Friday, January 28, 2005
Ecuador
I am amazed that more folks do not travel to Ecuador, or South America generally for that matter. The people are friendly and very helpful and in spite of the low per capita income, there are very few beggers.
Hotel Patio Andaluz
We have being staying at the Patio Andaluz the three times we have been in Quito. It is a charming hotel, which originally was a "stately" home in the old part of the city - founded 1534. There are two cloistered courtyards where you can dine and the place has been restored beautifully. The waiters and waitresses are dressed in 16th century costume and all the furniture is reproduction of the period. We are two blocks from the Grand Plaza with about eight churches in view and the perfect place to sit and people-watch. Nevertheless there are internet cafes at 80c per hour (and a free if slow service in the hotel) and CD-burning capability on the very steep cobbled streets.
We took a three-day tour by car and driver/guide along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Cuenca, a lovely old city on four rivers. Our first guide was the son of a diplomat posted to Washington, DC so his English was excellent and knowledge of the area vast, once you could cut through the hyperbole. Everything was either the best in the world, the first in South America or the only example of its kind.
Lunch at the Hacienda
We had lunch and spent one night in two haciendas, which had been built by Spanish aristocrats and were the size of small villages, saw Chimbarazo among the clouds and went up Cotapaxi as high as I was comfortable. The altitude really affects me and climbing even twenty steps is a challenge. Tunguruhua was belching smoke when we spent the first night in the hacienda at Riobamba and the car was covered in volcanic ash in the morning. Most meal times are serenaded by musicians using indigenous instruments and playing Beatles or Simon and Garfunkle.
Tunguruhua smoking
We had planned to ride the train through Devil's Nose, known for its incredible switchbacks but there had been a landslide that morning farther up the line and the railcars could not get through. I got the impression that the train is not reliable at the best of times as they do not sell tickets to ride it until they actually hear the whistle. The backpackers may still be waiting on the platform. We did catch a glimpse of the red car on the line an hour back. Half the passengers have to sit on the roof and I cannot imagine being up there while the train clings to the mountain.
We had a great guide in Cuenca, who seemed to be a kissing cousin to most of the city of 300,000 and after a year in Cheltenham, spoke excellent English. He took us into the Carmelite Convent, or as far as the public can go and we watched the locals buying lotions and tonics using a turntable dumb waiter as the nuns cannot be seen by anyone outside the convent. The cathedral is a replica of St. Peter´s in Rome plus a few other famous cathedrals and is within a stone's throw of five other churches. Ecuador is a very good Catholic country - 52 churches in Cuenca alone. The indigenous people were always into worship and took to Catholicism with gusto. Most of them still wear the traditional dress, hat and all, with baby strapped on the back, while they till fields on the slopes, I did not think even a mountain goat could manage. We visited an Inca ruin where the llama were grazing and caught glimpes of the old Inca road throughout the Andes.
Indigenous woman
On to Manaus.
LS
Hotel Patio Andaluz
We have being staying at the Patio Andaluz the three times we have been in Quito. It is a charming hotel, which originally was a "stately" home in the old part of the city - founded 1534. There are two cloistered courtyards where you can dine and the place has been restored beautifully. The waiters and waitresses are dressed in 16th century costume and all the furniture is reproduction of the period. We are two blocks from the Grand Plaza with about eight churches in view and the perfect place to sit and people-watch. Nevertheless there are internet cafes at 80c per hour (and a free if slow service in the hotel) and CD-burning capability on the very steep cobbled streets.
We took a three-day tour by car and driver/guide along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Cuenca, a lovely old city on four rivers. Our first guide was the son of a diplomat posted to Washington, DC so his English was excellent and knowledge of the area vast, once you could cut through the hyperbole. Everything was either the best in the world, the first in South America or the only example of its kind.
Lunch at the Hacienda
We had lunch and spent one night in two haciendas, which had been built by Spanish aristocrats and were the size of small villages, saw Chimbarazo among the clouds and went up Cotapaxi as high as I was comfortable. The altitude really affects me and climbing even twenty steps is a challenge. Tunguruhua was belching smoke when we spent the first night in the hacienda at Riobamba and the car was covered in volcanic ash in the morning. Most meal times are serenaded by musicians using indigenous instruments and playing Beatles or Simon and Garfunkle.
Tunguruhua smoking
We had planned to ride the train through Devil's Nose, known for its incredible switchbacks but there had been a landslide that morning farther up the line and the railcars could not get through. I got the impression that the train is not reliable at the best of times as they do not sell tickets to ride it until they actually hear the whistle. The backpackers may still be waiting on the platform. We did catch a glimpse of the red car on the line an hour back. Half the passengers have to sit on the roof and I cannot imagine being up there while the train clings to the mountain.
We had a great guide in Cuenca, who seemed to be a kissing cousin to most of the city of 300,000 and after a year in Cheltenham, spoke excellent English. He took us into the Carmelite Convent, or as far as the public can go and we watched the locals buying lotions and tonics using a turntable dumb waiter as the nuns cannot be seen by anyone outside the convent. The cathedral is a replica of St. Peter´s in Rome plus a few other famous cathedrals and is within a stone's throw of five other churches. Ecuador is a very good Catholic country - 52 churches in Cuenca alone. The indigenous people were always into worship and took to Catholicism with gusto. Most of them still wear the traditional dress, hat and all, with baby strapped on the back, while they till fields on the slopes, I did not think even a mountain goat could manage. We visited an Inca ruin where the llama were grazing and caught glimpes of the old Inca road throughout the Andes.
Indigenous woman
On to Manaus.
LS
# posted by Bill and Lynne @ 1:47 AM 
Monday, January 24, 2005
Galapagos
The Galapagos Islands are incredible. We have just spent a week on the Angelito which carries 16 passengers and 8 crew. The 14 in the group were very congenial 7 Swiss, 1 other American, 3 English and a German all of whom were extensive travelers, good fun and thoroughly enjoying life. The cook performed miracles in a tiny galley and we ate family style on some fairly exotic fruits, fish and vegetables.
Angelito Dinghy
Efraim, our guide, has 18 years experience leading the tours and a great command of English so not only could spot the wildlife but could give fascinating information as well. The animals on the Galapagos are totally unafraid and the greatest danger is inadvertantly treading on them. There are two records of unnatural deaths of Iguanas - a sea lion rolled over and squashed one and a cactus fell on another.
We were lucky enough to have two birdists on the tour, who very patiently identified the variety of birds each time we asked. It must have taken hours of preparation to differentiate between the many finches - they spotted at least 9 of the 13 varieties. My favorite birds were the Boobies - the Blue-footed jobs have this mating dance where they lift their blue feet high and boogie, followed by pointing their beaks skywards. I was wearing blue tackies and had the odd inappropriate advance.
Blue-footed Boobie
The masked Boobies build a nest by picking up pebbles and arranging them in a sort of circle and then rearranging them endlessly. The Frigate birds were amazing too. The male has an inflatable red pouch which blows up to nearly his size and is evidently very attractive to the female judging by how she rubs against it. Easily spotted from on high to lure her down.
Frigate bird
Sea lions
All the islands are heavily populated by sea lions. They appear to sleep for 23 hours a day (often right where you are trying to land) but when awake are playful and love to gambol in the surf. They are not as graceful on the land but are a source of many laughs. The main male keeps guard over his harem and the pups. Periodically a young male tries to take over and when soundly beaten retires to the bachelor rocks for a couple of weeks to heal. The pups sound very like small lambs when they are calling for mum at nursing time.
In all we visited North Seymour, Sombrero Chino, Bartolome, Santiago, Genovesa (after an all nighter in choppier waters than I expected) Santiago, Rabida, Santa Cruz, Espanola, Santa Fe and South Plaza Islands. We got very good at dinghy landings some of which are "dry" and some of which are "wet". Pieter, the Swiss teacher, was the hero of the tour for manfully staying in the dinghy while a huge wave stood it upright a couple of times.
Land Iguana
We saw a few Marine Iguanas but never one launching itself into the sea. I was glad to have known Young Bill´s Iggy so was not expecting a great deal of action and could get very excited when they moved at all. The males stand bobbing their heads as a come-on for the females. It takes a long time to warm up in the sun after a feeding stint on the algae underwater. It was very dry on South Plaza and some of the Land Iguanas had climbed the prickly pears as they were starving while waiting for a leaf to fall. My biggest disappointment was, there do not seem to be enough predators to control the crab population. I hate crabs. These Sally Lightfoot Crabs can trip across short stretches of water so I never felt safe. Fortunately they are bright orange and easily spotted.
On the last morning we went out in the dinghies at 0600 and paddled up an inlet and were lucky enough to see Green Sea Turtles mating plus a few Rays. Bill snorkeled a few times and by all accounts the fish are brightly colored, the sea urchins prolific and there were close encounters with sharks, which Efraim assured us were too small to do harm. I enjoyed wallowing in the surf but do not do well underwater.
LS
Angelito Dinghy
Efraim, our guide, has 18 years experience leading the tours and a great command of English so not only could spot the wildlife but could give fascinating information as well. The animals on the Galapagos are totally unafraid and the greatest danger is inadvertantly treading on them. There are two records of unnatural deaths of Iguanas - a sea lion rolled over and squashed one and a cactus fell on another.
We were lucky enough to have two birdists on the tour, who very patiently identified the variety of birds each time we asked. It must have taken hours of preparation to differentiate between the many finches - they spotted at least 9 of the 13 varieties. My favorite birds were the Boobies - the Blue-footed jobs have this mating dance where they lift their blue feet high and boogie, followed by pointing their beaks skywards. I was wearing blue tackies and had the odd inappropriate advance.
Blue-footed Boobie
The masked Boobies build a nest by picking up pebbles and arranging them in a sort of circle and then rearranging them endlessly. The Frigate birds were amazing too. The male has an inflatable red pouch which blows up to nearly his size and is evidently very attractive to the female judging by how she rubs against it. Easily spotted from on high to lure her down.
Frigate bird
Sea lions
All the islands are heavily populated by sea lions. They appear to sleep for 23 hours a day (often right where you are trying to land) but when awake are playful and love to gambol in the surf. They are not as graceful on the land but are a source of many laughs. The main male keeps guard over his harem and the pups. Periodically a young male tries to take over and when soundly beaten retires to the bachelor rocks for a couple of weeks to heal. The pups sound very like small lambs when they are calling for mum at nursing time.
In all we visited North Seymour, Sombrero Chino, Bartolome, Santiago, Genovesa (after an all nighter in choppier waters than I expected) Santiago, Rabida, Santa Cruz, Espanola, Santa Fe and South Plaza Islands. We got very good at dinghy landings some of which are "dry" and some of which are "wet". Pieter, the Swiss teacher, was the hero of the tour for manfully staying in the dinghy while a huge wave stood it upright a couple of times.
Land Iguana
We saw a few Marine Iguanas but never one launching itself into the sea. I was glad to have known Young Bill´s Iggy so was not expecting a great deal of action and could get very excited when they moved at all. The males stand bobbing their heads as a come-on for the females. It takes a long time to warm up in the sun after a feeding stint on the algae underwater. It was very dry on South Plaza and some of the Land Iguanas had climbed the prickly pears as they were starving while waiting for a leaf to fall. My biggest disappointment was, there do not seem to be enough predators to control the crab population. I hate crabs. These Sally Lightfoot Crabs can trip across short stretches of water so I never felt safe. Fortunately they are bright orange and easily spotted.
On the last morning we went out in the dinghies at 0600 and paddled up an inlet and were lucky enough to see Green Sea Turtles mating plus a few Rays. Bill snorkeled a few times and by all accounts the fish are brightly colored, the sea urchins prolific and there were close encounters with sharks, which Efraim assured us were too small to do harm. I enjoyed wallowing in the surf but do not do well underwater.
LS
# posted by Bill and Lynne @ 2:25 AM
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Canada
We landed in Toronto in sunshine and almost snow-free sidewalks so walking around to sightsee was chilly but bearable. It snowed during the first night, the best part on Wednesday, was finding the Conservatory of the Ontario Horticultural Society in the middle of an icy white park. I have never seen such lush plants and varieties from every climate in such a small area. There were benches at suitable intervals tucked away among the ivy and pointsettias where folks were sitting reading novels or poetry or communing with nature while the first black squirrel I have ever seen, gamboled around hoping for a handout.
Hockey Hall of Fame
On the train
We caught the Canadian train and set off for almost 3,000 miles across Canada with beautiful vistas of snow and being fed at hourly intervals. Being winter there were some major delays - mainly caused by freight trains which have the right of way - so unfortunately we had to go through the Rockies in the dark.
Jasper
We stopped off in Jasper for two days and saw wonderful mountains there. A former grade school teacher and current history and ecology buff gave us a personalized tour for four hours along the Icefield Parkway where we saw frozen waterfalls, deep canyons and even a coyote and a couple of elk.
Frozen waterfall
Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum chose the confluence of two rivers in the area for a movie location but I am sure it must have been in summer. It was -24* C so fortunately the walks were short and we were plied with hot herbal tea in the van before the next stop. Our guide could point out and recognize tracks in the snow, bear claw marks up trees and knew every type of tree and bush and what use it was to the natives and early trappers.
Vancouver is beautiful and the old area - Gastown - fascinating. Gassy Jack Deighton, well known for his long-winded stories and inability to stop talking had the first pub in the area. It consisted of two barrels of beer and a whiskey jug. Now the streets are lined with pubs and eateries. At this time of the year we are getting almost exclusive service in the restaurants and cafes from an immensely cosmopolitan population. They all know Nashville and Country Music however. The public library is built to resemble the Coliseum in Rome on the outside and has internet access for visitors but the queues for computer use can make the internet cafes more desirable. We spent an interesting hour in the Storyeum, which is a live performance of the history of British Columbia spread undergound below two buildings. The performers lead you from set to set and while you are sitting on benches history is enacted around you.
Tomorrow we leave for Quito, Ecuador and farewell to warm clothes.
LS
Hockey Hall of Fame
On the train
We caught the Canadian train and set off for almost 3,000 miles across Canada with beautiful vistas of snow and being fed at hourly intervals. Being winter there were some major delays - mainly caused by freight trains which have the right of way - so unfortunately we had to go through the Rockies in the dark.
Jasper
We stopped off in Jasper for two days and saw wonderful mountains there. A former grade school teacher and current history and ecology buff gave us a personalized tour for four hours along the Icefield Parkway where we saw frozen waterfalls, deep canyons and even a coyote and a couple of elk.
Frozen waterfall
Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum chose the confluence of two rivers in the area for a movie location but I am sure it must have been in summer. It was -24* C so fortunately the walks were short and we were plied with hot herbal tea in the van before the next stop. Our guide could point out and recognize tracks in the snow, bear claw marks up trees and knew every type of tree and bush and what use it was to the natives and early trappers.
Vancouver is beautiful and the old area - Gastown - fascinating. Gassy Jack Deighton, well known for his long-winded stories and inability to stop talking had the first pub in the area. It consisted of two barrels of beer and a whiskey jug. Now the streets are lined with pubs and eateries. At this time of the year we are getting almost exclusive service in the restaurants and cafes from an immensely cosmopolitan population. They all know Nashville and Country Music however. The public library is built to resemble the Coliseum in Rome on the outside and has internet access for visitors but the queues for computer use can make the internet cafes more desirable. We spent an interesting hour in the Storyeum, which is a live performance of the history of British Columbia spread undergound below two buildings. The performers lead you from set to set and while you are sitting on benches history is enacted around you.
Tomorrow we leave for Quito, Ecuador and farewell to warm clothes.
LS
# posted by Bill and Lynne @ 4:09 PM
