bedding, swinging the cloth high over their heads and bringing it down hard on a rock lodged in the stream. It looked as though they were enjoying the task.

Our last stop of the day on the way back into the city of Otovalo at a musician artisan's family workshop and home. We saw the pan type flues made and different types of stringed and wind instruments demonstrated. Rich played with some of the flutes. OK. I am just about typed out here. Just talked with Rich and he says he’ll read my post and then fill in blanks and craft his own special version of the journey. I always enjoy reading his journals.

Love and hug to you all
from the yin side