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Above the Clouds
Chimborazo Volcano, Ecuador
As we approached Quito, I noticed that the plane was not in a steep descent, but more of a glide slowly downward. That was because as the plane descended, the ground below ascended. In fact, as we approached the Quito aeropuerto, the ground seemed far below and then, immediately, the plane was making a smooth as glass landing. The airport is on a high hill.
Thankfully, the Quito airport is brand new and sleek and modern. That is good since we have a six hour layover before heading to Lima, Peru. I told Kathy I wanted a hamburger for lunch and the airport has a Johnnie Rockets. Cheeseburger-$18; fries-$7; shake-$8. Nope! Looked around and found an Ecuadorian steakhouse. Cheeseburger-$7 and that includes fries and a salad; carafe of Sangria-$6. Lets see, $33 or $13. Easy choice and the steakhouse has free wifi and a wonderful fresh air balcony overlooking the Andes to boot. This won’t be as difficult a layover as I imagined. WEG
P. S. I did let Kathy have some of the sangria–along with her vegetarian plate. After all, it is a long layover.
Pumapunku and Todos Santos
Cuenca was the northern capital of the Inca Empire in the 1400s and was known as Tumebamba. Impressive buildings were constructed with 1,500 pound stones being brought from Cuzco in Peru almost 1,000 miles away. Brought by hand labor (no draft animals or wheeled conveyance in the Empire) through the Andes, it was an arduous task. The important Temple of the Sun was covered in gold and silver with turquoise and emeralds. Today, all that is left is the outer parts of the old capital, Pumapunku and Todos Santos. An Incan civil war destroyed much of the city and when the Spanish arrived, they used the impressive stones for building the current Cuenca and thus, most of the imperial city lies underneath the modern city.
Kathy and I spent a good part of the day exploring what remains of the ruins of the imperial city and the magnificent gardens surrounding it on the River Tomebamba. We had a magnificent time. It is sobering to realize the great empire that once existed and the grand history that shaped our American experience. The remains are extensive and so the mind imagines how large and grand the imperial capital must have been!
Kathy loves gardens and so this was a special day for her, since the gardens by the ruins were beautiful. An aviary in the gardens contained Ecuadorian birds: parrots, parakeets (big ones–not our little birds), eagles, etc. A tranquil lake was surrounded by lush greenery and flowering trees. The ruins and the gardens intermingled, and we often stopped to sit and contemplate.
Once we had walked ourselves silly, we realized we had a long walk back to our hotel and I told Kathy, “Just remember, it is good for us!” We could have hailed a taxi, but then we would not have been able to walk along the rushing river in the cool afternoon/early evening. So we walked and stopped along the way for a respite at a riverside cafe for a beer for me and a mojito for Kathy. Refreshing. That gave us the umpf we needed to make the rest of the way home to our wonderful Cuenca Suites, where the owners had washed and dried our clothes while we were away for the day. Couldn’t ask for more! WEG
Up, Up and Away
Cajas National Park, Cuenca, Ecuador
Did it! Climbed over 600 feet almost straight up to reach an altitude of 14,200+ feet above sea level. Still, the Andean peaks were another 1,000 feet higher in Cajas National Park, just outside Cuenca, Ecuador. The park contains over 1,000 lakes/lagoons, and I could see them in every direction from my vantage point. As our tour bus drove into the park, we were astounded by the sights—deep valleys cut between towering peaks, rivers flowing and waterfalls feeding the flow, pine forests and then grey green cliffs and mountain sides and, all along the way, small lakes to large lagoons.
Kathy and I felt guilty–our beautiful tour bus belonged to us! No other tourists had booked and so we had the bus, chauffeur and guide to ourselves. It turned out to be a private tour for the day, and it only cost $70 for the two of us. The majestic sights soon drove the guilt away! Our first stop was to the holiest place in Ecuador, Sanctuario de la Virgen del Cajas, an outdoor pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared to an indigenous woman. The setting was amazing, a valley running one direction and high peaks the other. A tall crucifix stood to one side with a mountain chapel with straw roof, and across from the chapel stood the rock upon which the apparition of the Virgin was said to have occurred. Our time here was both tranquil and uplifting.
We stopped at lagoons, and at the the “three crosses,” a short climb to a vantage point with three crosses where pilgrims place rocks in honor of those people who have died in the mountains. Of course, we also took “the climb” to the vantage point. Honestly, I was huffing and puffing at these high altitudes, but I was determined to see the sights. As the tour ended, we stopped at a restaurant in the lower park and had a wonderful traditional mountain meal of trout, lima beans, rice and marinated salad. We also got a glass of steaming hot agua de tipo, an indigenous drink made of medicinal mountain plants and drank to give energy for these 13,000-15,500 foot heights…all for the cost of $9 for the two of us.
Once we arrived back at the hotel, we were ready to put our feet up for awhile. We also thanked God for His beautiful creation and for blessing us with the opportunity to experience it! WEG
Modern Art
Just steps from our hotel is the Museum of Modern Art in Cuenca, and today was a cultural day. The museum explores the modern response to Spanish colonialism and also how the modern age is affecting the traditional culture. Since I enjoy artistic expression, it was an enjoyable experience. I especially appreciated the sculpture garden, with its serene setting in a courtyard amidst flowering plants and trees. I sat for awhile and simply enjoyed the view and soaked in the cool air.
This was also a day to relax (indeed, we slept until 11am) and tend to tourist necessities, like get clothes cleaned and buy needed items. Our hotel owners allowed us to wash our clothes in their automatic washing machine. Rather than drying them in the electric dryer, they allowed us to hang out our clothing to dry in the sunny back courtyard on a drying rack they had prepared for us. We are refreshed and ready for the next adventure. WEG
Painting of indigenous man in Museum of Modern Art, Cuenca, Ecuador
Relaxed
Kathy and I arose in the morning rearing to tackle old Cuenca. I had mapped out a route that would take us on an exploratory journey for the day. It was a good decision! The weather today was as near perfect as perfect can be. It was mostly clear and sunny, and somehow the sky here is bluer than we have ever seen. It probably has to do with the altitude and close proximity to the equator. Still, the air is cool and, while you can sunburn easily, I went with a short sleeve shirt all day and was just right.
As we walked, we saw that the city is on the move. Rail tracks are being laid for trolleys/light rail and, for lack of a better word, “gentrification” is happening everywhere. Old colonial buildings are being restored and renewed and there is definitely an air of excitement. The city is already beautiful, but when the restoration projects are completed, the city will have an upscale feel.
We walked into a large Mercado and spent time perusing the beautifully displayed food items. How, how, how you wish you had these “fresh from the garden” selections at home. It is not just the huge variety, but the endless choices. Take the largest grocery store produce and meat sections you know, quadruple the number of varieties available and double the entire grocery store size and fill it with those vegables/fruits/meats and you have an idea of a neighborhood market. All straight from the farm/garden/ocean/river to you. Not frozen, homogenized, chemical laden–but fresh! We bought some cheese and chocolate to munch on as we walked. When we tried the chocolate, my mouth puckered–this was 100% dark chocolate. Thankfully, we have some fresh honey and milk in our suite kitchen and we will have some great hot chocolate tonight.
We walked by the “new” and immense cathredral with its three blue mosaic domes. It is quite beautiful with a golden altar. There are spotless restrooms nearby, but you pay about 30 cents to use them. For the money, you also get a small amout of toilet paper to take in with you. I buy extra–I am not sure how it would be possible to make it with the nine one-ply paper sections you are handed. When finished, you wash your hands and as you walk out, the attendant hands you two paper towels to dry your hands.
We ambled down to the Rio (Tomebamba River) that cuts through the heart of the city. It has a magnificent smooth cobblestone walkway along the rushing waters. We walked quite a long way, stopping at a small pub with outdoor seating to share a beer. Refreshing!
We had to climb our way from the river up to the city on a long stairway. With the high altitude, we didn’t dart up. The Andes rose up in the distance and the flowers were blooming, the air was cool and fresh, the city was amazing and the river was relaxing. It was a wonderful day! WEG
Way Cool
I bask in the first cool breezes of fall at home in Texas. You know how it feels when that cool north air hits your face and you breathe in the fresh air. Still, the sun is shining and you get those warm rays at the same time. That was Cuenca, Ecuador, today. At 8200 feet above sea level, the city of 350,000 was clean, fresh and cool on this day when the sun and clouds mixed in the sky.
After arriving in the evening the day before, we slept in at our suite at a remodeled colonial home in the Centre Historico of this charming city. Our accommodations are modern and roomy. The interior courtyard has a fountain and the walls have wonderful art displays and the original wood railings on the floors above the courtyard remain. Cuenca is alternately known as the best preserved “colonial city” in South America and the most European city in Ecuador. The heritage of 16th and 17th century Spanish architecture is everywhere. We were impressed as we walked the cobbled streets to see beautiful plazas with usually white washed churches and colonial buildings. Passage ways through buildings open up into interior courtyards filled with flowers and fountains and shops, restaurants, and small hotels. It is quite inviting.
As we walked, we crossed a street and all of the sudden above us loomed the city’s cathedral with its blue domes. It was an impressive sight and, frankly, overwhelming. We had not expected this imposing or massive building! All around the cathedral, teeming life. Plazas with vendors and gardens and large colonial buildings, restaurants and hotels stretched out in every direction. As we walked in the main plaza, Kathy noted what looked to be an American couple sitting on a park bench beneath trees blooming with beautiful purple flowers. She struck up a conversation with Doug and Barbara that lasted well over an hour. They regaled us with stories of this beautiful city they now call home. Four through ten thousand U.S. expatriates call Cuenca home at any one time during the year. It is easy to see why: impressive weather, natural beauty all around, marvelous colonial city, culture and art and inexpensive. We found out that if you are a senior, health care is quite attainable and quite inexpensive; entrances to all cultural events from opera to sports is free; if there is a line anywhere, you are moved to the front, as seniors are valued, and transportation originating in the country from bus to air is half price automatically, and the list goes on.
I am heading out the door. We had a great lunch today in a beautiful restaurant. Kathy chose the featured entree’–a delicious potato cheese soup and a main of beef and rice and fried plantain–all for $5. I chose the chicken stuffed with shrimp in a palmodoro sauce. So, we are not particularly hungry tonight, having stopped in a pastry shop and eaten sweets around 5pm. I saw an elderly woman last night upon our arrival with a movable charcoal bar-b-que on the street corner with kabobs of chicken and pork situated across from the plaza where our suite hotel is located . Sounds just right to me! WEG
Horse Parade
Horse Parade, Cotacachi, Ecuador – June 4, 2017
Horse Parade, Cotacachi, Ecuador – June 4, 2017
Today is a travel day–taxi and airplane–and so it was an unexpected surprise when we ventured upon a parade of horses in Cotacachi in the morning. There were over 100 horses divided into riding groups, many accompanied with rhythmic music. The braiding on the manes and tails of some of the horses was quite intricate; the saddle work on others quite handsome. The atmosphere was happy and fun.
Horse Parade, Cotacachi, Ecuador – June 4, 2017
Earlier in the morning, we walked through the Cotacachi Market and there was a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, straight from area gardens. The area between the Cotacachi and Imbabura Volcanoes is quite fertile, and farmland abounds. That may be one of the reasons Cotacachi feels so homelike to me. It is definitely a rural area in a paradise setting, with many natural wonders close by and close-knit communities of indigenous people who are tied together in their Christian faith. It was hard to say, “Good-bye.”
Our afternoon taxi ride to the Quito airport took us through mountain passes and was easy and efficient. We will soon board an airplane to our next destination, Cuenca, Ecuador. WEG
Charming Village
After a lot of activity over the past several days, Kathy and I decided to have a chill out day and leisurely explore Cotacachi, our home for six days. We walked down quiet streets and visited the area historical museum. It explored the development of two important aspects of life in this part of Ecuador–leather goods and music. Very well done. Flowers and trees are blooming, and we enjoyed the simple beauty of God’s creation.
Our lunch was magnifico! Kathy had a quinoa soup–super foods are grown here and the area is a Mecca for health-seeking folks–remember Kathy’s bee sting/pollen therapy from a past post–that’s just one of many different kinds of health clinics here. By the way, Kathy tried to get me to go for the bee sting thing today. Didn’t happen. I told her that I already “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” to quote boxer Ali. My lunch was an appetizer–avocado stuffed with shrimp in a lime cream vinaigrette and topped with pickled green and red onions. Best such appetizer I have ever eaten.
On our ramble through the city, we ran into an American (U.S.) expatriate, and she invited us to see her condominium nearby. We went and were absolutely impressed with the compound and the condominiums–beautiful and with sweeping views of the volcanoes. Our visit was great as she recounted the joys of living here and told us of how one is able to accommodate to a new culture. We found out that one of the units with straight-on views of 15,200 foot Volcan Imbabura was for sale. Tempted–yes! Permanent move–no!
I noticed that when we were on the “leather street,” filled with shops selling hand made leather products, as well as other clothing, shoes, and purses, that Kathy had noticed an Ecuadorian shawl in a window. Not a spender, especially on self, she walked on by. Later, I convinced her to buy several leather clothing items and that took some convincing. We walked by the “shawl in the window” as we meandered the street, and sure enough, in she went, and it fit perfectly, and so home it goes. I know her well and was certain that before we left Cotacachi, she would have it, because, although she spends little, when she sees something she really likes…WEG
Bee Stings and Leather
Bees were flying all around the clinic, a simple structure on a hill in Cotacachi, Ecuador. Manuela, our hotel host, told Kathy about bee sting therapy and Kathy was intrigued. The bees were attracted to the flowers around the clinic and with the clinic’s door and windows open, they easily flew inside, just what the therapist intended. It wasn’t just the bee stingers that were important; it was the pollen on the stingers as well. Here is what happened as Kathy told me, “He (the therapist) took a tweezers and captured one of the bees. He took another tweezers and carefully used it to remove the bee stinger. I could see the pollen on the stinger as he removed it from the bee. He then took the stinger and inserted it into my neck. He did this over and over again. My neck and upper back were covered with bee stingers. There was a tingling sensation when the stingers were inserted, but nothing like a bee sting. The stingers remained; he did not remove them–that happened naturally as the day wore on.” I asked Kathy how she felt when it was over and she said, “Relaxed.”
Bee Pollen Acupuncture Therapy
I put my hand on Kathy’s neck as we walked later in the day, and my palm was like a pin cushion. Just kidding. The stingers were gone within an hour of the therapy session. We did go to the “leather street” in Cotacachi in the early afternoon. Cotacachi is the leather center of Ecuador for good reason. We first stopped for lunch and had a wonderful lake trout. I thought the guinea pig would have been too heavy a meal, so that will have to wait for later.
On visiting the leather shops, we were impressed with the high quality of the leather work. Kathy could not resist buying three items: a leather and crocheted shawl (the shop owner tailored it to fit on the spot–it was amazing to watch her skillful, quick hands crochet the needed adjustments); leather gloves; and a leather coat with a matching handmade leather scarf (once again, adjustments were made to fit Kathy’s petite size). I got a belt. Anyone else see any discrepancies here?
Our lunch was a treat beyond the excellent food. An Ecuadorian musician played a guitar and a rondador (a wind instrument that is chorded cane panpipes) at the same time. Wow! We are loving the Ecuadorian culture and its people. WEG
The Serenade
As I type Roman’, the owner of the El Roy Hotel where we are staying in Cotacachi, is serenading Kathy and me with Ecuadorian music while his wife, Manuela, harmonizes and serves us mojitos. It is a magical ending to an amazing day.
View from our breakfast table at El Roy, Cotacachi, Ecuador
It started wonderfully with a breakfast prepared and served by Anita of the hotel staff, dressed in native costume. Roman’ came into the room and asked if we would like Manuela and him to take us on a tour of the area. “Sure!” We had no idea of the wonders the day would bring. Where, but where, would guests at a hotel receive such royal treatment?
We spent the day getting a cultural immersion. Everywhere we went, the beauty of the mountain setting around us set the tone. We visited the wood carving city of San Antonio and watched people at work in the shops. We saw the beautiful Laguna (Lake) Yahuarcocha surrounded by mountains. It is famous for the Formula One race held there, and we followed along the track. We watched ice cream making in a local shop and tasted the homemade treat. We had never seen ice cream made in a stainless steel pot lodged in ice as it was stirred by human hands with a huge spatula, the ice cream slowly being separated from the cream. Italian gelato, you have a rival. We drove through neighborhoods and cities to see how people lived, with wonderful commentary by our hosts. We toured a neighborhood where expats retiring to Cotacachi congregate and even walked through a beautiful home that was for sale. Everywhere the mountains loomed above. We visited one of the oldest restaurants in Ecuador. The grounds were fabulous. Our new friends, Roman’ and Manuela held their wedding dinner there. Along the way, we learned that Roman’ was a retired Ecuadorian army colonel and Manuela had been an Ecuadorian diplomat to Panama and was also a two term senator to the Ecuadorian Congress.
We felt truly honored and privileged to experience such a day. WEG
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