Ecuador

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Hi everyone,

A quick travel through Ecuador and another country to tick off our list. We spent a week in Ecuador with a visit to Quito, Banos and Otavalo. Although it was a short trip we appreciated Ecuador for their use of the US currency (no converting to local currencies!), its incredible variety (revitalized colonial districts, amazon jungle and massive volcanoes) and the ease at travelling from one end to the other in no time at all.

We started in Quito. We first took a cable car to 4050 m that overlooked Quito and gave you a good introduction to the city. The ride was a bit unnerving and the panoramic view of Quito amongst the large surrounding mountains was worth it. It was not a particularly clear day so we were unable to see the volcano that is also near by (Cotopaxi volcano). Quito is split into two distinct areas, Old City, the colonial district that has been recently revitalized with the help of government funding, and New City which is the modern shopping and eating district. In the old district, we visited Plaza Grande and Plaza de San Francisco. Both were bustling with people, filled with museums and old but well maintained cathedrals (oh and many pingeons which I, Laura have come to despise). We visited the Basilica, a very large cathedral with stone gargoyles and stained glass windows and La Compania, a church filled with art and entire walls covered in gold leaf. The detail that goes into constructing these cathedrals is unbelievable. Every inch of the buildings are detailed with gold leaf designs, paintings, sculptures and wood work. It makes you wonder how someone would go about designing these cathedrals and how many years it took to plan. We also visited Museo de Arte Contemporano which used to be an old military hospital and was restored and renovated. The architecture and shear size was impressive but the displays were all in spanish so we didn't stay very long. Lastly, we visited Calle de Ronda, the oldest street in Quito. It is a very narrow street lined with old colonial buildings that have been converted into cafes and restaurants. Over all, the old city was very picturesque and had alot of character. It made you feel like you were stepping back in time and you could really picture how people used to live.

Our new city experience was mainly spent searching for bookstores that had english books (it is sometimes difficult to a. find english books and b. find english books that you wouldn't mind reading). We visited a big shopping mall where we indulged in cinnabon and burger king (yes, we occasionally stray from the authentic local meals) and bought north american magazines and finally a book for Greg. We also had to buy a few dvds because they were just too cheap to pass on (1.50 each and they were great quality!). So not much exciting to speak of in the new city, although we did go to a restaurant that was all you can drink wine (nice bottles from Chile and Argentina) and tapas for a set price which was very satisfying!

Next we set off for Banos, a town set between Rio Pastaza and Tungurahua volcano and is green, lush and beautiful. We spent a few days here doing alot of different/interesting activites. Our first day we did a 22 km bike ride to see the several water falls of Rio Verde. We took a cable car that descended down to the foot of one of the waterfalls which again was unnerving but pretty neat. El Pailon del Diablo was the last waterfall and the most spectacular. We were able to hike a short distance to it and see the massive falls from a few different view points (you can even climb through this clausterphobic tunnel like ridge that goes right behind the falls). Apart from this activity, we also hired a dune buggy to rip around town, got full body massages which were much much better than the massage I got in Colca Canyon, and Greg rented an ATV to ride up the hillside behind Banos for good views of the city and surrounding area. We also ate some varied meals including swiss fondue (delicious), mexican and lots of toffee (which Banos is known for).

Last, we visited Otavalo for the renowned saturday market. This small town is absolutely consumed by this market which includes paintings, small handicrafts, hammocks, clothing, alpaca blankets, local food and at another location is the animal market. The city is completely transformed into rows upon rows of small vendors selling their various (but after a while not so various) items. It was a great market and great way to spend our last afternoon in Ecuador.

After the market, we got on a bus to the border with Colombia and went through the most relaxed and quick border crossing we have had yet! On to Colombia for 3 weeks and then to Brazil for 5 and before you know it we'll be back in Port Elgin drinking down the river and going to the Queens!

Thanks for reading! We miss you all!
Laura and Greg

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