Cuenca: Cookies, Cathedrals, and Catastrophe

Flower marker

The next day after Joaquin was so nice to give me a lot of medication, my pain had subsided and I felt somewhat better. Laura and I had escaped the craziness and the awkwardness of our guest’s house and gone to explore the city. We had no idea where we were going but we just started walking toward what looked like the center of the city. We walked and walked and walked… we also stopped at a bakery or two. We have become obsessed with the bakeries here. Most cities are littered with them. There is a bakery literary on almost every street corner. I only picked at a few things because I was still scared to eat too much.

Enjoying our sweet treats in Cuenca

We continued walking and at one point spotted the spires of a church. That is almost a definite sign of a town center. The church or I should say churches, are the main focal point of the city and the center is built around them. So we headed for the spires. We finally found the church and it was in fact the center. I think we walked about 5 or 6 miles to get there. By this point we had worked up an appetite and even I was hungry. So we picked a somewhat more commercialized restaurant that looked safe and ate Italian food. I figured a pasta dish was pretty safe for my stomach. After lunch we walked through the center a little more. The lunch was settling rather well and I was getting a little more confident. We had passed too many bakeries to resist any longer so we picked on with delicious looking cookies and ice creams. Laura got ice cream and I got a plate full of little cookies. They were delicious. I am glad we are walking so much on this trip or we would have easily gained 20 pounds by now.

We wrapped up our center exploration by visiting a few of the markets. We pursued the many stalls, looking at all of the cheesy tourist trinkets. Do people really buy this stuff? Laura did end up buying a llama sweater. Luckily she was able to find one without little llamas all over it. It was one of the few acceptable things to purchase. We’ll see if she ends up wearing it. We then stopped at a flower market and sat on a bench to observe the people. There were so many flower of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The market was positioned between two old churches and between the sound of the church bells and the many church goers, shoppers, and flower vendors it made for an interesting and entertaining atmosphere.

After we had our fill of the center we started on the long walk back. We made it back to the main road, but from there we hopped on a bus to give our poor feet a rest. When we made it back to Joaquin’s house I was nervous to go in for fear of what we might find. At first there was no one in sight and we just walked in and went to our room. We were both reading and relaxing a bit when we heard the door open and voices. It was Joaquin’s parents. They were returning from a trip and were shocked to find the house a bit messy. An hour long argument proceeded. I felt bad for Joaquin. His parents were not happy and were not being shy about expressing it.

After the dust settled a bit, Joaquin shyly pocked his head into our room and asked us if we would like some dinner. At dinner we had a chance to meet his parents and chat a bit. They were all very nice and I was glad to be staying with them. We went to bed feeling better about the situation and were looking forward to another day in Cuenca, this time with a little guidance from our hosts.

In the morning Joaquin was nice enough to make us breakfast. He was happy that I was looking better and that I had an appetite again and a bit of energy. He told us all about the city and gave us a map. He gave us a quick tour and drove us to a lookout over Cuenca. This is by far the prettiest city we have been to in Ecuador. The buildings are actually finished and there is not quit so much garbage thrown everywhere. Joaquin drove us through a bit more of the city then left us in the center again, this time with an agenda.

We visited a couple of museums and ruins and of course a pastry shop or two. By the time we were finished with the museums it was already after 3:00 so we headed to find the lunch spot Joaquin had recommended. After a satisfying lunch we headed out to find an old pharmacy that was on our must see list. When we stepped in it was like something out of a movie. The walls and counters were made of dark stained, old wood, and the walls were covered with old glass bottles. The counters encircled you and had large glass display windows. As Joaquin instructed us we asked for a soda. He said it would be good for my stomach. We watched as the pharmacist mixed water with a red, fruity syrup for flavor then added a white powder that fizzed immediately. It was quite tasty. I don’t know if it did much for my stomach though, since not long after I started feeling bad again and we decided to head home. We started to walk out of the center and where trying to hail a cab but they all seemed to be full. We kept walking but I progressively got worse until I had to run to a nearby shop and ask to use the restroom. I felt bad because I think I made the entire back half of the store smell awful. I won’t elaborate to save myself some embarrassment.

We made it back out to the street and we were finally able to get a cab. I spent the rest of the night lying in bed trying to fight off the nauseous feeling that had developed. Between that and the stomach pain I was in pretty bad shape. When Joaquin’s father got home from work he came in to say hi and asked what was wrong with me. When I told him my symptoms he gave me a concerned look and asked if I had had my hepatitis vaccinations. I told him I had but he was still convinced that there was a possibility that I had contracted hepatitis A. This was definitely not comforting. He insisted that we go to the hospital to have blood work done. I don’t know what I was more scared of, having hepatitis A, or the hospital bill.

We got to the emergency room and they laid me down on a bed and proceeded to take my blood. I was a little nervous when I noticed the man taking my blood wasn’t wearing gloves, but at least the needle came out of a sterile package. They then proceeded to give me a couple of pills to take and then they gave me a bottle of pediasure and told me I had to drink the whole thing in an hour. I don’t know if you have tried this pediasure stuff before but it is awful. They trick you by giving it a wonderful grape smell that reminded me of diamatabe. I used to love that stuff as a kid. I took a big swig expecting the same taste and instead got this weird salty fake grape flavor. I almost gagged then was horrified by the thought of having to drink the whole bottle. I stayed a while longer and drank a bit more pediasure while I waited for the results of my blood work. I luckily did not have hepatitis A, but my blood work did show that my white blood cell count was up and I was fighting an infection. So after all I had eaten something bad and gotten bacteria in my intestines.

I felt a bit better and really wanted to be out of there so I asked to leave. They said it was ok; there was just the matter of the bill. I all the sudden didn’t feel so good again as I waited so see how much it was going to be. They handed me the bill and I was in disbelief to see it was only $31. In the states it would have been in the hundreds. All of the sudden I felt really bad. I ran to the bathroom just in time to vomit the entire contents of my stomach. I have never vomited so much at one time. I think I vomited six times. I did feel better after though.

The next morning I started my antibiotics and spent the day at home. I was really weak and Joaquin’s dad advised me not to eat anything more than water, tea, or bread for the next couple of days. This was fine because I don’t think I could have if I wanted to. We spent all day watching movies and reading. It was good to have the rest anyway. I was hoping that by tomorrow I would have enough energy to be able to see more of the city.

Christina

The Ninja at Night

The sick stick together

Half way to Cuenca Christina started to have stomach pains again. She took her meds but nothing helped and there was nowhere to go and no one to ask for help. We were stuck on a six hour bus ride with three hours left to go. Next to us was a couple from Canada that we met earlier at the Quilotoa tour. I think they thought we were a little crazy because Christina was trying to hide her extreme discomfort and there was also that moment when we got to the station and we were standing there at the entrance and they were asking us whether we were going to take the bus or get a taxi and Christina says I am sorry I have to go to the bathroom and runs away. They were just standing there wondering what do I do now and then they just walked away. I was embarrassed but whatever.


When Christina finally returned from the bathroom I called our couch surfer Joaquin to tell him we were here and he came to get us at the bus station. I was a little surprised when I saw him. He was not what I had expected. He had this wild hair, gauges in his ears, and this leather jacket. He looked like something out of an eighties movie. Did I mention he was a ninja.

In the car we told him of Christina’s unfortunate situation and he informed us that both of his parents and his brother were doctors and that when we got to his house he would find something to help. He did give her meds and everything got better at least for the moment. He then told me he was going out because there was a big party tonight and he wanted to know if I wanted to join him. I felt bad leaving my sister curled in a ball on the bed while I went out partying so I stayed behind. Thank god I did because things got crazy.

He left at around 9:30 and he came back to the house at about two when the bars close and came in our room to get his computer. He was obviously drunk because he said a mumbled I am sorry and stumbled out of the room. I did not think anything of this partly because I was half asleep and partly because I did not think it possible for anyone to party any more. Well I was unfortunately wrong. He started playing house music at window shattering volumes and laughing with his friends. I was not really bothered too much by this during the night but when at 9am the music was still going it was a little much. We were up at this point, Christina reading and me on the computer when one of his friends stumbled into the room mumbled something and then fell face first on to the bed next to Christina. No hands out to break the face nothing just pillow to face. Christina had a look of terror and we both weren’t sure what to do. Joaquin came in to find him but there was no waking him and he apologized profusely about his friend. It was fine no harm done. Later while he was still laying out cold in our bed another friend came in and we were talking and we looked down and he was moving his shoulder to the beat like Bernie in the movie Weekend at Bernie’s. It was the funniest thing. We could not stop laughing. He would not respond to any of our questions he just laid there moving his body to the still blaring house music.

Main Square in Cuenca

About a half hour later at around 10:30 it was all over and everyone was either gone or asleep. Christina and I could not just sit around all day so we got up and went to explore the city.

Laura

Riobamba Food

Kite Flying at Dusk

When we got to Riobamba after the horseback riding we went with our couch surfing host Wladimir and his fiancé to get dinner. It was to this little hole in the wall that only served one thing, pinchos with choclo. We had this kabob of beef, sausage, and potato and a side of grilled corn on the cob slathered in mayo. To wash it all down we had a Tropical soda, it kind of taste like fizzy fruitiness. It was all delicious. It was a perfect first meal with him because you really had to go in with your hands and pull the meat of the kabob. I was delighted with the meal and had a new respect for Wald’s restaurant taste.


We were on our own for breakfast the next day and of course we went to a local pastry shop and had about one of everything. This wasn’t just some small little shop it was huge with at least 6 glass display cases for cookies, breads, donuts, cakes, empanadas, and an assortment of delicious pastries. We ate our fill and took some with us.

For lunch we went with Wlady for hornado. And let me say that this dish is by far my favorite dish in Ecuador so far. For anyone that likes pork this is like heaven. Well I guess Ecuador would be heaven because I do not think that I have ever seen a country so devoted to the consumption of this four legged deliciousness. Back to the dish, they take a whole pig and slow roast it on a spit then they slice it up and serve it with potatoes in a peanut sauce and mote (boiled corn) with this sauce on top that has a slight sour taste. Oh and I almost forgot a crispy piece of pig skin as well. This is a little different than the weird sweet version they serve in Quito and it is about ten times better. With this meal we had a fruit shake basically blended fruit with water and sugar and it tasted like the best strawberry shake I have ever had. I do not know how they make it taste so creamy without adding milk. Let’s just say that when we finished our meal there was nothing left. Everything was just so good. I wanted to go and get another shake but I was so full I had to resist.

That night we went to go get fritada with a couple from Poland about to climb Chimborazo. Wlad dropped us off but had to go to dinner with his fiancé and their families so he was unable to join us for the meal. I was not that impressed with this dish. It consists of chunks of pork pan fried with a side of potatoes and salad. It was really fatty and a little tough. I had to leave have of mine because it was just fat. I am looking forward to trying in Loja because I hear it is made with less fatty pieces of pork. We left full and went for a walk around the downtown and chatted with the Polish couple. I was full but a little disappointed in the meal. I still do not understand how you can mess up fried pork.

That night Christina had extremely bad heart burn and had really intense pain. All night she was tossing and turning and eating Tums but nothing helped. The next morning she was still feeling horrible so I asked Wlady if he knew of anything she could take and his Australian friend who as well has had stomach issues was also in the room and he knew of some remedies that have worked for him in the past. He took her to the pharmacy to pick up some buscapinas and some yogurt. When they came back she took the meds and drank her yogurt and about an hour later she was feeling better. I was feeling fine and I was getting hungry so we went for breakfast.

Breakfast consisted of encebollada, which to anyone not used to eating soup for breakfast is an odd meal. It is a soup usually served with tuna but can have shrimp or other seafood in it and yes this is breakfast. It comes with bread and popcorn to dip in the soup. I guess it is like people in the south having steak for breakfast. Anyway it was really good and I thorughly enjoyed it. Although Christina was still not feeling quite right she did try it and would have had more but she just did not want to push her stomach.

After filling up on soup and Christina prepared for the worst with a bag full of meds we headed for the bus station to catch the bus to Cuenca.

I know it is quite sad that the only thing we did it Riobamba was eat but the food there was just so delicious that we could not help ourselves. Also we were exhausted from the horseback riding trip so we thought it best to rest for a few days while we had the chance.

Laura

Chimborazo by Horse

Laura on the cranky slow horse

We have wanted to try couch surfing since we started the trip. It’s an organization of like minded people who offer their homes to fellow travelers. It also serves as a great way to meet locals and learn about the place you are visiting from an insider. We decided Riobamba would be our first attempt at couchsurfing. We also lucked out and found an amazing tour operation run by the guy we were staying with. Wladimir is an advocate for ecotourism and all his trips utilize local guides and visit places where the chances of running into another tourist are very slim. It sounded like exactly what we were looking for. It was a refreshing departure from the previous rehearsed speeches and neatly packaged, mass produced cultural experiences. We arrived in Riobamba excited for our adventure. We had chosen to take a two day horseback riding excursion in the mountains around the volcano Chimborazo. Chimborazo is over 6,000 meters and is considered the furthest place from the center of the earth. Don’t worry we have no aspirations to climb it. Our previous lesser climbs already proved that we are no way prepared to do that.


We left at 6:30 am and met our guide, Darwin. He was born in the area around Chimborazo we would be horseback riding in and only spoke Spanish. It’s a good thing that we spoke Spanish too or I don’t know how the trip would have gone. We got on a bus out of town and got off in the middle of nowhere; the only things in sight where a small home and a restaurant that looked deserted. We went into the small home and the owner greeted us with some warm tea. It was nice since it was freezing outside. I think we were wearing every article of clothing we brought. I had three layers of pants and four layers on top, one being a down jacket. Then we both had a scarf wrapped around our head and our hoods pulled up and synched as tight as they would go. I’m sure that Darwin found us amusing. He was wearing far less clothes. However, he was wearing llama chaps. They made him look like a satyr. So he was just as amusing in return. Of course Laura wanted a pair of these furry chaps.

While Darwin got the horses saddled up, Laura and I got a sudden urge to have to pee. We asked the woman if she had a restroom and she said no. She then pointed across the street and told us to go there. We thought she was talking about the deserted looking restaurant so we tried there. Are assumptions were correct and the restaurant was closed. We went back to clarify where we were suppose to use the bathroom and found out she had been pointing to a mound of dirt behind the restaurant that we could use to conceal ourselves. So we took turns using the mound. By this time the horses were ready and we were on our way.

The first day of riding took us through a variety of landscapes. At one point I thought I was on a planet in Star Wars or maybe perhaps the moon. There were areas that had hardly any vegetation. There was nothing but volcanic dust and in places the ground would form into these weird bumps of dirt with sprigs of straw sprouting from them. It was bizarre. The majority of the trip was through these massive fields of straw. The straw grew in giant clumps in all different directions, and when the wind blew, which was almost always, the whole field would move in waves of color. The movement revealed the various shades of tan, gray and green that were hidden in the straw. It was really amazing. It was a very peaceful ride and most of the day we simply walked the horses. Slow and easy, except for after the four hour mark my knees, ankles and nether regions where starting to hate me.

We spent the night in this little mountain town called Salinas (no relation to the singer). It was a very interesting town. At night, when the clouds consumed the town in a sleepy haze that you can envision in works by Edgar Allen Poe, it took on a mystical almost eerie quality. That illusion was then shattered by the heaps of trash everywhere. This country definitely needs help with its littering problem. It seems like the people just don’t care, or don’t know any better. The town was maybe five streets and we walked over the entire town in fifteen minutes, but in the town there was a small chocolate factory, a cheese factory made from the local cow milk, a textile store that made and sold yarn and clothing, and a place that dried and sold hongos, a form of fungus that grows on pine trees. I couldn’t believe how much was packed in such a small place. Both the chocolates and the cheese where amazing. We bought a bunch to take back with us. We bought a chocolate bar for Darwin too. He was pleased.

The next morning Laura was under the weather again due to the altitude and had vomited a few times during the night. But, we were both reluctant to get out of bed because it was freezing. We put all of our layers back on and went to find our guide. He was eating breakfast so we joined him and stuffed our faces. Well I did, and I made Laura at least eat some bread and a little bit of the eggs. We stopped at the chocolate store one last time and headed out for the hot springs.

Our guide informed us that today was going to be a much further ride so we needed to go much faster today. I was a little nervous about this because I was already pretty sore. We spent most of the ride galloping through the fields. It was definitely not your typical follow the leader horseback riding trips. It was so much fun. I didn’t realize how much I miss riding horses. We made good time. I think we got to the hot springs almost an hour early.

This was definitely a local’s hot spring. It was positioned on the side of a stream. Sounds nice and serene, but next to the stream was a highway and the baths where made out of rough concrete and again there was trash everywhere. When we walked up the locals, who were already enjoying the springs, looked at us as if we were lepers. I think they would have looked less shocked if our horses had decided to come join them in the springs. Well, regardless, we changed and entered the pools. Despite the beginning impressions, the pools where very hot and relaxing and exactly what we needed after two full days of riding. After about forty five minutes in the water we got out and changed just in time for Wladimir to show up and drive us back to Riobamba. It has been the best excursion we have done on our trip yet. We might have been out of place at times, but it was exactly what we were looking for, an authentic Ecuadorian experience.

Christina

Quilatoa

Qulotao

Last night we were all excited about which breakfast item we were going to order because all of them were included in our meal package. When I woke up the next morning to Laura moaning in bed I knew that my dreams of a relaxing breakfast were out of the question. She had been vomiting all night and felt awful. I didn’t know what to do. It sounded like she had classic altitude sickness, headache, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. Well, we had to be ready to leave by 8:00am to go to Quilatoa. I had tried to talk to the operators to see if we could opt out and get our money back. That apparently wasn’t an option so Laura had to suck it up. I packed up both my stuff and hers and tried to get us moving in time so that I might still have a chance to have a quick breakfast. I had been dreaming about french toast all night. Well, by the time we made it to the dining room it was already five till eight. They told me there was not enough time to make the french toast but I could have an omelet instead. So reluctantly I accepted the omelet and ate it so fast I am still in disbelief. I think I ate it in two bites and grabbed the piece of cheese and the toast it came with and ran out the door. I was not that happy and neither was my stomach.

On the van ride to Quilotoa my tour guide started spewing the same story as yesterday about the volcanoes and using the same jokes as before. I guess he does the same speal everyday. It made him seem very rehearsed and fake. I guess that’s mostly the norm with these tours but some aren’t as bad as others.

Locals and their home

view out of the hut and its owner

We stopped along the way to look and learn about some of the landscapes and the local people and their way of life. The first stop was to visit a local family at their home. Their home was a one room, grass hut. They shared this hut with their entire family, their chickens, cats, dogs, and guinea pigs (which is a delicacy here and sadly I have not tasted it yet). They also had a few nesting birds in their roof. The space couldn’t have been more than 10 foot by 8 foot, and almost half the space was taken by the fireplace, kitchen space, and storage of goods. When we entered the hut there was a small baby wrapped up in blankets on the floor left unattended and crying. I’m sure our presence and the disturbance it caused had something to do with the child crying, but no one came to soothe it. I couldn’t imagine living there. It

The Hut's Fence

was too alien for me to associate with, but that is a normal way of life here in the country. The little man that was the head of the family was very proud and offered up his home willingly (I’m sure the money we gave him helped too). I was almost embarrassed to be witnessing his home on a tour as if it were some sort of novelty. “Oh look at the natives, how cute!” I was reluctant to act like the other camera wielding tourists we were with and take a million pictures. However the photographer in me couldn’t resist taking one or two.

We also stopped to look at a nearby canyon and again take a picture or two. I would tell you more about how the canyon was formed but I was too busy climbing up the side of a hill to get a better picture and I missed the explanation. Oops! Laura was still half dead in the van so I doubt she heard anything either.

The Canyon

When we finally made it to Quilotoa Laura still wasn’t feeling well. So she decided she would stay at the top and not climb down to the lake. Quilatoa is a lake formed inside the crater of a dormant Volcano. When you arrive you are at the top of the crater and you hike down to the crater. We both figured the view wouldn’t get that much better on the way down so she wouldn’t be missing too much. So she stayed and I started down with the rest of the group. There was a really nice girl from Australia, Julie Anne, which I hit it off with on the hike down. The views were spectacular. The lake has an amazing greenish turquoise color to it from all the minerals in the water. It was a cloudy day so the color wasn’t’ that vibrant, but occasionally the clouds would open enough for the sun to shine through and light up the water revealing the different shades of green. It was definitely more dramatic than if the sun would have been uninhibited.

Down by the lake

We stayed at the bottom resting for a bit and enjoying the views of the water; not at all looking forward to the hike back up. I was wishing I could get someone to give me a ride up on their horse. Unfortunately that didn’t happen and we spent the next hour walking slower that I thought possible and gasping for air. The altitude here is so high. At the very top of Aspen Mountain it is 3,417 meters, and at Cotopaxi we climbed to 5,000 meters, and here at Quilatoa it is just under 4,000 meters. Keep in mind we came here straight from sea level and started hiking for hours on end. (Probably not the smartest thing to do) I have no idea how Laura could be feeling bad. After many rest stops to catch our breath we made it back up. Laura had fallen asleep in the van and was feeling a little better. We had a quick but satisfying lunch and then headed back. The van left us on the main highway where we could catch the bus to Riobamba, our next stop.

One of the horses in on the way back up

Christina

Making it to the top... Well at least to the Glacier

Made it to the Glacier!

On a last minute decision we decided to change our last minute plan of catching a bus to Riobamba for taking a tour of Cotopaxi and Quilatoa. We did change tour companies though. After the many misadventures in the Amazon we thought it would be for the best.
We called our contact in Riobamba and told him that we would be a day late and set our alarm clock, aka our phone for 6 am. The phone ran out of battery and we woke up 30 min before we were supposed to be there. We ran to the showers and packed our bags and ran for the meeting place. When we got there everyone was lounging around eating breakfast and no bus in sight. We were out of breath but relieved to find they had not left without us.

The private bus ride was a departure from the norm for us. No vendors yelling at you to buy plantains and fried chicken, no million and one stops, and no paranoia about little kids crawling under your feet to grab your stuff. It felt like a pleasure cruise through the mountains.

When we got to the hostel we left our bags and picked up a guide for the Cotopaxi volcano. On the car ride there he explained lots of things about the region like how pine trees are not native despite their domination of the landscape or the fact the roses grow extremely well in the volcanic ash soil. He also showed us all of the volcanoes that surround this area in Ecuador called the valley of Volcanoes most of which were covered in clouds.

Wild Horses below Cotopaxi

When we stepped out of the bus to start the climb a shocking blast of wind hit me and I realized I should not be doing this I should be nestled under blankets drinking hot chocolate. What was I thinking? It is way too cold for me to be climbing up a volcano. Standing next to me is a girl from California with leggings some Sophie shorts and a penguin hat. Can I really be cold with my long underwear and down jacket and rain jacket? Regardless there was no turning back now, mainly because it was nonrefundable. We started the climb and the altitude made it feel as if I had gained forty pounds and ten years of sitting on the couch eating potato chips. Every step was a chore and I was out of breath in a second. There was this gusting wind that carried sleet and snow into my face and cloud cover all around so there was nothing to look at other than the volcanic ash under my feet. After 45 minutes of struggling up what seemed to be a relatively easy climb without the altitude, we made it to the Refugio or building on the side of the mountain and we stopped there for a break for hot chocolate.

At the Refugio-not the best weather

Those who wished could continue up to the glacier at 5000 meters. Of course I was one of those who went. There was no reason for me not to, I was feeling fine no effects of altitude other than a little shortness of breath. The climb was a lot shorter and it was not that difficult. In no time we were at the glacier and snapping lots of photos. On the way up we had made friends with an Irish woman named Michelle and she helped us out by taking some photos of us together.

Me at the Glacier

On the way down it seemed like the sky just opened up and the whole valley came into view. It was beautiful. I could have stood there for hours just watching the clouds move like dragons down the mountain. It made me think of the movie The Thirteenth Warrior were the fog seems to be alive and moving with purpose. I know bad movie reference but I could not help it.

Break in the Cloud

So on the way down we are supposed to mountain bike on slippery volcanic ash from the parking lot to this lagoon. We head out on the bikes and right away I am scared for my life. The road is super bumpy and my back wheel is sliding all over the place. I am contemplating taking the bus down rather than be sent flying off the side of the volcano into some volcanic boulder and just two weeks into my trip. After about ten minutes of holding the brake until my hand cramped I got used to it and I was sailing down the mountain with no problem other than the scattering of brain rattling bumps. It was no time until I was standing next to the lagoon, breathing a sigh of relieve to be off of that mountain bike. While we waited we did see some seagulls that have adapted to live at high altitude flying around the lagoon. Once everyone was safely down we headed back to the hostel.

Cotopaxi covered in clouds

When we got back I was exhausted. Luckily they served us chocolate cake and hot tea which made the trip worth it. It was some of the best chocolate cake I have ever had. It just made you want to sit back and take a nap which is what I did until dinner at least. Christina and I shared a subpar meal of spaghetti and a hamburger. Then it was off to bed. When we got there we found we were sharing a room with Michelle, what a great surprise. We shared stories and trip plans and found that we were headed in the same direction so there may be some joint travels in the future. Soon enough we turned out the lights and drifted off to sleep.

That lasted only a few hours for me when I woke up with intense nausea and stomach pain. When I woke up to go to the bath room I nearly fell over partly due to my poor placement of my shoes and partly due to my dizziness. I stumbled out of the room trying not to wake any one up until I opened the door and it sounded like I was ripping the hinges apart. I rushed to the bathroom just in time to see dinner in a toilet bowl. I sat there hoping this was the end and then went back to bed. About three hours later it happened again and I stumbled to the bath room again and hugged the toilet again with nothing left to give. After a few moments I went back to bed dreaming that it was all over. Unfortunately I was wrong again and I just decided that maybe a hot shower would help me. I got my stuff and headed for the showers. I turned the water on and stepped into a not hot but not glacial shower with a shiver and I knew at once this was not going to help. After the shower I ran to my room and threw myself under the covers in the hopes that someday I would be warm again. I sat there bundled up unable to move as everyone got ready around me, knowing that if I did not start getting ready soon I was not going to make the bus.

Laura

The Jungle - The Rest of the Story

The Swiss

We woke up on day two of our jungle stay and were glad that we were able to talk our hosts into letting us sleep on the upper level of the main house in our hammocks rather than the serial killer cabin they had given us. All the other cabins where quaint little native looking buildings, with billowing palm roofs and woven bamboo siding, not to mention they were equipped with ample lighting. Our cabin on the other hand was at the very end of the lodge next to the jungle. You got to it by walking down a long boardwalk that was not lit at night. With my imagination it could be a slightly edgy trek. Once you got to the cabin it was made of old moldy boards and looked like the first cabin ever built. It had a light bulb so useless a candle would have worked better. So we made sure we had our head lamps if we had to go there at night. We only went there when we had to shower or change. The hammocks were wonderful though and they are quickly becoming our first choice when it comes to choosing a bed.

The Lodge

So we climbed down from our roost and went to change and get ready for breakfast. It was a meager serving of eggs and I think pancakes. It also came with all the watered down juice you could drink. Our Swiss friends were the best at begging for more food, which would become a common occurrence since most of our meals left us hungry.

A Squirrel Monkey

After breakfast we loaded up on the canoe and headed up the river in search of wildlife and at some point fish for piranha! I had been looking forward to that part of the trip since I found out about it at the travel agent. We wound through the river stopping to look at colorful parrots and funny little squirrel monkey jumping from limb to limb. It was already a much better start than the previous day. The canoe ride took a good two hours so by the time we got to the lagoon the sun was really intense due to the whole equator thing so we decided to stop for lunch. After lunch we were surprised to find the place overrun with more squirrel monkeys and capuchin monkeys. We spent some time staring into the trees and snapping lots of pictures.

Capucin Monkey

After we wrapped up the photo shoot we went to the nearby lagoon in search of the infamous pink dolphins. We were happy that we spotted them right off the bat, since many other people we had talked to had not been able to see them during their stay. Our crazy guide started stripping down to her skibies and insisting we do the same. Before we knew it she was in the water. I soon followed suit because I really wanted a chance to swim with the dolphins. Laura was in pretty soon after. Well, unfortunately the dolphins stayed comfortably out of our reach, but we did have a nice swim. On the way back to the lodge we stopped at one of our guides piranha holes and started baiting our hooks with pieces of meat. I can honestly say I have never used raw beef as bait before. Those crafty little piranhas are good at picking the meat off without getting hooked. I’m sure the hooks we were using didn’t help matters. They looked like they had been used in some of the early great white fishing expeditions. I say this because they were giant, old and rusty and bent open. We are fishing for something with the mouth the size of a nickel at best. How could the little fish get its mouth around such a colossal hook I ask? Well, I did manage to hook a fish. It wasn’t a piranha. It was a much larger green fish with black bars down its side. I can’t remember what the guide called it but she said it was really good to eat. Too bad it got off when I tried to lift it into the boat with my rod, or you could call it a stick with a line tied to it. We did manage to get a few and we ate them at dinner that night. They were really boney and a bit fishy… not my favorite. However, they were a welcome addition to are meager dinner portion.

Me with Bessie

After another cold shower, we hung out with the gang at the lodge playing cards. We were teaching the Swiss how to play chicken berry slap or as the French call it The Battle of Corsica and it was quite amusing. The games got heated and everyone was out for blood or I guess cards. It all went downhill when I noticed something extra on the sofa. I told Phillip one of the Swiss guys to stand up and move away from the sofa slowly. He looked at me confused but moved anyway. When he looked down he saw a giant tarantula crawling towards him. After that everyone was too concerned about where Bessie (the tarantula) was to concentrate on the game.

Laura Making her way through the jungle

The rest of the trip was spent exploring more of the jungle. This time with the addition of a guide for our guide so she wouldn’t get lost again. We saw some really cool insect and fungi. We also saw huge termite mounds and many different types of ants. There was one called lemon ants that tasted like a drops of lemon when you ate them. Yes we tried them. There were the famous leaf cutter ants that from a distance you thought the leaves were walking. There were another that you could rub on your body and it would give you a citronella like smell. I don’t know if that had any usage or if the native just liked the smell. There was also another ant that if it bit you felt like you had been shot and you felt very sick for days. I stayed clear of those so sorry no pictures.

We also went on a late night Cayman spotting expedition. Finally! To add to the already comedic nature of our stay, the driver of the boat had no light so he couldn’t see his way through the river. Laura was nice enough to lend him her headlamp. Then, not twenty minutes into the hunt, our guide’s 3 dollar Wal-Mart special flashlight gives out and I am forced to lend my headlamp to her as well. We managed to spot a few small Cayman, despite all the problems. On the way back I guess the driver was over the trip, because he was flying down the river and it was impossible to spot anything. I mentioned this to our guide but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

Leaf Cutter Ants and Bride's Veil Fungus

I know it seems like I have more negatives to say about this trip than positives, but we really did have a good time. I mean we were in the Amazon jungle, a completely foreign and exotic place to us, so even the few things we saw were fascinating. Oh, I forgot to mention we never went to visit the indigenous family that was suppose to show us there way of life and how to make Yuka bread. That was part of the trip that we paid for, but that’s it I promise there is nothing else bad to say.

We packed up our stuff and headed on our way back to the main road to catch the overnight bus back to Quito. We boarded the bus at around 7:30pm. The second we stepped on we were assaulted by an overwhelming smell of urine. It was as if someone went through the bus peeing on everything. It didn’t matter if you sat at the front of the bus or the back. I didn’t think I was going to make it because we had to be on this bus for 11 hours. It didn’t seem to faze Laura. She was asleep in no time. It took me a little longer, but I finally managed to sleep a bit as well. Somewhere on the ride we were awoken by a man yelling at us. When we looked up it was a man dressed in army fatigues holding an assault rifle. We looked around for help from the other passengers but the bus was completely empty. Finally we woke up enough to understand what the man was saying. It was simply a checkpoint, and we needed to get off the bus and show our identification. It was rather humorous after the fact. We had no idea what was going on. The rest of the bus ride went smoothly and we made it to Quito around 6:30am.

Our guide taking us through the swamp

Lost in the Jungle

Canoe ride to the lodge

Our first day in the jungle! We got outfitted with gum boots and our rain gear and loaded up on a boat with nine other people and headed up river. After about a 45 minute ride we pulled over to the bank and our guide macheted a path for us. We all unloaded and started our journey. I couldn’t wait to see what we would find. It was going to be a completely different world that was populated with animals, plants, and insects I only see on the discovery channel. So we were off, following our all knowing intrepid guide. We followed the path through the jungle engulfed in the trees. We crossed a stream on some logs that functioned as a bridge

Laura on the log crossing

and saw some interesting insects. All was going well just like I had imagined. Then our guide stopped and told us to wait that the path was closed ahead and she needed to try and find a path. So then started a spider web of searching, she went to the left for a few minutes and came back then she went a little more to the right, then all the way over to the right, and again and again. She finally came back with a confused look on her face and then finally asked the group, “Which way did we come from?” We all looked at each other in slightly amused terror.


The group managed to find the trail we had come on and we wound our way back to the spot they had left us on the river. We then spent the next 5 to 6 hours trying to send messages through starting a fire to send smoke up. Yeah, come to find out, it’s hard to find dry wood in a rain forest. Somehow we managed to find enough to start a fire. We then found an echo tree that when you bang with a stick makes a very loud noise you can hear for miles.

Echo tree

Well, we had lots of time to get to know everyone at least. There was a really nice girl from Spain and two guys and two girls from Switzerland that we hit it off with. We bonded over telling each other the stereotypes and impressions we all had for each others’ countries. Not surprisingly so, they had plenty of ammo on the states. I knew there were a lot of negative views floating around but, wow, I was shocked to hear all of them. So after we were completely out of insults to throw at one another we then started to amuse ourselves with silly games like charades and the game where you have a card on your forehead with a famous person on it and you have to ask questions till you find out who it is. I wish I could remember the name. We had a lot of fun then the hunger started taking over and we played the game, I had a sandwich. We took turns adding an ingredient to the sandwich but we had to remember each item that was said before.

It was starting to get dark and we were getting a bit worried. Finally, after hours of beating the echo tree and fanning our little rescue fire the boat finally arrived and we were heading back to the lodge to get our long overdue meal. We

Rescue Fire

ate around 5:30 and devoured everything in front of us. Our guide then told us to meet back at 8:00 to go search for Cayman. We were all hanging out at the main lodge and started to get hungry again. It was getting close to dinner time and there was no sign of any preparation so we asked if we were going to eat soon. We were then informed that we had already had dinner and there would be no more food. So I guess we forfeited dinner because we got lost in the jungle. So we sat hungry, waiting for our guide to show up. 8:00 came and went. Then 8:30… 9:00… 9:30… and no sign of our guide. Then we see her walking out of the jungle with two other people. Apparently the owners of the lodge were suppose to pick her up from town in the boat and bring her back but they never came to get her. So instead she found some friends to walk back with her so she wouldn’t have to walk through the jungle at night by herself. She said there would be no Cayman trip because the owners took the boat. So we basically spent our first day hungry and didn’t do anything. At least we made some good friends. We went to bed hungry and hoped the next day would be better.