Ecuador

Wow! Mom and Dad Norrbom are such troopers! I can't believe it! We spent a fabulous week touring all over Ecuador with our friend, Richard, who owns a touring company based out of Quito. You remember him, we toured with him in November.

We began the trip in the capital city of Quito and started off our time there by taking advantage of being in a big city for a change and getting our hair cut. This may seem like quite a trivial thing to mention in a blog, but believe me, it is one of the great challenges in life to try to explain in a foreign language the type of haircut you desire! We first realized our Spanish-jargon inadequacies in December while getting our hair cut in Argentina. The style there was "mullet" and I narrowly escaped this fate! The lady in Ecuador tried to give me a "hongo" which means "mushroom" and I knew enough to also avoid this styling disaster! Happily we have now learned the Spanish words for bangs, layers and highlights! I digress...

Anyway, with our new do-s, we greeted Mom and Dad Norrbom at the airport with a "Norrbom's" sign and a happy face balloon. Upon arrival to the hotel, we ripped into the novelties that my parents had brought from the first world...beef jerky, crystal light, splenda, electrical tape, duct tape, button down sleeveless shirts, other feminine necessities and, best of all, milk duds! :) It was a happy reunion.

We went on a walking tour of Quito and saw the main square and the government buildings, a hotel that costs $800 USD per night, and several churches. In the afternoon we went to the equator...very cool. There was music and quite a lot fanfare and a square surrounded by many restaurants and even more shops. The main attraction was a huge monument honoring the famous imaginary line dividing the north from the south. It was also a great place for a photo opp! Fun family kodak moments. For lunch we had the chance to try an Ecuadorian delicacy...guinea pig. We wouldn't recommend it....a bit rubbery for our liking!

At another equator site, there were all kinds of experiments to do to defy the effects of gravity. We got to watch water pour straight down a drain, swirling neither clockwise nor counterclockwise. We got to walk a line that pulled us either north or south and also a strength test of some sort to show that we are much less resistant at the equator. There was also a place to try to balance an egg on the head of a nail, where Shelly showed her great manual skill and was quite proud to have accomplished this feat. :) She even got a certificate.

We spent March 3, Shelly's birthday, in Otavalo, home of the markets famous for their weavings. Needless to say, we will be bringing home some souvenirs of the fun-filled day of shopping and bargaining. Mom and Dad brought a huge stash of stuff as well to furnish their newly renovated home. We also visited the home of a well-known weaver and a little shop where they made Andean pan flutes and other wooden musical instruments. Shelly bought the flute that they made for us to demonstrate. Kinda cool. We also visited Catacochi, a town where they make and sell all kinds of leather goods. My hottie mom bought a chic red leather coat and it looks great! Retirement is suiting her well already! :)

That night we arrived in Papallacta and stayed at the Papallacta Hot Springs. After arriving at this stunning resort, we wished we hadn't spent quite so much time shopping and had gotten to the hotel sooner, but at least we have lots to show for the hours spent bartering! We had a nice supper for Shelly's birthday and they sang to her at the hotel's restaurant. Then we all spent some time soaking in the individual hot pools we had outside our cabins. Ahhh....esta es la vida.

The next day we drove to Tena and went into the Amazon Basin. We stayed at Liana Lodge in the jungle and it was great! We had to only pack small bags so that we could bring them in the canoe to our lodge because it was only accessible by boat. The next morning we geared up for our "walk" in the rainforest, donning sexy, knee-high, water-resistant boots. As it turned out, it wasn't exactly a "walk" but rather a four-hour walk through the Amazon rainforest. Mom and Dad were such troopers! We were all quite impressed with their endurance and perseverance through being pulled up hills and traversing streams and climbing over trees and such that were in our path. I think they too felt quite a sense of accomplishment, as did Shelly and I. It was so cool to see such diverse flora and fauna. My favorite were the cutter ants, who filed on forever, each carrying his/her own little green leaf.

As if we weren't exhausted enough by that, we decided to go on another hike to a nearby island in the afternoon! We got to see how they make chicha , which is a beer made of corn or other types of rooty vegetables (yuca), and got to try it as well. We still prefer Negra Modela as our alcoholic beverage of choice, but it could substitute in a severe pinch. :) We saw coffee plantations and tried some raw chocolate, which is actually a white, slimy seed that you suck on, but actually tastes pretty sweet. Hard to imaging that it could become a milk dud one day through some serious processing, but hey! After the walk, my parents returned via canoe to our lodge and Shelly and I and Richard floated back down the river in inner-tubes. A few bites of some sort, but nearly unscathed. :)

The next couple of days comprised mostly of uneventful driving, but the views were GORGEOUS!!! We passed through a town called Alausi and took a train ride, stayed in Riobamba, and stopped briefly in Banos and Tambo on our way to Cuenca. We LOVE Cuenca and enjoyed seeing the fabulous buildings and scenery again. I visited the Panama Hat factory again with my parents and bought some more Ecuadorian coffee. Visited the towns of Chordaleg and Gualaceo where the women weave the hats, and shopped at the markets in Cuenca and the nearby towns.

After 8 great days (well, 6 great days and 2 mediocre days!) we hopped on bus that took us 12 hours home to Mancora. You can read more about that on our next "Parents in Mancora" blog.

Hasta la vista.....
Stacy y Shelly