Canoa, transportation, Quilitoa and Quechuas

CANOA
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After a few days in Quito, it was off on a mountain bus down to the coast. Some corners a little dicey, but not bad. I ended up in Canoa, north of Manta , where daughter Emily had been surfing earlier in the year. The waves were more my size here. Cool little village (6,000 people) with the hostel right on the beach. Swim surf, siesta, drink beer. Mucho fun. I got there by walking from Bahia, cause that{s where the best bus went. 16 kms along the road after a little ferry across the harbour. Hitch-hiked in Bahia in back of a truck. Buddy would not accept money. After this nice vacation, I walked back to Bahia and then bussed back into the mountains



TRANSPORTATION
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The transportation system here is amazing. As long as you can handle an average of 40 kms per hour, it costs $1 an hour to get anywhere. Been on 8-10 buses and have waited at most 20 minutes to get one. Walk out into the big loading area and yell at people where you want to go, and stuff happens. Some buses wont let you on without checking a bag and patting you down (seriously), others just jump on. Been hitch-hiking as well, pay some times, not others, always first vehicle with room (not a seat...room)

QUILITOA
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Arrived in Zumbahua at 830 PM in the dark (sun up at 6, down at 6). Was raining as we climbed from sea-level to over 12,000 ft (probably good to be dark). This is a little Quechua town of 6,000. Had mucho fun trying to get a room and supper (no supper). Did get a beer. Big Saturday morning market the next day. Couple of backpackers and everyone else indigenous. I caused a bit of a stir at one local restaurant. A few people just flat out stared at me. Everyone quite shy, but friendly if you had enough interaction with them. Walked to Quilitoa (the big crater lake volcano). Just made me so happy to see that sight. I had seen it in a photo-op on Ecuador. The village (200-300 people?) I arrived at in a hailstorm. Lodging was a local Quechua family hostal, meals in the big family room, with actual heat (small wood stove). No hot anything else for me for 3 days. Did a big 1/2 day hike around the crater, gasping for air at this elevation, walk for 20 breathes, wait for at least 20 more

QUECHUAS
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The local indigenous group is the Quechuas (your basic South American Indian with the hats) The population in these towns is 98%, even the little 4 year olds have the hats and they all dress the same. Very shy. I got to stay with a family in the village. Lack of local language of even Spanish was again, a real pain. First night we also had a girl with Spanish /English, so things went fine