Saturday, June 30, 2007
reflexions
I am still amazed that Luis offered to go with me Tuesday. Would that ever happen in the states? I have tried thinking of the times help is offered and I can´t think of an equivalent - I was not even truly lost - they decided I needed to go up the stairs and then any idiot could have followed the road. Why then did Luis offer to go with me? He was just being friendly. I don´t believe that there were any ulterior motives. I brought up that I wanted to buy a hammock so the fact that I bought stuff was purely on me and the price I payed was fair. I saw an equivalent hammock at the market and asked the price. The guy told me $12 and then I said thanks and left - he immediately went down to $10 which is what I payed (to Luis for the hammocks that I bought) - I probably could have gotten him down a tad lower, but I felt I payed a very fair price without bargaining - in fact it seemed cheap. And then when I gave Luis his present he felt the need to reciprocate. I just am astounded by the friendliness - it makes one think. I still haven´t said anything about yesterday - but walking 10 -12 miles downhill sure sounds easy (until you do it). Boy am I sore today - not to mention the 2.5 hour walk with Luis and Susana - I will sleep like a baby tonight.
el lechero
Today I met Luis at 9 as we had planned Tuesday (today is Sat) and I met his family. Luis had told me that he makes hammocks and I had told him that I was interested in buying one. I think that the hammocks (2) that I bought though are made by Susana (his wife) and her family - I still lose shit in the translation. I bought other stuff made by Susana and Luis´s father. I gave Luis a packer hat and candy (the candy I said was for the kids in the neighborhood) as a gift - in my mind it was a small gift in comparison to his offer on Tuesday to guide me - apparently he felt obliged to give me a gift also and gave me a CD of his (Ecuadorian Music) - anyway I spent $40 which I am sure is helpful, of course now I need to remodel the upstairs ´´nook`` to hang the hammocks. Note to Deb - I bought 2 scarves also. Afterwords Luis, Susana, baby and I hiked up to ´´el lechero`` and also went to ´´cascada de pechuga`` a second time on our way.
´´el lechero`` and it was quite a hike - arriba, arriba, arriba. The tree gets its name from the leaves. If you break open the leaf it has a milky white substance - similar to milkweed.
laguna de san pablo - from close to ´´el lechero``
yours truly in front of the tree
Otavalo
These following 2 looms are the looms of the father of Luis. The one on the left made the scarves that I bought.
The family of Luis
On our way up after the falls
The falls looking down from the top (same falls as earlier post)
´´el lechero`` and it was quite a hike - arriba, arriba, arriba. The tree gets its name from the leaves. If you break open the leaf it has a milky white substance - similar to milkweed.
laguna de san pablo - from close to ´´el lechero`` 
yours truly in front of the tree
Otavalo These following 2 looms are the looms of the father of Luis. The one on the left made the scarves that I bought.
The family of Luis
On our way up after the falls
The falls looking down from the top (same falls as earlier post)
Thursday, June 28, 2007
28 de junio
Today I walked to Cotacachi which is about 15 or 16 km from Otavalo. I walked the first half along the abandoned railway and then the last half on the road to Cotacachi off the Pan American Highway. It was awesome.
View from the train tracks - notice the snow
Amazing how the tracks have moved since they were abandoned
More of the path that I took on the first half
The road from the panamerican to Cotacachi.
These pictures are just a couple from Cotacachi - which is known for its leather. I had lunch for $2.50 which included a .6 liter beer - it was soup, rice, home made french fries and liver (I think) & onions - really good. Like many places here you ask for lunch and what you get is what is for lunch - if its a small place you may get 2 options but often times not. This place really closes up for siesta - there is alot of shops that appear to cater to the tourists (I saw one gringo) and they too close up for siesta.
I took a taxi from Cotacachi to the Laguna de Cuicocha. It is about 15km and cost $8 round trip including a half hour wait. There is not much to see other than the awesome vista. My driver said it takes about 4 hours to walk around - maybe Sunday? There is a boat that goes around the islands but it had left by the time I got there. There is a restaurant, hostal, and tourist stuff there - just no tourists hardly.
View from the train tracks - notice the snow
Amazing how the tracks have moved since they were abandoned
More of the path that I took on the first half
The road from the panamerican to Cotacachi.These pictures are just a couple from Cotacachi - which is known for its leather. I had lunch for $2.50 which included a .6 liter beer - it was soup, rice, home made french fries and liver (I think) & onions - really good. Like many places here you ask for lunch and what you get is what is for lunch - if its a small place you may get 2 options but often times not. This place really closes up for siesta - there is alot of shops that appear to cater to the tourists (I saw one gringo) and they too close up for siesta.
I took a taxi from Cotacachi to the Laguna de Cuicocha. It is about 15km and cost $8 round trip including a half hour wait. There is not much to see other than the awesome vista. My driver said it takes about 4 hours to walk around - maybe Sunday? There is a boat that goes around the islands but it had left by the time I got there. There is a restaurant, hostal, and tourist stuff there - just no tourists hardly.
La Virgen
Just another thought about my climb up there (sorry Deb), after I climbed other people told me that the guide books and the people at the hostal in Quito said don´t do it. Well, I mentioned my math teacher friend that I met (kindred spirit and all), well he to climbed it but was acosted at knife point but the attacker finally ran off with his sunglasses that fell off. He ended up with a knife cut in his pants only - so maybe I am not as bright as I think I am
futból
Watched Ecuador last night lose 3-2 to chile. Went to one bar for the first half and another for the second. Obviously I must be losing my touch because I couldn´t find a good place to watch. There were very few people in both bars - will have to work on it for the next game - when is it?
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Hostal Valle del Amanecer
Hostal Valle del Amanecer
This is a great place, $10 with private bathroom and $8 without and the price includes a nice breakfast.
I met my a guy whose life in a lot of ways mirrors mine yesterday. We were both on hammocks drinking beer and got to talking. He is my age (close) and a math teacher (started teaching at the exact age I did) and went to school in guatemala to study spanish 5 years ago (sound familiar) and now spends his summers traveling in Latin America. Can you say kindred spirit?
Today I went to the market - bought some presents and will go back later for a bit and then on saturday afternoon.
Went to eat at Mi Otalvalito for lunch. The food was great and it is a neat place.
This is a great place, $10 with private bathroom and $8 without and the price includes a nice breakfast.
I met my a guy whose life in a lot of ways mirrors mine yesterday. We were both on hammocks drinking beer and got to talking. He is my age (close) and a math teacher (started teaching at the exact age I did) and went to school in guatemala to study spanish 5 years ago (sound familiar) and now spends his summers traveling in Latin America. Can you say kindred spirit?
Today I went to the market - bought some presents and will go back later for a bit and then on saturday afternoon.
Went to eat at Mi Otalvalito for lunch. The food was great and it is a neat place.
Otavalo 26 June My walk to laguna de San Pablo
I set out after talking to the people at the hostel with a crappy little map to laguna de san pablo. It was to be a round about trip to see the cascsda de peguche and a couple of places. I had walked a ways and was confused as to where to go. I was a little village (I guess) and there was a guy there and I had a map and asked him how to get where I was going - pretty soon there was 3 guys trying to figure it out on the map. I then got out my map in the guide book and they finally decided that I should go up the stairs. At that point the one guy shows up with his bike and says that he will go with me and then ride his bike back -
We took off, him carrying his bike up the stairs and then walking it. Pretty soon we came to the falls, but you couldn't´t see them. We had to climb down this terribly steep hill covered with trees and brush. He carried his bike for about 25 feet down and left it there and we went down the rest of the way. All the way I am thinking how in the hell am I going to get back up. The falls were great, the water crystal clear and not all that cold. Suffice to say I made it back up - stopped once to rest and was breathing hard when I got to the top. Of course Luis (my guide) had to carry his bike up the last 25 feet -
After awhile we encountered some guys dressed in goofy costumes, some with instruments walking down the road. They poured soda out of a 2 liter bottle and gave it to me. They then wanted me to dance - maybe it was drink for dance - I would not dance, much to their disgust - Luis just laughed.
We walked the rest of the way to the laguna skipping the other 2 places to see. The scenery was awsome and well worth the walk - after we stopped at the Laguna Luis pointed me in the right direction to return to otavalo (by road as opposed to the dirt/stone road/track that we had taken) and he hopped on his bike and went home. We agreed to meet sat morning and are going to some other places to see. I plan on giving him a packer hat (I brought 4 new ones to give as gifts), its not much but its all I have.
The walk back to Otavalo was flat (till the hill down at the end) and very scenic.
The dogs in towns here are not a problem but somewhat aggressive in the country - I think I will carry halt on my next walk.
I met my twin brother yesterday - will write about that later.
cascada de peguche
A pretty goofy picture of me at cascada de peguche
My guide Luis at the cascada de peguche
laguna de San Pablo
Otavalo
I met these guys and they wanted me to dance - they gave me a couple of drinks from the 2 liter bottle they were carrying - lastima solo soda
We took off, him carrying his bike up the stairs and then walking it. Pretty soon we came to the falls, but you couldn't´t see them. We had to climb down this terribly steep hill covered with trees and brush. He carried his bike for about 25 feet down and left it there and we went down the rest of the way. All the way I am thinking how in the hell am I going to get back up. The falls were great, the water crystal clear and not all that cold. Suffice to say I made it back up - stopped once to rest and was breathing hard when I got to the top. Of course Luis (my guide) had to carry his bike up the last 25 feet -
After awhile we encountered some guys dressed in goofy costumes, some with instruments walking down the road. They poured soda out of a 2 liter bottle and gave it to me. They then wanted me to dance - maybe it was drink for dance - I would not dance, much to their disgust - Luis just laughed.
We walked the rest of the way to the laguna skipping the other 2 places to see. The scenery was awsome and well worth the walk - after we stopped at the Laguna Luis pointed me in the right direction to return to otavalo (by road as opposed to the dirt/stone road/track that we had taken) and he hopped on his bike and went home. We agreed to meet sat morning and are going to some other places to see. I plan on giving him a packer hat (I brought 4 new ones to give as gifts), its not much but its all I have.
The walk back to Otavalo was flat (till the hill down at the end) and very scenic.
The dogs in towns here are not a problem but somewhat aggressive in the country - I think I will carry halt on my next walk.
I met my twin brother yesterday - will write about that later.
cascada de peguche
A pretty goofy picture of me at cascada de peguche
My guide Luis at the cascada de peguche
laguna de San Pablo
Otavalo
I met these guys and they wanted me to dance - they gave me a couple of drinks from the 2 liter bottle they were carrying - lastima solo soda
Monday, June 25, 2007
Catching Up
Saturday 23 June
Saturday I went to Latacunga. It was market day and I walked by the market - spent a couple of hours wandering around the town. It was a 2 hour bus ride ($2.5 each way). It seems a neat quaint town once you get past the bustling business district. I enjoyed the area around the park - it was beautiful and quiet. The deal on going today was that it was clear and you are supposed to be able to see Cotopaxi on one side of the highway and 2 other peaks on the other side - I barely saw them but I can say I saw snow. Also Cotopaxi is supposed to loom over Latacunga - could have fooled me - damn clouds
Sunday 24 June
Went to the market (small) in the new town and bought a few small things. Afterwords I went out for lunch with Gary (friend from the hostel) and spent several hours talking about life.
The hostel is great, prices range depending on the room from $7.50 - $15.00. Actually the $15 means that I payed for 2 people. The dorm is cheaper yet and price includes breakfast. Beer is $1.25 for a large pilsner and the common area is really fun and interesting with the group of people. I would recomend Hostel Chicago to anyone
Monday 25 June
I am in Otavalo - took the trolley to the bus station and then a 2.5 hour ride for $2.00. I am staying at the Hostal Valle del Amanecer. I payed for 3 nights ($10 per night) with private bath - includes breakfast and seems like an interesting place
later
Saturday I went to Latacunga. It was market day and I walked by the market - spent a couple of hours wandering around the town. It was a 2 hour bus ride ($2.5 each way). It seems a neat quaint town once you get past the bustling business district. I enjoyed the area around the park - it was beautiful and quiet. The deal on going today was that it was clear and you are supposed to be able to see Cotopaxi on one side of the highway and 2 other peaks on the other side - I barely saw them but I can say I saw snow. Also Cotopaxi is supposed to loom over Latacunga - could have fooled me - damn clouds
Sunday 24 June
Went to the market (small) in the new town and bought a few small things. Afterwords I went out for lunch with Gary (friend from the hostel) and spent several hours talking about life.
The hostel is great, prices range depending on the room from $7.50 - $15.00. Actually the $15 means that I payed for 2 people. The dorm is cheaper yet and price includes breakfast. Beer is $1.25 for a large pilsner and the common area is really fun and interesting with the group of people. I would recomend Hostel Chicago to anyone
Monday 25 June
I am in Otavalo - took the trolley to the bus station and then a 2.5 hour ride for $2.00. I am staying at the Hostal Valle del Amanecer. I payed for 3 nights ($10 per night) with private bath - includes breakfast and seems like an interesting place
later
Sunday, June 24, 2007
first week - Ecuador
Wed 20 June
My first day here in Ecuador I climbed up some huge hill (El Panecillo) to see ´La Virgen de Quito´, which is a huge statue of the (I think) Virgen of Quito. It was a hell of a climb as I was not aclimated (still not) and I had to stop several times on my way up to rest. My guide book said not to do it but I figured if everyone reads the guide book then no one will climb, thus the bad guys will be hanging out at different locations (yeah I know Deb, not really sound logic) and I would be safe. I am so glad I did it, the view was worth it, the climb was great for me and I went up and down safe and sound.
La Virgen
The view from the top
Thurs 21 June
Walked around town and just soaked in the sights of the old town. Figured out the trolley car. The mass transit system here in Quito is awsome, $0.25 to basically go anywhere. There is the trolley and the metro buss. You pay at a station and they only stop at the stations (quessing at about .5 km between stations). The trolley is electrical but looks like a buss and both them and the metro busses are huge - like a buss with a buss trailer. Other observations about Quito is that it is cleaner than Guate and very little litter. Food is very cheap $1.5 - $2.5 for a good meal and beer is cheap.
Friday 22 June
Went to the ´la mitad del mundo´which is where the equator is. Took the metro bus ($0.25) to the end of the line and then took the buss ($0.15) for about an hour to the spot. The busses are modern nice busses. Once there I took a few pictures and had a cup of coffee. checked out the shops but I did not spend much time there. I asked one couple if they would take my picture and he asked if I was a packer fan - he was skeptical if he (a viking fan) could take my picture. Afterwords we were walking and I said viking and packer fans could coexist here and he said ´as long as we were on opposite sides of the equator´, it was humorous. took the metro buss back ($0.40) and apparently it doesn´t go to the end which was confusing - I got off somewhere in the old town and walked back.
ciao
My first day here in Ecuador I climbed up some huge hill (El Panecillo) to see ´La Virgen de Quito´, which is a huge statue of the (I think) Virgen of Quito. It was a hell of a climb as I was not aclimated (still not) and I had to stop several times on my way up to rest. My guide book said not to do it but I figured if everyone reads the guide book then no one will climb, thus the bad guys will be hanging out at different locations (yeah I know Deb, not really sound logic) and I would be safe. I am so glad I did it, the view was worth it, the climb was great for me and I went up and down safe and sound.
La Virgen
The view from the topThurs 21 June
Walked around town and just soaked in the sights of the old town. Figured out the trolley car. The mass transit system here in Quito is awsome, $0.25 to basically go anywhere. There is the trolley and the metro buss. You pay at a station and they only stop at the stations (quessing at about .5 km between stations). The trolley is electrical but looks like a buss and both them and the metro busses are huge - like a buss with a buss trailer. Other observations about Quito is that it is cleaner than Guate and very little litter. Food is very cheap $1.5 - $2.5 for a good meal and beer is cheap.
Friday 22 June
Went to the ´la mitad del mundo´which is where the equator is. Took the metro bus ($0.25) to the end of the line and then took the buss ($0.15) for about an hour to the spot. The busses are modern nice busses. Once there I took a few pictures and had a cup of coffee. checked out the shops but I did not spend much time there. I asked one couple if they would take my picture and he asked if I was a packer fan - he was skeptical if he (a viking fan) could take my picture. Afterwords we were walking and I said viking and packer fans could coexist here and he said ´as long as we were on opposite sides of the equator´, it was humorous. took the metro buss back ($0.40) and apparently it doesn´t go to the end which was confusing - I got off somewhere in the old town and walked back.
ciao
Friday, June 22, 2007
To Quito
Well I was going to try and write a daily diary but I have been gone a week and here I am finally jotting stuff down.
Friday 15 June
Left work and got a ride to the airport from Wayne (we left at 1:30) and I got there in plenty of time, switched airplanes in Cincinati and made it too Charleston. Mike met me and we went out for a beer. In Charleston you can get a 32 ounce mug of Dos XX (Is that how it is written?) for $5 and that includes chips and salsa - what a deal. The beginings of a cold have hitten me (and as I write a week later haven't really left)
Saturday 16 June
Got a tour of the base and went shopping for a new mp3 player - my Iaudio mp3 player has a major problem with the plug for the headphone thus rendering it inoperable. I elected to go for the Zen Vision:M. 30 gigs and can load and show pictures and can also show movies in the .avi format (next year) - the only problem is that it uses ID3 tags to organize the music - nothing is perfect.
We went out for dinner (mexican) and had another of those 32 ouncers. We were planning on going downtown but got screwed over by 2 taxi companies - so we said the hell with it and walked to a place to eat.
Sunday 17 June
Went down town and I smoked son number 1's ass in pool - I believe it was 6 - 0. Had fun and ate dinner at the apt. (pizza)
Monday 18 June
Thank god for small miracles. Sunday the train was 12 hours late - Monday it was only 1 hour late. The train ride was fine - no dining car this time and the guy next to me had his earphones way too loud - I am too nice of a guy and said nothing. Met a lawyer from Miami that is 2 years younger than me and left Cuba in 68. He had some interesting stories - he just got his brother out last week - an arranged marriage with a mexican women got him the right to leave Cuba to travel to Mexico and then he crossed the border. Once you cross the center line of the bridge you are on american soil and if Cuban can stay. His wife is also Cuban - he met her over there and married her (3 days before 9-11) and it took 1.5 years to get her here - much longer than before 9 - 11. I didn't realize that Cubans could travel to Cuba to visit relatives - footnote to wife - he encouraged me to go for a visit. Once I got to Miami I took a taxi to a motel. I told him cheap, near airport with shuttle - It was $57 and worth it.
Tuesday 19 June
Got to the airport with my usuall million hours to spare. Had no problems. The airport in Panama was something - tons of shops for people with tons of $. There was no shops to buy a bottle of water or gum or newspaper. There was 1 cafeteria - crazy. The good thing is that you don't have to go thru customs and immigration if you are in transit - much better than the US or even Mexico for that matter. Arrived in Quito on time and took a taxi ($10) to the hostel - paid in the terminal - very easy. Got to the hostal and checked in. Beer is $1.25 for .6 L which is about 21 oz I believe. Pilsner is my new favorite. Hung around the hostal BSing (How is that spelled?) in the evening.
Wed 20 June
more to come
Friday 15 June
Left work and got a ride to the airport from Wayne (we left at 1:30) and I got there in plenty of time, switched airplanes in Cincinati and made it too Charleston. Mike met me and we went out for a beer. In Charleston you can get a 32 ounce mug of Dos XX (Is that how it is written?) for $5 and that includes chips and salsa - what a deal. The beginings of a cold have hitten me (and as I write a week later haven't really left)
Saturday 16 June
Got a tour of the base and went shopping for a new mp3 player - my Iaudio mp3 player has a major problem with the plug for the headphone thus rendering it inoperable. I elected to go for the Zen Vision:M. 30 gigs and can load and show pictures and can also show movies in the .avi format (next year) - the only problem is that it uses ID3 tags to organize the music - nothing is perfect.
We went out for dinner (mexican) and had another of those 32 ouncers. We were planning on going downtown but got screwed over by 2 taxi companies - so we said the hell with it and walked to a place to eat.
Sunday 17 June
Went down town and I smoked son number 1's ass in pool - I believe it was 6 - 0. Had fun and ate dinner at the apt. (pizza)
Monday 18 June
Thank god for small miracles. Sunday the train was 12 hours late - Monday it was only 1 hour late. The train ride was fine - no dining car this time and the guy next to me had his earphones way too loud - I am too nice of a guy and said nothing. Met a lawyer from Miami that is 2 years younger than me and left Cuba in 68. He had some interesting stories - he just got his brother out last week - an arranged marriage with a mexican women got him the right to leave Cuba to travel to Mexico and then he crossed the border. Once you cross the center line of the bridge you are on american soil and if Cuban can stay. His wife is also Cuban - he met her over there and married her (3 days before 9-11) and it took 1.5 years to get her here - much longer than before 9 - 11. I didn't realize that Cubans could travel to Cuba to visit relatives - footnote to wife - he encouraged me to go for a visit. Once I got to Miami I took a taxi to a motel. I told him cheap, near airport with shuttle - It was $57 and worth it.
Tuesday 19 June
Got to the airport with my usuall million hours to spare. Had no problems. The airport in Panama was something - tons of shops for people with tons of $. There was no shops to buy a bottle of water or gum or newspaper. There was 1 cafeteria - crazy. The good thing is that you don't have to go thru customs and immigration if you are in transit - much better than the US or even Mexico for that matter. Arrived in Quito on time and took a taxi ($10) to the hostel - paid in the terminal - very easy. Got to the hostal and checked in. Beer is $1.25 for .6 L which is about 21 oz I believe. Pilsner is my new favorite. Hung around the hostal BSing (How is that spelled?) in the evening.
Wed 20 June
more to come
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