Indiana Jones´ got nothing on me !!! - YARINA LODGE VISIT CHRONICLES

Summer time brings summer vacation. I recall my summers back when I was a kid, spending countless days with my neighborhood buddies exploring the entire Cumbaya Valley in the suburbs of Quito. Great memories... Ill write a post on this sometime. When summer arrived we did at least one BIG trip with my folks. This could be the Beach, Cuenca, Loja, or to the US of A. But, I also took part in summer camps in a country club called Jacaranda and with a church group to the Amazon Rainforest.

I recall I used to always look forward to summer so I could make my way to the Jungle. Those trips to the Amazon are still some of my best memories to date. They were tre-cool.

So when July was coming to a close my kid (who is 6 yrs old) asked me before falling asleep:

"When are you going to take your vacation time this year, since I want to spend some of my vacation with you."

That really hit me and I made it my mission to take my kid on a cool trip. I mean I work for a travel agency for crying out loud!

So I began thinking what to do for our vacation time. I though about this for a while and came to a decision that my kid was old enough and mature enough to visit the Amazon Rainforest. So I made arrangements with a family friendly lodge called: YARINA LODGE.

http://www.yarinalodge.com/

I took two days off of work and requested to go for a 3 day 2 night tour to this lodge located about 1 hour on a speedboat from the Coca docks.

I made my way to Coca on Thursday. It was an easy drive, it was mostly dry all the way there just a little rain post Baeza (but it always rains there) and we made it to Coca from Quito in my car in about 6 hours. We stopped in Baeza for lunch and found a nice restaurant that served business lunches. It was really good and the price was nice $3.50 per meal which included soup, main dish and a small dessert. (EL MOTILON) After lunch we kept on truckin and made it to Coca in time to watch Ecuador lose 3-0 against Brasil in the Worldcup Qualifiers. I dont even want to comment on that right now so .....

On the way to Coca by car you can catch a glimpse of the Rainforest Horizon:

Like the Energizer bunny it keeps going and going and going .... 

Finally arrived in Coca. Coca has a special place in my heart, I worked there back in 2012-2013 for the Ministry of Public Health. I had to endure the extreme heat and humidity and never got a chance to do a trip to the Rainforest. Coca feels like Purgatory but with Hell´s weather. Its a hard city to live in, so hot with cement everywhere and the three rivers that surround the small town make it feel as if you opened two pots with boiling water next to your bed. Not much to see or do in the town of Coca really but I always tried to find something neat or special. I was getting a bunch of flashbacks as I drove through Coca, passing by the New Hospital I helped build and organize, driving by the old hospital which I helped modernize and be more funtional, and showing my wife and kid where I spent my Coca afternoons (the old bridge which has now been taken down) and the new bridge which I climbed all the way to the top wearing a Spiderman mask:

NEW BRIDGE in COCA 

Spiderman on top of the NEW COCA Bridge! 

My kid was fascinated with the fact that I climbed the bridge tower to the top. He doesnt really believe me yet and thinks thats Peter Parker on the top .. jejejeje

Once in Coca I tried looking for accomodation. I asked at La Mision a yesteryear hotel in Coca which has a nice pool but is looking ever so decrepit and they think they are all that and a bag of chips so I didnt stay there. Theres another nice hotel next to the park in Coca which is called El Auca. It has some regular rooms and some huts. They have a small zoo like area with some monkeys and parrots. Its nice but I was here for the real jungle experience not a petting zoo so I opted not to go there.

I decided to stay at the OASIS Hotel which is the meeting point to board your speedboat to Yarina so it made sense. The Oasis hotel is even older and more run down then La MIsion and it doesnt have a pool but it was adequate enough for a one night stay. I liked their bathrooms and they brought a TV to our room and the AC actually worked well. It was cheap a room was $16 USD for the night for all three of us.

At night we cruised around for a while since it was not that hot and I took the fam to eat at my favorite place in Coca. PIKO RIKO chicken. Great chicken, trust me.

We were leaving at 10-11 am that Friday so we woke up early went to find breakfast in Coca and found a really nice Bakery run by an Italian. Great prices, great bread, good coffee, and a really nice owner make this bakery which is located next to the Mall on the Boardwalk of the Napo River a true find in Coca. The Bakery is called MASSA MADRE and if you find yourself in Coca I really recommend it. Good sourdough bread and for lunch some mini pizzas and calzones.

After breakfast we went back to the hotel and got ready to board the speedboat.

Kiddo at the docks Hotel Oasis

Speedboating with the fam .. so cool

I was able to take this beautiful picture which I now use as my background on my phone: 

Speedboating on the Napo River.

So now we had finally arrived: 

Yarina Docks

We had ARRIVED! 

Our hut - PIRANHA

We had such a great time here at YARINA LODGE: 

We got in at around 11 am, got settled in to our cabins and were called in for Lunch at noon. 

Lunch was a Yucca soup which was very repleneshing. Then for our main dish we had some nice spaguetti a la bolognesa. I wasnt expecting much but was totally surprised at how yummy the food was at the lodge. The chef is a local Quichua but he has a gift at making really tasty food. EXCELLENT FOOD! 

Then we went back to our huts to take a short siesta. It really makes no sense to go out on a trek or visit during midday since the heat is out of control and it would be overkill to do so. 

We left at 3 pm on our first trek. Wilson our guide took us on a 2 hour walk in primary rainforest where we were able to see three species of monkeys, a bunch of insects like ants (5 types) spiders, and many birds. We even saw some unique parrots fly by screaming. Beautiful just beautiful. 

Wilson the guide and my kid looking at something

We got back and had some awesome dinner. I dont know if its the quality of the cooking or how tired and exhausted you are that makes every meal you eat at the Yarina taste like heaven. 

Sunsets in the Rainforest are out of this world.

ready for bed 

My kid and wife were totally spent and I went on a night trek. Actually the guide took me and another dude to SAPO COCHA which is a small lagoon they have close to the Yarina Lodge. Its surreal, the darkness helps you hear and experience so much. We got to see caimans, fireflies, bats, and the prehistoric Hoatzin. Ahhh the Hoatzin, as you slither through the lake on a dugout canoe you begin to hear the sound of panting. At first I thought it was some pervert ... jejeje but it was the sound of the stinky turkey - THE HOATZIN. 

I so wanted to see this guy and I did once at night and then a group of 8 during the day at the same lake. AMAZING!!!

I was mystified by the experience. As we moved down the small tributary river I whistled the Indiana Jones song and felt like Indy in his many journeys. TATARATA TATARA TATARATA - LOL 

The next day had us go to the lake again but during the day. We saw many monkeys, distinct birds, the Hoatzin again and we were taken to a giant tree that had some huge vines where you can Tarzan Swing. I did and so did my boy and wife. 

Probably one of my favorite things we did at the lodge. Crazy Cool.

We had another hike and trek in the afternoon. Its crazy how much you sweat here. I was drenched but Im happy to say that Im in a great physical condition since even though I was tired and what not I could handle it easily. My kid did get quite tired but he kept on truckin like a champ.

At the end of it all we didnt want to leave. In the last minutes we were there we saw wildlife and creepy crawlers.

A pic of me and my boy relaxing at night not quite ready to leave yet:

All in all the tour was fantastic. We loved it and didnt want to leave. I want to get back there sometime soon but my next visit might be the Yasuni and then my triumphant return to the Galapagos Islands.


Ill keep you posted ... PEACE OUT!!!!

On the way to Baños dont miss out on Radiator Springs.

I am trying to update my blog as much as I can.

Last week I went to pick up my son and wife from Ambato. They had gone there since my in-laws live in Ambato and wanted to spend some vacation time with their grandson.

I made my way to Ambato as per usual on Highway 35.

I usually take the old road to Ambato (not the new side pass) since I dont want all the towns on the way to Ambato from Quito (Lasso, Salcedo and Latacunga) to become like Radiator Springs in the CARS animated movie, desolate and depressing. Also there are fewer or no speed traps on the old road and you can make a stop in Salcedo for some Helados de Salcedo:

 ice cream in Salcedo is tasty.
my kid loves them he always gets one on the way. 

Also on the way is Latacunga which is a bigger city which even has an airport. Really the Quito Airport should have been built on top of the Latacunga airport and a super highway built to get there quickly. But ....

In Latacunga I usually stop to get some KFC or Gus Chicken, and the last time I headed to Ambato I decided to try Allullas. Allullas are pretty dry crumbly bisquits of sort which are not that tasty on their own but go great with the authentic and traditional string cheese served in an achira leave. Ive had the ones they serve in Cayambe plenty of times but they pale in comparison to the authentic Latacunga queso de hoja.You can also get a local dish called Chugchucaras. I havent tried those in a long long time, I should try them sometime. They seem to have fritada, harmony, pork rhins, potato patties, avocado slices, empanadas and some more stuff.

Allullas with queso de hoja 

Chugchucaras 

Another great stop on the way to Ambato is at La Avelina, they have some really tasty ice cream bars made with milk from the area.

And then we finally make it to Ambato. Be careful as you arrive to Ambato since they have some speed traps that lower the speed limit as you get closer to the city limits. Also inside Ambato there are very specific speed limits that will definitely catch you if you are not alert. Take it easy.

In Ambato I have two favorite spots:

El Ponche Suizo:

With its original 1952 recipe brought back from Switzerland, the Ponche Suizo has been operating in Ambato ( and now in Baños and Latacunga) for years now. The original recipe has not changed at all and its always a great treat to have when in Ambato and its surroundings.

and

La Choko Banana:

The Choko Banana Cafeteria is located close to the Miraflores neighburhood in Ambato and a couple of blocks from the city center. Its a local hotspot where you can purchase most tickets for shows, concerts and entertainment in Ambato. Inside the cafeteria they serve fast food and some ice cream, good stuff but their crown jewel is the Choco Banana. Its a banana at its perfect state (they must buy the best bananas in Ecuador so probably the best bananas in the world) and use Ecuadorian chocolate (also the best in the world) to cover the banana. Their chocolate recipe is perfect it never drips or cracks. Its just bliss. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

And the last spot on the way to Baños is Pelileo.
If you are short on clothes or jeans this is the place to stop. They have a wide variety of local made jeans and clothing that can easily replace a pair of jeans you tainted on your tour. In Pelileo if you make your way to the market there you will find some women selling tiny smoked tamales. They are pretty darn good, they have some fried pork bits inside. They are 3 for a dollar so a cheap and tasty snack on the way to Baños.

And finally we head to Baños .... to be continued ....

QUILOTOA CRATER LAKE

Ive heard so much about the Quilotoa Crater Lake and how its a must see in Ecuador. I recall my cousin Chris S telling me about how he had visited Quilotoa a couple of times and how much he loved it. On top of that the place I work at took all their employees for a trip to Quilotoa and Isinlivi. I wasnt able to go and thus was feeling pretty left behind. So I made it my prerogative to take a trip to Quilotoa. Its funny how local people dont take proper advantage of the beauty of their country. People from all over the world visit Ecuador and make the Quilotoa crater lake a top priority in their travels while in Ecuador. I got to thinking: Do they know something I dont or am I just pretty ignorant about my own country?

So, one given Friday I got home and told my wife and kid we were going to Quilotoa on Saturday and to start packing. They were really excited and we quickly made a plan to go the next day. 

I quickly looked up how to get there online, but was mostly going to rely on asking people on the way. A typical way of getting around here in Ecuador. 

Saturday rolled around and we were off to Quilotoa. Left home a little later than I wanted but it was not too bad. I do suggest leaving early in the morning around 7am to be able to get there at around 10ish. On the way there it was pouring rain, another tip is: it might look like its going to be a horrible day in the morning but it does open up. 

We stopped at some eateries on the way up to Quilotoa where we had some Fritada. Was hoping it would be pretty good and a rare find (like the Fritada in El Chota - the best you can find in Ecuador) but it was pretty mediocre. I would recommend taking a box lunch or snack to have on the way there and then you can have lunch at the Quilotoa. These eatieries are not worth it. 

But before we made it to Quilotoa we made a quick stop at a mask shop. They sell a wide variety of masks here, handmade and just beautiful. I want to buy a couple and hang them in my living room I think they will look pretty sweet. 

TIGUA MASKS

Still on the way up we were able to make a couple of stops to check out the Grand Canyon in Ecuador. Thats what the area surrounding the Quilotoa is referred to as. And it truly is a beautiful sight. Make a stop at the overlook point of this canyon and take a picture with a llama there to help out the groundskeeper. 

Finally we made it to Quilotoa. Paid for the entrance fee which implied that there were good bathrooms inside. Tip: there are no bathrooms inside you must pay a storekeeper some cents to be allowed in the bathroom. 

At the Quilotoa overlook you have a bunch of souvenir stores, you can buy the masks aforementioned and many other unique handicrafts. You can find some restaurants and parking here too. One thing I really liked was that at the information counter they rent bikes to be able to go biking around Quilotoa to Chugchilan. I defintely have to go back to rent a bike and do that ride. 

Then my kid was running around in spite of the high altitude close to 4000 mts. I was having trouble breathing when we just arrived. We took some cool pics in the overlook: 

me and the kid pumped up about Quilotoa - check out the view ... WOW!

An artsy fartsy pic.. pretty cool. 

The down hill takes about 45 minutes and the uphill takes about 2 hours. Or you can take a horse up. 

At the bottom you can rent canoes and take a ride on the Lake. There are restaurants and some neat spots. 

We didnt go down all the way since we got there kind of late. Remember I mentioned going to Quilotoa early in the morning from Quito. Take note.

So we took some more pictures, breathed in the crisp mountain air and enjoyed some magnificent views.  

After we were done with this we had some late lunch at the top and started to make our way back to Quito. 

It was an amazing experience. I highly recommend this tour. Its pretty hard if you dont have a private car, public transportation is not that great to get to Quilotoa. 

Cuicocha - The Tranquile Place

So, I needed to purchase some new tires for my car. Unfortunately the prices for tires here in Ecuador have skyrocketed and thus crossing the border to Colombia is a great idea when purchasing tires, booze, toys, and anything imported.

On the way to Colombia you make a couple of stops.

You can stop in:

Cayambe - here you can find bizcochos and string cheese - GOOD STUFF!
Bizcochos are a type of baked biscuits which go great with string cheese and dulce de leche.

Cayambe Kids Park 

There´s also a really great kids park with huge structures and slides for them to play.
My kid loves to make a stop here.

After the stopby Cayambe you can stop by Otavalo:

I really like Otavalo, its a small town run mostly by the Otavaleños - indigenous folks
There you will find a large handicraft market called - Mercado de los Ponchos.
In this market you can purchase and peruse many fine handicrafts, clothes, ponchos, hats, etc.

I also like Otavalo because I love a little Pie Shop which is located next to the market.

Pie Shop - Next to Ponchos Market

Ahhhh, the pies here are just so savory. I usually go for the chocolate pudding pie and the strawberry but you have so many flavors to choose from..  They are $2 USD a slice. EXCELLENT!

Usually after an Otavalo visit people like to visit Cotacachi.
Cotacachi is a lovely town filled with US expats that have come down to Ecuador to retire. Its a quaint town, very safe, theres stuff to do especially for foreigners. You can find some great coffee shops here that serve Rio Intag coffee. Some of the best coffee Ive had here in Ecuador!

Its also famous for its leather products. There you can find all types of leather products such as jackets, bags, wallets, purses, shoes, etc. Cotacachi is world renowned for its leather products. So if youve always dreamed of having a 100% leather jacket... this is the place for it.

From Cotacachi you can make your way to the Cuicocha Lake. This is Tre-Cool!
A beauty of a lake.

Wife and kid - View of Cuicocha Lake

The picture above was taken from the private lookout point the Tranquile Place has in the hills of Cuicocha.

The Tranquile Place is a brand new Bed and Breakfast located in the hills above Cuicocha lake. There you can spend the night in a very cozy hacienda type house. Beautiful views, quick access to the lookout spot for Cuicocha views.

They have horses, trails for trekking, great coffee, a bistro, tours to the coffee farms, and just a very friendly and personalized service make this new BnB a great choice to stay in Cuicocha.

The Tranquile Place 

Then on our way to Colombia we made a stop in the Chota Valley. A valley filled with sugar cane farms and populated mostly by afro-ecuadorians. Hot as hell but an interesting place to see since you get to experience a very distinct and unique culture. Many Ecuadorian soccer players have come from the Chota Valley.

Then Ibarra. 
Ibarra - the white city, is a really nice and relaxed city to visit. From here you can hop on a train and do a train tour. Or you can visit the many historic parks they have and stop by this coffee shop:

Olor a Cafe - Coffe Shop in Ibarra

Hands down the best coffee Ive had in Ecuador. Authentic Galapagos Coffee. Its a beautiful coffee shop lined with books in the entrance. But if you take the secret door you will enter a couryard inside which is out of this world. 

Great place, great coffee, GOOD TIMES! 

CHAQUIÑAN PART 2

I had been wanting to do the Chaquiñan bike route again on January 1st, but didnt get around to it. So I made it my mission to do so in the first months of the year. The Carnaval holiday was finally upon us and my wife and kid went to visit the inlaws in Ambato and I stayed behind. On saturday while most of the city was recuperating from a hangover I made my way back to Cumbaya to tackle the entire Chaquiñan. If you recall on my first try I made it about 10 km down and back for a total of 20km. But this day I wanted to do it all. All 40 kms!

I began the journey in Cumbaya and Im sure I am in better shape since I didnt get so winded this time around. I made it to the 10 km mark and just kept going I wanted to end up in Puembo for I had heard about some really cool tunnels there. I figured out that the best part of the chaquiñan was just a little further from where I turned around last time. The rest of the way to Puembo is beautiful, you get to see some great sites, you goi all the way down to the river Chiche and then come back up (tough).

Check out this pic of the valley behind me:

view of the valley from atop a small hill on the side of the bike route.

I kept going, seeing the km. marks go by, 12, 14, 18,

Then I finally made it to the tunnel entrance: 

The Wulckow Tunnel. entrance. Awesome!

So, I finally made it to the Wulckow Tunnels, decided to take a pic of them and didnt see the biker coming through fast, luckily he dodged by bike and it was all A.Ok.

This was so cool to see and just take in. It feels old and vintage, you can feel the fact that trains went through here. Inside its pitch black, worse with the bright sun blazing outside and screwing up your eyes. I let my dad know that I went through here and he reminisced on the trips he took from Quito to San Lorenzo on the train. Said that it was pretty cool going through these tunnels. Good memories 

Once inside you feel a cold breeze and a sense of travelling back in time: 

I parked my bike inside next to a #37 sign. You see some light here since there are openings with small balconies coming out of the tunnel. Very cool. 

So there you have it guys, finally finished the route, made it to Puembo, was able to get back and cross the tunnels at lightning speed. For a bit there I forgot to take my sunglasses off and was really zooming through the tunnels blind. Too cool too cool. 

The way back was tough, the sun was blazing and I was sweating non-stop. Excellent exercise, and just a feeling of accomplishment I cant explain. 

Will go back really soon !!!

NONO - MINDO with the Biking Dutchman

I really wanted to post about this bike ride I took with the Biking Dutchman on Monday but it has been a hectic week which has leveled out today and I have some time to post to my beloved blog.

The day started off early (6:30 am) in the morning I made my way on my bike to the Mariscal area to find the meeting point : Magic Bean. Magic Bean is a great restaurant that serves great international mostly american cuisine and has pretty great coffee to go. There is a Magic Bean close to my work on Portugal and Republica del Salvador but Ive always preferred the one in the Mariscal.

Anyways enough plug-ins, Once everyone was there we hopped on the Landcruiser and were off to Nono. Nono is a rural town which is part of Quito, its complete name is San Miguel de Nono. It was founded by the Jesuits who baptized the town as San Miguel de Nono since Nono comes from the latin 9th and Nono was the ninth town the Jesuits created here. Its a nice oldish looking town with strange weather conditions (always cloudy) but it has a slight cloudforest feel, especially as you descend toward Tandayapa.

View going up to Nono

Once in Nono we got off the car and hopped on our bikes for our descent to Tandayapa. We used a route called the Ruta del Quinde which according to our guide used to be the old road to the coast. Now its an eco bike route which takes you to Tandayapa on a dirt road, full of dips and holes and at times covered in stones... quite a task to not fall. The bumpy ride has your hands and arms acting as suspension and you have to open and close your hands every now and then to relieve the "claw hands". Awesome downhill, very fast and the scenery is spectacular. After biking for about 10 km we found this hidden waterfall and took some pics.

The group
you can see the rock climbing equipment behind us
SO COOL

We kept on going and ended up at a trout or tilipia farm where we found this huge rock that had a rope tied to it and we climbed all the way to the top. (that was the easy part) but then coming down was rather tricky and somewhat nerve wrecking but really fun. For a moment there I was totally horizontal just sliding down the rope.

We kept going and came to the Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge:

Bellavista CloudForest Lodge Entrance

 In the 10 minutes were stopped at Bellavista I was able to spot 2 squirrels (which I thought were long extinct in Ecuador) beautiful reddish hair, fluffy tails which they move in circles as they jump from tree to tree and seem to fly. Regarding hummingbirds I was able to see hundreds of them hovering all around, probably 20 distinct types of hummingbirds. Again all this was seen in 10 min.

After the Bellavista visit we kept on trucking and finally hit Tandayapa. Tandayapa is located in a beautiful area of the cloudforest, here they had some waterfall water faucet of sorts where we cooled off and drank some pure water. Nobody in the group wanted to do the 8 km uphill to the road to mindo so we jumped back on the Landcruiser and our driver/guide/owner of Biking Dutchman drove us all the way up to the main road.

This is the first time Ive biked on a main road, the asphalt felt great, and we biked the remaining 10 km to Mindo with the Landcruiser behind us keeping us safe. We quickly arrived to the Mindo exit and did the downhill on asphalt to Mindo. This was a lot of fun.

Once in Mindo it was really hot, no clouds could be seen and we were tired and sweating buckets.
My suggestion was to go get some ice cream at my favorite small restaurant in Mindo:

Mishqui Quinde
Great place for ice cream, and quinoa burgers, soup and pudding
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
https://www.facebook.com/mishquimindo?ref=nf

Once done with the ice cream and a little cooled down we headed towards the Chocolate Tour/Chocolate Store. There are two or three choco tours in Mindo, but I like this one since its short and sweet and its just more quaint. Pic below. 

Landcruiser at lesser known choco tour in Mindo.
How cool is this car 

 Loved this bike ride, Highly Recommended!

My Schwinn looking tough

ANTISANA with the Biking Dutchman

So, since I work in tourism, I was invited to do a bike tour of the Antisana with the Biking Dutchman. The Biking Dutchman are a very well respected company that offers various exciting bike tours all around Ecuador.  www.bikingdutchman.com

I was very excited about this tour and felt more than ready since I have been commuting to work on a bike since February 2015 and I do weekend rides to random sites. But alas, some of my friends and family kind of made me rethink if i could actually do this bike ride.

The tour started at the Mariscal area at 7 am. I had to wake up rather early and make my way there. The guides and driver were there on time with their Land Cruisers ready to take us to the Antisana.
*I used to have a red Land Cruiser 1988. Loved that car!!

The ride was short we got to the Antisana reserve pretty quickly and started the tour.

Top of Mica Loma great view of Mica Lake

The first thing we did was circle around MicaLoma which is a small hill next to the Mica Lake. where you can hike up on foot to the top take pictures and take in some amazing Paramo views. The paramo always has this mysticism to it that I love. Ive been visiting the Paramo (mostly Papallacta) with my father ever since i was a toddler. I'm going to look for that picture and post it on here. My father taught me to deal with the Paramo cold and to fish in the ice cold rivers that flow along the mountains.Such a great dad! Next year when my Father comes to visit Ill take him on this tour and have a great time!


It was really cold with strong winds slapping your face.

All geared up for the bike ride !

After this short hike we jumped on the bikes and started to ride. It was pretty high altitude and the first 2 kms. were uphill, incredibly tough but got through it like a champ and then enjoyed the amazing downhills. 

The downhills were awesome, all asphalt and the views and fresh air was incredible. 

The end of the ride:

End of the ride what a view!
Trek bike lent to me. 

And at the end of it all i got to see a Paramo chicken check it out. Oh and some Caracaras and a Paramo mouse. 

Paramo Chicken.. adapted for the cold. 

GREAT TOUR, GREAT RIDE, GREAT EXPERIENCE!!