Just arrived home this morning (thursday, july 15). our flight actually
came in early. Everyone is a bit jetlagged, but very happy to be home in
green, clean, orderly Minnesota. We do not have a phone currently as no one
seems to want to hook up landlines anymore and non of our ecudorian or
American cell phones seems to be working. I may make some progress after I
consult with my teenage neighbor.
Soooo the best way to communicate with us is by email or a drive-by. My
children's schedule is wide open for anyone interested in playing or taking
them away for several days.
beth and bruce
Friday, July 16, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Things I’ve Learned from Watching World Cup Football (soccer)
• Asia, Africa, and North America have some work to do.
• Just because you have cool uniforms (especially Dr. Suess socks) does not mean you are the most skilled. Paraguay with cool white and red stripes lost to Espana plain blue.
• All-orange uniforms are not in the color wheel of most Dutch players.
• Uruguay and Paraguay are South American countries
• Ecuadorians would rather have any team on earth win if they are playing Argentina. (especially with ex-World Cup player now coach Maradona on the field).
• Life is suspended when games are on in European cities. Example Holland beat Uruguay in the semifinals. The entire country of the Netherlands contains a population of 16 million. Of these 16 million, 12 million watched the match. (from what we have encountered the other 4 million are traveling in South America)
• Life is suspended when games are on in South American cities. The only thing comparable I have experienced is Sunday afternoon in Green Bay during a Packer game.
• You can tell who has scored a goal from any location in Quito by the crowd uproar.
• You can talk to just about anyone in the entire country of Ecuador about the World Cup. . . taxi drivers, people selling produce in the market, your neighbors and it is more interesting than the weather.
• Just because you are a world power in every other arena, does not mean you are a power on the playing field. Example Ghana a small, poor African nation beat the big, rich U.S.
• The tradition of very fit young men exchanging shirts at the end of a match is very pleasing to old ladies.
• As in many professional sports (NBA basketball) a foul is acceptable as long as the ref doesn’t see it. There is no instant replay yet in soccer.
• They need more than two refs on the soccer field. The refs run more than anyone else in the game including players. They can’t see everything. There are bad calls. There is no help from technology. The soccer field in long and there is continuous play for two 45 minute halves.
• There are many drama injuries toward the end of a match when the players are getting tired and there are no breaks. South American players are especially good at the theater of injury. The European players stoically shake off injuries and play a more straightforward, but much less entertaining game.
• The southern hemisphere of the world exports its raw materials cheaply to the northern hemisphere where they manufacture the raw materials into finished products and sell them back expensively. This includes soccer players. Most of the South American and African players have contracts with European soccer teams.
Many players play against their regular teammates during the World Cup much like hockey in the Olympics
• Holland has not been in World Cup finals since the 70’s. The Dutch teams all in orange nicknamed the Clockwork Orange, were juiced both times. They lost to Germany and Argentina.
• International football FIFA is very commercial and teams are all about making money. Players are considered investments and are still not paid much in relation to what the owners/administrators make from their talent on the field. Similar to the Walmart principal. Walmart, like soccer, is wildly popular and successful; however the people who do the frontline work i.e. cashiers, stockers, football players make a tiny fraction of the entire corporation’s profits.
• Brasil has qualified for every World Cup since 1930. They have won 4.
• Soccer in South America like football and basketball in the U.S. has provided opportunities for poor, black young men to rise above their “the life of crime to which they have been condemned by statistical average, and thus they become symbols of collective hope”. . (Eduardo Galeano, Soccer in Sun and Shadow).
• A recent survey in Brasil showed that two out three pro players never finished primary school. Many of these – half- have black or brown skin.
• Why is American football called football when the ball rarely touches a foot? Where did the term soccer come from?
• Commercials are shown one inch under the screen during a match because the 15 minute half time is not enough to get all the sponsorship airtime. It is annoying to me, but I guess like all commercials, you learn to tune them out.
• You can’t do as much during soccer matches as you can during American football games because there is only the 15 minute half time break otherwise the play is continuous except for the occasional injury performances.
• Just because players don’t wear pads and helmets does not mean they don’t get hit, or kicked hard. (I would still prefer that my own son would choose soccer over American football).
• What language are they speaking on the field during the World Cup when you have a Portuguese speaking team (Brazil) arguing a call with a ref from Asia and a player from Africa? They all seem to be understanding each other enough for the ref to give the Brazilian player a yellow (warning) card.
• Yellow cards are for fouls that are not heinous. If you receive two yellow cards in one game it equals a red card which means expulsion from the game. When a player us expelled, his team has to play with 10 instead of 11 players for the duration of the game. Red cards are for bad fouls like purposely kicking another player with your cleats or yelling at the ref (even if it is a language he doesn’t understand).
• I am thinking of incorporating the futbol card discipline system into my classroom and my home.
• I recognize most players swear words when they do close-ups after missing a goal or the ref missing a grave injustice being done to them. Maybe English swear words are international?
• Just because you have cool uniforms (especially Dr. Suess socks) does not mean you are the most skilled. Paraguay with cool white and red stripes lost to Espana plain blue.
• All-orange uniforms are not in the color wheel of most Dutch players.
• Uruguay and Paraguay are South American countries
• Ecuadorians would rather have any team on earth win if they are playing Argentina. (especially with ex-World Cup player now coach Maradona on the field).
• Life is suspended when games are on in European cities. Example Holland beat Uruguay in the semifinals. The entire country of the Netherlands contains a population of 16 million. Of these 16 million, 12 million watched the match. (from what we have encountered the other 4 million are traveling in South America)
• Life is suspended when games are on in South American cities. The only thing comparable I have experienced is Sunday afternoon in Green Bay during a Packer game.
• You can tell who has scored a goal from any location in Quito by the crowd uproar.
• You can talk to just about anyone in the entire country of Ecuador about the World Cup. . . taxi drivers, people selling produce in the market, your neighbors and it is more interesting than the weather.
• Just because you are a world power in every other arena, does not mean you are a power on the playing field. Example Ghana a small, poor African nation beat the big, rich U.S.
• The tradition of very fit young men exchanging shirts at the end of a match is very pleasing to old ladies.
• As in many professional sports (NBA basketball) a foul is acceptable as long as the ref doesn’t see it. There is no instant replay yet in soccer.
• They need more than two refs on the soccer field. The refs run more than anyone else in the game including players. They can’t see everything. There are bad calls. There is no help from technology. The soccer field in long and there is continuous play for two 45 minute halves.
• There are many drama injuries toward the end of a match when the players are getting tired and there are no breaks. South American players are especially good at the theater of injury. The European players stoically shake off injuries and play a more straightforward, but much less entertaining game.
• The southern hemisphere of the world exports its raw materials cheaply to the northern hemisphere where they manufacture the raw materials into finished products and sell them back expensively. This includes soccer players. Most of the South American and African players have contracts with European soccer teams.
Many players play against their regular teammates during the World Cup much like hockey in the Olympics
• Holland has not been in World Cup finals since the 70’s. The Dutch teams all in orange nicknamed the Clockwork Orange, were juiced both times. They lost to Germany and Argentina.
• International football FIFA is very commercial and teams are all about making money. Players are considered investments and are still not paid much in relation to what the owners/administrators make from their talent on the field. Similar to the Walmart principal. Walmart, like soccer, is wildly popular and successful; however the people who do the frontline work i.e. cashiers, stockers, football players make a tiny fraction of the entire corporation’s profits.
• Brasil has qualified for every World Cup since 1930. They have won 4.
• Soccer in South America like football and basketball in the U.S. has provided opportunities for poor, black young men to rise above their “the life of crime to which they have been condemned by statistical average, and thus they become symbols of collective hope”. . (Eduardo Galeano, Soccer in Sun and Shadow).
• A recent survey in Brasil showed that two out three pro players never finished primary school. Many of these – half- have black or brown skin.
• Why is American football called football when the ball rarely touches a foot? Where did the term soccer come from?
• Commercials are shown one inch under the screen during a match because the 15 minute half time is not enough to get all the sponsorship airtime. It is annoying to me, but I guess like all commercials, you learn to tune them out.
• You can’t do as much during soccer matches as you can during American football games because there is only the 15 minute half time break otherwise the play is continuous except for the occasional injury performances.
• Just because players don’t wear pads and helmets does not mean they don’t get hit, or kicked hard. (I would still prefer that my own son would choose soccer over American football).
• What language are they speaking on the field during the World Cup when you have a Portuguese speaking team (Brazil) arguing a call with a ref from Asia and a player from Africa? They all seem to be understanding each other enough for the ref to give the Brazilian player a yellow (warning) card.
• Yellow cards are for fouls that are not heinous. If you receive two yellow cards in one game it equals a red card which means expulsion from the game. When a player us expelled, his team has to play with 10 instead of 11 players for the duration of the game. Red cards are for bad fouls like purposely kicking another player with your cleats or yelling at the ref (even if it is a language he doesn’t understand).
• I am thinking of incorporating the futbol card discipline system into my classroom and my home.
• I recognize most players swear words when they do close-ups after missing a goal or the ref missing a grave injustice being done to them. Maybe English swear words are international?
Monday, July 5, 2010
Countdown To Departure
Today is July 4, the birthday of our beloved country, and I am missing our life there. We have had a wonderful time here, but the truth is I am Ecuadored out. I am excited for our trip to Cuenca tomorrow, but here are some of my reflections right now:
1) I’m tired of walking, taking taxis, and riding the bus everywhere. I convinced Beth that we should fly to Cuenca. The total cost for our entire family is $292. We went to the airline office to purchase tickets, and there was an additional $28 charge to buy them there. I didn’t care, but Beth was outraged. We left the office without tickets and a grumpy Bruce. Beth then bought the tickets on-line after going to a wi-fi spot near our apartment. She was gone for 2 hours and it was after dark when she returned. I was very worried and was getting Max and Jane ready to go look for her.
2) I’m tired of Ecuadorians constantly cutting in line. We wait patiently in lines for our turn, only to have the locals walk right up to the front of the line like others don’t exist and they are supremely important. This happens everywhere. I just want to shout at them and ask them if they have any idea of what manners are.
3) I’m tired of haggling over the prices of goods and services. The locals see our Gringo faces and think that they can overcharge us for everything. At first it was a fun game to play, but now it is just plain tiresome. At home, we might haggle over big purchases like a car or house, but here we have to haggle for a $2 taxi ride. The money is not the issue. It’s the idea of being overcharged.
4) I’m tired of musical beds at night. For a variety of reasons (Jane is scared, Max and Jane are fighting, I’m restless, we have visitors, we are traveling, etc.), we have had no bedtime routine. It has been difficult to sleep in so many different places. I miss the comfort and consistency of a permanent place to lay my head.
5) I’m tired of always being asked “no tiene sueltos?” when buying something. This phrase means “Don’t you have some change?” If I buy something for $4.15 and give a $5 bill, the vendor wants me to also give 15 cents so he/she doesn’t have to make change. This happens all the time. I used to comply, but now I just say no. The vendors are irritated, but happy to have my business. They ALWAYS have change!
6) I’m tired of being on guard all the time. After Beth had earrings snatched from her ears in broad daylight, thieves are always on my mind. We also have to watch for dog poop on the sidewalk constantly, and pedestrians do not have the right-of-way here. Max and Jane are not always so careful, so Beth and I have to protect and remind them to always look for cars, especially when we have a green light.
How spoiled am I? We have had this amazing opportunity to live and participate in a completely different culture and I am rattling off half a dozen aspects of our life here that I am tired of. The list serves two purposes. First, it gives me a chance to vent, it’s therapeutic for me. I’m trying very hard to stay positive as negativity is contagious. I want our last days here to be fun, so Max and Jane do not need to hear my feelings. I know that they, as well as Beth, can feel my desire to be home, so putting my feelings in writing gives me an opportunity to reflect quietly. Secondly, I feel it is important to let people know that our life here has not been easy and wonderful all of the time. I am a home body, and this experience has, at times, been difficult for me. Beth has done an amazing job of keeping me in check and holding the family together. We certainly have had a lot of time with each other.
As I sit and think about these past 5 months, I want to assure you that I will leave Ecuador with a new and different perspective on my life. The irritations I have felt in no way can tarnish the hundreds of awesome experiences we’ve had here. There is a satisfaction, an appreciation that I feel that I can not put into words. I am forever thankful for my family and all who have helped us and contributed to this learning adventure. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
1) I’m tired of walking, taking taxis, and riding the bus everywhere. I convinced Beth that we should fly to Cuenca. The total cost for our entire family is $292. We went to the airline office to purchase tickets, and there was an additional $28 charge to buy them there. I didn’t care, but Beth was outraged. We left the office without tickets and a grumpy Bruce. Beth then bought the tickets on-line after going to a wi-fi spot near our apartment. She was gone for 2 hours and it was after dark when she returned. I was very worried and was getting Max and Jane ready to go look for her.
2) I’m tired of Ecuadorians constantly cutting in line. We wait patiently in lines for our turn, only to have the locals walk right up to the front of the line like others don’t exist and they are supremely important. This happens everywhere. I just want to shout at them and ask them if they have any idea of what manners are.
3) I’m tired of haggling over the prices of goods and services. The locals see our Gringo faces and think that they can overcharge us for everything. At first it was a fun game to play, but now it is just plain tiresome. At home, we might haggle over big purchases like a car or house, but here we have to haggle for a $2 taxi ride. The money is not the issue. It’s the idea of being overcharged.
4) I’m tired of musical beds at night. For a variety of reasons (Jane is scared, Max and Jane are fighting, I’m restless, we have visitors, we are traveling, etc.), we have had no bedtime routine. It has been difficult to sleep in so many different places. I miss the comfort and consistency of a permanent place to lay my head.
5) I’m tired of always being asked “no tiene sueltos?” when buying something. This phrase means “Don’t you have some change?” If I buy something for $4.15 and give a $5 bill, the vendor wants me to also give 15 cents so he/she doesn’t have to make change. This happens all the time. I used to comply, but now I just say no. The vendors are irritated, but happy to have my business. They ALWAYS have change!
6) I’m tired of being on guard all the time. After Beth had earrings snatched from her ears in broad daylight, thieves are always on my mind. We also have to watch for dog poop on the sidewalk constantly, and pedestrians do not have the right-of-way here. Max and Jane are not always so careful, so Beth and I have to protect and remind them to always look for cars, especially when we have a green light.
How spoiled am I? We have had this amazing opportunity to live and participate in a completely different culture and I am rattling off half a dozen aspects of our life here that I am tired of. The list serves two purposes. First, it gives me a chance to vent, it’s therapeutic for me. I’m trying very hard to stay positive as negativity is contagious. I want our last days here to be fun, so Max and Jane do not need to hear my feelings. I know that they, as well as Beth, can feel my desire to be home, so putting my feelings in writing gives me an opportunity to reflect quietly. Secondly, I feel it is important to let people know that our life here has not been easy and wonderful all of the time. I am a home body, and this experience has, at times, been difficult for me. Beth has done an amazing job of keeping me in check and holding the family together. We certainly have had a lot of time with each other.
As I sit and think about these past 5 months, I want to assure you that I will leave Ecuador with a new and different perspective on my life. The irritations I have felt in no way can tarnish the hundreds of awesome experiences we’ve had here. There is a satisfaction, an appreciation that I feel that I can not put into words. I am forever thankful for my family and all who have helped us and contributed to this learning adventure. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Monday, June 28, 2010
La Selva (The Jungle)
Max’s top 5 jungle favorites
1. night hike with lots of insects
2. zoo playing with rescued Amazon animals (leopard, wild peccary)
3. rafting down river on a handmade balsa raft
4. Dodo the pet female parrot
5. Monkeys stealing my popcorn in Misahaulli (a sleeping jungle town; our jumping off point for the Amazon)
6. seeing lizards
only dislike was giant cockroach sighting in sleeping quarters
Jamie’s (Bruce´s neice)top 5 jungle favorites
1. visiting a Quechua shaman
2. night hike
3. day version of the night hike
4. holding the leopard at the zoo
5. Hernan our guide and all his wisdom
Dislike: primitive sewage system and all the accompanying odors in sleeping quarters
Bruce’s top 5 jungle favorites
1. night hike
2. visiting the shaman who was sweet on my wife
3. riding in the motorized canoe 1 hour and a half down the Napo River (a river highway of the Amazon) and shorter rides to hikes and activities.
4. zoo
5. Our staff: Hernan, guide, Yahira, cook, David, boat navigator, and Miguel general care taker
6. Dingle the pet male parrot falling off the roof of the dining hut (apparently he can’t fly)
Dislike: trying to eat when Dingle was lurking.
Beth’s top 5 jungle favorites
1. cacophony of the night jungle and the absence of any human sounds
2. Visiting the shaman’s family and eating platino and palm hearts they prepared for us; hospitality of humble
3. the excellent meals that I did not have to prepare
4. Learning about the amazing amounts of plants and insects that have medicinal and everyday uses that the Amazon peoples have been using for centuries.
5. Hiking with our awesome guide Hernan
6. Going to the local market at the nearby town of 50 people and seeing a Huarani man and part of the daily life of the Amazon people
7. Yahira our beautiful, shy cook
Dislike: being repeatedly attacked by Dingle and pecked at on my foot.
Jane’s top 5 jungle favorites
Jane did not wish to enumerate her favorites. She said she liked everything about the jungle except hiking.
1. night hike with lots of insects
2. zoo playing with rescued Amazon animals (leopard, wild peccary)
3. rafting down river on a handmade balsa raft
4. Dodo the pet female parrot
5. Monkeys stealing my popcorn in Misahaulli (a sleeping jungle town; our jumping off point for the Amazon)
6. seeing lizards
only dislike was giant cockroach sighting in sleeping quarters
Jamie’s (Bruce´s neice)top 5 jungle favorites
1. visiting a Quechua shaman
2. night hike
3. day version of the night hike
4. holding the leopard at the zoo
5. Hernan our guide and all his wisdom
Dislike: primitive sewage system and all the accompanying odors in sleeping quarters
Bruce’s top 5 jungle favorites
1. night hike
2. visiting the shaman who was sweet on my wife
3. riding in the motorized canoe 1 hour and a half down the Napo River (a river highway of the Amazon) and shorter rides to hikes and activities.
4. zoo
5. Our staff: Hernan, guide, Yahira, cook, David, boat navigator, and Miguel general care taker
6. Dingle the pet male parrot falling off the roof of the dining hut (apparently he can’t fly)
Dislike: trying to eat when Dingle was lurking.
Beth’s top 5 jungle favorites
1. cacophony of the night jungle and the absence of any human sounds
2. Visiting the shaman’s family and eating platino and palm hearts they prepared for us; hospitality of humble
3. the excellent meals that I did not have to prepare
4. Learning about the amazing amounts of plants and insects that have medicinal and everyday uses that the Amazon peoples have been using for centuries.
5. Hiking with our awesome guide Hernan
6. Going to the local market at the nearby town of 50 people and seeing a Huarani man and part of the daily life of the Amazon people
7. Yahira our beautiful, shy cook
Dislike: being repeatedly attacked by Dingle and pecked at on my foot.
Jane’s top 5 jungle favorites
Jane did not wish to enumerate her favorites. She said she liked everything about the jungle except hiking.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Max and Jane with the wonderful apartment dog Lyka
Verano
Summer
It’s summer and we have been thinking about the change of seasons back home. In Ecuador you can change seasons by driving a couple of hours. We just left the town of Baños which is in winter and so it rains a good part of every day and is surprisingly chilly. It takes 2-3 days for clothes to air dry. (there are very few washing machines in Baños and even fewer dryers). Back in the Sierra (mountains) of Quito it is summer and there is very little rain, but cloudy days with intense spurts of high altitude sun. In a country the size of the state of Colorado the changes from the coast to the sierra to the jungle with the cloud forest in between are many with different temperatures and weather in each location.
In Spanish class our teacher asked what we do at home in the summer which got me to thinking the days are longer, the weather warmer and SCHOOL IS FINALLY OUT. The students in Quito go until the beginning of July. I just want to congratulate all the teachers and students for completing another school year. Especially Jamie who finished her first year of teaching and Athena and Jude who finished their first years of school. Thomas graduated from high school and is going to college at University of Dubuque.
Happy birthday to: Paul, Bridget, Ellie and John.
Happy summer camps and camping and going to cabins and summer homes. Happy vacationing.
Happy Summer Solstice (Larry and Linnea we missed having a cartwheel contest with you on the beach.
Happy Father’s day to all the papas
Happy baseball viewing outside (especially to the Minnesotans)
Congratulations to Sarah K for getting her reading license and a new job at Central H.S.
I know I forgot other important events please feel free to add any other congratulations/celebrations.
Viva el mundial (world cup soccer). We have a couple of brackets going with our new favorite teams including our favorite equipo del corazon (team of the heart) U.S.
We look forward to reuniting with the country of our heart in 3 short weeks!
chao
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Trekking around Chimborazo
My friend, Jeff Capella, and I decided to go for a little walk around Chimborazo, Ecuador’s highest peak at nearly 21,000 feet. Chimborazo is an extinct volcano with beautiful glacier at the top. Our goal was not to summit it, but rather, walk around it for four days taking in the beautiful vistas and viewing the different flora and fauna that live there. Our destination on day four would take us to nearly 18,000 feet.
Day 1 – I got on a bus in Banos at 8:45 in the morning in order to meet my companions at 10:00 in Ambato, a city about 1 hour from Banos. Our meeting point was simply “the entrance to Ambato.” I was told that it was by the “Mercado Mayorista.” I was a little anxious about the vagueness of the meeting point. But, like clockwork, I arrived at about 10:00 precisely as my friends arrived. I heard a car honking, and there they were. We drove about 45 minutes to an old train station, now a hostel, in the pueblo of Urbina. We were met by the owner and two young men named Julio and Luis. Also present was a friendly dog named Max. Diego, our guide, Jeff, and I left with our day packs while Julio and Luis loaded our gear onto horses in order to meet us at a refugio later in the day. We departed at about 11,000 feet and walked about 5 hours to the refugio at about 14,000 feet. The day was truly beautiful and I was not very tired when we reached our destination. Max had accompanied us all day. He was in heaven chasing, but never catching, rabbits. The refugio was rustic with a thatched roof, a fireplace, and a compost toilet. It was in a location where we had stunning views of volcanoes in all directions. Tungurahua was very active, and we could see fire shooting from its cone and hear tremendous eruptions. Luis and Julio cooked us one of the best meals I have had during our entire time in Ecuador. We played a card game called quarenta and then retired for the night.
Day 2 – After a restless night and an early breakfast of granola, yogurt, bread, fruit, and coffee, Diego, Jeff, and I departed at about 8:30 for a 6 hour trek that would take us to about 15,000 feet to the north side of Chimborazo. Max came with us again. Luis and Julio prepared the horses with our gear to meet us at the next refugio. Luis made this journey alone, and his brother returned home. The morning was perfect. Chimborazo loomed powerfully above us in all its glory. The temperature was cool and the sky was clear. We hiked for about an hour and we all got hot. We removed our jackets and continued on in only t-shirts. All the while we listened to Tungurahua belching and erupting in the background. Soon, our beautiful day disappeared. Hail began to fall from the sky while thunder and lightning replaced quiet sunshine. We put on our rain gear and continued on. The storm passed, but we trudged on in wet conditions for the remainder of the day. We descended into a lush green valley, and the refugio was within sight. We also encountered herds of vicunas, a wild relative of the llama. The dominant male would send out a bird like call to his group to alert them of our presence. The lush green valley was called “little pillow.” It was soft, but had little puddles of water everywhere. Diego made sure to tell us to follow in his footsteps as the little puddles were up to 8 feet deep. They would be hard to get out of, as well as cold, if we were to fall in. Max spent the day chasing rabbits, ducks, and vicunas. Alas, he never caught a thing. When we reached the refugio, Luis was already there and had hot coffee waiting for us. I was wet and a little tired, but ready for day three. We were visited by an indigenous woman and two of her children. She had walked from her home a good distance away to collect the fees for our stay. Luis left our gear with us and departed with the two horses and Max. Max somehow knew that he would not accompany us the next day. We ate a delicious dinner, played some quarenta, and retired for the evening at about 7:30. This refugio had no heat, so it was a chilly/cold night.
Day 3 – Another restless night was followed by another early breakfast. When we awoke, it was raining lightly. Diego pointed to where we were to trek for the day and told us it was snowing there. We discussed changing our plan, but decided that snow would be better than rain. Diego said we would ascend to about 16,000 feet and spend the rest of the day hiking at that altitude. Our maximum altitude would about 16,500 feet. I thought we would get to 16,000 feet and walk on a fairly flat trail around the volcano. I was so wrong! It took us about 1 hour to get to our trekking altitude, and indeed it was snowing. Instead of a fairly flat hiking trail, we spent the next 6 hours ascending and descending numerous ridges and valleys. The snow had accumulated to about 5 inches. The views, well, there were none. Visibility was very limited. We stopped for a snack and I was already pretty tired. I felt like we had been on the mountain for at least 4 hours, over half way to the next refugio. The actual time was only 11:00. We had 4 and one half hours left! As the snow accumulated, good footing became difficult. Descending was almost as hard as ascending. My heart and lungs were working hard. My legs began to feel tired and rubbery. Another rest for lunch, only 3 hours left. Another snack rest, only 2 hours left. I was trudging slowly, but still progressing. At times, Jeff and Diego were well ahead of me and out of sight. My heart and lungs settled down and I got into a slow walking rhythm, one foot in front of the other, following Jeff and Diego’s tracks. I stopped once and looked around. It was very beautiful, 16,000 feet high in snowy conditions on a mountain, but I asked myself what a farm boy from Iowa was doing on this volcano in South America. All I could do was slosh on. I caught up with Jeff and Diego, actually, they stopped and waited for me, and we only had 1 hour left. I told Jeff I certainly had an hour left in me and he responded, “Good, because I’m not carrying you.” At this point, my heart and lungs felt good, but my legs were very tired. Despite the altitude and snow, I was working so hard that I was sweating like a pig. Finally, the refugio was within sight. The last 20 minutes were across a plateau, and it was the only time I felt cold. The wind and snow were blowing hard across the open land. I reached the refugio and entered a warm abode with hot coffee waiting for me. I took my jacket off and steam came off my back. I put on dry clothes and drank my coffee. I felt tired, but proud of what I had just done. After some discussion, we decided to cancel day four. The weather didn’t look like it was changing, and we thought another day with no views in snow and wet would be brutal and little fun. I surprised my family by returning to Banos a day early. As I told them about my experience, I realized how fantastic it was. My friend, Paul Pena, put it this way, “Wow, sounds cool and awful at the same time.” The trek was unbelievable, with parts of day 3 being awful indeed.
Day 1 – I got on a bus in Banos at 8:45 in the morning in order to meet my companions at 10:00 in Ambato, a city about 1 hour from Banos. Our meeting point was simply “the entrance to Ambato.” I was told that it was by the “Mercado Mayorista.” I was a little anxious about the vagueness of the meeting point. But, like clockwork, I arrived at about 10:00 precisely as my friends arrived. I heard a car honking, and there they were. We drove about 45 minutes to an old train station, now a hostel, in the pueblo of Urbina. We were met by the owner and two young men named Julio and Luis. Also present was a friendly dog named Max. Diego, our guide, Jeff, and I left with our day packs while Julio and Luis loaded our gear onto horses in order to meet us at a refugio later in the day. We departed at about 11,000 feet and walked about 5 hours to the refugio at about 14,000 feet. The day was truly beautiful and I was not very tired when we reached our destination. Max had accompanied us all day. He was in heaven chasing, but never catching, rabbits. The refugio was rustic with a thatched roof, a fireplace, and a compost toilet. It was in a location where we had stunning views of volcanoes in all directions. Tungurahua was very active, and we could see fire shooting from its cone and hear tremendous eruptions. Luis and Julio cooked us one of the best meals I have had during our entire time in Ecuador. We played a card game called quarenta and then retired for the night.
Day 2 – After a restless night and an early breakfast of granola, yogurt, bread, fruit, and coffee, Diego, Jeff, and I departed at about 8:30 for a 6 hour trek that would take us to about 15,000 feet to the north side of Chimborazo. Max came with us again. Luis and Julio prepared the horses with our gear to meet us at the next refugio. Luis made this journey alone, and his brother returned home. The morning was perfect. Chimborazo loomed powerfully above us in all its glory. The temperature was cool and the sky was clear. We hiked for about an hour and we all got hot. We removed our jackets and continued on in only t-shirts. All the while we listened to Tungurahua belching and erupting in the background. Soon, our beautiful day disappeared. Hail began to fall from the sky while thunder and lightning replaced quiet sunshine. We put on our rain gear and continued on. The storm passed, but we trudged on in wet conditions for the remainder of the day. We descended into a lush green valley, and the refugio was within sight. We also encountered herds of vicunas, a wild relative of the llama. The dominant male would send out a bird like call to his group to alert them of our presence. The lush green valley was called “little pillow.” It was soft, but had little puddles of water everywhere. Diego made sure to tell us to follow in his footsteps as the little puddles were up to 8 feet deep. They would be hard to get out of, as well as cold, if we were to fall in. Max spent the day chasing rabbits, ducks, and vicunas. Alas, he never caught a thing. When we reached the refugio, Luis was already there and had hot coffee waiting for us. I was wet and a little tired, but ready for day three. We were visited by an indigenous woman and two of her children. She had walked from her home a good distance away to collect the fees for our stay. Luis left our gear with us and departed with the two horses and Max. Max somehow knew that he would not accompany us the next day. We ate a delicious dinner, played some quarenta, and retired for the evening at about 7:30. This refugio had no heat, so it was a chilly/cold night.
Day 3 – Another restless night was followed by another early breakfast. When we awoke, it was raining lightly. Diego pointed to where we were to trek for the day and told us it was snowing there. We discussed changing our plan, but decided that snow would be better than rain. Diego said we would ascend to about 16,000 feet and spend the rest of the day hiking at that altitude. Our maximum altitude would about 16,500 feet. I thought we would get to 16,000 feet and walk on a fairly flat trail around the volcano. I was so wrong! It took us about 1 hour to get to our trekking altitude, and indeed it was snowing. Instead of a fairly flat hiking trail, we spent the next 6 hours ascending and descending numerous ridges and valleys. The snow had accumulated to about 5 inches. The views, well, there were none. Visibility was very limited. We stopped for a snack and I was already pretty tired. I felt like we had been on the mountain for at least 4 hours, over half way to the next refugio. The actual time was only 11:00. We had 4 and one half hours left! As the snow accumulated, good footing became difficult. Descending was almost as hard as ascending. My heart and lungs were working hard. My legs began to feel tired and rubbery. Another rest for lunch, only 3 hours left. Another snack rest, only 2 hours left. I was trudging slowly, but still progressing. At times, Jeff and Diego were well ahead of me and out of sight. My heart and lungs settled down and I got into a slow walking rhythm, one foot in front of the other, following Jeff and Diego’s tracks. I stopped once and looked around. It was very beautiful, 16,000 feet high in snowy conditions on a mountain, but I asked myself what a farm boy from Iowa was doing on this volcano in South America. All I could do was slosh on. I caught up with Jeff and Diego, actually, they stopped and waited for me, and we only had 1 hour left. I told Jeff I certainly had an hour left in me and he responded, “Good, because I’m not carrying you.” At this point, my heart and lungs felt good, but my legs were very tired. Despite the altitude and snow, I was working so hard that I was sweating like a pig. Finally, the refugio was within sight. The last 20 minutes were across a plateau, and it was the only time I felt cold. The wind and snow were blowing hard across the open land. I reached the refugio and entered a warm abode with hot coffee waiting for me. I took my jacket off and steam came off my back. I put on dry clothes and drank my coffee. I felt tired, but proud of what I had just done. After some discussion, we decided to cancel day four. The weather didn’t look like it was changing, and we thought another day with no views in snow and wet would be brutal and little fun. I surprised my family by returning to Banos a day early. As I told them about my experience, I realized how fantastic it was. My friend, Paul Pena, put it this way, “Wow, sounds cool and awful at the same time.” The trek was unbelievable, with parts of day 3 being awful indeed.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Tungurahua is Quechua for " Throwing up Fire"
So our family is in one of those down moments when everyone is homesick and tired and missing hot showers and friends and loved ones and recognizable food. Everyone is tired of each other and the very way they breath seems to grate on nerves. . . when nature jolts you out of your self pity and into noticing its tremendous beauty and power.
Tungurahua is Quechua for “throwing up fire”, and that is exactly what Volcan Tungurahua (pronounced toongurwawa) is doing, throwing up fire, rock, smoke and ash. The town in which we are currently living, Banos is located directly below the volcano. We are not in any danger and have listo mochilas (ready bags) packed in case we have to evacuate. The people of Banos are very efficient and practiced at what to do if the volcano actually erupts and throws lava/magma (as it did in 2006) destroying people and property in its path. Our neighbors, teachers, and FUVIRESE (foundation for disabled people we have been volunteering with) people have all been taking care of us and making sure we know what to do if the evacuation alarm goes off. We are right next to the police station and our neighbors have a family compound they will take us to in a safe zone if the volcano erupts. They have also given us goggles and masks if an eruption emits a dangerous amount of ash into the air.
Right now the volcano is just grumbling. The noise is really loud though, like a gigantic thunder clap. Sometimes there is a big boom and then the volcano kind of chugs like it’s working up an explosive detonation. It reminds me of when a kid has a meltdown and they are crying so hard no sound comes out except a couple of inhalations of breathe and then a huge wail comes out. We have classified the thunderous reverberations into two groups. A boom can be a dog alarm which is loud enough to upset dogs and make them all bark simultaneously as well as a mild window shaking. The second group is a car alarm which is louder and stronger and vibrates enough to set off car alarms and shake the heavy wrought iron and plate glass windows of our apartment.
On Friday (5/28/10) we watched at night from the roof of the apartment and saw a fireworks show close to the photo I tried to upload here (if you google tungurahua mayo 28 2010 there are some great pics). The “Big T” as Max and Jane have named it, put on an amazing nocturnal performance. We could see red lines shooting from the cone into the night sky and then what looked like red rocks hurtling down the cone of the volcano in a blazing path. About 30 seconds later we could hear the booming sound. I think because of the distance there is a delay between what you see and hear similar to watching a storm and seeing the lightning then later hearing the thunder.
During the day you only get the booming sounds and vibrations and on the rare occasion it is clear (we’re in the rainy season here) you can see the smoke pluming up. Without the visuals during the day, the sound is a huge whooshhhhh, something like a giant blowtorch or the sound of shooting off fireworks before you see them. We have gotten some ash here in Banos. It was all over the cars after the first day, but apparently because of wind direction the smoke and ash is all blowing west toward the coast. The city of Guyaquil has literally had black clouds of ash hanging over it for days.
Sleep has been sporadic during the last couple of days. Every time I fall asleep, the volcano lets off a sonic boom and I am jolted awake. This goes on most of the night. Max, however, would like me to inform you his sleep is as sound as ever. Our Spanish teacher says the whole city of Banos and the surrounding area is tired because of Tungurahua. It is also bad for business because the tourists are staying away and tourism is the main industry in Banos.
Paying close attention to nature, Beth signing off Jane, Max, Bruce .
To see some amazing pics and video go to this website:
www.elcomercio.com/2010-05-29/Noticias/Pais/Noticia-Principal/actividad-del-Tungurahua-baja.aspx
Tungurahua is Quechua for “throwing up fire”, and that is exactly what Volcan Tungurahua (pronounced toongurwawa) is doing, throwing up fire, rock, smoke and ash. The town in which we are currently living, Banos is located directly below the volcano. We are not in any danger and have listo mochilas (ready bags) packed in case we have to evacuate. The people of Banos are very efficient and practiced at what to do if the volcano actually erupts and throws lava/magma (as it did in 2006) destroying people and property in its path. Our neighbors, teachers, and FUVIRESE (foundation for disabled people we have been volunteering with) people have all been taking care of us and making sure we know what to do if the evacuation alarm goes off. We are right next to the police station and our neighbors have a family compound they will take us to in a safe zone if the volcano erupts. They have also given us goggles and masks if an eruption emits a dangerous amount of ash into the air.
Right now the volcano is just grumbling. The noise is really loud though, like a gigantic thunder clap. Sometimes there is a big boom and then the volcano kind of chugs like it’s working up an explosive detonation. It reminds me of when a kid has a meltdown and they are crying so hard no sound comes out except a couple of inhalations of breathe and then a huge wail comes out. We have classified the thunderous reverberations into two groups. A boom can be a dog alarm which is loud enough to upset dogs and make them all bark simultaneously as well as a mild window shaking. The second group is a car alarm which is louder and stronger and vibrates enough to set off car alarms and shake the heavy wrought iron and plate glass windows of our apartment.
On Friday (5/28/10) we watched at night from the roof of the apartment and saw a fireworks show close to the photo I tried to upload here (if you google tungurahua mayo 28 2010 there are some great pics). The “Big T” as Max and Jane have named it, put on an amazing nocturnal performance. We could see red lines shooting from the cone into the night sky and then what looked like red rocks hurtling down the cone of the volcano in a blazing path. About 30 seconds later we could hear the booming sound. I think because of the distance there is a delay between what you see and hear similar to watching a storm and seeing the lightning then later hearing the thunder.
During the day you only get the booming sounds and vibrations and on the rare occasion it is clear (we’re in the rainy season here) you can see the smoke pluming up. Without the visuals during the day, the sound is a huge whooshhhhh, something like a giant blowtorch or the sound of shooting off fireworks before you see them. We have gotten some ash here in Banos. It was all over the cars after the first day, but apparently because of wind direction the smoke and ash is all blowing west toward the coast. The city of Guyaquil has literally had black clouds of ash hanging over it for days.
Sleep has been sporadic during the last couple of days. Every time I fall asleep, the volcano lets off a sonic boom and I am jolted awake. This goes on most of the night. Max, however, would like me to inform you his sleep is as sound as ever. Our Spanish teacher says the whole city of Banos and the surrounding area is tired because of Tungurahua. It is also bad for business because the tourists are staying away and tourism is the main industry in Banos.
Paying close attention to nature, Beth signing off Jane, Max, Bruce .
To see some amazing pics and video go to this website:
www.elcomercio.com/2010-05-29/Noticias/Pais/Noticia-Principal/actividad-del-Tungurahua-baja.aspx
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