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Published: August 6th 2006
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Sorry it´s been a while, but I´m just so busy as my days are shortly numbered!! Hope you enjoy...I´ll begin where I last left off!
WEDNESDAY (7-26)
Here we are in the beautiful city of Loja. Also known as the gateway to Peru via two border crossings. It reminds me a lot of Cuenca: the colonial style is around along with the narrow steets and friendly atmosphere. Though unlike Cuenca´s uniform architecture, Loja is more of a mix of gorgieous, antique 18th and 19th century buildings. It´s a very isolated city, but within the city´s gates you´d never know it. Very thriving and full of energy, Loja is the provincial capital within Loja; as Cuenca was in Azuay.
We started the day off with breakfast at the hotel and proceed to the markets which were located inside and were very similar to the style of the Bahia malls back in Guayaquil. It was called Mercado Centro Comercial, and considered to be the ideal market and a model for other cities: clean, well managed, and run with people doing their job. I didn´t like the fact that the smell of the raw meat from downstairs could be
smelled while shopping, but I guess I´m a little more critical. I still haven´t gotten used to seeing dead, skinned chickens hanging by their feet everywhere. Or red meat draped over chords for others to buy. My nose can´t handle it and my stomach turns inside out. We just browsed and decided to come back another time to buy.
We went outside the castle gates to another market which was more of a crafts and artwork place and bought a few things there. It was very pretty. I got to met an American woman who had just sold everything she owned in the US to move to Ecuador for her and her husband´s retirment and we´re just now putting the finishing touches on their new house. It´s a shame she didn´t know a lick of Spanish though. Well we bought some things here and there in the market and headed back under the castle gates into the city of Loja.
Next we went on a very exciting mini-road trip to El Valle de Malacatos. Along the way we got to see Parque Nacional Podocarpes, a pristine tract of páramo and cloudforest. We drove through the pueblos of Caxarumi,
Rumizhitana, Malacatos, and Bilcabamba. We came back the same way and there were some very amazing mountains and beautiful sights in and along the way.
Sra. Loyola wasn´t hungry, so it was just me and Sr. Loyola who ate lunch when we went back to the hotel. We were all pretty tired from such a busy morning so we took a nice long rest in our rooms.
When we were all ready to go adverturnig again, we headed back to the Mercado Centro Comercial so I could pick some gorgeous boots made in Brasil (Couldn´t resist-sorry mom & dad!) and a few other items.
Well, like any normal kind of tourist we went driving around the city and checked out all there was to see. I´m sad to say that I was about a month early on my visit: Loja´s most exciting fiesta kicks off on August 20 when the icon of the Virgen del Cisne arrives in the Cathedral for a two-month "visit", having ben arried on foot from El Cisne, accompanied by hundreds of pilgrims. But we actually did get to a little fiesta happen, which was nice.
At Parque Central we got to
see a live fiesta, "Noche Lojana", where the Army and Marines were there and had their own marching band playing. It was interesting to hear latin version of a marching band, and to be honest I like it a lot more! While in the park, we visited the beautiful Cathedral and the new municipio. Amazing.
Walking down one of the main streets, Bolívar, and got to visit the Plaza de la Independencia and around before circling back around to the car. We stopped to grab some food before we got back to the hotel for the night.
THURSDAY (7-27)
Here we are on day four of my vacation within my vacation. This is the day planned for traveling. Get ready.
Beginning our day was an American breakfast at the hotel, consisting of eggs, bread, juice, and coffee. I´m American and I´m telling you-that´s not what I´d call an American breakfast. We like heart-stopping foods. Like fried bacon, pastries, doughnuts, sausage, and I´ll just stop right there.
Well we checked out of our rooms and got the car all packed up for the trip. Though on our wait, a friendly pass-byer informed us
of a mechanical problem the car was having. Indeed, we were dragging something underneath the car. No, Dad, I don´t know what it´s called and yes, I took a picture of it for you.
Fortunatley we found another really nice guy who was willing to drive to the local atuo store so we could follow him. Unfortunatley we ended up waiting a long time while the Chevy was getting doctored. But at least the people there were kind and considerate enough to bring us chairs while we waited.
Finally we were on our way! Through Catamayo-where I saw an airport- and through Chaguarpamba, Guaydoas, Santa Fufina, El Pindo, into Oro providence, with a stop in Balsas. Here we ate at Resturant Chelita, used the bathroom, and filled up on gas. What a pretty, clean town filled with sweet residents. Well we continued on our way...
Next through Triunfo, Torata, El Playon, Brisas, Santa Rosa, and arriving in Machala to stop.
We didn´t get to stay long, but long enough to realize what a beautiful city it is and how much it resembles Guayaquil. So much livliness...and so many bananas! It makes for a great providicial captial
of El Oro. Before you actually get into the busy city, you go through rows and rows of bananas, and pass hundreds of different plantations. In fact, Machala is called the "Banana Capital of the World" and you´d know why if you saw it! I was about two months early on this visit. Within the last week of September the annual World Banana Festival is hosted in this bustling city.
We only stopped for a short while and that was to visit the modern green-and-while cathedral located inside the parque central. Then we were off again! Headed back "home" to Guayaquil.
If you´re following our route, we headed down E25 (E stands for Ecuador, haha) through Gambio, Guabo, Monte de Oro, Río Bonito, into Azuay providence again, through Ponce Enriquez, and Tenguel where we stopped. Though very, very briefly. Only for a quick snack of fruits. I chose sugar cane to munch on. So Good!
With more road to be covered, we continued. We entered the Guayas Providence and drove through Jaemi Roldos, Naranjal, Villa Nueva, Puerto Inca, Estrella, El Mango, Churute, and Duran.
Then we were finally at the place I´ve been calling home for
the past 7 weeks! What a great mini-vacation!
Until next time,
Shir
<3
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George y Rosie
Rosita Crespo
Hi Goose!
Glad to see a new blog entry! You don't know how much we look forward to reading your entertaining adventures. And if all goes well, ganamos a titi Jaqui, hehe. Bueno, que pase de lo mas bien y siga publicando tus aventuras para que gozémonos! Bye baby, Mua!