The 3 hour hike up the mountain placed me at about 2,200 meters. This meant that the days were pleasant for being outside and working without it getting too hot and unbearable. I have no real sense of temperature aside from me being either too hot or too cold but I found the weather to be moderate and enjoyable. I believe it was usually around 75F give or take a few degrees in the daytime with varying levels of sunshine. Most afternoons, around 3pm, it would get cloudy and ominous and we played the weather game, wondering whether it would in fact rain and if the rain would hit us or somewhere else along the valley. There were many afternoons when the clouds would shadow the farm and the thunder would turn Rumbi, the dog, into a shivering mess and lightening bolts seemed to be only a few feet away, and yet the rain would miss us and we would watch it drench some nearby part of the mountain of valley below. Other days the rain would hit us as expected or often unexpectedly. We´d run to cover the adobes and oftentimes go search for the horse and donkeys and put the goats in their corral early to escape the incoming downpour.
The nights could be chilly at times and the clouds would creep their way up the walls of the valley and into the open kitchen, pleasantly causing the lights of Vilcabamba below to disappear. The lows would fall to about 50 degrees overnight, never so cold that another layer wouldn´t cure you. I´d fall asleep bundled under two heavy blankets listening to the owl who took up residence nearby. A few years prior all wildlife was vacant from the area, but thanks to the progress on the farm birds and other animals are slowly returning, worms are beginning to live in the now fertile soil that was once only clay.
When I first arrived at the farm I stayed in ´the dorm´, a 2-level building with the ability to sleep 6 people. The other volunteer at the time was staying in a private room called Trin´s Room, so I had the dorm to myself. It was a cloth and post structure with a wooden deck area that I would use to stretch in the morning and before bed. If I knew Yoga I probably would have practiced there daily. I stayed in the dorm for a few days, after the volunteer staying in Trin´s Room left, and another volunteer, who moved into the Yurt, arrived. Eventually a group of kids I knew from Neverland came to the farm and though I enjoyed their company very much I needed my privacy. Even the most mature 19 and 20 year olds still act their age when surrounded by their peers. So I gave up the stretching deck for privacy and Trin´s Room became my room.
The gardens aren´t producing enough food to sustain 7 or 8 people so every 5-7 days Yves and/or Jenn take the horse, Joe, and the donkey´s Pasito and Bonita into town on a food run, returning with a bounty of fresh fruits and veggies and dried legumes and grains. Breakfast was a free-for-all and everyone catered to themselves. Most people ate eggs from the chickens who worked the chicken tractor, bread, oatmeal, fresh fruit, or sometimes leftovers from the night before. I usually had bread and butter and oatmeal or fruit and my special stash of granola that I brought with me from town. And coffee, of course.
Lunch was always shared as a community and it was one of the daily chores for one or two people (depending on the number of people currently staying at the farm) to prepare lunch for everyone. Lunch was usually some delicious concoction of fresh veggies and a salad, sometimes accompanied by rice or beans, but the veggies were always the star. Green salt (salt mixed with a crazy combination of ground green herbs and sesame seeds) and Ají (a type of hot pepper ground and mixed with vinegar to keep) always shared the table. Lunch time also served as a time to discuss the activities of the farm. We´d talk about what projects we worked on in the morning and what our plans were for the afternoon. We addressed any questions and used lunch to learn more about our projects and their greater connection to the farm which in turn connected us to one another.
Dinner was also shared as a community, though it wasn´t required. Dinner prep was also a daily chore but was really easy as lunch was always the most substantial meal of the day and dinner was always light and usually only involved making a fruit salad and some kind of soup out of the leftovers from lunch. I feel like I lost weight on the mountain, and I definitely felt really good while I was there. But it´s hard to say whether the fresh fruits and veggies or the daily work and climbs up the mountain side were responsible. Maybe it was just knowing that my days were spent accomplishing something and contributing to something important. I have decided that there are really not many things better than eating good food and playing in the dirt all day.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Sacred Sueños and Never Never Land
After spending over 3 weeks either in a valley or up in a mountain without electricy I have now returned to babylon where I am just another consumer...though a conscientious one, and getting moreso every day.
The first farm I arrived on was called Never Never Land. I was attracted to this farm because the write up about it mentioned that it was an organic farm that used the antique methods of farming. It was said to have a composting toilet and was run my a local midwife who was involved with empowering and educating the local community. After spending some time at the farm I realized that it was a far cry from the organic farm run by the community organizing midwife that I have envisioned. Instead the woman running the place was more like a chain smoking, over the hill, mostly miserable, energy sucker. The composting toilets were merely latrines, the gardens were in complete disarray, and everything seemed disorganized and lacking vision and purpose. Portions of our $35 weekly food donations were used to purchase cases of box wine (gross) and sometimes weed and I didn´t agree with many of the things I saw happening there. No work seemed to get done and it seemed not to matter as long as the money kept coming in.
In any case, though it had gardens (sort of) and was rustic without electricity and many comforts of home, it was not the right placement for me. I decided to leave Neverland and check out another farm near Vilcabamba called Sacred Sueños (Sacred Dreams). Getting to Sacren Sueños involved walking 45 minutes from town (or taking a $3 cab) and then hiking up a mountain which could take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours. The hike was almost entirely up, without much relief. Upon arrival, the view alone made the grueling hike worth it. Then I saw the farm and talked with Jenn, one of the two full time residents.
But I was pretty terrified at the same time. The worked described was pretty structured. You must be active before 9am (not hard except that it was the complete opposite of my bartending schedule), you were expected to work 4-6 hours on top of your share of the daily chores. There was only one volunteer there the night I visited and I saw him building and moving adobe bricks all day, pretty heavy duty work. I was worried that I wouldn´t be able to keep up with the pace and demands of the farm. It was built into the top of a mountain and everything was at an incline. Physically I knew it was going to be a challange.
I spent the night and then hiked back down the mountain the next day. I thought about not returning, the hike itself was deterrent enough. I talked to two other nearby farms but I knew that this farm was the one I was looking for. I returned to Neverland and gathered my things and the next morning began another hike up the mountain.
Sacred Sueños was started about 4.5 years ago by Yves, a Swiss-Canadian and everywheresman. A son of dairy farmers, he hitchhiked and WWOOFed his way from Canada through the US, Mexico, Central America, and South America, eventually finding a spot in Ecuador. He then went to Japan for a year a whored himself out teaching English to save enough money to buy the farm. Ever since he has been working tirelessly to restore a degraded mountainside, destroyed by slash and burn agriculture, by planting exotic and native tress, building earthen structures, using permaculture methods, growing organic vegetables and so much more in the hopes of eventually being completely self-sustaining. In 10 more years he will donate the entire farm to the community as an example and educational center of an alternative to the harmful practice of slash and burn agriculture.
I spent the past few weeks shitting in a bucket, emptying my shit along with everyone elses into piles to then be composted and turned into humanure. I wake up early every day and stare out over the valleys from this amazing mountain that I somehow managed to be lucky enough to find myself upon. I take care of the goats, make cheese and kombuche, and hunt for the donkeys in the afternoons. I work in the orchards and prepare soil in order to plant dynamic accumulators. I wait for the perfect time of day and weather conditions to transplant little plants being ever so caring with their delicate little roots. I harvest beans and uvillas and agchochas. I stop whatever I am doing when it starts to rain and run with the rest of the community to cover the adobe bricks before the get too wet and ruined. I learn about using recycled plastic to build cobb walls, about contour bunds and grey water systems. I share delicious food and stimulating conversations and read every night by candle light. I´ve showered once in the past 2 weeks and am hairy and greasy and I think I smell like onions but it´s okay, because there are no mirrors on the mountain and everyone else is dirty and smelly and greasy. I have dirt under my fingernails and callouses on my palms. I feel happy and centered and alive.
I am sitting at the bus station now and will be boarding something that isn´t at all similar to a donkey. It doesn´t leave until 11pm and I haven´t been up past 10:30pm in weeks. I am sad to be leaving Sacred Sueños but I am on my way to Peru to meet up with Mike for a few weeks and I am very excited about that. Besides, I am fairly certain I will find my way up that mountain again in the near future. They´ve made a comfortable community up there and it is rewarding work that I truely felt good about at the end of the day...and I have so much more to learn!
The first farm I arrived on was called Never Never Land. I was attracted to this farm because the write up about it mentioned that it was an organic farm that used the antique methods of farming. It was said to have a composting toilet and was run my a local midwife who was involved with empowering and educating the local community. After spending some time at the farm I realized that it was a far cry from the organic farm run by the community organizing midwife that I have envisioned. Instead the woman running the place was more like a chain smoking, over the hill, mostly miserable, energy sucker. The composting toilets were merely latrines, the gardens were in complete disarray, and everything seemed disorganized and lacking vision and purpose. Portions of our $35 weekly food donations were used to purchase cases of box wine (gross) and sometimes weed and I didn´t agree with many of the things I saw happening there. No work seemed to get done and it seemed not to matter as long as the money kept coming in.
In any case, though it had gardens (sort of) and was rustic without electricity and many comforts of home, it was not the right placement for me. I decided to leave Neverland and check out another farm near Vilcabamba called Sacred Sueños (Sacred Dreams). Getting to Sacren Sueños involved walking 45 minutes from town (or taking a $3 cab) and then hiking up a mountain which could take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours. The hike was almost entirely up, without much relief. Upon arrival, the view alone made the grueling hike worth it. Then I saw the farm and talked with Jenn, one of the two full time residents.
But I was pretty terrified at the same time. The worked described was pretty structured. You must be active before 9am (not hard except that it was the complete opposite of my bartending schedule), you were expected to work 4-6 hours on top of your share of the daily chores. There was only one volunteer there the night I visited and I saw him building and moving adobe bricks all day, pretty heavy duty work. I was worried that I wouldn´t be able to keep up with the pace and demands of the farm. It was built into the top of a mountain and everything was at an incline. Physically I knew it was going to be a challange.
I spent the night and then hiked back down the mountain the next day. I thought about not returning, the hike itself was deterrent enough. I talked to two other nearby farms but I knew that this farm was the one I was looking for. I returned to Neverland and gathered my things and the next morning began another hike up the mountain.
Sacred Sueños was started about 4.5 years ago by Yves, a Swiss-Canadian and everywheresman. A son of dairy farmers, he hitchhiked and WWOOFed his way from Canada through the US, Mexico, Central America, and South America, eventually finding a spot in Ecuador. He then went to Japan for a year a whored himself out teaching English to save enough money to buy the farm. Ever since he has been working tirelessly to restore a degraded mountainside, destroyed by slash and burn agriculture, by planting exotic and native tress, building earthen structures, using permaculture methods, growing organic vegetables and so much more in the hopes of eventually being completely self-sustaining. In 10 more years he will donate the entire farm to the community as an example and educational center of an alternative to the harmful practice of slash and burn agriculture.
I spent the past few weeks shitting in a bucket, emptying my shit along with everyone elses into piles to then be composted and turned into humanure. I wake up early every day and stare out over the valleys from this amazing mountain that I somehow managed to be lucky enough to find myself upon. I take care of the goats, make cheese and kombuche, and hunt for the donkeys in the afternoons. I work in the orchards and prepare soil in order to plant dynamic accumulators. I wait for the perfect time of day and weather conditions to transplant little plants being ever so caring with their delicate little roots. I harvest beans and uvillas and agchochas. I stop whatever I am doing when it starts to rain and run with the rest of the community to cover the adobe bricks before the get too wet and ruined. I learn about using recycled plastic to build cobb walls, about contour bunds and grey water systems. I share delicious food and stimulating conversations and read every night by candle light. I´ve showered once in the past 2 weeks and am hairy and greasy and I think I smell like onions but it´s okay, because there are no mirrors on the mountain and everyone else is dirty and smelly and greasy. I have dirt under my fingernails and callouses on my palms. I feel happy and centered and alive.
I am sitting at the bus station now and will be boarding something that isn´t at all similar to a donkey. It doesn´t leave until 11pm and I haven´t been up past 10:30pm in weeks. I am sad to be leaving Sacred Sueños but I am on my way to Peru to meet up with Mike for a few weeks and I am very excited about that. Besides, I am fairly certain I will find my way up that mountain again in the near future. They´ve made a comfortable community up there and it is rewarding work that I truely felt good about at the end of the day...and I have so much more to learn!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Valle de Juvenitud Eternal
I arrived yesterday in Vilcabamba, or the Valley of Eternal Youth. I tried to get up and out of Cuenca early enough to make it to the farm last night, but of course, I chose to sleep in instead. As I was leaving the hostel yesterday morning I arranged to share a cab to the bus station with 3 people, 2 of which were also coming to Vilcabamba. When the 2 Vilcabamba bound (Amara and Jeff) arrived we hunted down a hostel (the first two places we tried were full) and then found a place to relax and have a beer.
Later that night I celebrated Thanksgiving with a French man who lived in Canada and an American woman who has lived in Nicaragua for the past 4 years. We had black bean soup (yum) and vegetarian curry (I have no idea why I thought this would be a good choice...it wasn´t)and a glass of wine. We had some great conversations ranging from the negative side effects of the birth control pill and the state of women`s rights in America to spiritualism and reincarnation...best of all, Jeff the Frenchmen picked up the bill!
When I got to town yesterday I asked around for Tina who runs the farm I am going to as I heard she might be in town. Usually, arriving to the farm involves taking a 45 minute bus ride from where I am, followed by a 45 minute hike. It would have been nice to make the trek up there with her. However, I was told Tina had already left town. This morning I overheard someone at breakfast talking about meeting a woman named Tina...I butted into their conversation and it turns out that Tina is still in town and is meeting people to go up to the farm at noon. She had been traveling for the past month and has apparently collected quite a few would-be farmers along the way and there is much to be done so I will be heading up with them today.
So, this is officially my last post for a while as I will not have electricity or any modern conveniences at the farm. I will have a sweet pàir of $8 4x4 rubber boots that I bought in Cuenca though. I am told they are the best and will not only protect me from mud and rain, but snake bites as well!
Wish me luck and I will check in when I can...otherwise I will definitely be in Lima Peru on December 26th to meet Mike at the airport.
¡Hasta Luego!
Later that night I celebrated Thanksgiving with a French man who lived in Canada and an American woman who has lived in Nicaragua for the past 4 years. We had black bean soup (yum) and vegetarian curry (I have no idea why I thought this would be a good choice...it wasn´t)and a glass of wine. We had some great conversations ranging from the negative side effects of the birth control pill and the state of women`s rights in America to spiritualism and reincarnation...best of all, Jeff the Frenchmen picked up the bill!
When I got to town yesterday I asked around for Tina who runs the farm I am going to as I heard she might be in town. Usually, arriving to the farm involves taking a 45 minute bus ride from where I am, followed by a 45 minute hike. It would have been nice to make the trek up there with her. However, I was told Tina had already left town. This morning I overheard someone at breakfast talking about meeting a woman named Tina...I butted into their conversation and it turns out that Tina is still in town and is meeting people to go up to the farm at noon. She had been traveling for the past month and has apparently collected quite a few would-be farmers along the way and there is much to be done so I will be heading up with them today.
So, this is officially my last post for a while as I will not have electricity or any modern conveniences at the farm. I will have a sweet pàir of $8 4x4 rubber boots that I bought in Cuenca though. I am told they are the best and will not only protect me from mud and rain, but snake bites as well!
Wish me luck and I will check in when I can...otherwise I will definitely be in Lima Peru on December 26th to meet Mike at the airport.
¡Hasta Luego!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
No matter my mode of travel though Latin America I always feel like there is so much more to do, see, experience and I always feel like I am missing out on it´s true essence. The next time I travel here I don´t think I am going to try to do so much....or I am going to give myself a hell of a lot more time to do it.
I am here for 6.5 months, but the majority of my time will be spent in one place, on farms, in a specific area of a specific country. I feel like I am missing so many things, stays in the Amazon, trips up vocanos, train rides through the Andes, and so much more, just so I can ´get there.´ And then once I´ve arrived there I will be, in one place, for 3 or 4 weeks. I know this was my goal for this trip, to learn ancient organic methods of argiculture and ´live´ in a community for a little while, but I can´t help feeling like things are too structured or something. Everything I do and every place I choose to go and how long I stay is dependent on the next placement I have arranged.
Honestly, I am glad I am doing the trip this way and hopefully my Spanish will benefit enormously from being in one place for so long. Hopefully I will learn/do some really cool things that other travelers who saw all the sights didn´t get to learn/do. But I know I will feel some sense of regret and disappointment when I return and someone asks me if I (insert amazing experience here) and I will tell them no, I couldn´t/didn´t do it because I had to get down to my next placement.
There is just never enough time. I already know that I must come back again. Maybe that is the remedy? Just keep returning until I feel that I have seen it all? What is my compulsion to do such a thing anyway? I want the experience of traveling without an expiration date but seem incapable of planning such an experience for myself.
It`s supposed to be all about the journey right? Why am I always so focused on the destination?
.......................................
In a land that depends upon bottled water for drinking, how is one to make the least environmental impact while traveling? Water tablets? Buying the largest bottle reasonable?
Thoughts? Comments?
I am here for 6.5 months, but the majority of my time will be spent in one place, on farms, in a specific area of a specific country. I feel like I am missing so many things, stays in the Amazon, trips up vocanos, train rides through the Andes, and so much more, just so I can ´get there.´ And then once I´ve arrived there I will be, in one place, for 3 or 4 weeks. I know this was my goal for this trip, to learn ancient organic methods of argiculture and ´live´ in a community for a little while, but I can´t help feeling like things are too structured or something. Everything I do and every place I choose to go and how long I stay is dependent on the next placement I have arranged.
Honestly, I am glad I am doing the trip this way and hopefully my Spanish will benefit enormously from being in one place for so long. Hopefully I will learn/do some really cool things that other travelers who saw all the sights didn´t get to learn/do. But I know I will feel some sense of regret and disappointment when I return and someone asks me if I (insert amazing experience here) and I will tell them no, I couldn´t/didn´t do it because I had to get down to my next placement.
There is just never enough time. I already know that I must come back again. Maybe that is the remedy? Just keep returning until I feel that I have seen it all? What is my compulsion to do such a thing anyway? I want the experience of traveling without an expiration date but seem incapable of planning such an experience for myself.
It`s supposed to be all about the journey right? Why am I always so focused on the destination?
.......................................
In a land that depends upon bottled water for drinking, how is one to make the least environmental impact while traveling? Water tablets? Buying the largest bottle reasonable?
Thoughts? Comments?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Steam baths to waterfall spray...
Today was a wonderful day.
At 9am I went to a Steam Bath treatment. This involved sitting upright in a chamber, locked in, with only your head sticking out. Much like a magicians lovely assistant before she gets sliced into pieces. You sat this way while your chamber filled with steam for about 5 minutes, then you were released and walked to a basin filled with icy cold water and a towel. You took the towel from your right foot up your leg and to you chest, repeated on the left side, then both legs up to your chest, then left the left side again, this time including the arm, then the left side and arm, and finally you open the towel and rinse your back, each time returning the towel to the basin. Then you returned to the chamber for another 5 minutes followed by another rinse with the towel. This water repeated a total of 3 times, on the final rinse they dumped the entire contents of the basin over you. After the 4th session in the chamber you were led to a reclining tile chair, the seat of which was filled with cold water. You sat in the chair rubbing your lower stomach in a clockwise direction (in order to stimulate the bowels), while someone spalshed cold water all over your body. Then you returned for the final steam session after which you were sprayed with ice water shot through a pressure hose as another sort of massage. Then you were done. Afterward I was a little lightheaded and my arms felt like I had spent an hour lifting weights (not that i know what that feels like) but I also felt very rejuvenated...all for $2.75
After breakfast I rented a bike for $5 and rode 20k through a route that passed several waterfalls, ultimately ending at Pailon del Diablo, but not before getting caught in a downpour. Pailon del Diablo was the biggest on the route and in order to see it you had to hike down the mountain. It was really breathtaking and I think I finally realized exactly where I was. It was the ultimate end of my trip.
At 9am I went to a Steam Bath treatment. This involved sitting upright in a chamber, locked in, with only your head sticking out. Much like a magicians lovely assistant before she gets sliced into pieces. You sat this way while your chamber filled with steam for about 5 minutes, then you were released and walked to a basin filled with icy cold water and a towel. You took the towel from your right foot up your leg and to you chest, repeated on the left side, then both legs up to your chest, then left the left side again, this time including the arm, then the left side and arm, and finally you open the towel and rinse your back, each time returning the towel to the basin. Then you returned to the chamber for another 5 minutes followed by another rinse with the towel. This water repeated a total of 3 times, on the final rinse they dumped the entire contents of the basin over you. After the 4th session in the chamber you were led to a reclining tile chair, the seat of which was filled with cold water. You sat in the chair rubbing your lower stomach in a clockwise direction (in order to stimulate the bowels), while someone spalshed cold water all over your body. Then you returned for the final steam session after which you were sprayed with ice water shot through a pressure hose as another sort of massage. Then you were done. Afterward I was a little lightheaded and my arms felt like I had spent an hour lifting weights (not that i know what that feels like) but I also felt very rejuvenated...all for $2.75
After breakfast I rented a bike for $5 and rode 20k through a route that passed several waterfalls, ultimately ending at Pailon del Diablo, but not before getting caught in a downpour. Pailon del Diablo was the biggest on the route and in order to see it you had to hike down the mountain. It was really breathtaking and I think I finally realized exactly where I was. It was the ultimate end of my trip.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Avenue of the Volcanos
I took a taxi to the bus station this morning. When I arrived I started asking for buses to Baños and before I knew it I was sprinting with all my gear after a man who was running after a bus that had already started to leave. He got the bus to stop and load me on. There are buses for Baños leaving every 10-15 minutes on several different companies, so running after a bus is unnecessary, but they really want the business.
I began traveling south toward the Avenida de Volcans. It´s impossible not to notice the difference in landscape since leaving Colombia. Gone is the heat and rolling hills filled with grazing cattle, spotted with palm trees. Instead I see towering volcanos and mountains on all sides, coniferous forests, and cold nights. The local people have also seemed to transition from raising cows to growing vegetables. Sheep, llamas, and shaggy cows climb the mountain sides and indígena women carry babies slung over their shoulders, wrapped in shawls and traditional dress, while the short Indian men trot down the streets in their felt hats and wool ponchos.
I am now at a hostel in Baños, a town set in a valley and surrounded on all sides by volcanos and waterfalls. I am much more at ease in smaller towns, and with the exception of Mexico City, I never enjoy the urban areas in Latin America. This is a really pretty and peaceful place to spend a few days, even if the streets are filled with idiot gringos driving souped up go carts.
I spent the afternoon comfortably strolling about the small town and got a feel for the place. There are a couple of nice parks and a pretty plaza facing the basilica. There´s a central market with local handicrafts and food stalls and plenty of street vendors interspersed amound the multitude of storefronts offering tours to volcanos, waterfalls, jungles, white water rafting, bungie jumping, and more.
Baños, meaning ´bath´ in Spanish is known for its thermal springs, mineral baths, and spas. Researchers have known for years about the healing qualities of water after studying animals who seek out warm water and mineral baths when they are sick or injured. One of these mineral baths was located at the foot of a waterfall not far from my hostel. I saw it on my exploration earlier in the day at after learning that it was open until 10pm I decided to take an after dark dip.
For only $2 I went and relaxed for about an hour in the hot springs. The water is murky from the high mineral content, but it is nice and hot, and very calming. Next to the larger bath there was a smaller one, about the size of a standard hot tub, except this one was filled with icy cold water from the falls. I spent my time transitioning between the two pools, as was the custom. Jumping between the hot and old pools was exhilerating and the setting, with the sound of the waterfall next to you and the rain drops falling upon you, was outstanding.
I began traveling south toward the Avenida de Volcans. It´s impossible not to notice the difference in landscape since leaving Colombia. Gone is the heat and rolling hills filled with grazing cattle, spotted with palm trees. Instead I see towering volcanos and mountains on all sides, coniferous forests, and cold nights. The local people have also seemed to transition from raising cows to growing vegetables. Sheep, llamas, and shaggy cows climb the mountain sides and indígena women carry babies slung over their shoulders, wrapped in shawls and traditional dress, while the short Indian men trot down the streets in their felt hats and wool ponchos.
I am now at a hostel in Baños, a town set in a valley and surrounded on all sides by volcanos and waterfalls. I am much more at ease in smaller towns, and with the exception of Mexico City, I never enjoy the urban areas in Latin America. This is a really pretty and peaceful place to spend a few days, even if the streets are filled with idiot gringos driving souped up go carts.
I spent the afternoon comfortably strolling about the small town and got a feel for the place. There are a couple of nice parks and a pretty plaza facing the basilica. There´s a central market with local handicrafts and food stalls and plenty of street vendors interspersed amound the multitude of storefronts offering tours to volcanos, waterfalls, jungles, white water rafting, bungie jumping, and more.
Baños, meaning ´bath´ in Spanish is known for its thermal springs, mineral baths, and spas. Researchers have known for years about the healing qualities of water after studying animals who seek out warm water and mineral baths when they are sick or injured. One of these mineral baths was located at the foot of a waterfall not far from my hostel. I saw it on my exploration earlier in the day at after learning that it was open until 10pm I decided to take an after dark dip.
For only $2 I went and relaxed for about an hour in the hot springs. The water is murky from the high mineral content, but it is nice and hot, and very calming. Next to the larger bath there was a smaller one, about the size of a standard hot tub, except this one was filled with icy cold water from the falls. I spent my time transitioning between the two pools, as was the custom. Jumping between the hot and old pools was exhilerating and the setting, with the sound of the waterfall next to you and the rain drops falling upon you, was outstanding.
Friday, November 21, 2008
23 Km South of the Equator.
After 26 hours of bus travel over a 48 hour period, I finally arrived in Quito, Ecuador. I planned to leave Medellín, Colombia at 11pm on 11/18 and take a direct 18 hour bus ride to Pasto where I would stay the night before heading to the border the next day. When Esteban, his brother, and I arrived at the Terminal de Transportes however, we were told that the bus company was not taking people directly to Pasto because of the rioting that had been happening due to nearly the entire population losing their life savings in Pyramid Schemes. They said that during the day it was fine, but arriving there at night when most of the rioting was occuring was more risky. The suggested I take a 9 hour bus ride to Calí instead and then I would have no trouble getting a connecting bus to Pasto. I didn´t understand what the difference would be between going there directly or stopping in Calí and then getting another bus, but what did I know?
So I bid farewell to Esteban and his family who hosted me graciously for a month and borded a very very cold bus toward Calí. I slept most of the way wrapped up in my sleeping bag and despite the cold and my paranoia over getting my bag ripped off I was pretty well rested when we arrived in Calí just before 8am. I went to the ticket window for the bus company I was riding and inquired about a ticket to Pasto or Ipiales, the border town 2 hours further. They said that the next bus wasn´t leaving until 9pm. There was no way I was sitting in that bus station for over 12 hours waiting to take an 11 hour bus ride. Frustrated, I sat for about 15 minutes trying to figure out what to do. The bus station was still mostly closed when I arrived, but the longer I sat more businesses and restuarants opened and people appeared shouting out destinations and trying to get your business. I started walking and got no more than 20 feet before someone asked where I was going and I was led to a bus leaving for Ipiales in 45 minutes. I bought a ticket which I think they overcharged me $5 for, but I didn´t care because I just wanted to get moving again. I had a quick breakfast though I wasn´t hungry and headed back to the bus.
The next 11 hours were spent on a smaller, less comfortable, un-airconditioned bus. Luckily the windows opened for fresh air and as we were mostly traveling through the mountains, the temperature was fairly comfortable. On the break between Pasto and Ipiales the only people left on the bus were myself and Liliana, a 25 year old Ecuadorean woman and her 4 year old son, Ari. Liliana struck up a conversation with me and we talked (in Spanish!) for the next two hours until Ipiales. We decided to share a hotel for the night for $5/person.
In Calí, Ari´s luggage was stolen from the compartment under the bus so we spent the morning buying some new clothes for him in the Centro, had some breakfast, and then took a taxi to the Colombian border. Liliana invited me to come stay with her family at their beach house in Manta, 8 hours from Quito, but I think this will have to wait for another trip. Ari took a liking to me and told his mother that she was his Mamí and I was his Mama. Liliana said that when I leave Ecuador I will be leaving a son behind. Her family has two houses for sale on the beach...a 4 bedroom with a garage for 40k and a 2 bedroom, totally furnished, motorcycle/scooter included for 18k...any takers??
The border crossing was very quick and painless, though I am very sad to see the discontinuation of the passport stamp. Yes, you still have record of your travels but it´s printed manually, instead of the nice unique stamps often with handwritten entry/exit dates. We walked across a bridge to enter Ecuador and then went through a simple entry procedure, took a taxi to the nearest town where we stopped for lunch and then hopped on a bus with no air conditioning and no openable windows for the next 6 hours. I thought I was going to suffocate and get violently ill in the closed, cramped, conditions.
Once we arrived in Quito we said goodbye and I took a taxi to some weird German themed hostal for the night, finally arriving at 9pm on 11/20. It was absolutely freezing. By that I mean it was like 50 degrees, but after being tropicalized and without heat it was enough to send me to bed completely bundled up.
This morning I woke up and was really on my own...unassisted. All I wanted to do was hide in the hostal all day and then take the next bus straight to my first WWOOF (www.wwoof.org) placement to avoid having to do anything alone at all. Eventually after nursing a pot of tea for a good hour at the hostal while reading a lended guidebook I eventually worked up the nerve to take the trolly into the Old City. Once in the Old City I didn´t know what to do so I pretty much walked in circles around the main plaza for hours terrified to take out even my point-and-shoot camera after reading about all the muggings in the guidebook that morning. I managed to direct myself to a vegetarian restaurant for lunch and finally took a couple pictures in the plaza.
Since 2000, the official currency of Ecuador changed to the US dollar. If you ever wondered where all the $1 coins are circulating...I found them. It´s strange to see how far American money can go. A $6 cab ride for instance usually doesn´t get you more than 10 blocks, here it takes you half way across the city. It´s nice to have a currency I understand, but bad for me because I am very aware of exactly how much things cost.
Tomorrow I plan to begin heading South. Rather than one long bus ride to my first placement near the border with Peru I am going to work up the courage to stop in a few destinations so I can experience the country instead of just see it pass me by through the window. First stop - the tallest active volcano in the world? Or maybe the thermal baths? Traveling alone will take some adjusting, but I´m sure I will get the hang of it eventually.
So I bid farewell to Esteban and his family who hosted me graciously for a month and borded a very very cold bus toward Calí. I slept most of the way wrapped up in my sleeping bag and despite the cold and my paranoia over getting my bag ripped off I was pretty well rested when we arrived in Calí just before 8am. I went to the ticket window for the bus company I was riding and inquired about a ticket to Pasto or Ipiales, the border town 2 hours further. They said that the next bus wasn´t leaving until 9pm. There was no way I was sitting in that bus station for over 12 hours waiting to take an 11 hour bus ride. Frustrated, I sat for about 15 minutes trying to figure out what to do. The bus station was still mostly closed when I arrived, but the longer I sat more businesses and restuarants opened and people appeared shouting out destinations and trying to get your business. I started walking and got no more than 20 feet before someone asked where I was going and I was led to a bus leaving for Ipiales in 45 minutes. I bought a ticket which I think they overcharged me $5 for, but I didn´t care because I just wanted to get moving again. I had a quick breakfast though I wasn´t hungry and headed back to the bus.
The next 11 hours were spent on a smaller, less comfortable, un-airconditioned bus. Luckily the windows opened for fresh air and as we were mostly traveling through the mountains, the temperature was fairly comfortable. On the break between Pasto and Ipiales the only people left on the bus were myself and Liliana, a 25 year old Ecuadorean woman and her 4 year old son, Ari. Liliana struck up a conversation with me and we talked (in Spanish!) for the next two hours until Ipiales. We decided to share a hotel for the night for $5/person.
In Calí, Ari´s luggage was stolen from the compartment under the bus so we spent the morning buying some new clothes for him in the Centro, had some breakfast, and then took a taxi to the Colombian border. Liliana invited me to come stay with her family at their beach house in Manta, 8 hours from Quito, but I think this will have to wait for another trip. Ari took a liking to me and told his mother that she was his Mamí and I was his Mama. Liliana said that when I leave Ecuador I will be leaving a son behind. Her family has two houses for sale on the beach...a 4 bedroom with a garage for 40k and a 2 bedroom, totally furnished, motorcycle/scooter included for 18k...any takers??
The border crossing was very quick and painless, though I am very sad to see the discontinuation of the passport stamp. Yes, you still have record of your travels but it´s printed manually, instead of the nice unique stamps often with handwritten entry/exit dates. We walked across a bridge to enter Ecuador and then went through a simple entry procedure, took a taxi to the nearest town where we stopped for lunch and then hopped on a bus with no air conditioning and no openable windows for the next 6 hours. I thought I was going to suffocate and get violently ill in the closed, cramped, conditions.
Once we arrived in Quito we said goodbye and I took a taxi to some weird German themed hostal for the night, finally arriving at 9pm on 11/20. It was absolutely freezing. By that I mean it was like 50 degrees, but after being tropicalized and without heat it was enough to send me to bed completely bundled up.
This morning I woke up and was really on my own...unassisted. All I wanted to do was hide in the hostal all day and then take the next bus straight to my first WWOOF (www.wwoof.org) placement to avoid having to do anything alone at all. Eventually after nursing a pot of tea for a good hour at the hostal while reading a lended guidebook I eventually worked up the nerve to take the trolly into the Old City. Once in the Old City I didn´t know what to do so I pretty much walked in circles around the main plaza for hours terrified to take out even my point-and-shoot camera after reading about all the muggings in the guidebook that morning. I managed to direct myself to a vegetarian restaurant for lunch and finally took a couple pictures in the plaza.
Since 2000, the official currency of Ecuador changed to the US dollar. If you ever wondered where all the $1 coins are circulating...I found them. It´s strange to see how far American money can go. A $6 cab ride for instance usually doesn´t get you more than 10 blocks, here it takes you half way across the city. It´s nice to have a currency I understand, but bad for me because I am very aware of exactly how much things cost.
Tomorrow I plan to begin heading South. Rather than one long bus ride to my first placement near the border with Peru I am going to work up the courage to stop in a few destinations so I can experience the country instead of just see it pass me by through the window. First stop - the tallest active volcano in the world? Or maybe the thermal baths? Traveling alone will take some adjusting, but I´m sure I will get the hang of it eventually.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Colombia, Part 2
On my visit eight years ago, the trip through the mountains would not have been possible. At that time the roads were overrun by FARC and were unsafe to travel for fear of kidnappings. President Uribe has fought hard against FARC and has been very successful, though there is still much work to be done and the country is still very crippled from spending years under their control. In the few weeks that I have been here I have seen the release of one of the thousands of hostages held along with a dissenting member of FARC who is now under government protection. When an event like that happens while you´re in the country it´s happening in, it makes everything very real.
We took a trip to Cartegena the weekend before last. I visited the city last time I was here and have always remembered it´s colonial beauty. Because the roads were so unsafe last time, we took a short flight on a small propeller plane. This time, we woke a 5:30am to take the bus. The trip took about 6 hours and the bus was freezing. Even though Esteban warned me that it would be cold I found that my jeans and sweatshirt was not enough. Next time I will follow the lead of the locals and bring my sleeping bag. In Cartegena we went to a wonderful Cuban bar. A live band was playing salsa viejo, the old traditional salsa songs. It was dark and smoky and hot. The mojitos came out from behind the bar steadily throughout the night while everyone danced the night away. Everyone, of course, except me and Esteban. In the taxi on the way back to the bus station it began downpouring. Before I knew it the streets were completely flooded. There´s no infrastructure here. That means no sewers, than means no drainage. I asked Esteban where the waste goes. Probably the ocean, he said.
I´ve been spending most of my time following Esteban around through his daily tasks at his cattle farm. We wake up and do crunches and hop in a cold shower. Then breakfast is prepared for us. Afterward Esteban usually has to run some errands, sometimes I go with him, other times I read or watch CNN or old episodes of 90210. In the afternoon lunch is waiting for us. We gorge ourselves and then take a nap. Sometimes we go swimming or horseback riding. Later, there might be a cattle auction, then it´s home for some more relaxing, reading, guitar sing alongs, then dinner, then TV, then reading, then sleep.
Esteban has Direct TV at the farm so I have been able to keep up with the world. I watched the Phillies win the World Series, and last night I watched them tally up the votes and announce Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. It´s a strange sensation to be so connected and yet so disconnected at the same time. It´s an exciting time for the United States and the world at large and if he can only accomplish half of what he hopes to accomplish we will still all be better off.
I´ve been trying to connect with people in Ecuador so I can begin the more adventurous portion of the trip. I have had a very gentle re-introduction to South American life. Esteban has guided me lovingly and has planned and arranged everything that has needed to be done so far. I´m trying to remind myself to enjoy this calmand accept his assistance, because soon, I will be out there on my own, without translation, determining which freezing bus to get onto, and finding myself in countries I´ve never set foot in before.
We took a trip to Cartegena the weekend before last. I visited the city last time I was here and have always remembered it´s colonial beauty. Because the roads were so unsafe last time, we took a short flight on a small propeller plane. This time, we woke a 5:30am to take the bus. The trip took about 6 hours and the bus was freezing. Even though Esteban warned me that it would be cold I found that my jeans and sweatshirt was not enough. Next time I will follow the lead of the locals and bring my sleeping bag. In Cartegena we went to a wonderful Cuban bar. A live band was playing salsa viejo, the old traditional salsa songs. It was dark and smoky and hot. The mojitos came out from behind the bar steadily throughout the night while everyone danced the night away. Everyone, of course, except me and Esteban. In the taxi on the way back to the bus station it began downpouring. Before I knew it the streets were completely flooded. There´s no infrastructure here. That means no sewers, than means no drainage. I asked Esteban where the waste goes. Probably the ocean, he said.
I´ve been spending most of my time following Esteban around through his daily tasks at his cattle farm. We wake up and do crunches and hop in a cold shower. Then breakfast is prepared for us. Afterward Esteban usually has to run some errands, sometimes I go with him, other times I read or watch CNN or old episodes of 90210. In the afternoon lunch is waiting for us. We gorge ourselves and then take a nap. Sometimes we go swimming or horseback riding. Later, there might be a cattle auction, then it´s home for some more relaxing, reading, guitar sing alongs, then dinner, then TV, then reading, then sleep.
Esteban has Direct TV at the farm so I have been able to keep up with the world. I watched the Phillies win the World Series, and last night I watched them tally up the votes and announce Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. It´s a strange sensation to be so connected and yet so disconnected at the same time. It´s an exciting time for the United States and the world at large and if he can only accomplish half of what he hopes to accomplish we will still all be better off.
I´ve been trying to connect with people in Ecuador so I can begin the more adventurous portion of the trip. I have had a very gentle re-introduction to South American life. Esteban has guided me lovingly and has planned and arranged everything that has needed to be done so far. I´m trying to remind myself to enjoy this calmand accept his assistance, because soon, I will be out there on my own, without translation, determining which freezing bus to get onto, and finding myself in countries I´ve never set foot in before.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Colombia, Part 1
I hopped on the back of a motorcycle at the farm, La Independéncia, to get into town today to use the internet. The town is small and the dirt roads are rutted deeply from recent rains. Donkeys and horses carry potable water on their backs in large drums for purchase to businesses and homes. The air is thick and hot and carries the scent of cattle one moment and of tropical fruit the next.
I arrived in Medellin a little over a week ago. The airport was less of a fortress than I remembered it. No glass walls separating Esteban from me, no questions I didn´t understand about why I was visiting. It was all too easy, I was afraid I missed a step, didn´t get my passport stamped, never walked through customs...something. Maybe they are more used to seeing foreigners depart their planes than they were eight years ago, maybe the have improved systems at the airport like Esteban says, or maybe I was just lucky.
Like Mexico City, Medellín has seen a population boom in recent years. Traffic is relentless. They have begun placing restictions on license plates, limiting who can drive on certain days. Upon arrival I am both at ease and anxiously amazed by the choas of cars, motorcycles, trucks, bikes, busses, people on foot, people on horseback, stray cattle, donkeys, dogs, all swirling around me. It´s like watching a carnival ride. At first glance it appears that all the little parts will surely collide, that there is no way all they can maneuver such small spaces with such speed. It spins and spins and you wonder how all the pieces remain firmly on their axis. It´s enough to make your jaw bite down and your stomach drop, but after a few turns you know that as you round the bend, no matter how close the spinning cup appears to come, it will spin away from you safely out of reach. Those who know of my auto anxiety will find it especially interesting that after a few days in a Latin American country I almost prefer the driving to the States.
After a few days in the bustling city we got in Esteban´s truck and spent six hours driving through the mountains. Medellin sits at about 4,500 feet about sea level. The top of the mountain we were crossing sat comfortably at 9,000 feet. The cargo trucks ahead of us made a slow approach up the steep and curvy mountains. The next 4,500 feet we spent ´dodging trucks´ as Esteban put it. It was like a constant game of chicken. We passed caravans of two or three trucks around seemingly blind curves that no one in their right mind would pass on...no one except the Latin Americans. I have experienced this technique several times before, in Mexico, Guatemala, etc., and it´s barely something that can be explained because to me it lacks all logic, but somehow it works. As we climbed higher in the mountains we passed clouds that hung down from the rest and got caught in the hills like they were too cool for the sky. At the top, the cloud coverage was thick and the visability was lower than the worst blizzard you could imagine, with the added suspense of a 9,000 foot drop off a shear cliff. At least there was no threat of black ice.
I arrived in Medellin a little over a week ago. The airport was less of a fortress than I remembered it. No glass walls separating Esteban from me, no questions I didn´t understand about why I was visiting. It was all too easy, I was afraid I missed a step, didn´t get my passport stamped, never walked through customs...something. Maybe they are more used to seeing foreigners depart their planes than they were eight years ago, maybe the have improved systems at the airport like Esteban says, or maybe I was just lucky.
Like Mexico City, Medellín has seen a population boom in recent years. Traffic is relentless. They have begun placing restictions on license plates, limiting who can drive on certain days. Upon arrival I am both at ease and anxiously amazed by the choas of cars, motorcycles, trucks, bikes, busses, people on foot, people on horseback, stray cattle, donkeys, dogs, all swirling around me. It´s like watching a carnival ride. At first glance it appears that all the little parts will surely collide, that there is no way all they can maneuver such small spaces with such speed. It spins and spins and you wonder how all the pieces remain firmly on their axis. It´s enough to make your jaw bite down and your stomach drop, but after a few turns you know that as you round the bend, no matter how close the spinning cup appears to come, it will spin away from you safely out of reach. Those who know of my auto anxiety will find it especially interesting that after a few days in a Latin American country I almost prefer the driving to the States.
After a few days in the bustling city we got in Esteban´s truck and spent six hours driving through the mountains. Medellin sits at about 4,500 feet about sea level. The top of the mountain we were crossing sat comfortably at 9,000 feet. The cargo trucks ahead of us made a slow approach up the steep and curvy mountains. The next 4,500 feet we spent ´dodging trucks´ as Esteban put it. It was like a constant game of chicken. We passed caravans of two or three trucks around seemingly blind curves that no one in their right mind would pass on...no one except the Latin Americans. I have experienced this technique several times before, in Mexico, Guatemala, etc., and it´s barely something that can be explained because to me it lacks all logic, but somehow it works. As we climbed higher in the mountains we passed clouds that hung down from the rest and got caught in the hills like they were too cool for the sky. At the top, the cloud coverage was thick and the visability was lower than the worst blizzard you could imagine, with the added suspense of a 9,000 foot drop off a shear cliff. At least there was no threat of black ice.
Friday, October 17, 2008
In case you were wondering...
This is what I packed:
Paper:
- WWOOF information for Argentina and Chile
- Flight Information
- Journal
- Copies of passport, debit card, checks, medical records, eye wear prescriptions
- Reading Material for me: Invisable Cities, by Italo Calvino, BUST magazine
- Books for the Colombian: Timequake, Kurt Vonnegut, The Tesseract, by Alex Garland, Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger, Survivor, Chuck Palahniuk, Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins
- Assorted Stickers to decorate Esteban's guitar case with.
- Two decks of playing cards (double solitaire!!)
- Pentax User's Manual
Electronics
- iPod
- Canon digital Elph 7.1mp
- Pentax K20D SLR 14.5mp
- Charging equipment for the above
- High Speed Memory Card Reader
- Travel Alarm Clock
- International Outlet Adapter
Cloth
- 1 pair of flip flps
- 1 pair of All Terrain New Balance sneakers
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of wool socks
- 4 pairs moisture-wicking sneaker socks
- 1 sports bra, 1 regular bra
- 1 bathing suit
- 1 big floppy sun hat
- 1 hat for cold weather
- 2 t-shirts
- 6 tank tops
- 1 pair stretchy, comfortable, yoga-type pajama-y pants
- 2 long sleeve shirts (1 regular, 1 long-underwear type)
- 1 hooded sweatshirt
- 2 sun-dresses
- 2 skirts
- 2 pairs of shorts (one pajama-type, one work/hiking type)
- 12 pairs of underwear
- Waterproof/Windproof Jacket
- Pack Towel
- Bandana
- Sleeping bag
- 2 pairs of gardening gloves (thanks M&D!)
Misc
- Nalgene water bottle
- 1 pair of sunglasses for me
- 3 pairs of sunglasses for the Colombians
- bag full of Emergen-C Multi-Vitamin
- Chap Stick
- Burt's Bees Hand Salve (Thanks Antonio!)
- Toiletries including biodegradable flossers (this is for you Caleb!), Tom's of Maine toothpaste, all natural deodorant, and Dr. Bronner's all purpose cleaner.
$300 cash
Phew! That seems like a lot of stuff.
Paper:
- WWOOF information for Argentina and Chile
- Flight Information
- Journal
- Copies of passport, debit card, checks, medical records, eye wear prescriptions
- Reading Material for me: Invisable Cities, by Italo Calvino, BUST magazine
- Books for the Colombian: Timequake, Kurt Vonnegut, The Tesseract, by Alex Garland, Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger, Survivor, Chuck Palahniuk, Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins
- Assorted Stickers to decorate Esteban's guitar case with.
- Two decks of playing cards (double solitaire!!)
- Pentax User's Manual
Electronics
- iPod
- Canon digital Elph 7.1mp
- Pentax K20D SLR 14.5mp
- Charging equipment for the above
- High Speed Memory Card Reader
- Travel Alarm Clock
- International Outlet Adapter
Cloth
- 1 pair of flip flps
- 1 pair of All Terrain New Balance sneakers
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of wool socks
- 4 pairs moisture-wicking sneaker socks
- 1 sports bra, 1 regular bra
- 1 bathing suit
- 1 big floppy sun hat
- 1 hat for cold weather
- 2 t-shirts
- 6 tank tops
- 1 pair stretchy, comfortable, yoga-type pajama-y pants
- 2 long sleeve shirts (1 regular, 1 long-underwear type)
- 1 hooded sweatshirt
- 2 sun-dresses
- 2 skirts
- 2 pairs of shorts (one pajama-type, one work/hiking type)
- 12 pairs of underwear
- Waterproof/Windproof Jacket
- Pack Towel
- Bandana
- Sleeping bag
- 2 pairs of gardening gloves (thanks M&D!)
Misc
- Nalgene water bottle
- 1 pair of sunglasses for me
- 3 pairs of sunglasses for the Colombians
- bag full of Emergen-C Multi-Vitamin
- Chap Stick
- Burt's Bees Hand Salve (Thanks Antonio!)
- Toiletries including biodegradable flossers (this is for you Caleb!), Tom's of Maine toothpaste, all natural deodorant, and Dr. Bronner's all purpose cleaner.
$300 cash
Phew! That seems like a lot of stuff.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
You can't go away without a party...
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