Day 1: January 1st
After taking a two hour nap, we all got up and got ready to head to the airport. We took the hotel shuttle, checked in, went through security, and waited on the other side for the rest of our party. Our flight was scheduled to take off at 6:35 a.m. and everything was going smoothly until they announced that we were delayed as the cargo belts were frozen. The crew announced it would only be 25 minutes but then an hour went by without an update. Finally at 7:50, they announced it would be another 30 minutes and because of this we would miss our connecting flight in Bogota. After sitting for that hour with nothing in my stomach, the flight attendants came around and handed out peanuts and water - this helped to revive my spirits that we would be on our way soon (and allowed me to take my malaria medication). Finally at 8:45, we were given the all clear to leave and that the process for taking off should start. On our way to the runway, our captain informed us that it might take 15-20 minutes before we could take off because of air traffic but we were getting in the air after being at the gate for 3 hours! Bogota was only 5.5 hours away!
About an hour into our flight, we were served breakfast and I chose an egg and salsa empanada that came with two small pieces of ham, a yogurt, a roll, and almond rice pops. I got some sleep and watched downloaded Netflix show episodes and after my second nap, lunch was served. Lunch was a smoked turkey sandwich with American cheese on a multigrain roll and although it was small, I knew it would hold me over until we landed (since we were about an hour away). We finally landed in Bogota around 3 and found out that our connecting flight had also been delayed until 5:15 so we wouldn't have to worry about finding another flight. We had some time to grab snacks and relax and stretch before our next flight boarded. I spent $5 at a little shop and got limón chips, plantain chips, and the Colombian version of Ritz cheese crackers. Our next flight wasn't full but we left on time and got a snack - a warm turkey and cheese sandwich with a small bag of plantain chips and normal beverage service. We finally landed in Guayaquil around 8 p.m. and met our guide for the entire trip, Diego! We took a short drive through the city and then checked into our hotel. We met with Diego at 9:15 to go over the itinerary for the trip. We would be exploring all 4 "worlds" of Ecuador: Galapagos, coast, Andes, Amazon. After our meeting, we broke and either went to dinner or to the pharmacy - I went to dinner with some other people. I had bolón de verde de queso which was a plantain and potato ball with cheese - yum!
About an hour into our flight, we were served breakfast and I chose an egg and salsa empanada that came with two small pieces of ham, a yogurt, a roll, and almond rice pops. I got some sleep and watched downloaded Netflix show episodes and after my second nap, lunch was served. Lunch was a smoked turkey sandwich with American cheese on a multigrain roll and although it was small, I knew it would hold me over until we landed (since we were about an hour away). We finally landed in Bogota around 3 and found out that our connecting flight had also been delayed until 5:15 so we wouldn't have to worry about finding another flight. We had some time to grab snacks and relax and stretch before our next flight boarded. I spent $5 at a little shop and got limón chips, plantain chips, and the Colombian version of Ritz cheese crackers. Our next flight wasn't full but we left on time and got a snack - a warm turkey and cheese sandwich with a small bag of plantain chips and normal beverage service. We finally landed in Guayaquil around 8 p.m. and met our guide for the entire trip, Diego! We took a short drive through the city and then checked into our hotel. We met with Diego at 9:15 to go over the itinerary for the trip. We would be exploring all 4 "worlds" of Ecuador: Galapagos, coast, Andes, Amazon. After our meeting, we broke and either went to dinner or to the pharmacy - I went to dinner with some other people. I had bolón de verde de queso which was a plantain and potato ball with cheese - yum!
Day 6: January 6th
After a night of restless sleep and constant nausea, we had to be up and in the lobby by 9:30 to make our way to the airport. I skipped breakfast but Lori brought me back two small croissants to have a little something in my stomach. I took some Tums and Tylenol and felt ready for the day until we loaded on to the bus when my stomach decided to hate me again. After dry heaving in the bathroom for 10 minutes, Tait made sure that I was okay and I felt okay so we made our way to the airport - needless to say I knew today was going to be a long day... I made it all the way to the airport feeling fine but standing for too long made me queasy so I would have to find places to sit down and just keep my head between my legs while keeping hydrated. We boarded our plane and made our way back to Guayaquil and I slept the entire flight to try and regain some energy. Once we landed, we loaded onto a bus back to the same hotel we stayed at on Day 1 and then got ready to head out for a city tour. Diego took us across the street to the iguana park and told us some facts about Guayaquil: the city was founded by conquistadors and was built up as a port. Because of this, pirates would invade and steal gold from the ships heading to Europe. The land iguanas that we saw in the part could be distinguished from the marine iguanas by the hanging bit on their neck. Only males have this and the longer the better because that means that they have more potential for stronger offspring. We then headed to the cathedral that is across the street from the park. Diego told us that this cathedral was part of the original center city and that the stained glass windows were handmade with spots for all of the important saints for Ecuador. We then headed to another part of the city where we learned that Ecuador nearly entered a civil war but the military prevented it from happening and so a statue was made to honor that. A little ways up from that statue is a circle of men with the first Liberal Ecuadoran president because he was from Guayaquil.
We then moved across the street to an area that was like the boardwalk but was built like streets rather than wooden boards. Diego pointed out that across the Malaconda River there used to be mangroves all along the shore but with the city growing, they began to recede. There is now a reserve for the mangroves to protect them from any more growth within the city - we would be visiting tomorrow. We then made our way towards a hill that has a lot of houses and shops on it as it was the first part of Guayaquil until the town grew into a city. On the top of the hill, there is a lighthouse and we climbed the 444 steps to get to its base and then another 20 to get to the top. This was literally a death walk for me because my stomach still hated me and I was feeling drained from a night of being sick but Tait stayed behind with me and encouraged me to take my time and take frequent breaks for water. Finally after what felt like an hour of climbing those dreaded stairs, we made it to the base of the lighthouse and after a short break and some encouragement, I made it to the top of the lighthouse for a wonderful breeze and some amazing views of the city. After heading down all of the stairs, we decided to split up for dinner at two places: Wendy's or an Ecuadorian place. I went with the small group to Wendy's and got a kid's meal to have something in my system aside from water - side note the cashier had to double check with me to make sure I knew what I was ordering since I obviously look way too old to be ordering off that menu. After dinner we had a brief meeting to discuss the rest of the trip's itinerary and since John wasn't feeling well, we moved his presentation with Hunter to another day and we all headed to bed.
We then moved across the street to an area that was like the boardwalk but was built like streets rather than wooden boards. Diego pointed out that across the Malaconda River there used to be mangroves all along the shore but with the city growing, they began to recede. There is now a reserve for the mangroves to protect them from any more growth within the city - we would be visiting tomorrow. We then made our way towards a hill that has a lot of houses and shops on it as it was the first part of Guayaquil until the town grew into a city. On the top of the hill, there is a lighthouse and we climbed the 444 steps to get to its base and then another 20 to get to the top. This was literally a death walk for me because my stomach still hated me and I was feeling drained from a night of being sick but Tait stayed behind with me and encouraged me to take my time and take frequent breaks for water. Finally after what felt like an hour of climbing those dreaded stairs, we made it to the base of the lighthouse and after a short break and some encouragement, I made it to the top of the lighthouse for a wonderful breeze and some amazing views of the city. After heading down all of the stairs, we decided to split up for dinner at two places: Wendy's or an Ecuadorian place. I went with the small group to Wendy's and got a kid's meal to have something in my system aside from water - side note the cashier had to double check with me to make sure I knew what I was ordering since I obviously look way too old to be ordering off that menu. After dinner we had a brief meeting to discuss the rest of the trip's itinerary and since John wasn't feeling well, we moved his presentation with Hunter to another day and we all headed to bed.
Day 7: January 7th: Halfway done the trip!
Sort of an early morning but we were able to grab breakfast before going to the bus that we would be using for the rest of the trip and meeting our driver, Junior. On the drive to the cacao farm, Diego talked about the social classes of Guayaquil and how the rich families live on a separate hill from everyone else while the poorer families live in Durán. There is also one hill in Guayaquil where the houses are made from bamboo which is traditional. Since the mangroves are so close to the city, the crabs caught there are taken to the market in Guayaquil to be sold and during the mango season, one box (15-17 mangoes) costs $5! Once we got to the cacao farm, we met the owner's son who showed us around and had Diego translate for him. We learned that the national cacao has a fungus that destroys the entire plant which is why a lot of farms are using the hybrid CCM51 but they can then not be called "organic." Once the cacao matures, the beans are taken from the pod and laid out to dry before they are toasted. At this point we were back by a small outdoor kitchen where the owner had some beans ready for toasting and once he started, it had already started smelling like chocolate! After the beans are toasted, they need to be shelled and then ground which forms a paste rather than a dust like coffee beans. The farmer had some fresh beans for us to try and we had to suck on them rather than biting in but the national cacao tasted like a mango and the hybrid tasted similar but much sweeter. We were also able to try the toasted beans which were very bitter but had that super dark chocolate taste. We all got the chance to grind the beans into a paste before the owner took the paste and combined it with cinnamon, water, and sugar in a pot. I couldn't believe it but we had just helped him to make hot chocolate! We all got to try some and it was amazing and obviously so much better than the dry packets you get at home.
After we finished up there, we headed to the mangrove reserve and took a super long boat (it fit all of us!) to a spot that the locals call Bird Island. Well much like the name suggests, there were a lot of birds in that area and that's because the shrimp farms that are nearby take away most of the trees but add nutrients for food. And keeping the spirit of Talon with us as Stockton students, we were able to see an osprey on the boat ride to Bird Island! After our boat ride, we headed towards the mountains and Diego pointed out that the last town on the coast before reaching the Andes was Jesus Maria. He also mentioned that we would be seeing a lot of cattle because the people who live in the highlands cannot farm fruits and vegetables so instead they raise cattle. There were a lot of brown trees with peeling bark along the side of the road and Diego let us know that they are the "tree of many layers" and are part of the rose family. One mother tree can be as old as 1,025 years old and the small offshoots are the "babies." We saw one of these on our hike in Cajas later that day. We stopped along the way for lunch at a place that was fairly high in elevation but was necessary to make sure that we were all feeling okay and not experiencing any trouble with the drastic change in elevation (we had started the day at sea level and would reach 14,000 feet before the end of the day!). Lunch went by quickly and before I knew it we were on our way to Cajas National Park. In the park there are 100 birds, 2 amphibians, and 19 plants all endemic to the area. It's actually because of Cajas that Cuenca has super clean drinking water - they receive 7 million cubic meters per year! We stopped at a spot called the Three Crosses which represent the three levels: heaven, land, and underground (hell). Travelers from near and far stop here and take a rock from the surrounding area, say a prayer, and place the rock near the crosses. Generally the prayers are for safe travels and being a young traveler, I decided I would leave a small rock there after saying my small prayer. We then headed to a spot that had a trail and started our hike. Along the way, Diego pointed out that the plants here grow in communities to ensure that they are protected and getting key nutrients. There are a lot of medicinal plants in the Andes that can help for various things: from a cough to altitude sickness, there are flowers that can be made into a tea to help. One flower that is endemic to Cajas called Painted Corn is used to dye clothes - the small yellow/red flower has a darker center that is used to create a purple dye. Diego also told us that there are four rivers that flow in Cuenca but the main river divides the city with the old city being on the left and the new city on the right. There were so many spots to stop and take pictures and since we were there so close to sunset, we were able to see a beautiful sky of purple and pink before heading into Cuenca. The hike was breathtaking (literally and figuratively) and I would go back to Ecuador just to be back in Cajas. Once we finished our hike, we headed into Cuenca and checked into the Hotel Victoria - a super fancy and historic hotel where we would spend the next two nights. Diego arranged for us to have a welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant and since we didn't have a meeting that night, I decided to head to bed early after Facetiming with my family and boyfriend to check in with them and tell them all about my adventures.
After we finished up there, we headed to the mangrove reserve and took a super long boat (it fit all of us!) to a spot that the locals call Bird Island. Well much like the name suggests, there were a lot of birds in that area and that's because the shrimp farms that are nearby take away most of the trees but add nutrients for food. And keeping the spirit of Talon with us as Stockton students, we were able to see an osprey on the boat ride to Bird Island! After our boat ride, we headed towards the mountains and Diego pointed out that the last town on the coast before reaching the Andes was Jesus Maria. He also mentioned that we would be seeing a lot of cattle because the people who live in the highlands cannot farm fruits and vegetables so instead they raise cattle. There were a lot of brown trees with peeling bark along the side of the road and Diego let us know that they are the "tree of many layers" and are part of the rose family. One mother tree can be as old as 1,025 years old and the small offshoots are the "babies." We saw one of these on our hike in Cajas later that day. We stopped along the way for lunch at a place that was fairly high in elevation but was necessary to make sure that we were all feeling okay and not experiencing any trouble with the drastic change in elevation (we had started the day at sea level and would reach 14,000 feet before the end of the day!). Lunch went by quickly and before I knew it we were on our way to Cajas National Park. In the park there are 100 birds, 2 amphibians, and 19 plants all endemic to the area. It's actually because of Cajas that Cuenca has super clean drinking water - they receive 7 million cubic meters per year! We stopped at a spot called the Three Crosses which represent the three levels: heaven, land, and underground (hell). Travelers from near and far stop here and take a rock from the surrounding area, say a prayer, and place the rock near the crosses. Generally the prayers are for safe travels and being a young traveler, I decided I would leave a small rock there after saying my small prayer. We then headed to a spot that had a trail and started our hike. Along the way, Diego pointed out that the plants here grow in communities to ensure that they are protected and getting key nutrients. There are a lot of medicinal plants in the Andes that can help for various things: from a cough to altitude sickness, there are flowers that can be made into a tea to help. One flower that is endemic to Cajas called Painted Corn is used to dye clothes - the small yellow/red flower has a darker center that is used to create a purple dye. Diego also told us that there are four rivers that flow in Cuenca but the main river divides the city with the old city being on the left and the new city on the right. There were so many spots to stop and take pictures and since we were there so close to sunset, we were able to see a beautiful sky of purple and pink before heading into Cuenca. The hike was breathtaking (literally and figuratively) and I would go back to Ecuador just to be back in Cajas. Once we finished our hike, we headed into Cuenca and checked into the Hotel Victoria - a super fancy and historic hotel where we would spend the next two nights. Diego arranged for us to have a welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant and since we didn't have a meeting that night, I decided to head to bed early after Facetiming with my family and boyfriend to check in with them and tell them all about my adventures.