Heading west to the coast via the cloud forest April 3 2015

April 3, 2015


The trip from Quito to Crucita was totally amazing. We were already up in the mountains and we continued our ascent. Roads are very well paved but incredibly narrow and incredibly windy. It is a fairly new road just put in 4 or 5 years ago. They did a great job. But it is a very busy road and I would NEVER drive it. Well maybe if I had unlimited time. You would kinda think that 4 weeks was unlimited but no it certainly is not. Thank goodness that Guillo was driving. He has no fear. The roads do have the lines painted on them but let me tell you, no one pays attention to the lines. They just constantly look to see if they see anyone company and then pull out very quickly and pass. It is a scary thing to be sitting in the back seat and not knowing whether you will live to tell the tale. Actually, sitting in the front seat may be worse. 

But it is shear cliffs down the sides. The scenery is spectacular. The most amazing fora and fauna, trees, and plants, we've never seen before. It felt like we were in the rain forest but Guillo explained that we were in what they call the cloud forest because we were up in the clouds. We drove through some little towns in the middle of nowhere with little wood or cement houses or shacks, lots of them raised up off the ground for flooding and bug purposes.  

Vern and I sat in the back of Guillo's LUV truck and everytime he pulled out to pass another vehicle either one of us would be grabbing the others leg and looking very scared. We did see a bad accident. Well, not the accident but the many cars stopped on both sides and the roads boards people flying past us in trucks. We were very thankful that it was mostly cleaned up and we were not stopped too long. We had lunch at a grungy looking little cafe in some little village where the dogs sit and wait for the scraps. So many homeless dogs in this country. Wow. Guillo ordered us the lunch special which cost $2.50 and consisted of an amazing soup which tasted like a Thai soup with some meat, vegetables unkown, rice, coconut milk, and cilantro. Delicious. Then the main course of rice, plantain, and a meat, chicken, or pork, or fish. We each got something different and tried each others. They were all good. And the the homemade drink which was made from oatmeal and it was really good. All for $2.50. Love this place. We sat there and watching truckloads of chickens go by and lots of buses. They have wonderful air conditioned buses here which are incredible inexpensive as everyone uses them because very few people can afford cars. And if you are over 65 , all transportation is half price including air fare. The cost to go from Quito to Crucita, which is about a 7 hour drive is $14 and $7 if you are a senior. Nice.
We bought a few cds off a street vendor to listen to in the truck so we did not have to listen to commercials and spanish which we don't understand yet. I would love to learn. My son Kailem put a Spanish program on my phone which should come in handy. I really have to sign up for a Spanish program when I get home. Lots of interesting things to see along the way including the way that livestock gets transported.