s/v Nine of Cups Ecuador

2003 - 2004

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The famous El Nariz del Diablo (Nose of the Devil) is a hair-raising railroad descent from Alausi (2607m) to Sibambe (1000m) via narrow gauge track along a tortuous route of switchbacks.  At a 45 degree declination, it is said to be one of the steepest in the world.  Add to this the fact that you sit ON TOP of the railroad car, not inside it.  This view of our boots gives you a feel for the dizzying height and lots of air beyond with no view of the tracks below or beyond.

The highlight of our first Ecuadorian inland trip was a climb to the second refuge hut on Mt. Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador.  Though the summit is 6310 meters, we only climbed to the hut at 5,000 meters (16,000 feet).  This is the highest we had ever been on land and the furthest from the center of the earth.  The climb was cold and windy, but for most of the trek, the sun was out and the mountain was dazzling in its brilliance.  We lunched at a lovely parador (roadside inn) with this view of the mountain as our backdrop.

Located north of Quito, Ottavalo, home of the longest continuously running market in Ecuador, is only a two hour bus ride away and it's fantastic.  We bought alpaca sweaters and teddy bears, local woven goods (table linens and fine scarves), beautiful jewelry and whatever else wasn't nailed down.  The market is comprised of several distinct sectors.  An animal market just outside of town that opens at 5am for locals to trade, barter, sell and/or buy livestock including cows, sheep, horses, goats, pigs and sometimes llamas.  Crafts for tourists is by far the largest part of the market and the booths go on for blocks and blocks.  There is a separate area for fresh veggies, fruit, meat, bread, pastries and spices.  There is a section for housewares (pots, pans, utensils) and "imported from China" clothing.  There is also an area for locals to buy material and jewelry for making their customary indigenous clothing.  The riot of color, a cacophony of sound and distinctive smells make this an overwhelming sensual experience.

Climbing through the hills, we were able to see lots of llama and alpaca, used for their wool in the weaving industry.  We also saw vicuna, a wild relative, roaming free on the paramos of Chimborazo.

Quito is Ecuador's capital and second largest city.  It is modern, but has preserved its historical Spanish past.  La Virgen de Quito sits high on a hill above the city.  An unusual virgen representation, she is depicted with wings, a crown of stars and a leashed dragon at her feet.  Revelations 12 is the inspiration for the statue.

Otalovalean women are the most elegantly dressed of all the indigenes, I think.  They wear long, black or gray wool wraparound skirts with a white inderskirt and a woven sash around their waist.  Their blouses are white lace with embroidery around the necks and sleeves cuffs.  They wear a shawl and like others, use another shawl to wrap things (including babies) and tote them on their backs.  They wear several strands of gold handblown glass beads, coral bead bracelets and gold earrings.  They have a way of piling a woven piece of wool on their heads for a head covering.  They wear their hair in long, black ponytails wrapped in woven ribbons.

Having a picture taken ON the equator is a must at Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World), a park which demarcates and celebrates the equator (although we found out later that the equatorial line is actually some 300 meters off!).  Straddling two hemispheres is not as hard as we had imagined and being in the southern hemishere does not require one to hang upside down by their toes.