The Incan Ruins in the Basement

Hello everyone!
Right now i'm in a little surf town called Montañita on the coast of Ecuador. The waves are big and the tourists are many. I found a loft of a hostel to crash in for 3 bucks a night. I am hoping to spend some decent time here in order to have more conversations about tourism. And maybe learn how to surf? We'll see how it goes...

Previously, I was in Riobamba staying with Amanda and her family. Amanda is a friend I worked with 2 summers ago in Colorado. She said i could visit her in Ecuador anytime, so i took her up on the offer. I didn't think I would stay as long as I did, but Riobamba was beautiful, Amanda's family was wonderful, and everytime i thought about leaving, it was always "mañana, mañana." Much happened in Riobabamba, far too much to write about, but here are some highlights...

First, Chimborazo! The 6310 m (over 20,000 ft) non-active volcanoe, Chimborazo, is the highest point in Ecuador. My first full day in town, Amanda, her friends from school, and I rented a truck and drove to the base of the mountain. The clouds were low, so we had a beautiful view. Summiting is somewhat technical, it takes snow and ice gear along with time for acclimitazation, so we only climbed up to about 16 or 17,ooo feet. It was enough to give me a good sun burn and put me in bed the rest of the day with alititude sickness. While hiking, the air was so thin my lungs would often forget to breath. Immediately after the few seconds of not breathing, I would frantically gasp for air. Despite my struggles, Amanda´s friends had no problem with the alititude.

Second, the Incan ruins in the basement. One night, Amanda and I were talking about the history of Ecuador. She mentioned that people often find Incan ruins when they dig foundations for new houses. If found, the government requires ruins to be sent to a musuem. However, people often keep them, especially when they find valuables such as gold. Then, Amanda mentioned that here grandfather had found some artifacts when building his house. She offered to show them to me. In the basement, there was a basket with old, Incan scupltures casually piled up. I was in awe. Here, the stereotypical Incan sculptures that many visualize as priceless artifacts in the States were simply thrown into a pile. Although i'm often hesitant to use my camera, i figured this was a good photo op. I layed out the sculptures on the floor and took some pictures. While I did, Amanda's sisters made fun of me, picking up other things in the basement like Christmas ornaments and asking me if I wanted to take pictures of those as well. Because of my interest, they offered for me to take one of the artifacts. By law, the artifacts are not allowed to leave the country, so we figured it wouldn't be worth the struggle with customs.

Finally, staying with Amanda's family was by far the highlight of Riobamba, for many reasons. It was a nice step off the "gringo trail" to spend a few days with locals versus the touristy scene I am often a part of in my travels. It was the most immersed in Ecuador I've felt since arriving, simply experiencing the norms of life in Riobamba through Amanda's family. While Amanda was at school, I spent much time with her sisters, Jennifer and Paula. I met their friends and did what there was to do in Riobamba with them. We went out climbing a couple of times with Paula's friends, who were also wonderful. Neither of the sisters spoke much English, so it was good language practicing. Also, I spent much time talking with Amanda's dad about life in Ecuador, which was valuabe to learn for me. What I loved most was the laughter. Every afternoon for lunch and in the evenings the family would all be around. We would sit, talk, eat, listen to music, and inevitably laugh, all together. The first constitutional right in Ecuador is the right to family. The community this right creates is ever present.

Well, this has been a long one. Thanks for reading. I'm thinking of everyone at home often!

The Ghost of Tungurahua

After a few more days in Quito, I´ve finally made my way down to Baños. Though I enjoyed my time in Quito, it is nice to be in a smaller town with clean air.

Baños is a strong center for tourism in Ecuador. The town name literally translates to baths. There are a couple of centers where thermal waters are directed into pools of varying tempartures. Today, we went to la piscina de la virgen baños. They sit under a beautiful waterfall that flows from one of the surrounding mountains. The hotest pool was 48 degrees celsius. After leaving the bath, your body is ready for eating. Muy caliente.

In addition to the baños, much of the tourism is based around ´extreme´sports. The commercialization of 'extreme' notions usually envokes cynicism for me, especially in a country with much poverty, but one of the 'extreme' shops played an integral role to my experience today. It all starts with a volcanoe.

Tungurahua is the most active volcanoe in Ecuador. It towers over Baños. The volcanoe last erupted in 1980. In 2006 Baños was evacuated due to activity. However, the volcanoe never erupted. The people, frustrated with their lives being put on hold, demanded to re enter the town after about 6 months of waiting. Since 2006, many people have made claims Tungurahua will blow anyday. Regardless, Baños still is occupied. Many tourists view the volcanoe in 'extreme' ways, such as taking 4 wheelers close to the top.

Earlier this afternoon, i had lunch with some European friends i met in my hostel. They were all going on a 4 wheeler ride up the volcanoe and were persuading me to come along too. I first thought i wanted no part in a 4 wheeler ride due to money and principle. However, I am in Ecuador for an anthropologic, independent study entitled 'the power dynamics of tourism.' So, on a second thought and in the name of anthropology, i went on the 4 wheeler ride up Tungurahua. Despite the akward feeling of speeding by poor country sides on noisy gringo machines, it was a good time.

Where the road ended about 2 or 3 kilometers from the top of Tungurahua, we walked around the cooled lava fields left from the last eruption. They were eerie, yet beautiful. Every so often rumblings were heard of small burst from the volcanoe. However, the summit was unfortunately covered in fog. Our guide explained that there is a Ghost of Tungurahua. The lava is the heart of the volcanoe, and when people get close, the ghost covers the Tungurahua in fog to deter viewing of the volcanoe´s heart. Sure enough, when we started walking away from the lava fields towards our 4 wheelers, the coulds started to thin. Because the view was getting clearer, our guide said the ghost was jealous. Fortunately for us, the ghost's jealousy gave us a quick view of the smoke clouded summit. It was an amazing yet fleeting site.

The experiences of Baños, Tungurahua, and other places and people in Ecuador has given me much to think an write about with tourism. I hope to post these thoughts later. For now, I have to run! I'm catching a bus to riobamba tomorrow to see friend Amanda. Hope all is well wherever you may be!

in a crater

Well, I'm back in quito again, but planning on heading down to baños tomorrow.

About two days ago I was staying at a hostel in Pululahua Crater. The crater sits right on the equator and is one of only two inhabited craters in the world. Like most places in the andes, it was beautiful. A nice change of pace from the city. Depending on which side of the mountains you are on around the crater, you can see an extreme variety of plant life. One moment you are walking among cacti and eucaliptis trees, the next you are in a jungle-like cloud forest.

At the hostel, Renato and Paulina gave me a place to stay, food to eat, and work to do. Renato spoke Spanish and English, and his wife and the locals mainly only spoke Spanish. So, it was a wonderful place to practice my language. Within an hour of arriving (after a long journey of hitching buses and rides), Renato put me to work cleaning up trash. In Ecuador, many people throw their garbage in the streets. Even in Pululahua, the local park ranger's front lawn was littered with beer bottles and wine boxes. Garbage is recognized as bad, but little is done regarding the issue. So, i had the fortunate opportunity to pick up trash around the small town of Pululauha. In the process, i met some local people who passed in the street. I met their livestock too, such as cows, pigs, horses, and donkeys, which were often sitting in the streets. Most of the people eyed me down, probably wondering what a gringo was doing picking up trash. Some laughed at me. Some gave me their vocal support. One señora (the park rangers wife) did help me clean the garbage on her front lawn. The animals sniffed me hoping for food. Sorry pig, only basura. By the end, i must have collected about 8 garbage bags full of trash.

My third day in Pululahuah, Renato and I walked down to the school house to talk with the children about the trash problem. The middle school in the crater was one room with one teacher for 7 grades. The teacher kindly allowed us some time to speak with the students. Renato and I talked about the impact of trash locally and globally, taught about recycling (an unfamiliar term), and distinguished the category of bad trash versus organic wastes. Afterward, we went outside and cleaned up the garbage ridden schoolyard together. It was a rewarding experience for me and hopefully for the children also.

After our talk at the school, Renato put me to work on the organic farm feeding the pigs and weeding the alfalfa. It was amazing to see the cycles of the farm. Also, it was nice to get to know and work along with the locals. Every plant and animal fit into a sustaibable mode of production for crops and livestock. Much of the food we ate that week came from the farm. It was delicious.

Some other travelers my age, one from alaska another from canada, showed up at the hostel my fourth day, and i headed back to Quito with them. And thus, the travels continue...

center of the world

querida amigos y familia,
today is my third day in Ecuador. I am in quito right now, but will be leaving for the palulahua crater within the hour to stay at another hostel (thanks to the advice of nick). At the hostel, i am looking forward to being closer to the mountains and volunteering either at the local school or the local organic farm. And of course, the hostel hot tub.

Quito has been interesting. I have stories to post about the first three days, but those will come later. Right now i have to catch a bus! Just wanted to get this blog started. Hope everyone is well.

paz,
paul