Ecuador – HurricaneMaine

Casa del Alabado Pre-Columbian Art Museum

I went with a friend to a museum with summer of the oldest artifacts in Ecuador.

It is dedicated to pre-Columbian art and artifacts and has a diverse collection of objects from various indigenous cultures from this region before the arrival of the Spanish. Its displays showcase authentic artifacts that depict the beliefs, rituals, and daily life of the ancient peoples. the exhibits were of pottery, sculptures, jewelry, and others.

These symbols seem to assist in other cultures on other continents as well

This vessel was used for making morocho, a corn based drink.

These were carried with people as good luck.

The building itself is beautiful and the original structure. New walls and structures were added as necessary to display the objects. The courtyards were equally amazing.

Afterwards we went to find some something to eat.

Basílica del voto nacional

A great day trip to Centro histórico in Quito finally led me to the Basilica. Every Sunday I ride the ciclo paseo and I see the basilica but had yet to step foot inside.

The Basilica del Voto Nacional is one of the largest neo-Gothic basilicas found in the Americas. Its architecture is like medieval European cathedrals.

The construction of the basilica began in the late 19th century and took over 100 years.

There are over 20 gargoyles as decoration on the exterior of the basilica. These depict Ecuadorian animals such as armadillos, iguanas, and Galapagos tortoises.

The basilica has four main towers that represent a different aspect of Christian faith: hope, charity, faith, and Jesus Christ.

The towers have stunning panoramic views of the historic center. Narrow and steep stairs were a little challenging but worth it for the view. Views from the towers:

Even though it is styled after European cathedrals, the basilica has many indigenous elements found in the stonework including animals and symbols.

Inside the basilica features are impressive stained glass windows. The altars are ornate as well as the vaulted ceilings.

Supposedly, the facade remains unfinished. I did not really notice this. It symbolizes that perfection belongs only to God.

Beneath the basilica, there are crypts for the remains of prominent figures. Chapels to saints are found inside.

Afterwards we walked from the basilica to San Francisco square. Here we had something to eat and drink while enjoying the view in the other direction.

As it is right before holy week (Easter also known as Semana Santa), one of the ritual dishes is Fenesca. It is a dish that takes some time to prepare but it’s really delicious.

Cotopaxi and Pichincha

Ryan and I traveled to Secret Garden in Cotopaxi. It was easy as they transferred you from the Secret Garden in Quito to the one near the volcano. It is an active volcano but lessening in activity over the last year.

Secret Garden

Secret Garden is an amazing hostal. We started in the hobbit house which was for a single or family. The food was amazing and there is so much to eat and the views were incredible.

They have llamas that love bananas. Since they are an everyday snack to take at will, there are many skins saved here for the llamas that we are encouraged to feed. This one comes running.

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador and is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. It is 5,897 meters (19,347 feet) high, and its almost perfect cone shape at the summit always has snow. The volcano is part of the Cotopaxi National Park. From the hostal, you can see it and two other volcanoes.

Though it is still active, climbing can occur up to the glacier but not to the summit.

This is Ruminahui which is a dormant and heavily eroded volcano. Climbing it requires rock climbing.

Iliniza north and south volcanoes. These twin mountains are literally 1 km from each other.

Pasachoa is another notable peak near the hostal but with my knee still not at 100%, it was not worth the risk. Ryan went on that hike though.

The paramo

A paramo is a unique high-altitude ecosystem found in the Andes Mountains, and is found between 3,000 and 4,500 meters (9,800 to 14,800 feet) in elevation. It is alpine tundra. The vegetation is grasses and shrubs that are adapted to the harsh environmental conditions. Temperatures can be cold and the weather changes drastically. The UV radiation here is high. Paramos play a crucial role in regulating water. Paramos support diverse wildlife, including unique bird species and mammals adapted to the challenging mountain environment. The horses and llamas here are wild.

I took a horse back riding tour across the paramo. It was amazing and very beautiful.

We stopped to have a snack midway through the hike.

Cotopaxi glacier

The glacier is at an altitude of 5100 m or 16732 ft. It was tough in breathing but not very difficult. The volcanic ash made for summer find descending back down.

Ryan rented a bike to ride down from part of the volcano.

Pichincha

Earlier in the week we went to Pichincha which is not far from my house and the city. It is an active volcano but the part that you can climb is not active. We did not climb the whole route but had impressive views of the city.

Mindo

I’ve been to mindo once but did not do the bird watching tours. Since Ryan was visiting I thought an overnight trip to mindo would let him see a different view of Ecuador. It is literally over the mountain that we were on the day before but takes a few hours to get there. Lower in elevation, it is warmer and more sub tropical. This was also the first time I drove a car in Ecuador. It was a beautiful drive reminding me of western pa country roads but a lot steeper hills.

Food

I have been so excited to share some great Ecuadorian foods with my son.

Bird watching

I have a list of the birds that I saw but have yet to match the names to the pictures. These are just some of the pictures.

Can you see the green toucan? He camouflages well

Mindo is not jungle but called the cloud forest. The release of water vapor from the leaves of trees condenses into clouds along the tree line.

The 88 butterfly. I know, it looks like 89.

The central American Agouti. A small mammal.

Coffee and chocolate tour

The birds we saw:

Mindo–Vía a las cascadas (Waterfall trail)
dic 20, 2023
6:07 a. m.
Con Desplazamiento
10.81 km
220 minutos
¿Reportaste todas las especies? No
Comentarios:

2 White-necked Jacobin
1 White-whiskered Hermit
1 Violet-tailed Sylph
2 Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
1 Andean Emerald
5 Western Cattle Egret
3 Black Vulture
4 Turkey Vulture
2 Barred Hawk
2 Collared Trogon
3 Rufous Motmot
3 Broad-billed Motmot
3 Red-headed Barbet
7 Crimson-rumped Toucanet
3 Yellow-throated Toucan (Chestnut-mandibled)
3 Choco Toucan
2 Golden-olive Woodpecker
1 Plain-brown Woodcreeper
1 Spotted Woodcreeper
2 Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner
3 Lineated Foliage-gleaner
4 Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner
2 Scaled Fruiteater
2 Cinnamon Becard
1 White-winged Becard
1 One-colored Becard
1 Tawny-breasted Flycatcher
3 Slaty-capped Flycatcher
1 Ornate Flycatcher
2 Yellow Tyrannulet
1 Ashy-headed Tyrannulet
1 Lesser Greenlet
2 Brown-capped Vireo
1 Chivi Vireo
2 Blackburnian Warbler
3 Three-striped Warbler
3 Three-striped Warbler (daedalus)
1 Canada Warbler
3 Slate-throated Redstart
2 White-winged Tanager
3 White-shouldered Tanager
4 Flame-rumped Tanager (Lemon-rumped)
3 Blue-gray Tanager
2 Palm Tanager
2 Flame-faced Tanager
2 Swallow Tanager
2 Guira Tanager

San Francisco church

The San Francisco Church in Quito is in the historical center. It dates back to the 16th century and was built over indigenous religious sites. It is beautiful as it is a mix of Spanish Baroque and indigenous influences. The carvings and details are ornate and intricate. The church is still used for religious services but is also a living museum with art work depicting religion and the cultural heritage of Quito.

My friend Kathryn and her boyfriend Leo found the tour and bought the tickets. I was excited to go on a night tour of this amazing church.

View from the front of the church facing the old historical center

Looking at the center square inside the church

Models on display depicting the life of Jesus from birth to the cross. This is just one model

The monastery had a brewery and brought beer to Quito

We also visited another church in the historic old city. On that street there are 7 churches.

Afterwards we walked around la ronda, a famous old street in the historic center. It was built over the old incan trail and is still like it was designed then.

A few weeks later, Ryan came to visit and Leo offered to all go together to find some food and your the old city. We saw the chapel of the church plus a few other places.

We tried morocho from street vendors in Floresta which is made with corn flour. It tasted a little like rice pudding and was delicious.

From the restaurant in la ronda where we ate the biggest empanada ever. It was the size of a large pizza.

We went to El panacillo. It means little bread as the hill is shaped like a loaf of bread.

How houses were built in the past with a courtyard on the inside which is now covered.

Christmas lights at the botanical gardens

I went with my friend Monica to the botanical garden here in Quito fort the Christmas light festival. It was beautiful and will need to go back to the botanical garden after the holidays.

Chivas

Chivas are converted buses that include pay lights and music sound systems with a DJ. As the boss moves through the city for a couple hours, the riders dance and party. And yes, there is alcohol involved.

I have stories about the Chiva, but I’m not going to write about those.

My school did have a Chiva for visiting a location where they will build their new school. After champagne and a dinner, the night ended with 7 Chivas taking all the teachers around that section of the city.

Day of the Dead

“Dia de los Difuntos in Ecuador”

In Ecuador, Dia de los Difuntos, or the Day of the Dead, has indigenous roots and Catholic traditions and it’s celebrated on all souls day, November 2nd.

Preparations for Dia de los Difuntos involve crafting colorful altars with photographs, favorite foods, and cherished belongings. The bread, “guaguas de pan” (bread babies) and the drink “colada morada” (purple porridge made with purple corn flour and fruits that is served warm) are symbolic culinary gifts to the departed but are mostly shared as a sense of community.

My school had a 3 day weekend but there were plenty of festivities including observing American Halloween.

There were dancing competitions by grade level.

The elementary school had their own Halloween celebration.

It was a pretty fun time learning about the traditions in a new country.

Extended stay in Guayaquil

The flight back home to Quito from Cuenca had a short layover in Guayaquil. Unfortunately, there was a small mechanical problem with the plane and everyone on board missed their connecting flight. It meant a 24 hour stay until the next flight we could get. At least the airline covered all costs and meals at the Marriott until the time of the flight.

Guayaquil is not a very safe city. After setting up lesson plans for my classes and using some of the hotel facilities, I thought I should go sightsee if just for a couple hours. I settled on three places I would want to see and set out in an Uber.

The first was Parque Seminario. It is the oldest park in the city and it’s also known as iguana park for all the iguanas that take up residence there. I was glad to see security in the area.

The longer the tail with the similar color means it is an elder iguana who has kept their tail in fights.

I next went to Uber to La Peña to climb the 445 stairs in this colorful area. At the top is a lighthouse and a beautiful view of the city.

From here, my last stop was actually a short walk from the bottom of the stairs. The Malecón was built for tourism and is along the water. It was a great stroll and I was happy to see that there was security along the way.

All in all a great time to tour despite my worry of safety. I did meet from the plane a great couple. He grew up in Altoona, not far from where I grew up, and now works in Philly. Such a small world.

I was happy to finally get home though it was midnight.

More Cuenca

After a day off meeting Pam, a friend of Susan’s and another couple we met, I am really glad that I talked with others about their experience here. Their insights and suggestions is what I was looking for.

I really love this place. It feels like a small town but has so many arts and other activities. It is very walkable and safe. It is definitely a contender for retirement.

Encebollado, one of the world’s soups one should try. This has fish in it.

Lots of dancing expeditions during the festival.

So many murals. This is one made of mosaics.

So many artisan tents along the city. I want to come back here when there is not a festival to see what the city has to offer

Shopping the river and throughout the city there are so many beautiful buildings.

We took a city bus tour on the last morning to get a different view of some of the areas. Turi was beautiful with a church on the hill and a view of the whole city.

Other views of the city during the celebration.

In El Calderon park. Many activities and a mini parade.

Since day of the dead is over with and there is no Thanksgiving, I should be allowed to put up Christmas decorations as seen by these stores. Agreed?

I know many more are thinking that it is crazy to live somewhere else in the world but I am really liking it here. It is the time after moving here when the newness wears off and you are wondering what you are doing here, but I don’t feel that way. I really love this place and can see splitting my time between Ecuador and the US.