Culture shocks and high altitude hiking

The first culture shock comes on the bus

Immediately after arriving in Quito, I run to the bus towards Otovalo. Why? It's Saturday, and every Saturday the town of Otovalo has the biggest market in Ecuador. I take the airport bus to the terminal, where I am supposed to change to the next bus. Although it's a bus station, the atmosphere is that of a busy market.

Observation #1: There is a lot of competition between the different carriers and the fight for customers is very noisy at the terminals. There are more than 20 ticket windows, and each one has vendors jostling with each other, each selling a ticket for the lowest price and at the best time. But that's just the beginning, as soon as I get on the bus a gentleman comes up selling pens, pencil sharpeners and markers of all colors individually. Before the bus leaves the station, the headphone vendor and the gentleman selling the daily newspaper take turns.

Observation #2: People jump on and off the bus without the bus stopping. The driver often doesn't even notice that the door is open. There's not even a problem stopping at the six-lane road where vendors of dried fruit, chips, water and milk get on, which they have handily tied over their shoulders in 8-bottle increments.

Well, observation #3: No one addresses the bus stops, the driver will stop wherever you want. Likewise, just wave at the bus and it will stop right by you.

Otovalo market

This is not only the largest market in Ecuador, but also the largest market of its kind in South America. La Plaza de Ponchos, translated as the square of ponchos, suggests what is sold here the most. On Saturdays, when the market is at its biggest, the square and surrounding streets become a maze.

Me vs. stray dogs

Before leaving, I was told several times that there are many stray dogs in Ecuador and that they can be dangerous. For this reason, I even got a rabies vaccination. However, even though I saw many of them during the first day, they all seemed friendly and calm and I had no fear of them at all. 

I changed my mind very quickly the moment it started to get dark and I was walking back to the hostel. I hadn't even walked one street before 3 dogs came running towards me. Luckily for me there were locals who calmed them down immediately and were still laughing about it. I don't think they've ever seen such a squealing blonde girl. I quickly run on, but there are at least two other dogs on every street. I'm starting to use the I don't see you, you don't see me method and hope that if I ignore them they'll let me pass in peace. Surprisingly, it works and I make it back to the hostel without being bitten.

Laguna Cuicocha

I met two Canadians at the hostel, and we were joined on the bus by a girl from Brazil and a lady from the Netherlands on the trek itself. And suddenly we have a trekking group. However, we don't talk much while walking, we barely manage to breathe. Even though the lagoon is just over 3,000 meters above sea level, it's giving us a hard time.

While we're gasping for breath, a group of Ecuadorians with numbers on their T-shirts run past us. We learn that there are often races running around the lagoon. Oh great, so we're barely able to breathe and they're running around unchallenged. I'm learning the new Spanish word SUERTE - good luck.

On the way back we discuss what we've visited, what we've yet to visit, local traditions, food and what we should look out for.

Rienne: Yeah, with street vendors you never know how they are with hygiene, it also depends on what kind of stomach you have, some people manage just fine, others can't even drink tap water. You know what a chicha is? I wouldn't drink too much of that.

Me: No, I don't know, what is it?

Rienne: It's a traditional corn drink, but it's often made by chewing the corn first and spitting it out.

Me: Sorry, what?

Rienne: they make it by fermentation in a lot of places now, but you never know...

After this conversation I wrote down in my notes the sentence in Spanish ¿CÓMO HA CREADO ESTA BEBIDA? = How did you create this drink?

Fuya fuya

The very next day I planned a trek around Lagunas de Mojanda and a hike up Fuya Fuya mountain with my new roommate Marta. Compared to Cuicocha Lagoon, this trek is less well known. There is no bus going that way and taxis can't go there either due to the poorly maintained road. We got there thanks to the owner of the hostel by a small van.

I have a love-hate relationship with treks in Ecuador so far. The altitude difference really gives you a hard time especially during the first few days of acclimatization. Every twenty steps there is a two-minute breathing break. My lungs seem to hate me now.

Fuya Fuya is translated by the locals as clouds clouds. No wonder, both the top of the mountain and the surrounding lakes are covered in clouds almost all day. So when you finally get to the top you're not likely to see much.