Our Visit to Ecuador

This summer, during my school vacation, I spent the better part of a month enjoying the sights of Ecuador.  My sister, Julie, and my brother-in-law, Doug, were my first family visitors and I was so excited to share my adopted country with them.  We had a great time learning and adventuring around Ecuador together, so I asked them to write a post about their experiences.  Thankfully, Doug agreed to be my first Guest Blogger!  

This summer, Julie and I spent three weeks in the north-central part of Ecuador.  Afterwards, Becky asked me to reflect on our travels and give some insight into how two people, with no prior knowledge of Ecuador, first perceived the country and the people she has come to know and love.  So... here goes! 

Julie and Becky enjoying the views of Quito

The first surprise for us was the weather.  If you’re not already a world traveler, you probably think as we did: Ecuador, the Equator, developing country, hot and muggy, lots of jungle and mosquitoes.  What a surprise to fly into Quito, and need a jacket!  Yes, it’s on the Equator, but high elevations mean cool temperatures.  Lower parts of the country can be hot and humid, but we spent most of our time at heights exceeding 9,000 feet above sea level.  

The bustling city of Quito is the Capital of Ecuador, and compares in size and energy to other world-class cities.  Its people enjoy their city, its parks and playing fields – of which there are many – engaging in soccer and volleyball matches, shopping, dining or just enjoying the out-of-doors, at all hours.  Quito’s historic district is the first World Heritage site so designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and features many cathedrals, monasteries, plazas and buildings, dating back to the 16^thcentury.  Touring the historic district was a real treat.

Quito fills a valley for miles at the base of Pichincha Volcano, so the mountains are never far away.  We explored them during two day-trips from the city.  The Teleferico (think gondola) takes you up to 13,000 feet and is a great way to see the views and experience high altitude breathing, stiff winds and chilly temperatures.  We noticed the altitude difference, but I think the flavored oxygen stand at the top is mostly for fun.  

On another day, we looked for a similar stand when we were hiking on Volcano Cotopaxi.  Julie and I were challenged to walk the winding, three-mile path to the hiker’s refuge at nearly 16,000 feet without passing out or retreating to the bus.  Gasping like fish out of water, we plodded on, blasted by impressively high winds and pelted by frozen rain, before we were rewarded at the refuge with hot chocolate and chulpis (roasted corn “nuts”).  No pics of the peak that day, unfortunately, but the experience was worth the effort. 

Julie with the Cotopaxi Refuge in the background

As much as we enjoyed Quito, Julie and I were most taken by the visits with Becky to other parts of the country, starting with a trip to Mindo.  This is a comfortable little town set in the cloud forest on the western flank of the Andes Mountains.  It's a favorite of many tourists and ex-pats from all over the world.  While there, we took a tarabita (cable car) across the river and hiked to several waterfalls, did the zip-line thing, toured a butterfly garden and had a coffee production tour.  Great fun! 

While in Mindo, we got our first taste of Ecuadorian hostels.  The rooms are generally simple and spare, often very small, but clean and quite reasonably priced.  A bed in a small dormitory with shared bathing facilities is only a few dollars a night, or sometimes we splurged on a private room with a bath for a few dollars more.  Our nights in our cloud forest hostel were spent in a treehouse-like room.  The windows were wide open (no bugs or screens) to the cool mountain air and the sound of a rushing river below. 

The Dawsons, Wandells and Angamarcas at Lake Cuicocha

Next stop, Ibarra, where Becky lives with her host family, the Angamarcas.  Julie and I stayed with them in their home for several days, and Jose and Margarita proved to be the most warm-hearted, welcoming, generous people one would ever hope to meet.  Through them, their sons and other friends, we began to really understand why Becky is so enamored with the country and its people.  We were instantly adopted as family, not just visitors, and the whole family bent over backward to make our visit comfortable and memorable.  The Angamarcas seem to typify a general Ecuadorian attitude of industry, pride in their country and their people, and a willingness to share with others.  These qualities were represented, too, by Anderson and Ernesto, two friends of Becky's who went out of their way to show us Ecuadorian hospitality. 

Anderson is a chef, a musician, entertainer, and sometimes driver who befriended Becky out of a desire to practice his English with a bilingual, native English speaker.  Anderson leapt at the chance to drive us cross-country and was an engaging tour guide and companion, stopping along the way to share with us a traditional breakfast of biscochos, (think biscotti), and to explore some beautiful waterfalls and local craft markets. 

Anderson and Becky teaching us about Avocado Ice Cream

Ernesto showing us an ancient agriculture calendar

Ernesto, a colleague of Becky’s from the university, arranged a visit to an Indigenous village to learn more about their culture.  We were treated to a beautiful walk among the gardens and home of his friend, and a roasted lamb dinner atop a banana leaf platter.  The entrepreneurial women of the village also set up a display of their craft work to tempt us.  Ernesto’s openness allowed us to ask so many questions about the culture, economy and values of these beautiful and friendly people. 

Lamb, mote (a variety of corn) with potatoes and salad for lunch

The time we spent with Becky and the Angamarcas in Ibarra was a whirlwind of activity – never a dull moment.  They welcomed us with a traditional dinner of tortillas baked over the fire in their outdoor kitchen, complete with toasts and endearing words.  Then we were out early the next day to visit an Indigenous food market in search of unique Ecuadorian flavors, and to a live animal market to see chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, calves, cows, llamas, pigs and roosters change hands.  Next, we headed off to the textile market in Otavalo where I bought an alpaca sweater and Julie found a lovely wool poncho and hand-embroidered table runner.  Since Ecuador uses the US Dollar, prices for everything were well-below rates in the U.S.  For lunch, we ate a typical Ecuadorian almuerzo of fried pork and a corn drink called Yamor.  In the afternoon, we took a side trip to a nearby national park for a beautiful walk on the ridgeline above a large crater lake.  On the way home, we visited another village market in the valley of Zuleta, attended Jose’s soccer game and finished the night at a local music festival in the Indigenous community of Esperanza.  This community festival revealed still more clearly a general attitude of mutual respect and national pride in the many cultural influences that define Ecuador and its people.  For example, we caught the award ceremony for the local pageant; two of the finalists wore modern evening gowns, while three others proudly wore the traditional dress that identifies and celebrates their Indigenous cultures.  The crowd cheered for them all.  The live bands at this festival also played traditional music, but were obviously influenced by rap and rock and roll.  Ecuadorians of all ages seem to be equally comfortable with this mixture of old and new as the old traditions are honored, yet enhanced by modern influences from other countries and cultures near and far. 

The local animal and textile markets

Jose checking out a cuy at the
animal market

Among our novel experiences was our introduction to the Ecuadorian food, which is heavy – at least, in the areas we traveled – on meat and carbohydrates.  We learned that there are 12 varieties of corn that are staples of the Ecuadorian diet, that potatoes, yucca and rice are often served together as side dishes – breakfasts included – and that guinea pig is as accepted as chicken, fish or beef for the main course.  Guinea pig (roasted or fried) and farm-raised tilapia fish are generally served whole with the heads still attached.  This was particularly “off-putting” for Julie, but she ate it as long as it wasn't looking back at her from her plate.  From my point of view, the fried guinea pig was delicious! 

Becky has obviously gotten used to eating her
fish with the heads attached.

A variety of foods we found at a market

Becky demonstrating how to suck
pulp out of the granadilla fruit.

Fruits, many of which we had never seen before, were in abundance, too.  We enjoyed sampling them at the markets, blended into locally produced smoothies or ice cream pops from a stand on the street, or cut up and sold in slices by vendors everywhere. 

We followed Becky’s lead in using public transportation (and our feet) to see the country.  Uber, taxis and buses were convenient in Quito.  More comfortable travel buses connected us to towns across the country.  Since few citizens outside the cities own cars, bus fares range from a quarter within the city, to about $5 for longer-distance travel.  At each bus terminal, there is a “staffed” restroom.  For a small fee you can use the facility, and get some toilet tissue, too.  This model keeps the restrooms clean and tidy, but soap and a towel are less common.  

Enterprising Ecuadorians have also addressed the fast food movement that we see here in the States.  While there are no “drive through” eateries in Ecuador, the vendors bring their food and wares to you.  On the streets, vendors sell from coolers, backpacks, push carts and bicycle-driven carts.  They are young people in modern dress and older folks in traditional garb, deftly wending their way through typical urban crowds and traffic jams, selling food, dog beds, kitchen linens, underwear, washing machine covers or paintings.  It’s routine for vendors to get on and off the buses with their fresh fruit, snacks, and simple meals of meat and fried potatoes – no worries about going hungry during your travels!  Interestingly, vendors of non-food items jump on-and-off, too, and give their pitches from the front of the bus for the lotions, electronics, or candy they want you to buy.  They first hand out their products for inspection, then take them back -or take your money- before getting off the bus to board another and pitch their wares again.

Next on our itinerary was a visit to Tena and the Amazon Rain Forest.  We splurged on a resort 

on the banks of the Napo River, a large and fast-running tributary that feeds into the Amazon River.  While most homes in the area no longer have thatched roofs, it sure set the scene for our visit to the jungle.

The capstone of this visit was a day trip by motorized canoe to a wildlife recovery center that rehabilitates and returns wild animals to the rain forest, often after their recovery from smugglers.  Our host and captain was a member of one of the local Indigenous communities, and he led us on a vigorous hike, pointing out medicinal plants, wild monkeys and even a communication tree.  When struck, the tree makes a sound.  Hunters once used it as a sort of jungle telegraph.  The number of times the tree was struck signaled their message: “I’m lost…I’m hurt…I need help carrying my kill back to the village.”

As we traveled around, it became evident to me that Ecuador is a land of contrasts.  For example, there is a contrast between development and natural beauty.  The mountainous, volcanic scenery is stunning and Ecuadorians are proud of these vistas.  Yet litter is a problem everywhere, and recycling is in its infancy.  Construction and construction debris is prevalent, leaving you wondering if you are seeing abandoned projects, or a construction boom.  There's also a contrast between the old and new.  Often Julie and I found ourselves traveling a superhighway one moment, then suddenly, our bus or taxi would veer onto a pot-holed dirt road.  Our driver would explain that roads and electricity only came to that area 15 years prior.  Many of the areas we visited across Ecuador have only been "developed" as a result of the intense and expensive efforts spearheaded by the last Ecuadorian president.  No surprise, this development has created some contrasts too.  Many folks see the former president's drive toward modernity as wonderful.  But we spoke to others who lost "everything" when the president "Dollarized" the economy by switching to the American Dollar in 2000.  Furthermore, while the Indigenous tribes are fighting to protect the Amazon for its natural and cultural resources, the Government is selling off the logging and mineral rights in these areas to pay the debts they incurred for all the modernization.  While this story has played out in developing countries around the world, I do hope a balance can be struck in the future between preservation of natural resources, the modern needs of the people, and the economy of this country.  Organizations like the Peace Corps, NGO's and individuals like Becky are trying to address the need for this balance and they need all the support they can muster. 

In our final two days, we visited Quilotoa, a high Andean agricultural region growing corn, quinoa and other grains as well as a variety of potatoes and tubers.  In this region we slept in a hostel dormitory, mingled with trekkers and backpackers from around the world and then stared into the deep blue depths of a crater lake while trying to stand upright in the incredible winds.  The views of the surrounding snow-capped volcanos were breathtaking and it was a great cap to our adventure. 

Julie and I could not have enjoyed our trip to Ecuador more.  Everyone seemed eager and open for conversation, including the elderly man who stopped on a trail to shake our hands.  We are impressed by the entrepreneurial and community-focused spirit of the people.  I can’t help but wonder where their energy comes from; when do they rest?  Many thanks to Becky for making herself so available, as our guide and our interpreter.  And, thanks again to the Angamarca family and friends for welcoming us into their home and community to teach us, share with us, and entertain us during our time with them.  We look forward to our next visit to this wonderful country.

                                                     -Doug Dawson 

Summertime is for the Fiestas de San Juan

Closely on the heals of the Summer Solstice or Inti Raymi celebrations (see a previous post), Fiestas de San Juan and San Pedro dominate the scene in my Province of Imbabura.  I've been really confused about the significance of all of these festivals and how they tie into Inti Raymi.  To the casual observer, the celebrations look the same.  But with the help of my Ecuadorian family, I'm starting to understand the importance of these festivals and notice the finer details between these celebrations. 

In the Andes, the Fiestas de San Juan combine Catholic beliefs with native Andean traditions.   Known in other parts of the world as The Feast of St. John, this day celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist.  The date, the 24th of June, is intentional in that it is exactly six months prior to the birth of Jesus.

San Juan, or Saint John the Baptist, is considered the caretaker of the agricultural bounty.  While Inti Raymi is traditionally an indigenous celebration giving thanks for the harvest, San Juan is traditionally the catholic celebration giving thanks for the same thing.  Since Catholicism has taken hold in the Andean Indigenous community, they celebrate both of these important days.  (When it comes to giving thanks for a harvest and hoping this will get you in good standing for next year, one can never be too thankful!)

To celebrate, the Spanish-blood "Mestizos" such as the members of my family, gather with the local Indigenous people to circle dance wherever there is space.  The dancers encircle a group of musicians that play a special genre of music called, of course, Sanjuanito.  The circle is a nod to the agricultural cycle, and it represents the path of the sun.  I admit, I thought all circles looked the same, but Jose has been educating me about the different styles adapted by each of the communities.

Over many generations, each barrio, or neighborhood, has honed their own style of celebrating San Juan.  Some barrios dance in a particular style, some have specific traditional clothes, and some have specific instruments different than the norm.  Since Jose works all over the countryside, he receives many invitations to dance San Juan in different communities.  Pablo and Margarita love dancing as much as Jose, so lucky for me, they invite their Gringita along.  Over many weekends, I have gotten a good chance to observe the subtle differences between these celebrations.  Some communities, like Otavalo, where I celebrated last year, mostly dance without singing.  But in the neighboring community of Zuleta, all the participants sing happy, fast-paced songs with lots of laugher.  The most common instruments are often guitar-like, but I've also seen men and women playing the 15-stringed bandolin, a 10-string small charango, a violin, a multi-tubed flute called a rondador, drums, accordions, harmonicas and melodicas as well.  

To add to the fun, the 29th of June is reserved for celebrating San Pedro (Saint Peter), and San Pablo (Saint Paul).  These saints are considered the guardians of the door to heaven.  Jose told me that he remembers as a child that this date was much more important than it is today.  People would gather on the street corners and shout "Open the doors of the sky for the love of God (to shine down on me.)"  In this way, people were asking for the purification of their soul and when the doors are open, their soul can rise up to the heavens.  I didn't see anybody shouting on a street corner, but I did see a lot of festivities on this day.  Since some communities are celebrating San Juan, and others celebrating San Pedro and San Pablo, the celebrations hosted by each barrio all seem to run together throughout the end of June and into July and August as well.   Understandably, most people only celebrate within their own barrio or they may be invited guests to celebrate in the special traditions of another barrio.  Therefore, only fanatics like my family (and me!) go to a variety of different celebrations.

Go to onthewingadventures.blogspot.com to see the remainder of this post with videos included. 

Starting the festivities early, in mid-June, the primarily Indigenous village of Zuleta hosted a Gran Pregón, or a big Opening-Day parade.  After arriving and waiting for 2 hours, I started to chat with a woman named Lorena whose family still lives in Zuleta.  I learned from her that this pregón started high up in the hills, and as it wound its way down the paths of the mountain, it gathered up groups of neighbors.  By the time they arrived into the tiny Central Plaza of Zuleta, representative groups from each of the hillside barrios made an entrance with their best singing, 

dancing and always the offering of live chickens.

The tiny barrio of Angochagua even had a professional sign to announce their cooperative community.  These Indigenous communities are often very well organized with Presidents and executive personnel.  Often the leaders of these communities wear a special sash 
when they are performing executive duties. 

The rainbow colored two-faced Huma mask is a main character throughout Inti Raymi and San Juan celebrations.  The two faces are a yin-yang character inviting positive spirits while warding off negative ones.  This character usually leads and adds fun to the revelry.  The chaps, or chivos, with the whip are also an important part of the tradition.  Originally worn by the managers of the haciendas when the Indigenous were made to work like serfs, now these traditional pants are worn by the Indigenous (or anyone else playing the part) to symbolically show that they now hold the power. 

At the end of the parade route, each group entered the soccer stadium and danced for the judges.  Then a spokeswoman for each community came to the stage and gave an impassioned speech about her community.  In the end, a winner was chosen, and if I understand it correctly, this winning community will be the prioste, or host, for the events next year.  

I ended up sitting and watching the festivities for a long time with my new friend, Lorena, who I had met earlier in the day.  She also invited me to lunch with her at a neighbor's house.  Her family was very kind and inviting.  This chance encounter served me well... more about that in a future post.  

After she left, I made friends with this Indigenous woman.  I have no idea of her name or anything about her because she only spoke her native language of Quichua.  But we had a great afternoon enjoying out all the sights around us.  Laughter is a universal language.  So is a selfie!

As I said, Jose gets invited to a lot of San Juan Festivals.  One evening at about 8pm, he said "Vamos!" and we were off to the tiny pueblo of Gonzalo Suarez.  When we arrived, several people greeted him in the streets to welcome "Ingenerio Angamarca".  They were so excited he arrived.  He must have electrified their futbal field.  Then, he and Margarita were given the honor of carrying the bucket of chicha, a fermented corn drink, to pass around to the crowd.  The large futbal stadium was full of both women and men dancing.  But, in this barrio, I also saw a group of women standing off to the side watching the men dance.  Some Indigenous communities, as Jose explained, have very strong macho or chauvinistic roles and only the men are allowed 

to dance.  I hadn't seen this before.                                  

On another occasion, we drove over the mountains and down into this little valley to the pueblo of Piman.  From the look of their stares, I honestly think I'm the first Gringa who has ever stepped foot in this pueblo.  The man in the green hat in the picture below is a graduate student working 

under Jose, and it was his family who invited us to the celebration.  

  

This San Juan celebration was a little different because the women all danced with a live chicken and boxed wine, while accordions were the primary musical instrument playing the sanjuanitas.

After circle dancing at the first house for awhile, this man led his entire community 

on a parade through the countryside from house to house.  The path was so dusty.  

Margarita, my brother Alex, our friend Faby and I waited at the bottom of the hill. 

But Jose, Pablo, and our friends, Antony and Alex carried on. 

As the sun was setting, the parade wound down the mountain and into the plaza below.  I thought sure I was in for a long night of dancing, when Jose and Margarita suddenly decided to leave.  When I responded in disbelief, they helped me understand that as guests, they had stayed their appropriate time and the festivities were starting to get a little "familial".  I had to laugh at this, because if I used that as a gauge, this Gringita would never get to participate in anything.  That said, it was a good cultural lesson for me to be aware of unspoken rules within these tight-knit communities.

But another weekend, was all ours!  Members of the Angamarca family populates much of the barrio of Santa Lucia and in this barrio, the traditions of San Juan dancing are really unique.  Historically, I am told, it was common for men to dress up as women to dance San Juan.  Santa Lucia is one of only a few barrios that still holds to this old (and wacky) tradition.  The men accessorized with bows on their hats and flowery scarves around their shoulders.  And those that didn't want to wear a dress, 

simply danced in their chivos.

Throughout two different nights, the men of our neighborhood paraded from house to house to dance San Juan.  The music was very different than traditional Sanjuanitos, and the steps they used to dance were quick and energetic- very different from the circle shuffle I was used to.  At each house, the host provided the crowd with food that could be eaten out of our hand such as bread, mote (hominy), popcorn, or beans.  Then, at some silent signal, the dancers would suddenly parade out of the yard and down the street.  The musicians would just follow, never missing a beat. 
On the second night of this celebration, I had decided that - after dancing late into the previous night- I wasn't going to join in.  I had just settled into my bed when I heard pounding on the front gate and my phone rang.  It was Margarita pleading with me to make some coffee and lay out some bread because the dancers were coming to our house next!  
All I could say was, "Come home quick, they're already here!"

San Juan Dancers in our driveway

Me, in a San Juan mask... always ready for the next fiesta!