Travelogue#6: Cuenca Ecuador

September 28, 2006

Como estan mis amigos?


Well I still have 2 more spanish classes for this week. It has definitely helped to boost my confidence in the language to make sure that I am pronouncing everything right and a few things I have to work on. I have my own spanish CD's (VISUAL LINK SPANISH) that will help me with the rest of my spanish along with some books so I didn't feel it was necessary to continue with the spanish courses at Simon Bolivar spanish school after this week and basically wanted to know if I was pronouncing my spanish correctly so I will be leaving Cuenca on Saturday and heading south to Vilcabamba. I will probably spend a couple days there before heading south into Peru. I noticed some things he said were different from my CD's but just a few things. It is always nice to translate from english to spanish when speaking spanish but there are a few strange things like to say "I AM COLD" you would say in spanish properly "I AM WITH COLD" (Estoy con frio) or "I AM 20 YEARS OLD" is "I HAVE 20 YEARS" (Tengo veinte anos).  To say something doesn't taste very good you say it tastes "Ugly" or "Feo". After spanish class on Tuesday I had gone down to the free salsa lessons on my main floor thinking there would be some hot latinas down there to practice with but there were just a room full of gringos so I didn't bother.


Right now my present itinerary after leaving Cuenca is Vilcabamba- Zumba- (ENTER PERU) Chachapoyas- Tarapoto- Yurimaguas and from there I may take a 4 day boat ride to Iquitos since there are no roads that go to Iquitos which is the gateway to the Amazon (Just planes and boats can get you there). Of course anything can change and I may go to other places or take a different route but that is what I have in mind right now.


My weight loss program is going well. When I got to Quito I weighed myself at 245lbs (Sept 14th) and now I weigh 228lbs. So I have lost 17lbs in 15 days down here. Just snacking and doing lots of walking around the towns and drinking lots of fluids. Thank god I brought a belt or my pants would constantly be falling down. I was 258lbs on August 2nd so have lost 30lbs in 2 months. My goal is 210lbs when I return.


I have also decided I would not stay down here as long as I had originally planned. 7 months is a long time to stay in one place and now that I have decided to move on from Cuenca. I have changed my flight back to Canada for November 23rd so in 7 more weeks which is still a lot of time considering in the past I would see 4 countries in 4 weeks. Staying in one place makes it so that there is not really a lot to write about unlike when you are on the road and constantly moving is when things start happening and so more to write about. I have decided to leave this blog as "My ecuador travelogue" just to keep the web address the same.


Well I guess since my last blog entry where I had mentioned that many if not most travelers down here have been ripped off of their valuables or possessions and I arrogantly said "Pick me! pick me!" well I think the universe must have answered that call since just over an hour ago 2 guys tried to rip off my bag (or at least of some of the contents in it) since after I had my $3 meal at the big market I had told you about (I had rice, beans and a deep fried fish that would give KFC a run for their money) I went to the main square (which was the first photo I took of Cuenca with the Cathedral that I posted below) and sat down on one of the many benches there just to chill out and put on my sunglasses and watch the cute Latinas walking by (always a good way to kill some time :)). I naturally sat down at the far edge of the bench so not to hog it when some young punk (20 years old?) sat down in the middle of the bench about a foot away from me. I instantly got "RED FLAGS" from this behaviour since most people will naturally sit at the other side of the bench and not in the middle. I took a quick glance at this punk and knew he was no good. I was reaching into my bag and as I did (out of curiosity) I was looking in my perpheral vision (with my shades on so no one could see my eyes) and saw this punk eyeing up my stuff as I opened it (OK there is no law saying that nobody can look into my bag of course) but within 30 seconds a well dress Ecuadorian (25 years old?) came from the other side and asked me if I could help him learn some english (even though his english was already very good) and how he was positioned (intentionally of course) was to force my attention away from my bag and his accomplice sitting beside me so this other punk could take my bag while I was totally focused on the other guy and with my instincts yelling at me "ALERT! ALERT! Man your battle stations! We are under attack!!" I immediately picked up my bag and put it on my chest with both arms glutching it tightly to give them the message through my body language that they are wasting their time without being an asshole about it. For a guy that spoke good english he was asking me about some strange english sayings that didn't make any sense so another red flag to confuse me or have me focus totally on him. I mean without being paranoid, I was 99% sure of this being a scam since my instincts never lie and just how the "set up" was coming together and I desperately wanted to tell the english speaking guy "You want english lessons? Fine! Here is your first english lesson saying when dealing with unwanted people who are forcefully trying to interact with you.... FUCK OFF AND DIE!!!" But of course I just don't have it in me to say it. Sometimes it is hard being a nice guy all the time because you aren't allowed to always say the things that are really on your mind.


Anyhow this english speaking Ecuadorian says he is going to England soon and has an english test tomorrow and needs to learn the accent and some typical english sayings (He obviously assumed I was a Brit) and I tell him I am not from England. He then says "oh then you are from Australia?", I say "no", then he says "United States?" and I say no. I mean geez, not too many more guesses to finally get it and as far as I am concerned he has already exposed himself as a scammer but I reluctantly play along being a nice guy and finally say "I am from Canada" at which he replies "Oh my english teacher is from Montreal!" (Scam artists are always looking to get the victim to identify with them somehow on familar ground) and I say then she probably speaks French too and he says no she doesn't and only in Quebec do they speak French at which point I have to enlighten him that Montreal is in Quebec. In a polite way I basically tell him to piss off and he is still being persistant about just taking 2 more minutes of my time and then finally the punk beside me gets up from the bench and says something in spanish to the other guy as he walks past him (Probably saying this is a waste of time or it isn't going to work since I am glutching my bag tightly). As he finally leaves he gives me a very weak and insincere hand shake as he continuallys says "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" (for bothering me) and walks off.


I remember when I caught that attempted pick pocketer in the main square of Mexico city 10 years ago where it was crowded with people (and I was the only white guy there) because of Christmas and he was the best dressed guy on the square and carrying a pen and clipboard and I became suspicious of him when he would watch me then look away when I looked at him he would be pretending to be scribbling something on his clipboard as he looked off in a different direction and as I walked from one corner of the zocalo to the other I would look back and he was always 20 feet away from me in the overly crowded Zocalo square. When I had known his game for the previous 20 minutes of following me around as I kept looking in my peripheral vision and caught him watching me and following me constantly and to finally catch him in the act and confront him I allowed him to sneak up behind me and at the last minute I whipped around and jabbed my finger accusingly into his face (as he must have thought I would be an easy target and thought I was unaware of his presence) and I confronted him and let him know I had been fully aware of his movements and motives and he also started crying "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!". Yeah right, the only thing these thieves are sorry about is that they didn't get your wallet!


This is just typical AWARENESS you need in these types of countries. You might see 99 good people walking around, going about their business but you always have to know there is probably 1% scoping you out (when you least expect it) as an easy target. Being 6'3, white, and by myself puts a big bulls eye on you for this type of theft. Especially being in a touristy area like the square I was at is probably their main turf for ripping off tourists. Awareness is just KNOWING there is one person out there that wants to steal from you without you knowing about it and always being on guard of suspicious behaviour and trusting your instincts.


OK universe, please, I don't want anymore shenanigans like this or anyone trying to steal my valuables for the rest of my trip. OK? There, I put it out to the universe.


Afterwards, another old man sat down at the far edge of the bench as a shoe shine guy pulls up his stool and begins work on this guys shoes. I am curious about what this guy is going to pay for a shoe shine because I know I have been getting ripped off being the white ATM that I am down here so I wait for the guy to finish and see the money exchange hands which was 50 cents. He does another guys shoes and I wait patiently again to see the money change hands (50 cents again). Back in Quito some dirty 6 year old kid with his mom asked me if I wanted a shoe shine while I waited on the bench and I said sure (Thinking if I gave him $1 that would be good money for him). Well after he did then I passed him the $1US coin and he wanted $5!! I thought no way in hell are shoe shiners making that kind of money down here off the locals but at the same time I didn't want people around the park to see some big mean gringo arguing with some poor little kid over money so I looked at his mom (as an arbitrator) and said "Cuanto cuesta?? (How much is it??) and she asked the boy and I heard some negiotations going on because the kid obviously wanted his $5US from the White ATM he just interacted with. After a little discussion she says $2US for 2 shoes and I still knew I was being over charged and don't like supporting the common practice of ripping off gringos who don't know better but I give it to him anyhow (Merry Christmas kid!). Then again in Quito another kid asks me (about 16 years old) and I tell him "no gracious" but he is persistent that I allow him to give me a shoe shine and so I reluctantly say OK. As he is shining my shoes another shoe shine boy walks by and says something to the other guy with a smile (I assumed it was something like "Hey, way to go my friend, you lucked out and found a white ATM. Not many of them around here. Good for you!!") and the kid smiled back at him. Afterwards I go to give him $2 (Thinking I am over paying but the kids needs it more than I just by looking at him) but he also wants $5US and I say NO! and then counters my $2 offer and says $2.50? and I agree just to end it. So since then I no longer where my dress shoes and just stick to my old runners so they don't ask. Problem solved LOL!


I think the cord for downloading pictures from my camera is broken so I took out the memory card and inserted it into the computer and so can continue downloading photos as I go.


On Saturday morning I will be taking the bus to Vilcabamba.
Chao

Cuenca Ecuador Friday night

 This is my spanish teacher Jose. I have been taking 2 hour spanish classes everyday this week at Simon Bolivar Spanish School. Jose is a very good teacher and everytime I got the answers right he would say "Exactamente! Muy bien!". This evening half-way through our spanish class he asked if I had eaten any guinea pig ("cuy" pronounced Coo-eee) yet and I said I hadn't found any places yet and he asked if I wanted to cut spanish class early and head out for some guinea pig at some good places he knows before I leave tomorrow and I was like "Yeah!" get out of school early and pound down some guinea pigs!
                                     
 They usually have the whole pig on display like this at the little street restaurants along the road. Tonight at spanish class Jose taught me how to say 1/2lb which is "Una libra y media".

MMmmmm, look at those babies eh? They were very tasty. I preferred them much more than the pig I had today. Waaaaaaaaaaaay more!

 Jose and I having dinner where we had our guinea pig, delicious potatoes and some strange type of corn that Jose had told me the name but I have forgotten. I didn't really like this type of corn and do you remember when I was at the market the first time and had some stuff on my plate that I didn't know what it was and didn't like it. Well it was this certain type of corn (white in colour) that doesn't taste anything like the corn we have back home. Personally I don't think it would sell back home.

OK there is our fearless hero. Washing down the guinea pig with some ice tea. YEAH, I know I need a haircut but my spanish isn't good enough yet where I don't feel confident enough to enter a spanish barber shop because I have no idea what my hair will look like when I walk out.

Cuenca Ecuador Friday night

I forgot to add this picture to the last entry. There are 3 places beside each other selling guinea pig and we went into the first one here on the left. You guys have probably already figured out that you can blow these pictures up by clicking on them once and blow them up even more by clicking on them again. On the left hand side behind the man standing is the white corn that I don't like (No me gusta!!).


On a side note I am leaving to Vilcabamba tomorrow morning which I believe I will have to take a 5 hour bus to Loja and then transfer to another bus or minibus for Vilcabamba which is another hours drive south. Also I should mention that this isn't the Vilcabamba that was the last capital of the Incas during their rebellion with the Conquistadors because that Vilcabamba is in Peru closer to Cuzco. There is no bank in Vilcabamba so you have to bring cash with you and I think it is really just a sleepy little town where you can just chill out and relax. It will be a good base to start my journey into Peru.


Tonight when I got home from our guinea pig adventure I met a couple from Alberta staying in the room across from me. They are here with their daughter and hoping to live here fulltime and just got here a couple days ago from Canada.

Travelogue#7: Vilcabamba Ecuador

October 2, 2011

Well on Saturday I had a couple coffees in the morning before heading to the bus terminal (Terminal Terreste) and caught a 3 1/2 hour bus to Loja. The roads basically zigzag around the Andes mountains and it reminded me of my bus trip from Tibet to Nepal 5 years ago except the mountains were a little smaller than the Himalayas. I guess down here double lined roads don't mean anything as the bus driver was constantly passing people on the double lines which I didn't mind because I could see there were no vehicles coming but where I did mind was when he was passing cars and going around a corner into the oncoming traffic lane as we went around the mountain and you couldn't see if a car was coming or not. I was right behind the driver and everytime he did this I felt like tapping him on the shoulder and scolding him by shaking my finger and saying "No me gusta!!!". Mind you, there wasn't many vehicles on the road but you just never know.


I remember working in the oilfields a year ago where we were talking about South America and one older guy was always negative about South America where it seemed he had a grudge against it even though he had never been there. Well it turned out that his daughter had been down to Venezuela 10 years ago and riding on a bus down there when the driver's cigarette fell on the floor and as he was busy trying to pick it up they drove over a cliff and rolled the bus and his daughter became a parapelegic and wheelchair bound afterwards and there was a huge beauracratic ordeal just to get her back to Canada and the hospital charges he had to pay etc.... I guess I had that story was on mind as I saw my bus driver doing this.


Anyhow I got to Loja where I immediately transferred to another smaller bus bound for Vilcabamba. When I got on I realized I didn't fit and had to hunch my back over as the ceiling came up to my chin (I'm 6'3) and all the seats were cramped together and I put my 2 big suitcases down below the bus and took my day bag and lap top bag onto the bus with me and could hardly fit in a seat. I see a guy eating ice cream over on the other aisle with the ice cream woman still on the bus and I ask him "Bueno??" and he says with a big smile "Ahhh muy bueno!!" and he calls the woman over for me and I buy one which is just 30 cents. The seats are numbered to your ticket (prearrange seating) but I notice a couple people moving to any seat they wanted so I find my own seat where I basically take up 2 seats and hope that this is it for the passengers. We leave and I assume I have both seats to myself all the way to Vilcabamba which is another 1 1/2 hour drive and after 5 minutes of driving the driver stops to pick up a ton of people who take up the remaining seats along with 12 people standing in the aisle and I am completely cramped in my seat. I think "no problem" because it is only 1 1/2 hours to go and I am cramped with 2 bags on my lap and no room to even move when the ticket guy comes around 10 minutes later to see everyones tickets and everyone shows him theirs and he gets to me and I am so cramped I can't even reach into my jean pockets. I look at the guy beside me and I try to indicate to him that I need him to get up so I can stand up and reach into my jeans pocket to get my ticket but he doesn't move and instead he looks at me the way a cat or dog would look at your finger when you are pointing at something (so completely missing the point). Well the ticket guy is waiting patiently for a few minutes for me to show him my ticket and I can't move and I don't know how to say "get up" in spanish and I found that I was losing my patience quickly at this moment so I finally look at the guy beside me with big wide eyes and raise my voice and say "GET UP!" as I am indicating with my thumb towards the ceiling for him to get out of his seat. I know he didn't understand my english but I am sure he understood my tone of voice and facial expression (That is a universal language we all share). Of course I said "gracias" to him once he moved and I got my ticket out but I just can't believe some people will sit there like a log and do nothing to get out of your way when it was completely obvious that I couldn't move with him beside me.


I got to Vilcabamba at 1:30pm. It is a really peaceful and tranquil place nestled in the middle of high mountains. It got it claim to fame for being the "Valley of Longevity" because I believe some researchers from England in the 1970's came over to study the legend of these people that were living to 120 years of age and older and they didn't know what it was that allowed them to live so long and came up with some theories. Well from what little I have read that it seems it was all a prank by the locals as the old people were using the ID's of their parents and putting these researchers on for many decades. I had seen a poster of a hotel in Vilcabamba called "Izhcayluma" at the coffee shop I frequented daily in Cuenca and decided to go there but they were completely full and it had nice views over looking the valley. So she called around for me and I came to the "Jardin Escondido" which is right in town (The other place was 2km south of town) and it also has a pool. Once I got there I spent 2 hours just resting my knees and legs from being cramped on that bus.


Vilcabamba is a very small town. Probably 6 blocks by 6 blocks but there are a couple roads that go a little farther out of town with houses and stores along the way. First thing I heard when I got off the bus were pigs squeeling right beside the bus station. There are little aiport pickup trucks right beside the bus station and they cost $1US to go anywhere since the town isn't very big. The taxis in Cuenca cost $2US to go anywhere but Cuenca is much bigger than Vilcabamba. Everytime I see the name "Vilcabamba" it reminds me of that Ritchie Valens song "Vi-Vi-Vi-Viilcabamba... Arriba, arriba" or something like that LOL!


On Sunday I got up early and had the complimentary breakfast at the place I am staying. The one spanish phrase I have down pat now is "Cafe americano con leche por favour" (Because I always get what I think I am ordering) but the young girl asked me in spanish my breakfast choices (which was given to me in multiple choice fashion) and I didn't understand anything she said and so I asked her to repeat the choices again and she did and I still didn't understand and wanted to ask her to repeat herself for a 3rd time but didn't want to risk her rolling her eyes at me (It's happened a couple times already) so I thought I recognized "frigoles" as one of the choices which is beans so I said yes to that thinking that I had identified something. Well later she brings out to my surprise "eggs on toast". Well that is definitely better than "frigoles" because I was worried that she would bring out a full plate of that white corn stuff that I don't like. I got off easy this time folks!! I keep thinking I will have an incident like "I am sorry sir but you did order the "Tarantula and snake" soup".


At my hotel there is a map of Vilcabamba and it shows some good hiking trails and the tallest one being the mountain top of "Mandango" and thought that would be a great hike considering it was Sunday and most places would be closed. Of course at my hotel I read a big warning sign posted at the Reception desk for all to see warning about recent robberies of tourists by 3 men armed with machetes on the mountain (See photo). I can certainly deal with men armed with knives (Since they are all "hobbit sized" to me LOL!) but machetes is a whole new area of combat and I really wanted to go up that mountain today. I was hoping that maybe I could rent a machete for 5 hours for $5 but I wasn't holding my breath that they had any machete rental shops (Like "Bob's machete rentals") nearby considering this place doesn't have a lot of stores to begin with.


So I take precautions and leave my passport, watch, and wallet at home and just take my bag with my camera (which isn't allowed according to the warning sign or any valuables) and my ice tea and begin to try to find the entrance to this place according to the map I had seen in the hotel eating area. Well I walk a little ways out of town and see this rock wall with a big sign that you can hardly make out due to the paint fading say "Mandango Informaccion" that has the same warning sign to hikers with a buzzer to alert them of your presence because I don't see anyone in there. Well I continue walking since I know immediately they won't let me take my camera in and probably being by myself they would say "no way". Well I circled around this dirt road twice and saw no trails leading anywhere so I ask a man by the side of the road and he tells me I have to go see the "informaccion office" so I realize I won't be climbing this mountain because there is no way I am going to climb something this big with breathtaking views and not bring my camera. At this point I really did feel like buying a machete and doing the hike and then stopping by the "Informaccion office" on my way back and throwing 3 severed spanish hands onto their desk and telling the information clerk that the problem has been dealt with LOL! Geez, you can tell I am really getting into my "Last days of the Incas" book as I am starting to think like a conquistadore!


The reception at my hotel told me that the bus schedule for all buses and destinations from Vilacbamba was listed on the wall on the other side of the room so I checked it out since I need to go to Zumba before heading into Peru. Well the only time listed for Zumba departures each day was 7pm which means I would be arrive to Zumba at 12midnight or 1am which is far too late but didn't think I had a choice since that was the only bus time listed for that particular bus. The New Zealander that I met at my Cuenca hotel had told me there was one that went through Vilcabamba at 6am from Loja on its way to Zumba since he was doing the same route (and the guy who originally told me to go to the pre-incan site of "Kuelap") so after I returned from my unsuccessful Mandango excursion I decide to go to the bus station and check out the Zumba bus departures myself. I went into the first office and this young woman I spoke with was absolutely gorgeous and had a twinkle in her eye as she smiled and told me the right bus company that goes to Zumba. So I went across the road to "Sur Oriente" bus company and they were the only bus company that went to Zumba and they go 5 times a day (6am, 9:30am,3:30pm, 7pm, & 10:30pm). See folks, it pays to get second opinions down here and also to go straight to the horses mouth for information even if you only understand 25% of what the horse is trying to tell you due to the language barrier.


So I will be taking the 6am bus tomorrow (Monday) morning which should get me to Zumba by 11am and then cab it to the Peruvian border and get my Ecuadorian exit stamps out of Ecuador and my entry stamps into Peru. My next destination is "Chachapoyas" in Peru where I plan to see the pre-incan site of "Kuelap" which is a little south east of Chachapoyas.


This afternoon I will be just chilling out in the pool and my hammock and will be off first thing in the morning.


Chao

Vilcabamba Ecuador

 On the bus from Cuenca to Loja as we wind our way around the Andes Mountains. See that corner up ahead? Well my bus driver will probably want to pass some car just as we go around that corner into the oncoming traffic lane.

 This is the cramped bus I was on on my way from Loja to Vilcabamba ($1.30). Sometimes I feel like the wizard Gandolph in the "Fellowship of the Rings" movie while he is visiting "the Shire" and trying to fit inside the hobbits little houses and buses. In many of the places I have stayed at I have had to duck my head to get down the stairs or into a bathrooms etc...
                                      
 This is the pool that is just outside my room in Vilcabamba.

 This is my place that has a hammock outside. It is a bit pricey at $20US a night but am only staying here a couple nights.

 Vilcabamba is a little valley surrounded by mountains. It is a very tranquil place to chill out and relax. It has a good vibe.

Vilcabamba Ecuador

 Here is a little school I passed by and stuck my camera through the bars to take this picture. It looks like what a school would like out of the 1930's in North America.

 Here is the warning letter that is everywhere in Vilcabamba warning people not to climb Mandango Mountain due to 3 men with machetes robbing people and if you do then it is forbidden to bring any valuables including your camera and to go in groups of 4 or more. Just give me a machete and I will take care of this problem! no problemo!

 This is a little church at the main square of Vilcabamba.

 In the background is Mandango Mountain with its high peaks and behind this building is the bus station. Little markets are set up here duing the day.

This was my lunch this afternoon (Sunday). I ordered Nachos!! The tacos were doritos tacos with lots of guatemole and cheese. It was delicious!

Travelogue#8: Chachapoyas Peru- A 16 hour journey

October 3, 2011

Well I get up at 5am on Monday morning and pack my stuff and shower before heading out to catch my 6:15am bus bound for Zumba. The whole place where I am staying is pitch black with no lights on so as I am carrying my luggage and have to carefully feel my way with my feet in the dark since I know there are steps all around this little compound where I am staying. I see the people beside me have their lights on and are busy packing and can only assume they are taking the same bus as myself. They are an older Austrian couple and I meet them at the bus stop. The bus arrives and we pile on and there is no room for my second suitcase so they bring it onto the bus and put it into the bathroom and I take my seat right beside it to keep a watch on it. While I am at the back of the bus I meet a guy named Eugene from Alaska who is traveling with his girlfriend Megan.


We chat for a bit and realize we have the same itinerary route to Chachapoyas then on to Tarapoto and then Yurimaguas where we plan to get a cargo boat to Iquitos which take 3-4 days and after that our routes change as they plan to fly to Lima and I will be making my way to Cuzco and Bolivia. From what I had read in my guidebook and the lonely planet site is that this route through the La Balsa border crossing into Peru is a very uncommon route and off the beaten path for most travelers and it suggests spending a night in San Ignacio Peru before heading onto Chachapoyas but Eugene tells me that he met an Australian couple in Vilcabamba that did the whole trip in a day so we decide to do that and save a day of traveling and just do it all in the same day.


The bus ride from Vilcabamba to Zumba takes 5 1/2 hours. It is a dirt road all the way as the bus winds around the mountains and it seems we are going west to east and a little south before winding west to east again the whole way there. There are small little villages along the way where we stop and pick up and drop off passengers. We get to Zumba at 11:40am and there is another young European couple looking to go to Peru as well along with the Austrian couple but they decide they will wait the 3 hours to take a cheaper ranchera which is $2US each so the 3 of us (Eugene, Megan, and Myself) jump in a pickup taxi for $6US each and head to the border where after 40 minutes of driving we come to a border check where they take our passports and then give them back and we travel for another 30 minutes before we get to the Ecuador/Peru border. These border crossings aren't too fancy. Just a little office with one guy who stamps us out of Ecuador and we go over and exchange our US dollars for Peruvian soles and we get the going rate which is around 2.75soles for $1US. We cross a bridge by foot with our luggage to the Peruvian side and there is 6 of us gringos waiting to get our entrance stamp and there is no one there and we have to wait 20 minutes it seems before the guy shows up and after we fill in our entry cards he tells us we have to walk 100 meters to another building to get stamped in and our data entered into a computer and then after getting stamped in we have to walk back 100 meters to the original building and finish the paper work. Eugene and I comment how inefficient this is and why doesn't the guy just put his office by the other guys office (since there is lots of room) instead of having us do a relay race back and forth. It is boiling hot and we are all sweating profusely.


A German fellow who speaks spanish and the 2 Austrians take a collectivo (shared taxi) and the 3 of us take another collectivo for $7US each for a 1 1/2 hour winding ride to San Ignacio Peru. There is only 3 collectivos and one guy has said $20US for the trip and the other 2 say $25US so we go with the cheapest since we don't have much of a choice and I am sure all these collectivo drivers are buddies anyhow the way they were talking to each other. He drops us off at another collectivo stop in San Ignacio but we have to take a motorcycle taxi to another collectivo stop that goes to Jaen Peru which is the direction we are heading. There is no just getting onto a bus that says "Chachapoyas" and it being that simple since you have to go city to city in a separate collectivo that serves that route so the motorcycle taxi drops us off and we take a 2 1/4 hour collectivo from San Ignacio to Jaen and the guy drops us off where we now have to take another motorcycle taxi to the right collectivo stop which goes from Jaen to Bagu Grande and we get a collectivo from there which takes an hour and before this guy drops us off and we have to repeat this motorcycle taxi route I tell him to drop us off at the Chachapoyas collectivo stop and save us this motorcycle taxi trip which he does. It is 7:30pm and it is dark in Bagu Grande and we have to wait for a 4th person before these collectivos will leave and we want to arrive in Chachapoyas at a decent hour so we agree to pay for the 4th person and it takes 2 1/4 hours to get to Chachapoyas.


As we are driving from Bagu Grande to Chachapoyas it seems we are driving through a crack in the mountains as there are sheer cliffs straight up on both sides of the road. We get dropped off near the town square where there are a few places to crash and we stay at the Amazon hotel. Very basic rooms for $10US.


So the whole journey took us 16 hours (6am-10pm) and we were very tired by the time we arrived. The German and Austrian couple decided to stay the night in San Ignacio and make the trip to Chachapoyas tomorrow (What a bunch of rookies LOL!). This morning I had clean clothes and by the time we made it to Chachapoyas my clothes were filthy from all the dust and sweat and my hair was matty with knotts so we were all looking forward to a hot shower upon arrival to Chachapoyas. I am going to check out the town tomorrow and then make plans to see the pre-Incan site "Kuelap" the following day.


Over and out.

Maps

 These maps will give you an idea of where I have been. Quito to Cuenca to Vilcabamba before heading south into Peru.

We went through Bagua to Chachapoyas and will head to Tarapoto in a few days.

Vilcabamba to Chachayos photos

 First place we passed on our way to Zumba.

 We passed over a few of these types of bridges on our way to Peru.

 A little town we passed through from Vilcabamba to Zumba.

Another town.

                                     
 Mountains.

 And more mountains.

The dirt road just continually wraps around the mountains. As you can see it is all green except where they dug away at the side of the mountain for the road.

Vilcabamba to Chachayos photos

40 minutes south of Zumba is an Ecuadorian check point where we have to show them our passports before they let us through and another 30 minutes from here to the Ecuador/Peru border crossing of La Balsa.


The pickup truck ahead of us has the German fellow and the Austrian couple. We finally catch up to them and have them in our sight as we brace ourselves and prepare to RAM THEM! haha just kidding. We meet up with them in San Ignacio where they spend the night before finishing the journey to Chachapoyas the next day.

Vilcabamba to Chachayos photos

This is the bridge we cross by foot from the Ecuador border over to the Pervian border on the other side. Here I am carrying my 2 heavy suitcases and 2 bags on my back (Laptop and day bag). Obviously I forgot to bring my 50 inch plasma tv. I knew I forgot something!

San Ignacio to Jaen Peru

We were half way between San Ignacio and Jaen when our colectivo had to pull over as this herd of cows were not stopping for anyone on the road. Our driver was honking at them which was completely pointless. These are just the typical things that happen in these types of countries.

Travelogue#9: Chachapoyas Peru

October 4, 2011

Most of the roads here in Chachapoyas are dirt roads except the main ones and 6 blocks within the main square. The internet is piss poor here since I can't upload anymore pictures to my blog for the past 24 hours. I was able to get 2 up so far but the signal is weak and I did go to an internet cafe and it was even worse where I would have internet explorer up and get to the web blog site and log in and then it would dissappear with just the desktop showing and no windows open. It happened twice in a row where I just gave up and realized it was a waste of time. I had read in the LP book that there was an archeology museum down a block from us so I went to check in out and I saw everything in under 10 seconds. Yup, it was a really big museum as you might have guessed.


I decided to compare some of the tour prices and transportation to the places I wanted to see so I check out a few tourist offices on our block. The first place I go to the guy is talking in super fast spanish like Speedy Gonzalez "Ondaley! Ondaley!.... ARREEEEEBA!" and I have to say "WHOA!! Stop right there. Do not pass GO and do not collect $200! Hablo muy poco espanol. Comprende??" and he shakes his head indicating he fully understands that and then immediately goes off again in super fast spanish and I finally tell him to just write it down because I can read super fast spanish. I go to another young fellow and he quotes me the same price for the same tour (My guide book said they are all competitive with each other on prices). I then decide to go see the tour guy that is located right inside our hotel and he quotes me 75% more and won't budge on the price even though I tell him my other 2 quotes so I write him off immediately.


Many of the stores just don't sell anything that is edible (At least to us Gringos). Most of it is just junk (IE not junkfood but junk). I looked into a few stores and see absolutely nothing that interests me in the least to purchase. So I am walking along the "off the beaten path" areas and see a sign with its menu displayed and I see "arroz" which I recognize immediately as rice and know at least I will be filled up. Well I walk into this family run restaurant out of their home and order the rice. She then starts speaking in spanish (Strange eh?) and I am getting the idea I can't have what I just ordered so I point to something else and she gives me the same spanish blurb and at the end says "manana" (tomorrow or Morning). Well 75% of the things on the menu she basically says I can't have and the way she is saying manana (Tomorrow/morning) at the very end of her blurb and I am interpreting this as "Oh I am sorry but you can't have that because we are getting our rice in tomorrow, and our Chicken in tomorrow, and our meat in tomorrow. Or it could be that they only serve it in the morning. Either way, she points to the other 25% of the items which are my choices and the only thing I recognize in spanish is fish (Sadado de "Pescado") so I play it safe and order that (BTW: Pez means "live fish" and Pescado means "dead fish" in spanish). Well she brings me out a big bowl of soup broth with a whole fish in it along with a spoon and a side order of that white corn that I hate (picture to follow). They seem to always serve it as a side order the way restaurants in North America will serve you complimentary bread before you meal. Whenever you think of that white tasteless corn just think "NO ME GUSTA!!!".


It wasn't really what I had in mind so I am checking out other eateries on my way back to my hotel and I pass a place that is suppose to have the best pastries and cookies in town called "Dulceria Santa elena". Earlier in the day I had read a bit of Eugene's Lonely Planet Peru book to see some places to eat and there was a place around the corner from us called "Dulceria Santa elena" and Lonely Planet describes the owner as "a grouchy old man who serves the best pastries and cookies in town". Immediately I knew I was dealing with a pastry nazi but his stuff on display did look good and I go in and order a piece of chocolate cake and to my surprise he sells cappacinos and expressos so I order an expresso as well. I ask if I can take his picture and he doesn't look too pleased with me where I can see the steam coming out of his ears and realize I am only a few seconds away from him yelling "ENOUGH!! No cake for you!!" as he quickly snatches back my half eaten cake :). Actually I am probably being a little hard on him since later on after I am finishing up my cake and expresso he made a half hearted attempt to be friendly and asked in spanish where I was from. He was probably wondering why I wanted to take his photo and was starting to feel pretty good inside. He was probably thinking "I am a very important pastry maker and take my profession very seriously and this fine young tourist obvious appreciates that fact".


I run into Eugene and Megan back at the hotel and they say they have found a good tour package for us which will take us to some ruins in the north west for the day and then take us south a few hours drive to "Kuelap" that night (which is second only to Machu Pichu in size for an ancient site) where we plan to spend the night there and then come back to Chachapoyas and go to the waterfalls that is suppose to be the 3rd biggest in the world (at least that is what Eugene told me) and from there we will catch a night bus to Tarapoto (Friday) all for around $30US each for the tour only.


As the 3 of us were making our plans in my hotel room with my door wide open I immediately recognize the German fellow coming into the hotel and behind him is the Austrian couple that had traveled with us from Vilcabamba Ecuador. They smile and wave as they walk by and I realized they weren't staying at the hotel but were going to the back room to the "Tours office". Immediately I wanted to warn them not to deal with that guy but right then Megan says "Ahhh leave him! That German guy loves paying top dollar for everything and has absolutely no bargaining skills" so I left it at that.


So tomorrow we are getting up early and heading out at 6am with a full day ahead of us and on Thursday to the pre-Inca site of "Kuelap" for the full day returning to Chachapoyas on Thursday night and then on Friday seeing the big waterfall before heading on an overnight bus to Tarapoto. We haven't paid yet for this and have to go over in an hour to meet the woman and make arrangements with our hotel since we plan to leave most of our stuff here and come back to the hotel on Thursday night.


Adios Amigos!

Chachapoyas Peru

The main square of Chachapoyas. Our hotel is at the far left hand side. The Amazonas hotel.

Chachapoyas Peru

Welcome to Chachapoyas Peru!

Chachapoyas Peru

I didn't have the heart to wake the little fella. He was probably dreaming of a better place to live.

Chachapoyas Peru

This is a piece of Chachapoyas real estate I was thinking of picking up down here. Sure it needs a bit of TLC and cosmetic work but I think I can flip it and make a few Peruvian sols off this deal.

Chachapoyas Peru

The Pastry nazi's bakery is at the end of this block on the left hand side.

Chachapoyas Peru

This was that fish soup I guess I ordered. You can see I finished off the fish besides the head. The veggies and broth was not bad. You can see that "NO ME GUSTA" white corn has been pushed as far away from me as I can.

Chachapoyas Peru

The dreaded pastry nazi. I was actually kind of nervous even asking for his photo but he actually posed for this photo and put his hands on the counter for this shot. That is the biggest happy face you are going to see on this guy.


Piece of advice, if you are in his delicious pastry shop and you are about to order his stuff DO NOT look him in the eyes and it is best to keep your eyes focused on the ground while you order your delicious bakery goodies from him in a quick and efficient manner before moving in single file to the left hand side in an orderly fashion to pay for your goodies.


And if not........ then NO CAKE FOR YOU!!!