Blogs from South, Ecuador, South America - page 2

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South America » Ecuador » South » Macas July 20th 2018

Have you ever lived in a place with candles, gas and headlights instead of electricity? Did you ever have to shake out your clothes before putting them on to make sure there is no scorpion sleeping inside? Did you ever have to wash dishes and clothes by hand in the river next door, brush your teeth, take a bath and drink this water there as well? Well, that’s basically the description of the living conditions in the Selva Vida project in Ecuador where I worked for 4 weeks as a volunteer. Living in the tropical rainforest - called Amazonas - in Ecuador was quite different from what I had imagined. What would you have imagined ? Little villages with people still dressed in traditional clothes, shamans, lots of exotic, wild and dangerous animals, dirty and dangerous ... read more
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South America » Ecuador » South » Cuenca June 23rd 2018

Nach unserer Zugfahrt, haben Sanne, Soya und ich Alausi um halb 12 verlassen und sind gegen 16h in Cuenca angekommen. Dort haben wir uns dann von Soya verabschieded und wir waren beide nicht darauf versessen sie wiederzusehen. Sie war ziemlich nervig die letzte Nacht und morgens im Schlafsaal weil sie sehr viel lärm machte und jeden aufweckte und, ganz ehrlich, sie war ziemlich komisch. Unser Hostel, das Bauhouse Hostel, war ok aber nicht das beste. Die Türen, Betten und Böden machten jede Menge krach, das Frühstück war nicht gut und viel zu teuer, es gab keine Steckdosen für die oberen Betten und das Hostel war sehr kalt (nicht nur die Temperatur sondern auch die Atmosphäre). Das Personal war super nett, aber die wussten nicht viel über die Stadt und die Aktivitäten in der Umgebung. Unser erster ... read more
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South America » Ecuador » South » Cuenca June 23rd 2018

After our train ride, Sanne, Soya and I left Alausi at 11:30AM and we arrived to Cuenca around 4PM. There we said goodbye to Soya and we were not very keen on seeing her again. She had been pretty annoying that night and morning in the dorm, making a lot of noise and waking up everybody and, honestly, she was a bit weird. Our hostel, the Bauhouse hostel, was ok but not the best. Doors, beds and floors made a lot of noise, breakfast wasn’t good and way too expensive, there were no power plugs for the upper beds on the bunkbeds and the hostel was very cold (not just the temperature, also the atmosphere). The staff was super friendly, but not very knowledgeable about the different activities or the area. Our first evening in Cuenca ... read more
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South America » Ecuador » South » Vilcabamba June 22nd 2018

I'm told that after the rainy season comes the windy season here in southern Ecuador. The wind can blow a lost of leaves and dust onto the patio. Things don't seem to be "as I would like them". But wait; why IS that? It is important to bend with the wind and not to be broken by it. Broken in spirit; Bummed out. That now seems to be illogical and stupid thinking to me. Weather just is. It doesn't mean that I don't care about it; some is more or less pleasant. Pleasant is nice! Where happiness is determined or even influenced by external conditions we are primed for unhappiness. I think it's great that things don't always happen as we would wish them to. Where else can we find the impetus for personal growth? I ... read more

South America » Ecuador » South March 17th 2018

In our new house up the MOLLEPAMPA valley we have a great view of the "sacred" mandango (mountain formation that looks like a guy lying on his back). After a few days in the new house, our cat Frack disappeared; so sad. But wait! facebook to the rescue as the new people in the house posted a picture of her trying to come in the window that she always used. In the picture, Frack almost looked like when Marion speaks french to her. What a life, never does a lick of work, sleeps all day, stays out all night. Amazing she found her way over the mountain to barrio San Jose from here; sort of like a Disney movie coming soon: Frack came back! ...playing in theatres everywhere!... read more

South America » Ecuador » South » Cuenca March 10th 2018

We arrived in Quito at about 10pm and then got on a Cuenca bound night bus to the village of Alausi, where we were going to ride the Devil’s Nose train journey the next day. We took the latest bus possible, but still arrived at Alausi at the awkward time of 4:30 am. Thankful for alarms and GPSs, we were able to get some sleep on the bus while also being aware when to tell the driver to let us off. We were also thankful that a taxi was waiting where the bus stopped on the side of the highway to take us down into town. The train station doesn’t open until 7:30 so we had a chilly little sleep in the plaza until the town woke up. There aren’t a lot of places we would ... read more
Nariz del Diablo
Nariz del Diablo
Nariz del Diablo

South America » Ecuador » South » Cuenca November 27th 2017

I didn't do much in Cuenca. I was still obsessed over the Lorena incident. I explored the local area. Had an incident with the Hostel receptionist. He was a prick. Met a couple of people at the hostel. A couple of older travelers. One was a stewardess. Met a female asian traveler. We had dinner and that was it. This is not the case for some, but it was it my case.... read more
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South America » Ecuador » South » Cuenca July 25th 2017

David here... We left Latacunga in high spirits. However about 10 minutes into the journey Suzanne spotted a family standing by a horse lying in a pool of blood by the side of the road, obviously hit and killed by a vehicle. The woman was still holding the reins and they were all looking down in shock and disbelief. This was really upsetting and it took us a while to shake off the feeling of sadness for the family and the horse. We arrived into Ambato after an hour and bought tickets to Cuenca on the 12:00 bus, getting seats together, which is why we wanted to take this route over trying to stop a bus on the highway. The tickets cost $9 each. We had a 2 hour wait so got coffee. Suzanne asked for ... read more
Pumapungo ruins park
Pumapungo ruins park
Pumapungo ruins park

South America » Ecuador » South » Vilcabamba November 20th 2016

Wow, must be time to update this blog! It has been a long six years. Recently returned from a four week trip to Europe where I broke my leg on the second day. Hanging out all day in the adobe house at San Jose. Wheelchair, walker, elbow crutches. Can't wait until my tibia top fracture is a distant memory and I can use my left leg, both to walk and to drive again. Dreaming about driving to the northern coast of Peru some time in the new year. Looks like about a five or six hour (read whole day) drive. So, please visit if... you know the way to San Jose.... read more

South America » Ecuador » South » Vilcabamba July 29th 2016

On advice from Alba and Tom, I went to Vilcabamba just for the amazing hostal izcayhuluma. It was like a retreat, where stress does not exist. I stayed two nights but had time to take the morning yoga classes, it is much harder than it looks! Tried the swimming pool but it was freeeezing and did a little hike for the viewpoint. Read a lot, just a nice relaxing time before the long journey to Peru.... read more
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