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THURSDAY 8-7-2010
By noon we had reached the border. After less than one hour we
were on route again towards the main port
Guayaquil, It was time to
check out, how we will ship JAMBO to the USA.
Have you ever travelled in the countryside in the
Philippines? Here along the road it was
exactly the same.
Bush and
overgrow, trees fell since. Occasionally a
village with simple straw mat or wood planks
made huts, without electricity, The
people
look the same as in the Philippines, they dress the same, have the size as
them. It is unbelievable but true.
Are we in
Cavite, Batangas or Davao?
rice
and Bananas
Rice plantations to feed the population. Bananas are the main
export article. In fact Ecuador is the
biggest exporter with 23% of the
world
market.
roadside Parlor
and sugarcane
Traveling along the coast, for miles left and right banana
plantations, bundles covered with clear
plastic to keep the fruit pest out and
make
them look good for markets in the USA
and the EU. But what about ownership?
Another horrendous story in the game of
profit
and control. A sample from Guatemala.
There was a president in power, namely Jacobo Armenz, who initiated land reforms,
"take back our country from outsiders and let our peasants work and earn from
their land". Oh, he was dubbed as communist
and the
CIA staged a right wing coup which overthrow him. Guatemala went into a nearly
50 years civil unrest including Dead squads.
"That
is successful politic". Naturally this
owner of the biggest, the United fruit
company, Mr. Lindner donated a generous US$
500.000 to
Clinton and democrats in 1996.
250.000 plantation worker has Ecuador, including children. Due to
overdoses of agrochemicals, many sick,
including cancer. Union
movements are
suppressed. Who are the players on the
banana field?
Five in all, control prices and supply. Dole, Del Monte,
Chiquita, Fyffes the largest European guys
and Noboa (Bonita). The last being
a
local business man, and the wealthiest in
Ecuador. He lost presidential election in
2002, has successfully destroyed the unions
on
his Los Alamos plantations, but was later
forced to reinstall some workers he had
sacked for union activity.
View from the window
sleep every night in another bed
By late afternoon we arrived and checked into a hotel. But what a
hotel. The supposed 4 star at US$52.- was
actually a 4 times one
star. They just added them up. One star breakfast! A bred,
egg and coffee. Harun cached a
cockroach, running over the linen cloth
for cover, with his coffee cup. That is a four a 4 star hotel?
Harun: "One more
coffeecup porfavor". The short, bold and sized
up waiter, with a beard,
even Karl Marx known for bad thoughts and lots of wool in the face,
would admire; This waiter whisked around the
tables." Yes?"
I need a coffee cup. " Seeing the "cockroach hide out" standing
there in the middle of the table, he
intended to give it to Harun, not
aware about the inmate under. When he lifted the cup, the cockroach
saw daylight again and although almost flat
smashed from the
cup which hammered the body. It was ably to fly and landed- in the
pride of the gentleman, that is the
oversized beard and
disappeared quickly in the wool. What then came was equal to a
Congolese fire dance, where people run bare
feet in glowing coals.
The poor man could not see where the cockroach was hiding, as
meanwhile this small beast had crawled deep
into the waiters
grooming glory.
As many bold men compensate their shiny head with a combed,
shampooed and nourished woolen beauty.
He was so desperate to
get the cockroach out, that he forgot where he was, namely in the 1
star restaurant. With both hands fingers he
went trough, but
seemingly the beast could escape. After a minute or so, he had a
bright idea and disappeared in the kitchen,
we hear him shouting
something of "agua" and lots of laugh from colleagues. Then,him screaming in pain.
When he came back his beard was disorderly and - wet. He must have
stuck the head into the washbasin in vain
first and then used
hot water to get rid of the unwanted visitor.That's why the
screaming.
The second star the hotel get for organization and guest
distribution. It was afternoon around 5:00
pm when a youth group arrived.
Maybe all together 40 - 60 students. They were located on various
areas, but also on our floor. 4 - 6 in one
room. Ours had a
connecting door. Youngsters at the age of 12 to 14 years in a
hotel without parents? They played not only
the TV in full blast and
quarreling for the program, but also hide and seek with the girls
on the corridors. There was only one lift,
the second was under repair
it was always full. To get down from the 10th floor took 20
minutes.
The third star they get for the beds. 5 in one room. We
could switch if we dream bad in one bed.
The fourth star for cleanness, especially the carpets. They
have not seen a clean up since Columbus.
Stay away from "....... Oriente". By coincidence the owners
are Chinese.
FRIDAY 9-7-2010
We needed a car insurance for Ecuador and Colombia. We got it, but
it took the whole day to find one.
And we
got the estimate for car shipment to USA. US$ 3600.- the forwarder want. We now try to
ship from Columbia.
SATURDAY 10-7-2010
The left front tier made some funny rolling noise
at 90 km/h, as if a bearing would run dry.
We got to check and fix it. With luck we
found a mechanic, who would open the front
left axle side, a roller bearing was bad.
Two rolls missing. The terrible roads had taken
their toll.
Welcoming us in the workshop
the front bearing to be changed
SUNDAY 11-7-2010
The left rear axle gasket leaked, the one which was repaired in La
Paz. When opening this morning, we saw that
the bearing was
worn out and as such leaking took place. We were at the workshop
the whole day. The axle had to be machined,
the seal and bearing
replaced. We found only late afternoon time to go to the iguanas
park where these creatures roam freely.
Rio Guayas
free iguanas
In the
evening they climb trees for a night rest
MONDAY 12-7-2010
We left town by 7:30 driving north towards
Quito the capital. Soon we were out of
Guayaquil travelling along rice fields and
small
villages. Agriculture work does not make one wealthy. Unless you
are the owner of a large estate.
What wonders that the family transport is a motorcycle. And the
Chinaman is here, not only with shops as
seen in every country, but
with hybrid rice with higher yield. The "oriental magic rice" was
developed in China. Experts train the
farmers how to grow
the "rice magic". It became well accepted as it grows faster
and is sold at a higher price.
China hybrid rice fields
and the workers home
Three on a ride without safety concern
That is life; a balancing act! seen at
a Round About
veggie market
Onto the horse; Hoopla hop!
In the villages the daily market; on the
outskirt boys herd cattle. An idyll like -
as said before- in the Philippines. But then
the road
start to climb. Harun; "What the heck! Again going up? We
have enough from Bolivia and Peru" Our
map had no contours and no
high indications and true we went up and up again until the land
leveled out in 4000 m. Up here mainly maize
is planted.
Up again into the fog ???
countryside, maize in the forefront
agriculture land between clouds
The proof; 4148 m, it was raining and cold
Travelling along another hour or so, the
Chimborazo came into view. Over 6000 m high.
He carries snow through the year.
There he is, but shy hiding behind clouds;
the Chimborazo,
No time to divert to the park
A group of Guanacos grazing
cute animals they are
Once in a while a farmers home and mamas washday. The tiers
although discarded, had still a good use.
The Washing machine
consist of three tiers and a rough stone. The motor are Mama's
arms. We waved her to come with her son to
the road.
washday for Mama Otavalla
even with bonbons we gave, he still looked
sad
Michael over Satan; seen on a round
about a warm
oven is assured; The women wearing an
Austrian style hut
It was getting dark and raining. We were still one hour from Quito.
By 7:30 we drove into town and an
demonstration, which held the
traffic for over one hour. They have a funny and confusing way of
leading the traffic in the town center.
There is a wide road, separated
in lines by low curbstones. Three lines are for busses in one
direction, two lines for cars and busses.
Due to the demonstration, traffic was stuck; so, we searched for a
free line and indeed in the middle there was
one, so we drove in
and around a bend to be stopped by a bus flashing his emergency
light. Break down. We reversed the lane out
again about 300 m
and then broke the traffic law several times, because Harun just
hopped over 3 separating curbs, onto the
final lane on the pedestrian
site, while I was waving both arms out of the window, stopping
busses and cars.
One bus driver had his door open and his mouth too. Something like
this he had never seen.
Dead tiered after 11½ hours driving in overland traffic and rain,
mountain up and down, we arrived in a clean
hotel. Just by coincidence
or luck whatever you name it.
TUESDAY 13-7-2010
After a fine and well deserved sleep we were
looking out of the window, where we had
actually landed last night. The view was not
bad.
Part of
Quito, the capital of Ecuador
This morning we intend to visit a place on
the EQUATOR. Lat. 0 degree, 0'0". We did
cross the Equator from North to South one
time
that was in Gabon. Today, we return
from the Southern hemisphere to the
Northern, here in San Antonio de Pichincha.
Since there
are many Americano tourists, the
authorities have established along the
equator line an Ethnographic Museum.
the museum yard
entrance to an Indian hut
They had set up
this typical Indian hut. Here the kitchen.
kitchen floor
On the wall were several
instructions how one comes to a shrink head
by using Izaniza. Cut off the head take the
scull out roast and
boil the remains
over fire with some secret plant
ingredients.
Although we give here detailed instructions;
lease do not try it out...
That is
what you will look, after you loose a fight.
Your head shrunk to the size of a fist. A genuine baby head; see the nostrils?
A gruesome end indeed. Knowing what will
happen, the men must have fought fiercely.
Below the Gentleman of the Amazonas
competes with the proboscis monkeys, which
are known to have a constant erection.
What happen when he crawl through thorn bush on a hunt? It
has some disadvantage being naked.
On the other hand the village ladies know already what to expect
should he show some courtship. They can size
him up literary.
a Huaoranis Indian A penis fish
Why penis fish? Well it is said to pee
into a river in the Amazonas can be
troublesome, as this fish when small is able
to swim up
your relieve stream and into the
bladder and further. Therefore travelers of the
Amazonas, bring mother kitchen sieve for protection.
Then came the real thing, the equator line
with some experiments.
First was the sun watch. then came the water rotation. As you are aware
when lifting the plug in a washbasin, the
water starts
to rotate out of it. To the left in the northern hemisphere and to right
in the southern. That is due to earth
rotation. But here on the
equator it drains out straight down. The guide proofed it.
What time is it?
the water rotation test
Placing an raw
egg onto an iron tip is possible exactly on
the equator.
The power of the sun is boiling eggs
Our symbol
on the Equator
just for memory
Shall I?
In-between the totem poles Harun considers whether to step back
into the Northern hemisphere and cross the
equator. "It will be
cold again. when we are in Alaska" and here it is warm".
middle of the Earth Monument
The Pululagua volcano, looking into the
crater
This extinct volcano is located on the equator. Down in the valley
farmers produce corn, sugar cane, beans and
wheat, as volcanic
soil is very fertile. Our "middle of the earth" visit came to an
end.
We led JAMBO out from Quito in the
afternoon again onto the Pan-Americana
Norte, towards Columbia. By late afternoon
we arrived in Otivalo a famous tourist spot up in 3000 m.
WEDNESDAY 14-7-2010
Dear and honorable reader; you may wonder how we are able to load
the web site that fast. Well, we usually
work evenings before
sleep. Driving all day, then working until 10:00 pm. But no
complain; we are still alive and well.
In the morning we walked a bit the market. Coming out from the
hotel, there was a long line up at the bank.
Most of them Highlanders.
waiting for cash
clean and neat is Otivalo
Indeed colored pavements, and stones, no debris on the road, it was
a pleasant surprise.
A highland woman
with two shiny golden teeth
their dresses for sale
The women dress tasty and decent. But as in
Russia the golden teeth's man, also she has
as status symbol two olden ones.
We strolled along a lively fruit and veggie market, to see the
offerings. mo our surprise there were
blackberries and raspberries too.
The
veggie Alley
Berries as in the European alps
It was not 10:00 am, we were sitting in
JAMBO and heading North towards
Columbia. The road although tarred curved in
serpentines
mountain up and down again.
Busses always in a hurry overtake as they
please, stop to pick up passengers and then
overtake again.
Driving carefully is important. Watching out
what other road users do. Then there are
those guys, using the road as drying filed
for
their beans.
Beans on the road
Black men, descendants of slaves or
maybe Nigerians. We have seen the system
there.
Their argument? "Why should we not use
the road? In Equator everyone is equal. We
have no car to use it. No motorcycle either.
Not
even a bicycle. That is why we use the
road for our beans!"
And the traffic obstruction, the danger with
one lane? "Never mind we have our
Juju."
By 3:00 pm we had arrived at the border and
crossed by mistake over the bridge to
Columbia, Huh, immediately returning back
and
searching for immigration and custom of
Ecuador. The immigration took 20 minutes as
there was a line of people. Our JAMBO was
standing in the parking lot for all to see
surrounded by curious moneychangers.
With the carnet this wonder document to
Custom. "Where is the car?" "There you
can see it." Signing the document and
stamping
was done in 2 minutes. "Adios". I
looked at all the many vehicles with open
booth the custom over their items,
searching; and we just
go!
The Columbian site was even faster.
"Where you from?" "Brunei Darussalam"
he looked at the list. " Bu, Bruuu, Brunei
Darussalam, 90 days, he had found it stamp
the
passport and out we went. Custom saw the
carnet and respectfully signed and stamped,
where Harun politely showed him, tear off
his part obediently, smiled and said
"Adios". That was the whole procedure.
If you, distinguished reader find the time,
click Columbia/Venezuela where our expedition
continues.
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