Last time I talked to you was on Sat. 26th. A few things happened since then.
As planned, in Baños, we went to discover some waterfalls on Sunday. It wasn't exceptional until we had a bath in one of them ;) very refreshing!!. Alicia didnt really feel like jumping into the water, but Cath and myself got into it quickly and enjoyed ourselves a lot :)
The day after, Monday, we got up early and went to a spa place and jumped into the boiling water coming from the volcanoe, then the freezing water of the swimming pools. God! we couldn't feel our body anymore, changing colour from red to blue.
We met plenty of local people over there and told them our story then listened to theirs. Most of them were elderly people.
After chilling out for the rest of the day, we decided it was time to put an end to these easy holidays. So, we left Baños on Monday evening and headed south to Riobamba... a pretty ugly town as we discovered it when arriving under the rain. Well, to be honest, sun or rain wouldn't have changed a thing. And after 10 days of luck with nice hostels, great breakfasts, no food poisoning, lovely landscapes and great weather, things started to change.
Rain followed us during the 1.5 day spent in Riobamba. Absolutely nothing pretty to take pictures of. The hostel was a nightmare (for 3$ the night, we couldn't expect much really). For those who saw Fight Club, that hostel would have definitely reminded you of that "lovely house" where Brad Pitt and Ed Norton moved in. The only difference was that we had a TV. Thank God! We watched CSI and the Simpsons all the evening and most of the afternoon... as, last but not least, Cath and myself got food poisoning :-( Turista + fever. Stuck in our sleeping bags, we could only sleep or watch TV... and rush to the toilets from time to time...
Alicia went through this a few days ago but was now all fine and tried the boost the troop ;) This was on Tuesday 29th. A time and place to remember hehe! ;-)
Wednesday morning, we got up at 5.30am, a bit stoned by the medicines, rushed to the train station to catch a 8h train that would take us to Cuenca, south of Ecuador: an old train full of backpackers that goes very slowly to let us enjoy the view... but derail from time to time. We passed through mountains, was amazing, the mood on the train was really great... then the train derailled. So, everyone got out and checked how the crew would fix this. As they're used to this, in 20 minutes, it was all repaired and we finished our journey in the same good mood, while a local guy played typical music to entertain us.
After a long day, we finally arrived at Cuenca where we spent 2.5 days, enjoying good weather and the start of the Carnival, a great entertainment for all.
Cuenca (2500m) is a really lovely town, smaller than Quito but, for me, more pleasant.
We discovered the town on a touristic bus, passing through old town, new town, churches, universities, prisons, flowery squares, narrow streets etc. for 1h40.
We spent the day after with an Indigenous family, learning about its community, its way of life, its food and medicinal plants, its religion and way of keeping the energy of the earth to live longer... It was very interesting and we enjoyed it a lot, tasting their food, listening to their music and trying the catch the energy of mother nature around us. Unfortunately, the only thing we managed to catch was a second sun-burn that left us all red... To recover from this, we finished the day in a café playing jenga :))
We planned on leaving the day after to Loja and Vilcabamba, close to the boundary with Peru. We left with our heavy backpack on our back and got "attacked" by kids throwing water to people passing by... hehe! This is how they celebrate Carnival in South America: for 3 days, they spray people with pink mousse, throw water, eggs, flour and colouring substances...
After 5h bus, we arrived at Loja, both Cath and Alicia happy, myself sick again, more than likely by drinking bad water... But medicine, chicken and rice helped me get rid of this annoyance. So, the 3 of us managed to enjoy Carnival properly :) We went to Vilcabamba to get a better "view" of the celebrations and got quickly soaked and covered with mousse and colouring substances ;) was amazing, kids and old people were all enjoying themselves!! An evening to remember :) This was yesterday Sunday 3rd.
Today, Monday 4th, we'll head to Peru, taking an 8h night bus. So, tonight will be our last night in Ecuador, after 2.5 weeks of visits.
I added a map of Ecuador, spotting the places we visited.
As planned, in Baños, we went to discover some waterfalls on Sunday. It wasn't exceptional until we had a bath in one of them ;) very refreshing!!. Alicia didnt really feel like jumping into the water, but Cath and myself got into it quickly and enjoyed ourselves a lot :)
The day after, Monday, we got up early and went to a spa place and jumped into the boiling water coming from the volcanoe, then the freezing water of the swimming pools. God! we couldn't feel our body anymore, changing colour from red to blue.
We met plenty of local people over there and told them our story then listened to theirs. Most of them were elderly people.
After chilling out for the rest of the day, we decided it was time to put an end to these easy holidays. So, we left Baños on Monday evening and headed south to Riobamba... a pretty ugly town as we discovered it when arriving under the rain. Well, to be honest, sun or rain wouldn't have changed a thing. And after 10 days of luck with nice hostels, great breakfasts, no food poisoning, lovely landscapes and great weather, things started to change.
Rain followed us during the 1.5 day spent in Riobamba. Absolutely nothing pretty to take pictures of. The hostel was a nightmare (for 3$ the night, we couldn't expect much really). For those who saw Fight Club, that hostel would have definitely reminded you of that "lovely house" where Brad Pitt and Ed Norton moved in. The only difference was that we had a TV. Thank God! We watched CSI and the Simpsons all the evening and most of the afternoon... as, last but not least, Cath and myself got food poisoning :-( Turista + fever. Stuck in our sleeping bags, we could only sleep or watch TV... and rush to the toilets from time to time...
Alicia went through this a few days ago but was now all fine and tried the boost the troop ;) This was on Tuesday 29th. A time and place to remember hehe! ;-)
Wednesday morning, we got up at 5.30am, a bit stoned by the medicines, rushed to the train station to catch a 8h train that would take us to Cuenca, south of Ecuador: an old train full of backpackers that goes very slowly to let us enjoy the view... but derail from time to time. We passed through mountains, was amazing, the mood on the train was really great... then the train derailled. So, everyone got out and checked how the crew would fix this. As they're used to this, in 20 minutes, it was all repaired and we finished our journey in the same good mood, while a local guy played typical music to entertain us.
After a long day, we finally arrived at Cuenca where we spent 2.5 days, enjoying good weather and the start of the Carnival, a great entertainment for all.
Cuenca (2500m) is a really lovely town, smaller than Quito but, for me, more pleasant.
We discovered the town on a touristic bus, passing through old town, new town, churches, universities, prisons, flowery squares, narrow streets etc. for 1h40.
We spent the day after with an Indigenous family, learning about its community, its way of life, its food and medicinal plants, its religion and way of keeping the energy of the earth to live longer... It was very interesting and we enjoyed it a lot, tasting their food, listening to their music and trying the catch the energy of mother nature around us. Unfortunately, the only thing we managed to catch was a second sun-burn that left us all red... To recover from this, we finished the day in a café playing jenga :))
We planned on leaving the day after to Loja and Vilcabamba, close to the boundary with Peru. We left with our heavy backpack on our back and got "attacked" by kids throwing water to people passing by... hehe! This is how they celebrate Carnival in South America: for 3 days, they spray people with pink mousse, throw water, eggs, flour and colouring substances...
After 5h bus, we arrived at Loja, both Cath and Alicia happy, myself sick again, more than likely by drinking bad water... But medicine, chicken and rice helped me get rid of this annoyance. So, the 3 of us managed to enjoy Carnival properly :) We went to Vilcabamba to get a better "view" of the celebrations and got quickly soaked and covered with mousse and colouring substances ;) was amazing, kids and old people were all enjoying themselves!! An evening to remember :) This was yesterday Sunday 3rd.
Today, Monday 4th, we'll head to Peru, taking an 8h night bus. So, tonight will be our last night in Ecuador, after 2.5 weeks of visits.
I added a map of Ecuador, spotting the places we visited.
Also, here are 3 other links with new pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittypic/sets/72157603831524833/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittypic/sets/72157603866346418/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittypic/sets/72157603866346418/
(here, you'll find some pics are the same, but Cath updated the link and added some more pics)
Thanks for your comments by the way, its nice to have feedback from you guys :)
Thanks for your comments by the way, its nice to have feedback from you guys :)
11 comments:
Ahhh, tourista and all its pleasures ;) It had to happen, so sooner definitely better than later, at least you'll be safe from that from now on, having disciplined your stomach to it ;)
Waving hi from sunny Dublin !
hi claire,
so happy for u, that u r finally on your big trip! i am very much enjoying reading your adventures :) also in combination with the pics of the girls.
hi from cold but sunny munich and the end of carnival here :)
xxx,
anni
thanks for all the updates!!! photos are just incredible... hope to see u soon!!
Clarita, amazing pictures!! I like the one of the train.
By the way, people over there are as "tall" as you :)
Enjoy mulata mia.
Javi
Still so pleasant to see these pics ! As for the comment....I do hope Turista will be soon just a bad memory !
Love from a sunny place.....
MUM-LU
What a lovely place. I'd like to be in this uncertain train, to meet all these people :-)
hope you're still on the rail for the rest of the journey !
Jef
How lovely to be able to share your adventures - such wonderful photos, and interesting stories - please keep it up, we look forward to the next instalment !
Hope you're feeling OK now, Love from Ann & Syd
Hola, mi amor!!!so... do u find brad piutt somewhere in the nightmare hostel?? or at least edward norton?!! he would do as well in my opinion... at least 4 me!!! :DDD
here everything is ok, it is f**** cold though.. brrrrr!!! I went to a couple of cities quite close to my place last week. nothing tropical i am afraid but i had a good time!! finally I added you blog to my favorites, just hope i won't forget my ID and PW.. I am bad as usual... take care and keep on posting!! tqm!
sarix
PS.. it took my about 20 minutes to post the comment... aaargh!!! :(
j'ai un mal fou à laisser des commentaires; je tente une dernière fois: bravo pour tout ce rêve que vous prenez le temps de nous envoyer; merci et bises à toutes les trois
ouf ça a fonctionné; alors j'en profite, tant pis pour vous! je veux le lama marron qui est sur une de vos photos récentes.Ici pas de neige, de volcan, de earthquake, du moins so far;il fait beau mais pas chaud et pour moi les vacances n'ont plus que 6 jours de durée de vie. J'attends les photos des oiseaux des "fausses Galapagos". Bisous; take care!
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