So off we set again on yet another bus! This time, on a bus that not only picks up anyone on the way but also picks up various locals trying to sell their wares or make money is some way or other. Here we have another pan piper that jumped on board for a few minutes, he was really quite good but you start getting a little sick of Simon & Garfunkel's 'El Condor Pase (If I could)' after the first 10 or so times.
Here we arrive at the Ecuador boarder .................. by accident!
You may ask how?
When we first boarded this bus it was early in the morning and we had just been on another bus for 7 hours through the night and then waited in the worst bus station ever for a further 4 hours. We thought that this bus passed through Mancora, Peru ( a very pleasant beach resort) it, in fact, passed through Macara, Ecuador (a very very small and very traditional town high in the mountains)!
Needless to say we stayed on the bus to its end destination Loja.
Having said all that getting through the boarded was very simple. At one end of a bridge you get stamped out of Peru and after walking to the other end of the bridge, get stamped into Ecuador.
Ecuador is very different from Peru, they must get a lot more rain as the mountains became greener the further we travelled.
Before long we arrived in Loja. A small but pleasing town, here I am at the official town gates looking ever more like the tourist.
The view from the gates.
Like all towns there is a town square and cathedral.
Kenny in the square.
Stuffed horses (with what I suspect is real horse hair coats) where children can sit and have their photos taken.............. why????
Now one thing South America does better than any other place I have been to is cake. These stores are all over the place where you can buy a prime coloured icing piled cake by the slice or whole for only £5!!! I have been very very tempted.
They often say accidents happen for a reason. If we had not entered Ecuador when we did we would have missed Loja's biggest festival. A 4 day celebration for some other virgin of something or other religious!!??!! The smaller park held the gypsy end of the fiesta, with street vendors and performers.
In the main square are the more formal celebrations. Here they light fires under lanterns which once released into the sky float up and away.
Me & Kenny.
They also had a stage where various performances happened from traditional dancers to singers.
Kenny, enjoying the atmosphere.
It also must be said that we feel pretty safe here as this photo is not an optical illusion Kenny really is that much taller than everyone else (we get plenty of stares). Even I am taller than the men!
The festival was very interesting lots of traditional dancers ..............................
.................. and fireworks. What we had not expected was that the fireworks would be so close to the crowd or in the middle of the stage performances.
No joke the fireworks were dangerously close. I had to wear my hat as the sparks were still burning as they came flying down to us.
With the excitement of Loja over we continued our journey on another bus journey to Cuenca.
We were greeted by a lovely small and friendly town. Much more affluent than Lojo, with a beautiful river at the bottom.
The river.
In town square was yet another cathedral.
With incredible architecture.
The streets were cobbled and there were many bars and restaurants, all very relaxed.
The colonial buildings were truly amazing, wonderful balconies and painted walls.
These incredible buildings surrounded a small town square full of trees and plants were traditional music was played over loud speakers all day. Many town folk spend hours here sitting and chatting.
Although I have no photos of this my favorite museum is in Cuenca. There is a whole area dedicated to describing the way of life of the Amazonian tribes in Ecuador. Where they still practice many of the old rituals. One, a coming of age ritual for boys, involves shrunken heads! Previously human but now they use mainly sloths. However this crazy museum has a display of shrunken heads from years before - they are hypnotic as are perfect in features but around 1/6 of the size!
On the road again - this time a 10 hour drive to the capital Quito.
The countryside became very rugged and beautiful.
We drove passed Cotopaxi the second highest volcano in Ecuador (we are booked to return here to hike in a week or so).
Finally, we arrived in Quito. The city is separated into two main areas: the old town and the new town.
The Old Town is much like Cuenca, very colonial, very beautiful.
Amazing decoration on the buildings. The New Town is very very different. Imagine Ibiza in the space of 3 or 4 blocks, without the beach and you are somewhere close.
The Old Town is full of cathedrals - to my surprise!
This is the largest.
The entire inside is gilded in gold! Which is kind of sick in a country where over 70% of the population live beneath the poverty line.
The city walls with the virgin looking down from the mound beyond.
Another square.
The Grand Plaza was full of people relaxing under the blossoms.
Oh and there was some time left for a glass of wine or two!
The next day we checked out the largest park in Quito, which has a lake ............
................ where you can hire paddle boats.
After our paddle (and my first run since arriving here!) we thought we deserved another beer!
Well we are on holiday.
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