Cold Hummingbirds

There are a few species of hummingbirds which live at 11,000 feet, plus a few. How they manage at those cold temperatures is amazing. They feed, go into torpor, shiver awake and do it all again. The blue-mantled thornbill and violet throated metaltail are very specific to El Cajas at that altitude.I saw them both. At times I wish I had my big camera and high-power lenses. The flowers are abundant, along with hundreds of species of moss and lichens. It is one of my favorite environments. If only the wind didn't bite so hard. There are over 250 lagunas in the park. The skies have been so blue the last few days and they reflect the vivid blue hues.

The Pope was a hit. Such a popular fellow among the Ecuadorian masses. And they massed! I was so glad I was not in Quito, or Guayaquil. I watched all of his movements on TV, even to Bolivia and Paraguay. Correa has been very quiet lately. He was quite chummy with El Papa. Some wish he had flown away with Papa. He looked so tired much of the time, but then he visited the two highest capitals in the world.

The landlady promised WiFi and I had it for a few days. Then it went down and when I told her she promised they would be over to fix it. She promised about 10 times, for 8 days, then I moved out. She fought to hold back deposit money and I got all but $50, which I gave to the agent, Andrea, for helping me. I told her I didn't need any stress and she prayed for me. For almost 5 minutes, in Spanish, and cried. I gave her the blender I had bought. Miss landlady was a real bitch. She hadn't paid the guy who installed the WiFi the first time so he refused to come back to fix it. I am better off out of that apartment anyway. Now I am in a hostel at $20 a night, on the Tomebamba river, which lulls me to sleep each night. I am going to look at another apartment today.

 But first, the Amazon! I fly back to Quito on the 21st and then fly to Coca on the 23rd. Luis Alcivar, my buddy from San Jorge Eco Lodges, has a group of wealthy birders from Taiwan who have hired him for a long birding trip around Ecuador. They want him as their guide at Sani Lodge http://www.sanilodge.com, in the Yasuni. Luis told me he wanted to go to Sani before they get here so he can brush-up on the birds of the Amazon. I get a discount through Luis and he and I are going for 4 days. This is the ultimate birding adventure in South America. It is the most remote Amazon lodge in Ecuador! I am so excited to go. I am going to spend two nights in Coca so I don't have to be rushed from, and to, Quito. I might see nearly 400 species of birds in just a few days. It took 45 years to see that many in the USA. Bug spray, lots of bug spray. And I bought some malaria pills as a precaution. I can't wait to see all the wildlife. Giant otters, pink river dolphin, and lots of minkies. I bought a good flashlight for frogging. Small and powerful.

I guess I will stay in Cuenca for a while. I will be getting my visa in a few weeks and I have to pick it up from immigration here in Cuenca. I might settle in Loja for a spell. I have to make a trip there to scope out the town. There are so many 'mericans here. I have met a lot of folks here and they have been very kind to me. Just not sure what my plans are yet. I have been invited to spend time on the coast and I will go sometime in August. Maybe for my birthday. The whales are waiting for me.
Ciao!