Blogs from Loja, South, Ecuador, South America

Kadangi autobusas nevažiuoja tiesiai į tą miestą į kurį man reikia, tai sugalvoju paprašyti vairuotojo mane išleisti prie posūkio į Loja miestą. Bet vairuotojas mane atkalba sakydamas, kad ten būsim vėlai naktį ir būtų nesaugu ten išlipus laukti patamsyje kol kasnors pavežės. Tad važiuoju iki toliau esančio didesnio miesto ir jo nedavažiavęs išlipu prie kito kelio vedančio į Loja. Jau apie 7 valanda ryto, tad šviesu ir nemažai judėjimo. Nuo čia iki Loja apie 200 km. Netrukus susitranzuoju vieną mašiną, joje mažas vyras, labai plepus ir draugiškas. Jis mane gali pavežti iki maždaug pusiaukialės. Jis fotografas ir važiuoja darbo reikalais, tad pakeliui užsukam į nedidelį miestelį kuriame kaip tik šiandien vyks miesto šventė. Čia kiek pavaikštinėju, papusryčiauju ir važiuojam toliau. Nuvažiuojam iki jo gimto miestelio, čia kiek pavaikštinėju ir atsisveikinęs keliauju toliau. Sėdu į autobusą... read more

Auf der Panamerica geht es 8-Spurig Richtung Cuenca. Ich muss wohl faszinierend anders aussehen, jedenfalls bin ich Starrobjekt Nummer 1 sämtlicher mitfahrender Kinder. Ich komme in einem Hostel mit überfreundlichem Deutschland-Trikot tragendem Besitzer unter – Einzelzimmer für 6 Dollar, Flussblick und Zimmernachbarn in Unterhemden, die wie russische Menschenhändler aussehen und den nächsten Morgen durchgehend billige House-Musik laufen lassen. Frühstück gibts in einem Café für englische Seniorinnen, weshalb es neben Cockney-Akzent auch fantastischen Tee gibt. Cuenca scheint ohnehin ein liebenswertes Rentner-Domizil zu sein. Seltsamerweise gibt’s es dazu etwa 100 Falafel und Shishaläden, der Zusammenhang scheint nicht völlig klar. Für die Weiterreise am Nachmittag nach Loja kaufe ich bei einer Straßenverkäuferin 4 Mandarinen für 50 Cent, die dabei wohl das Geschäft ihres Lebens macht.... read more

It´s been one of those tough traveling days... always got to throw one or two into the mix. My morning in Cuenca started with a nice breakfast but the day turned when I stepped into minivan heading to Loja. My hotel reserved me a spot with the Elite touring company...well the three and half drive was really intense. The roads were curvy and the driver took every turn with very high speeds. Inside the car was too warm and the woman in front of me hardly cracked her window. I was sitting next to an american who smelled of smoke and body oder (I know we have all been in the not so fresh state...) For the last half hour I was hopping that I would not vomit from car sickness...I didn´t thank goodness. So far ... read more

The idea that civilization, or its Trojan horse, globalization, corrupts and ultimately destroys indigenous culture and all its inherent goodness was a common belief amongst the tourists visiting Saraguro. As one tourist put it, the indigenous people of Saraguro face “a struggle to maintain their culture, values and traditions and not be bulldozed or washed away by outside forces.” Another tourist worried about “…them being able to engage in the broader world that has been dropped down upon them Phrases such as “bulldozed,” “washed away” or having the world “dropped down upon them” imply a sense of destruction or imminent doom, and highlight the perception that the indigenous Saraguros live in a precarious state at risk from “outside forces” or the “broader world”, which hang over them like the Sword of Damocles. Their isolation from the ... read more

We have left the Southern Oriente after 9 days in the jungle, we are now in the Southern Highlands at Loja. We love it here. The town is the largest in this region, 150,000, and very clean and relaxed. The temperature dropped down to the low 70's and the humidity down to about 60% as compared to mid 80's & 95% in the jungle. The town is known for it's tamales and humitas as well as it's coffee. What's not to like. After a steady diet of seco de pollo con arroz y papas in the jungle, tamales and fresh brewed coffee for breakfast and tamales and burritos for dinner is a dream come true. During our time in the Oriente we visited four towns. Puyo, Macas, and Gualaquiza for two days each, and Zamora, for ... read more