In the land of Red Rocks II

After such a wonderful start of my hiking adventure in Sedona the previous day I decided to go with the flow and attack the highest peak - the Wilson Mountain. Rated as a hard trek this 11 mile round trip has 2500+ feet of elevation change (~770m) and presents one of the nicest challenges to hike. It is named after an old Arkansas bear hunter known as Richard Wilson, who was mauled by a bear here in the 1880's. Wilson was a farm hand for the famous Thompson Family (formerly of Indian Gardens) and was asked to watch over the family, while the patriarch Jim Thompson, was attending court in nearby Prescott, Arizona. When he failed to show up after 8 days, his body was later found in a big canyon just below present day  Midgley Bridge. Both the canyon he was found in, and the mountain above, now honor his name as Wilson Canyon and Wilson Mountain respectively.
At the top there is rewarding view that stretches over hundreds of square miles of scenic canyon country and include Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Coffee Pot Rock, Capitol Butte, Sterling Canyon and the Verde Valley. Sounds about like something I would like to hike!

Red and green come hand in hand in Sedona.

Sunrise over the red rocks, breathtaking and majestic red mountains.

On the trail to the Mt Wilson, Steamboat Rock in the background.

I started the day early, anxious to be at the trail head at the sunrise. It was quite beautiful to be driving out of my Sacred Rocks location while the starts were slowly disappearing, their light being overtaken by first rays of the rising sun. It was a brisk, almost frosty morning with a strong promise of a clear weather. Midgley Bridge  was very quiet and peaceful. There was no single car parked when I arrived first thing in the morning. I paid the entrance fee in the machine by picnic area and undisturbed by anyone started my hike up. 

11 mile round trip to Mt Wilson peak, the highest mountain top around Sedona.

Soon after leaving the trail-head the trail starts climbing up.

Hiking up, there were sections of the trail covered with opuntia cactuses, heavy from rich purple fruits. I was not aware that the fruits of most prickly pears are edible. They are also sold in stores under the name "tuna". Prickly pear branches (the pads) are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They, too, are sold in stores under the name "Nopalito." Because of the glochids, great care is required when harvesting or preparing prickly pear cactus.

Fruited prickly pear of the BEAVERTAIL CACTUS.

Prickley pear cactus fruit.

 Glochids are often difficult to see and more difficult to remove, once lodged in the skin. Both fruits and pads of the prickly pear cactus are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fibers that may help keep blood sugar stable. Now I knew I wasn't going to die of starvation on this mountain!

In the land of Red Rocks

Sometimes ideas where to go next come from research, sometimes from suggestions and inspiration by other people. The trip to Arizona was one of the people's inspirations. I was looking for a mountains destination that would not be too inaccessible in the winter yet challenging and inspiring. My Facebook friends suggested various directions, and after the usual initial research that I always do, Sedona, AZ was the perfect weekend get-away for long Thanksgiving weekend. 

Breathtaking panoramas and beautiful colors enhanced by the warmth of sunset colors.

On my way to the Bear Mountain.

I had no idea what to expect. I have never been to the desert, never in any of the southern States, my first hiking trip in the USA. Testing waters as one might think. Traveling within the same country seems so much easier in comparison to far-away exotic backpacking trips. Western civilization and infrastructure make things so convenient. Booking my flight for miles, booking lodging through Airbnb, booking a car for miles. Once my mind was sent it took couple hours to find places to go and organize. My biggest item was the lodging, I did not want to stay in a hotel-chain or any of the more downtown locations. I was lucky to have found a perfect spot via Airbnb, Sedona Sacred Rocks B&B, which was formerly a Buddhist Retreat Center, rests on two secluded Red Rock acres adjoining two thousand acres of the Coconino National forest, the Mountain Lion room. Very interesting place and a nice retreat if you like quiet time in the countryside. Perfect for meditation, relaxing, a great location to commute to any hiking location really. On top of the exquisite location they also offer horseback riding and spiritual retreat - meditation and participating in healing rituals.
 

Sedona Sacred Rocks Retreat Center, the locals were very friendly joining in watching the sun go down.

Sedona Sacred Rocks Retreat Center, one of several cute courtyards.

I knew I would be happy with it and it did not disappoint me.

Ecuador food habits and local cuisine, Quito thermal baths as a bonus!

Food market in Otavalo, not surprisingly it looks just as colorful and fresh as in other South American countries. It actually looks pretty much like Asian markets I have been, too.

Most travelers always say how they look for local flavors and enjoy local cuisine (or perhaps that they did not enjoy at all, usually there is a strong opinion one way or another).

Hold on. Do most of them? Really? Now that I think about it, the travelers I meet and people who describe themselves as 'travelers' (because they went on a package all-inclusive holidays) say that but it does not give justice to what I think should fall into this category. My own perspective is quite particular and it does not include all-you-can-eat 'local inspired' food experiences. It is true that not all the people are the same adventurous and not all the people have to be into new experiences. I understand that. But then for goodness sake do not call yourself a world traveler and a globetrotter if you are afraid of getting down and dirty with local cuisine.Understanding people through how they prepare and eat their food has long been my secret way of uncovering what lies underneath.

Encebollado (no animal products, although I am sure the broth was meat-based) - a hearty soup with potatoes, onions and other stuff ;) limes and hot sauce. For snacks - plantain chips and popcorn. And the way to eat it is to mix everything together in the soup.

What is there to see and what I did manage to capture to share with you - Amazon experience in Ecuador

The green color of Ecuadorian Amazon jungle wants to come at you; Just looking at it it creates a feeling of overflow, serious abundance of richness. It is so vivid and juicy that it makes you want to drink it, swim in it, look at it..... all the time. How come one part of the world can have it all, while elsewhere in the world people are oblivious to it; never given a chance of experiencing the paradise. In the Amazon you are bathing in pure form of prehistoric beauty. The green thick coat is craggy. The sound of jungle is crooning to your ears. End of rainy season produced water levels so high that most of the trees are half way under water. It makes river transportation so easy and risk-free. High water means to risk of bumping into underwater rocks, dead trees and other surprises.

Two species of Sloth in the Cuyabeno area. The bigger of the two is smiling at you from this photo. We caught him taking a nap. He looked at us and curled away disgust with all the interest he was getting. 

 

Yes, that is right, curled into a ball, back to his nap. These animals are active only few hours a day. Interesting fact: they go down to the ground once every week or two to poop. It is a clean animal, the poop gets covered as well! The reason for that is simple: keeping predators away form his hiding place. Even though they go from tree to tree within several miles radius, while they are asleep they do not want to be seen or smelled. Hence pooping happens elsewhere, not from the tree level. We also did see the smaller Sloth species but it was too hidden to photograph. His fur was covered with spots and the color was a bit darker than this ones.

Monkeys everywhere, 10 species I managed to see and capture some. This one I believe is a Capuchin monkey. They are said to be the most predatory, the eat pretty much anything and unlike their other cousins, their diet includes eggs and meat.

El Cajas part 2

Let me just tell you this, I was extremely lucky. The weather was pleasant and clear, unlike most days when it is foggy and rainy. I thought I ended up catching a trail a didn't mean to, complete mystery because on the map they are well apart. I surely did not want to spend the night alone on a wet cold mountain, with no supplies and no light. I surely did not mean to run out of water, my plan was sufficient for a days trip but not longer. 
I never carry unnecessary weight on me, and water is heavy. :| My 650ml was OK but at the end of the day I had only small bit left.

The hike up was strenuous but not out what I expected. I was happy that there was no need for trail watching as there seemed to be only one way up. Or two ways shall I say - the hikers trail and the horse trail. Following in the same direction though. In my previous post on El Cajas you could see a basic trail mark - the color and positioning.

After the steep climb that was indicated in the trail description, the road at the highest point was going down north to the village of Patul and my trail was south east. This view is of the valley where Patul is.

Never-ending stripes of lakes and wetlands, clear horse tracks and donkey tracks,

...Occasional riders here and there on the first part of the trail leading to village of Patul...

I was stopping often partly to catch my breath but most importantly to admire the views and take pictures. Even though the motorway was still visible, I felt really adventurous just by being there and hiking up where tens of local people hike every day.

The Amazon experience - preparation

One of the reasons why I really wanted to visit Ecuador was the widely commented abundance of wild life and spectacular ecosystems open to hikers. In my earlier post I already explained what is Ecuadorian government policy and why is this country so unique. You can read about it again HERE. I am all about preservation and it inspired me to get out of the comfort of American Midwest and hop on the plain to experience it first-hand.
I planned my first days to be spent in the Amazon. For many of you travellers, the Amazon is usually on one's bucket list, and it was on mine too. I have always wanted to go and admire the Venezuelan Angel's Falls, which is relatively deep in the Amazon, 3-day canoe trip to get to its base. I have always thought that will be my first experience with the Amazon wildlife and that the adventure to get to there cannot be possibly compared with anything else.  It is still true that the particular trip is my dream and while it is still on my list, pending better political climate and my increased Spanish skills, I chose not to wait for it. I am a person that does not like to sit and wait for a long time for something that may never happen. To wait for Venezuela to pull itself together is like waiting for impossible (no offense). My decision to go to Ecuador and experience the Amazon from there was based on safety, experience and common sense. It turned out to be a spectacular success and I am happy with the way I carry my due diligence. 

How was it, The Amazon experienced from the Cuyabeno Eco lodge? First you need to know where you want to go, before you can get there.

Amazing trees are amazing, every one of them is different.

The Great Lagoon, water was unusually high even for the rainy season.

Return to Quito

I'm writing this from the airport, on my way back home. It feels almost surreal, few hours ago I was strolling through Quito, discovering its inner and outer beauty. Now I am sitting in the airport lounge pondering about work assignments waiting for me and planning how to get back to my corporate life in the smoothest possible way.

Band rehearsals in the park. Fresh air and lots of freedom to express musical passions. It was fun to watch them!

Plaza Grande - Plaza de la Independencia in Quito Old Town with its interesting history - linked to Wikipedia for your reading pleasure!

Police are patrolling the Old Town on smart carts, so popular in other capital cities and not only. They can be seen from Portugal to Poland, they are also becoming a popular means of transportation for patrols and for tourist in the USA, Pittsburgh has got them as well, you can see people moving quietly through the streets of the business district.

Parque La Carolina in Quito Business District

I spent last couple days in Quito, a melt down after extensive weeks of travel. It surely was a good decision. I discovered a whole new Quito.
Read on.

Adrenaline rush in El Cajas part 1

On the trail, breathtaking views I could never tire of

On the trail, breathtaking views I could never tire of

The main attraction in El Cajas National Park is its 275 plus Andean lakes. That is something I really wanted to see first-hand. There is also a special high altitude grass lands that I have not seen before. The type of ecosystem is called páramos. In the west there is a cloud forest that must also be a great place to hike, however I have not gone that far. The weather itself is a challenge as well: "A typical day often begins cloud-free, cold, crisp, and occasionally windy until mid-morning; then increased cloud cover from lower elevations, caused by convectional and orographic uplift, brings rain, sleet, fog, and drizzle for much of the afternoon; clearing often occurs in the late afternoon or early evening.  Nights are always cold and usually clear with stars filling the skies; however, frost is frequent in the high páramos and snow is common at the highest altitudes. 

The waterfall valley, I called it that because there were waterfalls coming at me from all directions.

During any given day of the year rain, ice, snow, and fog may alternate abruptly with clear sunny skies and elevated temperatures; in one moment the wet cold necessitates heavy clothing, raincoats, and gloves, while in the next moment, lotion is needed to protect against sunburn. " So that is the kind of setting I was getting myself into. Not to mention the elevation of course. 
Check out this little chart with list of all trails and their parameters:

Trail list - http://www.parque-nacional-cajas.org

http://www.parque-nacional-cajas.org/tracks.html

The elevation profile of my trail. Actually I went higher, as I went off the trail to hike the tallest mountain near by. 

The Amazon - what it is like - a life inside of the jungle

The only opportunity to see what is inside the Amazon jungle, is to go inside the jungle. We were given the privilege and opportunity of hiking all in. During the rainy season the challenge is more complicated than in dry season because access from the Cuyabeno lodge is difficult. The lodge is located inside an ecosystem characterized by semi-permanently inundated forests flooded by black-water rivers, or igapó. And water there is truly black. As it was explained to me, it is caused by decomposition of the natural matter - chemical characteristics of the soil and the leaves and everything else that falls into water makes the water turn slightly black and makes it more acid than in other water Eco-systems. Thanks to the acidity of water mosquitoes and other parasites do not survive hence making the "water experience" so much more pleasant.  

Everything has its purpose. Eat or be eaten. If you look closely the big hopper is dead. Another species laid its eggs inside and consumed the poor b*stard from inside. All its left is this empty shell.

This poor little worm stays in a cocoon inside for many many years, and when the transformation is done and it is ready to get out, it does it only for a day - to procrastinate and die.

In Tena and moving to Macas, Cuyabeno memories

I have had a great time at the Cuyabeno Lodge. The animals were plentiful, the river was overflown and the laguna water level was so high that all of the sign posts were practically under water. It is hard to imagine that in a few months time the whole lake will be completely dry and all the trips will be made on foot.

Blue and yellow macaws flying in the direction of sunset.

Sunset over the small laguna - everything was still, no movement anywhere.

the tower observatory, view on the Amazon jungle and Great Laguna

Lago Agrio and to Cuyabeno Lodge

I did not take a bus ride to the distant Terminal Terrestre de Carcelén bus terminal in Quito. Trying my luck for the third time a day could have been two much: 4 blocks walking in the dark streets of empty neighborhoods and catching two buses on Sunday evening.. I took a taxi in the end. Being rushed to make sure I get a sit in the last evening bus, I arrived at the station way early and had to spend marvelous 4 hrs waiting for departure. I was told the terminal had all the amenities, but having arrived and checked.. all it was, was a row of food carts and a row of shopping carts in the open air, couple of benches on the side and gate entries to two bus platforms. I walked around the terminal to make sure I wasn't missing any of the promised buzz, but nope, there was none. So I plopped myself on a high chair of one of the friendlier looking vendors and shared next 4 hours with them.

Terminal Terrestre de Carcelén at night.

After small 30 minutes I was already uncomfortable and awkward. I managed to order a hot tea - which always meets a surprised faces as people in Ecuador do not regard tea drinking much. They indulge on coffee all day long, and on soda pop. Every time I was ordering a tea I had to repeat myself several times as they were not sure. What is funny, even though Spanish dictionary says a tea is simple un té, or té negro (black tea) this does not get you anywhere in Ecuador. You must specify that you want AROMATICAS and then it is all easy. Which is funny because it is a herbal tea. But you can take it from there and then say that you want a black tea. This way they will understand you easier.

Phone cabin, imagine that!

Surprisingly business is not bad for them, during my waiting time there were around 20 customers having meals and I was observing meal preparation and serving from the front line. The lady (single person operation) was very efficient and organized, as she had to be for such a limited space inside the food cart.

First day in Ecuador and I have risked my life more than once, according to some

I'm not joking with that I went far today, in terms of crossing norms that are reserved for tourists. I will be trying to catch a night bus to Lago Agrio as soon as I finish my English tea (which is a weird thing in Ecuador, they do not celebrate tea time at all here). It is a little challenge to get where I need to be without using taxis. But hey bus tickets will cost me 0,5$ while taxi is 10$ ;)))

View of the Quito Old City from the El Panecillo (45-meter-tall stone monument of Madonna)

I hope you can appreciate how beautifully located Quito is.

$10 is a small charge, insignificant almost, so why bother with public transportation? Because taking taxis or private drivers it takes away all the fun of catching local buses. There is a point where having a private driver can enhance traveling experience, if you are fluent in local language and can engage in a meaningful conversation with your driver. That can be enriching and I wish I could speak Spanish! Otherwise using public forms of transportation lets me experience how people move about their daily lives.  So how did I risk my life today? Well..

Let me tell you about my day. After a short night - I arrived in Hostel Minka well after midnight - I hit the streets of Quito at a reasonable 9 am around with a plan to walk all over the Old Town left and right. First impression wasn't exactly favorable. You know how it is, you arrive in a strange city in a strange culture, how to make it easy to assimilate and blend in? It is a tough job. Sundays in Ecuador are particularly strange because most businesses do not open and the only thing that keeps people moving is the mass attendance. This produces a view of empty streets and only churches being full. I happen to have arrived on Sunday so my first impression was just that!

But I did not get discouraged, rightly so. As the day developed more people were coming out to hang around. Around lunch time it was busy enough to make me feel more comfortable. My first steps have been to the Basilica, as I was so close to it. Surprised faces of people watching be go around the beautiful inside of the church.  

The back view of  the Basilica of the National Vow (Basílica del Voto Nacional). Not many people take on the challenge of climbing the hill and taking the rear view. It is really beautiful though.

I admired the details of the Basilica, I found it harmonious and well designed.

I stumbled upon this cute little celebration in from of the Basilica. Apparently these young ladies have finished their rehearsals and took the opportunity of having their pictures taken by a family photographer. All of their friends and family were there to celebrate their accomplishment together. It was fun to watch them posing.

El Panceillo hill, the Basilica in the background.

Here I was taking this shot while climbing towards El Panecillo. It is a steep climb, hundreds of steps and narrow street. The top part, after you pass a little football court, goes through private possessions and the street is narrow enough for one person only. There are dogs lying on the steps and chilling, if you dare to pass them on your own.. I did not. I waited for local hosts to be outside and possibly heading in the same direction than me. They have a way of dealing with the dogs which I am not going to explain here..

on the way to Ecuador first taste of drama

The thing is that you never expect things to go wrong before you hit the road. If you are familiar with risk management you may try to build complicated mitigation plans and alternative plans in case you plan A does not work. The truth is that while on the road anything and everything can happen. 
When I was on the bus to Cape Tribulations I was forewarn specifically that land slides and river floods were not uncommon. In the event of unlucky weather conditions one can get literally stuck, separated from any means of transportation. God forbid if a life threathening injury occurs during this time. You'd better have air evacuation purchased with your insurance premium. 

my anti mosquito artilery

Equipped with all past learnings and experiences I did purchase evacuation package with my premium ;) I dont intend to get friendly with anacondas or piranias of this world, but better be safe than sorry. Even a simple injury can become deadly if not treated and prolonged for a long period of time. I feel I am loaded with all the first aid medicments, the stuff I never use in a daily life. Antiobiotics, oitments, 6 types of tablets for all sorts of medical problems, bandaids, headcold infection, nasal infection, throat soureness, headache, pain... makes me feel sick just writing all of it. You are probably wondering. All this because I dont speak local language and from what I udnerstand it can be quite challenging to obtain meds that are legitimate. A lot of medical products get forged or is simply unavailable. It was even stronger case in South Asia. Besides who wants to spend time looking for GP recommendations when I can simply diagnose myself and take what I think is right for me at that particular time. You need to know yourself, this is also true. Are you prone to indigestion or infections? What are the typical symptoms that make you look for medication and what symptoms are known to sort themselves out? Are you pain-sesitive or can you cope? 
This time I decided to take Malaron with me. As you may know it is a globally known anti-malaria drug. In the past, when i Mekong Delta or up country Burma I was taking a risk with not taking this drug. The side effects of the drug scared me and the number of people who suffers from side effects seems greater than other drugs (it is ~5%). Not this time, I have a feeling there will be lots of options for me when I arrive in the Oriente and I may decide to stay in the lowlands for longer time that all my previous times in malaria reported areas. 2-4 days I can risk, but if I go longer say 5-10, I think the risk goes significantly up. Using DEET at least 40% (lower % does not have sufficient protection from amazonian mosquitos) reduced the risk, also knowledge what species of mosquitos are active at what times and what diseases they can spread. All this fun stuff to learn! ;) 
I dag out my mosquito repellent I brought from Burma. By average a 150-200ml DEET container lasts me about two weeks. By the time I was on my third week in Burma I run out of my American DEET and I was forced to go and explore local options. It turned out that this India produced repllent did excellent job, so I brought few tubes with me and now I have it with me here in Ecuador. Backup plan, tested. 

Ecuador trip preparation, general information health and safety

This time I chose a new continent to bite on. Close proximity from North America and general country indicators made me believe that from all the choice, South America and Ecuador in particular, are going to become my new travel destination. The story of my slight fascination about Ecuador goes back to my Australian trip. An amazingly giving person I met on my way there, was and Ecuadorian. He made part of my Tasmanian Overland hike very special, made me feel more confident and welcomed in Tasmanian bush. After that trip I started thinking about destination ideas and doing research for feasibility. Yes, I know, I went to Myanmar first, a totally different direction, but from the feasibility perspective it was a better choice at that time. I was based out of Poland EU, now I am based out of USA East Coast. I will not get any closer to South American continent in the near future. So Ecuador it is. 

http://www.ecuador-travel-guide.org/

Not many people know that Ecuador is the first country to recognize Rights of Nature in its Constitution (2008). A small thing but it makes it a very interesting destination because it means the nature in Ecuador is so unique that it required its own voice. 

Check this video about Ecuador constitution Nature's Rights https://youtu.be/9i4EexIF_3E 

Yes it is diverse and very versatile. A relatively small country but packed with unbelievable number of rare attractions. Interestingly, it has also been recognized as a retirement heaven for Western expats (check the Global Retirement Index - Ecuador is no 2 for 2016, out placed by Panama).

But what about health and safety? 

Cape Tribulations, Daintree Forest and Moosman Gorge, Mount Sorrow as well!