Day 5 (and 6): John's journey to the middle of the earth

Yesterday I met an American couple at lunch. It appeared they had arrived in the evening before. We talked a bit about this and that, volcanic ashes in Europe and a new health system in the US. They were not going to stay long, though, because they would leave to the Galápagos the next day. But they will come back a couple of times to the same hotel, so Barney and I will get a chance to drink his bottle of rum, háááárg!

They were too busy arranging things, so they weren’t able to join me to la mitad del mundo: the middle of the world. I went by bus, which is rather slow and painful, but one bus ride costs only 25 cents and I only needed 3 buses to get to la mitad. It looks a bit like an amusement park without all the wild attractions. There is this big monument with a globe on top, which the builder thought was the middle of the world at the time (unfortunately they missed the equator by a couple of hundred meters). Around this monument are a lot of buildings with souvenirs and artesanias. I didn’t buy anything yet, because I don’t want to drag anything with me for the whole trip. Inside the monument is an ethnographic museum with a lot of stuff and photos of the indígenas of Ecuador with some explanations. It’s a bit of a dry exhibition, but something you should see anyway because you’re there.

The fun part was supposed to be my trip to Pululahua, a volcanic crater which is inhabited (one of the largest craters in the world). There only live a couple of hundred farmers, who carry their produce up (1 hour walk) with animals. Cars are only able to go by the other side, away from Quito. The guide said that the government declared the volcano has 50% chance of erupting again, so that means it is active. Apparently the farmers don’t mind, they have cheap and fertile soil.
At first I wanted to go down myself, as it is only half hour walk down and it is supposed to be a beautiful place. When I got there however, the clouds began invading the whole crater, blocking every view. I was just in time with my pictures, because when we left, we couldn’t see anything down there anymore.

Back at the complex, there wasn’t much left to do. Bernardo told me that on Sundays, there are shows and live music. The dancing shows were nice, but the music terrible. Especially the first music act was more about the sexy dancing (not complaining here, mind you), than the singing. During the second music show, I got talking with a Dutch couple, also passing through, going to the galápagos. Of course we had spotted each others’ Dutchness a mile away.

They wanted to go to a museum outside the complex and I thought they were talking about Inti ñan. When we got there, they apparently weren’t talking about this one, but we went in anyway... luckily. Because Inti ñan is really chévere (cool). And it’s really on the equator. A guide led us through the open air museum, showing us all things from the indígenas, like shrunken heads, totems and houses. But what was really awesome were the cool tricks we could do on the equator. Your weight is 1 kg lower, you are weaker and the water in the sink goes straight down (North and south, it whirls counter clockwise or clockwise). You’re supposed to be able to balance an egg on a nail much easier on the equator, but I still couldn’t do it. And walking a straight line with your eyes closed is impossible.
After that we took a taxi back with the 3 of us and that was about the end of the day.

Day 6

Today was a normal day: Spanish classes, big lunch and studies. We talked a bit about Geert Wilders today in Spanish classes, because a New Zealand student brought it up. It appears he’s not really known in Ecuador, but probably will be in the future. Around here they have opened the borders wide and according to mi profesora, Muslims are immigrating in big numbers. For the rest, totally normal day.

Day 4: Trip to the Old Town

So yes, I went to the bar last night. First to el Pobre Diablo, a sort of jazz restaurant/bar, but it appeared I was way too early. I might have been there at 7.15. The band that was going to play at 10.30 was practicing, so I sat down and ordered a beer. I had a choice between the local Pilsener and Heineken (Do I have to tell you which I ordered?). By the time my beer arrived, the band stopped practicing and I just sat there, alone, at my table, drinking my beer. At least the beer was good. Ah, well, the bar was good too, but I was way too early. So when I finished my beer, I went to el Cafecito, in a more busy area. As I entered and sat down, a group of (probably Dutch even) youth just left the place. So I ordered a pilsener again and grabbed a newspaper. So I sat there, at the bar, drinking my beer, reading a newspaper. By the time I finished my beer, it was about 9 and I had enough of it. Linea recta to bed. Better luck next time.

Next morning, after breakfast, I asked Bernardo which places were good to go to in the Old Town. He showed me some places on the map and called me a taxi. First stop: El Panecillo, a hill in the south of Quito with a huge statue called the ‘virgen de Quito’. My first taxi left me there, though we agreed he’d wait for 15 minutes for me to take pictures. No matter, because I took my time anyway. Although a new taxi wanted to charge me 5 dollars at first. Haggled it down to 3, though it should have been only 2 dollars to the next place. Op on that hill, I met some funny Americans, joking about taking a picture of the loo in Het Loo. One of them took a picture of me with the virgin. They told me Guayaquil is a dirty city and I should better go to Cuenca. Like I have a choice, no?

Next stop: La Plaza Grande. A green square with some impressive architecture on all sides. I little girl was selling candy there, so I asked her if I could make a picture of her if I bought some from her. Next thing I know, kids all around me and a policeman shooing her away. After buying the candy, I didn’t have a chance to take that picture anymore. Five shoe shine boys overheard me though, and offered me a picture for a dollar each. Smart little guys, but I fell for it. Just wish me and my camera were better prepared for that picture.

I kept walking around the Old Town for a while, taking pictures of the architecture, when I suddenly fell hungry. I guess I spend about an hour looking for that one vegetarian restaurant I looked up on the web, and when I found it, I realized I had already walked past it a couple of times. Stupido. But the food was really good again. It amazes me how easy it appears to be after all to get a cheap vegetarian meal in Quito.

The plan was to go to the TelerifiQo as well (a big cable cart taking you up to one of the mountains), but the sky was cloudy, foretelling disappointing pictures, and it was getting late, and I had enough of walking. So for another time. I headed back to my hotel room by foot, walking by some parks. At home, I found my room clean and tidy again. It feels strange that it gets cleaned so often, but I’m also glad I don’t have to do it myself.

Now it’s time to fill up some empty hours. If I’m up to it I might go back to el Pobre Diablo around 10, but I still have a bit of a jetlag and I want to be fresh tomorrow morning to go to Pululahua, the giant volcanic lake crater.

Day 3: Spanish clases and jetlag

3 days have passed and I’m getting to know the streets of La Mariscal in Quito better and better. Today I found a very nice vegetarian restaurant, where I will be returning for sure. For only $3,- you can get a nice and filling almuerzo (=lunch). So I think I’m establishing myself somewhat. Those past days, however have also been a bit of a jetlag (even though I told someone I don’t experience jetlags). I’ve been going to bed before 9 and waking up at 5 or 6 in the morning. That’s not very healthy, so I think I’ll force myself to check out the nightlife in the city. That will give me some chance to meet some fellow gringos as well, because I still don’t really know anyone here.

Yesterday was my first Spanish class. My ‘profesora’ is Irina. She’s a nice lady, calling me ‘pobresito’ all the time, because I’m a vegan in Ecuador. Or when I tell her we don’t have a ‘discoteca’ in Wageningen. Well, that is hard to understand indeed. The lessons are 4 hours straight per day, so when I’m finished it’s time for lunch and after that I feel pretty tired. I don’t really feel like doing anything then anymore, especially writing my internship report. Might still be the jetlag, though.
So when I get back to my hotel room, I sit back a bit and relax. I read something or check what you guys are all doing (how wonderful is facebook). Yesterday I also called the director of Pacari Chocolate. I finally got him on the line and he said to send him another e-mail. He would check it with his wife and would get back to me when he returns from a field trip by Monday. I hope he’ll say yes to my question, because it is half of my thesis after all.

I know I still owe you guys a lot of pictures (since I started the Ecuador blog with introducing my new babe), but since I’ve been having Spanish lessons and jetlag, I haven’t been able to shoot a lot. Did spot some hummingbirds in the garden here, but when I finally got my camera, they were gone, so I shot some pictures of the city instead. Anyway, weekend has come, so I am able to visit some touristic sites... Pictures will follow.

Day 1: getting to know Quito

After a pretty long delay in Madrid, which did get me a free meal by the way, and a stop-over in Guayaquil, I finally ended up in Quito this morning around 10 am local time (time difference appears to be 7 hours, due to summertime). In Guayaquil I got in touch with some Dutchies, but they went their own way in Quito. One of 'em owes me a drink though, because he forgot to get his dólares before flying.
In any case, I walked to the exit and there was no-one with a sign with my name. So I waited a bit, but nothing. Turns out I had to go to one of the desks and had been waiting some days before. A car (big van!) came soon enough and drove me in about 25 minutes to Hotel Folklore. A whole night of little sleep and a 7 hour time difference almost got to me, so I rested a bit before going out.
Bernardo, the owner of the hotel showed me some good places to go to. So then I explored the city a bit. Walked around "la Mariscal" a bit. Apparently one of the more dangerous places in the city (more theft, because of all the tourists there). But nothing happened, and I found some spanish classes for the coming 2 weeks at Galápagos Spanish school. I explored the types of restaurants in the surrounding and I must conclude that eating vegan will be a challenge in this country. Luckily, I may use the hotel's kitchen during my stay.
After a coffee at Magic Bean, I headed to the park (el Ejido), where I met the first beggar. All in all the city Quito doesn't seem much different from any other city. Though the roads and buildings look like they could use some more maintenance, you see the same kind of cars, prices are mostly the same (just in $) and roads are busy. A total different place then any city in India for instance. There surely is poverty, but it is less visible, it seems.

Tomorrow my first Spanish Lesson in Quito. The rest of the day I will spend confirming my chocalate case here and hunting for a mobile phone. I'm pretty broken now, so I'll just do some RosettaStone Spanish and then hit the bunk.
Hasta luego!

Grounded

Or, well, here I don't go. The sky has never been clearer with all the ashes in there and the airplanes on the ground. But my flight to Madrid was also canceled. Next possibility: tuesday at 19 o'clock. Let's hope this volcano in Iceland will go away... Quite legen.. ahum... dary start, no?

Not that I'm very unhappy now: I have some time left to think some things over, write some letters I had to write and get even more prepared to go latin!

Prelude to Ecuador

Well, here I go. At this moment, it is still unsure whether my plane will actually leave this sunday, since there is this ash cloud from a volcano in Iceland hanging over Europe. But I'm not worried, I will get there eventually, if not sunday.

I'm not sure if everybody knows exactly what I'll be doing there, besides lying on the beach, drinking caipiriñas or shots of aguardiente. Of course, it's a thesis. There are certain finished products (chocolate and coffee) being exported from Ecuador. Factories in Guayaquil and Quito produce these commodities and package them. Thus, instead of exporting raw products, they add value. My question: what's this added value and what does it do for the local people? That means the people that work in the factory, but also beneficiaries who receive aid in some way from the companies that produce (social projects). My 2 cases will be EScoffee (Guayaquil) and hopefully Pacari Chocolate (Quito). When I'm finished with bothering these people with my questions, I will check my balance. If this is positive enough, Another flight will take me to Galápagos, where I'll be taking my new baby (canon 1000D) for some serious wildlife shooting :D

So that is the plan. Keep tracking me, I'll be posting often. The next one being when I arrive. My first hotel is Hotel Folklore, with WIFI, huzzaaah! This will be some legen... wait for it... dary 3 months!