Blogs from Central Highlands, Centre, Ecuador, South America - page 3

Tre giorni di Couchsurfing a Riobamba... trakking a Palitahua, alle pendici del fumante (ma quel giorno invisibile) Tungurahua. Week-end in tenda sul monte Puñay - Chunchi, montagna sacra al popolo Cañari, sulla qui vetta si trova una delle piú grandi e antiche piramidi a gradoni del sud america (a forma di guacamoya - pappagallo). Narra la leggenda che: Venne il diluvio e gli uomini vennero spazzati via. Si salvarono solo due fratelli, sulla cima del Puñay. Scesero poi dal cielo due guacamoyas che si unirono ai due fratelli, generando il popolo cañari. Per questo motivo venne eretta la struttura a gradoni sulla cima della montagna. Sulle sue piattaforme gli yacha e gli amauta compivano sacrifici e misurazioni astronomiche. Qui si trovava un punto di incontro tra i popoli della sierra e della costa. ... read more

The Camino del Inca (not to be confused with the famous one of the same name in Peru) starts in Achupallas, about an hour by minibus from Alausi. It is a 2-3 day trip along the remnants of an ancient Inca Road. As I left Alausi late, I could start the Inca trail only around 1 pm. During the first hour or two I was accompanied by a local couple who insisted to show me the way and carry my backpack in order to earn a few bucks. Initially I didn't want to, especially as the guy clearly had had some alcohol, but finally I gave in. And in the end it was nice not to walk alone, and they explained me some plants etc. The woman would normally not talk, unless I specifically asked her ... read more

The lakes of Atillo and Osogoche are located in-between Macas and Riobamba in a beautiful spot in the Sangay National Park. There is basic dormitory accomodation at Los Saskines in Atillo Chico. I went on a guided hike, together with a couple from new Zealand and England.... read more

Laguna Quilotoa was our next stop - a volcanic crater lake, which erupted about 200 years ago. Seeing this area, which is similar to where the vast majority of the indigenous population live, once again confirmed to us that on the whole indigenous people of formerly colonised countries have it really tough. In this area they live at altitudes of between 3,000-4,000 metres, coping with bitterly cold winds, freezing temperatures obviously with no electricity, running water and in homes made of mud and straw. They farm land on the sides of mountains with only their hands having to walk for hours to even get there, I´m not sure how they manage it. The crater itself is stunning with turquoise water, it feels extremely remote. You can walk around the crater and down into it - you ... read more

Na het ontbijt in hotel Andaluza eerst even deze website bijgewerkt, zoals jullie hebben kunnen lezen. Dan uitchecken en op pad. Vandaag rijden we van Riobamba naar Ingapirca, een rit van zo´n 186 km. Het landschap lijkt een beetje op Zwitserland maar dan hoger; we rijden op zo´n 3000 tot 3500 meter boven zeeniveau. Als we vertrekken regent het en helaas, dat verslechtert: op een gegeven moment rijden we door dikke mist, zicht soms nog geen 25 meter... en dat op die hoogte, zonder vangrails, diepe afgronden en slechtrijdende medeweggebruikers die inhalen vlak voor een bocht... en dan is de weg halverwege ook nog eens zo slecht, net een gatenkaas waar je langs moet manoeuvreren anders sta je in de middle of nowhere met een lekke band (of alle 4...). Al met al hebben we ... read more