More Ecuador photos!

[T. Brown 1st MRB]

So I just did a final fishing trip with buddies who will be leaving in a few weeks and it was fucking FANTASTIC. In case anyone who hasn't followed along is reading, we travel about 2.5 hours outside Quito (capital of Ecuador) to a place called Mindo. Is a cloud forest, super high in elevation, very diverse in flora/fauna, and is known because the clouds settle into the mountains/forests....hence the name Cloud Forest. 

 

Looks like this in the early morning

 

 

I finally fucking got to play with and photograph my first wild snake here in America South, a Big-scaled Sipo. Super mean snake, notoriously ill-tempered. 

 

Rainbow caterpillar 

 

 

I've said it before but I'll say it again, Ecuador is ridiculously cheap to visit and absolutely breathtakingly pretty, and you all know ME; I'll be here another year, will happily help guide people around. My hostel in this cloud forest was $8 a night and was NICE. Whole 3 day fishing trip cost maybe $80 total for me and my gf. It's ridiculously affordable. Hilton here in Quito has the nicest rooms, penthouse suites, for $130 a night. That's like, high end. 

 

DO IT. COME. Lots of my friends are leaving this year after teaching here the past 2, so I need company. 

[Candy 1st MRB]

Awesome pictures! The landscape and wildlife are incredible.

[Shank2]

What's the average airfare to that part of the country? I understand its nice and cheap to stay, but what about getting there? This is actually of interest and I have to put dollars and cents to paper.

[T. Brown 1st MRB]

21 hours ago, Shank 1st MRB said:

What's the average airfare to that part of the country? I understand its nice and cheap to stay, but what about getting there? This is actually of interest and I have to put dollars and cents to paper.

All about timing. I'm part of a few Expat groups on FB that will frequently feature SUPER cheap flights from particular airports. The most recent was $350 round trip from Houston to Quito, though I don't see it around now. Quick cursory search has some around $700 from Richmond 2 weeks away, but I didn't clear cookies or do any of the other tricks to make it cheaper. I'll happily post links of the cheap flight deals as/if they appear. Miami --> Quito seems popular too, often goes cheap. 

[Shank2]

I will have to keep an eye out for deals. What's the word on the zika down there?

[T. Brown 1st MRB]

Quito is way too high elevation for the carrying mosquitoes to exist, so in this city...no worries. Barely any bugs exist here at all.

 

If one wanted to go to the coast, they might want to think about it, but after the quake it is kind of hard to get there, and not very safe nor fun. Still rebuilding the roads. 

 

Even with all that said, unless you're pregnant or wanting to get the significant other pregnant, it's really not that big of a concern for us living here. They recently raised the incubation period, which sucks, but if you get it, you may not even show symptoms. Possibly a cold/flu like period. 

 

Lots of updated info here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/zika-virus-ecuador

 

Quito, Mindo (the place the pics above are from), Banos (another high-traveled touristy area I'd recommend seeing) and most places in between are all too high elevation for the mosquitoes to survive, so we don't worry. 

[J. Hill]

I bet there are some fun ruins from ancient civilizations in those high mountains.  Would love to tour those.

[T. Brown 1st MRB]

On 6/22/2016 at 0:01 PM, J. Hill 1st MRB said:

I bet there are some fun ruins from ancient civilizations in those high mountains.  Would love to tour those.

There is a huge collection of Inca ruins in Ecuador called Ingapirca, a good distance from Quito, but I think Peru holds more Amazon/high-elevation ruins (think Machu Picchu). I haven't seen ANY ruins since moving here, but it's also not something I'm super interested in so I may not be well-informed. If you research and find anything else out, I'd love to know...my last year here will be spent exploring everything nearby. 

[J. Hill]

Rumicucho

A short drive from Quito, quite close to one of Ecuador’s most visited sites (Mitad del Mundo), the ruins of Rumicucho sit on a large hill. Rumicucho, which translates roughly to “corner of stone”, is believed to have been a significant location for several pre-Inca people groups as well as the Inca themselves. Remarkably close to the Equator, the site was reputedly used as both a military site and, later, a place of worship. Visitors may opt to take a tour of the ruins, the best option to learn more about their history and explore the ancient stone walls.

Pucará de Rumicucho, Huasipungo, Ecuador

 

 

You would be surprised what you can find with a simple Internet Search. 

[T. Brown 1st MRB]

56 minutes ago, J. Hill 1st MRB said:

Rumicucho

A short drive from Quito, quite close to one of Ecuador’s most visited sites (Mitad del Mundo), the ruins of Rumicucho sit on a large hill. Rumicucho, which translates roughly to “corner of stone”, is believed to have been a significant location for several pre-Inca people groups as well as the Inca themselves. Remarkably close to the Equator, the site was reputedly used as both a military site and, later, a place of worship. Visitors may opt to take a tour of the ruins, the best option to learn more about their history and explore the ancient stone walls.

Pucará de Rumicucho, Huasipungo, Ecuador

 

 

You would be surprised what you can find with a simple Internet Search. 

Hahah cmon, I've been here almost 2 years, I have searched. Those ruins aren't really worth visiting, especially compared to any in Peru or the link I mentioned earlier. It has been reduced a lot, mostly due to its proximity to Quito. Mitad del Mundo is kind of the same, super touristy and not even the actual equator site (there is a small tribute to the actual long/lat site about 10 mins away from it). 

Edited June 23, 2016 by T. Brown 1st MRB

[Tate 1st MRB]

Looks amazing. Although I'm pretty sure you guys don't want to visit any sites that Brown has been too already.

He marks his territory. Quite well.