The reason so many houses are unfinished is because if they finish a house they have to pay taxes on it. If you have rebar sticking out of your roof you don't pay taxes.
So I took the bus to Macas and stayed in a $10 hostel next to the bus station. Worst place I have stayed. Macas is nicer than Puyo. More to do downtown and much cleaner. Taking the bus along the only paved road west of the Amazon was very picturesque. Since I could not get a bird guide I moved on and took the 5am bus to Cuenca through a tiny village called  Limòn. The most frightening bus trip ever! From 3,500 ft to 11,700 ft. Then down, then back up on an unpaved road which was not always wide enough for a 37 ft bus. The driver was another Monte Carlo contender. I thought I would like to die like he, not screaming like his passengers. I was truly terrified at several points along the road. An hour and a half of heart pounding, white-knuckled, bumpy hell fron Hwy 45 to 594 and a town called Gualaceo. Landslides every 4 miles, waterfalls every 50 feet. Beautiful and death-defying. Xanax must be cheap here because most other passengers were sleeping. I laugh when I am scared so the ones who were awake thought I was nuts. Crosses along the side of the road don't help. Then in Gualaceo the road was washed out by a landslide. Derrumbes, as they are called here. One hour detour. Finally made it to Cuenca, Hotel Casa de Lidice, and a bar called Inca Lounge to watch Ecuador lose their game. Sad.
 I wish I had more time to spend in Cuenca. It is a very nice city. Old colonial with Italian pink marble churches. Nice Inca ruins from before Spain raped and pilaged and shoved Jesus down their throats. No Baptists here, or Methodists. One of my taxi drivers, Speedy Gonzalez, made the sign of the cross everytimg we passed a church. Catholic control. I guess I was safe.
I had to go birding so back on a bus to Loja and Zamora. At one stop an old indigenous lady, maybe 80, sat next to me, all 4'4" of her. As the driver took his turns at 40 mph she would slide into me. She smelled of smoke from her breakfast fire and she kept putting her hands in her wool bag to peel a tangerine and stick some in her mouth. Her long gray-black hair under her bolo. At one point she grabbed my leg so she wouldn't fly off the seat. I thought she would slide under the seat in front of us and I would have to grab her braid and pull her back up. So sweet. What an interesting life she has had. I meet such fascinating folks.
4 hours later -Ah, Loja- Aloha! Off one bus and on another to Zamora. 1.5 hours and I am at http://www.copalinga.com
Bird heaven! I have added 16 new species and am at 888 birds on the life list. Catherine is from Belgium and she feeds the Gray Tinamous. Blackish nightjar comes at 6:25 pm. You would never otherwise be able to see these birds. As I write there are about 15 hummingbirds buzzing me. I can fell the breeze as they fly by chasing each other. I am on the border of the Amazon at about 2,700 ft. It is jungle and cloud forest all in one. The sound of the Bombuscaro river rushing by is always a light roar in the distance. The stars last night were incredible. I love the sound of the jungle at night. Two more nights here. Tomorrow Juan is picking me up at 6:30am and taking me to Podocarpus National Park. He will cost $40 as my bird guide but Catherine told me he is not great at birds. It is worth it to me to have someone along who knows the area. One slip and you're over the edge. He is cheap- Carlos on Tuesday will be $150. Catherine knows him and said that is a good price for an all-day bird tour of 2 parks with a knowledgeable guide. If more folks were going I would split the cost, but it is just me and no snotty Brits or complaining 'Mericans.
It's almost 4pm and time for my hike down the road to a hanging bridge over the river. I walked one trail here in the jungle and it was slick and muddy. They gave me boots to wear but it is still steep and narrow. I'll stay on the road.
Dinner last night was  chicken with pineapples, rice, yogurt, bread and blackberries. Fucking delicious. Catherine says we are having filets a la Belgique tomorrow night. She is giving me a ride to the bus station at 6:45am Monday for my trip back to Cuenca. She said there are vans which drive direct to Cuenca with just a few passengers in just a few hours. Fantastique moi Caterine! She is very nice and knows her birds. She has known all my guides in Ecuador. I take her advise.
I'm off!

I am currently in Puyo, Ecuador. Arrived by bus from Baños for $2. Baños is a small mountain town famous for the Tungurahua volcano and the hot baths- ding- Baños. Met a few Swiss and  few Americans. Tourist town and a lot of backpackers. My first stop was Casa De La Abuela hostal. Stayed one night- too simple for $15. Went to Posada del Arte. My room had a fireplace which I lit twice. I took a taxi to Casa de Arbol- the tree house- overlooking the town and the volcano. The volcano was in the clouds and I couldn't see it. The view was stupendous. I was told to take a path called the Virgen back down to the town but I chickened out and walked the road to Luna Runtun where I called a taxi to take me down.  http://www.lunaruntun.com
It was a little rainy anywho. Saw a turquoise jay to add to my list. That night went to Pipa's bar to watch the game with the locals gringo/Swiss crowd. I met so many nice people. I surprised everyone by having two large pizzas delivered at half-time. Ecuadorian pizza is delicious. That $12 investment payed off by having everyone buy me drinks. Ecuador won and a TV crew was across the street so, as I did in Plaza Fuch, I went and stood behind the interview. I think I have been on TV all over Ecuador. The editors probably ask who the hell is that guy? I do it every time I see a TV crew.
Next morning woke up very late- 8am. Sunny out so I took a taxi back up to Casa de Arbol. This time I walked down the path to the Virgen.  It started out just fine, and then it got steep, very steep, very narrow. My legs shook for the next 2 hours. They still hurt from walking down a slope horses and cows couldn't do. I wanted to kiss the ground when I finally saw cow shit in the path. I was so scared. I couldn't look over the edge but I did take a couple photos. Then I came to the statue of the Virgen and I am now catholic.
Bye, bye to Baños and hello Puyo. People get on the bus and ride it for 10 minutes to sell food, drinks, trinkets, candy. One old guy looked at me and asked if I was American. He said he was from San Francisco. He laughed and pointed to the next village. Such happy, shiny people. Another old guy sang to me tonight. He was selling menthol candies which he said were good for your throat. He actually had a nice voice, very strong.
 I just had a beer to watch the game ( Mexico is winning) and a young man came up and started talking to me and invited me to join him and his friends. I declined and felt bad about doing so but it takes a lot of concentration to sit with guys drinking and understand what they are saying. When someone pours you something you have to drink it. I didn't want to sit and have several glasses. He was so polite. I am not sure why but the TV at that bar had HD and that is the first place I have seen HD TV. I am on the edge of the Amazon jungle. The next village east is http://sarayaku.org. There are Waorani, Quichua, Shuar ( Jivaro) villages and that is all. It is 3,000 miles of jungle. Look east and it is just beautiful jungle.  The twilight was beautiful tonight especially knowing what lives out there, waiting for the dark. The jungle cools quickly at night. I watched black-mantled tamarins this evening with a setting sun glistening off their fur. The jungle smells like an upper-class French whore. I suppose- like I have had one of those before! Very exotic-erotic. I saw golden-mantled tamarins a few weeks ago in Baeza. The Amazon beckons you, invites you, lulls you. The insect sounds are incredible. I watched a pair of Amazon kingfishers with their long, sharp beaks, stalk their prey. They missed. The Puyo river is directly behind me. Locals swim and wash clothes on its rocks. They dig holes in the side of the hills to collect clay for pottery. Looks like great clay.The holes are everywhere.
When I arrived here the young girls who gave me my key looked Asian to me. The people here look very different than everywhere else in Ecuador. The people here are indigenous from the Amazon. Their eyes are much more slanted. Waorani and Jívaro. Very small in stature and darker skin. Hi, how long has your family lived here? Oh, about 12,000 years, maybe 20,000- we lost count. Oh, well my family came from Sweden 130 years ago. Lovely jungle you have.
I am not going into the jungle by road tomorrow for $120. I would only add about 7 new species and that's too much per-bird. To get the really great birds I would have to fly more than an hour east. I was told I could take a government plane. Omaere park is next door to me and a gentleman from U.F. named Chris told me I could catch a ride. He is showing the natives ( I hate calling them that) how to build sanitary toilets and he told me I could probably go for $20. If  I told them I worked in hazardous waste I am sure I could have gone. I have to be in Guayaquil a week from Thursday so I passed.
Goodnight Waorani. Nite tamarins and tanagers. Rub your wings and legs together bugs, big and small. Somewhere close by, a jaguar cleans its face with its paw. I hate to leave the Amazon.

I am still waiting for someone to put a stamp on a document so my binoculars can be sent to Quito. Probably tomorrow. Another day without birding. I went to the plaza yesterday and saw a bird soaring up high. They have guys in the plaza who's job it is to help people find what they want. He asked me what I was looking for. Ideas get jumbled in translation sometimes. I said 'birds'. He said 'well they have chicken' I said 'no, with feathers' He looked horrified. 'you eat the feathers?'
In the restaurants servers have to wear a hair net. Everyone does except the bartender unless he also  serves. I can just see Marc Anderson with a hair net!

So, I am a Mundialista. I have the shirt and all the accoutrement. I have been watching all the futbol matches at Quito Pub where Tito takes care of me. He always knocks a few off the tab. Before the Ecuador game, Colombia played and won. Big crowd of Colombianos. Very exciting. I was so dissapointed when Ecuador lost to those damn Swiss. There are flags of countires everywhere in the bars. Swiss, Korea, Italy, Uruguay etc. There are no flags of England or USA. None, no where, no how. It isn't' that they don't like us, they just don't give a second thought to USA. USA ignores Latin America and they ignore us. They know all our sports teams, especially baseball and basketball. They just don't give a shit about our goverment, and frankly, I don't either. Americans could learn a lot from Ecuadorians. They have the highest middle class in Latin America. They are sharp, dress well, take care of each other and very polite. They walk arm-in-arm down the street, boys and girls. Men hug and kiss the cheek. I have had hug patrols come hug me several times. I love this country.

I was going to go to the deep Amazon for 4 days but it costs about $1,100. Instead, I am going to fly to Cusco, Peru, for $300 RT from Guayaquil. I will stay about 12-14 days and visit Machu Picchu. Today in Cusco it is 32 with a high of 59. It is winter here. Ollantaytambo is a little warmer. I figure no matter where I go I have so stay in a hotel, so it might as well be Peru! Now I have to find a field guide to the birds of Peru. I am going to a mall shortly.

Time is going by too fast. One year ago last week I was told I had two years to live. I am not in a hurry to come home. Gotta go, feather caught in my teeth.

I am a Mundialista, but I will get to that another time. Firstly, my trip through San Jorge Lodges, http://www.hostsanjorge.com.ec  to the eastern slope of the Andes and into the Amazon highlands has been the most exciting trip of my life. Jorge Cruz Jr. emailed me about joining a group for 4 days. They picked me up at 7:30 am on Sunday and we proceeded to the town of Baeza. First we had to drive up to Papallacta Pass and look for birds in the paramo (highlands), Luis was the guide once again and he is excellent. Fernando drove our Toyota van. He is about 30 I think with a family, I think, and always had a smile. Very courteous. Great driver too. He is ready for Monte Carlo! The other folks were Simon from South Africa and Bob and Virginia from Colorado. Simon was quite a character. Barefoot the entire 4 days, through sleet and jungle mud. He could walk on any surface and never flinched or complained. Great birder, as was Virginia, At 13,400 feet we stalked all the endemics and saw most of them. Luis is an expert at calls and locating birds.  The wind howled and the temperature was about 38. Sleet began to come down. We descended. It is amazing how 500 feet of elevation can change everything. Tawny antpitta's displayed themselves readily. I added another 60 species, roughly. I asked for Torrent duck and Luis produced. He was a little nervous when they were not located at the place he has seen them every time. It was raining and the rivers were high. But just down the road he yelled out  as we passed over a river. Male and female Torrent ducks- amazing creatures. Within 45 minutes we went from 12,000 ft to 3,500 and 70 degrees. With light fading we arrived in Baeza/Borja and our modest hotel. Dinner and tucked in for the 4 am wake up.
We left the hotel at 4:45 am and drove down the easter slope to the upper Amazon jungle. My binoculars fogged up. I could only see through one lens. Pissed! (Minox is sending a new pair within a few days-$127 to DHL mail them to N.H.)
 Sumaco Reserve and Cayambe Reserve were so beautiful. It rained a lot in the morning but we got our white-throated toucan. Rufescent tiger heron-check. I can't describe the beauty of the jungle. The butterflies with numbers (98) were every where. The botanical life is astounding.  Tamarind monkeys came through the trees in troupes. I found a very strange string,worm-like creature in the road.  Luis was looking for a fulvous shrike-tanager which would have been a lifer for him. I found one and Simon saw it also. It flew just as Luis honed in on it. I felt bad that Luis missed it. Simon and I teased him.  Simon was stopped in the street by an older woman once. Everyone looked because he was barefooted. I really envied his ability to feel the soil and rocks between his toes. You meet very interesting people as a birder.
We encountered red-breasted blackbirds on the eastern slope which were out of range. I posted our findings on eBird.com. We made it back to Quito around 8pm.
Next morning they picked me up again at 7am for a day trip to Antisana Reserve. Our peak altitude was just under 14,000 ft. We arrived about 10 am and the first bird to locate was Andean condor. There are only about 50 in Ecuador. We stopped at some cliffs where Luis said they would be sitting.They were  not there. He promised we would see them. We drove on. Ecuadorian hillstar hummingbird-check. Luis was so quick to identify birds. It saves a lot of time when someone knows what you are looking at. 13,300 ft a meadow (paramo) with cows grazing and  Simon spotted the condors. They were not on the cliff because they were feeding on a carcass on the paramo. Four condors, or was it five. HUGE.
They flew and returned to the dead animal. The volcano Antisana in the background.The quintessential Andes-Ecuador vista. Condors, black-faced ibis', Andean lapwings, paramo pipits, silvery grebes, Andean gulls and a 18,417 ft volcano twisting the winds. Glorious. Lunch- avocado sandwiches-along a rushing stream. Luis made me nervous sitting along the cliff edge. He moved back a little. Somewhere near-by a puma waits until dark to reclaim its meal from the condors. We took a break on the soft pillows of grasses and I wanted to stay all night. I could imagine the stars. 30 minutes later we were back at 70 degrees and a warm sun looking for the giant hummingbird- missed it. Yellow billed pintail- check
We drove another hour to north Quito and a reserve called Jerusalem. Completely different microclimate. Very dry. Beautiful blue-and-yellow tanagers. A full moon rose and Cotopaxi volcano (19,347 ft) shimmered in the setting sun. WOW!
Taxi, hotel Vieja Cuba. As soon as my binocs arrive I want Luis and San Jorge to take me somewhere special. Thank you Fernando, Luis, Simon, Bob and Virginia for the most fantastical day of my life. Sincerely.
                                     

This could be a long one. So much happens everyday and I can't rely on my memory. I took the 6 am bus from Quito to Otavalo-$6. I haven't taken a bus in 33 years. It was a very nice ride. I had never hailed a taxi until I came here! Simple. I was very early to arrive at San Rafael and the Balcon Del Lago hosteria. At first I was a little reluctant when I saw my accomodation. Very rustic brick cabin. Beautiful view and fireplace convinced me to stay. Jessica and Efrain could not have been more welcoming. I met their 3 sons and another boy named Andres. Another couple was staying here from Argentina, Eduardo and Olga. Olga helped me with my vocabulary the entire stay. After breakfast we all climbed in a truck for a tour of the lake, water falls (Peguche), Cotacachi, and Cuicocha crater lake. What a day. Olga and I hit it off well. It rained most the day but it was still beautiful. Lunch was plentiful and simple-chicken and rice. Lunch is usually around 2-ish. I skip dinners because they eat around 8-9pm. Im in bed.
I took a long walk up the hill in the back of the property. I heard what I thought were gun shots so I
turned around. Not many birds. Efrain explained that they were not gun shots but rockets. The Inti Raymi festival is starting. Sapa Inca Pachacuti started the Festival of the Sun.I am sorry I am going to miss the fun but I will be in the Amazon. We also visited Lechero, which I thought was going to be a milk farm or something. It is a tree on a hill that is deeply revered.
http://finaltransit.com/blog/2011/11/09/el-lechero-laguna-san-pablo-otavalo/
We vent to Parque Condor where they rehab raptors. Closed. I bribed the Danish owner with a donation and we got a police escort through the park. Harpy eagles and condors. They released one last month and I saw it on TV. Condors are huge. I am going to Antisana next week where I will see wild ones.
The kids, and the dad, were absolutely amazed by the skywatch app on my ipad. They had fun with my scope as well. I discovered writing on the side of the volcano. Graffiti, I guess. We had fun trying to figure out what it said-the name of a local band. Yesterday I hugged them all and said bye. My bill was $42 for two nights, breakfasts, lunches, 4 drinks. Pedro drove me to downtown Otavalo. He is driving me and the Argentines to Quito on Friday, tomorrow. What an accent the Argies have. Calle
is pronounced cayshay.
So far I have bought 2 tee-shirts and a pair of gloves. I need to ship shit home so I have more room in my bags to take stuff home. The markets in Otavalo are mind boggling. This is the most interesting
city in the world. They are Quichua (Quechua in the south). The language is difficult to listen too as
the words all seem to flow together. They don't like having their picture taken so what I have is taken from afar. The fruit is humongous and the meats a little smelly. The textiles are the most colorful you could imagine. I'm going shopping today. The native people here keep to themselves. They greet you and are polite but I can tell they would rather not deal with me-unless I buy something. Their faces show their history and hard work. I love them and am moved by them.
I watched the Ecuador/England (2-2) game yesterday. The indios are not futbol fans. No one in the bar. I am sure Plaza Fuch was packed.
I roamed the city at dusk and found a park-side cafe that offered a coffee with rum. He made me an Ecuadorian Glogg! It was delicious. Spices I didn't know existed. I had three. The plaza lit up at night
with changing colors. Even the Catholic Church was ablaze. Fascinating. Then I went back to Bar Bohemia and met the owner. He played some Mercedes Sosa for me. I had a lengthy conversation with him and I was so proud of my spanish skills. He has a house on the coast for $100 a week that is stunning. I might go. The coast is a 4 hour drive from here. We'll see.
I know I am forgetting something. Asking a lady to 'show me your boobies' didn't go over well. Not a birder I guess. She said she had pictures. Beeotch.
771 birds on my life list.

I am back in Quito after a trip to the rain forest on the western slope. My trip began at San Jorge Lodge Quito. http://www.hostsanjorge.com.ec  It is up in the mountains of northwest Quito at an elevation of about 10,300 ft. It used to be owned by the first president of Ecuador, Eloy Alfaro. Now owned as a reserve by Jorge Cruz, a veterinarian and artist. My room overlooked the valley. From the trails you could see Quito far below. The lodge was beautiful and the staff very helpful. I was there because at 6:30 am the next day a guide would pick us up and take us on the Nono-Mindo road to the next San Jorge lodge, Tandayapa. Dixie Sommers from  D.C. joined me at the lodge and we had a very nice dinner together. There is so much history to the Quito lodge. An old Inca trail is on the reserve.
The next morning Luis Chasig (Alcivar) arrived to guide us on the Mindo-Nono road, which is very popular with birders. The road follows the Alambi river which was in minor flood stage as it was raining steadily.  First we stopped at the home of a generous gentleman who has a beautiful cottage with humming bird feeders everywhere. We stood in his kitchen as the hummers buzzed by. Mountain velvet-breast was fist to show. Birds were everywhere.Crimson-mantled woodpeckers are stunning. We visited a cemetery for rufous-breasted chat tyrant. Didn't see it there but a few were just down the road. The birding on the old dirt road was phenomenal. We finally located the  Collared Inca hummingbird and I saw a purple-backed thornbill, which is very difficult to find. Dixie got lots of good pictures of birds.
We arrived at the San Jorge Tandayapa lodge and were dropped off below to take a path up. The van went up with our bags and they were in my room when I went in. On the path up the masked trogon and crimson-rumped toucanet were located. We came upon the open-air dining area and there must have been 15 hummingbird feeders around the gardens.Each feeder had a swarm of hummers. I was flabergasted. It was truly magical to sit and eat lunch and watch hummers everywhere. I added 27 new species of hummingbirds alone to my list. Booted racket-tails, purple-throated woodstars, Andean emerald, green-crowned brilliant. The list went on. Luis knew every bird and their calls.
The trails at Tandayapa are excellent. There is a meadow, secondary forest and primary forest. The altitude was about 7,200 ft and so it was much warmer than Quito. I stayed 2 nights here. I saw 76 new species of birds here with the help of Luis. Black and chestnut eagle was a huge plus, as was golden-headed quetzal. Fantástico. Luis had left so Dixie and I hit the trails ourselves and  added a
few new species thanks to her photography. During dinner an Olinguito came down from the trees to a feeder with bananas. This species of kinkajou was just discovered in 2013.  I fucking saw it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olinguito
Near by, in the mountains, it is said that Atahualpa hid his gold from the Spaniards. I have a picture of the 3 hills where it is said the hoard  is located. Tandayapa is off a rugged road tucked away in the cloud forest and is a heaven to behold.
At noon my driver came to take me back to Quito, 2 hours away. Claudio has a great personality and he took the time to make sure I understood what he was saying. My spanish has vastly improved. I asked him what he does in his spare time and he said fútbol. I invited him to lunch and to watch the game between Ecuador and Mexico. Ecuador lost but it was nice to share the enthusiasm of fans and watch the game with a compadre in Plaza Fuch.
Off to Otavalo tomorrow. I love this country.