Thursday, June 18, 2009

Ecuador and the start of Colombia

Montanita
Ecuadorian beach town similar in look and feel to Mancora, but probably had a bit more laid-back vibe in day and fesitive mentality after dark. A good place... unfortunately we arrived on a Sunday night in the off-season so it was quiet and the sea was chop so we didn´t stay long.



Banos
A return to the mountains to a town which is named after it´s hot springs or baths (also the word for bathrooms). Probably rained more in the 5 days we were there than it has in the prior 5 months of travel, so pictures are limited to ensure continued camera operation.

We did visit the hot springs, but they were nothing special and not worth writing about... well except when an English guy I´m traveling with used an elderly lady´s bar of soap for the pre-shower and she didn´t appreciate it, but that was just somewhat typical, confusing and hilarious spanish comedy.

I also did a 3 day white water kayaking course. Two days in a swimming pool and then a day on the river.


Learned to roll over, sometimes it worked...

and sometimes not so much. A good time with the highlight of course being on the river and the highlight of that was coming across 8 or 9 Ecuadoran boys swimming/bathing in the river. After a minute I had 4 of them hanging off of and sitting on the Kayak as I attemtped to paddle downsteam.

The Evil Empire of Colombia
So before the start of this trip (and really for the last 26 years) I´ve read and likely watched the same Colombian news highlights as you of how FARC is running wild and how this drug rich country continuously plots how to poison America´s youth. I had no desire to come here.

However, every person traveling that I talked to that had been to Colombia not only recommended it, but listed it as a highlight, with the most common claim being that the most friendly people residing in the sud americas live in this great dangerous evil empire. After hearing the same praises repeated, I set aside almost a month to travel here, basically ran though Ecuador to make it, and shockingly somehow lost even more faith in the always "objective" American media.

Cali
Toured around the town of Cali for two days. A good stopping point to break up the journey to Bogota, but was a nice big somewhat typical city... probably the richest city I´ve visited in several months. Was also rummored to have the most attractive woman in the world (often aided my modern plastics), but didn´t seem overly superior to other places.

Armenia
Stopped in Armenia to do a coffee tour. Found one about an hour out of town via local busses and then a 2 km walk down a plantane tree lined road.



Bean picker - makes about 15 cents per kilo picked. Picks around 70 - 100 kilos per day.


The winter cafe picking atire

New Zealand guy I´m traveling with, Shane, drying out the beans. Over a two hour tour where we saw and participated in the whole process.



Ant, Shane and I and one of the best cups of coffee I´ve ever had.

Next
Night bus to Bogota tonight.

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