For those that speak about as much Spanish as I did when I arrived in Ecuador, the above is quite possibly the most useful phrase you’ll ever learn. For the avoidance of doubt, it’s Spanish for (ironically) “I don’t speak Spanish”.
I was so keen to learn some before I got to South America but time simply passed me by. Instead, I’ve downloaded a translation app and plan to muddle my way through, making as much of an effort as I possibly can. I did however manage to explain to my taxi driver (who thought I was having some kind of cardiac arrest in the back of his cab) that I had a niggling cough “tos persistente” which I counted as a small win, and avoided a diversion to the nearest a&e department (or local equivalent!)
First up is Ecuador and the Galápagos. I’ve wanted to do the Galápagos for an eternity, mainly due to the wildlife and thought a day or two each side in Quito would also be nice to see a little bit of the Ecuadorian mainland too. I’m flying solo in Quito (Ecuador’s capital), and with the help of a couple of chaps at the hotel, managed to cobble together some cool stuff to do for the first couple of days – largely consisting of a walking tour of the old town of Quito and a trip to the equator line to take the obligatory ‘stand with one foot each side’ photo. On a clear day, you can see the snow topped Cotopaxi volcano from Quito (19,000ft!) which is utterly magnificent.
Quito is pretty cool, although unsafe at night unfortunately so you need your wits about you. The buildings are beautiful with incredible architecture/carved facades and there is bags of history to boot. Ecuador is home to some of the highest volcanoes and mountain peaks in the world. Quito has an altitude of around 3,000m (9,000ft) and you can certainly feel it. It’s particularly noticeable when walking up stairs, with breathlessness pretty common for even the fittest. It’s as though you’re given a glimpse of what it’s like to suddenly age at a moments notice! Interestingly, they still have a a bull fighting arena here, but are no longer allowed to slaughter the bulls in the arena. Whilst I’m all for avoiding animal cruelty, I also think it’s important to recognise the cultural aspect of such activities whether we agree with them or not. Other parts of Ecuador still have regular bull fighting events, largely without regulation so Quito is a little advanced in that respect.
I booked the Galápagos portion of my trip with a company called G adventures as with limited time, I felt it easier to island hop and see as much as possible in 7 days. They are slightly more luxurious than Dragoman (although luxurious isn’t really the right word), but a similar concept in that they typically attract young (ish) travellers (and solo travellers like myself!)
To get to the islands, you have to fly from Quito. I’m heading to San Cristóbal first, Isabela second and then Santa Cruz via Floreana island last, which isn’t normally a tourist stop but we lunch there as part of a project which contributes to the local community.
Talking of food, Ecuadorean cuisine surprises me. There are empanadas everywhere as you’d expect – a Latino/Spanish staple, but their local dishes are are boiled hen (think a naked boiled chicken in a pot, legs akimbo) and deep fried sea bass (which actually looks ok if you like seafood which I conveniently don’t). I opted for the boiled hen in the food market, and all I can say is that I’m thankful my teeth are still intact as a steak knife wouldn’t have made it through the rubbery flesh of the so called hen. Soup is also a staple here and it’s not uncommon to have two courses with a vegetable/bean type soup to start and a meat or fish stew and rice as the main course. It’s ok at first, but we realised very quickly that so many beans and white rice are not the best for the digestive system…. I shall not elaborate further.
Anyway, to the Galápagos we go!
Write soon!
L x
Finding Freedom 