Ecuadorian Amazon

As our winter journey winds down we are still exploring different areas of Ecuador until we move up to Otavalo to visit with Keenan's host family from her teaching internship in 2009.

Banos, baths in English, is a touristy vacation spot located on the edge of the transition zone from mountains to jungles. Banos has mineral hot pools, world class waterfalls, mountain hiking, expat micro breweries and chefs from Chicago.

Being an adventure type place, Keenan's dare devil attitude kicked in wanting to try all these adventures. Zip lines and cable cars over deep canyons, rafting, tubing, biking, canyoning etc. I kept remembering this was the place where Loreen got hurt canyoning three years ago and the guide did not have a first aid kit, just his t-shirt and a bungee cord to wrap her arm, and every thing was in high water so I drug my feet as much as I could and managed to get out of most things.

Banos Cable Car

 We did take a trip in a four wheel drive jeep with a wannabe rally car driver to the Devils Cauldron, the wildest waterfall in Ecuador and then up to the top of the highest point around Banos to look across the valley at the active volcano.

Devils Cauldren

 We got above the cloud level but the volcano was not visible so back to town the long way, through farms and villages. I was really comfortable with our driver, I like driving on the wrong side of the road speeding around corners, while he is chatting to Keenan in the back seat!

Taking hay home for the cows!

He did stop every farmer or farm lady we passed and had them pose for pictures, such as carrying the milk home, cutting grass for the cows, etc.

Taking home the milk!

 Then off to Tena, in the upper Amazon basin of Ecuador. Known as the kayaking capital of Ecuador, Tena also provides great white water rafting, float tubing, jungle treks and an Amazon Jungle experience.

After four months in South America, and six countries, we thought we had seen pretty much everything but Tena pulled out all the stops for us. We checked into our hostel room, went out on the balcony and were greeted by a giant grass hopper, five or six neighborhood chickens and a tarantula. I chased the grass hopper away, clucked at the chickens while Loreen stood on the third story ledge and flicked the tarantula off the ceiling onto the ground. When we later checked on it, it was working it's way back up the wall, where to we don't know.

Then across the river the trees started shaking and the branches swaying, I thought another rain storm was coming, but no, a troop of a couple of dozen monkeys appeared. They chased one another up and down the trees for awhile before disappearing into the jungle again.

Once we got settled in, we headed off to the "finest dining" restaurant in Tena for steak, salad and chicken breast in a nice apple purée, when all of a sudden Keenan and Loreen are screeching and jumped halfway across the room, while the waiter is trying to calm them down in his limited English. Me being me, I was casually looking around for the wasp or some insect that might have scared them, when above my head I detected some movement and looked up and there was this big lump of grey fur slowing moving across the valance. Seems we had disturbed one of the pet sloths the owner keeps in his "fine dining" restaurant. No problem, the sloth moved to a new hiding hole and we went on with our dining, for some reason we where all a bit more thirsty than usual. I was happy as finally Keenan was more scared of something than I was!

We return to the room and check it out for critters, nothing, so we all relax and are reading away when Keenan exclaims "Dad, there is a frog in here" and sure enough there the little guy was taking large jumps around the room catching flys. So we shooed it out and eagerly await the surprises tomorrow might bring.

Feeding the monkeys, Tena

Culinary delights, Tena

 On our last day in Tena we went on a river boat trip down the Napo River, the same Napo River we were on in February in Peru, only now we are on the head waters versus the outlet into the Amazon. The river is still high, but probably six feet lower than it was in March.

High Water was above the blue platform!

 We went to an indigenous museum, where we learned about the traditional methods of trapping, snaring animals and fish for food. Similar to methods used in other parts of the world, but very interesting to see traps made out of wood and vines, more like jungle booby traps really.

Face Painting on the Rio Napo

Looking for a treat!

Then we went to an animal recovery center, that takes in animals bought as pets and then when too big, are given to the recovery center to try and rehabilitate. Birds, monkeys, cats, turtles etc. About one third are too damaged or too domesticated to ever release.

Indigenous Bridge Rio Napo Area

Off to live in a high Andes indigenous village for the next week and then home to Calgary.