HurricaneMaine

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.

Biking in Quito

On Sundays, the major street Rio de Amazonas closes one side fire bikes and runners. Or is a great way to get from north to south without having to worry about a lot of traffic. It is closed for about 6 hours. I loved riding towards the historical center as it is so beautiful. Here there are no descriptions, but just pictures.

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.

Touring outside of Cuenca

Casa museo de la macana

On the way to visit various towns outside of Cuenca, we stopped at a museum and exhibition of spinning and weaving. The spinning of the yarn uses a drop spindle similar to what I’ve used and seen. They also color the yarns similarly as other places of the world.

The weaving however is much different. They sit on the floor and the work is done with the arms instead of using peddles to tighten the weft threads.

Tying areas of the threads before dying.

A video of the weaving process here:https://youtu.be/-ZNyT2xPaFQ?si=CI4IjH9d3JiF24i_

Gualeseo

Another cute little town but seemed to sell many shoes as witnessed by the number of people in each of the stores. Since my size is hard to find here I didn’t go into the stores.

Chorteleg

Chorteleg is a cute little town. It is known for its silver and gold industry especially filigree designs. Of course I bought some jewelry.

A specific design that is unique to Chorteleg.

On the way back to Cuenca we stopped at San Fransisco square.

Note the mannequins on there
balconies of the pink building.

After arriving back in Cuenca we listened to some singers and danced a bit in the square. Quite the fun day.

Cuenca historical district

Meeting the vice president.

On the walking tour of Cuenca, our guide pointed out the newly elected vice president was here. I went to take a closer picture, and an aide noticed me and asked if I wanted to speak to her. I said yes. He announced I was an extranjero (foreigner). I told her I lived and worked in Quito and love Ecuador. I did that in Spanish. I was amazed at how close everyone was to her and how little security there was.

The cathedral

The cathedral is amazing. It had been designed by someone in Europe but the full design could not be realized as the building materials were different to make such a tall design. Because of this they did not put a bell in the tower.

The history of the cathedral dates back to the reconquest of Cuenca by Alfonso VIII of Castile in 1177. The cathedral was actually constructed on the site of a former mosque, and I wonder what conqueror brought that religion in and when. The initial construction of the cathedral took place during the transition from the Romanesque to Gothic period, resulting in a unique blend of architecture. Subsequent renovations and additions were with the last restoration in the 20th century after a tower collapsed.

The glass in the domes came from Spain. The marble in the cathedral from Italy.

View from the top looking over what used to be the convent and now is a commercial center and restaurants.

Looking out over the central town square.

The tiles in the towers came from Czechoslovakia.

The town square

A young revolutionary who despite being wounded, crawled to the top of the highest hill to plant the independence flag.

Celebrations in the square for independence day.

Food

Espumilla . It looks and tastes like a wet meringue. Not too sweet. They put it in an ice cream cone. It is delicious and it’s made with fresh fruit puree.

Locra de papa. Potato soup with cheese, mota (corn), and avocado. With some added aji (pepper sauce), it is delicious and an Ecuadorian dish.

Other pictures

The aquiducts created between the four rivers around Cuenca.

This drink is said to cure you. Made from rises and a bunch of different herbs and mineral water.

The independent and wealthy woman of cuenca who donated large amounts of property to the city.

Other buildings