South America

This blog used to be mostly about travel and when I look back to my first entry---- I see a lot of evolution. Travel is still my Passion and the nice thing about becoming a teacher is having summers again.

Maya and decided to go to South America for a three week trip since neither of us had been to the continent before. We made a last minute decision to join some old Boston friends on a Machu Piccu trip in Peru first. We hiked the Salkantay trail for five days and some beautiful landscapes. Peru seems like an awesome place to travel and probably most popular tourist destination as well in South America. They've got every micro climate in Latin America in Peru and even though our hike took us through jungle, mountain, glacier, cloud forest, rain forest, meatball forest

- ok well all of those except the last one -there were plenty of others we didn't see. 

The food in Peru was great (better than Ecuador I'd say). I love the "soup" course and tried many delicious varieties. I also tried cuy, which is guinea pig, and found it to be very strong and greasy in taste. It was not my favorite, especially at the expensive price here of $20-$30. Alpaca on the other hand was delicious. Both Ecuador and Peru seem like they have more variety than Guatemala with their rice, beans, and tortillas at every meal. But really I spent a few weeks here, I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Back in Peru, I got a little altitude sickness at about 15,000 ft at the top of our mountain/glacier component of our hike but it was worth it for the views (coming soon). Being on a glacier was probably the most different thing of the whole trip. Machu Piccu was certainly impressive but I have a hard time when I'm doing things that seem so utterly un-special or rather over frequented by tourists. Which is ironic since I bet MP is on a lot of peoples' bucket lists. This is probably a reflection of my privilege and experience with global travel. 

The next component of our trip consisted of one week cycling in Ecuador with a group of 6 American gringos (well one was of Hispanic American origin). Our trek was also all american. The landscapes were also quite varied and beautiful. We did a great chocolate tour (plantation and manufacturer bean to bar) in beautiful Mindo. After a short bird watching experience we climbed about 8,000 ft on mountain bikes one day. This was the most exhausting day. 

We've been also cycling around volcanos and moving between asphalt, cobblestone, dirt, grass, and rock surfaces keeping things interesting. We made a quick visit to the equator line as I did in Uganda so now I just need to get there on the Eastern Hemisphere line (so I think Jakarta ish area?). Next up, Prime Meridian? Poles? 

Overall my impression of this one part of south America has been favorable and it's a relatively comfortable poverty tourism experience. Things just seem to be going a little better, they are slightly more organized, than in the African countries I've visited. The hotels have big jugs of free mineral water. You don't see quite as many street vendors and random piles of trash. Locals take out money from ATMs, not just the foreigners, more people have cars but yet public transportation like buses is still very functional - because it has to be for a majority (whereas it doesn't work great in Atlanta and doesn't have to since it's not a majority population base of users - although I wish that would change). 

Even though Ecuador is similar to the size of Colorado, two weeks was not enough time to see that much. The terrain is so mountain-e that you have to fly places to really move around efficiently. Cuenca in the south is over 7 hours from Quito driving. We really wanted to do the Galapagos but it takes a surprising amount of time to do it.  So instead we take off for the jungle tomorrow. 4 days at a remote lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon, will report back soon.