Ecuador & Galapagos Part I

The trip to Ecuador went very smoothly. Mary and I have recently discovered the secret to being comfortable while traveling. Beer. Going through an airport sucks. Waiting in an airport sucks. Being on a plane pretty much sucks. Beer makes all of these things much more awesome. We tried some "Sweet Water 420" while we were waiting in the Atlanta airport for about five hours. It made the time fly by.

(I like this picture because you can see Mary and I in the reflections)

Ecuador was a culture shock. We had a honeymoon suite at the Cafe Cultura in Quito. It was a very nice room, but not by American standards at all. The water was very unreliable, and during certain times of the day you could not get running water. Heating was also a bit of an issue, but it was the colder season. Very few people spoke English, so we were forced to learn and try Spanish - and I think we did a pretty damn good job of it.

What Cafe Cultura lacked in American amenities, they made up for in quality. Their service was amazing, and the food was even better. Every morning we had fresh squeezed blackberry juice, coffee with hand whipped sweet cream, water with mint/lemon, and that was just the beverages. Despite the amazing food, the altitude must have been doing something to mess with our stomachs, because we could barely finish our meals.

The markets were somewhat disappointing. It was pretty much the same 5 or 6 stores over and over, and 90% of the things you saw for sale were extremely mass-produced. This may be because we visited during the down season. We did find a few gems, and were able to find gifts for most of our relatives.



On our 3rd day, which was a Sunday, we visited "Old Town" in Quito. Ecuador is a very Catholic nation, and their mass was in progress while we were visiting. There were quite a few bands playing, and people in the street, so we definitely picked the right day to visit. The markets there were...more of the same. We did get to eat in a nice little place in the center square, where we had some Pilsener. (Ecuador's beer brand)

After staying 3 nights at Cafe Cultura, and basically being forced to immerse ourselves, our trip got easier. We met our guide, Roberto, who took us through Ecuador for 2 days before we left for Galapagos. We stayed at the JW Marriott the night before.

The Marriott was awesome. They upgraded us to a honeymoon suite, which included access to the executive lounge. The executive lounge meant free food, and 1 free drink! Very awesome. We also got to see a little Ecuadorian TV. Like most TV...nothin' special.

Our first day with Roberto was a long drive towards Otavalo, the "Largest indigenous street market in the world!!". One of our stops was Cayambe, a small town that is known for their "biscochos". The biscochos are basically buttery biscuits that you generally eat with cheese. Mary and I each had some, and were incredibly sleepy during the remainder of the car ride.


At one point, Roberto had mentioned that eucalyptus is used in the biscochos. I knew that eucalyptus had a narcotic effect, so I asked if that effect stayed in the biscochos. Apparently in that town, they also have saunas where eucalyptus is used as well, and it is supposed to "enhance your relaxation". I'm pretty sure we had an experience with a true opiate of the masses!

We stayed in Hacienda Pinsaqui, outside of Otavalo. It was a lavish, hidden Hacienda, which was almost empty because it was the off-season. As soon as we arrived, a band started playing just for us, people came and took our bags, etc. We are not used to that kind of treatment, so it was just a little awkward. The room was a bit more modern than Cafe Cultura, and had a sweet wood-burning fireplace. That night, the band played for the handful of guests at the bar. They served us tea, and some sweet liquor that I've never had before. It was a good stay.



Otavalo market was pretty disappointing. Sure, it was the off-season, but they were selling all of the same mass-produced stuff that the other markets were. Almost nothing was unique to Otavalo at all. Oh well.

After Otavalo, we started our trip back to Quito. We stopped in the national park, and walked down a little hiking trail next to "Guinea Pig Lake". Apparently they eat guinea pigs in Ecuador. The scenery was beautiful - a lake at the base of a volcano. We made use of Mary's new camera and the panoramic setting.



The drive to and from Otavalo was also noteworthy. Their roads are filled with 1) Diesel trucks that cant go more than 15mph, 2) Small cars trying their best to weave between traffic on 1-lane streets, and 3) INSANE buses that would literally run other cars off the road. Also, cows are just wandering along the sides of streets. They obviously are owned by somebody, but they just chill on the side of the highway.

We stayed in the Marriott again that night in Quito. No suite upgrade that night. We just swam in the pool and relaxed before tomorrow mornings' trip to the Galapagos...

Stay tuned for tales of dragons, pirates, and Ecuadorian moonshine. Part II and the Galapagos TR are coming soon!