May 29th, 2011
In Colombia for 1 week tonight - still no sign of guerillas, kidnappings, or many other Americans for that matter. So far, that has been one of the most interesting things I have experienced here. You hear the complete opposite about Colombia from people in the US and people who have actually been here. The lingering bad reputation of the country, from what I have experienced first-hand, is undeserved.
I don't think I have written since Bogota, which puts me way far behind. After taking a night but from Bogota and to Armenia and Salento, we found our way to La Serrana, a working farm that doubles as a eco-hotel. It was a really nice place to spend a few days. It is right in the middle of Colombia's coffee growing district that has really green, beautiful rolling hillsides dotten with tall wax-palm trees (the tallest palm trees in the world at about 60 feet). Their existence in the middle of all the other lower trees creates a pretty cool effect to see their palm tops jutting out at the top. There is not a ton to do at the hostel itself, but there were some good trekking opportunities not far away.
We arrived early in the morning, around 7:30am, after a night of travel and I was pretty exhausted even though I had slept well on the bus. We took a nap for a few hours and then got up to eat breakfast that the hostel included even though we did not actually stay there the night before. After that, we headed out to walk to a coffee farm, where we took about a 45 minutes tour. I have been on tours before, but this was one of the best because I got to see the actual machinery and plants up close...heck the tour guide even put us to work and we picked a few coffee berries outselves. He also told us that, during the high season, 20 people harvest the beans from all 50,000 plants on the farm! Yes, 50,000 plants! After picking about 10 of the pods and dropping half of them, I realized that you have to have well trained fingers to be able to do the job well. In the high season, a worker may pick up to 200kg (a lot, lot of pounds) in a day. Pretty incredible! At the end of the tour, we got a chance to see the unroasted coffee beans before they are sent to market. It is interesting that the best quality beans are exported to other countries, while the "second-hand" beans that are not as good of quality stay in Colombia. This year, there has been a ton of rain that has affected the coffee crop, which is one of the major reasons why coffee prices have been spiking. Finally, we got to try coffee directly from the farm. It was a great cup, so I decided to grab a bag to sip on for lazy Sunday mornings when I start the job. For dinner, we headed to the supermarket and got some greens to make a salad - much needed for me since I had not had greens for a long, long time. It turned out to be delcious, a well needed fix!
The next day, we headed out to hike the Valley de Cocora with one of the other girls that we met in the hostel, Jen. She is a brit who has been traveling for about 9 months now and is heading up to Central America after Colombia. She was worried about keeping up with Glenn and I on the hike, but I assured here that she would make it just fine! The hike was through awesome cloudforest dotted with the wax-palms I described earlier. It rained a little bit, but thankfully never poured on us. We did have to cross a fast flowing creek on bridges made of three logs about 6 or 7 times at the beginning of the path, but it made the going exciting. After about 2 and a half hours, we reached a nature reserve at the end of the trail and had a grossly sweetened cup of coffee, but the place redeemed itself because of all of the hummingbirds flying around where we were sitting having the coffee. We then headed to the mountain lookout point, another hour or so of going UP a pretty steep and muddy path. The views from the top were well worth it. After another 2 hours of hiking, we made it back to where we were dropped off initially and headed back into town.
Dinner that night was one of the best on the trip! I splurged and decided to eat the food on offer at the hostel - a burger. I figured it would be good since the guy who runs the hotel is a chef from New York. Even thought the burger was a little bit more rare than I usually eat, it was awesome. The toppings really did the trick. Guacamole, hummus, lettuce, eggs, grilled pineapple. Well worth the $7 it cost for it. I needed a little bit of protein after the 6 hours of hiking that we did that day.
The next morning, we got up and I readied myself for a long day and night of travel. To get to where we were going next, we had to backtrack to Bogota and then take another night bus to San Gil. We took the day bus, which turned out to be a really beautiful ride through mountains and cloudforest. The Colombians are building a huge, and I mean huge, tunnel that cuts through the mountains. It is supposed to cut the current travel time down from 7.5 hours to 5. After spending some more time in the Bogota bus terminal, we finally boarded our bus and made it to San Gil at 4:30 in the morning. Not the optimal, but we were able to wake the guy up at the hostel we were going to stay at so that we could check in and sleep for a few hours. That was this morning I guess. Sometimes the days run together when you really don't have to know what date or even day it is. Thankfully, I have a watch that keeps me on track with the date, day and time!
Today, after sleeping for a few hours when we got in, we headed out to try and find some horseback riding tours. As walking through town, you could definitely tell that the altitude had changed A LOT! It is a lot hotter here and I finally felt pretty comfortable walking around in shorts and flip flops. There are also mosquitos here as I am finding out through the multiple bites on my legs. Time to break out the 100% deet! No luck finding a horseback tour though, weirdly enough. It seemed like, even though it was a Sunday, a lot of the town's stores were closed down. We ended up heading to a local swimming hole called Pozo Azul, about a 30 minute walk outside of town. The water was pretty cold so I didn't wind up swimming, but we did lay by the rushing wart of the river in the sun for a little while and got in a much needed nap. Tonight was a catch up night with emailing and blogging, as the eco-hotel's wifi was not working. We got pretty much the rest of the trip planned. Tomorrow we are going to go caving and then to a really nice colonial town. Should be nice, more to come soon!
"The heat is on...the heat is o-on!"
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Bogota - a return to the caffeinated life
May 25, 2011
I made it to Colombia safe and sound. And no, I haven't been kidnapped yet for those of you who are worried about me getting snagged by some guerrilas. I made it out of the airport and to my hostel a few nights ago and have been exploring Bogota since then.
First of all, I have to give props to the awesome hostel that I am staying in right now. Hostel Alegria (happiness) is a great place. It is pretty quiet but has some people here, really friendly staff, free breakfast, fireplaces, wifi, and great mattresses. I am going to be sad to go from here. I have been very, very happy here! If anyone ever comes to Bogota, this is the spot. The first day I was here, I pretty much just walked around and explored the city a little bit. Glenn was arriving that night, so I didn't want to go to any museums or sites withlout him so that we didn't duplicate. I wound up checking out a free art museum and walking around the main square and historica center of the city. Bogota is actually an awesome, awesome city. There are parts taht look like a small colonial Spanish town, there are parts that are modern with clean streets and expensive shopping malls, and there are parts that look like they come straight out of 1970s or 1980s Europe. I really like the mix of style. The people are friendly, and the food is pretty good. I ate a ton of food on the first day becaue I ate barely nothing the day before. Arepas, corn cakes that are usually stuffed with cheese, have become a favorite. Anything with carbs and cheese you can't go wrong with. Walking around, however, I found myself a little shocked with the prices here. They are not as high as what you would find in Europe or the US, but coming here from Ecuador was a shock. Things are nearly double the price of what they were there! I guess I am going to have to budget a little more than expected.
Glenn arrived without problem that night, and we went to sleep soon after he got here. The next morning, after mowing down on the free breakfast, we headed up to the hilltop observatory of Monserrate, which is reached by either a cable car or incline that goes up over the side of the mountain that flanks Bogota. The ride up was nice, and the views from the top were pretty good. Unluckily, we got somewhat of a smoggy day, so we were not able to see the whole city, but it was still an impressive site. After that, we grabbed a cheap (and actually not very tasty) lunch at a local comedor and headed over to the gold museum. It consists of thousands of pieces of gold from the pre-Colombian period. It is impressive and amazing to think about the indigenous peoples actually wearing the earrings, breastplates, headdresses, and wrist cuffs! I think within the past couple of years the collection has gotten pretty damn valuable, especially now that gold is at around $1,500 an ounce. We headed back to the hostel after that because we were whooped from the day. We grabbed a few delicious empanadas from a store across the street from a university for dinner, and I actually went to bed at around 9:30!
Today, because of the such early bedtime, I started stirring at 6:30 this morning and finally got out of bed a little before 7. I hung around, had a few cups of coffee, and caught up on the news. A nice relaxing morning before another day of heavy walking a museum-ing. We headed out first to the Botero museum, which holds a large collection of a Colombian artist who likes to paint fat people. Even if the person is not obese in real life, he still paints them that way in his portraits (such as the president and first lady of Colombia!!). The museum is so interesting because of how different his painting and sculpture are from pretty much anything else I have seen. After a quick look at the coin museum, we then walked up to where the Plaza de Toros (Bullfighting ring) is located a little bit north of the main square and where we were staying. Up there, we checked out the outside of the bull ring and then headed into the National Museum. It was also a pretty impressive collection of Colonmbian history, but after about an hour of being in there I got museumed out. I like them, but you can only take so much in a day. So, we headed out and had one of the best lunches I have had here yet. It was again just soup, some rice, plantains, pasta salad, and a piece of meat, and a limonada (lime ade), but it was well seasoned and they had a spicy cilantro sauce to put on everything which made it about 10 times better. Well worth the $2.50 that we spent on it.
Glenn and I were both tired from walking and doing a little bit of shopping by then, so we decided to find a place to have a beer. We found a little spot with dollar beers. We wound up having 3 each, but after leaving we found out that the waitress had been serving us the more expensive ones...but they still wound up only being $1.50. Not a bad price. We finished out the day by hitting up the same empanada shop from last night. We deciced to eat in the shop, which has one of the best selection of dipping sauces I have had! Grayson would have been in heaven I think! There was guacamole, sweet and sour, a ranch like sauce, ketchup, a ketchup-mayo based sause, and a green tomatillo sauce. They were all out in big tubs with a big dipping spoon in each, so there was a lot of doubling dipping going on among everyone in the restaurant, but germs are something I worry less and less about as I am traveling. I ordered the "taco ranchero," not really knowing what was in it...it just sounded good (a taco in Colombia is similar to an empanada in the fact that it is deep fried, only different shaped with different fillings). The first bite revealed some really savory chicken. The second bite, however, was a shock. Not only was there chicken, but there was a hot dog with cheese wrapped around it! After the 4th bite, there was another surprise! GROUND BEEF! Could this taco get any better?! 3 types of meat and cheese and dipping sauces out the wazoo? Freaking awesome, greasy, and satisfying dinner. I am sitting at the hostel now waiting for about another half an hour to take a cab to the bus station. We are heading on an overnight bus from Bogota to Armenia (not the European nation), and then another short ride to a coffee-producing town salled Salento. I am in search of the best Colombian coffee to bring home with me. We are staying about a mile outside of the city on an eco-farm that a Canadian couple in Ecuador suggested that I go to - La Serrana. Same price as accomodation here in Bogota, but it is supposed to be really nice and it offers excursions to organic coffee farms, horseback riding, free breakfast, and easy accessibility to hiking. More about the overnight and the new town soon!
"I had some dreams, the were clouds in my coffee; clouds in my coffee..." - Carly Simon
Nothin like a great cup of Colombian coffee to enjoy while reading the news in the early morning.
I made it to Colombia safe and sound. And no, I haven't been kidnapped yet for those of you who are worried about me getting snagged by some guerrilas. I made it out of the airport and to my hostel a few nights ago and have been exploring Bogota since then.
First of all, I have to give props to the awesome hostel that I am staying in right now. Hostel Alegria (happiness) is a great place. It is pretty quiet but has some people here, really friendly staff, free breakfast, fireplaces, wifi, and great mattresses. I am going to be sad to go from here. I have been very, very happy here! If anyone ever comes to Bogota, this is the spot. The first day I was here, I pretty much just walked around and explored the city a little bit. Glenn was arriving that night, so I didn't want to go to any museums or sites withlout him so that we didn't duplicate. I wound up checking out a free art museum and walking around the main square and historica center of the city. Bogota is actually an awesome, awesome city. There are parts taht look like a small colonial Spanish town, there are parts that are modern with clean streets and expensive shopping malls, and there are parts that look like they come straight out of 1970s or 1980s Europe. I really like the mix of style. The people are friendly, and the food is pretty good. I ate a ton of food on the first day becaue I ate barely nothing the day before. Arepas, corn cakes that are usually stuffed with cheese, have become a favorite. Anything with carbs and cheese you can't go wrong with. Walking around, however, I found myself a little shocked with the prices here. They are not as high as what you would find in Europe or the US, but coming here from Ecuador was a shock. Things are nearly double the price of what they were there! I guess I am going to have to budget a little more than expected.
Glenn arrived without problem that night, and we went to sleep soon after he got here. The next morning, after mowing down on the free breakfast, we headed up to the hilltop observatory of Monserrate, which is reached by either a cable car or incline that goes up over the side of the mountain that flanks Bogota. The ride up was nice, and the views from the top were pretty good. Unluckily, we got somewhat of a smoggy day, so we were not able to see the whole city, but it was still an impressive site. After that, we grabbed a cheap (and actually not very tasty) lunch at a local comedor and headed over to the gold museum. It consists of thousands of pieces of gold from the pre-Colombian period. It is impressive and amazing to think about the indigenous peoples actually wearing the earrings, breastplates, headdresses, and wrist cuffs! I think within the past couple of years the collection has gotten pretty damn valuable, especially now that gold is at around $1,500 an ounce. We headed back to the hostel after that because we were whooped from the day. We grabbed a few delicious empanadas from a store across the street from a university for dinner, and I actually went to bed at around 9:30!
Today, because of the such early bedtime, I started stirring at 6:30 this morning and finally got out of bed a little before 7. I hung around, had a few cups of coffee, and caught up on the news. A nice relaxing morning before another day of heavy walking a museum-ing. We headed out first to the Botero museum, which holds a large collection of a Colombian artist who likes to paint fat people. Even if the person is not obese in real life, he still paints them that way in his portraits (such as the president and first lady of Colombia!!). The museum is so interesting because of how different his painting and sculpture are from pretty much anything else I have seen. After a quick look at the coin museum, we then walked up to where the Plaza de Toros (Bullfighting ring) is located a little bit north of the main square and where we were staying. Up there, we checked out the outside of the bull ring and then headed into the National Museum. It was also a pretty impressive collection of Colonmbian history, but after about an hour of being in there I got museumed out. I like them, but you can only take so much in a day. So, we headed out and had one of the best lunches I have had here yet. It was again just soup, some rice, plantains, pasta salad, and a piece of meat, and a limonada (lime ade), but it was well seasoned and they had a spicy cilantro sauce to put on everything which made it about 10 times better. Well worth the $2.50 that we spent on it.
Glenn and I were both tired from walking and doing a little bit of shopping by then, so we decided to find a place to have a beer. We found a little spot with dollar beers. We wound up having 3 each, but after leaving we found out that the waitress had been serving us the more expensive ones...but they still wound up only being $1.50. Not a bad price. We finished out the day by hitting up the same empanada shop from last night. We deciced to eat in the shop, which has one of the best selection of dipping sauces I have had! Grayson would have been in heaven I think! There was guacamole, sweet and sour, a ranch like sauce, ketchup, a ketchup-mayo based sause, and a green tomatillo sauce. They were all out in big tubs with a big dipping spoon in each, so there was a lot of doubling dipping going on among everyone in the restaurant, but germs are something I worry less and less about as I am traveling. I ordered the "taco ranchero," not really knowing what was in it...it just sounded good (a taco in Colombia is similar to an empanada in the fact that it is deep fried, only different shaped with different fillings). The first bite revealed some really savory chicken. The second bite, however, was a shock. Not only was there chicken, but there was a hot dog with cheese wrapped around it! After the 4th bite, there was another surprise! GROUND BEEF! Could this taco get any better?! 3 types of meat and cheese and dipping sauces out the wazoo? Freaking awesome, greasy, and satisfying dinner. I am sitting at the hostel now waiting for about another half an hour to take a cab to the bus station. We are heading on an overnight bus from Bogota to Armenia (not the European nation), and then another short ride to a coffee-producing town salled Salento. I am in search of the best Colombian coffee to bring home with me. We are staying about a mile outside of the city on an eco-farm that a Canadian couple in Ecuador suggested that I go to - La Serrana. Same price as accomodation here in Bogota, but it is supposed to be really nice and it offers excursions to organic coffee farms, horseback riding, free breakfast, and easy accessibility to hiking. More about the overnight and the new town soon!
"I had some dreams, the were clouds in my coffee; clouds in my coffee..." - Carly Simon
Nothin like a great cup of Colombian coffee to enjoy while reading the news in the early morning.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Catchin' Up
May 22nd, 2011
Ok, I am quite a few days behind, so I am going to go highlight some of the good stuff from the past few days.
1. The day after I got back from Cotopaxi, I decided to head out to explore Quito to see how much had changed since I had been there the last time. Really, things seem pretty similar. On foot, I headed over to the newer part of the city where I had lived before. I walked through Gringolandia, and found that Amanda and I's DVD lady was still there and in business! After 5 years, she must still be doing well in the bootlegging business (I don't think anyone buys actual DVDs in Ecaudor). Mongos was still there where we used to get 99 cent drinks and head on to either Karma or the bar on the 2nd floor with pool tables. I continued east and made my way to Quicentro mall so that I could get some delicious Crepes and Waffles ice cream that we used to get every once in a while (Suzie and Kristin remember!). I almost didn't recognize the Ecovia buses that we used to take all the time to the stop after Texas Chicken. They are now almost a deep maroon because of all of the dirt that has collected on them. I guess that is what happens when all the buses and the majority of the cars in the city spew diesel fumes whenever their engines are revved. It is weird to think that all of the was 5 years ago. Wild how time flies. I wish we could back and do it all over again. That month was one of the most exciting and fun that I have had in my life, thanks to the awesome people that I was there with (other than the people listed above: Jeaner, Adam, Heather, Lee, the man and legend Spina).
2. I went out with some people from the hostel to Gringolandia later on that night. We took a "partybus" to get there...which turned out just to be a schoolbus! We got some interesting looks as we were rolling down the street blaring reggaeton. I forget how much shadiness there is in Mariscal. A lot of characters hanging around giving you the stink eye. Luckily, it is swarmed with cops as well! A few of us (Seen, Ben, Bryn, and another American girl whose name I can't remember) branched out on our own. We went to a salsa/dance club called Tequila Sunrise, and then on to a Salsa place called Mayo 68 I think. I forget how good some people are at salsa and how bad I am at it. It would be nice to take some more lessons sometime. I have the rhythm, but I don't have enough of the moves to hold my own! It was still a really fun night that ended with me mowing down on some delicious french fries in a mayo/hot sauce blend.
3. The next morning was off to Otovalo, a fairly small town with a HUGE market in it on Saturdays. Really, nearly all of the streets in the town fill with vendors selling anything from arts and crafts to live puppies and chickens. Bryn, a Canadian sailor chick who was at the hostel and had been out the night before, and I decided to head up together for the day. The taxi ride out to the bus station where we had to leave from was long and expensive ($8) per Ecuastandards, but it was nice to be able to split it with her. There was some major traffic going into the city, and that combined with truckjams from all the mountains made the normally hour and a half ride out about 2 and a half. By the time we got to town and Bryn settled into her hostel, we were both starving! We headed to the center of the market to devour a $1.25 meal. Pretty good food and great price. We then wandered through the market a little bit and searched for some souveneirs. Since I still have a solid 3 weeks of traveling, I didn't buy too much, except for a cool heat-flattened beer bottle and some baby wear for Mella and Adams forthcoming kid. I have to say that the things I got are pretty damn cute and I better get a few pictures of the kid with them on. We got tired of the market pretty quickly and took a bus up to a major leather-producing town of Cotocachi. You can really tell that leatherworking has been a successful trade for the people of the town. The houses there are beautiful, the streets clean, and the people are dressed very nicely there. Bryn was on the prowl for a sleek leather jacket for her bike in the states. She was in the right place. The jackets in Cotocachi are slick and made very, very well..not to mention at bargain prices when compared to what you would find in the US or Canada. She found a couple of coats she liked and got them both because the prices were perfect. I just tagged along and ate delicious ice cream cones (and the best croissant I have had here!) the whole day, which made me happy. I found a couple of little leather gifts for a few people that I think they will like. I had a really good day with Bryn, we got along really well and had the same type of humor. Very glad to have met her!
4. The bus ride back from Otovalo was a different experience for me: I got to ride in what I imagine is called the "captain's chair." The bus was almost full, and the only seat left was right beside the bus driver in the very front. I have never been able to see out the front of the bus when I have been riding in it - maybe for the better. As those who have been on a SAmerican bus, they tend to pass other cars/busses pretty much whenever they want, even if there are cars and or busses coming the other way. Makes for a pretty adventurous ride being able to see it! Good thing my stomach was starting to get back to normal, or the recklessness may have caused an accident!
5. After an early to bed when I got back from Otovalo, I packed up and headed for Colombia. Even though it has a reputation for being unsafe and laden with drugs, the country has really changed over the past 10 years. While there is still crime and Guerilla activity in some remote parts, everyone who I have talked to up to this point says that Colombia is safe and for many, their favorite country. Unfortunately, before getting to be there, I had to suffer through a day of a few flights and an 8 hour layover in Lima. Fortunately the Lima airport has wifi, so I spent the majority of the day catching up on emails and face-stalking. I did NOT eat though - the prices in the airport were freaking ridiculous. Even more expensive than what you would find in an American or European airport. The cheapest actual food item at each of the three restaurants servicing flyers was a hot dog at $5.50...$5.50??!? You gotta be kidding me...no chicken/pork/beef/turkey food item is worth that! I refused, so I snacked on leftover hiking raisins and almonds and a granola bar. Both flights were a little bumpy because of crossing the Andes, but we made it safe and sound to Bogota. More about the city later!
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” - Tim Cahill (adventure writer who drove the length of the Panamerica)
The best part about the past few days was the people that I got to hang out and remember hanging out with 5 years ago. Jazzing around on my own made me think about all of the awesome people that I met in Ecuador the first time around. The people I met this time around were just as cool!
Ok, I am quite a few days behind, so I am going to go highlight some of the good stuff from the past few days.
1. The day after I got back from Cotopaxi, I decided to head out to explore Quito to see how much had changed since I had been there the last time. Really, things seem pretty similar. On foot, I headed over to the newer part of the city where I had lived before. I walked through Gringolandia, and found that Amanda and I's DVD lady was still there and in business! After 5 years, she must still be doing well in the bootlegging business (I don't think anyone buys actual DVDs in Ecaudor). Mongos was still there where we used to get 99 cent drinks and head on to either Karma or the bar on the 2nd floor with pool tables. I continued east and made my way to Quicentro mall so that I could get some delicious Crepes and Waffles ice cream that we used to get every once in a while (Suzie and Kristin remember!). I almost didn't recognize the Ecovia buses that we used to take all the time to the stop after Texas Chicken. They are now almost a deep maroon because of all of the dirt that has collected on them. I guess that is what happens when all the buses and the majority of the cars in the city spew diesel fumes whenever their engines are revved. It is weird to think that all of the was 5 years ago. Wild how time flies. I wish we could back and do it all over again. That month was one of the most exciting and fun that I have had in my life, thanks to the awesome people that I was there with (other than the people listed above: Jeaner, Adam, Heather, Lee, the man and legend Spina).
2. I went out with some people from the hostel to Gringolandia later on that night. We took a "partybus" to get there...which turned out just to be a schoolbus! We got some interesting looks as we were rolling down the street blaring reggaeton. I forget how much shadiness there is in Mariscal. A lot of characters hanging around giving you the stink eye. Luckily, it is swarmed with cops as well! A few of us (Seen, Ben, Bryn, and another American girl whose name I can't remember) branched out on our own. We went to a salsa/dance club called Tequila Sunrise, and then on to a Salsa place called Mayo 68 I think. I forget how good some people are at salsa and how bad I am at it. It would be nice to take some more lessons sometime. I have the rhythm, but I don't have enough of the moves to hold my own! It was still a really fun night that ended with me mowing down on some delicious french fries in a mayo/hot sauce blend.
3. The next morning was off to Otovalo, a fairly small town with a HUGE market in it on Saturdays. Really, nearly all of the streets in the town fill with vendors selling anything from arts and crafts to live puppies and chickens. Bryn, a Canadian sailor chick who was at the hostel and had been out the night before, and I decided to head up together for the day. The taxi ride out to the bus station where we had to leave from was long and expensive ($8) per Ecuastandards, but it was nice to be able to split it with her. There was some major traffic going into the city, and that combined with truckjams from all the mountains made the normally hour and a half ride out about 2 and a half. By the time we got to town and Bryn settled into her hostel, we were both starving! We headed to the center of the market to devour a $1.25 meal. Pretty good food and great price. We then wandered through the market a little bit and searched for some souveneirs. Since I still have a solid 3 weeks of traveling, I didn't buy too much, except for a cool heat-flattened beer bottle and some baby wear for Mella and Adams forthcoming kid. I have to say that the things I got are pretty damn cute and I better get a few pictures of the kid with them on. We got tired of the market pretty quickly and took a bus up to a major leather-producing town of Cotocachi. You can really tell that leatherworking has been a successful trade for the people of the town. The houses there are beautiful, the streets clean, and the people are dressed very nicely there. Bryn was on the prowl for a sleek leather jacket for her bike in the states. She was in the right place. The jackets in Cotocachi are slick and made very, very well..not to mention at bargain prices when compared to what you would find in the US or Canada. She found a couple of coats she liked and got them both because the prices were perfect. I just tagged along and ate delicious ice cream cones (and the best croissant I have had here!) the whole day, which made me happy. I found a couple of little leather gifts for a few people that I think they will like. I had a really good day with Bryn, we got along really well and had the same type of humor. Very glad to have met her!
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| Otovalo maret |
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| Cotocachi street |
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| Bryn with the most delicious cheese-filled criossant ever! |
4. The bus ride back from Otovalo was a different experience for me: I got to ride in what I imagine is called the "captain's chair." The bus was almost full, and the only seat left was right beside the bus driver in the very front. I have never been able to see out the front of the bus when I have been riding in it - maybe for the better. As those who have been on a SAmerican bus, they tend to pass other cars/busses pretty much whenever they want, even if there are cars and or busses coming the other way. Makes for a pretty adventurous ride being able to see it! Good thing my stomach was starting to get back to normal, or the recklessness may have caused an accident!
5. After an early to bed when I got back from Otovalo, I packed up and headed for Colombia. Even though it has a reputation for being unsafe and laden with drugs, the country has really changed over the past 10 years. While there is still crime and Guerilla activity in some remote parts, everyone who I have talked to up to this point says that Colombia is safe and for many, their favorite country. Unfortunately, before getting to be there, I had to suffer through a day of a few flights and an 8 hour layover in Lima. Fortunately the Lima airport has wifi, so I spent the majority of the day catching up on emails and face-stalking. I did NOT eat though - the prices in the airport were freaking ridiculous. Even more expensive than what you would find in an American or European airport. The cheapest actual food item at each of the three restaurants servicing flyers was a hot dog at $5.50...$5.50??!? You gotta be kidding me...no chicken/pork/beef/turkey food item is worth that! I refused, so I snacked on leftover hiking raisins and almonds and a granola bar. Both flights were a little bumpy because of crossing the Andes, but we made it safe and sound to Bogota. More about the city later!
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” - Tim Cahill (adventure writer who drove the length of the Panamerica)
The best part about the past few days was the people that I got to hang out and remember hanging out with 5 years ago. Jazzing around on my own made me think about all of the awesome people that I met in Ecuador the first time around. The people I met this time around were just as cool!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The story of Cotopaxi
May 20th, 2011
It is 7:00am and I am back on the rooftop balcony of the hostel that I was in before we headed off to Cotopaxi to attempt to climb. Here is the story of the Cotopaxi ascent (pics following):
I got picked up from our hostel at 9 in the morning on the 18th. I found out that there was another girl from the hostel that was also hiking. Her name is pronounced Shee-nos, but to be perfectly honest I don't know how to spell it. It is Welsh, so I think there is an odd letter at the beginning that is not found on the American keyboard. Her nickname is pronounced Seen, so that is what I call her! In any case, we headed out in the transport provided for us to a mountaineering shop where we were fitted for our gear. We got hiking boots...and I mean hiking boots. They barely bent in the middle and are made so that you can put ice cramp-ons on them. We also got a waterproof jacket and pants, gaiters for keeping snow out of out boots, fleece pants, a harness, and a big pair of gloves. I didn't realize that I was going to need all of this to begin with, but I am glad I had all of the warm things. At the shop, the other climber that was leaving Quito from us came by. Emma, who had lived in Quito in the late 1990s, is an experienced climber. She has been up 3 of the 7 highest peaks on each continent, pretty impressive! She had attempted Cotopaxi about 10 times before she actually made it to the top. Not a good sign for us!
We headed out to the national park where the volcano is located. Luckily, we had a beautiful sunny day for the ride out and to take some pictures pre-climb. It is really interesting that the mountain is not really in a chain per se. It just juts up out of the earth and is surrounded on all sides, more or less, by flat land. I guess that is an artifact of it being a volcano, but it still makes for an impressive looking mountain. We finally made it to the parking area of the refuge, where we would stay the night, at about 2 in the afternoon. By that time, the other guys who were hiking in our group, Chris and Evan (both with impressive mountain-men beards), had met up with us. We ate a small lunch and then headed up onto a small skiff of snow to practice walking in out boots and cramp-ons. For those who are unfamiliar with cramp-ons, like I was before seeing them in the mountaineering shop, they are little pieces of metal with a lot of spikes on them that attach to the bottom of hiking shoes to help you grip on the snow and the ice of the volcano's glacier. Actually using them was pretty easy for me. I guess some experienced hikers don't like them because they say using the cramp-ons feels a little more unstable, but I actually felt more comfortable with them on. After practicing, we headed into the refuge, ate a small dinner, and went to "bed." Mind you, it was only 6pm at this point. For anyone who is used to going to bed at 11, it is not easy to sleep that early. I threw some earplugs in and tried to sleep, but it was to no avail. I got about 20 or 30 minutes of shut eye before 11:30pm rolled around and it was time to get up and start getting ready to hit the mountain.
When I got out of my sleeping bag, I was nervous. Not because of the hike, but my stomach did not feel good. The diarrhea was not gone and I was slightly worried about getting up on the mountain and having to go! But, no turning back at that point. I got all of it out that I could and geared up. When we all emerged from the refuge, we looked up and saw a nearly full moon and stars shining bright - a great sign for the climb. Weather is one of the main things that keeps people from summiting. That day, the only thing that would keep us from getting us to the top would be us. As we began climbing, I did not feel good. The altitude was not bothering me, but my stomach definitely was. Apparently, this is normal though. I didn't know it at the time, however, so I was not in good spirits. After about an hour and a half of walking, we made it to the edge of the glacier. Here, our group of 5 hikers and 3 guides split. Myself and Seen were with the first guide as it seemed like we were the two strongest of the hikers. I didn't know it at the time, but Emma had already puked and Chris was developing some major blisters on his feet.
After the split, our guide pushed Seen and I pretty hard. There were a few times when I really needed a break, but he grabbed the rope that we were attached by and gave a hard tug that got me going again. It was pretty tough going in places. Even though there we no spots where we actually had to climb straight up, there were a few places where we were going up at about a 65 degree angle. The altitude was also not as much of a factor as I would have thought. When we surpassed 5,600 meters and I still wasn't influenced too much, I knew from there on out it would be a mental challenge. Staying focused was the key to getting to the top. It was cold, dark (around 3:30am at this point), and silent except for the sound of two others trudging through the snow. In other words, not conditions that normally lead to positive thinking. To keep it together and my feet moving, I began a cadence in my head (and out loud at times for that matter) that went a little like: "stake, step right, step left, breathe." Stake to make me plunge my ice axe into the ground, steps for my feet, and breathe to remind myself to take a breath before the cycle started again.
Finally, at 5:45am, after over 5 hours of trekking up the mountain, we took the last few steps that put us on top of the mountain. I did it!!! I can't explain the feelings I had standing at the top of 5,897 meters (19,347ft) of monsterous mountain...I was exhausted, but at the same time exhilerated for finishing something that is physically and mentally really tough. My feet and hands were numb from the cold, but I didn't care. It was a feeling a near euphoria! Definitely on the top 5 list of most challenging/amazing things that I have ever done. The view from the top, while a little misty when we got there, cleared as the sun came up. It was just plain jaw-dropping. We saw all of the high volcanos and mountains of Ecuador: Chimborazo, Huayna Pitosi, Cayambe, and even Tungurahua which was spewing ash nearly 90km away. We even got a chance to see inside the belly of the beast when a cloud cleared and the Cotopaxi crater exposed itself.
After about a half an hour of reveling in the glory, it was time to make the 2.5 hour journey back down the mountain. It is not something you feel like doing after going up for so long, but the scenery on the way down was incredible. We could see all of the crevasses, ice formations, and snowy vistas that were obscured by the darkness just a few hours earlier. By the time we reached the refuge, I was beat. We packed up our gear, and after another 25 minute hike down to the car park, we were on out way back to Quito. All in all, 4 out of the 5 people in our group were able to summit (Emma beat her upset stomach, but the blisters were too much for Chris), beating the odds of about 50% that actually make it up the mountain. Our guide told us that it was one of the best weather days he has ever been on the mountain for. I guess I have good luck to go along with my strong willpower and testicular fortitude!
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." - Sir Edmund Hillary
I sure as hell didn't climb Everest, but I feel pretty damn proud about getting up Cotopaxi.
It is 7:00am and I am back on the rooftop balcony of the hostel that I was in before we headed off to Cotopaxi to attempt to climb. Here is the story of the Cotopaxi ascent (pics following):
I got picked up from our hostel at 9 in the morning on the 18th. I found out that there was another girl from the hostel that was also hiking. Her name is pronounced Shee-nos, but to be perfectly honest I don't know how to spell it. It is Welsh, so I think there is an odd letter at the beginning that is not found on the American keyboard. Her nickname is pronounced Seen, so that is what I call her! In any case, we headed out in the transport provided for us to a mountaineering shop where we were fitted for our gear. We got hiking boots...and I mean hiking boots. They barely bent in the middle and are made so that you can put ice cramp-ons on them. We also got a waterproof jacket and pants, gaiters for keeping snow out of out boots, fleece pants, a harness, and a big pair of gloves. I didn't realize that I was going to need all of this to begin with, but I am glad I had all of the warm things. At the shop, the other climber that was leaving Quito from us came by. Emma, who had lived in Quito in the late 1990s, is an experienced climber. She has been up 3 of the 7 highest peaks on each continent, pretty impressive! She had attempted Cotopaxi about 10 times before she actually made it to the top. Not a good sign for us!
We headed out to the national park where the volcano is located. Luckily, we had a beautiful sunny day for the ride out and to take some pictures pre-climb. It is really interesting that the mountain is not really in a chain per se. It just juts up out of the earth and is surrounded on all sides, more or less, by flat land. I guess that is an artifact of it being a volcano, but it still makes for an impressive looking mountain. We finally made it to the parking area of the refuge, where we would stay the night, at about 2 in the afternoon. By that time, the other guys who were hiking in our group, Chris and Evan (both with impressive mountain-men beards), had met up with us. We ate a small lunch and then headed up onto a small skiff of snow to practice walking in out boots and cramp-ons. For those who are unfamiliar with cramp-ons, like I was before seeing them in the mountaineering shop, they are little pieces of metal with a lot of spikes on them that attach to the bottom of hiking shoes to help you grip on the snow and the ice of the volcano's glacier. Actually using them was pretty easy for me. I guess some experienced hikers don't like them because they say using the cramp-ons feels a little more unstable, but I actually felt more comfortable with them on. After practicing, we headed into the refuge, ate a small dinner, and went to "bed." Mind you, it was only 6pm at this point. For anyone who is used to going to bed at 11, it is not easy to sleep that early. I threw some earplugs in and tried to sleep, but it was to no avail. I got about 20 or 30 minutes of shut eye before 11:30pm rolled around and it was time to get up and start getting ready to hit the mountain.
When I got out of my sleeping bag, I was nervous. Not because of the hike, but my stomach did not feel good. The diarrhea was not gone and I was slightly worried about getting up on the mountain and having to go! But, no turning back at that point. I got all of it out that I could and geared up. When we all emerged from the refuge, we looked up and saw a nearly full moon and stars shining bright - a great sign for the climb. Weather is one of the main things that keeps people from summiting. That day, the only thing that would keep us from getting us to the top would be us. As we began climbing, I did not feel good. The altitude was not bothering me, but my stomach definitely was. Apparently, this is normal though. I didn't know it at the time, however, so I was not in good spirits. After about an hour and a half of walking, we made it to the edge of the glacier. Here, our group of 5 hikers and 3 guides split. Myself and Seen were with the first guide as it seemed like we were the two strongest of the hikers. I didn't know it at the time, but Emma had already puked and Chris was developing some major blisters on his feet.
After the split, our guide pushed Seen and I pretty hard. There were a few times when I really needed a break, but he grabbed the rope that we were attached by and gave a hard tug that got me going again. It was pretty tough going in places. Even though there we no spots where we actually had to climb straight up, there were a few places where we were going up at about a 65 degree angle. The altitude was also not as much of a factor as I would have thought. When we surpassed 5,600 meters and I still wasn't influenced too much, I knew from there on out it would be a mental challenge. Staying focused was the key to getting to the top. It was cold, dark (around 3:30am at this point), and silent except for the sound of two others trudging through the snow. In other words, not conditions that normally lead to positive thinking. To keep it together and my feet moving, I began a cadence in my head (and out loud at times for that matter) that went a little like: "stake, step right, step left, breathe." Stake to make me plunge my ice axe into the ground, steps for my feet, and breathe to remind myself to take a breath before the cycle started again.
Finally, at 5:45am, after over 5 hours of trekking up the mountain, we took the last few steps that put us on top of the mountain. I did it!!! I can't explain the feelings I had standing at the top of 5,897 meters (19,347ft) of monsterous mountain...I was exhausted, but at the same time exhilerated for finishing something that is physically and mentally really tough. My feet and hands were numb from the cold, but I didn't care. It was a feeling a near euphoria! Definitely on the top 5 list of most challenging/amazing things that I have ever done. The view from the top, while a little misty when we got there, cleared as the sun came up. It was just plain jaw-dropping. We saw all of the high volcanos and mountains of Ecuador: Chimborazo, Huayna Pitosi, Cayambe, and even Tungurahua which was spewing ash nearly 90km away. We even got a chance to see inside the belly of the beast when a cloud cleared and the Cotopaxi crater exposed itself.
After about a half an hour of reveling in the glory, it was time to make the 2.5 hour journey back down the mountain. It is not something you feel like doing after going up for so long, but the scenery on the way down was incredible. We could see all of the crevasses, ice formations, and snowy vistas that were obscured by the darkness just a few hours earlier. By the time we reached the refuge, I was beat. We packed up our gear, and after another 25 minute hike down to the car park, we were on out way back to Quito. All in all, 4 out of the 5 people in our group were able to summit (Emma beat her upset stomach, but the blisters were too much for Chris), beating the odds of about 50% that actually make it up the mountain. Our guide told us that it was one of the best weather days he has ever been on the mountain for. I guess I have good luck to go along with my strong willpower and testicular fortitude!
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." - Sir Edmund Hillary
I sure as hell didn't climb Everest, but I feel pretty damn proud about getting up Cotopaxi.
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| Day before the hike. |
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| The refuge the day before the hike |
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| The group of 5 after the practice. |
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| Seen and I in the middle of the way up (notice she is smiling bigger than me due to her kicking my butt!) |
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| We made it!! |
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| Victory is mine! |
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| I did a snow angel just for Lindz cause I know she loves them. |
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| Evan, Emma, Seen, and me in front of the crater. |
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| View from the top. |
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| Back down a steep part of the hike. |
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| 4 of us on the way down. |
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| In front of an ice formation. |
Friday, May 20, 2011
Back to where it all began.
May 17th, 2011
Today was pretty uneventful. I woke up at 6:30 and headed up to the rooftop terrace for a breakfast instead of heading to the market like I have done the 2 months before. My stomach is officially messed up, but I am still not feeling terribly awful. I had pancakes, yogurt, fruit and a coffee. After breakfast, I packed up and headed out to grab my bus to Quito. It was only about 3.5 hours in the bus, so it was an easy ride. Along the way, I saw the top of a couple volcanos because it was such a clear, sunny day. I saw Tungurahua (very active one above Banos), Cotopaxi (the one that I am summiting), and Chimborazo (the one that I hiked to a few days back). The first was spewing ash, and the other two are snow covered and jut out from the mountains. All three are pretty hard to miss.
I rolled into Quito's new bus terminal at about 2:30 in the afternoon and found that it is about 10km south of the city. I loaded onto a bus with all my junk and headed for the center. I must have gotten off too early or at the wrong stop, because I was still a solid 10 minute cab ride from where I needed to be. In any case, I grabbed a cab and made it to the Secret Garden Hostal. It has a pretty sweet rooftop terrace and the other parts seem to be nice. There are a ton of people here though, so it isn't too peaceful. I took a walk down to the Old City, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is pretty much as I remember it the first time we were here and our one Spanish teacher from Inlingua brought us from the New City to show us. They are doing quite a bit of restoration work on different plazas and churches, but the one main central square is still one of the most beautiful I have seen.
I am currently sitting back at the hostel on the rooftop terrace looking out onto the city. The panorama is below and as you can see is pretty awesome. Tomorrow I leave at 9am for the base camp of Cotopaxi, and at midnight on Friday we will start the hike. I am still going to give the volcano a go even though I am not feeling the greatest, and with my bullheadedness I am going to get up that thing if I have to crap myself to do it, literally. Pray that it won't come to that, both for me and the others who I am going to be hiking with. Check back with the results of the hike in a few days!
"Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back."
My name's not Kotter, but this will suffice.
Today was pretty uneventful. I woke up at 6:30 and headed up to the rooftop terrace for a breakfast instead of heading to the market like I have done the 2 months before. My stomach is officially messed up, but I am still not feeling terribly awful. I had pancakes, yogurt, fruit and a coffee. After breakfast, I packed up and headed out to grab my bus to Quito. It was only about 3.5 hours in the bus, so it was an easy ride. Along the way, I saw the top of a couple volcanos because it was such a clear, sunny day. I saw Tungurahua (very active one above Banos), Cotopaxi (the one that I am summiting), and Chimborazo (the one that I hiked to a few days back). The first was spewing ash, and the other two are snow covered and jut out from the mountains. All three are pretty hard to miss.
I rolled into Quito's new bus terminal at about 2:30 in the afternoon and found that it is about 10km south of the city. I loaded onto a bus with all my junk and headed for the center. I must have gotten off too early or at the wrong stop, because I was still a solid 10 minute cab ride from where I needed to be. In any case, I grabbed a cab and made it to the Secret Garden Hostal. It has a pretty sweet rooftop terrace and the other parts seem to be nice. There are a ton of people here though, so it isn't too peaceful. I took a walk down to the Old City, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is pretty much as I remember it the first time we were here and our one Spanish teacher from Inlingua brought us from the New City to show us. They are doing quite a bit of restoration work on different plazas and churches, but the one main central square is still one of the most beautiful I have seen.
I am currently sitting back at the hostel on the rooftop terrace looking out onto the city. The panorama is below and as you can see is pretty awesome. Tomorrow I leave at 9am for the base camp of Cotopaxi, and at midnight on Friday we will start the hike. I am still going to give the volcano a go even though I am not feeling the greatest, and with my bullheadedness I am going to get up that thing if I have to crap myself to do it, literally. Pray that it won't come to that, both for me and the others who I am going to be hiking with. Check back with the results of the hike in a few days!
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| The 180 degree view from the top of the hostel |
"Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back."
My name's not Kotter, but this will suffice.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
A few days in Banos
May 16, 2011
I have been a lazy blogger for the past few days. But you know what, I am perfectly fine with it. I started this up so that I could enjoy doing it, and I don't want to feel like it is a chore to write every day. So I'm not going to if I don't want to! <---(this is all justification to myself for not doing it.)
As the date indicates, it has been 3 days since my last posting. I officially have a little, but possibly increasing, case of Montezuma's Revenge. It is not a bad one...I am still mobile and can do things, but the stomach is churning a little bit and the porcelin throne has called my name one too many times today. With any luck, it will be over in a day or so because I officially have a climbing date with Cotopazi on May 19th.
I have been in a resort town named Banos for the past 2 and a half days. The town's motto is "a little piece of heaven," and I would tend to agree. There is a pretty big tourist infrastructure here, which sometimes deters me from liking a place. Fortunately, the people here are not so pushy and day excursions are easy and cheap to come by. I arrived here on the morning of the 14th and headed to a hostelk called CharVic. I had seen it listed online at hostelbookers, so I figured it was at least decently legit. WRONG(Buzzer sounding)!! While my room was pretty clean, most everything else wasn't, especially the rastafarian that was staying in the room across the hall. She smelled like a mangy wet dog. Not a pleasant scent to walk out into. The "rooftop terrace" that was touted online was also just a concrete slab with a few plastic patio chairs. Needless to say, I dropped my stuff and got a daypack ready to hike.
I started out on a steep incline at the beginning of a 4 hour hike that took me to two different outlooks over the town. My the time I reached the top, I was sweating my balls off. I was tempted about 3/4 of the way up to stop at the store for a Coke (see sign), but I opted not. When I got to the top, I spotted a few gringos and asked them to take a picture of me at the overlook. Michelle, Greg, and I began talking and we found that we were heading around the same path, so we hiked around together. They are both Canadian teachers (one is an art teacher just like sis), and were taking a sabbatical for a semester. They have a pretty cool option where they can have around $50 taken out of their paycheck for 3 years and in the fourth they can take off half a year and still get paid for it. Good if you know you are going to want to travel or have some time off in the future! They told me about the great hostel they were staying in, so I checked it out, found out it was pretty cheap, and decided to move over there after my one night in the smelly inferno.
The next day, I moved my bags over early in the morning and headed out on a walk along a road to a string of waterfalls. The road is called "the route of waterfalls" because there are so many of them along the road. Most people bike it, but I decided that I wasn't sure I wanted my first biking experience after the car collision to be on a downhill Andes mountain with crazy bus drivers, so I walked it. The waterfalls were pretty big and impressive, with a few of them offering cable car (tarabita) rides over top of them. I took one to get some nice pics, and it was worth the buck I paid. I also did a pretty awesome zipline. It was about 1km long and took me over the edge of the cliff along the road and over the river. It really felt like I was flying, since I was harnessed in with my face and stomach facing the ground. The feeling was amazing, just like all of the dreams that I used to have about taking off into flight. I hopped a bus back and read at the hostel on the proper rooftop deck that this one DID have. The only downside of the day was that I forgot to take sunscreen along, and thus now have the greatest farmers tan known to non-ag men.
Later on in the evening, I met the other guys in my dorm (also Canadiens). Derrick and Ron both were just out of college and travelling a little bit before starting work. We played a little asshole (type of cardgame) with some of the other people in the hostel until 6PM, when we headed down to the town's famous thermal baths. The first step into the hottest pool was brutal. I don't know what temperature the water was, but it felt hot enough to boil off the sunburnt skin on my leg. I opted for the slightly cooler pool until I shrugged off my weeping vag and went full tilt into the hottest one again. Once I got settled in, it wasn't too bad. The baths are supposed to be good for curative cleansing of stomach and liver ailments. Apparently that does not apply for me seeing as my stomach is gurgling. The dip was relaxing though and probably cleaned at least my pores.
Today, I woke up early and headed to the market for breakfast. Once again, a delicious choice. I got llapingauchos, which are fried yucca cakes. They come with chorizo, a fried egg, rice, salad, and some avocado. A great deal for $2. The market also has a long line of booths selling various fruit juices. I have tried 4 different ones so far (whose names I really can't remember), and they have all been delicious and refreshing 75 cent treats. Something like that in the US at a health food store would go for a good $4-6 a pop.
After breakfast I headed out to do a canyoning tour. It was a blast. For those unfamiliar with the sport, it is pretty much rappelling down a canyon-like area with a bunch of waterfalls. A great adrenaline rush (Andrew would have enjoyed)! I was with 2 awesome Dutch girls (Melissa and Soraya, thanks again for a great day!) and our guide, Jose. Like a lot of other Netherlanders, Melissa is very tall and blonde, which makes her one-in-a-million in Ecuador. Soraya is a tough chick who used to be a military policewoman. They were great to be around because they are both kind of on the same trip wavelength as me. They are only on vaca for a few weeks, unlike most everyone else I have met who is gone for months and months. Both are positive and energetic girls, which made them fun to be around. During the canyoning, we rappelled down 5 waterfalls ranging anywhere from 15 to 70 feet. Normally, you go down in a sitting position, but Jose suggested that I go face first on the third one. It was a wild experience staring 60 feet down and realizing all that is keeping you up is a (hopefully) strong rope. By the last waterfall, I was doing little frog hops down the side of the waterfall! The experience was exhilerating and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The Dutch girls and I met up again for dinner later on and then shared pictures from the day. It was a fun and adventurous day, an appropriate end to my Banos excursion.
Tomorrow, is back to Quito for the first time in 5 years. I hear a lot has changed since I was there first. I guess we will see tomorrow!
"I love to wash in your old bathwater." - No Doubt
I thought of this song when we went to the hot springs because there were so many people packed in that it almost felt like sardines. Hopefully the waters cleanse themselves!
I have been a lazy blogger for the past few days. But you know what, I am perfectly fine with it. I started this up so that I could enjoy doing it, and I don't want to feel like it is a chore to write every day. So I'm not going to if I don't want to! <---(this is all justification to myself for not doing it.)
As the date indicates, it has been 3 days since my last posting. I officially have a little, but possibly increasing, case of Montezuma's Revenge. It is not a bad one...I am still mobile and can do things, but the stomach is churning a little bit and the porcelin throne has called my name one too many times today. With any luck, it will be over in a day or so because I officially have a climbing date with Cotopazi on May 19th.
I have been in a resort town named Banos for the past 2 and a half days. The town's motto is "a little piece of heaven," and I would tend to agree. There is a pretty big tourist infrastructure here, which sometimes deters me from liking a place. Fortunately, the people here are not so pushy and day excursions are easy and cheap to come by. I arrived here on the morning of the 14th and headed to a hostelk called CharVic. I had seen it listed online at hostelbookers, so I figured it was at least decently legit. WRONG(Buzzer sounding)!! While my room was pretty clean, most everything else wasn't, especially the rastafarian that was staying in the room across the hall. She smelled like a mangy wet dog. Not a pleasant scent to walk out into. The "rooftop terrace" that was touted online was also just a concrete slab with a few plastic patio chairs. Needless to say, I dropped my stuff and got a daypack ready to hike.
I started out on a steep incline at the beginning of a 4 hour hike that took me to two different outlooks over the town. My the time I reached the top, I was sweating my balls off. I was tempted about 3/4 of the way up to stop at the store for a Coke (see sign), but I opted not. When I got to the top, I spotted a few gringos and asked them to take a picture of me at the overlook. Michelle, Greg, and I began talking and we found that we were heading around the same path, so we hiked around together. They are both Canadian teachers (one is an art teacher just like sis), and were taking a sabbatical for a semester. They have a pretty cool option where they can have around $50 taken out of their paycheck for 3 years and in the fourth they can take off half a year and still get paid for it. Good if you know you are going to want to travel or have some time off in the future! They told me about the great hostel they were staying in, so I checked it out, found out it was pretty cheap, and decided to move over there after my one night in the smelly inferno.
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| Me at the Bellavista overlook |
The next day, I moved my bags over early in the morning and headed out on a walk along a road to a string of waterfalls. The road is called "the route of waterfalls" because there are so many of them along the road. Most people bike it, but I decided that I wasn't sure I wanted my first biking experience after the car collision to be on a downhill Andes mountain with crazy bus drivers, so I walked it. The waterfalls were pretty big and impressive, with a few of them offering cable car (tarabita) rides over top of them. I took one to get some nice pics, and it was worth the buck I paid. I also did a pretty awesome zipline. It was about 1km long and took me over the edge of the cliff along the road and over the river. It really felt like I was flying, since I was harnessed in with my face and stomach facing the ground. The feeling was amazing, just like all of the dreams that I used to have about taking off into flight. I hopped a bus back and read at the hostel on the proper rooftop deck that this one DID have. The only downside of the day was that I forgot to take sunscreen along, and thus now have the greatest farmers tan known to non-ag men.
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| Me at a smaller waterfall |
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| Start of the cable car ride |
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| Getting ready to take flight over the river! |
Later on in the evening, I met the other guys in my dorm (also Canadiens). Derrick and Ron both were just out of college and travelling a little bit before starting work. We played a little asshole (type of cardgame) with some of the other people in the hostel until 6PM, when we headed down to the town's famous thermal baths. The first step into the hottest pool was brutal. I don't know what temperature the water was, but it felt hot enough to boil off the sunburnt skin on my leg. I opted for the slightly cooler pool until I shrugged off my weeping vag and went full tilt into the hottest one again. Once I got settled in, it wasn't too bad. The baths are supposed to be good for curative cleansing of stomach and liver ailments. Apparently that does not apply for me seeing as my stomach is gurgling. The dip was relaxing though and probably cleaned at least my pores.
Today, I woke up early and headed to the market for breakfast. Once again, a delicious choice. I got llapingauchos, which are fried yucca cakes. They come with chorizo, a fried egg, rice, salad, and some avocado. A great deal for $2. The market also has a long line of booths selling various fruit juices. I have tried 4 different ones so far (whose names I really can't remember), and they have all been delicious and refreshing 75 cent treats. Something like that in the US at a health food store would go for a good $4-6 a pop.
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| Llapingauchos and a delicious juice. |
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| Rapelling down the waterfall |
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| Rapelling down forward |
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| Melissa, Soraya, and me in front of the one waterfall |
Tomorrow, is back to Quito for the first time in 5 years. I hear a lot has changed since I was there first. I guess we will see tomorrow!
"I love to wash in your old bathwater." - No Doubt
I thought of this song when we went to the hot springs because there were so many people packed in that it almost felt like sardines. Hopefully the waters cleanse themselves!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Chimbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrazo
May 13th, 2011 (definitely behind a few days now)
My day started at 5:15 this morning. I actually slept alright last night despite the blaring music from below my hostel. I chose to stay here just for the simplicity of not having to pack up again, and the fact that it is $5 a night. I was a little worried about making my 5:45 bus though, since I was locked in the hostel. Luckily, the guy who was on duty woke up when I was shaking the front door about 15 minutes before the bus was supposed to leave. I found a cab easily enough and made it to the bus station with a few minutes to spare.
Unfortunately, it was raining when I woke up. A bad sign for a day when I wanted a clear sky to hike in.
Volcan Chimborazo, at a little over 6,300 meters, is the highest point in Ecuador. It also happens to be the closest point to the sun on the Earth. Because there is a slight bulge at the equator, it is further from the center of the earth than even Everest, even though the actual altitude above sea level is lower. I got to the gates of the Chimborazo reserve at around 7AM. There was no one manning the entrance gate that early...most likely because there are not many other sane people planning on slogging 8km up a barren wilderness in the rainy, cold mist to not be able to see much more than 100 feet ahead. I was the only one with that idea for this morning! Despite the chilly temps and light mist, I really enjoyed the hike up the mountain. There was not much to see because of the cloudcover and lack of vegetation, but I did get to see a few packs of vicuna that have been reintroduced into the park. These creatures are really similar to llamas, which made me think back to the days when we (Beaz, Ryan, Ames) used to drive past the "put a llama in your life" billboard.
I wasn't sure how my body was going to react to the altitude, but it turns out that I am meant for high-altitude trekking! I had no ill effects, no dizziness, no headaches. It gives me a lot of confidence for the Cotopaxi hike next week. After almost 2 hours of hiking, I made it to to the first refuge station at about 4,800 meters. I killed the uphill part of the hike, covering the 8km in a pretty short time for the altitude and going uphill. By that time, tiny little snowflakes had begun to fall and I could see where there were patches of snow where rocks had blocked sunlight from previous days. When I got into the refuge, I found that it is actually manned at all times by an Ecuadorian employed by the tourism ministry, with the keepers roating every 8 days. He made me a cup of coca tea with the water that was already boiling on the stove. Coca tea, made from the leaves of coca plants (the same things that are mashed up and made into cocaine), is a widely used remedy in the Andes to help with altitude issues. It is also chewed by indigenous people as a hunger suppressant and mild stimulant. It is hard to describe the taste, but I have gotten to like it after drinking it some in Peru with Lindsay (this cup tasted better than coca leaf cookies I once bought!). I talked with the refuge caretaker for a while and gave him suggestions for getting a netbook, which he wants for his child that is currently studying at the local university.
After breaking out the final layer of fleece I hadn't put on yet, I ventured the last kilometer up to the 2nd refuge. It was a tough 25 minute hike, as it got a lot steeper and the footing was less solid. When I reached it and saw the base of Chimborazo, I was completely amazed! While I couldn't see the peak, or anywhere near it for that matter, from the size of the glacier line I could tell that it is immense. It was a stunning experience, standing in the snow, alone, in silence, before something that is so much bigger than you are. I had a mini-double-rainbow moment (Grave or anyone else who has seen the youtube will understand). It ranks as one of the cooler experiences of my life. I'm making a promise to myself to make it to the Himalayas soon, I have a feeling that they will evoke the same feelings.
The hike down went quickly, and I wound up flagging a bus down on the side of the road easily. I heard the wait is sometimes up to 2 hours, but I caught one in about 5 minutes. I was back in town by 1:15, completely exhausted and in need of a nap. I ventured out for a late lunch a little later and caught the end of a parade put on by one of the local high schools. They have a bunch of different troops of students that do traditional and newer types of dancing. It took me back to the Clarion High Rollers (Misty, you'll remember the days), only roller skates would be a bad idea on the cobblestone streets. I was thoroughly impressed that many of the girls were wearing high heels. Some skill involved there! Since my hostel doesn't have wifi, I went to a restaurant that did and splurged on a milkshake that cost more than my lunch and more than half of the price of my hostel for the night. It was really delicious though. That being said, I have spent just over $100 bucks so far on the trip. I guess that Mom's ability to stretch a buck was passed down to me. A secondary factor comes from my lack of alcohol intake. Believe it or not folks, but I have not drank one beer, mixed drink, or glass of wine here. Salud!! (with my big 2 liter of water).
"Sometimes I wish I lived on a mountain, drank from a stream instead of a fountain. I'd stay there, top of the world." - Airstream song
My day started at 5:15 this morning. I actually slept alright last night despite the blaring music from below my hostel. I chose to stay here just for the simplicity of not having to pack up again, and the fact that it is $5 a night. I was a little worried about making my 5:45 bus though, since I was locked in the hostel. Luckily, the guy who was on duty woke up when I was shaking the front door about 15 minutes before the bus was supposed to leave. I found a cab easily enough and made it to the bus station with a few minutes to spare.
Unfortunately, it was raining when I woke up. A bad sign for a day when I wanted a clear sky to hike in.
Volcan Chimborazo, at a little over 6,300 meters, is the highest point in Ecuador. It also happens to be the closest point to the sun on the Earth. Because there is a slight bulge at the equator, it is further from the center of the earth than even Everest, even though the actual altitude above sea level is lower. I got to the gates of the Chimborazo reserve at around 7AM. There was no one manning the entrance gate that early...most likely because there are not many other sane people planning on slogging 8km up a barren wilderness in the rainy, cold mist to not be able to see much more than 100 feet ahead. I was the only one with that idea for this morning! Despite the chilly temps and light mist, I really enjoyed the hike up the mountain. There was not much to see because of the cloudcover and lack of vegetation, but I did get to see a few packs of vicuna that have been reintroduced into the park. These creatures are really similar to llamas, which made me think back to the days when we (Beaz, Ryan, Ames) used to drive past the "put a llama in your life" billboard.
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| vicuna! |
I wasn't sure how my body was going to react to the altitude, but it turns out that I am meant for high-altitude trekking! I had no ill effects, no dizziness, no headaches. It gives me a lot of confidence for the Cotopaxi hike next week. After almost 2 hours of hiking, I made it to to the first refuge station at about 4,800 meters. I killed the uphill part of the hike, covering the 8km in a pretty short time for the altitude and going uphill. By that time, tiny little snowflakes had begun to fall and I could see where there were patches of snow where rocks had blocked sunlight from previous days. When I got into the refuge, I found that it is actually manned at all times by an Ecuadorian employed by the tourism ministry, with the keepers roating every 8 days. He made me a cup of coca tea with the water that was already boiling on the stove. Coca tea, made from the leaves of coca plants (the same things that are mashed up and made into cocaine), is a widely used remedy in the Andes to help with altitude issues. It is also chewed by indigenous people as a hunger suppressant and mild stimulant. It is hard to describe the taste, but I have gotten to like it after drinking it some in Peru with Lindsay (this cup tasted better than coca leaf cookies I once bought!). I talked with the refuge caretaker for a while and gave him suggestions for getting a netbook, which he wants for his child that is currently studying at the local university.
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| Me at the 1st refuge toward the volcano |
After breaking out the final layer of fleece I hadn't put on yet, I ventured the last kilometer up to the 2nd refuge. It was a tough 25 minute hike, as it got a lot steeper and the footing was less solid. When I reached it and saw the base of Chimborazo, I was completely amazed! While I couldn't see the peak, or anywhere near it for that matter, from the size of the glacier line I could tell that it is immense. It was a stunning experience, standing in the snow, alone, in silence, before something that is so much bigger than you are. I had a mini-double-rainbow moment (Grave or anyone else who has seen the youtube will understand). It ranks as one of the cooler experiences of my life. I'm making a promise to myself to make it to the Himalayas soon, I have a feeling that they will evoke the same feelings.
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| 2nd refuge - snow! |
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| 5,000 meters! |
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| Me with Chimborazo in the background |
The hike down went quickly, and I wound up flagging a bus down on the side of the road easily. I heard the wait is sometimes up to 2 hours, but I caught one in about 5 minutes. I was back in town by 1:15, completely exhausted and in need of a nap. I ventured out for a late lunch a little later and caught the end of a parade put on by one of the local high schools. They have a bunch of different troops of students that do traditional and newer types of dancing. It took me back to the Clarion High Rollers (Misty, you'll remember the days), only roller skates would be a bad idea on the cobblestone streets. I was thoroughly impressed that many of the girls were wearing high heels. Some skill involved there! Since my hostel doesn't have wifi, I went to a restaurant that did and splurged on a milkshake that cost more than my lunch and more than half of the price of my hostel for the night. It was really delicious though. That being said, I have spent just over $100 bucks so far on the trip. I guess that Mom's ability to stretch a buck was passed down to me. A secondary factor comes from my lack of alcohol intake. Believe it or not folks, but I have not drank one beer, mixed drink, or glass of wine here. Salud!! (with my big 2 liter of water).
"Sometimes I wish I lived on a mountain, drank from a stream instead of a fountain. I'd stay there, top of the world." - Airstream song
Friday, May 13, 2011
Rio- Rio- Rio- Rio- Bamba
May 12th, 2011 (I am going to be a day behind...no wifi right now in the hostel)
I jetted from Cuenca pretty early this morning and found my way on an 8am bus to Riobamba. 6.5 long hours later, I arrived in the town. The scenery on the bus ride was spectacular, but other than that it was a normal ride. I am surprised at the quality of buses here. I had more leg room than I ever have on a U.S. bus. I did give a Kichwa woman 65 cents for her bus fare because she didn't have any change. Hopefully that will bring me good luck for the rest of my travels!
Riobamba is a medium-sized provincial city. To be honest, there is not much here. The town itself is a mixture of newer and colonial style buildings, with a few nice parks. I checked into my second choice hostel (Rincon de la Sierra) after my first was full. Mariela, the manager, knows what she is talking about and was very helpful. It may have been a bad choice though as we are apparently located right above a karaoke bar that is now blaring music (8:45pm). Earplugs will be coming out tonight. After finding a room, I walked around the city a little bit, found lunch, ate an ice cream sandwhich in a park, and sat in the sun...which was out for about 3 hours today which is strange for the winter. I grabbed a Nescafe and read for an hour or so, hit up the grocery store for supplies for tomorrow and a tablet, and then had my first Ecua-chinese food experience.
Some interesting interactions/observations I have had over the past few days:
1. Yesterday, which I forgot to write about, I was eating lunch at a small place. The lunch wasn't great, but filling and cheap. When I started into my desert, a woman who I later found out to be named Veronica, came and sat at the table that I was sitting at. She asked me if I was alone (me replying yes), and then continued to ask me where I was and what I do. We chatted for about 10 minutes or so. I couldn't decide what to think about this situation. First thought: I was being propositioned sexually. I don't think that was the case since this girl was respectably dressed, seemed reasonably intellignet, and apparently worked on a phone cabinas place. Second thought: this girl has balls. To just go over to a strange gringo's table who is eating by himself must have been intimidating. I give her credit no matter what her intentions. Third thought: Greeeeen Card!!!!!!!! Was this woman talking to me to just for my American status? Likely. Anyway, I got up to leave because I had some more exploring to do and was leaving Cuenca in the morning. It would have been a pretty awkward night taking this girl on a date! We parted and I didn't see her again.
2. Old man at restaurant where I was eating lunch hollers over at me: "Where are you from?" Me: "The U.S." Him: "You speak Spanish well, how long have you been living in Ecuador?" Me: "Oh...I don't live here, I am just visiting" Him: "Well you should marry a Latina and take her back with you then." Me: "Maybe, we'll see." Old men act the same and say whatever they want no matter what country you are in.
3. I was enjoying my Magnum reverse ice-cream sandwhich (chocolate ice cream in the middle and vanilla cookie on the outside) sitting in the stoop of a church watching some kids who had roller blading practice in the park across from me. Sounds creepy I know, watching kids in a park with a Magnum. No worries, Ecuador will not have to issue an Amber alert because of me. But, this is NOT the main focal point of the story. As I was sitting there, somebody tossles my hair a little bit from behind. As you can imagine, I was a little bit stunned. I know absolutely no one in Riobamba, Ecuador. I look to my right and see a woman, probably in her 50s, with a low cut top and tightttttttt pink pants on. She looks at me, purses her lips to give me a far-away kiss, and says: "Hi there fella, how are you?" and winks at me. I kinda giggle and don't really say anything because I don't know how to react. Finally, I stammer out "No, gracias." I am 100% sure that I was being propositioned this time. Cougars, whether expecting money for sex or not, are everywhere. Young men, either beware or take advantage.
4. Bigger women (who aren't indigenous) wear too tight of clothes, especially pants, in Ecuador just like they do in the U.S. The camel toe here seems to be worse though. I have seen enough of it to last a lifetime. Just sayin, ladies, cover it up (cubrela!!).
5. There are more emo types here than what I expected. A lot of the younger folk, guys expecially, wear tight black jeans with those emo shoes.
6. A Chifa, or Ecuadorian chinese food restaurant, is just like an American one. They dish up a shit-ton of hot, greasy, high MSG food for almost nothing and are staffed by asians only it seems. They are also just as delicious as American ones. I had noodles with veg and egg. Pretty tasty!
Some things are really different here, but a lot is really similar to home. Everyday life around the world is universal in some aspects, and strinkingly contrasting in others. One of the best things about traveling is that you get to see and understand this first hand.
Tomorrow, I am taking a 5:45AM bus to Volcan Chimborazo, which means early to bed tonight. More details manana!
I jetted from Cuenca pretty early this morning and found my way on an 8am bus to Riobamba. 6.5 long hours later, I arrived in the town. The scenery on the bus ride was spectacular, but other than that it was a normal ride. I am surprised at the quality of buses here. I had more leg room than I ever have on a U.S. bus. I did give a Kichwa woman 65 cents for her bus fare because she didn't have any change. Hopefully that will bring me good luck for the rest of my travels!
Riobamba is a medium-sized provincial city. To be honest, there is not much here. The town itself is a mixture of newer and colonial style buildings, with a few nice parks. I checked into my second choice hostel (Rincon de la Sierra) after my first was full. Mariela, the manager, knows what she is talking about and was very helpful. It may have been a bad choice though as we are apparently located right above a karaoke bar that is now blaring music (8:45pm). Earplugs will be coming out tonight. After finding a room, I walked around the city a little bit, found lunch, ate an ice cream sandwhich in a park, and sat in the sun...which was out for about 3 hours today which is strange for the winter. I grabbed a Nescafe and read for an hour or so, hit up the grocery store for supplies for tomorrow and a tablet, and then had my first Ecua-chinese food experience.
Some interesting interactions/observations I have had over the past few days:
1. Yesterday, which I forgot to write about, I was eating lunch at a small place. The lunch wasn't great, but filling and cheap. When I started into my desert, a woman who I later found out to be named Veronica, came and sat at the table that I was sitting at. She asked me if I was alone (me replying yes), and then continued to ask me where I was and what I do. We chatted for about 10 minutes or so. I couldn't decide what to think about this situation. First thought: I was being propositioned sexually. I don't think that was the case since this girl was respectably dressed, seemed reasonably intellignet, and apparently worked on a phone cabinas place. Second thought: this girl has balls. To just go over to a strange gringo's table who is eating by himself must have been intimidating. I give her credit no matter what her intentions. Third thought: Greeeeen Card!!!!!!!! Was this woman talking to me to just for my American status? Likely. Anyway, I got up to leave because I had some more exploring to do and was leaving Cuenca in the morning. It would have been a pretty awkward night taking this girl on a date! We parted and I didn't see her again.
2. Old man at restaurant where I was eating lunch hollers over at me: "Where are you from?" Me: "The U.S." Him: "You speak Spanish well, how long have you been living in Ecuador?" Me: "Oh...I don't live here, I am just visiting" Him: "Well you should marry a Latina and take her back with you then." Me: "Maybe, we'll see." Old men act the same and say whatever they want no matter what country you are in.
3. I was enjoying my Magnum reverse ice-cream sandwhich (chocolate ice cream in the middle and vanilla cookie on the outside) sitting in the stoop of a church watching some kids who had roller blading practice in the park across from me. Sounds creepy I know, watching kids in a park with a Magnum. No worries, Ecuador will not have to issue an Amber alert because of me. But, this is NOT the main focal point of the story. As I was sitting there, somebody tossles my hair a little bit from behind. As you can imagine, I was a little bit stunned. I know absolutely no one in Riobamba, Ecuador. I look to my right and see a woman, probably in her 50s, with a low cut top and tightttttttt pink pants on. She looks at me, purses her lips to give me a far-away kiss, and says: "Hi there fella, how are you?" and winks at me. I kinda giggle and don't really say anything because I don't know how to react. Finally, I stammer out "No, gracias." I am 100% sure that I was being propositioned this time. Cougars, whether expecting money for sex or not, are everywhere. Young men, either beware or take advantage.
4. Bigger women (who aren't indigenous) wear too tight of clothes, especially pants, in Ecuador just like they do in the U.S. The camel toe here seems to be worse though. I have seen enough of it to last a lifetime. Just sayin, ladies, cover it up (cubrela!!).
5. There are more emo types here than what I expected. A lot of the younger folk, guys expecially, wear tight black jeans with those emo shoes.
6. A Chifa, or Ecuadorian chinese food restaurant, is just like an American one. They dish up a shit-ton of hot, greasy, high MSG food for almost nothing and are staffed by asians only it seems. They are also just as delicious as American ones. I had noodles with veg and egg. Pretty tasty!
Some things are really different here, but a lot is really similar to home. Everyday life around the world is universal in some aspects, and strinkingly contrasting in others. One of the best things about traveling is that you get to see and understand this first hand.
Tomorrow, I am taking a 5:45AM bus to Volcan Chimborazo, which means early to bed tonight. More details manana!
“Basically we are all the same human beings with the same potential to be a good human being or a bad human being ... The important thing is to realize the positive side and try to increase that; realize the negative side and try to reduce. That's the way.” - The Dalai Lama
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
C'mon get higher (altitude, that is)
May 10th, 2011
5:45 came early this morning. I think it is the earliest I have gotten up since I was staying in Baltimore and working in DC this past winter break. I kind of like getting up the early because you have so much time left in the day to do things. There are barely any people out at that time either, so you get to really see the streets of a town without the usual peds coming and going. I was planning on taking a town bus out to the station to catch the bus to Cajas National Park, but they didn't seem to be any running and no one around waiting. So, I splurged on a $2 cab ride. Luckily, we pulled into the station right as the 6:15 bus was leaving, so I got on that one and had an early start.
Cajas has one of the highest concentration of lakes anywhere in the world. I think there are over 270 in the park, give or take a few. The terrain is called the "paramo," and it is characterized by a lot of scrubby grass, quinoa trees, rocky crags jutting out from the ground, and a few flowers. It really is a pretty breathtaking place...reminds me a little bit of some of the scenes from Lord of the Rings. The altitude ranges anywhere from the mid 12,000s to around 14,000ft.
I got to the park at a little after 7 and started hiking. I realized that I am in some definite need of some acclimitazation before attempting the Cotopaxi (over 19,000 feet...coming in a week and a half) hike. I was short of breath when climbing up, and when I stood up from sitting down or taking a picture close to the ground got a little light headed. Overall though, I think my fitness is pretty good to give the big one a shot. I had the park pretty much to myself other than an Ecuadorian fisher and another couple that had camped the night before. It was definitely cold though. I wore a tossle cap all day and had a fleece on. Molly really would have enjoyed the hiking, it would have been nice to have her along! I thought of Kristal being in heaven with all of the quinoa trees too!
While I was hiking, I thought about things a little bit. How did I wind up here? A small-town kinda guy from western PA trekking through the remote Andes...to tell you the truth, I have no idea. I guess it started when I got interested in Spanish, learning the language, and going to places where I could use it. My first trip overseas (other than Canada...that doesn't count) was to this very country and was almost 5 years ago, 5 years! Crazy how fast time passes. I don't know if back then I had it in me to trek out on my own, but that was the start of me being able to.
I have talked to a lot of people in the past years that tell me that they couldn't do it - get on a plane, go to a foreign country, travel around without a plan or a set place to stay. I'd like to think that everyone could, it just takes a little bit of adventurous spirit, willingness to get turned around in the wrong direction, and epically fail a few times here and there. I used to get nervous about finding a bus somewhere or getting a room for the night, but anymore I don't. Things always seem to work themselves out, kinda like it does in life in general. How do I do it, just get up and go? Maybe it is knowing the language, or maybe was my parents or people around me always telling me I could do anything I wanted to in life. Anyway, I guess I hope if anyone is reading this who is thinking about taking a risk, do it. I haven't a few times in my life and I really regret it.
The rest of the day was pretty relaxed. I got a HUGE headache at about 3:30. I wasn't sure if it was the altitude or what, but then I realized that I hadn't had caffeine in about a day and a half. Bad sign. I picked up a coke, drank half of it, took a nap, and was better. One thing to add to the list for the near future: reduce my caffeine intake, starting now! I also made the best batch of guacamole for dinner that I have ever made (Nelly, you would have been impressed). The avocados (and other veg) here are bomb. I ate three avocados worth of guac. Probably not the greatest dinner, but delicious nonetheless. I am off for Riobamba early tomorrow where I'm planning on taking a day trip out to the base camps of Chimborazo, the highest point in Ecuador.
"You can do itttttttttttttt" - Curly haired guy from every Adam Sandler movie
5:45 came early this morning. I think it is the earliest I have gotten up since I was staying in Baltimore and working in DC this past winter break. I kind of like getting up the early because you have so much time left in the day to do things. There are barely any people out at that time either, so you get to really see the streets of a town without the usual peds coming and going. I was planning on taking a town bus out to the station to catch the bus to Cajas National Park, but they didn't seem to be any running and no one around waiting. So, I splurged on a $2 cab ride. Luckily, we pulled into the station right as the 6:15 bus was leaving, so I got on that one and had an early start.
Cajas has one of the highest concentration of lakes anywhere in the world. I think there are over 270 in the park, give or take a few. The terrain is called the "paramo," and it is characterized by a lot of scrubby grass, quinoa trees, rocky crags jutting out from the ground, and a few flowers. It really is a pretty breathtaking place...reminds me a little bit of some of the scenes from Lord of the Rings. The altitude ranges anywhere from the mid 12,000s to around 14,000ft.
I got to the park at a little after 7 and started hiking. I realized that I am in some definite need of some acclimitazation before attempting the Cotopaxi (over 19,000 feet...coming in a week and a half) hike. I was short of breath when climbing up, and when I stood up from sitting down or taking a picture close to the ground got a little light headed. Overall though, I think my fitness is pretty good to give the big one a shot. I had the park pretty much to myself other than an Ecuadorian fisher and another couple that had camped the night before. It was definitely cold though. I wore a tossle cap all day and had a fleece on. Molly really would have enjoyed the hiking, it would have been nice to have her along! I thought of Kristal being in heaven with all of the quinoa trees too!
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| PN Cajas |
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| Quinoa tree on the lake |
While I was hiking, I thought about things a little bit. How did I wind up here? A small-town kinda guy from western PA trekking through the remote Andes...to tell you the truth, I have no idea. I guess it started when I got interested in Spanish, learning the language, and going to places where I could use it. My first trip overseas (other than Canada...that doesn't count) was to this very country and was almost 5 years ago, 5 years! Crazy how fast time passes. I don't know if back then I had it in me to trek out on my own, but that was the start of me being able to.
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| Representing western PA |
I have talked to a lot of people in the past years that tell me that they couldn't do it - get on a plane, go to a foreign country, travel around without a plan or a set place to stay. I'd like to think that everyone could, it just takes a little bit of adventurous spirit, willingness to get turned around in the wrong direction, and epically fail a few times here and there. I used to get nervous about finding a bus somewhere or getting a room for the night, but anymore I don't. Things always seem to work themselves out, kinda like it does in life in general. How do I do it, just get up and go? Maybe it is knowing the language, or maybe was my parents or people around me always telling me I could do anything I wanted to in life. Anyway, I guess I hope if anyone is reading this who is thinking about taking a risk, do it. I haven't a few times in my life and I really regret it.
The rest of the day was pretty relaxed. I got a HUGE headache at about 3:30. I wasn't sure if it was the altitude or what, but then I realized that I hadn't had caffeine in about a day and a half. Bad sign. I picked up a coke, drank half of it, took a nap, and was better. One thing to add to the list for the near future: reduce my caffeine intake, starting now! I also made the best batch of guacamole for dinner that I have ever made (Nelly, you would have been impressed). The avocados (and other veg) here are bomb. I ate three avocados worth of guac. Probably not the greatest dinner, but delicious nonetheless. I am off for Riobamba early tomorrow where I'm planning on taking a day trip out to the base camps of Chimborazo, the highest point in Ecuador.
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| Guac and Ronditos |
"You can do itttttttttttttt" - Curly haired guy from every Adam Sandler movie
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Cuenca - EcuaDisneyland?
May 9th, 2011
Cuenca = pretty freaking awesome place. I woke up this morning and switched hostels to a place where I have my own room for $6, free wifi, a kitcken to cook in, and a killer view of the city and some mountains. Today was pretty relaxed. I would say I walked about 8-10 miles around the city today just soaking it up. It wasn't named a UNESCO world heritage site for just anything. The colonial buildings of and dozens of churches and parks make it easy to spend a good three hours just wandering and taking it all in. It is kind of a fairytale place in a country where poverty in the cities and countryside is still widespread. There is very, very little crime, great climate, and good restaurants. Hell, you can even drink the water here!! I guess a ton of expats choose to retire here, and I can really see why.
Cuenca = pretty freaking awesome place. I woke up this morning and switched hostels to a place where I have my own room for $6, free wifi, a kitcken to cook in, and a killer view of the city and some mountains. Today was pretty relaxed. I would say I walked about 8-10 miles around the city today just soaking it up. It wasn't named a UNESCO world heritage site for just anything. The colonial buildings of and dozens of churches and parks make it easy to spend a good three hours just wandering and taking it all in. It is kind of a fairytale place in a country where poverty in the cities and countryside is still widespread. There is very, very little crime, great climate, and good restaurants. Hell, you can even drink the water here!! I guess a ton of expats choose to retire here, and I can really see why.
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| Cuenca from el Rio Tomebamba |
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| Catedral Nueva |
My first meal of the day wasn't so much like a breakfast but a hearty dinner (as you can tell I like to talk a lot about the foods I am eating). I went down to the market where the owner of the hostel suggested for me to go. For $1.50, I got what you see below.
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| Meat, beans, rice, salad |
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| Red onions, Ahi, limes |
NUTS! The icing on the cake is the ahi. It is a spicy type of tomato and pepper based sauce that has onions and some other spices that pretty much every Ecuadorian restaurant puts out to go along with the meal. It, along with thinly sliced red onions, make it heaven.
Like I said, I did a lot of walking and visited a few contemporary art museums. They were decent, but nothing spectacular. In the afternoon, the rain finally came. It was the first time that I had been rained on here yet, which is pretty darn lucky seeing as it is winter and the rainy season. I was thinking about hanging at the hostel for the afternoon and reading, but I decided to venture out to the city's overlook (mirador Turi)...not before heading back to the market of course for a blackberry "batido" - pretty much just blackberries blended with a fatty milk and some sugar. Delicious, of course. I also picked up some vegetables and pasta from the market to make sure dinner. I walked the 4K, the last 25 minutes of it uphill, to the mirador. It was definitely worth the trip up for the complete view of the city. Thankfully, there is a bus that runs right to it, so I avoided the long walk down in the rain.
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| Smallish-looking Panorama view from mirador |
It is crazy, but going out to eat is actually about the same price as buying food at the market to cook for myself. The main difference is the health factor. I am the first to admit that I love some fatty fast foods, but I also like some veg in my life too. Here, going out means a lot of rice, beans, meat, and maybe some carrot salad. Granted, I don't usually go for the fried stuff, but there are still a ton of carbs and fat. Not so good on the 6 pack abs, so I cooked up some pasta with green beans, avocado, tomato, pepper, onion, and lime juice for dinner. It was pretty good, and all for the tune of about $1.50.
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| Fruit and Veggies at the market |
Now that I am thinking about it, you really can go out to eat in the U.S. for cheaper than going to buy groceries for...IF you are buying healthy groceries. Take, for example, one of my favorites: the $5 big box at Taco Bell. Those things weigh in at over 1,000 calories easy per meal. Yet, its only five bucks. Good luck getting the same number of healthy calories at the grocery store for that price. I bought three apples the last time I was there and it set me back $2.50. Add in some whole wheat pasta, salad, and tomatoes and wham bam thank you ma'am you have a $10 grocery bill. The health insurance bill costs more in the long run the Taco Bell way, but who is really thinking of that? No wonder Americans, especially those on a tight budget, are a lot more obese than a heck of a lot of other countries. Sorry for the tangent, I have become a little bit of an agricultural economist since studying it!
Anyway, tomorrow it is up to an EARLY start at 6AM to get ready to head out to Parque Nacional Cajas for a day of hiking. Hopefully getting out there early will keep me from getting too wet and cold. Apparently it snows out there this time of year every once in a while. Back to winter, am I crazy?! I have heard the hiking and views are worth it.
"I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 hundred more." - The Pretenders
I don't think I'll make it to 500 miles this trip, but I love walking and hiking.
Oh, I almost forgot, I found Texas Chicken, a chain we frequented in Quito!
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