Travel Blog Posts
December 15th 2008
It becomes harder to write about everything that has happened the longer I wait. So, I hope that by going back to Arequipa, eleven days ago and starting from there I can jog my memory and tell a fuller story... After returning from our adventure in the canyon Andrew and I figured we would take a down day to shower, rest, and scratch off all the black stuff on our arms and legs, remnants from the toxic plant. The canyon must have taken more out of us than we thought, or it took more out of me anyway. I came down with a flu/cold like thing that left me inactive but with an appetite at least. So we chilled in our hostel, and ate, and drank tea and sat under a big umbrella in the courtyard ... read more
A couple of Gringos in a Peruvian canyon
Published: December 4th 2008South America » Peru » Arequipa » Colca Canyon
December 3rd 2008
Have you ever gone into an environment looking for that kind of beauty or...truth that a beautiful landscape can provide? Have you ever gone into an environment looking for that but then lost your trail, drank all your water, ate all your food, and stumbled through cacti, toxic tree-bushes, and crumbling rocks? Well, this past weekend at Colca Canyon Andrew and I did so. And we both now have a profound new respect for all environments, especially canyons. Colca Canyon is the second deepest canyon in the world at some 3000 meters, second only to it´s neighbor Colahuasi (I think, it´s something ´huasi). The colca canyon trek has become a popular one for gringos because it is (relatively) easy to do, and easy to access from the white city Arequipa. It is also a hike that ... read more
November 26th 2008
Hello hello from the white city (no not Minas Tirith you Lord of the Rings geeks) of Arequipa in southern Peru. Arequipa is Peru´s second largest city (750,000ish) nestled beside some big volcanoes in the southern part of Peru´s highlands. It´s kind of like the Cuenca (Ecuador) of Peru. It´s the colonial gem of the country. The streets are narrow and paved with stones. There´s a river that runs along a pretty park right by our hostel, and wonderful views of the volcanoes from all over. The city gets it´s name because all the buildings are white (isn´t that interesting!). No but seriously they are all made of white volcanic stone, very poroussy (is that a word?). We arrived here at the wee hours last night after a long and somewhat comfortable bus ride from the ... read more
Eating pets and a long trip to Peru
Published: November 13th 2008South America » Peru » Amazonas » Chachapoyas
November 13th 2008
Hola dearest amigos! It has been a week since my last entry, and now I am in a new país, Peru! The past few days have been travel filled, because we Drew, Nate (see mitad del mundo, Nate riding the elephant entry) decided to cross into Peru at the most remote crossing (Zumba). Nate and Drew arrived in Cuenca on Friday night, and we left for Loja a town 7 hours south monday morning. The weekend was pretty mellow in Cuenca except for the Saturday when we went Cuy hunting. Cuy or guinea pig is a highland delicacy served in Ecuador, Peru, and I bet Bolivia. Pre-colombian peoples, the incans, to everybody living in the highlands today eats cuy--it´s kind of like turkey to us, people eat in at holidays. Luis, the dueño of the hostel ... read more
November 5th 2008
Hello everybody. I am a few cities behind since my lost blog. The "Mr. Allen goes to the beach" blog was from a small beach town about half way down the coast called Canoa. If it was too cryptic, well I don´t apologize, but I wanted to try something different. From Canoa I travelled south along the "Ruta del Sol" a highway that runs along the coast. I don´t think the highway got it´s name from this time of year--a guy in Canoa told me that he has seen about 6 sunny days in the last two months. I had one while I was there. I spent maybe two hours in the sun and came in with first degree burns on my shoulders. I am still peeling. Even without sun the ride along the "Ruta" is ... read more
October 30th 2008
It could have been a beach anywhere. Palm trees and thatched gazebos line a white sand beach beyond which stretches the ocean. A deep green-blue like a clouded emerald. Motorboats line the brow of the beach, propped up on tree trunks, their bows pointed proudly up. Names like 007, The Baron, and Asi es la vida (That´s life) tacked onto the side in that black and gold lettering you sometimes see on houses displaying their address. Mr. Allen rose early, around six and took a piss. He remembered to toggle the toliet lever like Pablo the hostel dueño had showed him. When the toliet bowl continued filling he remembered to take the lid off the top and push the stopper down, like Pablo had shown him. Mr. Allen met Pablo at dusk on the sandy road ... read more
Ibarra, Esmeraldas, and the Police
Published: October 21st 2008South America » Ecuador » North » Esmeraldas
October 21st 2008
Buenas tardes everybody. It has been some time since my latest dispatch, and a lot has happened. I have also been sitting at this computer for about an hour and half now, writing emails. So I guess this is a warning to the reader...this blog might be sloppy. My last entry was from Otavalo, a popular market town a couple hours north of Quito, in the mountains. A notable event from there: I watched the Ecuador Chile eliminatorias game (a league game to determine who gets into the 2010 World Cup, this game did not determine if Chile or Ecuador made it, per say, but its nearing the end of the eliminatorias and was certainly important)...I watched this game in a packed theater with a bunch of Otavaleños. They served popcorn and soda, had stadium seating, ... read more
Otavalo and a bike ride to Puyo.
Published: October 11th 2008South America » Ecuador » North » Otavalo
October 11th 2008
Hola! So for concerned readers I am not in the Amazon. Unfortunately the trip that I wanted to go on fell through in Baños. So, I took a bus back to Quito and spent the night there, in ´The Secret Garden,´a very nice, popular hostel next to Parque San Blas, right outside of old Quito. The Secret Garden has maybe three or four floors--you kind of start to lose track. At the very top is a metal spiral staircase that leads to the rooftop terrace. It has a wonderful view of the city, and they serve beer and food up there as well. There are loads of nice young folks there, and they provide internet and laundry (you have to pay for it, but its there). Past 9 o clock or so though I wouldn´t do ... read more
October 7th 2008
Buenos tardes...amigos. I am now in the town of Baños, a small tourist town of about 12,000 (I should cite the lonely planet here) south east of Quito. It´s a lovely little town, with an extraordinarily different vibe than Quito. In the tourist district of Quito it was common to see fellow gringos, but less common in other parts of the city. In comparison Baños is gringolandia. According to some locals it has been for...ever. It´s easy to see why. It´s tucked between mountains, a river runs through the northern part of the city (I can´t remember the name now), it´s super close to Volcan Tuhurgua, and it´s got all these hot springs. Which is where the city got it´s name from. Baños is very touristy, yes, but so far it´s not the kind of touristy ... read more
Quiet Sunday in Quito and the most popular Gringo in town
Published: October 5th 2008South America » Ecuador » North » Quito
October 5th 2008
Sunday´s in Quito are quiet. They seem really quiet compared to the hustle bustle of the week. People sleep in, businesses close, and there are few cars. What made this Sunday special though is that the city closed down a couple of the main roads running through downtown and opened them up for bikers--not harley bikers, bicyclists. My biggest regret of the day was not bringing my camera, and not thinking to rent a bike. Tons and tons of people cruised through the colonial streets of Old Quito, some taking their time, others booking it...it was fun to see. The clean water company in Quito even came out and handed out free purified water in the Plaza Grande. Oh yes. And if anybody was wondering if I am the most popular gringo in town yet, I´m ... read more
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