http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Ecuador , North , Bellavista Cloud Forest en-us Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:34:57 +0000 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:34:57 +0000 From One Extreme to Another Im writing this update by candlelight in a fabulous cabin with extensive views of misty mountains at Santa Lucia Cloudforest Reserve.We have just spent the last 2 days in noisy bustling Quito capital of Ecuador and I cant quite believe that after a 1 12 hours bus trip that wound its way through the mountains a very bumpy 4WD trip 30 mins and then a 1 12 hour http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-390073.html The last week has been hectic... Spanish classes started Monday so it was four hours of intense Spanish ever day. Did a number of cultural events during the week including Salsa lessons a cooking class and a cultural dance performance. I feel like a downright Ecuadorian This weekend we took a trip out to Mindu which is about 2 hours from Quito. We got there at about 9 Sat morning and c http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-313330.html Once more this weary traveler delays sleep to broadcast her intrepid adventures.......geez Im exhausted....I left off just before we went to the New Townfor some shopping me shopping. And once again I have made some fragile purchases......I knew I should have packed that bubble wrap After a fairly non descript dinner we headed back to Old town and on the way I saw the greatest sign... http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-306279.html Bellavista Cloud Forest is a charming place two hours drive from Quito on the Mindo road. Its worth taking the 1 or 2 day all inclusive package as they pick you up from your hotel which is a lot easier than getting the bus to Mindo and then arranging for further transport to the reserve. I took the 2 night 3 day trip and it was recommended by the Rough guide and a few trip reports on the South A http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-292035.html Seven Days in Ecuador Part ThreeFri 1605 Sun 180508The coach pulls into Mindo around 11am. Mindo is a small town with less than 3000 inhabitants. The high street extends a couple of hundred yards consisting mainly of bars restaurants and tour operators. Mindo thrives on ecotourism pulling in the punters who come to see the diverse wildlife and to take part in outdoor activities among http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-291226.html Ahoyhoy This week has gone by quite quickly. We caught a bus at 600 on monday morning to take us back to Mindo and start our work for the week. We arrived right on time at 830 for breakfast and started work very quickly. Our work this week has consisted mostly of planting more coffee trees. However I made rather an unpleasant discovery in regards to the organization we are working for. The ow http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-276718.html He mates After getting back in Quito from the Amazonas I've been to school for 2 days before I went on my next 2 day trip to Mindo which is a tiny village just 2 hours from Quito.. So I didn't have to stay in the bus too long. I went to Mindo with Lars and his girlfriend Gabi and we had a wonderful and super relaxing time. We arrived around 11am and first we had put our luggage in one of the man http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-262061.html A few more weeks in Las Tolas and I have to be the most relaxed Ive ever been in my life. The school is closed and I spend my days helping Madge around the house playing an addictive game called Damas with Magde and the kids. I also go horse riding on my own for hours with the most lazy horse you could imagine Camilla who likes to stop regularly for food and sugar breaks. That night I had a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-262040.html I arrived in Las Tolas at 8 the bus took three hours from Quito and it was a rough ride my back killed most of the way was along bumpy gravel and roads full of pot holes. When the bus arrived Magdalena was there to meet me. We went into the house and I had to use the toilet desperately the bathroom is outside with no running water and the bathing facility is a bucket water is collect from a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-258903.html The phrase cloudforest conjures up an image of lush green vegetation covered in rolling mist with an everpresent sound of running water in the background like something out a Livingston adventure. This is EXACTLY how it really is. Add in a crazy ride across a 1000ft treecovered valley in an open cage suspended by wire one of the least safe contraptions that we have ever seen and it really f http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-256167.html TelefriQo MindoMy brother and sisterinlaw came to visit me here in Ecuador and they arrived on Saturday the 2908. That evening we took the TelefriQo which is a ski lift up to the top of the volcano Pichincha 13500ft. Pichincha lines the western flank of Quito. Two words beautiful and cold. Later we went salsa dancing at Seseribo on Ave Octubre y Vientemilla. On Sunday went to a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-247620.html Bellavista Cloud ForestWe booked a day trip to visit Bellavista Cloud Forest but its a bit of a jaunt from Quito so we were picked up early in the morning. It was a lovely day as we bumped our way up the forested mountains of Mindo to the reserve which is a mixture of protected primary and secondary subtropical rainforest. Just before we reached the resort we found a green Touconet sitting http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-223235.html The past four days I have spent in Mindo. Mindo is 2 hours from Quito is in the cloud forest and is renowned for being one of the places with the highest wildlife biodiversity in the world. A cloud forest is is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a high incidence of lowlevel cloud cover usually at the canopy level. It is usually found at the east http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Bellavista-Cloud-Forest/blog-219115.html