More Ecuador (Including Guinea Pig)

Finally our blog posting with Guinea Pig!

We have now spent more than 2 weeks in Ecuador and our blog postings to date have been about specific trips or experiences, but there is so much we see each day and so much to share that this posting is going to be a bit of a hodge podge of things, roughly in chronological order.

Visit with JM’s Mother

First, our trip to the markets in Paute, Gaulaceo, and Chordoleg with JM’s cousin Wilson his wife Lourdes and their son Paul is a bit overdue. That was two Sundays ago and also the day that we had a fabulous time meeting JM’s mother and enjoyed our most delicious meal in Ecuador at her house in Gualaceo. Our camera was not yet repaired and we forgot to take our back up camera, so we have just a few pictures to share.

They picked us up at 9 AM and we spent the bulk of the day driving to these nearby towns, visiting the various markets (fruits and vegetables, food and jewelry). The most fascinating market to most of us was the food market in Gualaceo where stall after stall sold all types of Ecuadorian “comida tipica” including roasted pig that was not that unlike NC barbecue without the sauce, although the entire pig including the head are more prominently displayed.

CEDEI Spanish School

Here are some pictures of the Spanish School we attended in Cuenca for two weeks along with a picture of the kids with Cesar, one of their three “professors”.

Eating Cuy (Guinea Pig)

We finally ate cuy on our last evening in Cuenca. We did so with our new Cuenca friends, a family from Philadelphia that is staying in Cuenca for the school year. Ainsley, Jack and Eliot made fast friends with their two children, Julian and Lizze. We really enjoyed getting to know them, learn about their school plans in Cuenca and sharing some meals and cervezas. The kids really enjoyed spending time together and ours were really sad to leave Cuenca and them behind. (The inability to build friendships outside of our nuclear family is certainly a downside to our on the move approach with this trip.)

So, what to say about the Cuy? No it tastes like chicken or other remarks here. It certainly is a meal that is unique. Sure, it tasted fine and had both an interesting flavor and texture. The skin was extremely crispy and a bit thick. Everyone at the table partook in the meal, some with more vigor than others as the pictures will show. Norm (the father) probably won the most adventurous cuy eater award for his approach to the eating the head. Eliot, probably the least for his one bite of meat provided to him already on a fork. But hey, he gave it a try.

Bus ride to Ambato

Yesterday we traveled from Cuenca to Banos, via a central town in the Andes named Ambato. The bulk of the journey, 8 hours in total, took place in a bus along the Pan-American Highway. I assure you that the use of the word “highway” is made very loosely. Certain stretches were nothing but rock strewn road, no pavement in sight, and usually at the most frightening moments. We were safe, but boy those drops off were mighty steep and a long way down.

I don’t think any of us were really prepared for the trip. We did ride the bus to Otavalo for 2 hours or so, but that was really mild in comparison. One of the questions from Ainsley before the trip was if the bus would have a bathroom. We weren’t sure, but were pleasantly surprised to see that it did. Then we saw the sign on the door, “Solo Damas”! They meant it. Not even the doe eyed Eliot with a full bladder was enough to convince the “ticket taker” to unlock the door for him. It was left to first Ainsley and then Kelli to brave the Urinario on the windy stretches of the bumpiest section of the Pan American Highway. Eliot was constrained to utilizing the small empty (gasp here for GG!) Coke bottle. He did a great job. Jack and John basically avoided drinking anything and were left to hold it for approximately 6 hours before we were given the first opportunity to exit the bus and use the banos. Ugh!!

Jack’s motion sickness, for which he is prone, was mild most of the way with the exception of the unpaved stretch. Thankfully, we needed no bags of any kind. He just hung in there as best as he could.

All in all, the scenery was stunningly beautiful, the driver was a bit crazy, and the bus crowded and at times a bit smelly. Probably a bit more than we bargained for, but in the end we arrived in Banos safe and sound. Where else can a family of 5 travel for 8 hours and pay a total of $37? What did we expect? Peanuts, sodas and a bathroom?

We are now enjoying the hot baths in Banos for a few days before we head to Tena on Saturday. Sunday morning we leave for the jungle for the next 5 days. We’ll post again before we leave Banos.

Thanks for all the comments and well wishes. We miss you all!