Trip to the Rainforest

Dec. 8, 2008
We left Quito and flew over the Andes mountains to Coco Town.
We had to stop and gear up for the rainforest. Are you wondering what gear we needed? We needed rubber boots for hiking in the jungle. See Kay trying on her boots?

We then motored up the Napo River which is the longest river in Ecuador. The trip was incredible. We got a river-front view of the tropical rainforest. We could see the various levels of the rainforest and all the people and activity that happens along the banks of the river. We were able to view the indigenous people washing their clothes, bathing and getting into their canoes. The dwellings were few and far between.

We turned from the Napo river up tributary into black water to the Yarina Lodge.
The lodge is absolutely beautiful. It had a wonderful common area where we dined and gathered together. It had hammocks for people to relax and hang out.
My friend Marcia and I had a thatched roof hut to ourselves. It had two double beds and a bathroom. There was no electricity except between 6-10 at night when they ran the generator. It was very comfortable though. The climate was warm but as you probably know if you have studied the rainforest, it is very shady. The sunlight does not filter through the canopy to the ground. Therefore, it was really not too warm.
There were surprisingly few mosquitoes. Eddie, our guide, explained that mosquitoes prefer fresh water and that most of the water in the rainforest is brackish or black with soil. We found most the mosquitoes up in the emergent layer around the bromiliades and the orchids where rainwater sat in the cup of the flowers.

This is Eddie, our Amazon rainforest naturlist or guide.

Quito, Ecuador

Well as you have determined I was unable to blog during my trip so I kept a handwritten narrative during my stay in Ecuador. I will attempt to transfer my scribbles to my blog now. Hopefully I will be able to do this trip justice. It was the trip of a lifetime and I loved every minute of it.

Dec. 7th, 2008 we were at the Hotel Reina Isabel in Quito. The hotel was wonderful and very comfortable. Of course as I have already explained, we were not able to drink the water, even to brush our teeth. Our guide, Patricio, explained that Quito is 9,000 feet so even though it was on the equator, it was still a bit chilly. We wore pants most of the time and needed to wear a light jacket. Quito was a very busy and fast paced city with traffic everywhere. Notice the bus is parked on the sidewalk? That was a common practice everywhere in Ecuador! This is outside of Hotel Reina.

We saw the bullfighting arena. Bullfighting is only in two Latin America countries, Peru and Ecuador. It only happens 15 days of the year.

Ecuador's main recreation is football or the sport of soccer as we know it. They take their soccer very seriously. I purchased a Ecuadorian national soccer shirt for my son. He is a goal keeper for his soccer team. He takes his soccer seriously as well!

When we were driving around the city outside of Quito we were able to see several volcanoes. There are many volcanoes in Ecuador. Some of them are active and many of them are inactive.

On our bus ride out of Quito to look at the country side, we picked up a little girl named Jennifer and her mother. Her mother was selling her paintings which were on Llama hides and were from her native tribe. We stopped along the way at a roadside fruit stand and Jennifer wanted a piece of fruit called a guava. This guava did not look anything like the guava fruit we are used to seeing. It is the long green pods. You open it up and it has a whitish, sticky substance with little seeds in it. Jennifer loved it.

We stopped off at the Sinamune Disabled Children's Orchestra School. The students there were able to play instruments, dance and engaged the audience in participating. We enjoyed watching them have a wonderful time with music.

Host Family and Zero Degree Latitude and Longitude:
We went to lunch with a host Ecuadorian family. They served us a splendid meal with an appetizer of beans and nuts, followed by a vegetable soup and then chicken, and ice cream. The mother cooked the meal and the daughter told us about their lives. The family owns the museum at the zero degree latitude and longitude. The father told us about the museum. He was excited when he learned that we were from Wichita, Kansas. He has a sister in law that is from Wichita.
They were getting ready to celebrate Christmas. They celebrate in a similar fashion to us in the U.S. They gather together in family groups and eat a large meal. Most of the people of Ecuador are Catholic so they go to church on Christmas eve. They have symbols of Christmas just like we do of Christmas trees and the nativity scene. They do not have Santa Claus like we do. They do know of him and they do exchange some gifts. 60% of Ecuadorians are in poverty so their Christmas is not as focused on gifts as our American Christmas.

While we were at the museum at the zero degree latitude and zero degree longitude point we saw the thatched huts of the native tribes, the crafts such as the textiles which were woven by the indigenous men and an exhibit to illustrate the Coriolis effect. They performed a demonstration at the museum to show the Coriolis effect and how it works.

Posting Comments

If you are following this blog...feel free to post comments. This is an open blog and a special message to my fellow travelers... you were absolutely amazing to travel with. I have shared so many laughs and memories with you all. I would be very pleased if you would share your travel experiences here with the students of Wichita, Kansas!
Students...comment back for us to know what you think of our adventures!
Velma and fellow travel companions

Headed for the Galapagos

I have many adventures to tell you about in the rainforest. I was followed by a very friendly tapir that my friend Marcia and I named Wachita (after Wichita), gave a wooly monkey a drink from a Dasani bottle and he patted my leg and held my hand ( more later about my wooly monkey friend!), and rescued a lipstick from a naughty spider monkey. I wish I had the time to tell you all the details of my rainforest adventures right now, but we are headed for three days in the Galapagos this morning. We have to be at the airporto an hour and a half before the flight leaves so they can search our bags. Then when we arrive in the Galapagos they will search our bags thoroughly so they can make sure we do not bring any ´foreign´things that can contanimate the islands. They call this process quarentine. We cannot bring the items we purchased in the rainforest since they contain seeds and other native items which could in theory germinate and be a problem to the delicate balance to the islands.
We will be able to go snorkeling and viewing the Charles Darwin observatory. I am looking forward to seeing the wildlife that I have heard so much about.
I will not be able to blog for the next three days since I will be on the boat in the remote islands.

Sunday evening after a day in Quito!

Well, the day was wonderful and we went to an inactive volcano where we were able to view a small valley that had farms. It was very quaint and interesting to see the effects of fertile farmland that used to be an active volacano!
Then we went to eat at an Ecuadorian home. The family was wonderful and the food was excellent. I thought perhaps I would lose some weight while walking and hiking but with food like this, I doubt that is possible.
Then we went into the center of Quito and looked around the middle of the town square. We were able to go into the Presidential palace -just the main portico area. It was interesting. The area was crowded with people watching a show with two actors entertaining. I have no idea what they were presenting, but it was drawing a crowd.
I will write more and include pictures later.
We are headed to dinner now and then tomorrow we leave for three days in the Amazon Rainforest. I have to take only a small backpack! It will be an adventure and I will not be able to post for awhile.
Velma

In Quito, Ecuador

We have arrived in Quito, Ecuador and the streets were filled with people. There was a festival of ´foundation´on December 6th. It was next to impossible to get to our hotel. Our bus driver circled around until we were able to get close to our hotel. It was so crowded that people were parking on the sidewalks. One guy in a volkswagon got so mad at our bus driver that he passed behind our bus and while still in his car, he banged on the back of the bus with his fist. That would not happen in Kansas!
The festival went on until wee hours of the night with drinking, laughing, bands playing, natives dancing in full costume and everyone having a great time. It made it difficult to sleep. I was glad I brought ear plugs!
Today we are taking a tour of Quito and going to churches and visiting a home of a local host family for lunch. It will be interesting.
We were told we could not eat any foods that were not peeled such as lettuce or apples, grapes (unless we peeled them!). They use herbicides and pesticides in this country to a very large degree and there is little regulation. The chemicals would make us sick.
We also must drink bottled water at all times even to brush our teeth.
Quito is an interesting place. I will include pictures when I am at a computer where I can upload files.
Velma

Night Before Take Off....

I am packed and ready to go tomorrow. The forecast for Quito, Ecuador this week is 64-66 degrees and cloudy with thunderstorms. Every single day there is at least a 30% chance of thunderstorms and most days it is 40-50% chance. It is called the rainforest for a reason! San Cristobal Island, Galapagos is reporting a consistent 73 degrees every day. It is consistent in temperature. I am still not sure if I packed for the weather or not. I have packed all the things the tour guidebook recommends but it is always interesting traveling to a location you have never been before. I have no idea if what I have packed will be the appropriate clothes or not. I will find out very soon.
I have printed my boarding pass! This is the first time I have ever printed my boarding pass from home. Usually you can go to the airport and do an electronic ticket and use the electronic kiosks to check in. However, AirTran sent me an email that allowed me to print my boarding pass and to check my luggage ahead of time. THis should save me time tomorrow at the airport. The new baggage charge is in effect. If you take more than one bag, you have to pay $25 for each additional bag and some airlines charge more. You have a weight limit of 50 pounds for each bag so don't think you can just pack a bag really full and bypass the extra charge.
In the states, I have the weight limit of 50 pounds but when I fly on Lanecuador Airlines, International I have a weight limit of 44 pounds. My bag currently weighs 42 pounds. I have just a few more items to add before tomorrow morning. I should be good to go!
I am getting excited to see the animals of the equator!! I will blog as much as possible.
Velma