Eating Fluffy, the rodent

Well, we finally tried guineapig - a local delicacy. It tasted pretty good actually (mainly because of the good barbecue sauce on it) but it was bony and not too much meat. And yes, like most weird meats, it tasted a lot like chicken.

I do feel a little guilty, I must admit (not that you would think so from the photo below - the guilt struck later!).

We had guineapigs as pets when I was a kid and I loved them tremendously. One day our dog inexplicably went beserk and barked at them ferociously through the cage. All 3 of our beloved guineapigs proceeded to die from fright. Devastating it was and I cried for days.

And now I have gone and eaten one. Gulp.

By the way, the photo of the live guineapig is not the one we ate. It was taken at a guineapig farm in Titicaca, Peru.

Cuyabeno Jungle (Ecuador)

I just got back from a great 5 days in the Cuyabeno Reserve. It encompasses over 650 000 hectares of primary jungle and includes a famous flooded forest.

I decided to focus more on the spiritual side of the trip this time, so did not take many photos. But wow, what a beautiful place it was.

Ally, who is all jungled out and hates mosquitos, chose to rather chill out in Banyos, a mountain retreat with hot springs. Can´t blame her!

Highlights

• A 3 hour motorboar trip to our jungle base, watching the jungle become more and more wild and untamed as we ventured along remote waterways.
• Walks through the deep jungle, identifying plants (our guide was a veritable fundi on botany and the practical uses of plants and trees)
• Eating wild mushrooms (they were delicious)
• Rubbing in "dragons blood" (red sap from a tree) that is a wonder cream for wounds, bites and even tummy ulcers
• Watching our guide eat a large, juicy worm from a coconut seed. I said I would eat the next one we found - but we never did (thankfully!)
• Lots of new birds (magpie tanager, white banded swallow, violaceous jay, screaming piha, many banded aracari, masked crimson tanager, blue crowned trogon, blackheaded parrot and russet backed tanager)
• Seeing the Suffocation Ficus tree that uses another tree to grow up to the light (like a thick vine) and then consumes the unfortunate host within it as it grows around it.
• Listening to a symphony of bird and insect sounds while sitting on the river bank at dusk
• The enormous "Sabre Trees", 40 metres tall and 600 years old.
• Seeing a baby turtle and many different frog species
• Massive tarantula spiders under our sleeping platform. One ventured up to one of the girl´s beds and I was summoned to remove it. For some reason, I developed the nickname of "the jungle guy."
• Juan, our expert guide, who loved the expressions "awesome" and "oh, my god." Said them at least 100 times a day.
• 4 different species of monkeys (Tropical Night Monkey, Capuchin, Squirrel, Spider Monkey)
• Lots of Hoatzin birds, one of the weirdest birds on the planet, seen close up
• Reading "Practicing The Power of Now" by EckhartTolle - amazing book
• Following a trail of "leaf cutter ants" from the tree where they were collecting leaves to their nest a good 300 metres away (where they feed the leaves to a fungus that they eat)
• Exploring and swimming in the amazing flooded forest of Laguna Grande - a surreal and gorgeous landscape. The sunset was beautiful.
• Seeing River Dolphins at dusk
• Pirhana fishing with bits of chicken (I did not catch anything but lost a lot of chicken. Those pirhanas are wiley fish!)
• Birding in the early morning, floating along the river
• Visiting a local family to make bread from a local root (nutritious but not particularly tasty. I think I will stick to French loaves)
• All in all, a very relaxing and beautiful trip
  

List of new birds seen

• sun grebe
• magpie tanager
• violaceous jay
• screaming piha
• many banded aracari
• masked crimson tanager
• blackheaded parrot
• russetbacked oropendola
• black hawk eagle
• white banded swallow
• Greater ani

Saquisili Market

The Saquisili Market is one of the largest traditional markets in Ecuador. It had a real, authentic local feel - in fact we were the only gringos there. There were three markets in different parts of the town - the animal, crafts and materials market.

The animal market was a big highlight for us. There were llamas , pigs, goats and cows all being exchanged at an extraordinarily brisk pace.

The pigs dominated the scene with their screams of protest whenever one was sold and loaded onto a truck. They really are the most extraordinary drama queens! I suppose you cannot really blame them. Its a little sobering to think that people were being sold at markets such as this ony a few hundred years ago.

The llamas were much more laid back and just stood around, batting their beautiful blue eyes and looking more haughty than their owners.

The little goat kids were extraordinarily cute (and loved attention, particularly sucking on our fingers) and the enormous cows kept stepping back unexpectedly. Sure hurts when they step on your feet!

There were lots of sheep too. I was horrified when one purchaser of a large ewe, instead of putting her in a truck, latched her onto the roof rack of his car, tied down so she could not move a muscle. Not too sentimental about animal rights here, that is for sure.


And here we have little chicks in a box. These were the lucky two to find a window. There were hundreds in one box. Poor little buggers!

There was also food galore, including this delicassy - pigs´ heads. Needless to say we weren´t to tempted and opted for pizza for lunch in town instead!

And here is the intrepid shopper in our family. We bought a couple of lovely things but cannot say what they were as of course, they are gifts and that would take away the suprise!

Lima (Ally)

The night before we left Pisco we went to a fish resturant and had cold seafood with avocado. It was very tasty but G ended up being really sick on it. So he spent two days in Lima catching up on reading. We did get to see Mission Impossible 3 though which had us glued to our seats.

We stayed in Miraflores section of Lima and it was very pretty. With a park where people sold crafts and art. Some water colours caught our eye, lovely bright Peruvian ladies with bunches of flowers but we decided to think about it. Perhaps they will still be there when we go back in June.

Gold Museum

As G was sick I took myself off to see the gold museum. It was filled with incredible things. What struck me first were the death masks which they created out of a single sheet of gold to place over the mummies heads. No one really knows why.


I was unable to take photos in the museum. All photos in this post were sourced here.

They also created very intricate knives which were probably used in ceramonies.

Before the Spanish arried, the Incas wore large disc earings in the lobes of their ears. They ranged from thin to really thick and heavy ones. All were beautifully worked. Some of the best ones had mosaic patterns and pictures in the center. But just looking at them made my ears ache!!!


On display were some skulls with holes in them. I thought it must have been some surgical practice but was very surprised when I listened to my tape that these were the rewards of war. The winner would lash the skull to their belt as a trophy. It made me very glad that I did not live in those times.

A particluar highlight for me was seeing the ponchos and head dresses. They had a pouncho inlaid with feathers that was 1900 years old. And the feathers still kept their colour. Other ponchos had little platelets of shell or gold leaf decorating them. The head dresses were mainly made from feather fibres allowing them to make the most intricate of patterns like squares and colourful birds. All painstakingly laid, fibre by fibre.



The Inca´s valued shells and feathers far more than gold as gold was easy for them to get. Peru is still the 3rd largest gold exporter in the world. This is why the Spanish were able to "steal" so much gold from the Incas. All in all a very pleasing and informative exhibition that will stay with me for a long time.

Around Quito, Ecuador (Ally)

Bus from Lima to Quito

We decided to take a direct 36 hour bus to Quito and we left early in the morning. Only after collecting the laundry, which opened late, did I make it to the bus station with a very worried G outside with minutes to spare. We should not have got our knickers in a twist as our bus left half an hour late anyway. South American time!

As bus trips go it was fairly uneventful. The scenery was stark, coastal dessert all the way. Every so often we would we see pictures and words carved in the sides of the mountainous sand dunes. The only thing we could think of was that this was some form of advertising. There are no bill boards along the road so they use the next best thing. Cheap, but lots of effort to put up and a shortage of colour to get your message across.

The restaurants we stopped at for food were definitely along the "road less travelled" - not on the gringo route. We could not understand the descriptions of the food they served so we just looked at the other diners and liked the look of the soup. Stirring it, we discovered that it had a chickens foot in it. This must be a local delicacy - but not one to catch on in our household.

Quito

We arrived in Quito in the dark so it was a surprise to walk into the sunshine and be surrounded by mountains and a city that reminded us very much of Cape Town. We did not do very much apart from book our trip to Gallapogos, eight days on a beautiful boat going around these stunnning islands starting on 4th June (I am sooooo excited). G tried but failed to find a bird book much to our surprise. The second hand book chap told us that he has even had people fight over them when they were available. It would seem the bookshops don´t really want to make money - no sooner do they run out and they take 6 months to restock.

The highlight of being in Quito was spending time with Donna and Pete. We ate delicious mexican food and steak as well as pottering around the market over an afternoon.

Forest Reserve

Our first stop outside of Quito was a forest reserve which promised lots of birds and some quiet time after the cities. Well, we arrived to a campground of extremly hyperactive kids - waking up at dawn no less!

There were very nice walks in the forest but overall we felt that Kistenbosch was 10 times better and half the price. But it was the birds we came to see - unfortunately as it was raining they were taking cover as any sane creature would do - apart from us of-course!

Here is me next to our intrepid tent. It has done us very well indeed.

The flowers were beautiful and we did get to see a couple of hummingbirds.

Quilotoa Lake (Ally)

Our travel book describes Quilotoa as a crater lake and does not have much else to say. So neither of us were prepared for just how beautiful it would be. When we arrived, clouds were coming over the sides of the crater making it look moody and dark and very atmospheric indeed.

It was a very steep walk down to the lake down the crater walls but the scenary just grew on us and we sat at times trying to take it all in. The lake water was not very cold but it is this incredible aqua green colour due to the minerals in it - so rich that no fish can live in the water.

We were astonished to discover that the last eruption of the Volcano was in 1797 and this is when the enormous lake was formed - very recent in geography time.

Due to the weather being rather chilly we did not spend long at the bottom. Both of us being lazy and G had a sore back (great excuse) so we decided to hire donkeys to take us back up. After speaking to the local chap and clearing up that it was a "dorro" (donkey) we wanted not a "borro" (bull) - me being dyslexic - the chap said that he would just have to go make a call.

Next thing we know he has his hands capped around his mounth and is shouting at the top of his lungs from the bottom of the crater to the top (at least a kilometer away) for two donkeys to be brought down. That´s what you do when there is no phone! His matter of factness made me double up in laughter. 10 minutes later two donkeys and their owners arrived, having run down the steep sides of the crater.

The saddle was a couple of blankets so the spine of the donkey really gets at one´s backside (which you can still feel two days later). The donkeys are very fit and get you up in 45min, it would have taken us 2hours to walk.

Unless of-course they throw you which happened to G. It gave me such a fright but he landed in sand and he said he was OK - but it did not do his back any good. The donkey having thrown his passenger decided not too stick around and belted up to the top!!! The poor guide had to run up to fetch the poor animal and come down again. He really earned his money.

We decided to stick around that night mainly due to their being no way out until 5 am the next day. We stayed in a family home which had beds in every nook and cranny.

The stars that night were some of the best I have ever seen as there is no light pollution. We all spent time just staring at the sky. It was so dark in bed that night that you couldn´t see your hand in front of your face. This is definately not something I am used to even when we camp.

The bus did not arrive at 5am (well not ever), so we were able to watch the sunrise. Although annoyed that we could not get back we were delighted to see the sunrise right over the Cotopaxi volcano in the far off distance.

We managed to negotiate a ride back to town for $10 with our hostel owner. He wanted $20 intially but we have become good bargainers. As he had paying customers, the wife and friends came along to visit town as well. This was not a problem, but what rather peeved us was when he stopped for half an hour to look at wood. We weren´t to impressed. South America time requires a lot of patience at times!

Here is a photo of the lake

Russel, Graeme wants to know if you think his "Russel leap" is coming on? He is practicing hard as you can see, trying to make it look levitationally effortless. Not quite at your standard yet, but perhaps getting there?

Catching the donkey back up the crater. We felt like lazy colonialists. Note the donkey guider hanging onto the poor beast´s tail to help him up the steep path.

The scenery on the drive back through the mountainous farmlands of Ecuador was also really beautiful.

We also got great views of the famous Cotopaxi Volcanic mountain which increased our motivation to visit the park and see the peak close up.

Cotopaxi Park (Ally)

We really struggled to get to Cotopaxi Park. We joined 2 Dutch girls at a road where a womem said that a truck would be able to take us around the park for $40 but that we had to call the chap and as non of us had cell phones, we asked for the public phone. This being Equadors most visited public park, one would have thought they would have a phone but no. Thankfully an engineer working on a project in the park said that he would give us a lift for half the amount so we were thrilled.

After a ride filled with very loud Borjk music (I think it is terrible, G thinks I am ingnorant - he is a big fan, I say ingnorance is bliss...) we arrived at the lagoon where we planned to camp the night.

Cotopaxi volcano was peaking out of the clouds showing us very red and steep sides with a glacier going all the way around.

We wanted to camp in this spot so that we could get a picture of Cotopaxi reflected in the lagoon. It was not a formal camping spot and I showed my guilty conscience by geting a big fright when G entered the tent as I was getting ready. I thought it was somone coming to tell us off.

But I have to say that our camping spot was so classicly scenic. The lake was spongy so the grass was a rich green with reeds filled with playful ducks. On the fringes frogs were singing their hearts out and the wild horses eating the rich grass.

The cows and bulls were a little disconcerted to see us. After a little stand off where the bulls all lined up to dertermine what kind of threat we would be - they decided to move on. Much to my reflief as being chased by 5 bulls may have prematurely ended our travels.

We did also have a number of nosy sea gulls hovering over us, giving plaintive cries and we worried that they would give us away - but soon the light faded and we had the whole park to ourselves.

This little guy visted our camp site from time to time to make sure we weren´t too lonely..

G woke up early the next morning to capture a classic shot of the Volcano reflected in the lagoon. This is the shot he was hoping for (image source) :

Unfortunately, the volcanic peak was so covered in cloud, it could not even be seen:

So he entertained himself with photos of horses in the mist instead... Which I think were just as beautiful.

As we had not organised a lift out we knew we would have to hitch. But after 4km of walking we realised that this must be a circular route as all the cars were going in the opposite direction, so were unlikely to get a lift. We were getting pretty tired under all our stuff.

So with another 15km looming in front of us and our packs getting heavier by the minute we were delighted to come across the museum where we arranged a lift.

While waiting we visited the musuem. I have to say that it was the worst exhibt I have ever seen with faded falling photo´s, moth eaten stuffed birds; deer and damaged models of the volcano. It actually made me feel rather sad as all the potential was there and it made me think that our entrance fee was not really used for the park.

Horses in the Mist

Cotapaxi Reserve, Ecuador, 2006

Horses in the Mist
Galloping wild and free,
through tendrils of morning mist,
with mud spattering at their hooves,
and flaring nostrils snorting steam,
they pass between the swirling clouds
of a volcanic peak
and the wave swept shores
of a green lagoon,
then cantor down to a gentle trot
to nibble on the dew soaked grass
and frolic in the soft, shrouded light
of the rising sun.

Written:  2006

Ballestas Islands

The Ballestas Islands are sometimes described as Peru's answer to the Galapagos Islands and although, according to the guide books, they don't match the splendour or variety of their northern cousins, they are quite spectacular in their own right.

We visited the islands on a tour and I was so impressed that I promptly booked myself on another tour for the following day. If the Galapagos is even better, then I cannot wait!

The islands have been eroded to form countless natural caves and arches and we were able to go under several impressive arches in the boat. On the 2nd tour, the waters were heaving and the pilot had to do some impressive navigation. Our boat was full of Japanese tourists trying to balance and snap hundred of pictures at the same time. One person on our boat even lost his breakfast.

Here is the Guanay black cormorant - a close up of the bird that you see in so many thousands in the pictures above.

Needless to say, all these cormorants produce an awful lot of poop between them. This used to be a highly priced commodity back when fertiliser was not produced synthetically. The old guano factory still stands on the island in a testament to those times.

Turnstones at rest and in flight

 I loved the colourful Incan Terns.

And here are Peruvian Boobies. Like gannets, they dive into the water like missiles.

The Pelicans were beautiful and I was able to get very close.

Humboldt Penguins, a new penguin species for me

And a banded gull, yet another new species for me.

More gulls in flight

In addition to birds, there were hundreds of sea lions. There young were inquisitive and cute. The males become brutish as they get older, spending all there time bellowing and fighting with each other.

 

On the boat trip, we also got a view of the 'Candelabra', which is either a Paracas culture geoglyph similar to the Nazca Lines or, perhaps more excitingly, a marker to lost treasure left by pirates during the 17th century. In any case, we did not stop for long enough to dig for treasure, and I must admit, digging in hot sand is not really my thing anyway...

And then just before we got back to port, we lucked out and saw dolphin. One of them even did an airial manouvre for us but my photo finger was not quick enough.

After the islands, we spent some time in The Paracas National Park. More beautiful cliffs and rock formations and some nice beaches.

We have met several bikers on our travels around South America, including two British ladies over 60 on enormous hondas. Saw this bike in the Paracas Park. Talk about freedom.

New birds seen

• Inca tern
• guanay cormorant
• banded gull
• Humboldt penguin
• Andean gull
• Peruvian pelican
• Neotropical cormorant
• Red legged cormorant
• Peruvian booby