Down on the Farm

On Tuesday morning - thankful that the AC in our room despite being noisy, had worked efficiently - we both braved the shower which gave us copious amounts of hot water. A 700 metre trek with our bags to the pick up point - there are no taxis in Canoa - left us both in need of another shower.
Time for an excellent breakfast in a little cafe over the road and then on to the Rio Muchacho office to sort out some paperwork before our 25 minute drive to the farm. Unfortunately the recent rains had washed out one of the bridges so we had to leave the truck and complete the journey on horseback -  a novel experience for us both and in full sunshine and 30C. Thankfully our guide strapped our bags on an extra pony so that we only had to focus on staying in the saddle for about 30 mins.
Rio Muchacho is a small - 10 hectare -  organic farm and ecotourism business which also ran a private school for the local kids - although the school had been shut down this year due to a change in government regulations about private schools.The place is run by a Kiwi lady and her Ecuadorian husband - Nicola & Dario -who started the project about 27 years ago. Their focus is on organic farming and permaculture and they have planted fruit trees, vegetable beds, coffee and cacoa and keep pigs, poultry, guinea pigs, a couple of cows and of course the ponies.
We were greeted by a very friendly but quite serious young German volunteer - Niklas - who showed us around the whole place in a couple of hours and also explained how the routine worked and also the meal times and the composting toilets . There are about 12 volunteers - German students hear for a year under a government scheme and some French-Canadian students - with one parent in tow - who are working here as part of a month-long  school project. Also a couple of other tourist visitors like ourselves.

An interesting start - we spent part of the first afternoon making chocolate from cacoa beans which had been fermented for a few days and then dried in the sun - the result was very tasty - particularly with some fresh mango, pineapple and papaya from the farm - almost made me forget the no alcohol rule for 5 minutes or so.

On day two we started by gathering fruit and vegetable in the garden and preparing a pack lunch - wrapped in banana leaves - before setting off on a horse trek to see the Howler monkeys - which we found obligingly close to the trail after about 90 minutes on horseback.
 Then on to the Waterfall for a swim and lunch break before back on the ponies for the journey home.  That's the longest I've been on a horse for about 40  years and perhaps the longest ever for Linda - assume the pain and stiffness in the nether regions will develop overnight!

Budget accommodation

Many of you will not be surprised to learn that Linda often thinks that I do not pay enough attention to the cost or our accommodation when we are travelling and occasionally she puts the foot down and insists that she will take care of the next booking.
As I write this in our room on the first floor landing of Canoa's Inn, I must be grateful that we are only here for one night. While we have stayed in some 'interesting' places over the last 15 years or so this may be one of the all time lows.
While our host Sr Alberto could not have been more friendly and welcoming - with WiFi which stretches all the way to our room - we are still trying to decide whether either of us will use the shower in the morning.
Canoa is a bit of a surfer town - which thankfully has some excellent fish restaurants - and Tuesday night is happy hour at the Surf Shack so the bucket-sized cocktails were only 3 bucks each but that may be all there is to recommend it.
In the morning we are off to an Organic permaculture farm for 4 nights which should prove very interesting but have just learned that in addition to no WiFi, cellular or television they also do not allow any alcohol - neither Jimmy C nor Mr Page would swap places with me now.
I am sure we will collect some stories over the next few days but you will have to wait until Sunday or Monday for the next installment.

Rapid Roy

There were a couple of ways to get from Mindo to Canoa - our next destination on the Pacific coast - one involved 4 local buses and an 11 hour journey, while the second was a 2 hour bus ride back to Quito and a 6 hour executive coach ride. We decided on the private driver route which cost a little more but only took four hours.
Our driver - Angel - showed up as promised in a car that had seen more than a few kilometres and loaded the bags and got on the road. After about 20 minutes he explained that he needed to stop to pick up his 'espousa' who was going to help with the driving on the return journey. We were joined by Consuela who chatted non-stop to Angel for the rest of the journey - no chance that he would fall asleep at the wheel!
While always careful about his overtaking manouevres, he drove considerably faster than I would have tried but delivered us safely to our destination in Canoa exactly on schedule - after one comfort break in the house of a lady who had a roadside stall somewhere along the way.
Through out journey I could hear the words of Jim Croce echoing in my ear - although Linda suggested that she was thinking that our good friend Noel would fit in well on the roads here - if he ever thinks about changing careers.

Something other than birds

In addition to the spectacular birdlife and the plant and insect life of the cloud forest, Mindo has some other attractions - obviously we had to visit the chocolate factory for their tour and tastings and of course the Butterfly farm was another must - particularly for the large numbers of Owl Butterflies that they were breeding.

All in all we managed to see most of the sights while avoiding the zip-lining, canyoning and tubing which was on offer for the more adventurous - or foolhardy.
As we sat in the cafe of the chocolate factory waiting for the tour to begin, we were suddenly greeted by the American couple from Pennsylvania who had been with us in the Amazon basin lodge - they were staying in one of the upmarket lodges and had a driver/ guide so that they could take in all the sights in one day.
We were also joined by an Illinois soy-bean farmer and his wife who went into great detail about their holiday in the west of Ireland last year. They had been everywhere except County Clare - despite having spent 3 days in Doolin and visited the Cliffs of Moher. He then asked what all the fuss was about 'that waste land' north of Doolin.
As I explained that the Burren - 'that waste land as you call it' - was a biosphere as equally important as the cloud forests of Ecuador I could feel Linda holding my belt - and hear Jimmy C telling me just to hit the silly sod! Thankfully he went off to tell the owner of the chocolate factory how he could improve his production and didn't bother us any more.
 

More bird watching

After the early morning drive to see the Cock of the rock, Julia then took us on  a hike up to the waterfalls and back down the road into town, where we saw the Swallowtail Kite, Guayaquil Woodpecker and countless wood creepers, flycatchers and tanagers. We also spotted good number of different humming bird which were too fast for us to identify - although Julia could name every one.

 Unfortunately the weather turned against us so we decided to head home and were lucky enough to find a passing taxi (4WD crew cab pickups) to drop us in town for a well earned cup of coffee.

The Immortal Memory

Each year on our travels we make an effort to celebrate Burns Night although rarely as successfully as we did with Kirsty, Ann and Simon in Perth in 2014.
This year we had to forgo the haggis but did at least manage to drink a toast in his memory. Our new favourite bar - the aforementioned Dragonfly Inn - had a 12 year old Talisker which seemed a bit pricey at first until I saw the size of the measure - not many of those to a bottle!
We have granted ourselves dispensation to defer the haggis, neaps and tatties until we are back home.

Cloud Forest

Mindo - which bills itself as one of the birding capitals of the world - sits at about 1250m in a transition area between the higher altitude temperate zones and the lower humid tropical forests. This means that it encompasses a number of habitats and is home to some 370 species of birds.

When we arrived - on Saturday afternoon - and contacted a local guide, she recommended that we should start early on Sunday and that she would collect us at 5.20 am so that we could be in place in time to see the Cock of the Rock (Rupicola Peruvianus).

With such an early start, we decided to skip the street party which appeared to be developing as we left the Dragonfly Inn after dinner and were up and almost raring to go when Julia arrived to collect us.

After a 30 min drive in the rain, we arrived at the Refugio de Las Aves where we joined about 6 others in a slightly leaky hide and waited for the dawn to break. Sure enough - almost right on cue - the birds appeared in the trees in front of the hide.  No courtship rituals because the females failed to appear - they were probably having a Sunday morning lay-in - but really good view of a number of the male birds.

The guy next to me had a camera with a huge lens and was trying to get that perfect shot while the guide took my phone showed me how to take stills and also to get some video though the spotting scope - it may not win any awards but it's good enough for me.

As a bonus Julia and I also spotted a Resplendent Quetzal while everyone else was focused on the Rupicola's.

Lunch companion

As we sat on the balcony before our lunch yesterday, this guy came and joined us and stayed around for the rest of the afternoon - sheltering from the rain just like us!

A Stinky Turkey

Meet the Hoatzin - one of Linda's favourite rain forest birds. It gets it's nickname because the flesh smells very unpleasant so it is not good to eat.

However he looks quite smart - even if he does make a noise like a grumbling, heavy breathing old man.

Back to the city

After 4 days exploring the rain forest and eating four courses for lunch and dinner, we were ready for our return to Quito.

The journey back involved the same routine - canoe, motorised canoe and short flight - and we were glad we didn't have to spend too much time in Coca. It's primarily an oil town and similar to many of the bayou towns that I worked in - I'm sure Bernie will remember the joys of places like Morgan City, Houma and Venice, La!
With less than a day before we are on the road again the first priority was some essential laundry and having spotted a Lavanderia on our way in from the airport, I was dispatched with a large bag of dirty clothes as soon as we had unpacked. Bit of a test for my Spanish but I was fairly confident that I had arranged for  it to be washed dried and folded and ready for collection at 9.00am the next morning - a bargain at $5.25 for 3.5 Kg!
Had a lazy afternoon - Linda was suffering a bit from the altitude - and then met up with Rudolf and Martina for dinner at Cedron - the restaurant in a very smart new hotel called Caso Gangotena. A very good meal with only a couple of minor niggles - even had a visit from the Chef at the end of the meal. Thankfully Rudolf and Martina had an early start on Saturday morning for their flight to the Galapagos so we avoided the temptation of a nightcap in the hotel bar.
Was extremely relieved when I arrived at the lavanderia after breakfast to find that the clothes were ready on time and that they were the same ones I had dropped off, so that we could get packed again for our 10.00am departure for Mindo and the cloud forest.

 

Rain Forest

Arriving at the lodge with temperatures around 30C and humidity over 90% was as hard to adjust to as the thin air we had left behind in Quito.  Within 10 minutes of a refreshing shower it felt like you needed another.
The lodge was full, so there were nearly 50 people which meant that the routine was very regimented -  not quite our style - but since this is the only organised part of our trip we had to fit in. Our guide, Luis, was excellent with an apparently encyclopaedic knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area. He also knew a lot about the way the indigenous peoples had used many of the plants.

 During our stay we managed a couple of long hikes in the forest (about 4 hours each) where we could see the wide diversity of trees, plants and insects while trying to keep an eye on the monkeys in the canopy above us - Capucins, Squirrel Monkeys, Marmosets and Tamarins - at the same time we could hear the Red Howler monkeys in the distance.

We also had a couple of canoe trips on the lagoon and on the Napo river with some great bird sightings and since the water level was so low we also had a couple of encounters with the Arapaima. These fish can grow to about 400lbs and one female was so concerned that we were threatening her brood that first she bit the guide's paddle and took it out of his hand and then battered the canoe a couple of times. We tried to avoid upsetting her on our subsequent trips!
The night walk and canoe rides were fascinating since it gave us the chance to see bats fishing and also to get a glimpse of the caimans.
Ecuador is the most biologically diverse country on the planet with more species per square mile than any other and while we didn't see many of the mammals we certainly saw a good variety of birds and plants and insects. It will be interesting to see how this compares with our trip to the cloud forests.

Travelling companions

Most of the rivers which take the melt waters from the eastern side of the high Andes feed down into the Amazon basin, so our trip began with a short flight from Quito to Coca where we started our trip down the lower river Napo.
Early start on Monday morning with some last minute packing and a quick breakfast before our airport transport arrived at 7.30am.  Met two of our travelling companions in the lobby - a German couple Martina and Rudolf - and after an easy journey through the morning rush hour traffic we arrived at the airport with a couple of hours to spare. Luckily the new airport is much more comfortable than the old one - I remember being herded around like cattle in an old barn and having to play musical chairs when the flight was delayed on our Galapagos trip in 2008.
This was much more civilised - plenty of space and seats, a couple of decent cafes, a few shops and a flight that left on time.
Unfortunately we were seated in the midst of a group of geriatric Americans who insisted on acting like teenagers on their first school outing. The old dear next to me - who was dressed more like a high school student - was in and out of her seat like a jack in a box to swap body lotion, sunblock and bug repellent with her pals and then up to the locker to get her sweater and then her sarong and then her jacket because she felt cold - all this in a 35 minute flight. Linda, on my other side was extremely impressed at how I managed to ignore her numerous attempts to start a conversation.
Thankfully when we joined our guide outside the airport in Coca they were not going to the same lodge.
While our group turned out to be 24 strong as we boarded the motorised canoe for our trip down river at least they all seemed reasonably normal - in addition to our new German friends, there were a French couple, two Australian ladies, and an English mother and her 21 year old daughter , while even the Americans who made up the numbers seemed quite well-behaved!
Even with cushioned seats, the 2 1/2 hour journey was more than enough - because the water levels are so low, we had numerous stops to negotiate our way through the sandbanks - so we were all very glad to arrive at the river jetty which served the lodge. From there we had a 20 minute walk followed by a 30 minute canoe ride (paddled, this time) to the lagoon where the lodge was situated.

Just time for a cooling drink and a quick change before we were introduced to our guides and headed off for a canoe trip around the lagoon to spot the variety of birds that were starting to appear.

Higher than I've ever been without an aircraft around me

As part of our tour of Quito we started off with a trip on the Teleferiqo  - a cable car - which takes you to 13,300ft on the upper reaches of the Pichincha Volcano. We were there early on Sunday morning ahead of the crowds but in company with the serious hikers who were planning to take on the 3 hour hike to the peak at around 15,200ft.
I was impressed to see the 8 year old girl with her sister and parents confidently striding off up the trail when I could only manage a short climb to the viewing point before I needed to stop for a breather!
The views were amazing, across the City which was hidden by the cloud, to the string of volcanoes in the Andes on the western horizon with Cayambe, Antisana and Cotopaxi topping out at 18,500 -19,500ft.

Our guide/driver for the day then took us to the San Juan viewpoint above Guayapo to see the route across the mountains to the Amazon and then to the top of Panecillo where the huge statue of the winged virgin looks out over the city.

We followed this with a walking tour of the centre of the colonial city - which has more than it's fair share of large ornate churches.

Decided to skip the last couple and headed home for a glass of beer and a pizza after a brief stop in the Plaza Grande to see the Sunday afternoon crowds.
Time to pack up for tomorrow's trip to the lower Napo valley in the Amazon basin where we will spend the next few days before returning to Quito next weekend. No telephone or wifi so no contact till we get back to the city - looking forward to it.

First night in Quito

It is so good to arrive at your destination after a journey that has gone according to schedule.
Even better to arrive in bright sunshine and 21C after a very comfortable journey with KLM - they treated us very well, and fed us some excellent food and wines - as good a flight as any other I can remember.
However it was a long flight - 11 1/2 hours in daylight  - there are only so many movies you can watch and we were both glad to arrive at our hotel in time to have a stroll around the city centre as the sun was setting over the mountains that surround the city. Unfortunately, our plans for a leisurely dinner went by the board as we headed for bed early - could only managed the aperitif.
We are staying at Patio Andaluz - a historic monument converted to a hotel about 10 years ago - we were here in 2008 and enjoyed it so much we had to return. It may not have all the bells and whistles of a modern hotel but it is comfortable and friendly and a great location close to the Plaza Grande.
Up early for breakfast followed by a morning of gentle sightseeing - we are booked for the full city tour tomorrow but decided to take in a couple of interesting museums - followed by lunch. Quito is about 8500 feet above sea level so it takes a little acclimatising - even a short incline can raise the heart rate!  
Did notice that most of our fellow guests are of an age where they are enjoying la vida de jubilado like ourselves - at least it makes a change from the coach loads of Chinese tourists who we seem to be encountering on a regular basis - whether on the ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan or at the Hyatt Place in Schiphol.

Our first night - the Hyatt Place at Schiphol - another airport and another airport hotel - has everything you expect including some decent local beer and an excellent Indonesian chicken curry - just a bit soulless.
Hopefully the next leg of the journey will go as well as today - all according to plan - a pleasant sunny day for the drive to Dublin, easy trip through the terminal including the obligatory pint of Guinness in the departure lounge and a flight that left and arrived on time!
We are here for less than 12 hours so the only things that really matter are the very efficient shuttle bus service, a comfortable bed and a good shower, hopefully the breakfast will match up to our expectations on our way back to the airport for an 11 hour flight to Quito.
Realised as we landed at Schiphol this evening that it is nearly 18 years since I was last here and more than 20 since I was here on a regular basis, Obviously it has changed and like many of it's counterparts it looks more like an extremely large shopping mall with excellent transport links.
However while the UK government continues to prevaricate over new airport capacity for London, it appears that Schiphol is about to start a new phase of redevelopment and expansion.

Silver Wings shining in the sunlight, Roaring engines headed somewhere in flight

Last year it was a Joni Mitchell song - or was it John Denver? This year since there is no taxi involved, I think it is Merle Haggard's turn although the rest of the lyrics don't really suit.

We are off to Dublin in the morning for a flight to Schiphol with a direct connection to Quito. Schiphol was a regular stop in one of my previous lives - there were a few memorable sessions in the bar waiting for connecting flights but the details have grown hazy over the years!

Flying with KLM this time - a change from BA mainly because they couldn't offer us a routing that didn't involve Miami or Houston - looking forward to the experience.

Linda finally finished her clothes selection at about 5pm this evening after 8 days of deliberating. Bags were packed by 6.15 pm and I am pleased to say that even with smaller bags than last year we still had a little room to spare! Maybe next year it will be hand luggage only!!

Just a few last minute jobs to finish up in the morning and then get the house closed up and on the road.  After the last couple of weeks of preparation it is definitely time to get started.

Hopefully our next post will be from Quito where we start off with a weekend's sightseeing in the old colonial city and perhaps even a restaurant or two.

It's that time again

If it's the beginning of January, then it must be time to get the travel bags down from the loft and dust off the holiday gear.
This year we are off to Ecuador and Costa Rica for about 7 weeks - apparently it is good to 'stretch one's comfort zone' so a few weeks of speaking Spanish should take care of that. I still remember my efforts from an earlier trip where dinner consisted of a plate of plain boiled spaghetti with neither sauce nor any accompaniment - hopefully we will avoid a repetition this time.
We've prepared everything for the laying ducks and hens to go to their holiday homes and after what seems like months of rain there is nothing else we can do outside - apart from chopping firewood.
So the focus turns to sorting clothes for the holiday and trying to remember where we put those check-lists of essential items. Finding the essential items will be an additional challenge!
While not actually back-packing we are not planning to do any driving so we need to ensure that our luggage is manageable. Linda thinks this means two large trolley bags while I am focussing on a couple of rucksacks. Lets see how the compromise works out!
I managed to sort my clothes in about 10 minutes and 3 days later Linda is still procrastinating. Still she has another 6 days until we leave.