The Andes

I left Quito and traveled just a few kilometers south to a natural reserve in the Andes, on my way to Cuenca, still in Ecuador. I met an Ecuadorian guy who’s an Andean mountain guide and convinced him to take me on a short adventure to Illiniza Norte, a mountain with an elevation of 5126 meters (16,818 ft)

I am traveling on a budget, so the $200 he usually charges didn’t sound so good to me. We became friends though, and after a few beers he agreed to take me for free the following day, as long as I paid for transportation, food for both of us, and the rental of my tent. It was a done deal!

We left Quito Friday morning towards Machachi, the town at the foothill of what used to be a volcano, before it erupted, breaking it into two mountains, Illiniza Norte and Illiniza Sur.

We hired someone to take us to the camping area inside the park for $20 one way, we got $10 worth of food and paid a two-dollar entrance fee per person.

We got there in the afternoon. The freshness of the mountain was enjoyably overwhelming and the almost-forgotten sounds of nature flooded the air. I slept, to the sound of a flowing creek and the wind, until 4:00 am, when we started hiking up to the summit.

Alexis (my Ecuadorian friend) had showed some mistrust on my ability to adjust to the altitude. After all, I had only been in Quito for two days and he’s seen even the strongest succumb to altitude sickness. I wasn’t too concerned, but around 4:10 am Saturday, about 100 meters away from our tents, I was swallowing my words, or – better said – throwing them up.

My head didn’t feel right, my legs felt like Jell-O, every breath I took seemed useless; minutes later I was hanging over a rock, gagging in the darkness.

I felt terrible. Had I gone all that way to turn around without even beginning? No way. I wasn’t about to give up so easily. I reached into my daypack for a baggie of coca leaves a German girl had gifted me at the hostel in Quito. These have been used for over a thousand years in the Andes to heal altitude sickness, and besides being one of the many ingredients in the associated narcotic; it has not much else in common with it. They are also completely legal in raw form in some South American countries, for its traditional use.

I had decided to fight through my sickness, but I have to admit, I had no idea how far I could make it, so I took it –- literary -- step-by-step, as I chewed on a leaf.

Alexis asked me several times if I wanted to turn back but I insisted on continuing. I had to stop a few times, totally nauseated, in ten step intervals until he told me that the next time he would be the one to decide whether or not I could continue. So I told myself it couldn’t happen again.

Slowly I started feeling better. I was focused on nothing else but my breath and each step. Our headlamps were the brightest thing on the mountain and we kept walking through a forest.

As we advanced the vegetation started to change and sunlight began to peek through the clouds. It was also getting colder and windier as we approached the southeast ridge. I was definitely not in my normal shape, but I was able to keep going.

The scenery kept changing. It went from forest to tundra, to sand and rock covered in ice. It was absolutely beautiful. The sky was clearing, the sun rising, and I, still walking. I couldn’t believe it. The beauty surrounding me was making ever step worth it.

Three and a half hours later and at 5000 meters (16,404 ft), with a stunning view in front of us, I had to stop and rest once again. I was completely exhausted and, shortly after we stopped moving, absolutely freezing. But I was ecstatic to be there, contemplating first hand the beauty of the world, the powerful view of the Andes.

We were only 126 meters away from the summit, but we had to climb the last part of the route, and it would take another hour.

Exhausted, on an empty stomach, freezing and with no gloves, I couldn’t think of giving another step upwards, let alone trusting my life to my now-numbed hands as they grabbed on to frozen rock. I had reached my limit. I decided to turn back.

The hike down was easier and I was able to enjoy the scenery more, now that I wasn’t struggling for every breath. I drank water from a natural spring and made my way back to camp with a giant smile on my face.

Once back down, warm and comfortable, I kicked myself for not finishing. I wanted to be able to say I had made it to the summit on my first try, but I couldn’t.

It seemed so much easier in my memory, but realistically, being up there, amidst the elements, is a different game.

Once I realized that, it felt good to have had my butt kicked by the mountain. It was a reminder of my own nature, of my limitations. It reminded me not to under-estimate the power of nature. It was humbling.

Living in a city, everything we want is at the tip of our fingers. Everything we want is relatively easy to obtain. Getting anywhere is only a drive away. This was something that wasn’t going to come to me so easily, and I learned to accept it.

I was still happy for how far I had made it. I felt lucky for being able to experience the beauty of the mountain and I promised Illiniza Norte I would be back to earn the summit.

The middle of the world

Just outside of Quito there is Mitad del mundo, or the middle of the world. A line painted on the ground marks what was thought to be exactly were the equator crossed Ecuador, having a supposed latitude of 0’0’’0’’

It is now know, thanks to GPS, that it is in fact 240 meters north of the existing line. Regardless, three fellow solo female travelers and I did the whole touristy thing and had photo session, right in the middle of the world! Ok, pretty close.

Austria, Germany, the U.K and Colombia converge in the middle of the world.

Good times!

It is very easy to make friends while traveling, especially when staying in Hostels. Everyone is really friendly and those of us traveling alone find each other, help each other and always manage to have a good time.

I've become a great tool for foreigners, who bravely travel along South America, not knowing any spanish. I get the best of both worlds; I get to interact with travelers from all over the world and build friendships, because I speak english, and I get to hang out with locals and get a real sense of the culture because I speak spanish...I'm a lucky girl...making friends all over the place.

The Journey Continues

I have traveled from Cali, Colombia to Pasto, 8 hours away from Cali and just two from the border with Ecuador. I spent the night on the foothill of the Galeras volcano in Pasto. I continued on to Ipiales, a town on the Colombian side of the border with Ecuador.

Right near this town, there is this magical place that captivates all, whether is due to faith, the overpowering beauty or its history.

Hanging over a cliff, between the canyon of the Guaitara River, amidst the intensely green vegetation and the visible grayish rock there is a basilica, known as Las Lajas

It is a sanctuary dedicated to Nuestra Senora de las Lajas, an image of the virgin of the catholic faith, and the miracles she performs.

Learn more about it here ;) Supposedly this place and the image of the virgin in it are miraculous, so much as people walk 18 hours straight from Pasto during holly week in pilgrimage, because it is said to answer prayers and deliver miracles.

I arrived there at 5:30 in the afternoon instants after I got off the bus from Pasto, dropped off my pack at the hostel and got back on the cab that I had taken from the bus terminal. I was only going to be in Ipiales for that night and it was my mission to see Las Lajas during daytime (keep in mind that in Colombia the sun sets just before seven o’clock year-around.) Luckily for me, at this time there was maybe one tourist and just a few faithful. It took a good 20 minutes, almost running, down a hill and then stepping down stairs and a path to get to the basilica from the main road, because it is at the bottom of the canyon.

Once I got there, this place was my playground for a solid hour!

I explored a bit, took some pictures, went down a little trail along the river and trekked back up quickly so I wouldn’t find myself alone in the darkness. Half way up the steep path I was nearly exhausted so I stopped and sat on a bench. I closed my eyes and I took deep breaths of the amazingly fresh air that is only felt when up in the mountains. My heart was pumping like crazy and I could hear my heartbeat, slowing down along with my breath, then, I found myself immersed in nature and the beauty of this place. I was still with my eyes closed and I could hear the waterfall in near distance, the river down at the bottom of the canyon, birds, and every cell of my body smiling. I opened my eyes and I was taken away by the view of the imposing mountain and the daring structure. I couldn’t help but smile.

I felt truly amazing. I don’t know if it was the energy concentrated there due to peoples’ faith, or the beauty of the nature that was so refreshing, or the excitement of my solo adventure beginning, or all of the above combined. However, its was amazing, in fact, mystical.

I am not religious at all, actually, in theory quite against it. But it was for sure a spiritual experience. I connected with the nature around me and inside me. I was thankful for the beauty of this planet, our home, for the opportunity of being alive and breathing and thinking and experiencing and loving. I was very thankful and very happy. My day couldn’t have gotten any better.

This place is pure beauty :) I hope you enjoyed visiting it through me.

Check out a slideshow of the journey to "Las Lajas"

las lajas

4 Ojos

“4 ojos” literary means four eyes in Spanish and symbolically, whatever you want it to mean. Two Venezuelan girls have started a cultural movement of this name and have given the opportunity to local artists to make of it whatever they want it to be. Graffiti artists, painters, chefs, dancers, DJ’s, photographers and pretty much any kind of artistic expression are welcome at this event. The intention is to promote art and culture and the event itself is of a kind that Colombia has never seen before, perhaps even the world, at least in the way that they are doing it.

What makes it so different and special is that it is a “nomadic and ephemeral art gallery,” as the organizers put it. Is nomadic because it takes place in a different location every time, and ephemeral because the event and the art that makes it up is destroyed shortly after the event, along with the venue.

What does that mean? Nelixa Salas and Maria Fernanda Velandia (the two Venezuelan girls) look out for semi-abandoned houses to “intervene,” as they say (although it might not translate so well). They then invite local artists to take over the place. They then literary fill it with art and creativity. The walls get completely covered with paint or photos or sculptures. There are music sets and small, local, brand promotions. There are performers and food and drinks, all lasting until 4 am, usually on a Saturday, and gone by the following week when the properties are demolished or painted and brought back to “normal.” Although it only lasts a short while, the energy such event generates is pretty amazing. 4 Ojos allows artists to showcase their creativity, network, socialize and party, ALL at the same time. It is like the Latin American version of Create.Share.Unite that takes place in New Haven, CT, US. For those of you who are familiar with it ;)

The organizers know how beneficial this kind of cultural movement is for a city.

“It enriches the culture of the city,” they say. “It’s become its own social class that emerges from the necessity of creative people to interact.” The artists and attendees benefit by creating a social and professional network and the city itself benefits by having such creativity and good energy going on.

4 Ojos took place last Saturday in Medellin, Colombia. It also happens in San Cristobal, Venezuela. This is the 4^th year running and the organizers plan to keep the ball rolling. Next month it will take place in Venezuela and they’ll be back in Medellin in November. Hopefully, eventually, it will take place in more cities in Colombia and the world….so stay tuned because 4 Ojos might come you way and you don’t want to miss it. It is truly fantastic.

Update!

I am currently in Cali, Colombia. I arrived yesterday from Medellin. I was there for a week and now I'm reunited with my family. I will stay here for a week and then will continue on to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina...I'll keep you posted :]