Comments on Colombia

I am now back on the peaceful, lush, and rainy farm in Ecuador. My experience backpacking in Colombia was incredible, and I’m very sorry the trip was so short. I’ll have to stay longer next time. I can’t say I’m an expert on Colombia travel yet, but there are some notable differences between traveling in Colombia and Ecuador.

Figure 1. A conveniently simple map of Colombia showing the three large cities I visited: Cali, Medellin, and Bogotá.

Money: The currency is Colombian pesos. Currently, there are between 2200 to 2400 pesos to one American dollar. Have fun converting that in your head. Counterfit bills are also a thing. I’m not expert at this, but you can apparently tell the difference by the texture of the paper and rubbing the bill on a sheet of paper. If some of the ink smears off, the bill is supposed to be legitimate.

Getting around: Bussing from city to city is more expensive in Colombia than Ecuador. However, some bartering is possible. I would show up at the bus terminal, ask how much a ticket costs at one bussing company, and when it was too expensive move onto the next company. Usually at least one company will be willing to drop their prices (I paid 45,000 pesos instead of 60,000 on my way from Medellin to Bogota) (am I still getting ripped off?).
Once I arrived in a new city, the first thing I would hit up was the tourist information desk. Cali, Medellin, and Bogota all had tourist information kiosks conveniently located right in the bus terminal where free tourist maps are available. They will also help you find a hostel and point you in the right direction to get there.
If you don’t feel like bussing, flying is not a bad idea. Viva Colombia Airlines offer very cheap flights within the country and to Quito, Lima, and Panama City (about 20$ from Cali to Medellin, 100$ from Bogota to Quito, plus additional charges for silly things like having luggage). This airline is very cheap, but I warn that you are not paying for top-notch service. Their website is frequently flawed, and as a result I accidentally bought two of the same plane ticket (and am still in the process of working out my refund).

Plan Colombia: This segment isn’t travel advice, but it’s a topic that not enough people know about. I can say that because the Graffiti Tour guide (a local) told us to look it up, educate ourselves, and talk about it. I don’t think I’ve ever been known to get political, but for this topic I read the wiki article, watched a documentary, and talked to a Yale expert just so that I wouldn’t berrate you with false information and an uninformed opinion. This issue may be of particular concern if you are an American who paid taxes between 1996 and 2006, as this is where your money may have gone. Now please excuse my best attempt at breaking down a very complex issue:
Plan Colombia was a United Stated initiative aimed at fighting the cocaine industry and pacifying left-wing geurilla  warfare. The plan was first conceived in 1996 between Colombian President Andrés Pastrana Arango and President Bill Clinton. The original Clinton administration pledged 1.3 billion to this cause. In the original plan, a majority of funds were dedicated to social and economic development, with only 32% dedicated to militarily fighting the drug trade. This all sounds good and well, except the plan turned highly militarized and lots of people died while the cocaine industry still stands strong.
So what went wrong?

Figure 2. Political comic I snatched off the internet. Gotta keep things visually interesting.

Money matters– The majority of funds were initially intended for social and economic development; for instance, programs that would help peasant farmers of coca make a profit from growing alternative crops. Instead, nearly all American funding went into military spending which had some terribly adverse effects and lots of the money ended up in the wrong hands (see next paragraph). Additionally, a study carried out by RAND (thinktank of economists and mathematicians) suggests that domestic preventative and rehabilitative projects would have been twenty-three times more cost effective in preventing the usage of cocaine than external eradication.
Enabling right-wing paramilitary groups-To understand this issue you have to understand that much conflict exists between the right wing paramilitary and left-wing geurilla groups (an age-old conflict, originally of the socialist vs. capitalist nature). American funding went into the Colombian military, which is known to have intimate ties with right-wing paramilitary groups. These groups were ruthless in their abuses to left-wing geurillas and their ‘sympathizers’ (sympathizers in quotations because they’ve been known to kill anyone that doesn’t support their cause, often innocent civilians). As a result of these right-paramilitary and left-geurilla conflicts, 1.5 million civilians have been displaced as refugees and thousands of other have been killed.
Got oil?  Many critics claim that the exploitation of oil was always on the agenda behind Plan Colombia. Left wing geurilla groups are a threat to the security of oil extraction and defeating them would open markets for free trade in Colombia.
Aerial Eradiction– The U.S. also sprayed large swathes of coca producing territory with glyphosate (aka Roundup Ultra, produced by our favourite company Monsanto). This had damaging effects on the livelihoods of peasant farmers (destroying many food staple crops along with the coca) as well as adverse health effects for those exposed. Not to mention it probably didn’t do the environment well either. Many also agree that destroying a portion of the cocaine supply ultimately has negligible effects on cocaine usage in America. If there is demand, there will be a supply.

Figure 3. Graffiti stencil done by artist DJLu of a pineapple grenade. I think he is subtly commenting on Colombia’s long history of violence.

 

A Brief Visit to Bogotá

Warning: If you ever take a night bus in Colombia, don’t forget to layer your clothing. Wear a hat, scarf, mitts, parka, blankets and sleeping bag. Consider bringing your own radiator.

I took a night bus from Medellín to Bogotá (9 hours?), and as you may have guessed, the ride was unfairly cold. For some reason they think it is appropriate to blast the AC for the whole ride, and I’m fairly certain it was 4 degrees celsius the whole time.

You hear a lot of banter comparing Medellín to Bogotá , with Medellín usually coming out on top, and Bogota disregarded as an oversized metropolitan hub.You may deduce from my previous post that I thought Medellín was magical, but my experience in Bogotá was just as unique and wonderful. That being said, Medellín certainly has a better public transportation system. In Bogotá , city buses are ubiquitous, but you need to purchase a bus card onto which you deposit money. To make things more confusing, there are different coloured cards for different routes, and I never figured out which cards are for what.

Everyone I had met advised to me to stay in Candelaria, the historic centre and oldest neighborhood in the city. Candelaria is adjacent to the ‘downtown’ and is filled with old colonial buildings and museums. It also more recently has developed into the artsy, bohemian neighborhood, featuring live music, graffiti (more on that later), upscale bakeries, and ultrahip little boutiques, while retaining the old colonial feel. I stayed at Musicology Hostel (18000 pesos, includes breakfast), and the Candelaria neighborhood was right up my alley (bad pun, har har).

Note: Unfortunately Candelaria is not within walking distance of the bus terminal. You’ll need to either take a cab, or be like me and wander around pestering locals for directions until you eventually find the right bus. This gringa is not afraid of asking for directions.

I knew I only had a limited amount of time in Bogotá so immediately after checking in,  I embarked on a journey to the Catédral de Sal, or Salt Cathedral, located in the neighboring town of Zipaquira (to get there, you’ll need to make your way to Portal del Norte bus station. If you are coming from Candelaria, take the B74 bus from the Las Aquas stop (red card). Once at Portal del Norte hop on a bus to Zipa). The ride took me a little over an hour. Zipaquira is a charming colonial settlement, with the Salt Cathedral taking up a hillside on the edge of town. General admissions to the cathedral costs about 22,000 pesos and includes a guided tour, light show, and 3D film. For some reason, in my mind I was expecting a cathedral made of salt. No, the cathedral is essentially a converted salt mine with symbols of Christ and places of worship added into the underground tunnels and chambers. Walking into the cool, colourfully lit, underground chambers was exhilarating. The guided tour however, not so much. The guide struggled with his English, and as a result, I struggled in understanding him. Most of what I did pick up from the tour was along the lines of how some rocks represented Mary Magdelene and the Virgin Mary, and how Jesus’s face could be seen in a hole in the wall (Oh look, Jesus’s face is also in my cheese sandwich).

Figure 1. Inside the Catédral de Sal. The sculpture is a replica of Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Man’.

Unsatisfactory tour aside, I was still thrilled to be in the cathedral. The 3D film wasn’t anything particularly special but had some good information on the history of the area and subtitles in English. After a few hours of wandering, I made my way back to Bogotá (Note: To get back to Las Aguas from Portal de Norte, take the J72. I don’t know why you take the B line on the way there and the J line back).

In Bogotá there is no need to line up at a museum to see incredible artwork; it can be found on the way to the grocery store, during the walk to the bus station, or even just outside your window. Exceptional street art has blossomed in this city, and you can learn about it in further detail by participating the ‘free’ Graffiti Tour (by donation). This was the highlight of my visit to Bogotá . The two and a half hour tour incorporates all forms of street art (mixed media, muralism, sculpture, graffiti, etc.), introduces prominent artists of the area, and interprets many of the pieces. Candelaria is special in that about half of the artwork you see is by commission. The neighborhood is very open to freedom of expression, and many illegal pieces are left up simply because of their aesthetic appeal. There is something inspiring about beautifying your everyday streets simply for the sake of it. I think it is a special gift and pleasure to see inspirational artwork in your typical, everyday street.

Figure 2. One of my favourite pieces done by artist Rodez.

Figure 3. Another incredible piece of street art done by graffiti collective APC. The girl in the bottom left corner is done by artist Stinkfish, and I regrettably forget the names of the other two artists.

On the contrary, if you do feel like going to a museum to see artwork, Museo Botero (located close by at Calle 11 and Carrera 5) is a great option.  This gallery is free and features artwork from Colombia’s own Fernando Botero, as well as some other artists such as Picasso and Renoir. Some other museums are adjacent to the gallery, although time did not permit me to visit them.

Figure 4. Botero’s interpretation of the Mona Lisa.

Bogotá is also home to the country’s largest collection of gold artifacts, which you can tour at the Museo del Oro or Gold Museum. When I say large collection, it really is quite a large collection. The museum is divided into 4 exhibits: the working of metals, people and gold in pre-Hispanic Colombia, cosmology and symbolism, and the Offering. All exhibits are completely filled with gold, and I took roughly three hours to see everything.

Figure 5. Gold figurine of El Dorado. El Dorado means ‘golden one’ and refers to a Muisca chief who would cover himself in gold powder and dive into Lake Guatavita from a raft. He would also throw gold and precious gems overboard as an offering to the Gods. The figurine depicts El Dorado as the big guy in the centre, surrounded by high-ranking shamans. Lake Guatavita is located close to Bogota and can still be visited today, although I don’t think very many gold artifacts were discovered there.

After two and a half days, I was very sad to leave Bogotá and return to Quito. For those that have more time, the Free Biking Tour is a popular activity, as well as visiting Monserrate, the gondola system that offers great views of the city.

Medellín: A City Transformed

I’ve spent the last few days wandering the streets of Medellín, Colombia’s second largest city and capital of the Antioqui province. People born and raised in this province are known as paisas and have a unique history in Colombia. From my experience in Medellín, the locals a super friendly, helpful, and proud of their city. As well they should be. Medellín, formerly the most dangerous city on earth, ravaged by civil unrest and drug cartels, has risen from the ashes to become one of the most modern and beautiful cities in South America.

The city of Medellín arose in the 1600s and was founded largely by Spanish Basques and Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. For centuries, the city lay in relative isolation due to geography (the area is surrounded by dense jungles, swamps, and mountains). That all changed at the turn of the 20th century when the railroad was built connecting Medellín to the rest of South America. With easier access to the outside world, Medellín entered into an industrial period in which mining, coffee, and textiles allowed the city to prosper. However, Colombia would hit dark times when tensions arose between Liberals and Conservatives, and geurilla warfare ravaged the countryside. Conflicts were further fuelled by druglords that provided financing for militia groups, escalating violence and increasing the death toll. In the 1980s Medellín’s notorious kingpin Pablo Escobar rose to power. During his reign, the city became the murder capital of the world. Escobar was shot down on Dec. 2 1993 and the city has made a drastic recovery since then. Former sites of violence have been transformed to monuments of hope. For instance, the centrally located building that serves as the Palace of Justice was previously bombed and overrun by criminals. Plaza Cisneros had a similar dark history and is now decorated with towers of lights. Public libraries have been built in some of the poorest neighborhoods, providing education for the youth and serving as community centres (so kids have something to do other than sell drugs). To further serve the city’s underprivileged citizens, a gondola system has been built connecting uphill neighborhoods to the rest of the city. The crowning pride and glory of Medellín is the metro system, completed during the 90s while violence and crime was at its highest. Over 400,000 people use the metro daily, and it is the only metro system in the whole of Colombia. In 2013 Medellín was awarded the most “Innovative City of the Year” beating out New York and Tel Aviv. Rising above a long history of violence and crime, the city bears testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Let’s hope that Medellín continues to prosper as city of hope and innovation.

That being said, I apologize for severe oversimplifications of Colombian history. The above information was gathered largely from the free walking tour I attended and bits off the internet.

I arrived in Medellín after an overnight bus from Cali (12 hours). From the bus terminal, you can find plenty of accommodation by heading north to the Poblado neighborhood. This upscale neighborhood is filled with adorable cafes, restaurants, and boutiques, similar to those you find in any modern, westernized city. It is also conveniently located next to Parque Lleras, Medellin’s zona rosa and the epicentre of nightlife. I am staying at Maloka Hostel (25000 pesos per dorm, breakfast included), although I think the real youth party hostels are Casa Kiwi (24000 pesos without breakfast) and Happy Buddha (30000 pesos, breakfast status unknown).

The next day, I attended a 4 hour free walking tour (sign up at www.realcitytours.com). The tour takes you through a number of monuments, plazas, and churches downtown and provides a very honest explanation of the city. Points of particular interested for me were Parque Berrío and Plaza Botero. Parque Berrío is the heart of downtown. This plaza/park is filled with people playing live music, dancing, and street venders. If you happen to visit, be sure to try guarapo, a refreshing local beverage made of lime and sugarcane juice. Plaza Botero features sculptures by the renowned artist Fernando Botero and is located just outside the Museo de Antioquia (free art museum, unfortunately did not have the time). Botero is a Medellin native and his artwork explores and breaks down rules of proportion. As a result, his subjects are endearingly round and tubby. All in all, I highly recommend the tour to any visitors of the city. Learning about Medellín’s inspiring history has enhanced my appreciation for the remarkable city I am visiting.

Figure 1. Group photo taken from the Free Walking Tour. Picture is taken at Plaza Botero. Note Roman Soldier in backdrop.

Figure 2. Bird sculptures by Botero. The original bird statue on the left was bombed a number of years ago. Instead of having the statue removed, an intact bird was placed adjacent to it. Now the two statues stand next to each other representing the city’s violent past and vibrant future.

I was already impressed with the quaintness of the Poblado neighborhood and the city’s moving history, but in addition, nightlife in Parque Lleras was pounding. That night I went on a pub crawl and met these two Canadian goons.

Figure 3. My beautiful Canadian Homies. I stole hats from the bar so we could be Mexican as well.

The next day I set out to Parque Explora and the Botanical Gardens (get off Universidad Station on the metro, both are adjacent to the station). Parque Explora is the city’s science centre featuring an aquarium, vivarium, 3D theatre, and several interactive exhibits. General admittance is 22,000 pesos (ouch…although a fantastic facility and worth it). At the time of my visit there were interactive exhibits on biophysics, the human mind, and dinosaurs. There are also plenty of knowledgeable guides scattered throughout the centre providing additional information to the many exhibits. Many of them were kind enough to converse with me in English or break down their Spanish so I could keep up. I expected the park to be smaller with less things to do and anticipated staying for 2 or 3 hours. I ended up spending the entire day there until it closed at 5:30. I had planned on visiting the botanical gardens that day as well, but decided to go home as it got cold and rainy.

Another cool thing about Medellín is that they have a public gondola. A public gondola! As part of their public transportation system! There are three different Metrocable lines connecting uphill neighborhoods to the rest of the city. I took Line K up to Parque Biblioteca España, one of the aforementioned public libraries built in an underprivileged neighborhood. The building is very clean and modern, although I didn’t find too much to do here. Visitors can also take the Metrocable farther uphill transferring at Santo Domingo Station to Line L, which takes you up to Parque Arví and an even better view of the city.

Figure 4. Metrocable.

Since I bypassed the botanical gardens the other day due to weather conditions, I made up for it after the Metrocable trip. I was expecting gardens with flowerbeds and such, but it is more like a public park where couples can lounge under a tree and sip guarapo. Nonetheless, a fine way to spend an afternoon.

I was very sad to leave the city. I found Medellín to be incredibly livable, and I even felt settled and made some close friends. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. I needn’t be too sad however, because the next stop on my trip was the bustling capital city of Bogotá.

Cali y San Cipriano, Colombia

Hello folks. I now write to you from Medellín, Colombia, after having spent the last few days in Cali and San Cipriano.

You may have noticed that I am no longer at my farm in Ecuador. This is because we got some days off for Carnaval, and I’ve decided to take an extended vacation to travel around Colombia.

On Friday I took the extensive journey from La Hesperia, to Quito, to Cali. I will include general directions for those that may be interested in embarking on this trans-national bussing experience. From Quitumbe Station in the South of Quito, you can take an express bus to Carcelen in the North. From there, catch a bus to Tulcán, Ecuador’s northernmost town on the border with Colombia (buses leave frequently), bypassing Otavalo on the way (refer to Otavalo post). You can take a direct bus from Quito to Cali, but these are much less frequent, cost more, and you need to book in advance. Once in Tulcán you’ll need to catch a taxi to the border where you get an Ecuadorean exit stamp and a Colombian entry visa.

Note: Upon entering Colombia, Canadians and Canadians only will have to pay a 80$ gratuity fee. This put me in an awkward position as I did not carry that much cash with me and ATMs were not available. Luckily, a friendly Californian couple were able to lend me some money. Thanks Colombia.

Once you’ve successfully entered the country take a cab to Ipiales (Colombia’s border town). Many choose to stop and spend the night, but I went to the train station and headed straight for Cali (10 hour ride?). Cali is considered the salsa capital of South America, and by some possibly biased others, salsa capital of the world. I came to throw on my impossibly high heels and hone my dancing skills.

Upon arrival into the city, I made the mistake of thinking that Cali’s Zona Rosa would be filled with hostels so I could wander around and take my pick. I wouldn’t recommend doing this. Even in Cali’s more happening neighborhoods, cool hostels are scarce. After walking around the humid city for an extended period, I eventually found the Pelican Larry Hostel (21000 per night, no breakfast). That day, I wandered around the Granada neighborhood, one of the more hip and happenin’ hoods of the city (some cool restaurants and boutiques, but not particularly hip and not really happening).

That night I got my heels and dress on for some dancing. Cali certainly has no shortage of salsatecas. I visited several clubs that night, but ultimately did not find what I was looking for. I prefer the fast beat, spinny, more technical North American style of salsa, whereas mostly what I found was more romantic music, where people stylishly moved their feet to the beat, but without all the spins and pizzazz. Perhaps I just never went to the right place. Perhaps salsa like I know it is like fortune cookies; foreign, but essentially made in America.

The next day I walked around the San Antonio neighborhood, considered downtown, and a more ‘happening’ place. Nothing particularly special struck me. All in all, Cali has a great nightlife and is full of salsa-goers, but I found the city itself rather drab. This is why I made the spontaneous decision to visit San Cipriano with some new amigos I met the day before.

San Cipriano is an iddy biddy town and mostly a nature reserve located two hours west of Cali. To get there, take a minibus to Buenaventura from the Cali bus terminal (this will be pricey, about 22,000 pesos). Ask the driver to let you off at Cordoba for San Cipriano. San Cipriano has an interesting quirk in that the only way in and out of town is by railroad from Cordoba. Locals attach a cart to a motorbike and drive along the rails. They will give you a mean gringo price for taking you into town, but the unconventional ride through the beautiful cloud forest evoked a childish giddiness in me not unlike sitting on a tall bar stool or riding the top deck of a double decker.

Figure 1. Riding in a motorbike-powered cart on train tracks in to San Cipriano.

San Cipriano boasts beautiful waterfall hikes and tubing down a natural lazy river. The hike to the waterfalls was tons of fun, although quite challenging for me as I’ve recently been suffering from global joint pain. Thus, lazing in a tube eating a Clif bar was the perfect post-hike activity. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Figure 2. Standing amid a waterfall with our guide Johann, who informed me that black is better and that he hadn’t gotten laid in two years.

Figure 3. A different waterfall with the gringo amigos.

Figure 4. Tubey tubes.

During the hike, along the creek, our guide Johann pointed out a coiled snake. It was perfectly camouflaged, and I never would have noticed it if Johann hadn’t pointed it out. As it turns out, it was an equís, one of the most venomous snakes in the jungle. Johann killed it on the spot with a stick. I can’t condone this wildlife-killing behaviour, but I resist judging his violence too harshly. Anyone planning on doing the hike should wear shoes they don’t mind getting wrecked. Otherwise, wellie boots or water shoes would serve well. After spending a day and a night in San Cipriano, we all headed back to Cali and went our separate ways. For me, this meant a 12 hours bus ride to the innovative and inspiring Medellín (foreshadow to next post).

Some general observations made from Cali:

1. Colombians love their bakeries. They are everywhere.
2. Colombians love sex shops. Almost as ubiquitous as bakeries.
3. Sometimes its like they’ve never seen an Asian before. I’ve had several gents chase me down the street.

¡Vamos a la playa!

Unlike many of you, instead of spending Christmas huddled inside from the cold winter winds, sipping hot chocolate next to a sparkly tree, I spent Christmas drinking from coconuts and doing acro-yoga on the beach.

Before I proceed, I should say that we had a Christmas party at the reserve where we did Secret Santa, had dinner, and then I whooped everyone at foosball. It was great to see all the staff and volunteers at the reserve spending time together.

Figure 1. Happy group photo from all of us at the reserve. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Following the Christmas party, I took a 9 day holiday and spent the majority of it on the sunny coastlines. The first stop was Canoa, about 5 hours east of Sto. Domingo. This small, sleepy surf town consists of one main road that intersects with the waterfront street lined with bars and youth hostels. This town is popular with locals and internationals alike, as visitors flow in to spend their Christmas vacations surfing on the beach.

I stayed at Hostal Coco Loco, the most happening youth hostal in town. For New Year´s Eve, the hostel hosted a potluck dinner and caroling. Dinner was fantastic (as potlucks typically go), and caroling was…umm…interesting. I couldn´t describe us backpackers as a choir of angels exactly, but I do believe we managed to bemuse some fishermen and startle many pets. All in all, it was a good evening of merriment-making.

I spent Christmas morning surfing, or trying to rather, and Christmas afternoon napping (as I had very little rest the night before, winky face). Later in the afternoon/ evening I attended an acro-yoga class. That is, acrobatics and yoga. This consisted of partner positions that were both very challenging but lots of fun. In the evening, I had the atypical Christmas dinner of ceviche. For those less familiar with culinary jargon, ceviche is seafood, usually fish, shrimp, or shellfish, cured in lemon/lime juice and served in a cold soup of tomato, onion, and cilantro. It´s one of those foods that, once you get a taste for it, you keep on thinking about it until you have it again…and again…and again.

In Canoa the hot breezy air and chilled out atmosphere makes it difficult to get anything accomplished in a day. I very quickly started missing the cool, clean air of the reserve and being able to focus in on whatever book I was reading. I feel a bit like a first world brat, missing being at home reading while lazing in a tropical paradise. It was just too much sand and sunshine for me. After a few days it was time to pack the bags and hit the road again. Next stop was the crazy party town of Montañita.

Figure 2. Panoramic of a sunset in Canoa.

It seems that the entire country, and more, headed to Montañita for New Years.  After arriving and checking in on many overbooked hostels, I had to settle in a place called Iguana Hostel. They charged 15 a night, and my accommodation was a mattress on a rooftop terrace shared by 20 other people (and I forgot to take a picture! Ugh!). The sidewalks of  Montañita are lined with vendors selling tropical drinks, artisanal jewelry, and street food, and the streets are filled with…well, drunk people. One of the greatest delights I encountered on the street was a jovial coloured woman selling special brownies. On the first evening in Montañita, I encountered some friends I had met previously in Quito and had ballin´ time clubbing with them. Crazy enough, I met another salsa aficionado from Montreal and we had some amazing dances (and I did the dirty dancing move!). I slept through most of the next day, or at least didn’t do anything really worth mentioning on here. The evening was a similar routine of chilling and hanging out on in town. We purchased some cheap fireworks to set off on the beach. The first two were splendid and the last was a major safety hazard as it toppled over and blew up on the beach. I would not recommend this activity for the intoxicated and still feel a burn of regret when I think about how I let an explosive off in public. Hallelujah no one got hurt.

After two days I had had enough of this crazy beach town and headed back up to Quito to meet up with some friends (you can get from Montañita to Quito by taking a 2-3 hour bus to Guayaquil and then a 9 hour bus to Quito). On December 31st the streets were filled with people in ridiculous costumes up on floats blasting Latin music. People were wearing ridiculous wigs and fake eyelashes. I don´t quite understand the custom. Unfortunately I can´t comment on how New Years itself went because I snuggled into bed, couldn´t be bothered to get out, and missed the New Years countdown. The sad thing is I was so warm and content in bed, I´m not even sorry. Everything in Quito was closed the next day so I went back to the reserve. Travel tip: Avoid travelling on January 1st. I waited in line to get a bus ticket for two hours.

Figure 3. People dressed as Simpsons for New Years. I don´t know what´s happening.

A Quickie on Quito

I´ve noticed on my blog thus far that there are ramblings about fun things that happened over the weekend and some more ramblings on personal thoughts. However, there isn´t very much practical information on travel in Ecuador for all seven of my faithful followers, who may follow the blog for the sole purpose of travelling to South America. So that´s what today´s post is for.

Let´s start in Quito. Everyone has to at least stop by Quito when they visit Ecuador and having visited this city more than a few times, I think I could give a few pointers. I highly recommend acquiring a Tourist Information Map which are likely to be available at your hostel, at the bus station upon entering the city, and the Tourist Information Centre in the Historic Centre. Getting around Quito is easy; public transit consists of three lines that run north–south in the city and costs 25 cents per ride. These lines are the Ecovia, Trole, and Central Norte that run on Av. 6 de Diciembre, Av. 10 de Agosto, and Av. Americas, respectively. Consult your tourist map for more details.

There are two main ¨attraction¨ areas in Quito: the Mariscal and the old Historic Centre. If you are looking for a party/bar scene with lots of places to sleep, Mariscal is for you. The heart of Quito nightlife can be found at Plaza Foch, a central square located at the intersection of Mariscal Foch and Reina Victoria. During all my Quito visits I´ve been staying here because it is filled with youth hostels conveniently located alongside the nightlife. My favourite hostel to stay in is Blue House Hostal. It is 10–11$ per night and includes breakfast, T.V., good wifi, and the receptionist is a sweetie.

Unfortunately, eating out can be quite expensive (relatively for Ecuador) in this neighborhood. In my experience, the cheapest place to get some decent chow is El Tarzan (fake Mexican food), and El Arrepaz (Venezuelan polenta patties stuffed with deliciousness) located across the street from each other close to Mariscal Foch and 6 de Diciembre.

Looking for some souvenirs to bring home to the fam? An ‘artisanal’ market located at Leon Mera and Jorge Washington sells ponchos, fluffy sweaters, chocolates and other Ecuadorean ‘handicrafts’. Otherwise, many traditional handicrafts can be found in the Historic Centre.

The Historic Centre is about a half hour walk south of Mariscal through two cute little parks (Parque el Arbolito and Parque Alameda). Once you get to Old Town, if you stop though  Plaza de Teatro, there is an awesome empanada place on the corner (50 cents). Farther south, La Ronda street is filled with artisenal shops and is home to an ice cream parlour specializing in hyper-Ecuadorean flavours such as tomate de arbol y chocolate (tree tomato and chocolate), humitas con café (tamales with coffee), and colada morada (see Dia de Muertos post). If you like, you can walk up the hill to the Panecillo where a statue of Mary overlooks the city. There is also a gothic style cathedral (La Basilica) toward the north end of Old Town. You can climb up the spires, but I haven´t done so myself yet.

Figure 1. The narrow streets of the Historic Centre.

Figure 2. La Basilica.

Another personal favourite part of the city for me to visit is Parque La Carolina on Sundays. This is a huge park located north of Mariscal and just south of the very big mall Quicentro. The park is full of people making merriment, engaging in athletic activities, and children frolicking with puppies. It also includes a botanical garden, vivarium, and some of the best Ecuadorean street food. People here put potato chips on their hot dogs.  On Sundays at 11* there are free salsa, bachata, and rueda dance lessons (*note: 11 is more like 12:30).

For all my travelling in Ecuador, I´ve gotten around by bus. Under the Rafael Correa government, many highways in Ecuador have undergone reconstruction, making your travel experience that much more enjoyable. If you are coming from or going to Quito, there are two main bus terminals: Carcelen in the north, and Quitumbe in the south. To my knowledge, Carcelen will take you to places like Colombia and Otavalo, and Quitumbe will take you the areas south and west of Quito (Sto. Domingo, Baños, etc.). Busses usually go to all destinations quite frequently, and tickets typically cost about a dollar per hour to your destination.

That ends my very brief orientation on Quito and some of things you can do in this exciting city! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about getting around.

Figure 3. A fine group of 18th century geographers.

This was taken at Mitad de Mundo (middle of the earth), a tourist trap, and hour and half north of the city. If you want to take that classic photo where one leg is in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern, this is the place to be. However, I can´t particularly recommend going here; this picture was just too good not to share on the internet.

Mindo

Mindo is a small town located in the north of Ecuador about 3 hours west of Quito. It boasts lush cloud forests with particularly high biodiversity in birds and butterflies, making it quite possibly my favourite town in Ecuador. Everything is very outdoorsy, nature–themed, and our hostel was essentially a big tree house. Similar to Baños, a range of outdoor activities are available (canyoning, ziplining, tubing, etc.).

Sidenote: This interesting thing happens in Ecuador where on a bus, at some point in the ride, vendors will come on carrying baskets of delicious goodies to sell. The trip to Mindo had the best bus food I´ve ever had. I purchased a bag of pan de yucca (squishy, cheesy bread rolls made with yucca flour) and deep fried, football-shaped roll of plaintain dough stuffed with fish.

The town of Mindo is very small and at the time of our visit, quite empty (I think all the locals recognized us by the time we left). That first night we bought a tub of ice cream and sat around an empty bar. Back at the hostel we met the world´s cutest kitten. We had to take turns holding him.

The next morning we went on a two hour waterfall hike. The area is stunning,  although the water was a bit cold to go full on swimming in. Nevertheless, I brought my swimsuit and went in for a bit of a splishy–splash. Our hike was cut short because I was walking and then I rolled my ankle (again). In the afternoon we went tubing (6$ per person!). You essentially sit in a bunch of doughnuts tied together and go down some rocky waters. Not going to lie, this wasn´t as exciting as rafting in Baños, and I think I could´ve had a really good time except the guide was very inappropriate and unprofessional. Perhaps I should´ve had a word with the manager…

Figure 1.View of a waterfall.

For dinner that day we went to a cute, quinoa themed restaurant (Mishqui Quinde) and I had the most exceptional quinoa pudding with ice cream. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend trying the flavour combination of maracuya and aji  (passionfruit and cayenne), although I settled on rose champagne and blackberry ice cream.

My favourite attraction in Mindo was the mariposarium or butterfly garden that we visited the next day. A guide briefly explains the life cycle of the butterflies and shows each step in butterfly breeding. More than 20 butterfly species can be found in the gardens, some of which are bigger than my outstretched hand. During our visit, we enjoyed a fun game of who–can–stick–the–most–butterflies–on–your–face. This involves smearing banana goop on your face, picking up a butterfly with banana goop on your finger, and placing the butterfly on your face. Unfortunately, due to time restraints this had to be the last stop on our visit. For those interested, Mindo also has a orchid garden, hummingbird garden, and frog concert. I´ll be sure to visit a few more of these attractions next time.

Figure 2. Pupation.

Figure 3. Morphos butterflies on noses.

Otavalo: The best shopping in Ecuador

We (Las Chicas)  went to Otavalo for one thing: shopping.

Otavalo is a town two hours from Quito and has the largest outdoor market in Ecuador (you can get there easily by hopping on a bus from the Carcelen bus station in Quito). The market sells all the typical touristy things: fuzzy sweaters, alpaca scarves, and minion hats, but food and many other day-to-day necesites can be purchased as well. One of my favourite parts about Ecuador is all the fruit that look like they come from Neopets (perhaps one day I´ll photograph and show them all). Bartering at the market is a necesity. I bought Ecuador pants, Ecuador dungarees, Ecuador headbands, and a flamboyant pink alpaca poncho (best purchase ever).

Fig 1. Paintings and bowls and sweaters being sold at the market.

Before we even made it to Otavalo I made an important culinary discovery at the bus station in Quito: humidas con queso. This is essentially a tamale stuffed with cheese. To my disappointment, I did not find any guinea pigs at the Otavalo market, alive or roasted. However, that day, I did try snail. I can´t say much for this delicacy either. Texture like a booger and tastes like dirt.

We spent the Saturday morning shopping and returned to Quito for the afternoon. I, for the first time, went to a latin club. Unfortunately the music wasn’t salsa, but a very friendly group of Ecuadorians welcomed us into their dance circle and I had a blast anyway. I love how Latin Americans know how to dance.Que suave.

The next morning we went to Parque Carolina, one of the largest parks in Quito. It is filled with vendors selling all sorts of fast foods and people playing almost every ball sport you could name. What made my day was we ran into a dance group doing salsa, bachata, and rueda, and I finally got my Latin dance fix.

Best of Baños

My sincerest apologies to my dearest followers who may have been curious as to my whereabouts over the past month. I was hoping to have a weekly blog post and it appears I have fallen very behind. This is largely due to severe technical difficulties I am having and the lack of time I have had to address said technical difficulties. Now that I am writing again, I suppose I should start with the most recent events as I remember them the clearest. This past weekend Las Chicas and I went to the action-packed town of Baños. Baños is about 5 hours south of Quito and is known for it´s outdoor adventures, steam baths, and active volcano. It is the junction between the Andes and the Amazon. We arrived late in the afternoon and decided to take the half day to explore town. The streets are lined with massage parlours and adventure tour companies. Other neighborhoods boast sweet shops, with candy being made right before your eyes. We spent the evening relaxing, eating dinner, and dancing. The next day was one of the most exciting days in Ecuador I´ve had to date. We had a full day planned to go rafting in the morning and canyoning in the afternoon (with tour company Imagine Ecuador). Our rafting guide Patricio looked like a cuter, more approachable version of Khal Drogo (from Game of Thrones) but still had a tint of crazy in his eyes. And crazy he was indeed. The tone was set on our rafting cruise when one of Las Chicas got to sit in the front of the boat. Patricio told her to do the Titanic and let go of the safety rope. He then proceeded to push her into the brown, torrent water. We fished her out and everything was fine. This rather eliminated my fear of falling into the water, which I suppose is definitely a good thing because our raft soon crashed into an enormous wave causing me to tumble overboard. The dip into the water was refreshing and oddly fun. I fell out of the boat three times during that trip, once because I actually fell out and twice because Patricio pushed me. I was in giggles the whole ride. The canyoning experience was somewhat different. Still exciting, but at least for me, much more stressful. I don´t think any of us really knew what we were signing up for. For those of you who may not know, canyoning is kind of like reverse rock climbing down a waterfall. Early in the tour we had a 10 meter cliff jump down a waterfall (don´t try this at home kids). Little did I know that the current in the pool below was too strong to swim through and I had to relax, be pushed underwater by the force of the falling water, and be rescued by the guide on the other side. I may have struggled a bit and swallowed more water than I should have. For me, the cliff jumping was scarier than the actual canyoning. When canyoning, even if you do slip on the way down (which I did several times), the friction of the rope keeps you from going anywhere. The canyoning experience was wet, exhilarating, and exceptionally beautiful. Fig. 1. A fine group of intrepid canyoners. That evening when we arrived back in Baños we were exhausted (and also stuck in traffic for 2 hours).  To commemorate my quarter life crisis and as a spur of a moment activity, I got an eyebrow piercing followed by a banana split. I´m not certain the piercing was a wise decision or that I am particularly fond of it. Luckily it is not a tattoo and I can take it out when I return to civilization and have to see myself in a mirror again. The banana split was fantastic. The next morning I got to experience the famous steam baths of Baños. This service was offered at my hostel for 4$. They put you in a wooden box with your head sticking out and have your body in a sauna with some pleasant smelling vegetation. Then they have you come out and wash yourself down with a cold, wet, towel. This hot-cold process repeats this way about five times. Towards the end of the bathing experience, instead of using a towel, you sit in a kind of ¨water chair¨ and splash yourself. For the last cold cycle, the masseuse sprays you with a small but forceful hose.  And then you emerge a new person. Fig. 2. Steam baths. Later that day we also visited the hot springs. These were not quite up to first world expectations and we all had to wear silly little caps like Smurfs. Mine was florescent pink. Only children got florescent pink caps. I also had some guinea pig for lunch. I can´t say very many good things about it. The taste is fine, but it is about 20% actual meat and 80% bones, skin, and odd rubbery bits. Fig 3. Roasting piggies. Thank you for reading about my adventures in Baños! Otavalo and life at the reserve to follow!