NORTHERN ECUADOR: Part VI: ALAUSI AND THE DEVIL'S NOSE TRAIN

As we departed from our astounding experience in Chimborazo, we continued our trek southward to the town of Alausi. It would be in this little town of Alausi where the next day we would board the Devil's Nose Train. Our southward trek to our eventual destination of Cuenca continued to decline in elevation.  Our peak for us was at 16,000 feet in Chimborazo. Now as we arrived in Alausi, elevation had dropped to just under 11,000 feet, which was still well above Cuenca's elevation of 8,400 feet, and Quito's 8,600 feet where our trek began.

As we traveled, we came across the oldest church in Ecuador, which was built by the Spaniards in 1534, which was just forty-two years after Columbus' first voyage to the New World.

ALAUSI, ECUADOR

We arrived in Alausi toward early evening.  The most dominate feature of the town is the statue of St. Peter, which most likely is its patron saint, and which hovers over the town from a higher man-made constructed elevation within the city.

Not quite the pearly gates, but close.

 The Nativity Scene is at the base of the statue of St. Peter.

Above is a night view of  lovely Alausi from the base of the statue of St. Peter.

Alausi by night or day had such a magical quality to me, Marc, and our guide, Milton.  If I were a movie producer or a film director, I would not hesitate to use this town for a movie set. 

The next morning after breakfast, we walked from our hotel to the train station, and boarded the 11:00 a.m. trip to Silambe.  It amazes me when I think of the technological challenge the railroad builders faced 100 years ago. They drilled and carved through the mountains, laid track, and measured inclinations for some very steep drop-offs.  Drop-offs, which had to survive  downward thrusts bordering on almost vertical declensions without the train leaving the track, and uphill inclinations that required the power of the old steam locomotives to jugged their way onward and upward as they pulled the coaches behind them. 



As you can see from the above photo, there is a grandeur to the landscape, however, rocky and vegetation-sparse it may be.  Spectacular to see, but for me, not the beauty of the greenery of the mountains and the valleys of Banos-Ambato.



On the train, windows do open.  Looking out the window and shooting photos is about as risky as things get.  Up until the 1990's, people could ride on the roof of the train cars.  Imagine the thrill of those rides.  Needless, to say, people died, and the government eventually removed one more risk to lost lives.

Already, in the photo above, you can see our approach of the Silambe train station.

Tickets are for reserved seating, but don't fret.  Once the ride begins, passengers are constantly moving about.  You will be able to get photos from every possible vantage point.  I must admit, however, that our car was probably half-full that day, so I can't say if maneuverability is as easy on a day when the coaches are filled to near capacity.

As we disembarked, my son wasted no time making friends.

The next forty-five minutes to an hour was spent at the Silambe stop, before returning to Alusai.  Silambe is a modern facility focused on tourists, with refreshments, a restaurant, and shops.

We had refreshments in the roof-top restaurant, after a long stair-way climb up the side of the mountain to the restaurant, and of course, to further shops.

Below is an aerial view of the Silambe station from the restaurant.

As we arrived, there were indigenous dancers performing traditional dances that are still a part of their culture today.

I paid little attention to the dancers on our arrival, but after a respite in the restaurant, we made our way down to watch the dancers perform as we waited for the return ride.

The dancers then encouraged the passengers to join them.  The lady with whom I was dancing in the photo below, kept me dancing for ten minutes, until it was time to board the train again.  I very much enjoyed this part of the day.

Upon our return to Alausi, we ate lunch at a local restaurant before we traveled to Ingapirca.

Equatorianos are great soup-makers.  Some folks like croutons or crackers sprinkled on their soup,  Equatorianos prefer pop corn. 

Approximately three hours should be set aside for riding the Devil's Nose Train.  It is probably best to lodge in Alausi, if you plan to take the early morning train.  We took the 11:00 a.m. ride, and were glad we spent the night prior to our ride in this charming town. We were able to sleep-in until mid-morning, and also have time for breakfast before the ride.  There is also a ride at 2:00 p.m.  

Tickets can be purchased on-line, after filling out a lengthy form of personal information.  Tickets can also be arranged, along with accommodations if necessary, through travel agencies in cities like Cuenca.  If the trains are not filled, tickets can also be purchased on site at the station in Alausi. However, if your are an international tourist or an expat, you must provide your passport number to purchase a ticket.  On-site at the station requires that you show your passport.  If your ticket was purchased on-line, you also need your passport when boarding the train.  Dependent upon the personnel with whom you come into contact at the station, you may or may not be required to show your passport, so cover all bases by being sure that you have your passport with you.

It was early afternoon, and now the three of us still had plenty of time to continue our southward trek, next to Ingapirca--the largest known Inca ruin in Ecuador.

NORTHERN ECUADOR TRAVEL: PART IV: BANOS-AMBATO

Over the last two years, I have traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rome, Venice, and Florence; Lima, Peru; and Guayaquil and Quito, Ecuador.  My preference are big cities, and all that they have to offer.  Nevertheless, I  greatly anticipated writing this post and my next two blog posts which deal with something besides big cities, churches, architecture, museums, restaurants, and city landscapes.  Mind you, all these things are my favorite things to do at my age when I travel, but  the opportunity to share with you some of the natural beauty of Northern Ecuador is a real pleasure for me as well.

After my son, Marc and I brought our last day in Quito to a close, we returned to Casa de Eden, our bread-and-breakfast, at 5:45 p.m. to pick up our belongings. We also met  our guide, Milton Chiqui, who was more than fifteen minutes early.  I procured the services of a wonderful travel agency, Expediciones Apullacta, located in in the heart of Cuenca.  The agency is located on the second floor of a beautiful historic building at the northwest corner of Gran Columbia and Tarqui. Arrangements were made for our itinerary of travel, for our hotels and inns, and for transportation and guide service for the remainder of our trip in Northern Ecuador. Maria Velez, my travel representative at Expediciones Apullacta did a beautiful job of taking care of the details, and when I made a change in our itinerary, she handled it expeditiously.

Maria's greatest contribution to our trip was providing Marc and I with a fantastic guide. Milton Chiqui is well educated, very knowledgeable about Ecuador, and exudes an enthusiasm and passion for his love of Ecuador; which made for not only a most enjoyable, but also a very memorable trip. Milton is from Cuenca, and was about the age of Marc, so he made for a great traveling buddy to both of us.  He is a very careful driver, and what I wanted most was convenience.  I don't particularly enjoy long hours riding in a car. Milton always knew where he was going; and from his past experience we were never  lost.  Even when he had never been to Chimborazo before, Milton had everything scouted out beforehand. I did not want to spend hours aimlessly lost on unpaved, rut-spewed, and dead-end back roads of rural Northern Ecuador, no matter how beautiful the scenery. 

I was really looking forward to Banos-Ambato, a city of about 20,000 people.  Not only was the area stunningly beautiful, but there was an endless variety of things to do.  Our first night, the three of us went to the thermal baths known as Las Piscinas de la Virgen (The pools of the Virgin). The first pool of water was excruciatingly hot to the point that I stepped into the water and immediately stepped out without a second of hesitation. If I did not already see people in this pool, I would not believe that anyone could endure it.  

Another very hot but more congenial pool was our next attempt. Eventually we became acclimated to the heat of the water.  After awhile, Marc spotted a flow of extremely cold water gushing out of a rock just outside of the pool.  The three of us took our turns standing under the heavy flow of freezing water.  Our movement was as quick as the time it took to enter under the water and remove ourselves just as rapidly. We returned to submerge ourselves from the freezing waters back into the hot bath. Our bodies endured the sensation as if being pierced by a thousand needles.  

After relaxing in the pool for some time, I decided before we left the baths, that I would make one more attempt at the intensely heated pool, which challenged us when we first arrived.  I was able to immerse myself, and remain in the steaming water  for about ten seconds.  After a brief respite, I re-entered the pool from hell again and managed possibly thirty to forty seconds before my abandonment.  A sign above the pool warned us not to remain in the pool more than ninety seconds. I had not experienced anything that heated, since the Japanese baths in Kyoto many decades earlier. I was satisfied with my level of success, and much relieved that I did not experience a heart attack.

Because of the volcanic activity in Cotopaxi and Tungurahua, Banos-Abato was practically like a ghost town.  Government warnings were that if Tungurahua, which sits just above Banos-Ambato were to erupt big-time, the city would  be  but a memory in history. The volcano has been active since its last erupted in 1999. That night it rained in the city. We ate a fine Ecuadorian meal, spent time in a local bar, walked back to our hotel in the rain, and looked forward to the activities of the next day.

Below is a photo of our lodging, Hotel La Floresta.

I need to get one church in this post.  Although not a large city nor a large church, the interior of the basilica in Banos-Ambato was quite attractive.  The exterior is also made out of lava stone from a previous volcanic eruption.

Above is a photo of a street in the center in Banos-Ambato, and the photo below is the centro park and plaza in the city.

We had explored a ritzy hotel and grounds, and I captured a view (below) of some of the curve-linear trees.

Later in the day, we ate at the restaurant below.  Banos-Ambato has a large variety of bars and restaurants serving not only Ecuadorian cuisine, but also international cuisine as well.

Now the excitement began, as Milton drove Marc and me to the Devil's Cauldron, an area of formidable beauty.  The mountains, the lush green walls of the valley, the falls, and the river were breath-takingly beautiful.

The suspension bridge (above photo) allowed for an amazing walk across the crevice.

The rushing roar of the fall reverberated throughout the valley, and yet it was a scene of utter tranquility.

Along one side of Devil's Cauldron is a walkway and path overlooking the awesome beauty of the cauldron, and is a relatively easy walk for most hikers who are not dealing with serious health issues.  On the other side of the Cauldron is a more challenging walk, which we then attempted.

This more challenging hiking path let us through a cavernous rock of about thirty feet in length where we either had to crawl or crouch down to pass through it.  Once on the other side, it was our intent to walk immediately behind the fall. However, upon our arrival, we discovered that rocks collapsed behind the fall some months earlier, which prevented us from passing under the fall. We were told that attempts were being made to reconstruct and open the damaged area.

Notice the walkway behind the fall in the photo below; where due to the damage, we were not able to enter.

On our way back from the falls, I had to crouch down again to move through the cavern.  Half way through, I moved to the side when there was room enough to allow another couple coming from the opposite entrance to get pass me before I could continue. Upon finally arriving at the other end, the time I spent crouched down sapped all the blood out of my legs.  I had to try three times to stand up, before I could  feel my legs and actually stand again without collapsing.

To be in the midst of such absolute beauty was not only remarkably enchanting, but also gave me a sense of standing in the Garden of Eden.

I had not experienced anything this mystical, since some of the beautiful scenes along the Hozu River in Kyoto, Japan.

Some scenes reminded me of the utter beauty Frodo and Sam experienced in the motion picture, Lord of the Rings, as they made their way to Modar in search of the ring.

The Mola Men (or maybe Frodo and Sam)

Milton Chiqui and Marc 

Jim and Marc 

Milton Chiqui and Jim Mola

Marc

Upon leaving the Devil's Cauldron and completing our hike, Milton next took us zip-lining, which is called canopies in Ecuador.  Five different lines were offered. Zip-lining upside down wasn't much of a thrill.  I most enjoyed the lines that involved flying like Superman, and particularly where Marc and I  flied simultaneously side-by-side.  The forward motion coupled with the awesome view of the valleys and ravines below made for something special I never did before. Zip-lining is actually quite safe and tame, as long as the cables don't snap, and your harness doesn't fall off with you in it.

First, upon arrival, we took a cable car (below) across the wide ravine, and then hiked to each of the locations of the various zip-lines

The photo above, is a luminescent caterpillar.  Ecuador is the butterfly and bird capital of the world.

Before we left Banos, Milton took us to the Casa del Arbor (The Tree House).

This wasn't just any tree house.  Here one takes the most memorable swing of their lives into nature.  If not death defying, then certainly awe-inspiring.  It appears in the photo as if one is swinging in a movie studio, while the scene is a studio prop. However, the scene is very real.

In my posts, many of my photos have presented cathedrals from around the world.  Man-made beauty of some of mankind's greatest artistic accomplishments.  Yet the Cathedral of Nature is splendid in its beauty, and awe-inspiring in its mystical qualities.

Below is an aerial view of Banos-Ambato nestled in the valley, as we say goodbye and make or way to Chimborazo.  We had not begun to indulge in all the outdoor and adventure-type activities the area offered.  I would gladly return to Para-glide, horse-back ride, and bicycle downhill.  There is also dune buggy riding, river-rafting, bungee jumping, rock climbing, canyoning, and hiking in the wake of the Tungurahua Vocano when not spewing lava; just to name a few fun things to do all within the context of the artistic hand of God.  

As we departed, Milton pointed out to us that Banos-Ambato is known as the Gateway to the Orient, which is the Amazonias. If we had the time, it would take only two hours to arrive by car into the hot and humid rain forests.  A two hour drive west as the crow flies and we would be on the Pacific coast.  Now we were heading southward toward one of the highest elevations in the world, and the glacier line.  So much climate change, so much topographical changes all within a country the size of Colorado.  Below is a link to a post I wrote about a year ago on the geographical variations in Ecuador.  It is one thing to read and to write about those variations, and it is quite another to actually experience them.

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