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Published: February 10th 2006
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Well gradually we got bored of the frequent downpours in Cuenca, and had to decide what to do next. It was pretty much a choice of going to mountains/hot springs or the coast, and in the end we decided to go to the beach, thinking there are going to be plenty of mountains to come. We therefore got a bus back to Guayaquil, and then on to a place called Montanita on the coast, arriving there in the early evening. The place was really busy, especially as it was only a few days until new years, and full of many tourists, gringos as well as locals or other South Americans. Lots of the hotels were full, but eventually we found a room, though it was pretty rundown, only had a bunk bed, and the mosquito nets were full of holes. It was quite strange to be around so many tourists, and there were lots of restaurants and bars, all playing their music full volume of course. Doubts started to creep in, and we were both a bit disappointed, thinking it was going to be much more mellow. We should have perhaps realised before as Montanita is a highlight in the Lonely
Rubbish on the shoreline
They never photograph the rubbish for the brochures Planet, sometimes a label well deserved, sometimes a recipe for disaster. The beach was lovely, having a great ‘break’, which had originally drawn surfers, but it was by now definitely one of those ‘must have been great ten years ago’. It’s not that I’m a travel snob, I’m not one of those who scowl at other tourists, it’s just we were looking for somewhere "un poco mass tranquillo". When we were still in our bunks, awake and sweating (no fan), at 6.00 am with the sound of Y.M.C.A coming from the street, we both realised we were going to have to move.
Rather than having to go on another long bus journey we thought we’d check out the next place along the beach, Mangloralto, 25 cents on the bus or ½ hour walk on the beach. We were glad to find a hotel with rooms near the beach and everything seemed a lot more peaceful. In fact it turned out it was empty, and the small town was pretty deserted as well. This is where we stayed for New Years, and though we frequently walked back to Montanita along the beach for its restaurants and street scenes, we could
escape to our much more peaceful hotel when we wanted. At night realising the only sound we could hear was the surf hitting the beach we felt a lot happier.
After several days relaxing at the beach we headed back up the mountains towards Latacunga. It was an interesting trip on the buses, going on the dusty back roads up the mountains rather than the easier and more popular tarmac variety which went around and via Guayaquil, where we had already been. The first day got us to Quevedo (125m), where we stayed the night, and then got up the next morning for the journey up to Latacunga (2800m). The bus journey involved the usual entertainment; hawkers jumping on and off trying to sell all sorts of food and other items, a blaring violent action movie in Spanish, staring cute but filthy indigenous children, and spectacular scenery whizzing past outside the windows.
Thursday 5 January we got up before 7.00 and got the bus to a recommended market in the nearby village of Saquisili. Having enjoyed a few markets in Asia we were keen to check out some in South America, not only because you get to witness
many indigenous and locals in traditional dress, with a variety of products and a chaotic or lively atmosphere, but because it often provides great photo opportunities. The problem is of course you have to be sensitive to how they may feel having their photo taken. This market at Saquisili was really good, with lots of traditionally dressed Indians and locals selling all sorts of things to each other. The live food market was as interesting as those in Asia, here the most famous speciality is guinea pig, and it was fun to watch the elderly ladies selling and bargaining over them. Taking photos wasn’t too bad as there were few other tourists, and they seemed to ignore us pretty much. One lady did shout ‘$2 for one photo’ after I had taken a photo, which I laughed at and then ignored, it being such a ridiculously high price.
The next day we moved from Latacunga to Otavalo, where another large market, which was more commercial or touristy, took place on Saturday’s. First we went to the animal market where there were quite a few other tourists walking amongst the pigs and cows and locals shouting at each other, some
confidently shoving there super massive lenses wherever the wanted, so I felt a bit embarrassed of the contraption I too had around my neck. Then again it is only a camera.
We weren’t go to buy anything at Otavalo, not wanting to carry any extra weight, and knowing it’s very expensive to send anything home from here. But after going to the touristy market, the other side of town from the animal market, where they sold loads of fun stuff, we ended up with a bag full of goods that will no doubt end up in the attic, waiting for a suitable fancy dress party.
After visiting a volcanic lake and doing a few other things around town for a couple of days, we went back to Quito, to spend some time there and then get our flight to Lima on the 12th January.
Quito was really good, we stayed in the old part of the city and had time to explore and wander round some of its streets and squares and go to a museum. We also went in a new cable car which took us high up the mountain from where you could get a
view of the city. On our last day there we got out a cab in the city and suddenly there were lots of youths running past us, and then some smoke. Pretty quickly I felt my skin and eyes starting to burn and realised it was tear gas, so we jumped into a small restaurant which slammed its shutters behind us, and everyone just carried on eating. Its not that unusual here for them to break up student demonstrations with tear gas apparently. Later we went down to check it out again and they were fronting each other, the students throwing rocks until the police finally chased them a bit further out of the city. It was all quite exciting and most people seemed to be enjoying themselves, even the police threw the odd rock back. If a student got caught though he’d be in trouble that’s for sure. Another tourist said he had seen one of the teenagers getting pretty harshly beaten up by the police.
We had to leave to get a taxi to the airport, where after checking in and waiting for a while in the departure lounge, we were told the flight was cancelled. It
seemed a drag at first but we were then told that the airline was going to put us up in Swissotel, a five star hotel, which was amazingly comfortable and we had a great buffet dinner.
Next morning we went back to the airport to check in for a flight on another airline, but to our surprise only the locals had been put on it, with all the westerners that were delayed told they had no reservation. Lan Peru were not there, and had basically fobbed us all off, the locals had confirmed the night before that they were definitely on the flight, whereas we had naively trusted their reassurances that we didn’t need a new ticket. Fortunately, Ruth had made friends with some of the local ladies who had also been delayed, and they were so annoyed for us that they argued and pleaded for us demanding they put us on the flight. For over an hour we were told it was impossible, that the flight was full, but one westerner asked if he could buy a new ticket and they had no problem, meaning the flight obviously wasn’t full. One of the ladies helping us was a
member of the Peruvian Congress, and dropping her name and refusing to leave us, eventually we got on the flight - which turned out to be only half full! So finally we took off on 13 Jan, destination Lima, Peru.
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