Mom takes over the Blog
Sitting on the airplane clutching my only remaining Kleenex and chewing on the last, coveted Pepto Bismal tablet in our First Aid kit, I reflected on how hard it is to leave our little Dana behind in a foreign land. And yet it is her spirit of adventure and passion for social justice that has led Mike and me on vacations beyond our wildest imaginings! Ecuador was no exception. :)

We began in Guayaquil, a day late after delays in Tampa caused us to miss our connecting flight in Ft. Lauderdale. The Southwest flight we took from Tampa to Ft Lauderdale should have given us a three and a half hour layover, allowing plenty of time to make our connection to Ecuador on Avianca Air. After being told a pack of lies in Tampa regarding the cause of our 4 hour delay, my hysteria button was pushed when a Southwest Flight to Ft. Lauderdale that was scheduled to leave an hour and a half later than our flight was given priority to take off. In attempting to protest the unfairness of the situation, I was reduced to blubbering and gesturing! Once I settled down, I called Avianca to explain our circumstances. The understanding agent ended up waving the penalty fees for missing our flight and when neither my cell phone nor my phone card would authorize a call to Ecuador letting Dana know we'd be a day late, I called my brother, Terry, and asked him to relay the message to her. That worked and Mike and I resigned ourselves to the situation.

Our first day of exploring Ecuador began on Good Friday in Guyaquil's Iguana Park, where a large iguana with a very full bladder let loose from a tree high above. Instinctively, I jumped and was able to avoid the unexpected shower! Leaving the park, we headed down the riverfront walkway admiring a host of tropical plants before climbing the 500 tiny steps up SanAna Hill for a view of the city. That night, Dana's host family from Guasmo Sur met us at the hotel for a swim and dinner. By the next morning, I could feel the 1000 tiny steps up and down the hill in my calf muscles and walked around like a crippled old lady for the next five days!

Ellie & Dana with Ceci, Dana's Guasmo Mom. Click to see more pics of Family Fun in Guayaquil:


Saturday morning we took a taxi to Mi Cometa and witnessed PAIC in action. PAIC is the children's project Dana's been coordinating and documenting in the barrio where she lives. We played games with the children in their classroom and Mike gave lessons on how to throw an American football in the neighborhood's park. Afterwards, we met the adults who hosted an anniversary party for us that evening under Dana's direction in the Mi Cometa building. Mike and I felt very honored and celebrated by the people who adore Dana and automatically extended their affection to us! Thank heavens music and dancing are a universal language since it was our only method of communication when we lost our translator on the dance floor!

Easter Sunday mass was celebrated in a magnificent cathedral that shared the same city block as our hotel and from there, we headed for the bus terminal to catch our ride to Cuenca, an ancient city teeming with indigenous pride in the south of Ecuador. The 4 hour bus ride on wet, winding, muddy mountain roads was more terrifying than any theme park thrill ride and the need to use the bus' lavatory with its putrid odor, lack of lighting and airtight door, made me feel like a victim in a Steven King novel! We dined along the route on Pepto Bismal, cracker-toast and water trying to settle our queasy stomachs, and I wished with all my might I was the easy going type who could enjoy the incredible scenery whizzing by!

Two and a half days wandering the old, historic section of Cuenca 8,300 feet above sea level was a welcome relief from the heat of Guayaquil. Dana secured a room for us in a bed and breakfast in an old mansion built into the side of a hill next to the Tomebamba River which separates the old and modern sides of Cuenca. We investigated the ancient remains of the Incan city and visited a beautiful cathedral. Mike bought a handmade hat for football season since straw hats are a leading industry in that area. We had a picnic by the river, ate in good and bad restaurants and walked miles and miles of inclined streets, my sore calves screaming all the way!

Stained Glass Windows with Indigenous Faces One of Cuenca's Cathedrals, click for more pics:


On Wednesday morning, March 30, we took a taxi to the airport for our 8:30 AM flight from Cuenca to Quito. What would have been a day long bus ride, took 35 minutes from take off to landing! Dana's friends, Jose and Carolina, picked us up at the airport and housed us in a guest apartment where the program they sponsor for teenage boys operates. We joined their group for a field trip to an exhibit on the frogs of Ecuador, amazed to see live what's photographed in National Geographic magazine! After a home cooked lunch, Jose loaded us into his 4 wheel drive and chauffeured us to the center of the Earth (Mitad del Mundo) where we stood on the imaginary line of the Equator.

Equatorial kiss, click for more Quito pics:


150 meters north of the official Monument on the Equator, we had a wonderful tour of a pre-Incan village displaying a simple, carved pole which was proven by GPS to be the most accurate coordinates of the Earth's center years after the construction of the big monument. Since the pull of gravity is perpendicular to the Earth at that point, Mike and Dana were able to balance an egg on the head of a nail! It was humbling to realize the intelligence of the indigenous people who studied the sun, moon and stars and could determine with such precision what scientists would later confirm with their sophisticated instruments.

Thursday was another packed day, beginning with breakfast with the boys and followed by a walking tour of the city center lead by Carolina. We went into an old monastery, cathedral, government buildings and passed symbolic statues. The tour ended at "Casa Victoria," the once beautiful country villa of a famous Ecuadorian genealogist that fell into total disrepair and housed vagrant squatters in recent years. The house is in what Jose, Carolina and their families see as a transition neighborhood and they, along with the boys are restoring the home to its former beauty so it can be used for their project with the boys. Jose, being an architect, is the director of renovation and Mike was given the job of scraping six coats of paint from the spindles on a balcony!

After a day of work, we made a late last minute decision to brave the rush hour traffic to visit the thermal springs in Papallacta, a small village nestled between two volcanoes that heat the springs. When we stopped to fill the car with gas, Mike went into a convenience store and bought cheese and crackers for our dinner with the little bit of cash he had with him. He used his remaining money for admission into springs. By the time we reached the pools, the outside air was frigid but the water was steaming and as I changed into my bathing suit in the chilly dressing room, I thought my actions almost as daring as using the toilet on the bus ride from hell! After plunging into the water, all was well and we had a relaxing soak for about an hour. On the drive back to Quito, Jose pulled off the road so we could get out of the car and gaze at the millions of stars visible in the night sky. We felt as though we were at the top of the world! The Big Dipper was upside down, the Southern Cross was visible and the white of the Milky Way was clearly evident. It was a truly magical experience!

Arriving back at our apartment, the magic had given way to hunger from a dinner of crackers. Gaston, one of the boys' teachers, was reading when we entered the apartment and asked what was wrong when he saw the pained expression on my face. "I'm so hungry," I whined. "All we had for dinner was crackers!" With that, he started searching for food and put on water for tea. Dana and I snacked on whatever was available, but Mike only had tea and went to bed. When I asked if he'd brushed his teeth, he said he'd done that before we went out. "You mean before we ate the crackers?" I asked. "Yes," he said, "and I don't need to brush them again because I've eaten so many crackers, I feel like a parrot. Just call me Polly."

Revived by the snack, I decided to brave the suspicious hot water contraption in the shower so I could wash my hair. My body felt clean from the springs, but my hair wanted shampoo. Turning on the water which trickled out lukewarm, I wet and lathered my hair. Trying to get the suds out was the real problem and I ended up bending over at such a sharp angle to keep the water from splashing on my body, that I gave myself a horrendous headache. Another hysteria button was pushed and I started to moan, then cry as I shivered and shook and tried to figure out how to get cream on my dry withered skin while my head felt like it was going to explode. Dana tried to offer comfort and Mike kept his distance. Once I was in my pajamas and warmed up, I swallowed some Advil and went to sleep, giving everyone relief from my misery!

Friday morning, we took a two hour bus ride from Quito to Otavalo, another indigenous village known for it's handicrafts. The bus ride through the mountains was another thriller that brought tears to my eyes as I fretted about Julie being orphaned when the bus catapulted over the side of the mountain. Dana suggested I try to sleep, but the scenery was so diverse, I didn't want to miss it. Once we got there, it was all worth it. Our bed and breakfast had the most amazing hot water, along with a really good restaurant. We walked to the market and bought a few things, experiencing a taste of what was to come on Saturday. That night we found a little bar where a six man Andean music group played and sang beautiful, haunting tunes. We were the three lone gringos since it was off season and not many tourists were in town.

Saturday we shopped until we ran out of steam, Dana bartering with the vendors for their beautiful crafts. The only disconcerting experience in the market was the beggars who appeared often; mostly old ladies with no teeth, wizened faces and sorrowful eyes. Forcing ourselves to leave around 1 PM, we went back to our bed and breakfast and picnicked on their grounds joined by a thin dog who accepted any and all handouts. Then we called a taxi to take us to the bus terminal. The taxi driver offered to drive us back to Quito for $40. I wanted to jump at the offer but was overruled by Mike and Dana; so it was back to the thrill of another bus ride!

The first bus we entered had such a strong odor of gasoline, we immediately got off. We then ducked into another one and were industriously stashing our stuff around us since there was no storage when five guys carrying chickens climbed on board. When I took a picture of the man and his fowl sitting across the aisle from me, he asked if I wanted to hold it. Trying not to offend his kind offer, I said, "No gracias," and lightly petted the creature which we suspected was a fighter since "cock fights" had been advertised in the village news. After all the seats on the bus were filled, more people entered and stood in the aisles. Then the vendors arrived trying to sell their food and drinks. Business completed, one stood next to my seat holding onto the overhead bar until the next stop where he could get off. When I pinpointed the source of the stink wafting into my nostrils, I looked up and realized his armpit was directly over my head. I know I asked Mike at least twice why we hadn't taken up the taxi driver's offer to get us back to Quito. Getting no response, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep through the 2 hour journey.

Back in the apartment in Quito, we found the leftover crackers and devoured them while we packed for the trip home. I'd insisted on staying in a hotel with hot water and a shuttle service on our last night there since we had to get to the airport at 4:30 AM on Sunday. At random, I chose the Best Western Hotel Casino, a ten minute ride from the airport in downtown Quito. The $50 price quote sounded more than reasonable! When we were ushered into the Executive Suite on the 5th floor, Mike asked the bellman if we were in the right room. He said we were and I was only too sad that we didn't have more time to enjoy the luxurious accommodations. The next surprise was the 6th floor penthouse restaurant with windows around giving us a view on the entire city. It claims to be the highest restaurant on Earth and had good food and great live music! Gaston joined us, along with Carolina's mom and her husband. Gaston made us laugh by asking if the restaurant served crackers and we had a lovely last evening together!

At 4:10 AM we showed up in the hotel lobby to check out, a 15 minute process. At 4:28 AM, we sat in the hotel shuttle listening to the sound of an engine that refuses to start when the battery is dead. Numb from sleep deprivation, I started to giggle. Mike sat stone faced. "You don't think this is funny, do you?" I asked. "No." Next thing, our driver jumped out of the van and ran into the hotel for help. Two men in their hotel bellman uniforms rushed out with him and as he got back in the driver's seat, they started pushing the van. They pushed it forward and he tried to pop the clutch. No go. They pushed it backwards and he tried again (almost giving us whiplash). No go. Forward again and the engine cranked!! 10 minutes later, we were standing in the check-in line at the Avianca counter.

At 6:45 AM we were in the air headed to Bogota, Colombia for a layover and connecting flight to Ft. Lauderdale. The first greeting we received in the Bogota terminal was from a flight agent who informed us that our plane would be delayed by an hour and a half. Seems the hotel van experience was foreshadowing for that news! So from 8 AM until 2 PM, we sat in an airport teeming with as many armed military police as airline agents, went through multiple scanning devices, and inhaled noxious jet fuel fumes through the poorly sealed windows of the boarding area. Once inside the aircraft, we helped relocate an elderly heavyset lady with a cane and no teeth to her assigned seat so the man sitting next to me could have his proper seat. It's no wonder my gut needed Pepto Bismal!

As soon as we landed in Ft. Lauderdale, I called the 800 number to Southwest Airlines to explain Mike and I were booked on their last flight to Tampa for the night and were trying our best to meet their check-in deadline. I was told we needed to be there 10 minutes before take off before they gave away our seats and that we should have enough time to make it - but there was no way they could hold the plane for us. Trying to contain my hysteria, I gave Mike the scoop and we raced toward the immigration line which we zipped though. Claiming our checked bags seemed to take forever since they were the last to come out! The customs' official was overly chatty and very slow and by the time we were cleared to leave, Mike was speed hobbling across 5 lanes of oncoming traffic with a backpack strapped to his body and a big, heavy suitcase in hand. I had 3 smaller bags on my shoulders and was pulling my backpack on wheels. Trying to keep up with the crazed man wearing an Ecuadorian T-shirt, fanny pack and Panama Hat 100 yards in front of me brought on that giggling sensation again. Somehow we found our way through the airport parking lot from Terminal 4 to Terminal 1 in about 15 minutes and arrived at the Southwest self check kiosk to find all of their computers out of service! Since all of the agents were dealing with other customers, I called the 800 number again for help and a kind, rational woman suggested I take our printed itinerary to the curbside check in. It worked, we made our connection and when we later arrived in Tampa at 9:10 PM, our checked bags were first out on the carousel!

Mau and Jimmy met us at the airport in separate vehicles (theirs and ours) so we could drive straight home. It was an uneventful trip up the interstate, thank heavens, and we're now trying to debrief from our holiday and get back into our normal routines. Though the travel to Ecuador and back was a work out, it was worth all the hassle and frustration. Our time with Dana in that beautiful country will always be a treasured memory!
- posted by little monk @ 9:53 AM