I’m back in Quito after a technical trip I took with several other volunteers in the Costa region. Our group was lucky enough to be the only one to get to go to the beach, which we were sure to rub into the other groups when we got back.
The trip started out around Quito, where we spent a couple classroom days in a monastery, which felt like a not-so-subtle hint from PC that we should be on our best behavior. We were happy to leave and head down to San Vicente on the coast, about an hour west of my site (Chone). Every time we go from one region of the country to another, I’m amazed by how diverse this country is. It’s so small, but you can get on a bus and be in an entirely different climate and culture.
We did a boat tour through a mangrove preserve near San Vicente, learning about community tourism, and then went just across the bay to visit a dry forest in Bahia de Caraquez. Beautiful locations, and on top of that we got to drink beer in the swimming pool at our hotel.
We headed a bit north to the forest reserve of Lalo Loor, where we stayed in a giant bamboo hut and hung out with howler monkeys while trying to avoid tarantulas. The forest is one of the pieces of private land here that has been preserved from deforestation and agriculture.
Finally we headed north, staying on the beach (here) near Same in the province of Esmeraldas. It was downright beautiful, and we swam in the ocean every chance we got. Esmeraldas, even though it’s just above my province, is very different. It’s known for having a large Afro-Ecuadorian population, and the coast is a mix of beach resorts and fishing villages. We had a great time hanging out while the waves crashed below our cabin, and the only downside was that room service took $40 from me. Asi es la vida.
Overall the trip was great and we were able to learn more concrete things that a lot of us will be spending a lot more time with in our sites.
I’ll be uploading more pictures shortly. Promise!
