11 January, 2018
We started the day bright and early at 4:50 a.m. Of course I had to use the restroom when we arrived, and Abby and I found one in an indigenous women’s home right across the street. We paid 50 cents for some toilet paper, used her bathroom, and pet an adorable puppy. Quilotoa, part of the Ilinizas reserve, is a water filled caldera formed from the collapse of a stratovolcano erupting. The water is crystal clear and very pretty to look at, but contains no life. There were lots of stray dogs around the area, probably because tourists like us give them food and show them attention. There were at least 5 of them who followed us all the way down the trail and even posed for some photos with us. After hanging out by the lake for some time, it was time to hike back up. While most of the group took donkeys and horses, I struggled to the top with the motivation of Abby and John. We had lunch at an old mansion, converted into a restaurant and hotel, with some live music that we all enjoyed. I had a nice talk with Lester about the 9-year-old Ecuadorian boy that he sponsors and about how he was able to take him and his family out for his birthday. It’s a great program that benefits some of the poorer families while also protecting the interests of the one donating. After lunch we went to Cotopaxi National Park and took a walk around the with another local guide. The park was created in 1975 and is the 2nd most important park in terms of visitors behind the Galapagos. We saw the native forests of the Andes which consisted of short, shrub like trees, a vast difference from the pine and eucalyptus plantations that surround the unprotected area. This land, just like in Cajas, is known as the pàramo. In 1877 Cotopaxi erupted, destroying the surrounding towns. Since the last eruption in 2015 (which put 7km high of ash into the air), alarms have been installed to give a warning to evacuate the area. Besides invasive vegetation, escaped bulls and horses also destroy the pàramo for species like white tailed deer, the Andean wolf, Andean fox, and Andean bear. Escaped bull and horses are scarified to preserve the pàramo, and to provide food to the threatened Andean condors. We headed to Quito to check into our hotel and grab some dinner. We went out as a class and walked towards “Gringo Land” a very busy spot with lots of restaurants, bars, and people. Even though we were in gringo land a large group like us stuck out and all the shop/restaurant owners were trying to persuade us to come in. After our American style meal ( I got a burger), we called it a night prepared for tomorrow. |
12 January, 2018
Today started off with a city tour of Quito, the first city declared by as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Our first stop was at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the largest church in South America in size of construction, but construction will never be finished as the people believe that it’s completion coincides with the end of the world. We climbed some pretty scary steps to the top for a beautiful view of the city in all directions. From the lookout we could see the large “Virgin With Wings”. When the city was first being built all the development happened in front of her for protection, but now development is out of control and it is undesirable to live behind the back of the virgin.
From the top we could clearly see how the city grew large and out of control, up the sides of the hills on steep land with no infrastructure to support it. These homes are built with no sewage, roads, or electricity and are always at risk of subsiding and collapsing. The fact that there is no infrastructure or proper waste management, in combination with runoff and dumping, created the most polluted river in Latin America running right through Quito. At the top of the church Tait also took some time to talk about the haze that was hindering out view for miles. Quito is a valley with little air movement, and like most cities with lots of cars and transportation, sulfurous and photochemical smog just sits over the valley.
After leaving the church we visited the Main Square of Quito where the government buildings were. We entered another church, this one built in the 1600’s and containing 8 tons of gold. Everywhere I looked every fine detail was gold plated. Diego explained that it was built by the indigenous slaves, and when we looked closely we could see the Incan cross secretly incorporated into the artwork which I thought was pretty neat. Next, we made out way to the site of the virgin with wings statue. Instead of climbing for a view of the city (which we already had at the church), we shopped at some small stands for souvenirs. I also had to pay for toilet paper to use the port-o-pot (50 cents I believe), which is so different from America where they have to have public restrooms almost everywhere. After some time, we took the Teleferico up to Pinchincha mountain. After a short walk to find some Alpacas with Becky and Kevin, we headed down since it was foggy and there wasn’t much to see.
Tait decided it would be good for all of us to experience Quito’s bus system, so we had our personal bus driver drop us off at the bus stop just to ride back to our hotel. It felt a little silly, a group of tourists doing something most people do every day just to get to work, shopping, etc., but we wanted to give it a try. It was a pretty easy, but we were headed in the right direction. The buses in the opposite direction were jam packed with almost no room to move. Luckily, we had Diego ask the bus driver to slow down a bit so all of us could make it off as a group.
Finally, the time came for some chocolate taste testing at Pacarí. We each sat down in front of a plate with about 8 pieces of chocolate and an arrow telling us which side to start on. A pacarí representative walked us through each chocolate, paying attention to the color, bubbles, smell, sound, and taste. We learned quiet a bit about the philosophy of the company (good by people and good by nature), and the way they were working with local families and farmers. We discussed that they are by far more sustainable than other chocolate companies, but some parts of their plan were hard to back up, such as denying the fair trade certification and letting a certain tree go extinct instead of saving the gene. My favorites were the passion fruit flavor and the raw organic 70% blend of Ecuadorian cacao.
That night we went out as a group to celebrate Angelique’s birthday! Tait says there is always a birthday on the trip, but this time Angeliques just happened to be coming up the soonest. After walking the street and watching a little boy put on a show, we settled on a restaurant. Some people were unhappy with their food, but I got chicken with a strawberry glaze and rice and it was delicious. The cab rides to the restaurant and back proved very interesting and somewhat scary. When I asked how the cab drivers get away with that kind of driving even though Ecuador has very strict motor laws, I learned it was because a lot of politicians actually own the cabs. Either way, we all got home safe and I went out with a small group back to “gringo land” for out last night in Cuenca.
Today started off with a city tour of Quito, the first city declared by as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Our first stop was at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the largest church in South America in size of construction, but construction will never be finished as the people believe that it’s completion coincides with the end of the world. We climbed some pretty scary steps to the top for a beautiful view of the city in all directions. From the lookout we could see the large “Virgin With Wings”. When the city was first being built all the development happened in front of her for protection, but now development is out of control and it is undesirable to live behind the back of the virgin.
From the top we could clearly see how the city grew large and out of control, up the sides of the hills on steep land with no infrastructure to support it. These homes are built with no sewage, roads, or electricity and are always at risk of subsiding and collapsing. The fact that there is no infrastructure or proper waste management, in combination with runoff and dumping, created the most polluted river in Latin America running right through Quito. At the top of the church Tait also took some time to talk about the haze that was hindering out view for miles. Quito is a valley with little air movement, and like most cities with lots of cars and transportation, sulfurous and photochemical smog just sits over the valley.
After leaving the church we visited the Main Square of Quito where the government buildings were. We entered another church, this one built in the 1600’s and containing 8 tons of gold. Everywhere I looked every fine detail was gold plated. Diego explained that it was built by the indigenous slaves, and when we looked closely we could see the Incan cross secretly incorporated into the artwork which I thought was pretty neat. Next, we made out way to the site of the virgin with wings statue. Instead of climbing for a view of the city (which we already had at the church), we shopped at some small stands for souvenirs. I also had to pay for toilet paper to use the port-o-pot (50 cents I believe), which is so different from America where they have to have public restrooms almost everywhere. After some time, we took the Teleferico up to Pinchincha mountain. After a short walk to find some Alpacas with Becky and Kevin, we headed down since it was foggy and there wasn’t much to see.
Tait decided it would be good for all of us to experience Quito’s bus system, so we had our personal bus driver drop us off at the bus stop just to ride back to our hotel. It felt a little silly, a group of tourists doing something most people do every day just to get to work, shopping, etc., but we wanted to give it a try. It was a pretty easy, but we were headed in the right direction. The buses in the opposite direction were jam packed with almost no room to move. Luckily, we had Diego ask the bus driver to slow down a bit so all of us could make it off as a group.
Finally, the time came for some chocolate taste testing at Pacarí. We each sat down in front of a plate with about 8 pieces of chocolate and an arrow telling us which side to start on. A pacarí representative walked us through each chocolate, paying attention to the color, bubbles, smell, sound, and taste. We learned quiet a bit about the philosophy of the company (good by people and good by nature), and the way they were working with local families and farmers. We discussed that they are by far more sustainable than other chocolate companies, but some parts of their plan were hard to back up, such as denying the fair trade certification and letting a certain tree go extinct instead of saving the gene. My favorites were the passion fruit flavor and the raw organic 70% blend of Ecuadorian cacao.
That night we went out as a group to celebrate Angelique’s birthday! Tait says there is always a birthday on the trip, but this time Angeliques just happened to be coming up the soonest. After walking the street and watching a little boy put on a show, we settled on a restaurant. Some people were unhappy with their food, but I got chicken with a strawberry glaze and rice and it was delicious. The cab rides to the restaurant and back proved very interesting and somewhat scary. When I asked how the cab drivers get away with that kind of driving even though Ecuador has very strict motor laws, I learned it was because a lot of politicians actually own the cabs. Either way, we all got home safe and I went out with a small group back to “gringo land” for out last night in Cuenca.
13 January, 2018
We checked out of Quito and were on our way to Mindo! After spending some time waiting on the bus for Hunter to get some medical attention (I was one of the lucky ones who never got sick), we made a stop at the real equator, the Intiman Museum. It was a tiny museum where they put on demonstrations, unlike the “fake equator” which is a large monument built by the French 250 meters away from the actual equator line. The French used their technology and didn’t believe that the indigenous were capable of using the stars and the sun to locate the actual equator. They came to Ecuador in the 1700’s and didn’t learn that their monument was in the wrong place until the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) was invented. We saw a lot of fun demonstrations including watching water spin in opposite directions, trying to balance an egg on a nail at which I failed, and trying to walk a straight line with arms closed and eyes out. We also went into a replica of an indigenous house, complete with a pen of guinea pigs and got our passports stamped before leaving the museum. We then started the long drive towards our last stop of the trip, Mindo and the cloud forest. As we were driving I saw dramatic change in the landscape with elevation, from agricultural lands to native forest with clouds hanging right above the trees. The cloud forest is a special area for many species, including jaguars, the speckled bear, and lots of birds. We arrived at Sachatamia where we were greeted by hummingbirds zooming around feeders placed around the patio. They were so beautiful and brightly colored, but so fast it was impossible for a good picture with an iphone. Before dinner we had a class discussion on Pacarí and the Quito bus experience. After some of the females on the trip discussed how the bus systems were unsafe, we learned that in Brazil there are women only bus cars to prevent women from being assaulted or having things stolen from them. Something interesting is that sustainable practices, such as more plant cover in areas, dim or automatic sensor lighting, or even just walking as opposed to driving to the destination, puts women at more risk, even though women are much more likely to be involved in sustainable practices and buy sustainable products than men. That night after dinner we learned more about the Treadmill of Production from Victoria and Laurel. |
14 January, 2018
After breakfast we took a walk with Diego around the property. I immediately notices how green everything was and how large some of the leaves of plants were. It was full of orchids, bromeliads, and epiphytes(almost every tree had them). Mindo is known as the “paradise of birds” and is home to over 1,700 species in Ecuador. It is such an important place for birds because it is part of the Choco forest, which has all native trees and vegetation with no invasive, creating lots of habitat. Although there are no introduced species yet, tilapia is of concern because they can escape and enter the natural river ecosystem.
An eye opener and somewhat of a common theme of the trip was wild animal exploitation either for the pet trade or medicinal/religious beliefs: the sloths taken from Iguana park, the confiscated birds at Pumapungo, and the tortoises sold killed for people to drink their blood. Diego told us that the fat of the endangered speckled bear has been used for medicine and is believed to heal all illnesses. Today, the foot of the bear is considered good luck and can be found hanging in homes, restaurants, or shops. Ironically, condors that represent freedom, are also captured in the Andes and tied down to the ground so they struggle with their wings outstretched.
As we continued our walk we passed a small river. Tait told us how it is common for people to pan for tiny pieces of gold. To avoid being ripped off, the people use liquid mercury to melt the pieces of gold together, often right in the stream. When these people started to experience negative health effects, locals believed it was because “they got too rich”, not because they were using a dangerous chemical. After this walk I opted to go on another short walk with a guide who worked for the lodge. He didn’t speak much English, but we communicated with him using a bird book that Tait brought along.
After lunch we took some taxis into the town of Mindo and went zip lining! It was pouring rain, but so much fun. We started off with some smaller zip lines, but by the end we were going over greater lengths and higher drops. I’ve never been zip lining before, but I’m glad my first time experiencing it was over a beautiful cloud forest in the rain. We stopped briefly in Mindo on the way back where I bought a bracelet and necklace from a lady with a table on the sidewalk. At this point in the trip I was more comfortable using Spanish to bargain, and I’d say I got a good deal.
That night we had a reflection on the whole trip, what we liked and disliked, and discussed any modifications we would have made. I was so sad this trip was coming to and end, but that just means I’ll be planning my next trip soon (I have to get more use out of all those vaccines)! It was a unique experience being able to travel with a fellow group of students and a professor, and I’m glad I experienced Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with a group of like-minded people who are all concerned with sustainability and the environment.
After breakfast we took a walk with Diego around the property. I immediately notices how green everything was and how large some of the leaves of plants were. It was full of orchids, bromeliads, and epiphytes(almost every tree had them). Mindo is known as the “paradise of birds” and is home to over 1,700 species in Ecuador. It is such an important place for birds because it is part of the Choco forest, which has all native trees and vegetation with no invasive, creating lots of habitat. Although there are no introduced species yet, tilapia is of concern because they can escape and enter the natural river ecosystem.
An eye opener and somewhat of a common theme of the trip was wild animal exploitation either for the pet trade or medicinal/religious beliefs: the sloths taken from Iguana park, the confiscated birds at Pumapungo, and the tortoises sold killed for people to drink their blood. Diego told us that the fat of the endangered speckled bear has been used for medicine and is believed to heal all illnesses. Today, the foot of the bear is considered good luck and can be found hanging in homes, restaurants, or shops. Ironically, condors that represent freedom, are also captured in the Andes and tied down to the ground so they struggle with their wings outstretched.
As we continued our walk we passed a small river. Tait told us how it is common for people to pan for tiny pieces of gold. To avoid being ripped off, the people use liquid mercury to melt the pieces of gold together, often right in the stream. When these people started to experience negative health effects, locals believed it was because “they got too rich”, not because they were using a dangerous chemical. After this walk I opted to go on another short walk with a guide who worked for the lodge. He didn’t speak much English, but we communicated with him using a bird book that Tait brought along.
After lunch we took some taxis into the town of Mindo and went zip lining! It was pouring rain, but so much fun. We started off with some smaller zip lines, but by the end we were going over greater lengths and higher drops. I’ve never been zip lining before, but I’m glad my first time experiencing it was over a beautiful cloud forest in the rain. We stopped briefly in Mindo on the way back where I bought a bracelet and necklace from a lady with a table on the sidewalk. At this point in the trip I was more comfortable using Spanish to bargain, and I’d say I got a good deal.
That night we had a reflection on the whole trip, what we liked and disliked, and discussed any modifications we would have made. I was so sad this trip was coming to and end, but that just means I’ll be planning my next trip soon (I have to get more use out of all those vaccines)! It was a unique experience being able to travel with a fellow group of students and a professor, and I’m glad I experienced Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with a group of like-minded people who are all concerned with sustainability and the environment.
15 January, 2018
Day 15 arrived and we said goodbye to Ecuador. We left the hotel early in the morning and flew from Quito to Guayaquil. We flew from Guayaquil to Columbia, where Abby and I were called at random to have our bags searched. I got a good seat on the flight to JFK by the emergency windows, stretched out my legs, and slept until we landed in JFK on the 16th. Even though the trip was officially over, it was all I could think about the next couple of days. Ama la Vida!
Day 15 arrived and we said goodbye to Ecuador. We left the hotel early in the morning and flew from Quito to Guayaquil. We flew from Guayaquil to Columbia, where Abby and I were called at random to have our bags searched. I got a good seat on the flight to JFK by the emergency windows, stretched out my legs, and slept until we landed in JFK on the 16th. Even though the trip was officially over, it was all I could think about the next couple of days. Ama la Vida!