Same

August 17th & 18th - Bus to San Lorenzo, new bus to Esmaralda, new bus to Same, and the only reason why I got off at the right spot was because a nice Ecuadorian knew I had no idea where I was going.
So I get off the bus and head down a dirt road to end up facing the beach. There was a restuarant that also had rooms so I got a room that was on the second level of the hostel building with the window and balcony looking out onto the beach.
After a late lunch I sat in my hammock watching the surf and took a snooze. Some how bus rides are tiring.
An early night and I was refreshed for a day where I walked out my front door took a stroll down the beach, had some breakfast and sat at the beach, reading, swimming in the warm water with mellow waves all day. Bliss.
I only spent a day and a half here but I could have stayed longer. The clean white sand, friendly people, warm water.
AAAAAHHHHHH! the beach.
But I had more places to go and a few were more beach towns.

Cerro Golondrias

August 16th - After Ibarra I hoped on a bus and got off at the small town of Guallupe. I went to the Fundacion Golondrias, which is catologing all the plants in the area for names and medicinal properties. The women who runs it also is educating the community about keeping there water clean and not burning down the sides of the mountains to plant but to have sustainable agriculture.She´s a pretty cool women and the program is run with volunteers.
So I had lunch there then got a guide and we spend the night up in the Golondrinas cloud forest. The hike was an hour up hill at a pretty quick pass since we were against the sun setting. Up at the cavins there´s no electricity and it´s wood fire cooking.
The next day we hiked further into the mountains and got to play tarzan on some big vines that were cut just for it. Yup a fat vine you pull up the hill then take off soaring through the trees. And yes I made Tarzan and monkey sounds.
It was incredible to look out onto the mountains and see a shawl of clouds around the tops.
On the way back down we stopped at this beautiful waterfall to take a dip. The water was freezing and great. The water is so fresh up here that you can drink it. Which I hadn´t been used to here.
Of course on the hike back to the foundation it rained but not to bad. I spent the night at the foundation and the next morning was off again.

Ibarra

August 14th - After a day of laundry in Quito I´m in Ibarra. It´s a small town up in the north sierras. The buildings are low with colonial architecture, mostly white. And like most towns in Ecuador its fair share of churches. In the distance surrounding the town are mountains.
It was the first town I hit by myself and was doing fine till I got news my grandmother - Mama Sue passed away. It was difficult to be all alone so far away from my family and Daniel.
I think it put a damper on my day there and I strolled the streets and plazas in a bit of a daze.

Because I had spent so much time in Quito I am on a quick tour of the country. I think not really knowing the language and going alone I procrastinated so now I´m rushing to see everything.

The Amazon

August 6th I wake up early take a taxi to the river front, have some breakfast and head off down the Napo River. After a 6 hour boat ride I get off in Pañacocha. There I meet my guide Manuel hang out for a bit then take another 45 minute boat ride up the Pañacocha river to the lodge.
The boat pulls up to a large open roofed deck. This is the kitchen eating area. There are 2 other decks like this on the river, one with hammocks and the other chairs and tables to hang out in.
Up on the lawn are about 5 small cabins. Since Daniel had to work he wasn´t able to come with me and some of the people who live there were gone for the week so it was just me and Manuel hanging out. Within 5 minutes I saw some amazing birds. Had an early dinner and went to bed early. There´s no electricity here so reading and writing by candle light gets tiring.
5am the rooster crows. At 6am the the sun rises.
August 7th - We go for a 4 hour hike in the jungle. Saw lots of bugs, one very big black centerpede thingy. Caught sight of a humming bird and heard more wiz by my head like some fighter pilot. Quietly wound through trails and heard more birds and monkeys in the distance.
When we arrived back at the lodge for lunch there was a group of small tucans in the tree aross the river.
After lunch and a seista we took a canoe ride in this very tiny dug out canoe. If you breathe to hard it rocks. It was so beautiful and tranquil gliding along the river. The edge of the jungle spilling into the river. Sometimes plants just growing out of it. In this one lagoon area the water changed to a black color and became still. The edges of the bank had these tall palms that have spikes all over. It even seemed like it became quite. The movie Creature from the Black Lagoon came to mind. Later on I found out the lagoon is were paraña, electric eels, sting rays and other goodies live.
On the ride back we saw more tucans, squirrel monkyes and little bats that blended in with the tree trunk sticking out of the water. I also realized..... I´m in the amazon jungle, pretty cool!
August 8th - We canoe around to a few lagoons. Crazy beautiful butterlies flit by. Tree limbs hanging over the water with vines growing into it. Red passion flowers stand out from the many hues of green.The seeds from the Alodon tree that are like huge dandelion tuffs float down from the top canopy into the river and the fish snatch them up.
We saw a large troop of squirrel monkeys by the edge of the river and paddled through bayous to take short cuts back to the lodge. I got a good look at some Hoatzin birds which are prehistoric and the lodge is named after. They are beautiful and very clumsy.
At night we went for a short canoe ride and was lucky to have a clear night. The pitch black of the jungle outlined a strip above of a million stars. It was breath taking.
We found a small crocodile and it stayed motionless while we held the flash light on it and glided right up to it. it stayed still until Manuel tried to grab it, rocked the boat and I screamed like a little girl :)
August 9th - After breakfast we went out walking in the jungle again, which I thought would be a hike but it was worm hunting.
Think of a worm, now think monster worm. Manuel dug deep to reveal 1 inch or more diameter holes. You can hear a wooshing sound as the worm disend. Then he got one. A foot and a half long. He said it was small. But these worms are good bait for fishing paraña. So after getting 2 we head back hop in the canoe and go fishing. Yes , that´s right I caught a paraña and had it for dinner. I have the jaw to prove it.
By the way this is the same river I´ve been swimming in.





August 10th - The jungle gives me strange dreams.
There is constant noise in the jungle. You´d think peace and quite of nature but nature is its own city and the noises change at night. Crickets, frogs, bugs, birds and animals all making noises.
The jungle is in constant movement. At a glance things seems still even stagnint but when you look closely everything is moving.
There is a gentle breeze that puts leaves and palms in a gentle sway. The falling of a leaf from the canopy top sets a ripple of movement as it falls. A bird flys to a new branch setting it in movement. The slow growth of the flora, a butterfly flutters past catching your eye with its splended color among the vast hues of green. It is collosal. There is so much that it is easy to see nothing.
Nature has crafted her art of camoflouge.
I entice a big hairy spider out of it´s ground layer.
August 11th - Back to Pañacocha then another 6 hour boat ride back to Coca.
So far in Ecuador before I leave a place a hummingbird stops by to say good-bye. The Amazon was no different.

Cotopaxi

On August 3rd a few of use took a trip to the volcano Cotopaxi. Don´t worry it´s dorment, though the trip did start out exciting when we all got off the bus on the side of the road and I noticed one missing to our group. I ran after the bus as it was pulling away and in my ¨2 year old¨ Spanish got the bus to stop and we woke up Sophia. The bus had a good chuckle.
Though cold and windy Cotopaxi is beautiful. We had a guide drive us around the park and show us sites then we drove up the mountain side to the parking area which is 4,600 meters. We then preseded to walk up to the first refuge. Only 200 meters away yet because of the altitude it took me an hour to walk straight up sandy volcanic soil.
I actually felt like giving up a few times until the female guide said she would take my pack for me. So my delusion that I´m a hard ass kicked in and I eventually made it.
The view was incredible. Even the instant nasty hot chocolate I bought tasted good at that altitude.
The first refuge Jose Ribuys refuge at 4,800 meters is the first. People were camping there getting ready to hike higher. It was great to go and I learned something..... I have no desire to climb Mt. Everest or the summits of Cotopaxi.