Ecuador is a small country of 19 million people. Despite its size, it is one of the most diverse places in the world. There are four main parts- the Amazonian area, the Andean highlands, the coastal area, and the Galapagos. In 2008, the constitution of Ecuador recognized nature as an entity with its own legally enforceable rights. It was the first country to do so.  Although nature is its own entity, it cannot vote nor does it have a voice in the debate about the future of Ecuador.  Currently oil is the major source of income, with farm-raised products such as flowers, bananas and shrimp in second place. Tourism is behind these, but growing in importance, causing friction with the oil industry.

Quito
I stayed in Quito for 3 days. At 9300 feet, Quito is the highest capital in the world. The city sits on a plain, wedged between the steep ascent of the mountains to the west and a precipitous drop off the mountains to the east. As a result, the city of almost 2 million is 7 miles wide and 30 miles long. Any guesses on what traffic is like?  The historic district of the city is one of the oldest in the world and the buildings are quite well maintained. Many indigenous people come to Quito to sell their wares in public markets. It is a colorful show. The equator, the source for the country’s name, is nearby. It is interesting to visit the Equator museum to see the only point in the world where water drains from a sink without the Coriolis effect. This was demonstrated by the museum staff who took a portable sink to each side of the equator to show the clockwise or counterclockwise swirling. Then they straddled the sink across the Equator. The water drained out of the sink directly. 8th grade science was right.

City market

Condor at sanctuary

Downtown- Basilica

Basilica Gargoyles-Ecuadorian animals

Basilica view

gold interior

Downtown - Independence Square

Presidential Palace

woman waiting

Otavalo Market-girl sleeping with doll

Otavalo Market

baby of a weaver

Straddling the equator

Ubiquitous roadside flower stall

Volcano seen from Quito hotel

Amazonian Jungle
From Quito, I flew east to Coca, a small town that is located on the Napo River, a tributary to the Amazon.  Coca is the gateway town for anyone wanting to travel to the Amazonian jungle in Ecuador. Mostly tourists and oil company workers make the trip. From Coca, getting to the jungle lodge required a two-hour boat ride along largely uninhabited parts of the river.  En route, we passed several barges conveying heavy equipment to the oil fields.

The lodge where I stayed is located in a jungle community of less than 100 residents.  Each community in the jungle makes their own rules by which they live. All of the communities are in need of jobs. Some villages have opted to work with the oil companies, sadly at the loss of the surrounding jungle. Other communities, like the one where I stayed, have opted to invest in eco-tourism.

The lodges have amazing native guides who escort tourists on hikes in the jungle or on boat trips along the river. They can spot birds and animals that are hidden behind thick foliage and completely missed by tourists. We saw all types of birds, weird insects and many types of monkeys at play. The guide spotted a 6-foot red-tailed boa wrapped around a tree limb, awaiting an inattentive bird or monkey. How did he see it?  Check the photo.

The community inhabitants are welcoming to the tourists. One woman shared a jungle delicacy of grilled large larvae. I tried, but could not bring myself to eat one. Others at the lodge did try it but I was not hearing any rave reviews. The community had a school that serves 80 children, ages 5-18. The kids come from surrounding communities, by foot or by boat. I saw many of the students arriving at school with cell phones in hand. Will visitors in the future see cell phone towers dotting thejungle?

The jungle is a lush ecosystem. Many of the indigenous people are trying to protect their land and preserve their culture. It will be interesting to see if the communities who have opted to pursue ecotourism have enough economic stability to stave off the encroachment of the oil companies. The future for the children of these jungle communities is uncertain. [continues after photos]

weaver bird

blue and yellow macaws on limb

Oropendola

Birds-pygmy owl

spoonbill

tanager

weaver bird nest

Butterfly-owl

 

Child and mother

Child at school

Child watching music videos on phone

Children at school-ages 6-8

Children waiting for school to start

Indigenous community buildings

solar panels

Indigenous delicacy- larvae

Indigenous woman harvesting yuca

Insects

Jungle

Local market vendors

Local market

cooked larvae

Monkeys

On the river to the lodge

Red-tailed boa in tree

The Galapagos Islands
At a time when the planet is facing unprecedented environmental challenges, places like the Galapagos offer a glimmer of hope.  It is not just that the islands have animals that have evolved into unusual forms and sizes, but it is also the quantity of these animals. The Galapagos are teeming with life, on land and especially in the surrounding sea. There are 18 main islands, all formed from volcanos. The environment on each of the islands is harsh, with limited vegetation and fresh water. The environment cannot support most types of life which explains why the island land inhabitants are limited reptiles, cold-blooded animals who do not require a daily food source to maintain their metabolism. The challenges of the environment are what has caused each species to adapt to its own island in a unique way. [continues after photos]