Living in Ecuador

Baños and Otavalo

2009-01-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

the little puercos are born

hiking in Otavalo

making humitas with Nicole

The feria in Otavalo

Market day, Otavalo

Selling jugo de caña sugar cane juice delish!

local snack, chocho con choncho beans, salsa topped with fried pig meat

Mural in parque central, Baños

my apartment

Baños de Agua Santa

2009-01-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Back in Baños, Ecuador although this time I´m doing anything but backpacking. I arrived with 2 suitcases, found a beautiful apartment a little outside of the center and am keeping myself extremely busy. When I first arrived I spent the month of December playing all over the mountains with my friends. My birthday was spent swimming below waterfall Machay, swimming in my birthday suit, dancing in the streets til the wee morning, drinking a local liquor called ¨callo de gallina¨which is sweet and cost 25 centavos! Then Christmas away from my family for the first time was different. I was invited to Oscars home and his family killed their prize cuyes (guinea pig)
and chicken for the feast. Then for Chirstmas Day, I was invited the the Vargas Family to help cook in the kitchen, to learn to prepare traditional food and we feasted all night until 2 am then everyone went out dancing. Then there was New Years Eve here as well. What the locals do is every barrio (neighborhood in the city) builds a monigote (puppet) that can be a parody of something bad that occurred in the recent year...that represents all the bad things you want to put behind whether its death of a loved one, heartbreak,robbery, regret,whatever and at midnght EVERYONE kisses eachother, says Feliz Año and drags the monigotes out into the street like criminals and burns them litterally burning all the bad energy of 2008 to begin all over again with a clean slate.
Then I began my new year by throwing my demons into the fire as well and am feeling ready for a beautiful 2009. My days in Ecuador are spent volunteering at a Childrens Foundation. We have art projects, teach them to read, offer free English classes, play games, and just hang out by providing a place where they can get out of the house and not in front of the TV and find ways to be creative. I love my kids. I also volunteer at the local hospital trying to get certified in medical spanish. All the nurses and doctors are all confused as to why im doing this since im not a med. student. I say, ¨to hopefully have a job back in the states translating¨. WHo knows. And in my free time, I go climbing with Oscar and his friends, biking, and at night I have a group of really cool guys I hang out with that love to play pool.
Tomorrow i start a new job up on the mnt at this really fancy resort doing marketing or something.
Ive met all my neighbors and am meeting more people in the community every day. They treat me dfferently when they realize im not just passing through. DOwn below is Oscars tio with his mama pig about to go into labor. Ive got pics of the little puercos onthe next blog.

My friend, Jacqelyn

Cooking up local delicacies for Christmas Feast. Fried dough then topped with homemade syrup

Butterfly refuge above waterfall Machay

Alexis, Jose y Elian from the Fundacion

Baños, Ecuador

2008-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Dance in the cocina!

Getting some climbing advice in Quito, Ecuador.

Sunset in Baños, Ecuador.

Oscar talking with the monkeys at the Zoo.

Belaying climber below the bridge with Paulo.

Mountain Biking with Jay (Korea)

Women packaging sweet tomatoes for the market.

Enjoying herself during the street festival.

Baby donkey finshing up feeding time..passed during the bike ride

Rafting el rio pastaza, class 3

Doombuggy Day!

Standing on scary cable bridge above waterfall ¨Pailon del Diablo¨

Fresh fried fish I caught just minutes before in the spring.

Ain´t she a beauty.

Passing the river valley by cable car.

Rafting, Rockclimbing, Camping, Driving doombuggies, Mountain Biking, Dancing, Canyoning...all in the little town of Baños tucked away in the green mountains below the belly of the grumbling Volcano (which erupted in 2006 and the entire town evacuated for 6 months).

So, Libby and I left Vilcabamba. There wasnt a whole lot of work to be done yet and we found we had more free time than we knew what to do with, so we talked to Christina about moving on and she was amazingly supportive. I plan on going back there on my southbound route to peru.
We went 5 hrs north to Cuenca, stayed there for a few nights and were more impressed with the European style of the city and the food than the Cuencaños themselves. Then another 8 hrs north to the beautiful town of Baños.

We arrived in Baños late last Monday night after a super exhausting 9 hr bus ride. Then the following morning, we ran into an amigo we met the night before at the bus stop and he invited us along with him to watch bungee jumpers off the bridge. It was so nice of him to show us around all day. Anywaays, we walked to the bridge, there werent any people jumping off the birdge over huge rock boulders and a little stream. No thanks. Then we walked 4 or 5 miles down the road to a cable car where we road over 200 ft above the green river. My confidence in Ecuadorian engineering wasnt that high. We hiked up the waterfall, then stopped at this house were it was a little restaurant out of her house. This is the best part.....we went around back and she has a man made spring with lots of trout with water pumping into it from the waterfalll above. The water is puro, puro. She handed me and Libby and stick with fishing line attached and a big chunk of bait. We caught our lunch in minutes then watched her scale and gut them in seconds while they were still breathing,while the dogs watched. We had fresh caught trout, rice, salad, and patacones (sweet, fried platanos). It was the most delicous meal I have had in weeks.
Then we took the cable car back, hitched a ride in the back of a truck for another 10 inutes down the road and jumped off....walked a few feet before another family gave us a ride in their pickup truck. We arrived at Pailon del Diablo Waterfall. It was a beautiful but quick hike down into the fall....then another scary bridge. It was something out of an Indiana Jones film. A cable bridge 100´s of feet above rushing rapids. We all sat down for awhile, watching the waterfall, and I think I drifted into meditation for awhile. Ahead at the start of the bridge is a sign, ¨5 personas lo maximo´. Well, as I was sitting in the center of the wobbly bridge, a family of about 6 walk on and I jumped up out of anxiety and fear and yelled ¨¡ 5 personas lo maximo, 5 personas lo maximo!! Then got the hell off the bridge. I am pretty sure everyone had a good laugh at my expense.
Then, Libby and I met a group of traveling artesanias sitting above the trail ( people who travel selling their jewelry..who were all unbelievably beautiful) where I bought myself a pretty weaved bracelet and earrings from Ruben de Argentina and Carlos de Uruguay. We sat there with them, talked and accepted their offer to sit and drink a beer. After minutes of hanging out, I was offered a marriage proposal from Ruben. He was really funny , nonotheless, he gave me an ankle bracelet for our union. He was heartbroken after I told him I was already called for by a handsome boy waiting for me in the States. His response was , ´pero no esta (but hes not here)?!! I laughed, said thanks for the beer and the braecelet and we left.
Libby, William, and I hitched another ride back to Baños and went to the town hot baths, aguas thermales, and soaked most the night with the rest of the town, until i was too hungry and I was getting muy inqieta, cranky. I felt like i was in Greece with the huge, pool-like communal hot baths. They were public jucuzzis.
The next day we drove doombuggies around town where we passed the mnt bikers with our heads down in shame as we drove our deisal pumped, loud buggy..but it was soooo fun!!!
Then the following day, we went rafting down the el rio negro. Class 3...not too exciting, but I managed to still get thrown out. Im still not sure whether I fell or the guide pushed me. Good fun. I love rafting. I need to do it more when I get back to Asheville..of course when its not December.
The guide was cool, he offered to take us mnt bikig the next day, gratis. He had a day off and offered to take us. It was beautiful, it was exhausting, and it was muddy, and we loved every minute of it.
And, lastnight we just got back from 2 days of rockclimbig outside of Cotopaxo Violcano with some friends. I learned a lot. I hadnt climbed in years.

We found a house in Vilcabamba!

2008-10-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

After many attempts to leave this sacred town (for 2 weeks) of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, Libby and I have decided to stay and get involved in the community under the curcumstances we found a good opportunity and we found a much cheaper place to lay our heads.

Yesterday, we met with Christina, a young, passionate women who has lived here for 3 years establishing a community center, JOCOTOCO, (jovenes communitarios tomando consciencia) with intentions to build a healthier communuty, emnpowering the younth through environmental awareness and promote sustainable development. Her main projects right now are; developing the domestic garden using native vegetables and herbs; getting the cafeteria ready for next saturday serving healthy, natural, and traditional food and drink; a recycling program; and ¨El Huilco¨a monthly newspaper written by the local youth here.
She needs so much help and I feel so grateful that I may be useful here. We start volonteering with her tomorrow morning. Next week, she would like Libby and I to provide after'school homwork sessions for the school children here, because apparently many of the children dont have a peaceful environment to study or their parents are too occupied taking care of the other children or cooking and cleaning with the Tv blasting.
So, we will hopefully be useful to the children assisting them in their studies and just being supportive. We are also being asked to tutor the young school children in English if they would like. A few hours a week in a fun way!!

Thats not it....we signed a one month lease today (well I have 3 weeks or so) in a casita (little house) with a beautiful view, 2 bedrooms, bathroom with lukewarm water, and a cocina (so excited to be able to cook for ourselves). Its basic but its home. We are paying $120 a month split btw the both of us and its a few minutes walk from town. We´re locals now,well kinda, and Libby and I are soooo excited to get to know the community alittle more.

De caballo, vamos para norte

2008-10-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a 2 days horseback riding adventure. Our guide was Cowboy Gavilan. My horse´s name was Miscal, named after the cactus used to make tequila. Libby was riding Colorado and the guide on Tristan. The horses were big, beautiful and strong. The guide gave us absolutely no directions except to hold on. At first, I wasnt sure how to sit or even command Miscal, but after a few hours of passing through stream beds, crossing pastures, chasing cows out of the way, I found my rhythm with that of the horses´. It was so much fun crossing over mountain ridges by horse and when we´d cross a pasture, the horses would canter full speed. It was one of the funnest days of my life. Gavilan said Colorado, the strongest, cost $350 with saddle and all. Then he bought land in the moutain..15 acres for $3,000 and built himself a cozy lodge. I was thinking to myself during the ride throught mnt ridges that I would like to own a ranch with a few horses. I just need a little bit o´money and a damn good hat. Those horses were so excited to be in the mnts.

We got to his lodge 4 hours later and a few of the horses immediately rolled their backs in the grass to dry off the sweat. They ate green grass all night and an occasional treat of passion fruit. The lodge sat on a ridge in the center looking down into 4 other mnt ridges right below the cloud forest.

Estamos en Ecuador!!!!

2008-10-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

The pool at Hostal Jardin Escondido in Vilcabamba.

The Plaza, Vilcabamba

driving into Ecuador

We love this town of Vilcabamba, Ecuador. It is surrounded by green green mountains, lots of hiking and horseback riding is very popular. It is right outside the Parque Nacional Portocopus. Cloud forest, waterfalls, ridges. We booked a 2 day, one night horse back riding trip with a very reputable guide. So, we are super excited about riding through the cloud forest and getting to swim in waterfalls! We are thinking about heading to the farm on Sunday morning. It´s called Sacred Suenos. We may be there for 2 weeks gardening, caring for the animals, beek keeping, building new peojects, and . Im am looking forward to being in a super chill environment with lots of good people and communal meals. Apparently, this town is world renowned for its longevity!!

The town is so small and the locals all hang out in the park and talk til the wee hours and they are so friendly. Libby and I like to eat at the local restaurants where they are much less expensive than touristy restaurants and usually end up speaking Spanish with the people who work there. We sat outside of this great locak spot tonight in the middle of the plaza and people watched and listened to these boys play guitars.

Huanchaco, Peru

2008-09-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

Lalya, Laura, and Jordan....awesome girls from Cali

Perro caught in fishermans line

The caballitos that the fisherman use

Cooking arroz de leche

Arroz de leche con pasas..so yummy

We got in to Huanchaco this morning after an overnight bus from Huaraz and we walked along the beach. The sun finally peaked out for a few hours. Its a tiny town with lots of character. You can walk from one end to the other in 20 minutes.

We are now staying at Casa Suiza at the North end of the beach...but we walked by Hostal Naylamp today during out tour and took a look. Its at the south end of the beach and is much much more backpacker friendly with a huge courtyard, pet turtles, hammocks for all, and a secure area for those with their own tents for 10 soles (3 USD) and a fire pit. We have our own tent so its a sweet deal. Its also right across the street from the beach.

SO we made reservations and we are picking up and walking there in the morning. Libby says she will teach me how to surf, so when its sunny and warm out were going to rent our wet suits and hit the water. Huanchaco is known for its fisherman going out in caballitos made of straw. They look like a hybrid btw kayaks and elves shoes.

So, today we sat along the wall on the beach, drank a cusquena (the beer of Peru), talked with an older woman who has lived in this town her whole life, and watched fisherman bring in their catch. They were surrounded by locals trying to buy the fresh catch. There were baskets of crab, corvina, all sorts of fish fighting to get back into the water. The fisherman were all older men, barefoot, and full of smiles as they sorted their finds.

A few hours later in the day, those same men were napping under their caballitos in the sand. For dinner, we went by a hole-in-the-wall restaurant recommended by these locals (we ask the locals lots of questions) where they had a few tables, live folklorica music with a man and his acoustic guitar, and a parilla, a huge outside grill. We ordered corvina with pinneapple and it was so delicious. Tenka, our eager server, said it was caught hours ago. It was the best meal I have eaten since I got to Peru (for $8). ´

We have been hanging out with these 3 Americanas, Lalya, Jordan, and Laura from California. We made homemade arroz de leche lastnight. SOOOO good. Rice pudding. I couldnt stop eating it. By the time we had all eaten the whole pot of it, we were sick. Then I woke up craving it again this morning. Tonight, were thinking pancakes or chocolate fondue!!! I love food.

Tomorrow or the next day, Libby and I are heading south to Trujillo (12km) to check out their annual festival downtown. We have heard theres lots of traditional dance and costumes involved. Well see.

Getting a little lost ouside of Huaraz, Peru

2008-09-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 18

We wanted to go to these Incan ruins today so we waited a while for the combis (local mini buses) at the bus station. It never came so we shared a cab with a local Andean couple. On the ride I told them where we were trying to go to the Ruinas de Wilcahuain and the woman told Libby we were going the wrong way and the taxi driver stopped the car in the middle of the road between the town of Huaraz and Monterrey (8km away) and they all told us to get out and follow this trail right up this steep hill they were all pointing to off the road. So we did.

The trail went up and up for alomost an hour and we didn't really have a clue where we were going but the trail was beautiful tucked behind white eucalyptus trees and small houses. So we stopped at this house where two old men and one very old woman were outside talking. The old woman didnt respond to Libby. We think she was blind because she didnt seem to notice us. There were all these tiny puppies running around. A woman breastfeeding a young girl stood in the doorway smiling and laughing at us gringas wandering around in their backyard. The old man, Rudolfo, told us directions so we continued back up the so called trail. If we would pass someone in their yard, to make sure they wouldnt get freaked out we would ask them for directions, which way to the ruins.It was a beautiful trail.

We didnt pass many people, but those we sawe were mainly farmers. All were very nice and seemed confused as to why we were there. By this point, were were accustomed to being ñaughed at.- So we started to get into a more populated area another hour later and this blue VW bug comes puttin´ down the gravel road. He slowed down when he got next to us and we realized it was the same old man, Rudolfo, who had given us directions earlier. He laughed at us and told us we didn't know what we were doing and that he would drive us to where we could catch the combis to the Ruinas. So we got into his old bug and coasted down the road. He was really nice and took us all the way to the right bus stop. He was a retired math professor and he was so sweet!

The combis here are little vans that a million people cram into. When one that didn't look too crammed finally passed we got in and everyone was laughing at us and telling us where to sit. Libby crammed herself between this old man and woman and I sat on her lap. About 30 minutes of putting up this steep dusty hill, we got off at the ruins de Wilcahauin yay! we talked awhile with the guy collecting money for the ruins and his 8 yr old friend, Miguel followed us into the ruins and offered to give us a tour for a tip of course. He was so good. Without him the ruins would have just been a bunch of empty tombs. He described everything very well. He said he'd been doing this for 5 years now. So I don't know how old he was, but he looked really young, maybe 8. We left the ruins in another bus and went back to town. It's so cool here up in the country. It's just a bunch of farms, farmers, sheep, pigs, dogs, little kids and gravel roads. Everyone is so friendly.

Huaraz, Peru

2008-09-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

September 14

We spent 9 hours northbound on a bus lastnight from Lima to Huaraz. The ride was like nothing I have ever seen. We passed though the desert Andes and then ended our trek in white capped glacier mountains. The route followed the Pacific Coast line for much of the trip. I had never before been on a road tucked between the view of the ocean and mountains.

We got in fairly late, checked into our hostel, Albergue Churup Hostel. It is run by a local family and they dont speak English. Its nice not being in a hostel where everything is in English. Libbys Spanish is improving daily. She gets really excited to speak with the locals. For 25 soles ($8 USD), we have a cozy room to ourselves, kitchen, fireplace, internet, living room with another fireplace, and a sunny courtyard and the owners and staff seem all too willing to get you hooked up on a guide to hike Cordillera Blanca or mountain biking.

There is so much to do here, from what I have read in the short time i have been here. We got in late and walked down the street to find some food and ended up at this chill little dive that served wood fired pizza and really cold beer. mmhmmmm! Gustavo a young peruvian who worked there also gave us tips as where to get the best hiking. Meanwhile the restaurant gatito, little kitten, was nestled in my lap. We both started feeling dizzy and headachy..no the guys at the place didnt slip something in our drinks...we were feeling typical altitude sickness. Asheville is at 2,300 meters above sea level, Huaraz is between 5,000_6,000. Today we both feel alittle better, but the mate de coca tea we had for breakfast is helping! Its tea made from the coca leaf and helps altitude sickness and is tasty.

We are heading down to the plaza ..Huaraz is a chill little town with hardly any tourists at all...to find breakfast and a sweater! I think we{ll be here for awhile. On the outskirts of town there are indigenous quechua speaking communities that wear traditional dress and English bowlers hats.

The market during the day is filled with colorful fruits, vegetables, and meats (swarming with busy flies). The majority of the locals with their produce were older women, sitting and talking with one another. They dont seem to pay much attention to us. I prefer that over constantly being sold something like I am a tourist. I wish I could have taken more photos of the beautiful Andean women with my eyes, but I cant and always having your camera out isolated me fron talking to the people.

Starting in Peru

2008-09-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

I am traveling South America with my good friend, Libby. My bank account allows me to travel for about 3 months. We have no plans except to arrive in Lima, Peru.

We arrived in Lima on the evening of September 10th. After a long day of travel, we checked in to The Point. Its not the coziest hostel every, but it doesnt encourage much exploration beyond the hostel living room and bar. Lima is not the prettiest town.

Every taxi ride here in Lima has been very scary, its like they are all playing bumper cars...really they bump eachothers bumpers, honk, and cut off on the regular! So, Libby and I are completely unprepared for the weather in this part of South Americais cold. Very cold. The warmest thing I have is a fleece. Right now I am wearing boots, jeans (with holes in them), and my fleece. During the day, its chilly and at night im lucky I have blankets. If we go any further south, Im going to have to invest in an Alpaca sweater and scarf. Or, I may head North to Colombia and el sol

!About that....Libby and I have talked to many people here at the hostel everyone from the backpackers to the Peruvians working here, they all have different suggestions as where to go next. We dont know whether to start north or south!! We now have 2 contacts in Lima. The first is Libby's good friend Molly-her Uncle Kevin Flaherty. He has lived in Peru off and on for 25 years teaching and doing mission work. He took us out to lunch and was so unbelievably helpful. He is a scholar. He told us about the history of the country, its politics. He told us where he recommended going and where to go and how to get there safely. We were loaded with so much valuable information today.

I left feeling alittle nervous about being in a place and not understanding what hardships most the people endure on a daily basis and how to enjoy myself in this country with respect to the people and their land while being extremely careful and resourceful. I dont know if I quite understand yet. He gave us his number and email and told us to contact him for anything. I will ask him if its alright to give his info to you all.The other contact is Jeannette. She is the cousin of Sarahs co-worker Maria Segura. She is american, living in Lima. We are having coffee tomorrow.

Look at a map of peru, this will make more sense.....A young swedish couple here just got back from the jungle up north, called Iquitos. They had a great time. Took a plane to Yurimaguas, then a 3-day boat. Stayed in hammocks on the 3-level boat and hiked in the jungle. Apparently its WARM there too!!! woohoo.Then everyone is telling us we absolutely have to go south to Arequipa for moutain biking, hiking, ...then spend at least a week in Cuzco which apparently is a cultural mecca.We dont know and we plan on hanging out in Lima until we decide. Neither of us feel sure of either direction. On one hand, we would like to travel towards the equator, on the other, we might as well suck it up and see it all. We may just flip a coin in a few days.

There is even a chance I will work with an org. called 'Properu' for a week or two then travel north and then take a flight to Colombia or Panama!!! I can do whatever I want! But I only have enough money for a few months, so I need to make a decision.

The water purifier and insect repellant are the only logical things I brought. It rocks! I can drink out of the faucet. I would trade all my tank tops and shorts for one of my many scarves!! Anything else....yeah, whether they are Irish, Swedish, South African, or German they want Obama to win!!! For many reasons, but everyone is following this elections. They all say its extremely important for their country.