And today, Cuenca
Well today we are in Cuenca, a big city in the south of Ecuador. The past couple days have been jam-packed fun-filled with exciting events. Phil and Andrea spent some time in Latacunga, which I am sure she will tell you about. I met up with Phil, Andrea, Jon, and Ave in Banos on the 16th. We had some beers and reminisced about the galapagos -- very fun! Great to catch up, and for me to meet Jon and Ave finally. On saturday, Andrea, Phil and I rented bikes and headed towards Puyo t check out some waterfalls. We rode a cable car across a huge gorge, which was a great rush (and only cost $1!), and biked 22kms (mostly downhill!) to the Pailon del Diablo, a very powerful looking waterfall. It was a gorgeous sunny day with breathtaking mountain views and it felt great to get off the bus-boat-train and DO something for a change!
We then hopped on a bus to Riobamba, which was an adventure in itself. Crazy winding roads, high high along mountainsides, teeny bridges that looked too narrow for the bus but somehow we got across! Breathtaking views, when I could pry my eyes of the crazy roads! Got into riobamba for a bite to eat and hopped into bed, to get up at 5:30 on sunday morning to catch a train down towards Alausi, and see the Nariz del Diablo (Devil´s nose). It was a five hour train ride, and we were on the roof the whole way -- very cold in the morning and once noon rolled around it was very hot!!! We had great weather, making it possible to catch all the amazing views. The train only derailed twice (dont worry, we were going really slow!), and the train fellows seemed to have quite a good system worked out to get the cars back on track -- they would dig the dirt out from under the wheels that had come off, and put a metal bar underneath so that when the train moved forward again, the wheels would head back onto the track. very effective. The best part was the switchbacks down to the Nariz del Diablo, at the very end -- the train did switchbacks down this steep mountain side by actually reversing directions at the crux of the switchback! It was totally crazy.
Then hopped on a bus to Cuenca, where we are now. Tomorrow we´ll head down into Peru, and see if we cant find a little beach town on the coast to relax in for a couple days. It is a LOOONG way down to cuzco from here (where our Macchu Picchu/Inca Trail trip starts from), probably about 70hours by bus, so we need to get moving! Have to be there in just over two weeks.
Some random favourites:
the poster of John Stamos in Quito (who knew that the full house episode with the beach boys would lead to a music career in s. america!)
the policemen in quito who wore shoes, but then wore these ... cuff thingys.. over their calves so that it LOOKS like they are wearing boots.
the picture in my hotel room right now, which is a painting of a town, with mountains in the background, a few giant zebra-striped easter eggs that are bigger than the houses, and a flying train engine.
thats all for now, folks...
We then hopped on a bus to Riobamba, which was an adventure in itself. Crazy winding roads, high high along mountainsides, teeny bridges that looked too narrow for the bus but somehow we got across! Breathtaking views, when I could pry my eyes of the crazy roads! Got into riobamba for a bite to eat and hopped into bed, to get up at 5:30 on sunday morning to catch a train down towards Alausi, and see the Nariz del Diablo (Devil´s nose). It was a five hour train ride, and we were on the roof the whole way -- very cold in the morning and once noon rolled around it was very hot!!! We had great weather, making it possible to catch all the amazing views. The train only derailed twice (dont worry, we were going really slow!), and the train fellows seemed to have quite a good system worked out to get the cars back on track -- they would dig the dirt out from under the wheels that had come off, and put a metal bar underneath so that when the train moved forward again, the wheels would head back onto the track. very effective. The best part was the switchbacks down to the Nariz del Diablo, at the very end -- the train did switchbacks down this steep mountain side by actually reversing directions at the crux of the switchback! It was totally crazy.
Then hopped on a bus to Cuenca, where we are now. Tomorrow we´ll head down into Peru, and see if we cant find a little beach town on the coast to relax in for a couple days. It is a LOOONG way down to cuzco from here (where our Macchu Picchu/Inca Trail trip starts from), probably about 70hours by bus, so we need to get moving! Have to be there in just over two weeks.
Some random favourites:
the poster of John Stamos in Quito (who knew that the full house episode with the beach boys would lead to a music career in s. america!)
the policemen in quito who wore shoes, but then wore these ... cuff thingys.. over their calves so that it LOOKS like they are wearing boots.
the picture in my hotel room right now, which is a painting of a town, with mountains in the background, a few giant zebra-striped easter eggs that are bigger than the houses, and a flying train engine.
thats all for now, folks...
posted by Barb at
11:09 a.m.
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