Mindo 02/01/2011

I went to Otavalo with an incredibly nice couple from New Zeland, Mary and Laurence on this day, and it is aways a pleasure to go to that spectacular place.

As I did not have my driver licence, because my wallet was lost this days, Jowan was driving for us. He is a French friend who is staying in Hostal Quito Cultural for some time and also a very competent driver with an international driving licence. Not only did he helped me this days, as he was also a very good member of our trips, for being a very nice guy and also an excellent photographer.

Our day started in the Inti Nan museum, where nearby the Ciudad de la Mitad del Mundo, where they have a corrected measurement of the equator line, witch is about 300 mt. away from the original one, where the monument stands.

We have all enjoyed the tour in the museum, they were very impressed by the tests, like loosing the balance wile walking with eyes closed in the equator line, balancing an egg in the top of a nail (only the museum guide managed this day) and mostly the water whirlwind, witch goes one way in the north hemisphere, the other way in the south and straight down in the line.

After the museum we have headed to Mindo, an incredible road going down from the Andes to the direction of the coast, where one can see a nice example of the mega diversity of Ecuadorian flora, from the dry woods of cactus around the middle of the world to the tropical jungle of the norocidente of the Pichincha province, and after lunch Juan and Laurence went for Canopy in Mindo Ropes and Canopy. As Mary did not wish to do the canopy, I took her for a little walk in the property and we were able to see two blue tulcans with black peak and a Mot-mot, as well as other small birds. After that I took her to watch hummingbirds in the feeders of Cabanas Armonia.

After Juan an Laurence had finished with the canopy, we all went for some juice in a very sympathetic juice bar owned by a Portuguese man who lives in Mindo and after that we went for a tour in the orchids farm in Cabanas Armonia and some birds and hummingbirds watching also in there.

After that we have returned to Quito and got a nice dinner in La Ronda street in Quito Old Town, three blocks from the Hotel, and planned our Otavalo trip for the next day.

Very Nice People, these two.

Cotopaxi - 21/12/2010

Today I took Sandra and Helena to the Cotopaxi Volcano, it was a pleasant day, with the sweet company of the clouds and snow in this volcano that for sure stands as one of the greatests active volcanos in the world.

At first sight,this red giant with white cap impresses and does not cease to impress as we go near it and then go up to the snow.

In the way to the Cotopaxi we have stopped by Café de la vaca for some coffe and milk, and it is aways good.
Getting in there is was a surprise to find the price is now $2 for all people,national or forengers.. i find it cheap, believe it coud cost a little more, for what it is.
Before gettin into the Park, in a farm we have seen 3 llamas, and a pig that looked like a llama, than a dog and a donkey that also looked like llamas.. Near the Limpiopungo Lagoon Sandra, of sharp eyes and mind, have sighted a pair of deers, a most impressive sigth.

We went up the parking lot, that already had snow, at 4550mts and then hiked up to the Jose Ribas refuge, 4800mts, were we had some nice soup. The Cotopaxi was very generous to us this day and we got to see all the north face of it.
When we got down to the parking lot it started to rain,so we didnt go to the Pucara ruins, since we coudnt get out of the car...
The day was fine, the Cotopaxi is aways a beatiful place with a lot of powers of nature in it.

Censo de Aves - Mindo 18 - 19.12.2010

Fui este final de semana com Alícia, Juan e Helena a Mindo, para participar de um censo das aves de Mindo.
Infelizmente, não pude sair de Quito no dia 17 por uma chuva forte que tornava o caminho perigoso e chegamos tarde para o censo. Chegamos às 13:00, o censo começa às 05:00.
Nos hospedamos nas Cabañas Armonia, de Alicia e Hugolino, que é um experiente guia de observação de aves, Alicia (não Alícia, minha sogra e amiga com a qual estava viajando) também é uma pessoa muito boa e desempenhou um papel de primeira importancia para nossa viagem, pois nos pôs em contato com o grupo com o qual nos unimos e nos ensinou como chegar aonde eles estavam. Além disso nos mostrou um muito bom restaurante para comer, na proxima postagem sobre Mindo lembrarei o nome.
Foi o grupo liderado pelo ornitologo Santos, também guia experiente em observação de aves, com o qual pudemos ver em horário não adequado (pela tarde) e pouco tempo (2 horas) cerca de 20 especies de aves, inclusive uma mamãe Gallo de la Peña buscando alimento e alimentando seus 2 filhotes, que foi uma cena emocionante.
Santos nos explicou também que este censo é feito em cerca de 2000 lugares do mundo (5 no Equador) , todos os anos entre dezembro e janeiro. Que o censo dura 24H e cada local tem 24 Km de circunferencia.
Diz que Mindo detém o primeiro lugar mundial desde 2006 e que o segundo lugar também é equatoriano, mas amazônico, Mindo está no norocidente (descida entre a serra e a costa). Explicou que no último censo, Mindo registrou cerca de 520 especies, sem contar com outras 120 que não estão na região nesta época.
Tirando de lado os aumentos ou diminuições dos locais, a megadiversidade do território equatoriano é realmente impressionante e a diversidade de aves em Mindo e esta região de Los Bancos é notável, somente no café da manhã, se veem 6 ou 7 especies de beija flor, 15 individuos, a menos de dois metros de nós, porque há dois alimentadores de beija flor e, é claro o jardim de orquideas das Cabañas Armonia,
com não menos que 200 especies de orquideas, 40 em floração, que foram coletadas por Don Hugolino e cuidadas e apresentaddas a nós por Doña Alicia.
No dia 19 fui com Alícia às Cachoeiras Nambillo, infelizmente não pudemos nadar, escorregar no tobogã, saltar das pedras, ou banhar-se nas cachoeras, porque por causa das chuvas a corrente do Rio Nabillo estava muito forte.
Porém, foi uma caminhada agradável pelo bosque secundário de Mindo, sempre muito belo, desci pelo caminho de escalada com corda, balançamos na corda-tarzã e eu fiz um canopy interessante que inicia com corrida e salto. Juan e Helena foram ao Mindo Ropes and Canopy, gostaram.
Saimos de Mindo às 14:00, tudo Bem.
Até a próxima!