Ecuador – Page 2 – HurricaneMaine

Relaxation in Baños de Agua Santa

The active volcano Tungurahua is near Baños and the city is situated between the Andes and the Amazon. The last major eruption was in 2006 and the healing power of the many waters here balances the destructive power from eruptiond.

There are images of goblins, gnomes, and elves throughout the city. They are mythical creatures and are considered the first protectors of the Earth.

Banos de Agua Santa is named because of the natural mineral thermal springs in the area. As in other areas, they are believed to be possess healing properties and I for one enjoy soaking in warm baths.

Today is a day for enjoying nature, relaxing, and a little pampering.

Casa de árbol

The casa de árbol is a great mirador (lookout) to view the volcano Tungurahua as well as the city. This morning was very foggy as there was much rain the night before. Giant swings, a small Zipline, and beautiful gardens are a rain to spend time here.

Pasarela diamante

This skywalk is the first glass skywalk in Latin America. It is over 1000 meters above the city of Baños.

Climbing up above the observation deck gives another interesting view.

Mano de Pachamama

The hands of Pachamama is another impressive viewpoint in Baños. This artistic work of art resembles hands emerging from nature and the heart in the middle of it all. Pachamama means mother earth and is the giver and protector of nature.

Two glass observation decks, each with a hand extending from the earth, are joined in the middle
by a connection, the heart

Afterwards, we ate at cafe de cielo (café in the sky). I ordered cevichochos which is a ceviche with chocho (lupine beans). It is the best tasting ceviche broth I have had here in Ecuador. Also, chochos are now my favorite bean to eat. Double the protein of most other beans and as much calcium as a glass of milk. I also had cheese empanadas.

We had about an hour and a half to walk around before our 6 hour spa appointment at Luna Volcan.

In the markets they are roasting Cuy, which is guinea pig. They are not pets here and are much larger.

Street performers were everywhere. This was acting as an object of art and invited contributions to the art.

This little dog, Princess, was in the apartment downstairs and would greet me through the fence. Not very friendly, but cute.

Luna Volcan is a spa high on the mountain overlooking Baños. There are package deals and the driver we hired was able to negotiate other packages.

For $122 each, we had a three hour pass to the pools and spa waters. Even though it was raining, it was great. Afterwards, we had a one hour relaxing massage followed by full body exfoliation with a chocolate scrub. The price also included dinner, with a choice of entree and either an appetizer or dessert.

A great way to spend the last night in Baños. The views are amazing here too. It is on the same property as cafe de cielo.

Road trip to Baños de Agua Santa

This weekend of the celebration of the battle of Pichincha that happened on May 24, 1822. It is the Latin American War of Independence. This battle, led by Antonio José de Sucre, allowed the South American rebels to defeat the Spanish royalists. They were able to take control of Quito the following day. The battle occurred on one of the slopes of the Pichincha volcano.

For the 3 day weekend, Susan and I drove to Baños which is about 3 hours south of Quito. On the way is a city called Ambato. We stopped to stretch our legs and look at the city from a high point. We visited the Parque Provincial de la Familia. It is a beautiful park with community sports areas, a farm, lagoons, and spaces to relax.

From there we headed to the Airbnb and found that the owner knew a guide for the waterfalls. We were also able to practice our Spanish. Ed

Agotan Waterfall

This waterfall (cascadas) is formed from the Pastaza river.

Rio Blanca Mega Adventure Park

Of course there are commercial enterprises including zip lining even in the superman position. They also have a glass suspension bridge to walk to the other side over the Pastaza river below. Since I have done this in China, I wanted to do it again here. They have a few glass panels that stimulate cracking of the glass with the actual sound effects. Much different from China where the sound came from above.

Cascada Manto de la Novia

The mantle of the bride waterfall is named for the whiteness of the water which resembles a wedding veil and dress. It flows into the Pastaza river. At this waterfall we took the Tarabita ride over the river and by the falls.

Cascada el Pailón del Diablo

This waterfall is named for the stair of the rocks under the waterfall. If you look closely, the rocks look like the devil’s face. There are two sides to see. One side has a small amount of hiking with a rickety wood bridge.

The other side of the devil’s waterfall is much more scenic and a longer walk. Getting to the waterfall is a long slope downwards with some steps as well and then a climb along the side of the waterfall. You can also duck into the caves and emerge right beside the waterfall.

Much of this longer walk is through the first which is a beautiful walk. This squirrel seemed unperturbed.

There are two sections of caves to get through. This is the entrance to the second cave. My knees did not like having to squat down so far to get through but the views were obviously worth it in the end.

Dinner at Mozafiato was very good. Pricey but a really nice meal with a corner on the third floor overlooking the nightlife below.

I love watching the dogs that have free roam of the rooftops. This one was watching dogs on the street.

View of the mountain from the restaurant.

Celebrations

I am grateful for celebrations that bring people together.

Salsa night with Melanie, center, and Natalia from Brazil.

Who could not celebrate the first time ever Reese’s is sold in Ecuador?

A group of us also gets together regularly at Susan’s house fire figure and wine.

Teacher prom is put on by my school. What fun. Dinner, drinks, she’s so much dancing. We danced for over three hours. It was exciting being at a dance where almost everyone dances and no one stops.

Not a celebration, but a friend and I going tutoring in Tumbaco.

And of course, the best celebrations are fire others and events in their life. Monica had her bridal shower and it was so much fun. Lots of games and merriment on a Friday night.

Just for fun, on many street corners people will offer entertainment for tips.

Mother’s day

For mother’s day, I ride my bike on the ciclo paseo. As I was ready to enter the Centro histórico, I heard the sound of Elvis music. An Ecuadorian Elvis street musician (in the past I have seen the Asian Elvis in Hong Kong).

It was a beautiful day.

Later I went with my friend Monica to the Botanical garden and the Vivarium (snakes and frogs). Through WhatsApp, I talked for a little bit with Becca and Ryan and Ryan

The botanical garden was peaceful.

And the orchid garden.

The vegetable garden

We visited the carnivorous plants section where they have many varieties of pitcher plants and Venus fly traps.

No pictures can be taken at the vivarium which is a pity as they had so many different frogs, boas, pit vipers, and especially an axolotl. Afterwards we walked to the Gusanita which is a kiddie train that circles the park on the roads. It was pretty fun and especially to have a friend to spend the day with.

Museums of art in Quito

Artist Camilo Egas is a painter of indigenous art. I visited the free museum in Centro Histórico. He painted many indigenous paintings as well as paintings from the depression era when he lived in New York.

In the upper floor of the museum is a room of early 20th century political cartoons that were published.

This is a picture of a mural that was commissioned for an expo and painted by the artist.

Afterwards, I saw this street parade honoring a ban teacher that has recently died. Students and older friends played in bands in the parade.

The Viva Michelangelo exhibit in Quito used artistic interpretations and some reproductions to bring Michelangelo’s work to the people here.

A reproduction of scenes from the Sistine chapel.

The head of David was used to create different themes using AI.

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.