Salinas and the Chota Valley

We took a little day trip from Ibarra out to Salinas in the Chota Valley. It was a small group excursion on a kind of trolley-like vehicle that travelled on the old train tracks. It was full of Ecuadorians and us, and we had a charming guide named Christina, who pointed out the interesting sights along the way and filled in the historical details. She used a microphone for her narrative in Spanish and came and huddled with the three of us to repeat, in English, what she had said.

During the Spanish occupation of Ecuador, many slaves were brought from Africa. This history of slavery is similar and as brutal and disgraceful as it was in the United States. When the slaves were freed, they settled into two distinct areas in Ecuador—Esmeraldas on the coast and Salinas in the Chota Valley. The Chota Valley is a rich agricultural area and there are salt mines in Salinas, both of which provided work for the former slaves and their descendants.

Here we are headed into one of several tunnels through the Andean mountains. Small and very dark inside. Did I ever tell you about my tunnel phobia....?

The train trip was pretty spectacular, running along the edges of deep chasms, through beautiful verdant fields of sugar cane and past colorful flowers and cacti.

The train crossed that skinny little bridge you see up ahead. 

The little town of Salinas was windy and desolate. It appeared to be rather poor, with few shops or businesses. At the little train station we were met by a troupe of teenage girls who were dressed in traditional dress and performed several traditional dances for us, inviting us to join in.

We had a very simple lunch in Salinas then then went to the small ethnographic museum. We had a Spanish-only guide, but managed to understand most of what she told us about the sad history of slavery in Ecuador. 

Display of "people who inspire us" included Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Anon, Malcom X...

Really great day and a part of Ecuadorean society we had known little about. You may have gathered that I am kind of hooked on the Ecuadorean churches. The one in Salinas was probably the simplest we have seen, but very lovely in its own way.

Ibarra—the White City

I am falling behind with blog posting. Our access to WIFI is sporadic and we have been doing a lot of posting to Facebook and communicating with family, so the blog tends to fall to the bottom of the list.

In Ibarra we were interested in colonial architexture. Ibarra has been known as the "white city" of Ecuador, for its lime-washed white buildings in the historic district. Many remain white, others have been painted other colors. 

There is such a sense of time and layered history in the old plazas and churches, even including the bits of old paving around the buildings.

The white walls of the old buildings seem to be an open invitation to graffiti, which was mostly crass and an ugly intrusion into the dignity of the old buildings. Occasionally something caught my eye in the jumble of images.

This face with the word "mestizos" appeared numerous times around the city. "Mestizo" is the word for the the majority population of Ecuador—people of mixed European and Indigenous blood. I don't know if this graffiti is simply whimsical or represents something topical or political. I like the image.

And the ubiquitous Che lives, indeed, in Ecuador.

The other tourist attraction we were told not to miss in Ibarra was the ice cream that is famous there. It is called Helados de Paila and contains fresh fruit purée, cream and egg whites. It is made, by hand, on the premises in small batches, beaten in a copper bowl.

This poster in the ice cream shop tells the history of the famous recipe handed down through a family. And, yes, it was incredibly delicious!

My favorite church in Ibarra.

La Estelita and Ibarra

We have never been to Ibarra so we needed Ani's help. I had found a Hacienda in Ibarra in our guidebook that I thought looked interesting. I had a mental picture of an old colonial hacienda converted into a charming inn. "No" said Ani. " I know the place. It is not good. I know a newer place—very nice. I guarantee you will like it." I trust Ani, but was a little disappointed. I was hoping for old Ecuadorean charm, not something new and shiny. 

La Estelita is literally on the top of a mountain, with a stunning view of Ibarra. It is owned by a family who has created a place of pure beauty and charm. The adult son, who drove us from Otavalo, told us of he and his family hand carrying stones to the site that would become the extensive stone paving and pathways and stairs. The main building houses a restaurant that people drive to from Quito for the food and the view. At night, and in the morning, the clouds roll through, wrapping the mountaintop in a dreamy mist. Ani is always right.

Otavalo

When we got back to Quito from Cuenca Andy had a couple more appointments at the dental clinic where the Dr. Fitted the molds for the permanent teeth and took some more impressions then said he didn't need to see Andy for 5 more days while the lab does its work. We made a quick decision to do a little traveling, so Ani helped us make arrangements to go to Otavalo, where we have been several times, then to Ibarra, where we have never been. The next afternoon we were off to Otavalo and the Hostal La Luna—a place we have stayed several times and is dear to our hearts.

It has been 8 years since we were last there, but little has changed. The lovely Tamara and her husband are still the owners, and their employee Susi is still there. They all remembered our daughter Emily, who stayed there frequently when she lived in Quito. We even had the same room we have stayed in before. 

La Luna sits on a mountainside and looks out on a beautiful vista that includes two volcanos and rustic farms.

It is a simple Hostal, but clean, colorful and charming and we love being there. Each room has a small fireplace and in the evening someone comes ands builds a fire to take the chill off the room. There is a small cafe where you can get good, simple food, beer, wine, snacks and play cards in the evening. 

The next day we took a taxi into the city of Otavalo where the largest Indigenous Artisan Market in South America is held. It fills a complete city block called "Poncho Plaza" and it never fails to nearly overwhelm me with color and pattern and texture. The Indigenous Otavalenos have become world-famous for their jewelry, weaving, and other arts.

Having been to this market several times in the past, we found what we wanted quickly, then had a lovely lunch, walked and people-watched. The indigenous population are quite beautiful people and most dress in the traditional style. So many people I would loved to have photographed, but it felt too intrusive. I took a few from a distance and from the upstairs window of the restaurant. We wandered through the town and came upon the local market where the residents of Otavalo shop—instead of weavings and silver, the booths had socks and underwear and kitchenwares and, of course, meat and produce.

By late afternoon, we were ready to go back up to La Luna and relax.

This morning we said goodbye and headed to Ibarra, where we are comfortably ensconced in a beautiful place on the top of a mountain. Pictures to come....

A Day in the Country

Besides their house in Cuenca, the Molina family has a cottage in the countryside—a weekend retreat.

Cayo designed the little house and this is where his mother, Chela, indulges her love of gardening and especially flowers. The family packs up huge baskets of food and loads everything into taxis for the 30-minute ride to the house in Zhullin. (One–way taxi fare, by the way, is $6). They do what we all do at the family cabin—read, relax, barbecue, eat, play soccer on the lawn, nap and walk along the river. This was our Sunday. Beautiful.