Cuenca was sunny and warm the five days I stayed. Had my room on the river to listen to at night. There was an apartment for rent that I wish I could have taken. $650 is a little steep but it is a brand-new glass apartment. Shit. Anyway, saw friends and had good meals and vascillated on where to head to next. I made a reservation at Posada Ingapirca and caught the 9am bus direct. I arrived by 11:30am and checked into my room at 10,500ft. The ruins were right next door. I did the 1:30 tour with the guide and then walked the trails along the river gorge. Lots of birds. Black-billed shrike tyrant added. A good picture of a black-tailed trainbearer. The Cañar people had settled this area long before the Inca arrived and conquered them around 1450. I am always amazed how the faces of the people change with the landscape. When I awoke at 5am and took my cold morning walk, I saw that all the locals come out dressed in their colorful warm wool and milk the cows. Then they exchange the dirt under their nails for fresh earth, and work until lunch, and a siesta. You can tell certain indigenous groups apart by the hats they wear. Round white bolos here with balls dangling from the brim. Beautiful people and a very difficult language. Happy children.
After my walk I had breakfast and a taxi came to take me to town, El Tambor, to wait for a bus. Within 30 minutes a bus to Ambato stopped and picked me up. Five hours through farmland, some of which has exhausted soil. Up high mountains and down to cities in narrow valleys. This bus would continue to Quito but they dropped me in Ambato where I crossed the street and immediately got on a bus for Baños. Sunny and warm. In one hour we were in town and I took a taxi to my hostal. Baños is at about 6,000 ft and lies between steep cliffs as the Pastaza river gouges out the landscape. Cool in the evening and just warm enough during the day. There is always a wind sweeping the valley floor.
I checked in to my room with a fireplace with the 200 foot waterfall outside my window and have been here four nights. My first stop in town was to Pipa's Bar to see folks I had met here before during Mundial. Nina was behind the bar and greeted me sweetly. She is Swiss and has an Ecuadorian husband. They have a 8 year-old boy who has grown so much since I saw him last year. Nina has been here almost 20 years and has all the information. I bought her some sunflowers. I am going to look at an apartment she recomended. Who knows where I will end up. Yesterday I heard
yelling coming from an indoor arena and stopped to see what was happening. It was an all-school talent show. The kids were fantastic. Each school has their separate uniforms to indentify them. Kids sang, danced and recited poetry. Their faces all smiles. Very well behaved and very polite. I love Ecuadorians.
I had a taxi take me up to Casa de Arbol which has a swing that lifts you above a steep cliff (not me).
I got there at 6:30 am and birded for 6 hours. Beautiful hooded mountain tanagers and mountain caciques. Hummers everywhere. I spotted and Andean guan as I made my way down the road. I chased a green-and-black fruiteater for 30 minutes. Clouds swirled below me and up the valley. A fantastic day. Had a drink(s) with friends and a steak dinner and off to bed at 8:30.
My next stop will be down to Puyo, one hour east, and at the edge of the Amazon at 3,000 ft. Monkeys begin at appear at that altitude. All different birds. All different smells and flowers. And all different people. Ashuar. Jívaro. Here I come.
The Volcano Tungurahua in clouds
Nina and Sunflowers
Save journey, get fun!!!
ReplyDelete