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ECUADOR - FIELD UPDATES - TO QUITO AND BEYOND!
- Annelise Buesnel, Greenforce Ecuador expedition, April 2007
On 15th April 2007, a group of 14 intrepid explorers (well all good intentions and that) met in the Folklore Hostel in Quito, the capital of Ecuador to begin what we all hoped would be a fantastic adventure.. Well I can confirm that no one has been disappointed on that front in the slightest!!
Our group leader Colin drew us all together the following morning for a city tour with Fabien, our Ecuadorian guide who took us from where we were based in Mariscal through Gringo Landia (where you will find many a tourist being the nightclub and drinking hotspot...Patatus became a favourite!) to Quito Old town via the trolley bus. Quito is basically nestled in a valley and is an amazing place to gaze upon from one of the many viewpoints dotted about the city, with the east being framed by the magnificent active volcano Pinchincha, which stands around 4800 metres!!! And yes you get to climb it if you want!!!
After our first day of getting to wander round the city and find our way about, it was straight into the Spanish Lessons and Bipo and Toni´s school!!! The one on one lessons we had for the two weeks were 4 hours a day, one on one with our individual teachers. As well as the one on one, we got to play games all together to practice what we learnt and had trips out with teachers to the market, museums, the middle of the world!! At latitude 00 on the equator, we saw water going in different directions, we balanced eggs on nails and learnt about Ecuadorian culture...you really are at the Middle of the world where you are weaker but can jump higher...strange but true!!! As well as visits we got to partake in a cooking class where we learnt to cook a typical Ecuadorian dish of tortilla (not like Mexican tortillas I hasten to add!) and also how to make juice from fruits grown in Ecuador.
The teachers are also fantastic sports and we arranged a students against teachers footie match which was brilliant fun and an excellent way to cement relationships with these lovely people. As well as football, we took a salsa class which was beyond hilarious! Rather than having Shakira snake hips, I think we all managed to wipe each other out with our spinning in circles, out of time and in the wrong direction, think my stomach muscles got more a work out from me laughing rather than the actual dancing...the class is a definite must!!
All of this time at the school and with our teachers was fantastic practice for what was learnt and from some of us being complete novices, I am proud to say that we can now have conversations in another language from these two weeks!!
Our first weekend comprised of a couple of activities, the first was on Saturday to Otavalo, a famous market and the second on Sunday was a bike ride of the city.
En route to Otavalo from Quito which took 2 and a half hours the scenery was breathtaking, from lakes to mountain ranges, giant volcanoes to deep valleys and lush countryside that stretches as far as the eye can see. Upon arriving in the bustling bus station in the town, we all headed off after agreeing a meeting point into the colourful, crazy market. One thing about this place is you have to barter, it is not only expected but so much fun!! Everything here is made by skilled craftsmen and women...I can guarantee that you will leave with either a multi coloured llama jumper, a chess set or a hammock, not to mention the amount of t-shirts they have on offer!! Though it was raining rather heavily it didn’t dampen our spirits or hinder out quest for bargains!!!
Now for Sunday...
Every second Sunday, certain roads in closed in the city to allow for cyclists!! Basically on this day, everyone leaves the car at home and jumps on their bikes!! We did this in two groups, the first taking the morning ride, the others in the afternoon. It was a gloriously sunny day and though there may have been the odd hill involved and slightly sore legs afterwards this is definitely something you have to do here, really good fun in a group and with regular water stops along the way you really feel looked after and enjoy the experience of taking life at a slightly slower pace.
In the last week before we set out for the jungle we got to do an amazing thing...you know Pinchincha the active volcano...yes we climbed it!!!! Though we did not reach the top (only 150 metres off though!!) due to a storm coming in and an interesting run back in hail and thunder, it is probably one of the most fantastic things many of us have ever done!!!! After a misty cable car ride from the bottom at 2100 metres to 4100 metres we got to look out over Quito knowing that we were going to be climbing this huge mountain from which we usually looked up at!! Naturally we all indulged in a spot of stocking up on not only the divine cakes and hot chocolate but some rather fetching hat and glove combos too!!
So off we all trundle a a nice slow leisurely pace as at that height the altitude gets you big styley (bit of wheezing to be expected and light-headedness too)...thing is you don’t mind walking at the pace of a 60 year old when you have the views we did, everything from the ever decreasing city below us to the stunning cloud cover and undulating mountainside which majestically rose through the clouds except for the peak which was shrouded...very ethereal and peaceful up there...so close you feel you can touch the sky!! Once you are past the point of no return where it gets a tad trickier, it is more like climbing than walking and I would say is a brilliant bonding experience for the group as you have to rely and trust in one another when hanging onto a small piece of rock!! Though with our leader being an experienced climber none of us felt at all worried and completely trusted his every word and direction...big up to Colin!! As mentioned we didn’t reach the top as the weather turned a tad icky with a lots of wet stuff falling and some crash bang walloping of thunder so we hastily but safely made our way back...I actually think that made the experience a much more dramatic and memorable time for us.
So aside from all the days activities there is a lot of time for fun in the evenings and this is where Gringo Landia comes into its own, Patatus is a cool place to hang, play pool, table football and dance but there are a number of places which do good food and drink deals...and in some cases you may stumble across a bunch of strippers dressed a bit like the village people so there is plenty to amuse for all. And at $1.50 for a beer and $3 for a cocktail or spirit, you are laughing!!!
For now that is all from the Quito adventures but there will be plenty more tales of fun from the jungle adventure...Tarzan has nothing on the Greenforce Gang!!!!
