Reflections

Well the trip is coming to an end. We fly to Bogata today then home on the 11th. I'll most likely do only one post from Bogata. The rest of the posts will probably be just interesting facts or things that I found interiguing.

Here is one.
In both Ecuador and Columbia, they do not want you to flush your toilet paper. Instead you need to put it in the waiste basket that is lined with a plastic bag. Then the plastic bag is taken to a land fill where it never decomposes........seems counter productive to me.

Interesting fact.

The day we went to Cotocachi, we stopped at a place that swears they make the REAL Panama hats. They gave the history of the hat.

When the Panama Canal was being built, many thousands of Ecuadorians went to help build the canal. The president of Ecuador felt badly for his country men sweating in the hot sun, so he sent thousands of the white hats made in Ecuador. When Teddy Roosevelt went to visit the canal and see how the work was going, he got very hot in the Panama sun. Someone gave him a white hat to shade him. The US press reported " look at Teddy's new Panama hat" and the name stayed. 

Off course after hearing this tale and how the salesman touted the quality and authenticity of his hats.....I had to by one. Don't know how I'll get it home , or if I'll ever wear it at home. But the REAL Panama hats come from Ecuador...............this information cost me $25.

Rosario island 2

We stopped at the national park where they had a large aquarium and dozens of outside corals of different species of fish. Some people on the trip took the time to snorkel.

 
We then went on to the beach. There we spent a couple of hours sunning and swimming. The waves were big, the water was warm and the color of the water was a beautiful Caribbean blue.  .

 Along the route there were several small islands with just one or two house on them. They will be in trouble when the sea rises

The ride back to Cartagena was a nail biting one. The sea swells had gotten twice as big and it is never a good sign when the captain gets out a screwdriver and pliers to work on the motor. Everyone got soaked on the way back but we made it. If you ever go, make sure you sit in the back of the boat.

Rosario island

Today we took the boat ride to Rosario Island. The boat was small, the seas were rough and we were packed in pretty tightly. The trip out was about an hour and a half.

Cartagena

We took the 9:00 flight out if Quito to Bogota and then a one hour flight to Cartagena. Arrived around three to the old town part of the city. This place is gorgeous. No graffiti, no store grates, beautifully colored buildings with charm around every corner. I could explore these tiny street alleys and small boutiques for weeks. We took a city bus tour and got to see the more modern area as well. At night there are  groups for performers that travel from plaza to plaza through out the night entertaining. We are here until Monday. It should be fun to spend Mardi Gras weekend here.
Tomorrow will take a boat out to one of the islands for a day at the beach. The weather is quite warm but the ocean breeze helps to cool things down........."hey Boston, enjoy your storm.

    

Latest paintings

Today we took a tour of the presidential palace and walked the city. We leave tomorrow for Colombia. I don't know if there will be much time for painting......Will see. Here are the last ones I did. And now I say goodbye to Ecuador.

Guayaquil

Waiting for the bus

Cuenca city

Lazy day

Today was just a lazy day. We went to see the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. It was an impressive ceremony. We even got to see the president of the country who was on the balcony.

                        
                 The president

Tap on you tube link to see
    
http://youtu.be/Lwg8e4amDSY

http://youtu.be/SeUjMJgOCHc


Spent the rest of the afternoon painting.

Cotopaxi pictures

                                    

                                                    

         

Cotopaxi

Another early start today. We met our tour in down town Quito. Only 5 of us are on the tour, a couple from Brazil, a man from Holland, AL and myself. To get to Cotopaxi is about an hour an a half drive. Once we were near Cotopaxi, we stopped at a beautiful hacienda to pick up the dirt bikes we will need for riding down the mountain. When everything was loaded we drove into the national park. The park has been closed off and on since November because of recent volcanic activity. From the highway you can see steam and ash coming off the summit. The ride up the mountain was beautiful. Mostly low growth plants and trees. We had a brief stop at the first station where our guide explained the vegetation we'd find on the mountain and how it has been used by the local people. We then went to Laguna Limpiopungo. It's on a plateau just below the mountain. There we saw wild horses, cows and a variety of birds around the lagoon. We hiked around the lagoon for about 2.5 miles. We could also see on the mountain the upper shelter. We could not go up to it because they have closed that section of the mountain. People who hike the summit stay there and hike the summit at midnight. It is when the snow and ice terrain is most stable. They hike six hours to the summit and get there just at dawn. It must be beautiful but I'll settle for seeing the videos. The weather at our level was sunny but chilly. I was happy I had worn layers.

Then some real fun began. We all got on our dirt bikes and began the one hour ride down the mountain. It really was an adrenaline rush even though people probably could have pasted me walking. My bike was the one with the steam coming off the breaks as my fingers grew numb from holding the breaks.

I'll post someone else's video from YouTube that will give you the feel of the experience.

Touch
Cotopaxi down hill,

Cotacachi

After visiting Otavalo we went on to Cotacachi. We first stopped at the Laguna de Cotacachi. The dark lagoon is cradled in a collapsed volcanic crater. It has two mounded islands that shot up in later eruptions. It is at the base of the volcano Cotacachi. In ancient times the indigenous people would bring animals to this lagoon to sacrifice to the gods. We walked part of the rim of the lagoon looking for hummingbirds and taking pictures. Our next stop was to the town of Cotacachi for lunch. It was a pretty little town that is best know for its leather goods. After lunch we spent some time shopping. Between Otavali and Cotacachi it was an expensive day. I will have to throw out more old clothes from my suitcase to make room for new stuff. We headed back to Quito very weary and arrived in Quito around 6:30.. Shopping can be exhausting.
Tomorrow we have booked a trip to Cotopaxi.

Otavalo

Our day started early, 6:30, we took a cab to downtown Quito to meet with our tour. There were about 15 of us. All ages all nationalities. Many of them young woman who were traveling for weeks alone around South American. Our first stop was another Equator line site, ( it's a long line of latitude)  this a a non profit organization and it had some very interesting historical and scientific information about the Equator. You can visit their web site.www.quitsato.org.

After that we stopped for breakfast where we saw them making by hand corn biscottis and then cooking them in a wood fire. Mmmmmmm.

We made to the  Otavalo market about 11 and that was a wonderful experience of sights and sounds. Every Saturday and Sunday the town square closes down for these merchants to set up booths. It was fun to wander around and see the wide variety of goods.

 

Most of the merchant were dresses in indigenous clothing. One native woman on our tour explained the meaning of the wardrobe.

¿Donde esta?

We said goodbye to Bahia at 8:00. At the bus station was easy to figure out which bus was going to Quito. It was a seven hour bus ride but once we left the coast the landscape became green and lush. We past large plantations growing bananas, cattle farms and small villages. At one point our bus had to wait for a herd of cattle to get off the road before it could pass. As we got higher in the Andes the switchbacks became more frequent and we saw beautiful waterfalls cascading off the mountain ridges. An added bonus was the bus's movie theme was not The Fast and The Furiest 1-2--3-4 but romantic comedies. They were all in Spanish and in two of the three movies the child dies. We got to our hotel in Quito about 3. We picked a different hotel in the Old Town area for a change. It's very nice and has two rooms. (Gives us both a break ). We walked around the old city and visited more churches and museums. As poor as these people are, they have given a lot of money to the Catholic Church. At night we visited a neat part of old town called Ronda. It was filled with small artisan shops and little restaurants that all had live entertainment. We went to one that was tucked away off the street and they had an outstanding musician playing the Spanish guitar. Very romantic but      ¿ Dónde esta mi hombre?

 We have booked a tour for Otavalo for tomorrow.

                                                         
 

Ready to head back to Quito

Day 23...Wednesday, January 27th
It was a long travel day. We left Puerto Lopez for a one hour cab ride to Manta. There we were dropped off at the bus stop to try and figure 'what next'. It was a little chaotic but we were able to get a bus ride to Bahia de Caraquez. This was a long and dusty ride through not very pretty scenery. Really arid areas and really poor areas. Again, another Fast and Furiest movie on the bus. When we finally pulled in to Bahia around 3, we were very disappointed. They were doing road work on the main road so there was road dust everywhere. They had a few modern hotels along the beach area but the were very "Soviet Union circa 1966" in style. We visited a local museum that had lots of information about the indigenous people of Ecuador but all the information was in Spanish. Poor AL, a curse to not be proficient in Spanish. We walked the malecon, beach side, but the water was filled junk. There were some great waves toward the end of the beach and it was fun watching the surfers. The sunset was also a nice feature. Our hotel is our least favorite and we do not sleep alone.....a gecko shares the room with us. AL and I agree it's time to head back to Quito. We'll catch the earliest bus out tomorrow morning.
             

                   
 

Are your boobies blue?

Beautiful day at Puerto Lopez. We took the boat at 9:30 to Isla de Plata. The ride took about an hour on rolling seas but the weather was beautiful and no one got sick. Once on the island we did about a two mile hike up to the cliffs. Once up there we saw many nesting blue footed boobies and chicks. The island is a national park now but years ago people did live on it. They had goats and cats but when the island was taken over by the government they were removed because the cats ate the birds and the goats ate the vegetation. Now the greatest threat to the birds are rats.......they eat the eggs. The park rangers have many traps out on the island to poison the rats. The hike was hot and the land very arid. When we returned to the boat, we were surrounded by sea turtles that wanted lunch. We fed them watermelon and pineapple. We went snorkeling off the boat and the water felt great. We could see some brightly colored fish but for the most part the visibility wasn't that great. It was a perfect day to be on the water. Got back about 3:30. We leave tomorrow and we'll start working our way back to Quito

Alas I did not spot an albatross.

11 th grade English class

We leave tomorrow for the Isla de Plata..........since 11th grade I always wanted to see an albatross. Maybe now I'll understand the poem.

Spoiler alert ........the bird dies.

through the fog it came
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.
It ate the food it ne'er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
The helmsman steered us through!
And a good south wind sprung up behind;
The Albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariner's hollo!
In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whales all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white Moon-shine.'
God save thee, ancient Mariner!
From the fiends, that plague thee thus!--
Why look'st thou so?'--With my cross-bow
I shot the ALBATROSS.

Puerto Lopez

This is not a good looking town. They are doing a lot of work on the water front, so that makes it a muddy mess but the sand and the beaches are not as pretty as Olon. We're staying at a hotel on the beach......but the beach is dirty so what does it matter.. We came here.......in the rain, on a 1 hour bus ride. Most of the buses have been really clean and comfortable. This one was a ride to  "Ashmont". It being raining did not improve the look of the town.

Why did we come here? We are going to the Isla de Plata.
Isla de la Plata:
The Poor Man’s Galapagos

Isla de la Plata, one of the hidden places in Ecuador, is a small island off the coast northwest of Puerto Lopez.  Although currently known as the poor man’s Galapagos, it has long been called “Silver Island.”

Some say the name derived from the fact that Sir Francis Drake buried his treasure there centuries ago.  Others say the silver refers to the large amounts of guano, or bird droppings, that shine in the sun!  NICE.

The island can be reached by boat from the Puerto Lopez area. Puerto Lopez is a small town located on the north coast of Ecuador in Manabi province. The trip can be choppy and usually takes more than an hour.  It’s best to have motion-sickness medication handy—just in case!.......I'll let you know how it turns out.

Once on the island, the visitor can enjoy many species similar to those found in the Galapagos — blue- and red-footed boobies, pelicans, petrals, frigatebirds, terns and albatrosses.

The tour we booked will  provide lunch, a guided hike and time for a little snorkeling. No cerveza. ( my Spanish is impeccable)

One of the main attractions of this special place in Ecuador is the humpback whales but I don' t think it is the right season for that.  They mate near the island from the middle of June until October. We’ve been told that it is not uncommon to see groups of up to ten whales at one time, frolicking in the ocean. Dolphins are plentiful and there are good coral reefs for snorkeling.

There is no shade on the small island and the trails are rough, so good shoes, wind or rain gear are important items to have along and a hat is a necessity unless you want a burned scalp. Isla de la Plata is one of those places in Ecuador where you can lose yourself in a landscape uniquely different from any other on earth.

We'll see!

Olon

This town is sooooo relaxing we are going to stay another day. Plus we know a bar that will be showing the Patriot game. At our hotel there are several Canadaians who are staying til March. They were saying how fortunate Americans are because our dollar is so strong.the exchange in Canada is  US dollar $1 to Canadian $1.40. I quess we are going to have an even stronger exchange in Colombia. The problem will be the math..........Columbia uses pesos. Our minds do not do conversions well.

It was fun watching the game with the Canadians and some US friends we've made. Not happy with the results. They should have tried for the extra point when they had the chance rather than the touch down.......it could have meant a tied game at the end.........but nobody asked me.

TB still the handsomest man alive.

Montañita and Olon

We got to the bus terminal early but all the morning buses were booked for mini taints. It's the weekend and a full moon so everyone I trying to get to the coast for the weekend. We took an afternoon bus to a little town north of Montañita, called  Olon. The bus ride was about four hours and between listening to podcasts, sleeping and watching the topography change, the time passes quickly.  We were lucky to get a room at this small boutique hotel , Ricon d' Olon,because it was the weekend. The price wasn't bad, $60 a night. It's two blocks down from the beach and has a small pool. It's only been open since September so everything is fresh and new. The owner Kris went out of his way to accommodate us. Most of the places we have stayed include a great breakfast and this does as well.

This little town is made up of about three square blocks. Chickens, cats and dogs all hang out in the streets and get along just fine. Much more tranquil that Montañita. We are starting to get really lazy, renting a canopy and chairs and spending the day on the beach. The water is warm and the waves are huge.

Later at night, We took a five minute cab ride into Montanita. It was like spring break Key West style. It was loaded with young backpackers from all over. It was fun to sit at a Tiki bar on the beach and people watch. The sun set was beautiful........and then the place really came alive.

 It is a good thing I did not come to this town in my twenties, I may never have left. I'd be an old woman selling painted coconuts to beach goers now.

New paintings

Last day in Guayaquil

Later that night we took a taxi to

Las Peñas

With more than 400 years old, Las Peñas was the first neighborhood of Guayaquil, which took its name from the cliffs and limestone rocks that formed the Hill back then when the Spanish settled in the XV century. In 1982 the neighborhood was declared Cultural Heritage of Ecuador and between 2002 and 2008, the place was restored and regenerated by the Municipality of Guayaquil. The neighborhood is closed to traffic and the only way to see it is to walk up the stairway that winds through the hill making its way up to the top where there is a church and a lighthouse. The area is surrounded by art galleries, restaurants and of course souvenir shops. We will leave tomorrow morning for the coast. With more than 400 years old, Las Peñas was the first neighborhood of Guayaquil, which took its name from the cliffs and limestone rocks that formed the Hill back then when the Spanish settled in the XV century. In 1982 the neighborhood was declared Cultural Heritage of Ecuador and between 2002 and 2008, the place was restored and regenerated by the Municipality of Guayaquil.

Bus tour

                                   

Someone got a selfie stick for Christmas

We walked to the river park and got a city tour bus. Unfortunately the enter tour was in Spanish. Poor AL she didn't understand a word. Poor me I had to do all the translating, " GUAYAQUIL....IS ....THE ....LARGEST CITY ....AND MAIN ....PORT......IN...ECUADOR.....BLAH....BLAH...." I am exhausted. One older couple ( our age) sat I front of us and took selfie pictures the entire ride. OK I get it you were in Guayaquil.......do not invite me to the slide show. Hot weather makes me cranky.

Off to Guayaquil

We took the morning bus from Cuenca to Guayaquil. The ride was about for hours to this port city. The ride wove throughout the mountains on this rainy day. On several places along the mountain route their were small rock slides on the road. I think this is a frequent event as we saw some yesterday on the ride with Joe. Once we got out of the mountains the vegetation changed dramatically. As we got closer to Guayaquil we past large agricultural farms. Once we reached the bus terminal we took a 20 minute cab into the center of the city. The hotel is great, Palace Hotel. Very much like a Marriott. After we got settled we walked to the park around the corner. There were hundreds of iguanas lounging around. We visited several churches and took a walk to the river side. They had build a very pretty esplanade along the river bank. It has many bronze statues and garden areas. The city is big, hot and fast. Horns honking, people rushing about, small little stores, large buildings and hotels. It has a "New York in the summer" feel to it. We'll stay one more day and then head west to Olon.

Last day in Cuenca

Painted again in the morning and then Joe and Holly picked us up and took us for a ride up into the mountains where we saw some breath taking scenery. When we returned we had a great dinner at a local restaurant. We have not had a bad meal since we have arrived in Ecuador..........Well maybe the Yucca bread and tuna. It has been great spending time with our new friends Joe and Holly and learning more and seeing more of Cuenca has been a treat.

Paintings

It's all happenin at the car wash

We are in a hotel that is right in the middle of  old town. We are surrounded by beautiful churches and a plaza right across from the hotel. We have a state of the art shower. It is a giant cylinder
that has 11 jets of water that come at you from every angle. A human car wash.
 

                                             

Day 14

I spent the morning painting then at 1 Joe Durr and his wife picked us up at the hotel. They have been here almost two years and live in a small town about 15 minutes out of Cuenca. We went to a great restaurant and Joe and Holly told us their story of what brought them to Cuenca and how the transition has been. Cuenca is an area that attracts many people from North America. They all seem to have a great network. After lunch Joe took us up into the mountains to see wild alpaca. The weather didn't co operate but the mountain views were spectacular. It had a very Swiss Alps feel to it. When we returned, Joe showed us the gringo side of town. The buildings were new and modern and some of he tallest in the city. It is in this area that many North Americans have settled. Joe brought us to his home that he is currently renting. It was just built  and is very spacious. Joe barbecued some chicken for us and Holly prepared a great salad.. They are easy people to be around and we had a great      

 

How cute

I know you will look at this painting and say, " how cute, Sue did a self portrait" actually it was one of the indigenous people selling clothing at the St. Francis market.   Yes they are very short.....it's not just a poorly drawn picture.