Nature, culture and gastronomy in Northern Ecuadorian coast, Part one

January 21, 2012

We cross the long and modern bridge over the large Esmeraldas River, leaving behind the colorful skyline of the namesake city, capital of the province of Esmeraldas, in the northern coast of Ecuador.  We go past the city’s airport and soon we are riding on a new and modern road, the northern segment of Ecuador’s coastal motorway.  South of the Esmeraldas River’s delta; a long line of huge oil tankers queues to load on petroleum from Ecuador’s large coastal refinery.
The Pacific Ocean to the left and vast plains, exuberantly verdant, to the right, explain to us, without the need of words, why this part of coastal Ecuador is known as “the green province”: a fabulous mix of lush coastal rainforests plus large plantations of bananas, coffee, cocoa and African oil palms create a luxuriant mix of green colors.  Besides, the area was known, in the days of the colony, as a fountain of emerald mines, thus the province, river and city’s name. And to make it even more interesting, Esmeraldas is the main hub of Ecuador’s afro-descending population.
Our destination today is Rio Verde (green river, for a change….), some 30 minutes north of Esmeraldas city.  Andy, Cristina and I marvel at every turn of the road with new and amazing views as Patricio explains to us tons of facts and figures about the area’s agricultural richness. We leave the main road and go past two small towns, picturesque and quaint, where the predominantly afro-descending inhabitants, cheerful and colorfully dressed, wave at us as we go by.  Finally we reach a small settlement called “Vuelta Larga” (long curve); alongside the famed “Rio Verde”.  The river does have a dark green tone, due to the accumulation of plant sediments on its bottom and shores.  The tiny village has a small square with a thatch-roofed central hut and a small, white walled and nicely gardened waterfront.
Now we board a motorized dugout canoe where Carlos the motorist and Carlos the local native guide join us for a journey upriver…. There is a surprise at every bend: long-necked cormorants taking flight with the river’s surface serving them as a runway to take-off; dazzling white egrets and great blue herons roam the shores, lined with red mangroves, the perfect habitat for many crustaceans.  Small striated herons quietly stalk around for prey.  Two peregrine falcons hover above the green forest, dotted with some riverside ranches, growing bananas and cocoa…
We are headed to visit a long-time settler and owner of a pioneer “organic ranch”: Don Ignacio, a tall and dark-skinned, pleasant and hospitable elder, yet full of vitality, dreams and plans. His relatively small estate is a haven for the production of cocoa, coffee, plantain and bananas, as well as ornamental plants and flowers.  The difference is that he uses no chemicals at all; his production is one hundred percent clean and environmentally friendly.  His wooden home looks modest, but he is proud of what he does and tries to motivate the ranchers and settlers of the area, to follow his example. His philosophy is “by preserving nature, we preserve our future”.  One of his assistants points out the amazing production of oranges, literally falling from the trees and hands out incredibly sweet and refreshing oranges, ideal for the morning heat on the humid and warm atmosphere of this hidden corner, alongside the shores of the ”Green  River.  Don Ignacio plans to build a small facility to meet tourists eager to learn about the unique lifestyle on a coastal forest and how to produce abundant crops, without damaging the natural habitat… His property includes a small greenhouse and an equally small but effective plant producing cocoa nectar, the raw material for preparing delicious tasting chocolate, some of which is exported out of the country’s frontiers….  But there are still more discoveries for us to enjoy on this hot and pleasant day… We will tell you about them on the next issue…..

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New and magic routes on Ecuador´s southern Andes

September, 11, 2011
We leave the magnificent city of Cuenca, having enjoyed its colonial charm and superb churches, plazas, architecture and centers of art and handicrafts.  No wonder, the city is on the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites.  The blue-velvet domes of the Cathedral shine in the distance as we take the Pan-American Highway and head towards the southernmost extreme of Ecuador’s Andean region.
Marcelo drives the four-wheel vehicle where Eulalia, Jose and I happily chat about the grandiose scenery of the countryside on this part of Ecuador.  The placid view of picturesque farmlands and cultivated fields contrasts sharply with the bizarre formations of the Andean Cordillera here. Geologically, this portion of the Andes is older and thus it has been affected by winds, rain and natural phenomena for longer time.  The hills are sharp, rocky, conical elevations, dispersed without the more “organized” layout of the North and Central Andes of Ecuador, where they form the famous “Avenue of Volcanoes”.  The elevations on this southern portion are not as farther north and there are no snow covered mountains nor active volcanoes.  Instead, we find an awesome maze of mysteriously shaped mountains and hills, the remnants of far more ancient volcanoes, which a local writer and poet described graphically as similar to “a wrinkled paper”….
As we make the three hour ride, we go past small and colorful Indian pueblos, with their adobe homes, flower pots and small balconies, seemingly asleep and alien to modern day life.  However, the local inhabitants, especially the children, merrily wave their hands at us, showing the natural warmth and hospitality of these native peoples.  Several bridges allow us to watch small rivers and ravines, sparkled with dozens of tall and impressive agave or “century plants” with their long and high stems competing with the more golden colored and smaller yet abundant “sigse” grasslands.
We have now entered the province of Loja, the southernmost of Ecuador’s Andean Region, bordering with Peru.  Upon entering to the province, a vast and unusually wide valley opens up and unfolds for us a view of terraced fields of cultivated slopes, one more of those paintings where green, gold, brown, reddish and yellow tones combine into a kaleidoscope of great beauty.  We have entered the realms of the “Saraguro” people.  This proud indigenous group is one of the “mitimae” peoples who were brought in from the high altiplano in Bolivia, during the days of the Inca rule in Ecuador. Their traditional clothing is amazingly beautiful, in spite of the fact that the prevailing color is black, yet combined with touches of bright reds and orange colors on their accessories.  The women wear a black pleated skirt, with a white-tan woolen underskirt. Their embroidered blouses are pieces of art and they cover their shoulders with an equally black shawl, pinned together with a large and artistic “tupo”, a large-sized ornamental silver pin, frequently embedded with colorful mineral (and not unusually precious) stones.  The Saraguro men wear black cotton or wool pants, reaching just below their knees; a white shirt and also a black poncho.  Men and women wear a wide-brimmed white hat made of felt and wool, with small black dots. Both genders equally don hand-woven white sandals.
We stop at the small town of San Lucas and we find, at the main square, right by the village’s church, a group of Saraguro women displaying their local art: huge ornamental flower arrangements, which fill the place with the colors and fragrances of carnations, roses and multicolored flowers. They are ready to start a religious procession, where, as throughout Ecuador, the ancient rites and roots have mixed well with the Christian traditions, brought in by the Spanish conquistadors.
Some thirty minutes later, we enter the colonial city of Loja, capital of the namesake province and another little treasure of art, architecture and stunning surrounding scenery. We will tell you more about Loja and the many tourist attractions on this frontier part of magic Ecuador, on our next issue….. Keep tuned…

Exploring Peru’s Colca canyon: A great adventure, part two

December 12, 2010

After a good nights’ rest and a hearty breakfast, we set up for a day of exploration and discovery along the magnificent Colca Canyon….. My British and Dutch travel companions are all in good spirits, we are well acclimatized to the altitude and the temperature is pleasant, just briskly cool, as the morning sun rays begin making their way across the thin cloud layer….

The Canyon is an ideal venue for trekking and that is exactly what we are up to…. We start from Cabanaconde at one end of the Canyon and slowly descend the near four thousand feet to the riverside oasis of Sangalle…. Along the way, we continue to marvel at the impressive sights which the Canyon offers, as well as the surrounding nature: rugged mountain slopes, terraced fields cultivated with vegetables and grain, small hidden towns where time seems to have stopped centuries ago…..  High volcanoes set the frame which calls for frantic picture-taking….. Contrary to chilly Chivay, at the opposite end, Sangalle enjoys a pleasant subtropical climate.  We walk slowly but eager to move on and continue discovering new sites and scenes, which our guide, Julian, explains in detail and with contagious enthusiasm….

The Sangalle oasis is the perfect place for a break, yet not to just relax…. Here we have time to swim in the pools and refresh ourselves and watch some more adventuresome groups of tourists, particularly from the younger generations, preparing for white water rafting down the Colca..  From Sangalle, Julian leads us to Coporaque, where one of Peru’s oldest churches is located.  We find out that tourism activities such as trekking, hiking, camping are regulated and, for instance, there are clear rules not to leave any trash behind, thus keeping the environment clean and safe from degradation……

Combining bits of trekking and bits of biking along intriguing and winding dirt roads, lead us to the small town of Corire, quietly hidden in the rough countryside.  From here it is a just a short walk to the Toro Muerto Petroglyphs and Wari Indians Cemetery, which we watch in admiration, as Julian explains to us the history (and many stories too) about this mysterious location where the bodies were buried on fetal position at a near 90 degree Cliffside, truly amazing….. The entire Colca Canyon area is filled with myth and history, as both Pre-Incan cultures and the Inca Empire seem to have made presence in and around the grandeur of the Canyon.

The day’s outing is not only rich in sights, culture and history… Along the way we have observed some fantastic birds like the peregrine falcon, the kestrel and the puna tinamou… not forgetting that we are in Condor paradise and, we did see these superb and awe inspiring giant winged raptors, yesterday in the late afternoon at Cruz del Condor.  The area also offers to us the chance to view and almost touch some of the characteristic Andean camelids, like the pretty vicunas.

By mid-afternoon we start making our way back to Arequipa and, just to remind us that in that amazing natural world which we have briefly explored, there are also established human cultures, Julian, our guide reminds us that this is territory of the Collawua and Cabanas ethnic groups, who have lived in the Canyon since times immemorial…. Today, what differentiates the two groups is just the color and shape of the women’s hats: Collawua women hats are white and flat, while Cabana women’s hats are black and rounded….  They live in harmony with the surrounding nature, accept the increasing presence of visitors with a shy smile and maintain their ancestral ways of life….. No wonder, the Colca Canyon is growing in popularity as one more and exciting touring Destination in Peru, well worth a visit…….

Exploring Peru’s Colca Canyon, home of the Andean Condor

December 4, 2010

A very early morning departure from Arequipa, the charming “White City” of Peru and second largest in population, puts us on the road, with a southern course, towards one of the Andean nation’s most spectacular natural formations: the Colca Canyon…. The ride over the smooth-paved highway, doesn’t last too long, before we turn south west and start making our way following the Canyon’s edge, on secondary winding roads, challenging the rugged mountain’s nature, yet providing magnificent views at every turn…. Together with a small group of British tourists and a couple from Holland, we are on our way to a fascinating exploration adventure…..

Along the way, we marvel at the steep mountain slopes, artistically cultivated in terraces, providing a natural painting where tones of green, gold and red adorn the scenery. Going past quaint villages, the children cheerfully wave to us as women carry huge and seemingly heavy bundles on their backs, transporting goods, from lumber to food products, walking for miles, just as they did centuries ago…

The journey takes us over 17.000 foot-high mountain passes which force us to stop for frequent picture-taking of the breathtaking scenery.  A brief stop at the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve provides us with some amazing facts and figures about the geological origin, landscapes, culture, people, fauna and flora of this remote part of the Peruvian Andes.

Now we start our winding sloped descent along the fabulous Canyon…. At the bottom of the two -miles deep earth’s crack, flows the Colca River… The Colca Canyon is considered by many as the deepest canyon in the world, reportedly twice the depth of the well known Grand Canyon in North America… The winding dirt road and the time it takes to wait for cattle to move away and give pass to vehicles is all worthy as it provides new lookout balconies to observe the imposing canyon, carved by millennia of wind and weather…. As we reach the Cruz del Condor (“The Condor’s Cross”), one of the highlights (The highlight for many) appears before our eyes: several Condors, magnificent giant birds with a 12-foot wingspan, placidly soar the updrafts near the Canyon’s rim.  The cheers of awe compete with the clicks of the cameras as we all gather near the rim’s edge to admire the superb winged creatures, Lords of the Andes, and also an endangered species in many parts of South America’s Andean Region.

Having driven for almost five, scenery filled hours, doesn’t bother at all, moreover if we are rewarded with the sight of the mighty condors… It is time for a sandwich and fruit snack, along with bottled water to quench the thirst under the early afternoon’s sun and a mostly blue sky. Now we move down to the popular La Calera Hot Springs alongside the river, to experience yet one more element of thrill on this remote yet fascinating location….  In Chivay, the biggest town (and one of the few), along the canyon’s rim, we spend a short while, learning from our guide the ways of life on these relatively isolated locations, yet full of natural and cultural elements to be worthy of a touristic visit….. We now head for our Eco-Lodge, the best in the area, to spend the night on one of Peru’s most intriguing and fascinating locations…

But exploring the Colca Canyon requires more time, so, after a good night’s sleep, we will continue our journey, and tell you more about this superb experience on our next edition….

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