Baños, Cuenca, Vilcabamba - Ecuador

A lovely 30 minute bus ride from Salasaca is the tourist worthy town of Banos. The draw is the natural thermal hot springs and availability for outdoor sports such as canyoning, rock climbing, rafting and hiking. Our first free weekend from work a group of us headed that way for 50 cents on a nice, windy bus ride through the mountains, and after a week in Salasaca somehow Banos felt like the “big city”; even though you can walk around the square town in about 30 minutes and see all there is to see.

The buildings are cute and colorful; the streets are cobble stone and filled with folks for weekend fun. Ice cream and handmade taffy are as frequent as little restaurants with cheap almuerzos and tour agencies. After a quick lunch we went horseback riding for a couple of hours, from the town into the country side, to near a waterfall where we left our horses in “horse parking” and went up to have a look. Very beautiful! On the ride back we picked up the pace and had the horses galloping – my horse was the man! I was all the sudden so far ahead of everyone else (including the guide) I couldn’t even see them anymore when I turned around. It felt great to be running so fast on such a strong animal, I was laughing and shrieking so much I’m sure the local people on the side of the road thought I was a lunatic on a getaway horse.

That night we all met up and went for drinks, which somehow felt even better after a week of going to sleep at 9:30 p.m. and a day of mastering the equestrian art of living. Or at least having fun trying. Was good to cut loose with everyone and then crash on the late night 30 minute bus ride home.

The hung over Sunday windy bus ride wasn’t as charming, but we had a relaxing day in town, including my first sandwich in a month. Amazing what bread and vegetables can do for your spirit after a month of rice and meat. We attempted to go to the hot springs, but considering nearly the entire population of Ecuador was already there (and many of them literally showering/bathing in them), we opted out and headed back to Salasaca for another week of work. If our stomachs would have been in a different state, maybe we would have tried to Ecuadorian specialty of chuy (guinea pig).

The following weekend headed to Cuenca, “the most beautiful city of Ecuador”, which is located at 2500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I went directly to the flat of Pablo Garcia, someone who I arranged to stay with from Couch Surfing. He and his roommate were at a “day party”, so I explored the scenic city solo for a while. The architecture is unique and impressive; the city is beautiful, clean and felt relatively safe. More cobblestone streets and colonial feel, similar to Old Town in Quito.

When I arrived back to the flat I was there with Barbara (Germany), a friend of Pablo’s roommate, Daniel. The boys were inebriated when they returned, which made for a very comical introduction on my part. With their third roommate, Maria, we headed in the back of a pickup truck for dinner with Pablo and his colleagues (including his boss!). Wow. We continued to drink and Pablo and Daniel had everyone entertained… Pablo’s boss has a good sense of humor, lucky for him. The meal ended with a small food fight, and we hopped back in the pickup truck, singing and dancing our way to a club.

It felt bizarre to be in a place where people clearly had money and liked to show it, girls dressed up to the nines and guys that looked like they wished they just stepped out of a magazine, with drinks priced just as high as a club in the U.S. From Salasaca to there in one day, my head was spinning! Or maybe it was just the Pilsens….

Saturday we rode with Daniel’s friends out the Parque National Cajas and had breakfast, but ended up skipping the park itself as the day was chilly and the entrance fee was high. But a beautiful few hours in any case! After lunch I took to the city by myself while the others went for a siesta, and eventually we all regrouped for sushi – yum! I was forced to get over my contempt for massago, so that was a good thing, I’m not a picky eater but that was always holding me back during group sushi with friends. The club that followed was much more relaxed than the one on Saturday, a small and artsy place on the river where people danced salsa and meringue and we all drank warm, flavored Aguardiente, which went down easy and fast and had our cheeks rosy red and spirits feeling extra goofy. I loved how this group of people was so simple to get along with – we acted like kids and old friends together, it was great to have that instant camaraderie!

Sunday said goodbye and headed south to Vilcabamba, also known as “the playground of the Incas” (was a retreat for royalty) and “the Valley of Longevity” (not uncommon for people to reach 100 years of age here). The area is surrounded by mountains and rivers and is very aesthetically pleasing, while the atmosphere is rather tranquil and leisurely, creating the perfect setting for people to come when they retire. And this is what I experienced in Vilcabamba (I was there alone): being surrounded by older people who came to live a good and affordable life after leaving their own countries. Which is great for them, while it made it slightly boring for me. I took the opportunity to plow through some books, lie in hammocks, take walks in the mountains and drink nice teas and juices.

Oh, there was one morning of waking up to a riot outside my amazing hostel (Jardin Escondido, "Hidden Garden", $10/night including a great breakfast and the most amazing shower I've had on this continent so far) - there had been 2 thieves in town, and since the coup attempt just weeks before the police force hasn't been exactly favored among the public (they attempted to overthrow the President because they claimed he was withholding bonuses and wage increases). So vigilantes on horses caught one of the thieves and were expecting justice, while the police had other plans and took him to Loja (nearest big city) to be dealt with there (aka, immediately released). It seems like the logical way to deal with discount is what followed: burn stacks of tires outside the police station and start a riot. Duh.

Wednesday left Ecuador after a month and headed south on the night bus to Peru. Crossed the border at Macara, which was completely hassle free and painless. Around 3 a.m. got to immigration, so got off the bus and got stamped out of Ecuador, walked across the bridge and got stamped into Peru and then got immediately back on the bus. For some reason, that moment, walking across the bridge alone and at night, hearing nothing but the water running below and seeing the big Peru flag with the sign “Welcome to Peru”, gave me chills down my spine and had me so excited I could feel my heart pumping in my chest!

Read more »

Escuela Katitawa - Salasaca, Ecuador

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

The Dalai Lama

Going to Salasaca and volunteering at the Katitawa School started off as a way to travel cheaper, figuring that for that one week I would spend only the $10 donation and then whatever I needed for dinner and the occasional cold adult beverage. I couldn’t foresee how much I would adore the children, love the town and appreciate the beauty and simplicity all around me. After arriving in town, I headed for the library connected with the school, where I met a few of the volunteers and was taken to the house where everyone lives. At that time there were 15 of us from all around the world, although mostly Americans and Europeans. The view from the back deck had me actually chuckling with awe at how stunning it was, and I settled in for my first of many tremendous sunsets. Volcano Chimborazo (elevation 6,268 meters or 20,564 feet!) is visible and even though the peak is the farthest spot from the center of the earth you can possibly get (due to the equatorial bulge), it is always covered in snow and is breathtaking in its solitude.

from our back deck

The routine of our house (named Pachamama, or “Earth Mother” in Quichua, the local language of the Salasacas) started with waking up around 6 a.m. for breakfast at 6:30. Robert, an American man who runs the school, came to the house each morning to make a vat of porridge big enough to feed the entire town, and then people set out in groups to walk up to the school. It’s about 40 minutes uphill, zig-zagging through countless farms and animals, with 360 degree mountain views all around – invigorating and beautiful, and by the end most conversations halt because of the lack of being able to breathe let alone carry on a discussion. Anywhere between 8 and 8:30 classes get under way, so the volunteers are either working in the garden/farm, doing construction or helping in a class room. Longer term volunteers have their own classes, so I agreed to help assist Evan in his English classes. At 9:30 there is a break for chloda (a broth with some granola type of stuff in it) and cookies. At 12 we break for lunch and then go back to work for 1 more hour after lunch, finishing the day at 1:30.

serenely sweet Liz and Jessica

silly Cesar

adorable Adrian

Kylee & the kiddos

The school itself is runs on donations, and for the students who attend, this is their only form of education. The kids range in age from about 3 – 15, and the attempt is to give them a Montessori type of education, so as much one on one teaching as can possibly be done. Due to the fact that their knowledge levels are essentially completely varied, it takes a lot of patience to work every student through the tasks, but they are all so sweet (even if some need more ‘coaching’ then others). The supplies at the school are minimal, and most of the time the volunteers are buying what they would like to have in the classroom for the kids, ie: books, notebook, crayons, pencils, art supplies. There are no set workbooks for the English classes and the resources are few and far between.

Friday art day

make shift Twister

the start of a real jungle gym with zip line

These kids made me so happy…. their mostly cheerful attitudes and desire to have sheer and wholesome fun was so refreshing. To play on the volunteer-made tire swing and jungle gym had them shrieking with delight daily. To run around and play football in the vibrantly designed ‘field’ had them competitive and cooperative, begging us to join their teams. At break time and lunch there was a constant flow of students wanting to sit next to (or on) you, try on your glasses, take pictures with your camera, rub their grimy hands all over your face, and in my case especially, play with your hair. I just wanted to squeeze every one of them… and then put them in a hot bath, scrub them clean and lotion their dry little skin up!

very outgoing Fransisca Ligia

Nuesta, aka Squishy Face, aka Squishy

Many of the students wore traditional clothing, so the highly impractical stark white pants and white button down shirt covered with a poncho. Not the best thing for the dusty, dry mountains, but it’s incredibly adorable in any case.

Monday flag assembly with National Anthem

the school

walkin home

When we weren’t working, there was somewhat of a schedule at the house; 1 night a week you took a library shift, so from 3-8 you monitor the people in the biblioteca, helping out wherever need be. There is also the option in that time to teach a class (English for Adults, Spanglish, English for Artesians). Our dinners were always communal, so to cook for 15 people required that everyone got in groups and cooked 1 night a week. The aim is to spend $1/person on the meal, so if it was your turn to cook you’d spend anywhere between $4-5, but basically get fed for the entire week. When it was your night you would cook, serve and clean; kind of a pain but then the other nights of the week you get to sit back and relax and get waited on. And waited on well! The meals were incredible, most of them 3 courses, all of them vegetarian, but the creative things that some of the groups came up with shocked me and my taste buds into a satiated oblivion.

I loved Katitawa School, the town of Salasaca and the other volunteers so much I decided to skip seeing the coast of Ecuador and stayed there for 2 weeks. Well worth it, wish it could have been longer! If you are at all interested in making a difference in this community and the individuals in it, please consider donating to the Katitawa School! Here is a link to their website (and blog) where you can easily make a contribution securely through PayPal. There is no middle man of wasting of finances here – everything goes directly to and for this lovely little school.

(For more info):

http://www.skyecuador.org

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

The Dalai Lama

Read more »

Otavalo & Mitad del Mundo - Ecuador

Two lovely day trips from Quito made for quite a nice weekend – Otavalo, an indigenous town in the Imbabura province, is known for its lively Saturday market. There is no shortage of handmade textiles, many of which are spun from wool. Colorful sweaters, bags, scarves, wall hangings, purses and hammocks dominate the entire town for the day, and the streets are packed with foreigners and Ecuadorians alike. The prices are competitive and low, I feel lucky I managed to escape with only purchasing a necklace, a pair of earrings and a scarf! There is also quite a large food market with everything from fruits and vegetables to bread and sweets to entire pigs laid out with their body parts being chopped off one by one as people pick what they fancy that meal.

Otavaleña women wear traditional clothing which includes intricately embroidered white blouses with lace sleeves and long black skirts and a series of beaded necklaces. The men wear bright white pants and ponchos, with their long hair pulled back in a ponytail if they have it. David, Deborah and I wandered up and down the streets for hours, stopping only for an almuerzo (set lunch, ranges in price from $1 – 2, but more about them later). A short, packed bus ride and we were at a waterfall outside of town, along with throngs of other people who needed a relief from the hectic market. Beautiful, nonetheless.

Sunday was the perfect day to visit the equator, Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) as it’s called here. Located in the Pichincha province, this line is the claim to fame for Ecuador, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere if you choose. There is an attractive monument and museum on the line which was believed to be the exact line of the equator before GPS came around, so with a friend from school in Quito (Ian) we hung out there for a bit before heading over to the true line, which is just 240 meters away. Not bad calculating considering the year of its discovery was 1743!

On the true line of the equator you pay $3 to get in the area and have a little group tour, which includes some fun tricks with the magnetic forces of the earth – balancing an egg on a nail, watching water funnel on either side of the line (opposite directions) and then go straight down when on the equatorial line itself, all sorts of interesting experiments. There is also some fascinating information about indigenous people of the region, including an exhibit of shrunken heads, a practice where severed heads were kept as trophies of war.

Before heading back to the city, Ian and I stopped for lunch – I stuck with the classic almuerzo, while he branched out to try something new. Turned out to be cow hoof soup. Whoops!

Read more »

Quito and the Guayasamin School - Ecuador

Sometimes it’s hard to just travel and have so much fun all the time, so I decided to enroll in a Spanish school in Quito, Ecuador. Well, that and the fact that I was tired of piecing together nouns and verbs in such nonsensical ways and getting blank stares from old and young alike when I tried to explain something in detail, beyond “Where is the bus station?” or “How much for a dorm room?” After about 5 minutes of searching, I found the Guayasamin School, a charming little place in the heart of Mariscal, a super touristy part of town. While I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of being among all the visitors while trying to study, at least the area has some nice cafes, restaurants and bookstores. The school is named for Oswaldo Guayasamin, an incredible artist of Quechua Indian decent, whose museum and art work is a bit somber at times, but then again so is the life of many indigenous people throughout the world. His pieces depict the cruelty of men and also the greatness of mankind.

After my first day of private lessons I was exhausted from 4 hours of straight Spanish, and realized how little I knew of some important aspects of the language. For example, I had no idea how to make a verb past tense until that day – so now, I don’t have to say the verb and then motion over my shoulder to imply “in the past” anymore! The other students were as diverse as you can imagine, all ages from all places.

I opted to do the home stay for a complete week of immersion, so after class on Monday my new Ecuadorian host father, Fausto, came to pick me up. So comical and enjoyable! At the house I met his wife, Annie, an extremely compassionate and nurturing woman. She can speak English but almost never did, except to translate the occasional word here and there for us if need be. Annie and Fausto’s mothers live there, as well as their son, while their daughters are working abroad at the moment. I had my own private room and bathroom in their spacious home, and immediately we all sat down for a nice hot lunch. A siesta was in order after such an overwhelming day, so I slept the rainy afternoon away until dinner time, when we all joined back at the table once again. Another student from a different school was staying there as well, Lisa from California. The dinner conversation was always in Spanish, but was as easy going as it was gratifying. We would stumble over Spanish words and Annie was always there with her patient manner to help us.

This continued for the progression of my week in Quito – only the second day we were joined by David and Deborah from Switzerland, making us four Spanish students in the house. We would wake around 7:00 and take breakfast at 7:45; coffee or tea, fruit, fresh hot bread and some cheese on the side. Then we’d go our separate ways for school until 12:30, and most of the days we had things to do in the afternoon so wouldn’t regroup until dinner time. With the Guayasamin School we had planned activities such as a salsa class, a cooking class, and a trip up the teleferico to overlook the city. The rest of the time I would wander around, trying new and cheap restaurants, exploring the beautifully antiquated part of the city known as “Old Town”, reading in cafes when it rained and attempting to speak Spanish as much as possible in every situation.

The week of classes was over before I knew it, and I really hated to leave! I feel like in one short week I learned a lot, and I know if I would have (or could have) stayed longer I really would have benefited from it even more. On Friday, we cut loose and had a couple drinks at a very ambient and artsy bar near the house, and on Saturday, David, Deborah and I took a trip up north to Otavalo for the day. On Sunday was the Mitad del Mundo, and on Monday morning had to say goodbye to my new friends and my new family in Ecuador. I loved my home stay with Annie and Fausto so much; the conversations around the dinner table that would last for hours were informing, interesting and funny! I know that they really cared about our well-being and our positive experiences in Ecuador and elsewhere in the world. I found it very charming that three generations lived under one roof and they all collectively earned and saved money together as a family to help assist each other in times of need. I couldn’t have asked for a better host family or a better home stay experience! Annie and Fausto open their home to people who desire to learn Spanish and have total absorption in Ecuadorian life (the best way to learn). If you are at all interested in studying in a foreign country – consider Ecuador! It is inexpensive and extremely beautiful… Quito is a mountainous city (nearly 9,000 feet) with so many things to do in and around this lively capital. If you are interested in more information, please contact me and I will put you in touch with them.

outside area for studying

my room

the kitchen

Read more »

Tumbaco, Ecuador

Long, full days of transit are almost always challenging, especially when crossing a boarder is involved. From Colombia to Ecuador was no exception. Up and out at 6 a.m., for it’s necessary to cross the south of Colombia in the day time, as there are (apparently) bandits who hijack buses on this route. After about 15 hours of transport and 10 different types of vehicles later, I arrived for the evening in Ibarra, a pretty worthless town in Northern Ecuador. I wouldn’t call a place worthless lightly either – although maybe my jaded attitude at that point in the night had something to do with it. “Noches de Arabia” (Arabian Nights) and their shwarma and large beers saved the day.

By the time I reached Tumbaco, Ecuador, all the bothersome day before was worth it. The hills in the country side on the way are all shades of green, looking like patchwork on the sides of the mountains. Tumbaco is about 45 minutes outside of the capital, Quito. I arranged to stay with a family via Couch Surfing, and was utterly surprised when I arrived there. I knew they had a house with a farm and lots of animals, but I couldn’t anticipate how unbelievably beautiful it would be! Ingo is from Germany, Genny is Ecuadorian/Belgian/French, and the girls Elisa (11) and Emily (8) are Ecuadorian/French, but born and raised in various parts of Europe. The entire family is tri-lingual, and they are expecting an addition to the family in 6 months. I should say additional human and animal members, for the farm life is ever expanding as well! The llama, Pamela (a boy) is sweet as can be and will eat carrots directly from your hand. Ingo would say “look, happy llama!” when he was literally prancing through the field, bucking wildly up and down. There are outdoor houses for the turkeys, the chickens, the goats, the bunnies and the ducks, while the dogs and cats roam freely as they choose.

During my weekend on the farm, I helped out a bit by feeding and watering the animals with Ingo, including milking a goat for the first time. Aaaaand, then drinking the warm milk from it about 2 seconds later. It was a little off-putting, but it’s also clearly as “organic” as you can possibly get, so I took a few gulps strictly for the good enzymes, but declined the offers to add it to coffee and tea.

Saturday was Ingo’s birthday, and we commenced the day with thick slices of whole grain French toast with a distinctly fresh syrup and some lovely tea from India (Ingo and Genny traveled for 3 months there at the beginning of the year). We spent the afternoon preparing for the party and in the afternoon some of Genny’s family members arrived and the festivities began. We basically ate all day long – tostadas and burritos with amazing options: roasted red pepper, eggplant puree, mole, homemade guacamole, marinated chicken and sausage from the grill, vegetables and a smooth yogurt sauce and of course beans and rice. Topped off with homemade passion fruit juice and tomate de arbol juice (a tomato which tastes more like a fruit than a vegetable), perfecto! Not to mention the loaded piñata and the truly picturesque cake made by Genny’s cousin who’s a chef. Stuffed! As we sat around the living room drinking tea the whole day felt like a mix of elegance, authenticity and simplicity. After Genny’s family left, the 5 of us sat around and watched movies (Stand By Me and The Cable Guy) in blankets and had a relatively early and peaceful night.

I went to the Sunday market with Ingo and Genny, and as they literally filled 2 large burlap sacks with fruits and vegetables for about $6, all I could think about was why it can’t be like that in the U.S., why you can’t eat that healthy and fresh for such a good price. Although local farmer’s markets are a good start.

Later on we went “llama shopping” for a female llama (“so that every animal has someone to have sex with”, haha). The place was beautiful, up in the hills over-looking Quito, and the jet black llama they found will be a good extra to the farm family. That evening they dropped me off at a hostel in the city, just one street away from where I was to start language school on Monday morning bright and early. I gave them my thank you card and it was actually a bit sad to say goodbye – they are such a sweet and fun family, and they inspired me be dedicated to learning Spanish even more then I already was!

Read more »

a Colombia overview

People tend to pass judgment on Colombia and stereotype the entire country for 4 things: mountains, coffee, drugs and violence. After my (relatively short) time in Colombia, I can say that two of these things are true and the other two not. The terrain is indeed striking. The mountains are vast and they are everywhere, it felt a bit like Colorado, minus the attitude. Kidding (sort of). The hills are lush due to the climate of the country and the capital, Bogota, is the highest city of its size in the world. The Andes dominate Colombia, and I didn’t even enter the Amazon region of the country, so I can only imagine how prevalent the peaks are there.

Unfortunately for the sake of coffee lovers here, most of it is produced for export, so you are more apt to find instant coffee in general restaurants. However, when you order a cup and receive a strong smelling little glass, you know you’ve got some of the world’s best coffee in front of you!

As for drugs and violence – all the local people that I was fortunate enough to get to spend time with more or less said the same thing. They all resent the hell out of the fact that people believe their country to be filled with drug users. It is true that in the 80’s the drug cartels in parts of Colombia were out of control and flooding the world’s market with cocaine. And of course it’s true that there are still drugs being produced and exported out of the country today (what country doesn’t?). However, it is not the norm, by any means! Almost 20 years have passed since the fall of Pablo Escobar and the cartels he controlled, and during those 20 years Colombia has seen the rates of drugs and violence drop drastically.

I am not suggesting that Colombia is perfectly safe, because it definitely is not. There is always that lingering feeling of peril in the air, whether it’s real or just imagined. It is best to keep eyes wide open at all times, no matter where you are. You shouldn’t walk around at night in many places – just as you shouldn’t walk around in certain parts of Los Angeles, St. Louis, Madrid or Paris at night. To travel in Colombia only requires that you take precaution and don’t be a dumb ass.

General tips:
- As with anywhere, never separate yourself from you backpack. Take it with you on the bus (unless they have a system which they give you a ticket stub for it and the company is reliable) and absolutely never put it in the trunk of a taxi! Someone can pop the trunk while you’re stopped, the driver can pull away when you get out, the possibilities for bad things happening are plentiful.

- Bring layers of clothes to wear while in transit. The buses either have no AC and are like a boxed in sauna, or, they try to freeze you out for some unknown reason, but there’s rarely a happy medium.

- If you want to get on a good bus company (Bolivariano, Expreso Palmira/EP), you should book on line in advance. If you turn up at the bus station without a ticket, you are likely to have to wait for hours for an available bus from one of these companies. You can always find another bus available; it just likely won’t be as nice. Also, booking on line will help you avoid getting ripped off because you’re a gringo.

- You can drink the tap water in Colombia. Always wipe off the tops of bottles and cans before drinking out of them.

Read more »