If we do not have the strength to grasp our hands with everyone's hands, if we do not have the tenderness to hold in our arms the children of the world, if we do not have the will to clean the earth of all its armies; this small planet will be a dry and black body in a black space.
~ Ecuadorean Artist Oswaldo Guayasamín (English Translation)
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Today we visited a rose plantation. Greenhouse after greenhouse of long stem roses of all colours. Ecuador is the third largest exporter of cut flowers. Ecuadoreans claim that their roses grow straighter because they are on the equator and the sun is always overhead. Others claim that this is a myth. Regardless the climate here does appear to be perfect for long stem roses. I would have been happy with the reject roses on the cutting room floor, but every bunch of flowers prepared for transport was absolutely perfect.
We are back in Quito. Headed off by local bus to buy some avocados and crackers for supper. Buses here are a bit of a wild ride. Vendors hop on and off the bus selling snacks and treats up and down the aisles from stop to stop. It was a lot of fun, but we eventually got off and walked the rest of the way because we could travel faster on foot than the bus. Tomorrow I will be writing from Peru. You are Always in My Prayers. Love Mom. Well, finally I got to do something Dad couldn't! This morning we hiked Elpailon del Diablo (The Devil's Cauldron Water fall). If you get on all fours you can crawl through three levels of grottos to the back of this incredibly powerful waterfall. You know Dad doesn't like enclosed spaces; so he turned back. With the help of a lovely young man from Germany (who I tried to speak Spanish to) I scampered all the way to the top. To reach out and touch the back of the waterfall was simply magic.
Tonight we are sleeping in a hacienda situated the shadow of Tungurahua. Tungurahua is one of South America's most active volcanoes. In 1999 the nearby town of Banos was evacuated for two months due to an eruption. We feel quite safe--far enough away to be excited if we hear the volcano rumble--close enough to enjoy the view. You Are Always in My Prayers. Love Mom. With our style of adventure a little travel tummy is inevitable. Unfortunately I missed all of the a.m. fun, but a diet of popsicles can fix almost anything and I am on the mend. So, here is Dad to tell you about his morning:
"Considering how many animals are in the amazon we saw very few. They are very high in the canopy. However, there were lots of little things like ants that taste like lemon (yes, I ate them live), centipedes and several spiders including tarantulas. When we got to the 300 year old kapok tree I couldn't resist trying to swing like Tarzan. Probably the most fun was finishing off the morning rafting down the river on a traditional balsa raft. The water felt great" This afternoon we hopped in a motorized canoe and visited amaZOOnico . They rehabilitate, reintroduce and care for animals who are often victims of illegal trafficking. Wildlife trafficking is estimated at $10 billion per year world wide. Just last week AmaZOOnico released 20 river turtles. That is one of their happier stories. Unfortunately many of their residents can't be reintroduced...An Anaconda that has lost its instinct to hunt....parrots that are too socialized to live in the wild...monkeys that were injured in a hunt and can no longer cope on their own ...an ocelot that was raised as a pet kitten but grew too large to manage. One thing is perfectly clear, if you are thinking of getting an exotic pet--THINK TWICE! You Are Always in My Prayers. Love Mom. This morning we left the Andes and after a fairly long and winding ride we reached the Amazon basin. Our lodge is on the Napo River and to reach almost all of our activities we travel by motorized canoe. This afternoon we headed to a Quichuas village to learn about agriculture in the indigenous communities. Although their homes are now likely to have big screen TVs and wifi, they are making sure they are preserving the knowledge of their traditions. Our host demonstrated how to make chicha. It is made from mushed cassava and grated sweet potato. I wasn't a fan--it sort of tasted like drinking yeast. However, the blow dart lesson was a lot of fun. The tube is made from a type of palm tree. Aiming it is more challenging than it looks. I didn't hit the wooden monkey but I'm pretty sure I scared it.
After we returned to our lodge we had a cooking demonstration. Many dishes here can be cooked slowly in palm leaves. We were offered grubs, cassava, palm heart, tilapia, and plantains. See if you can figure out which is which--the grub is obvious. Dad tried the grub--I of course did NOT. Learning lots. You are Always in my Prayers. Love Mom. As you know the Spanish conquered Ecuador in the 1500's. Spain, being predominately catholic, influenced Ecuadorians in that the majority of those in Ecuador now claim to be catholic (although not always practicing). As with many cultures the traditions of the indigenous peoples influences how they live out their faith on a daily basis. On one hand they carry out Catholic traditions such as baptism and the sacraments, while on the other hand they pray to the Papa Volcanoe (Imbabura) and the Mama Volcanoe (Cotacachi). This synchronicity of religion and traditions is fascinating. For example, the Peguche waterfall we hiked to today is considered a somewhat holy place where the faithful go for a holy cleansing bath the night before the winter soltice. Of course, I suspect the young man we saw today who stripped buck naked--chucked his trucks into the falls, and dove in after them--was giving little thought to his traditions or faith.
We had several great opportunities to learn more about the local customs of the Kichwa people near Otavalo. The Kichwa were always merchants so they have been able to adapt quite well to changes over the centuries. They are known for their colourful dress and weaving. Traditionally they used a backstrap loom and natural dyes. By squishing cochineal bugs and adding ash, or lime, or baking soda and a variety of other ingredients, they are able to make a whole range of colours for their designs. Unfortunately since tourists expect a cheap price and are willing to settle for inferior products much of what is sold in the Otavalo market is now machine made. We are still in the Andes mountains and this is our highest altitude so far. We are heading out to enjoy the natural hot springs before bed. Your are Always in my Prayers. Love Mom. Off to a rough start yesterday. With storms and tons of turbulence we missed our connecting flight to Ecuador. The situation turned around quickly and Copa airline booked us on a later flight. The plane was already boarding when we noticed they had also given us quite a substantial voucher for the airport restaurants. Homewoods never leave free money on the table; so while I watched the line Dad (with the assistance of a kindly cashier) blew the bundle on snack food. We definitely have enough treats to last the whole trip! Then when we got on the plane they had booked us in FIRST CLASS. Love those big comfy seats--what a treat for these budget travellers😄 We've learned and saw so much in just one day. We visited a Gothic basilica where the gargoyles were Ecuadorean animals like lamas and Galapagos Iguanas and a Rococo Jesuit church that was decorated with 30 kg of gold. Dad stood with one foot on each side of the equator at the middle of the earth and we learned to make Ecuadorean ice cream (more like sorbet) with lots of samples..of course. Ecuador is absolutely beautiful. They don't have seasons so the climate is pretty well the same all year round. This makes it perfect for growing roses and chocolate (two of their largest exports). That means it is pretty well Valentine's Day every day. We are now on Lago San Pablo (St. Paul’s Lake). Today we managed to ask for the washroom in Spanish--which is a good thing. You Are Always in My Prayers. Love Mom. |
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Ray & Diane Homewood
Sharing the Blessing of Travel Archives
August 2017
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