Ecuadorian Adventures Great and Small

This place was charming, with absolutely gorgeous views! The hacienda is perched on a hill opposite Volcano Cotacachi, with two snow-capped volcanoes in sight as well.

The host, Dr. Cajas, is charming as well, though apparently speaks only Spanish or German and not a word of English, but even in translation, my mother was delighted with the company.

Dinner was pumpkin soup, chicken in a rich herb sauce with a side dish of broccoli and raisins (an Italian recipe, according to the host, and quite good), and dessert was FABULOUS.

The herb and flower garden in the central patio (around which the rooms are arranged) is serene and lovely, and Dr. Cajas will gladly tell you about the plants selected.

The beds are topped with down comforters and closets are stocked with down vests and wool socks, in case you find the mountain air a bit chilly.

Breakfast was also a delight, with two freshly prepared exotic fruit juices, muesli, yogurt, whole-grain bread, coffee, tea, and a cheese board. It's served in the Panorama Room which offers stunning, ever-changing views of the valley below and the surrounding mountains.

There were a few less pleasant surprises. One, the website claims a 20-minute drive from Otavalo, but in a car, the trek was much, much longer over potholed roads. (Dr. Cajas will pick you up in town, if you wish.) The bill also included a few unexpected charges, namely the wine at dinner and the bottled water served at dinner and in the bathroom. We weren't told there would be a charge for the wine and didn't even ask for the water.

Apart from those caveats, it was a lovely escape from Quito noise and bustle. The Hacienda has horses and hiking trails available as well, though we, unfortunately, didn't have the time.

Normally I avoid American food while abroad, but G-Spot is a worthy exception!

Owned by a Californian/Ecuadorian fellow, G-Spot serves some of the best hamburgers I have ever had, on any continent, and prices start at $0.85! The fries are killer, too: crispy, golden-brown and perfectly seasoned! The burger patties are thin, which is the norm in Quito, but you can always order a double if you're a fan of MEAT. The bun is bakery-quality and the Special Sauce is just exquisite - be sure to ask for a bottle if you want more. (I've heard many theories surrounding this 'secret sauce', mostly trying to figure out what controlled substance it contains, cause we all come back for more...)

I'm a bit of a snob about insisting on experiencing local food and not relying on the comfy back-home favorites, but G-Spot is so good it's addictive - and I don't usually even eat hamburgers.

G-Spot is even open till 2 a.m., so it's perfect for an after-party bite.

As a side note, the owner told me he's planning on expanding the menu to include Mexican cuisine, so that should be available soon.

I was warned by a friend that Mitad del Mundo was disappointing, so when my host family offered to bring me there, I accepted, but didn't get my hopes up. Therefore, I was quite pleasantly surprised.

Mitad del Mundo is one of those artificial villages that usually I would call a tourist trap, but it somehow managed to come off quite charming. All of the whitewashed buildings with adobe rooves are set up like a colonial village, ice cream shops abound, and on a sunny day, the atmosphere is just plain pleasant. Although we were there around noon on a Saturday, there weren't many people there, adding to the tranquility.

On weekends, there are live musicians and street performers. The day of my visit, there was a travelling circus, which was entertaining, though not earth shattering. That was followed by Ecuadorian performer who somehow managed to blend punchlines, slapstick, biting social commentary, and a plea to work for a better Ecuador into an amazingly funny stand-up bit. He's there most weekends, so if you understand Spanish, don't miss it.

There are a number of restaurants there. We had a delicious meal at El Karting, followed by helado on the terrace overlooking the plaza at one of Mitad's thousand ice cream shops.

There is an excursion from there to the nearby volcanic crater of Pululahua, which unfortunately I missed, but it comes very highly recommended.

The museums, I hear, are not particularly exciting, although the ethnographic museum inside the equatorial monument may be worth your time. Go to relax, take a picture on the Equator, have an ice cream, and enjoy the view.

The site is a short car/cab ride north of the city, or there is a bus you can catch along Avenida America at Av. Colón (walkable from the Mariscal district). I believe many of the northbound buses from the terminal pass Mitad as well. Entrance fees were about $1.

This reserve is not a resort spa! This is for the more extreme traveller, who wants to get to know a part of the world completely foreign to them.

Your journey starts in the village of La Y ("La Yay") de la Laguna. From there, you can choose your options.

There is an ecotourism lodge near La Laguna, a lush lake nestled among the hills. The lodge is run by Fundación el Kaimán. You can swim, hike, or canoe in/near the Lagoon, a short walk from La Y.

There is also a lodge/farmstay much farther into the reserve called Bilsa, in the community of Dógola. Travel is by foot or by mule, and Bilsa will arrange for a local guide (he's great!) to meet you in La Y. There are some gorgeous hikes through the forest, as well as other activities. There is a website -- dogola.net -- with more info.

My favorite day there, however, was the visit to don Bolívar's "farm". Don Bolo will gladly walk you through his "finca", where you will eat your way through tropical fruit after tropical fruit -- cacao, coconut, jackfruit, and wonderful things I'd never heard of. He's a great guide -- even let us climb his walnut tree and caught us fresh tilapia fish for our dinner. The tour ended with us working the man-powered sugarcane press and sampling the wares afterward. El Kaiman or anyone in La Y could tell you how to get in touch with Don Bolívar.

The weather is warm but not steamy, as the elevation is a little high. In the rainy season, the dirt roads become pure mud. Bring mosquito repellant, though there aren't many, and you will need to buy rubber boots in Quininde.

This is a lifestyle completely apart from my suburban existence, and worth experiencing!

Arrival is a bit tricky. Quinindé is a 5-hour bus ride from Quito. From there, at the Cinco Esquinas intersection, you can find a camioneta (large pickup truck) that will take you to La Y for $2-3. You may have to stand during the ride, which can take from 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the road conditions - the rainy season (Jan-May) leaves the road quite muddy and difficult. To arrive at the communities farther afield from La Y, the only transportation during most of the year is on foot, mule, or horse.

The Laguna is, true to its reputation, absolutely gorgeous. There are also stunning views of the surrounding valley as you wind along the ridge of the rim, and the occasional cow pasture interrupts the trail (complete with cows).

Like many of the trails in Ecuador, this one isn't always crystal-clear, though 90% of it is well-worn. You only have to be careful on the second half of the hike when you come to the lush grazing areas, as cow paths may lead you off in any direction. There *usually* was a sign with an arrow marked "Siga" ("Follow") pointing you in the right direction, but once or twice we had to guess.

Also typical of Ecuador, during the 5 hours we were on the trail, the weather shifted from brilliant sun to rain showers and back again - come prepared. Also, the winds are a bit strong as you make your way along the ridge.

The views were amazing but don't change much in the course of the hike - most of the time you're just skirting the same body of water. Therefore, you wouldn't miss much by making a much shorter hike, though not the workout =), and this isn't a bad initial acclimation to the altitude.

To arrive, we took the bus from Quito to Otavalo ($2.50, 2 hrs), then a short hop to Cotocachi ($0.25), then a taxi to the Laguna ($4, plus $1 per pers park fee). To return, we had no problem hailing a ride at the park entrance. The family not only took us to the nearest town but all the way to their bakery in Ibarra, where we were treated to company, croissants, and colas before we caught the bus back to Quito (2hrs, $2.50).

All in all, a very satisfying day trip.

Ingredients: Waterproof boots; IGM maps for Papallacta, Sincholagua, Cotopaxi, and perhaps Laguna de Mica; the itinerary from "Climbing and Hiking in Ecuador"; pathfinding skills; grit.

Trek del Cóndor was my first trek, I survived, and it was beautiful!

From Río Tambo, 4km before Papallacta, the first day's hike is a moderate 4 hours or so, arriving at lovely Laguna Volcán to camp, in sight of an amazing ancient lava flow frozen in time, which you can explore if you arrive early.

Day 2 starts with a grueling 4-5 hour uphill push, the hardest segment of the trek. The afternoon, though, rewards you with stunning views of volcano Antisana and the surrounding highlands, and easy terrain. Actually, since this was in December, late dry season, we crossed the swamp easily, covering Days 2 and 3 just in the second afternoon. We had to: the streams mentioned early in Day 3 of the itinerary were stagnant ponds and we had no water. We camped by a river somewhere near the Hacienda Hito, which we never saw (we had wandered a little too north).

Day 3 (itinerary Day 4) appeared on the map to be one uphill and a lot of cross country, a sweeping valley leading to Volcán Sincholagua. It was actually up and down a series of hills, including some awkward grasses. Wild horse country. We had occasional peeks at Antisana behind, though Sincholagua was hidden behind a veil of cloud - we only guessed that the rock ahead was the beast. The valley narrows into marshland leading to the base of Sincholagua, who finally showed her Mordor-like glory of red and black rock.

The morning climb past Sincholagua was difficult - misty, windy, and the way obscured by thick fog. Soon, though, the sky cleared and the trek was cross-country (marshy) and downhill, with bleak Sincholagua behind and the breathtaking Cotopaxi before. Easy grassland past herds of llama gets you to the road, where you can proceed to the refuge at Cotopaxi, the lake of Limpiopunga, or back to civilization.

There was a locked gate in the road (easily climbed) but no signs of anyone. I hear the gate is always locked.

Don't dream of hitchhiking on the jeep track mentioned in the itinerary, though - you'll wait weeks. You need to get close to Cotopaxi to find a ride.

All in all, an amazing journey through páramo highlands. A beginner can do it, but you MUST go with maps and someone experienced. The itinerary is good, but even the experienced get lost here.

La Bunga is a little outside the tourist-rich crowds of the Mariscal district and is a favorite of locals, mostly college age and 20-something Ecuadorians. The entrance isn't really marked, but if you're coming up from Mariscal, it's a white stuccoed wall on the left one block before 12 de Octubre, and you'll see people hanging around the door.

Inside, the music consists largely of new wave rock, especially Spanish-language groups like Soda Stereo, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and Molotov, with some Bob Marley and Cure mixed in. The crowd is fun but "tranquilo"--not too wild (though sometimes known to get a little crazy on Molotov songs), and not likely to bother the women! There's usually plenty of people but enought room to move.

La Bunga does have a pool table, but no cue ball - most come for the dancing. There is also a decent selection of liquor at reasonable prices.

Saturday night seems to be the big night here, open till 3:30ish. Guarded street parking is available, though you'll probably need to tip the guard a dollar.

(The street Fco. Salazar is squeezed between Cordero and Colon - from Plaza Artigas, it's the first right off of Av. 12 de Octubre)

The first thing I want to shout from the mountaintops is, "BRING SMALL BILLS!!!" You will find it very difficult to break a $20 bill anywhere but a supermarket or bank, and even then they won't be happy about it. My strong recommendation is to bring a whole pack of $1's and as many $5's as possible. This is especially true in the craft markets, where I've stood sheepishly by, watching a vendor breathlessly scurry from booth to booth looking for someone able to break my five.

As far as obtaining cash, AmEx traveller's checks can be cashed at Banco de Guayaquil (in Quito on Ave. Colon and Reina Victoria) for a 1.5% commission (you have to go to the third floor to do this). I was also able to cash one at a hardware store in Banos (where there were NO Visa/Plus ATM's), but I haven't tried elsewhere.

I'd recommend ATM's for getting cash, especially if your currency isn't the dollar, but I have had problems with this. First, Banco de Guayaquil (Quito has several) is the ONLY bank that honors Plus/VISA ATM cards, despite the fact that other banks (like Pichincha) display the VISA symbol. You might have a better time with Mastercard/Cirrus, which seems much more popular here. If you're travelling to outlying areas, don't count on easy access to Banco de Guayaquil ATM's.

Second, twice in my five months here, the system was down and my transaction didn't go through, BUT the request was still sent to the U.S. system when the machines came back online, resulting in false debits from my account. The first time this happened, in December, it wasn't fully resolved till April (though my banks provisionally credited my accounts once they received my original, signed investigation request). The second time, however, the error was corrected within 2 weeks.

Credit cards are usable, but they are NOT widely accepted and will often result in a surcharge (or the store may offer you a 10% discount or more for cash payment).

Prices

Ecuador, since "dollarization" took effect a few years ago, has gone from being about the cheapest South American country to the most expensive. Tourists will still find costs very accessible, with hostels in Quito starting at $6 a night and a set-menu lunch to be had just about anywhere for $1 to $1.50. Many imported products (shampoo and electronics) are more expensive than in the U.S., and many items, like clothes, are almost as much. Any services will be a lot cheaper (haircuts are $1 to $5, a doctor visit at Voz Andes Hospital is $8, and a guided day tour to Mindo or Otavalo is $80 for two), as will generic prescription drugs (Cipro is $6/week), and alcohol (Stoli or Skyy vodka is $7, local spirits are $2, and a liter of pilsner beer is $1 to $2 at restaurants). Trendy bars/clubs will charge a $3 to $5 cover, usually including a drink. Nice-ish restaurants may run about $5 an entree.

All food/drink prices are generally inflated in the Mariscal district and just venturing a few blocks out will take you to the "real world," with low-budget mom-and-pop restaurants.

Student discounts won't apply unless you're actually staying long enough to get your censo. Generally, only Ecuadorians are eligible for the discount.