I am finally at peace, sitting in my cabin on the Napo River, listening to the river rushing by, wondering if I can sleep tonight with the noise. Our journey to Casa del Suizo was long and arduous. We were told that it would take four or five hours for the 220 kilometers, and I guess I did not believe that it would take so long, and I mistakenly believed that the road was paved and easy to drive. When we arrived at the rental agency, I had Eric call Erika, who reassured us that it was not too difficult a drive, and Felipe, who did not dissuade us from our adventure, so I encouraged Eric to rent the car, and off we went. We made errors during our drive out of Quito and took extra time to get out of the city. I was excited because we took the road through Guapalo to get to Cumbaya, which is where Orellana and Gonzalo Pizarro started on their journey, and followed their route to Pappallacta and on to the jungle. I kept imagining how difficult the trip was for the conquistadors in their full body armour and their horses and their supplies. Of course they took hundreds of Indians with them to carry their supplies and every one of the indigenous people perished and never returned home. The conquistadors were remarkable men, were willing to take risks, were dogged and determined and persevered in harsh and perilous conditions. The mountains were stunning. We started ascending through forests to above the tree line, through the paramo and the cloud forests. We passed Pappallacta and then started our descent, where conditions deteriorated. The road was under construction and we were limited to one half of the road for both directions. I was very frightened that we would drive off the side of the road and that would be it for us. When the road construction finally ended, the road became gravel and bumpy with huge holes and boulders to navigate around, and then it began raining heavily and the sky became dark and ominous.
We arrived in a town that we thought was Tena. When we stopped to find a washroom and a meal, we discovered that we had not yet reached Tena. The cook at the restaurant said he could not feed us, but later relented and cooked us a meal that tasted delicious because we had not eaten since breakfast. We contemplated stopping for the night, but were told that Tena was five minutes away and Ahuano only thirty minutes from there. We pressed on in the dark. For the last twenty seven miles or so, the road was paved and well lit and we became more hopeful. At the end of the road, we had to leave our car and take a canoe to the other side of the river where we were to be met by a vehicle, but no one came for longer than expected. Eric found that his cell phone worked, so we called Tara in New York City and my parents in Edmonton, and I felt so glad to hear their voices and know that at least for them, life was perfectly normal. We wondered if we would have to sleep at the side of the river and I felt so tired that I contemplated just lying down on the ground with the suitcase as a pillow and trying to sleep. Finally, a rather reluctant man in a pickup truck arrived to drive us the last ten minutes to Casa del Suizo. I feel lucky to be alive. I asked if there was a nearby airport so I do not have to take that road back to Quito, but then Andrés, who runs Casa del Suizo laughed at me and told me he makes the drive once a month and it takes him only three and a half hours.
When I calculated the time we took, I realized that we left the car rental agency around 3:30-3:45, took too long to leave the city and perhaps we got out of Quito by 4:30 and then drove to Archidona where we ate for an hour and arrived at Casa del Suizo at about 8:45, so it took us about four hours to get here. It was the conditions of the roads and my fear of crashing that made it feel so painful. I was concentrating so hard, even though I was not driving, that I had been expending far too much energy.
I look forward to seeing this place in the daylight, so I can be sure it will work for the yoga group. We sat with Andrés for the evening, talking and drinking and relaxing and settling down. Tomorrow we will check the place out and then get right back on the road back to Quito. Orellana took a boat down the Napo to the Amazon and out to sea… I think I would rather do that than drive back.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Good-bye Galapagos
Our days in the Galapagos were intense, so full of activity and almost too much exposure to new things. It feels shocking to be back in civilization again. We are in Guayaquil, another unexplored city for me. It is so very different from Quito. It has a much larger population and the city is more compact and has a European feel to it. Clearly tourists are not a usual sight here, and our walk through the 'Malecón' was an occasion for stares and awe. It was a surprise to see the Seminario Park in front of the neo-Gothic cathedral full of iguanas. They were wandering around, climbing up trees, arguing with squirrels, grouped in large numbers. They have been here for years, and are fed by the locals and don't leave he park. It was their habitat before the park was built and they chose to stand their ground and remain the main inhabitants of the park. It was a bizarre sight.
The Malecón was built in 2000, and runs along the river. At one end it has an anthropological museum, a garden with local flowers and trees and shrubs, followed by a children's section, many statues of former leaders from Guayaquil, a large sailing ship anchored on the river, many ice cream vendors and shoe-shine boys. There was a demonstration by the shoe shine boys and their supporters protesting the limitations imposed on the shoe shine boys. It was not very big and the police and security guards outnumbered the protesters. The Ecuadorians like to protest, I am told, and will take advantage of any demonstration. We did not see the outcome of the event.
Our walk down the Malecón was short. I would have liked to see more, but the tour leader wanted us back for a reception. I found myself so surprised with the city. It is not at all what I expected, which was perhaps a version of Quito, but its is instead modern, packed with people wearing western clothing rather than the local costume that is so often worn in the highlands. The faces are different, not at all Andean faces. I know that Guayaquil inhabitants call the Quieteños 'Serranos' and the Quiteños call the Guayaquil people 'monos' or monkeys or other worse names. The Serranos are also called 'potato worms' but I am not sure how that is said in Spanish.
Leaving Galapagos was difficult. I wanted to stay for another several days and see the islands on the other side. Four days is too short, and I feel once again that I have only gotten a taste of the islands and have to return for another visit and finish my exploration. Eric and I have decided that the best itinerary is on the Isabella2, which does an eleven day program and includes all the islands and all the different flora and fauna of the islands. When my sisters come to visit next year, I will plan to return and do a more complete version of the Galapagos.
We also said good-bye to all our travel companions today. I have enjoyed meeting each of them and learning about their lives. I wish the trip had been longer for them too, although the pace on the boat was exhausting and many are very tired and ready for a quieter time. Some are flying to Lima tomorrow and will visit Macchu Picchu and Cuzco--I wish I could go with them. I have wanted to go to Macchu Picchu for years and years, and there was a similar extension to the trip to the Peruvian Amazon two years ago which we also did not do.I am determined to hike the Inca trail with Maya and Tara next year and will begin to research the possibilities. I do not want to live so close to the place and not visit when we are in Quito.
Guayaquil is also a must-see. The people here are so very different form those in the highlands and the city looks and feels so different from Quito. It is not at all a Spanish colonial city. It has been burned to the ground and rebuilt in the 1800's using Italian architects and what they consider to be a French style. The cathedral is neogothic and many public buildings are neoclassic in style. The city is located on a wide river with hyacinths floating near the banks. The streets are full of families and children walking and exploring the Malecón.
When we live in Quito there will be many new places to explore.
One fellow on the boat was a defense attache for the American embassy and he scared us with stories about crime in Quito and how it is increasing significantly and that we must be very very careful. I am not sure what that means.... and how scared I ought to be. Eric is quite dismissive about such comments, but I am apprehensive.
The Malecón was built in 2000, and runs along the river. At one end it has an anthropological museum, a garden with local flowers and trees and shrubs, followed by a children's section, many statues of former leaders from Guayaquil, a large sailing ship anchored on the river, many ice cream vendors and shoe-shine boys. There was a demonstration by the shoe shine boys and their supporters protesting the limitations imposed on the shoe shine boys. It was not very big and the police and security guards outnumbered the protesters. The Ecuadorians like to protest, I am told, and will take advantage of any demonstration. We did not see the outcome of the event.
Our walk down the Malecón was short. I would have liked to see more, but the tour leader wanted us back for a reception. I found myself so surprised with the city. It is not at all what I expected, which was perhaps a version of Quito, but its is instead modern, packed with people wearing western clothing rather than the local costume that is so often worn in the highlands. The faces are different, not at all Andean faces. I know that Guayaquil inhabitants call the Quieteños 'Serranos' and the Quiteños call the Guayaquil people 'monos' or monkeys or other worse names. The Serranos are also called 'potato worms' but I am not sure how that is said in Spanish.
Leaving Galapagos was difficult. I wanted to stay for another several days and see the islands on the other side. Four days is too short, and I feel once again that I have only gotten a taste of the islands and have to return for another visit and finish my exploration. Eric and I have decided that the best itinerary is on the Isabella2, which does an eleven day program and includes all the islands and all the different flora and fauna of the islands. When my sisters come to visit next year, I will plan to return and do a more complete version of the Galapagos.
We also said good-bye to all our travel companions today. I have enjoyed meeting each of them and learning about their lives. I wish the trip had been longer for them too, although the pace on the boat was exhausting and many are very tired and ready for a quieter time. Some are flying to Lima tomorrow and will visit Macchu Picchu and Cuzco--I wish I could go with them. I have wanted to go to Macchu Picchu for years and years, and there was a similar extension to the trip to the Peruvian Amazon two years ago which we also did not do.I am determined to hike the Inca trail with Maya and Tara next year and will begin to research the possibilities. I do not want to live so close to the place and not visit when we are in Quito.
Guayaquil is also a must-see. The people here are so very different form those in the highlands and the city looks and feels so different from Quito. It is not at all a Spanish colonial city. It has been burned to the ground and rebuilt in the 1800's using Italian architects and what they consider to be a French style. The cathedral is neogothic and many public buildings are neoclassic in style. The city is located on a wide river with hyacinths floating near the banks. The streets are full of families and children walking and exploring the Malecón.
When we live in Quito there will be many new places to explore.
One fellow on the boat was a defense attache for the American embassy and he scared us with stories about crime in Quito and how it is increasing significantly and that we must be very very careful. I am not sure what that means.... and how scared I ought to be. Eric is quite dismissive about such comments, but I am apprehensive.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Puerto Ayora
We sailed into the harbour at Puerto Ayora, the largest town in the Galápagos. Its economic base is tourism, so that every person who lives in the town depends on the tourists in some way. I hope that means that all are intent on preserving their environment, because tourists will stop coming if the animals disappear. We visited Lonesome George at the Darwin Center today. He is the last of his kind and has resisted efforts to have him mate with female tortoises. He either cannot or won’t fertilize the females that are offered to him. He was found on the island of Pinzon, and it was puzzling that no females were found with him. Ships would come to the Galápagos Islands for years and collect thousands of turtles for food. The islands were full of turtles once. The Darwin Center was developed to preserve the tortoises, by finding the eggs and incubating them, hatching them and keeping the hatchlings alive until they are ready to be reintroduced to the wild. They have had some success in that there are islands that have healthy populations of tortoises.
We visited a farm in the highlands which had tortoises wandering about. They hear us and smell us and are frightened when we come too close to them. They make an odd hissing sound as they pull their heads into their shells. They truly look like ancient animals, like dinosaurs really. Tortoises live on land and turtles live in the sea; we saw a sea turtle swimming yesterday and last year when we were snorkeling near Isabela Island there were many sea turtles swimming about. It was quite the experience to see them swimming nearby, often two and three together. They are quite magnificent.
Our agenda today included a visit to a lava tunnel. We could not go far into the tunnel because the lights in the tunnel were out and it was too dark. There are several of these tunnels throughout the island, originating from ancient lava flows from the no longer active volcano on the island. There are also massive sink holes, and we visited two of them. They were much like the sink holes we saw in Belize, except that that the latter were steeper and deeper and led to an intricate cave system. In Belize, Tara and I rappelled down to the bottom of the sink hole, some three hundred feet or so, and then explored the caves, which had been used by the Mayans for ritual ceremonies.
The Galápagos Islands were never inhabited by indigenous people, so there is no evidence of ancient cultures or traditions.
We returned to the boat for the evening and had a dinner of Ecuadorian specialties, which somehow were not as interesting as I had remembered. We will be leaving the Santa Cruz in the morning and flying to Guayaquil. This will be my first visit to this city, and I have heard so much about it, both good and bad. It has improved much, and has an entirely different feel to Quito. Quiteños call people form Guayaquil ‘monos’ or monkeys, and those form Guayaquil call those form Quito ‘Serranos’ or potato worms. I am not sure why, but I will try to find out. There is certainly a rivalry between the two cities.
We visited a farm in the highlands which had tortoises wandering about. They hear us and smell us and are frightened when we come too close to them. They make an odd hissing sound as they pull their heads into their shells. They truly look like ancient animals, like dinosaurs really. Tortoises live on land and turtles live in the sea; we saw a sea turtle swimming yesterday and last year when we were snorkeling near Isabela Island there were many sea turtles swimming about. It was quite the experience to see them swimming nearby, often two and three together. They are quite magnificent.
Our agenda today included a visit to a lava tunnel. We could not go far into the tunnel because the lights in the tunnel were out and it was too dark. There are several of these tunnels throughout the island, originating from ancient lava flows from the no longer active volcano on the island. There are also massive sink holes, and we visited two of them. They were much like the sink holes we saw in Belize, except that that the latter were steeper and deeper and led to an intricate cave system. In Belize, Tara and I rappelled down to the bottom of the sink hole, some three hundred feet or so, and then explored the caves, which had been used by the Mayans for ritual ceremonies.
The Galápagos Islands were never inhabited by indigenous people, so there is no evidence of ancient cultures or traditions.
We returned to the boat for the evening and had a dinner of Ecuadorian specialties, which somehow were not as interesting as I had remembered. We will be leaving the Santa Cruz in the morning and flying to Guayaquil. This will be my first visit to this city, and I have heard so much about it, both good and bad. It has improved much, and has an entirely different feel to Quito. Quiteños call people form Guayaquil ‘monos’ or monkeys, and those form Guayaquil call those form Quito ‘Serranos’ or potato worms. I am not sure why, but I will try to find out. There is certainly a rivalry between the two cities.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Boobies and Frigate Birds
Our wake-up call was at 7:00 AM, so I guess we slept in this morning. Our morning walk was on an island called 'Rabida', so I wondered if it originated because rabid animals lived on the island, but in fact it was the name of a convent or order of nuns in Spain. That still does not explain why the island was named Rabida, but I did not ask more of our guide. The soil was red, there were sea lions sprawled all over the shore, and our walk was mildly interesting. We saw a sea turle swimming offshore, so I was hoping we would see more during our snorkeling excurison. When we arrived at the island, a young Galapagos hawk was sitting on a rock waiting for us and posing. It did not move as panga after panga arrived. People were madly taking photographs and it continued to sit for us, its head moving around one way and then the other. I wondered if the guides had ordered him for us and placed him there for a photo op. Our walk was not particuarly eventful. I hardly remember if we saw anything. We snorkeled in the deep water and saw lots of colourful fish, an eel, a gorgeous puffer fish, but no sharks.
Our afternoon hike on North Seymour was the highlight. We saw many boobies courting each other with their distinctive dance, and watched great and magnificent frigate birds check each other out. The male frigates had their bright red pouches poofed out in the hopes of attracting females to mate with. The females were flying about, checking out the puffed up males. There were baby frigate birds in nests waiting to be fed and even more juvenile frigates. This was the best day of our trip so far. The boobies were the my favourite experience. Their feet are various shades of blue and turquoise. Apparently the colour of their feet attracts females and they dance to court each other. They were very busy flirting with each other and some were preparing nests for baby boobies. The boobies and the frigates were nesting amongst each other in a circumscribed area and were so numerous we had to be careful not to step on them. We ran into some land iguanas as well.
Waves were crashing on the shore and the sun was setting between Daphne Major and Daphne Minor as we headed for the pangas and back to the Santa Cruz. The guides were urging us along. The National Park has very strict rules about leaving the islands by sunset, which is about 6:15, and we were lingering and not wanting to leave. When we finally were ready to pile into the pangas, the sea was wild and throwing the little crafts about, making it difficult to get into the boats.
Our time has passed quickly. This has been an entirely unique experience for me. Eric has been frustrated because the itinerary is not his favourite. Unfortunately, Genovesa, which he feels is a must for all visitors, is not open to groups larger than 40, so the Santa Cruz cannot visit it. I am amazed that I am seeing so much that I have not seen. Evidently I have, in past years, been on a very different schedule and had seen other parts of the islands, so much so to make this a one of a kind experience. I am imagining all the places I will bring my family and friends to, and am putting together the plan. I am hoping to have lots and lots of visitors to our home in Quito and I am sure that many of them will want to visit the Galapagos. Eric has learned that the best trip is on the Isabella, which has has a maximum capacity of 40 people, and we will make sure we take the 11 day tour and include Genovesa, Fernandina and Isabella.
The pace of the shedule on the boat is exhausting. I can hardly stay awake, and nodded off during Eri'c lecture (which was very good in fact) and through dinner and now again I can hardly keepmy eyes open. Time for bed!!!
Our afternoon hike on North Seymour was the highlight. We saw many boobies courting each other with their distinctive dance, and watched great and magnificent frigate birds check each other out. The male frigates had their bright red pouches poofed out in the hopes of attracting females to mate with. The females were flying about, checking out the puffed up males. There were baby frigate birds in nests waiting to be fed and even more juvenile frigates. This was the best day of our trip so far. The boobies were the my favourite experience. Their feet are various shades of blue and turquoise. Apparently the colour of their feet attracts females and they dance to court each other. They were very busy flirting with each other and some were preparing nests for baby boobies. The boobies and the frigates were nesting amongst each other in a circumscribed area and were so numerous we had to be careful not to step on them. We ran into some land iguanas as well.
Waves were crashing on the shore and the sun was setting between Daphne Major and Daphne Minor as we headed for the pangas and back to the Santa Cruz. The guides were urging us along. The National Park has very strict rules about leaving the islands by sunset, which is about 6:15, and we were lingering and not wanting to leave. When we finally were ready to pile into the pangas, the sea was wild and throwing the little crafts about, making it difficult to get into the boats.
Our time has passed quickly. This has been an entirely unique experience for me. Eric has been frustrated because the itinerary is not his favourite. Unfortunately, Genovesa, which he feels is a must for all visitors, is not open to groups larger than 40, so the Santa Cruz cannot visit it. I am amazed that I am seeing so much that I have not seen. Evidently I have, in past years, been on a very different schedule and had seen other parts of the islands, so much so to make this a one of a kind experience. I am imagining all the places I will bring my family and friends to, and am putting together the plan. I am hoping to have lots and lots of visitors to our home in Quito and I am sure that many of them will want to visit the Galapagos. Eric has learned that the best trip is on the Isabella, which has has a maximum capacity of 40 people, and we will make sure we take the 11 day tour and include Genovesa, Fernandina and Isabella.
The pace of the shedule on the boat is exhausting. I can hardly stay awake, and nodded off during Eri'c lecture (which was very good in fact) and through dinner and now again I can hardly keepmy eyes open. Time for bed!!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Enjoying the Islands
The Santa Cruz is a well organized boat. There is a schedule which we follow to the minute. We are woken up at 6:00 AM and roll out of bed. We eat breakfast and then are ready for our first excursion to Bartolome Island, where we take a climb up about 400 steps to the top of a pile of lava rock to look over the gorgeous view of almost all the Galapagos Islands. There is limited vegetation on the island and subsequently few animals. We pass by a hill of sand where our guide tells us that 'Master and Commander' was filmed. The crew was there for ten days and only a minute and a half showed up in the film. The guides were trying to advise the director that there were no cormorants on the island and that cormorants did not fly, but the only scene that survived the cutting floor was using a flying cormorant. I will rent the movie when I come home and check it out.
Snorkeling was next on the agenda. I was on my own because Eric stayed on the boat to work on a paper. I was out only a few moments when a huge six foot shark floated past. I was so frightened! I got away from him as quickly as I could and attached myself to the nearest snorkeler. Shark attacks are rare in the Galapagos. However a tourist was attacked in January when we were here with the students. I don't think I was supposed to tell anyone about that.
We had a second snorkeling excursion in the afternoon. I have no idea which fish I saw. They were colourful and plentiful and there were no more sharks around. In the past I have swum with penguins and sea lions and rays and huge sea turtles, but each island has a very specific population of animals, and although we did see a Galapagos penguin on a rock, they were not swimming with us. Each time I have visited the Galapagos I have been to a different set of islands and each experience has been unique. Thus far nothing has been familiar on this trip. Eric has been to the islands so often and has seen everything several times, so it is not as new and adventuresome for him. I look forward to bringing my family and friends here when they visit during our year in Quito.
Another walk on the island of Santiago at the end of the day brought us our fill of marine iguanas and fur seals, along with several species of birds. I took countless pictures. I especially enjoyed watching the pelicans dive in to the sea for fish. I was always too late to get a good photo!
I feel incredibly lucky to be here. The Galapagos are a special place.
Snorkeling was next on the agenda. I was on my own because Eric stayed on the boat to work on a paper. I was out only a few moments when a huge six foot shark floated past. I was so frightened! I got away from him as quickly as I could and attached myself to the nearest snorkeler. Shark attacks are rare in the Galapagos. However a tourist was attacked in January when we were here with the students. I don't think I was supposed to tell anyone about that.
We had a second snorkeling excursion in the afternoon. I have no idea which fish I saw. They were colourful and plentiful and there were no more sharks around. In the past I have swum with penguins and sea lions and rays and huge sea turtles, but each island has a very specific population of animals, and although we did see a Galapagos penguin on a rock, they were not swimming with us. Each time I have visited the Galapagos I have been to a different set of islands and each experience has been unique. Thus far nothing has been familiar on this trip. Eric has been to the islands so often and has seen everything several times, so it is not as new and adventuresome for him. I look forward to bringing my family and friends here when they visit during our year in Quito.
Another walk on the island of Santiago at the end of the day brought us our fill of marine iguanas and fur seals, along with several species of birds. I took countless pictures. I especially enjoyed watching the pelicans dive in to the sea for fish. I was always too late to get a good photo!
I feel incredibly lucky to be here. The Galapagos are a special place.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Return to the Galapagos
We are anchored near Santiago Island in the Galapagos. I am not sure if I am seasick or not. I feel queasy and dizzy and am not sure dinner was a good idea. I am reminded that each time I take this trip I find myself unsettled. I don't actually get ill, I am simply aware that when we finally get to terra firma after three or four days, I feel relieved.
This is my fourth trip to the Galapagos, and each visit is an entirely new experience. We walked on the northern tip of Santa Cruz island, and saw marine iguanas, sea lions, flamingos and huge ugly orange coloured land iguanas. I forgot my long lens on the boat, which is unusual for me, and I subsequently saw the sights through a very different lens than I am accustomed to.
I am confused by my reaction to the islands. They are stark and severe and ragged and their beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is remarkable that the animals have so little fear of humans and stay in place for photographs. It is like a zoo without barriers. I look for evidence of evolution but it takes imagination to see what Darwin saw and understand how he came to his conclusions.
We will be snorkeling tomorrow morning and again in the afternoon. I enjoy the snorkeling but I am always a little frightened too. We snorkel in the deep water with no shore to aim for, there are seals and penguins and sea lions charging past us, sometimes huge sea turtles and sharks which we stay away from. The waves are often huge and I try not to stray too far from the pangas. Last year I was impressed with my daughter Maya who was eight years old at the time and insisted on joining us for the snorkeling. She stayed close to the students and to Eric, but at one point she got cold and began to shake uncontrollably. She seemed excited and overwhelmed and scared and thrilled all at the same time. I can relate to that feeling.
I am worried about our visit to the Galapagos. I read so much about the damage that the tourists inflict on the animals and the islands. Yet the tourist industry is also what makes it possible to preserve the islands. I feel more than usually conscious of the negative impact of human beings on the earth, yet humans are part of this earth of ours too. I understand that at the rate we are going we will destroy everything in a few thousand years, and that it is too late to do much about such a disaster. There are so many places in the world that ought to be preserved, not just the Galapagos. Being here somehow brings all this to consciousness, and I am anxious and fearful.
This is my fourth trip to the Galapagos, and each visit is an entirely new experience. We walked on the northern tip of Santa Cruz island, and saw marine iguanas, sea lions, flamingos and huge ugly orange coloured land iguanas. I forgot my long lens on the boat, which is unusual for me, and I subsequently saw the sights through a very different lens than I am accustomed to.
I am confused by my reaction to the islands. They are stark and severe and ragged and their beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is remarkable that the animals have so little fear of humans and stay in place for photographs. It is like a zoo without barriers. I look for evidence of evolution but it takes imagination to see what Darwin saw and understand how he came to his conclusions.
We will be snorkeling tomorrow morning and again in the afternoon. I enjoy the snorkeling but I am always a little frightened too. We snorkel in the deep water with no shore to aim for, there are seals and penguins and sea lions charging past us, sometimes huge sea turtles and sharks which we stay away from. The waves are often huge and I try not to stray too far from the pangas. Last year I was impressed with my daughter Maya who was eight years old at the time and insisted on joining us for the snorkeling. She stayed close to the students and to Eric, but at one point she got cold and began to shake uncontrollably. She seemed excited and overwhelmed and scared and thrilled all at the same time. I can relate to that feeling.
I am worried about our visit to the Galapagos. I read so much about the damage that the tourists inflict on the animals and the islands. Yet the tourist industry is also what makes it possible to preserve the islands. I feel more than usually conscious of the negative impact of human beings on the earth, yet humans are part of this earth of ours too. I understand that at the rate we are going we will destroy everything in a few thousand years, and that it is too late to do much about such a disaster. There are so many places in the world that ought to be preserved, not just the Galapagos. Being here somehow brings all this to consciousness, and I am anxious and fearful.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Volcanoes and Earthquakes
I like the drive from Quito to Otavalo through the valley of the volcanoes. Gua Gua Pichincha (gua gua in Quichua means baby) is the volcano above Quito, Cayambe is snow-covered and to the right as we drive north, and Reventador is not far from Cayambe. Near Otavalo, Imbabura and Cotocachi are husband and wife in legend. There are more volcanoes to the south, one of which, Tungarahua, is currently active. Spectacular Cotopaxi is south of Quito and looks like Mount Fuji. Some of the volcanoes are dormant while others continue to erupt. There are wonderful stories about the volcanoes; Gua Gua Pichincha's parents are Cotopaxi and Tungarahua, and when Gua Gua cries, it upsets her Mother and Father and they may get angry! Imbabura and Cotocachi were together as a couple and then had a falling out, resulting in Cotocachi getting angry. The volcanoes are spirits and impact the humans around them. The indigenous people have always worshipped the volcanoes and prayed to them. They are truly magnificent and add much to the landscape of Ecuador. Of course the active ones are dangerous and have erupted regularly. I am moderately worried. My impression is that Quito and Ecuador are not well prepared for disaster. I cannot imagine how the city will cope if there is a serious eruption. Where will the population go? How will they get out of danger? Our guide mentioned today that all three roads between Quito and Guayaquil were blocked by landslides, so the only way out of Quito is by air or east to the jungle. When we live in Quito next year I wonder how we will respond to a natural disaster.
Of course, the city is also in danger from earthquakes all the time. I have been assured that the taller buildings are built to withstand earthquakes, but most of Quito is spread out over hills and valleys and much of the construction does not meet standards. I imagine the population would be in a panic if faced with a serious earthquake. I would be in a panic as well!
We stopped at the Mitad del Mundo and put one foot of each side of the equator. I have no idea why, but I tried several yoga moves on the equator line, which Eric photographed. I thought they could work for the 'Yoga in the Jungle' pamphlet, but I am in no way a good example for yoga position. This is the modest version of equator monument. Not far from where we stopped is an orange structure with a bizarre explanation of the science of the center of the earth. On the parallel stretch of the Panamerican highway to the west, there is a much larger monument associated with an ethnographic museum of Ecuador, which is entertaining to visit. The problem with that monument is that it was established by French scientists in the 1700's, who were entirely in error. More recently the 'true' center of the earth, using more accurate measurements and GPS, was established as being 150 metres away and another museum and monument has been erected at the 'true" equator. So one can visit the equator at several different spots, and experience it quite differently.
The market at Otavalo has been in existence for over 500 years. The Otavalenos are weavers and artisans and have a talent for business. The market is quiet on Sunday, actually although everyone bargains, the locals are quiet and unassuming. They expect to bargain, and will not sell anything for a loss, but good deals are possible. I have been to the market many times, and all the goods have become familiar. They remain lovely, but I am less eager to buy everything I see. Of course, knowing that we will be living here in a few months plays a role in my reticence. I enjoy the market for the locals. Eric wanted to buy roses, so we wandered a few blocks away from the 'Plaza de Ponchos'. We found 25 roses for $3.00, and they were lovely. I wanted to take photos of the local people, but they object when I do, and I did not have the energy to be sneaky about it, so I do not have many good pictures today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)