Blogs from Mindo, North, Ecuador, South America - page 11

Today we went to Mindo which is a cloud rainforest. It is up in the highlands but it is very wet and has vegetation like a rainforest. Our first stop was an Orchid Reserve. Many of the orchids weren’t in bloom but we did see Heliconia and many other plants. There were lots of butterflies. We hiked to a waterfall while our guide Sebastian told us about the plants and environment stuff. While we were all standing listening to him talk a mini rock slide happened and rocks came raining down on us. Only one person was hit and it looked worse than it actually was. After the Orchid Reserve we took a treacherous bus ride up a very winding hill. Though it wasn’t very far, the bus had to go really slow and it took ... read more

So, for the first time, I have put an entry location as a location we are not actually at- we have regained the high ground, literally, of Quito and ´The Secret Garden´hostel. Though we have decide to head toward Latacunga to check out the Quilotoa loop and the Black Sheep Inn, one of the first places I checked out on the web when planning the trip. Also, if you are among the few loyal readers, there is a bit extra added onto the last entry, so feel free to go back and read about Quito. After dinner and a late night talking with our fellow hostel mates (10pm!), we went packed and went to bed. We awoke early for our 8am bus to Mindo, taking a taxi to the Flor del Valle bus station. After purchasing ... read more

Today is my last day in Quito. Endings are bittersweet . . . I've had an incredible time traveling, but I am looking forward to being back in the US and seeing my family and friends for the holidays. This last week has been especially good since I am more comfortable with Quito and have really seen it come alive during the fiesta. We went to a soccer match and, despite rain and other logistical difficulties, the Quitenos spirits were as passionate as ever. Coming from the US, it seemed that there was an "anything goes" attitude . . vendors sell liquor and bottle rockets (I think I scared the people around me with mine!) . . . the group of dedicated fans who come to every Nacional game decked out in red can also be ... read more

Rumor has it that biblical scholars think they have found the location of Eden. Standing here, at my window in the hostal El Rocio, I am fairly certain that I have found it, too. Eden is in Mindo, Ecuador. Mindo is located approximately two and a half hours north-northwest of Quito in a cloud forest roughly 1500 meters above sea level. It is a world teeming with life. Vines, flowers and plants with leaves the size of a person (and larger) grow everywhere; it's what I imagined a tropical forest would look like minus the humidity and abundance of large insects. Apparently Mindo's cloud forest is home to over 400 species of birds, more than Costa Rica, a country famous for its birds. The air is clean, the people are friendly, and we have fallen in ... read more