| I. Getting Started: Yanacocha Ditch and the Middle of the World | |||
|
The decision to travel in Ecuador sprang from a discussion I had with Charlie Gomez during our 2003 trip to Costa Rica. For the past ten years Charlie has been guiding in Ecuador when it’s rainy season in Costa Rica. His suggestion that I contact Mercedes Rivadeniera and Xavier Muñoz of Neblina Forest (http://www.neblinaforest.com) in Quito, resulted in an excellent collaboration to set up an itinerary for a birding, natural history and cultural interaction trip. Our group consisted of good friends Mary & Jack Dodge of Port St. Lucie, FL, my husband Jimmy & myself, of Boulder, CO, plus Charlie (who acted as our guide on the Ecuadorian mainland) and Charlie’s good friend Marco Morales whom we quickly re-named “Eagle-Eye.” We traveled in the Neblina Forest van expertly driven by Edwin Herrera, who has worked for the company for 10 years. We were amazed to learn that the majority of people who visit Ecuador on holiday go only to the Galapagos Islands. It is a tragedy that they do not consider the mainland because the country has much to offer. We only scratched the surface during our three week stay! Hopefully this journal will help to encourage those who read it to choose to visit the interior as well. |
|
||
|
Top marks go to Neblina Forest. Every effort was made to provide for our safety and well-being throughout our stay. Tell them your desires or ask them for suggestions. They will do everything possible to make your holiday meaningful! Tuesday, Sept. 13: Hotel Sebastian, Quito: A travel day for all of us. Jimmy and I were the last to arrive at 11 p.m. Immigrations/customs formalities were no problem and the luggage was off loaded quickly. Charlie and Marco came to meet us along with Mercedes and Xavier which was definitely above and beyond the call of duty! By 1 a.m. we were bedded down at the Hotel Sebastian which is a nice, small hotel in the Mariscal Sucre section of Quito. Wednesday, Sept. 14: Hotel Sebastian, Quito: TIP: We had intentionally built in an “acclimation day” since Quito is located at 9,200 feet above sea level. Even though Jimmy and I came from 5,500 feet we could feel the difference. It was very evident to Mary, Jack, Charlie and Marco who came from sea level. After a late, leisurely breakfast (essentially our only one at leisure), the six of us headed for Rio Amazonas which is the main walking and shopping thoroughfare in the Mariscal Sucre (or new) section of the city. The sidewalks are wide and lined with a variety of shops, sidewalk cafes, vendors of all sorts and interesting sights to see. It was a fun morning. Mercedes arrived just before lunch to do a final “run through” of our itinerary and give us some last minute advice. After lunch we took two cabs and headed to the National Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador to view the Pre-Columbian artifacts on display there. Unfortunately we were not allowed to photograph or video. The displays are very well presented and there are numerous interesting dioramas. (Note from Mary: If you're interested in the early civilizations of Ecuador, this is a must-see.) Thursday, Sept. 15: Hotel Sebastian, Quito: Breakfast at 5:30 a.m. and on the road at 6. Our morning of birding was in the area known as the Yanacocha Ditch which is a protected wildlife preserve. The road to the preserve was extremely rough passing through small settlements. As the drive continued upward, we could see Volcan Pichincha. Our birding started slowly but picked up speed, and in the 3.5 hours we were there we saw 44 different birds! A box lunch had been prepared for us so we took a break from birding to eat. Afterwards we headed to La Mitad del Mundo (the Middle of the World Monument) which is supposed to be located on the equator (according to a survey done by a French team back in 1736), but is actually a few hundred meters off the mark. Picture taking was the order of the afternoon as each of us took turns straddling the line that runs through the huge monument. But when one is traveling with Charlie, “the antenna” for birds is always working, and we saw an absolutely beautiful Vermillion Flycatcher on the grounds of the monument as well as a Black-tailed Trainbearer. Leaving the monument, Edwin headed the van westward toward a suburb of Quito where the home of Mercedes and Xavier is located. As we wound higher and higher, the city spread out below us. Passing through the gate, we were greeted by Mercedes’ two horses and nine dogs. Most of the dogs were rescued strays. All the family came out to warmly welcome us, but we will remember forever adorable Emilia, their 2-year-old granddaughter who stole everyone’s heart. Settling down on the patio to mark our bird list before we lost the last of the afternoon light, we were treated to glasses of juice from the Tree Tomato plant. (http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/tree_tomato_pictures.htm) This was the first of many delicious juices we sampled during our time in Ecuador. Mercedes served us a typical meal which began with shrimp ceviche and popcorn. Interestingly enough, popcorn as well as plantain chips are served with ceviche of any sort in Ecuador. Our main course was roast beef, potatoes, rice, and peas & carrots. There was cake and ice cream for dessert. Mercedes told us that Ecuadorians usually eat three carbs with every meal – potatoes, rice and corn! We felt very privileged to have been invited to the home of Mercedes and Xavier. Throughout our time in Ecuador, they continued to treat us as friends rather than clients.
|
Click thumbnails for larger versions
|
||
| AT THE HOME OF MERCEDES AND XAVIER | |||
|
|
|
|
 Moon over Quito |
