January 2016 - How are you? Where are you?

31 Jan

HAYWAY Episode 33 – Guayaquil, Ecuador

We say goodbye to the Andes and hello to the the hot and steamy coast in this week’s How Are You? Where Are You? podcast.

The Andes gave us one of our most traumatic days of our trip and then one of the most magical. All in the space of two days.

We have seen some jaw-dropping sights and try our best to turn the vision into words. Luckily we have some photos to help out below.

It sure feels weird to be sweating profusely again. What a strange enduring memory o be left with of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s biggest city.

We have managed to cool off by drinking the local brew and eating refreshing delights like ceviche. Cue a return for What’s in the Pot.

Tigua Art and Quilotoa’s Crater Lake

Clockwise from top left: Andean art scene; Quilotoa’s crater lake; our purchase; the farmhouse in Tigua; Julio displays his art that we bought.

Climbing the Andes

Clockwise from top left: a woolly llama heads to market; Shelley at 4,000m; awe-inspiring views; Shelley nails the climb.

Guayaquil Rest Day

Clockwise from top left: urban iguanas in Parque Bolivar; Barcelona football club from Guayaquil; night out with our hosts Fabricio and Alicia.

What’s in the Pot?

Clockwise from top left: Cerviche ingredients; the result; Fabricio’s Mum Yadira takes over in her kitchen.

Pedalling Down Volcano Alley and Across the Andes to the Coast

26 Jan

Viva Pasto and gracias

We watch the fantastic creations in a million colours aboard the enormous parade floats.

Everybody waves for candy and shouts ‘Viva Pasto carajo!!!’ to the people dancing above the expressive and exaggerated faces and figures carved on every surface.

HAYWAY Podcast 32 – Quito, Ecuador

We have climbed to the second highest capital city in the world. Somehow by arriving in Quito we have acclimatised to become human mountain goats with some strange ability to breathe at 4000 metres.

Quito took a while to capture our hearts but a walk around the city’s historic centre and a visit to the home of Oswaldo Guayasamin, one of Ecuador’s most celebrated artists, did the trick.

As always we have met some interesting characters on the way here and the transition back to using U.S. dollars in Ecuador has increased our need to become scavengers.

Hear all about it in this the 32nd edition of the How Are You? Where Are You? podcast.

First Days in Ecuador

Clockwise from top left: Baden on the Equator; river views; Shelley climbs; Edwin and family in Lumbaqui; Hosts Jose and Mercedes in Lago Agrio.

The Road to Quito

Clockwise from top left: Baden in Papallacta thermal pools; Shelley descends to Quito; San Rafael waterfalls; 4000m summit; volcano view.

Hanging in Quito

Clockwise from top left: Shoe shiners in Plaza Grande; Baden and Shelley on the gondola; Plaza San Francisco; mountain view from Pinchincha Volcano; view of Quito on gondola descent.

Guayasamin Museum Visit

Clockwise from top: Inside Chapel of Man; painting in Guayasamin’s studio; artist’s house; back garden

Our Grind to Quito

19 Jan

HAYWAY Episode 31- Baeza, Ecuador

It felt like Colombia didn’t want to let go of us and we certainly didn’t want to let go of it.

We arrived in Pasto on New Year’s Day, only 100km from the border with Ecuador. We thought we would maybe rest a couple of days and go on our merry way but Colombia had more kindness and adventure in store for us yet.

We ended up staying a week in Pasto (a long time off the bike for us) to immerse ourselves in their Carnaval de los Blancos y Negros. The carnival of the whites and the blacks sounds a bit racist and it’s heritage is on the back of slavery but in modern times it has evolved into a colourful and musical display of Patuso pride in its traditions and indigeneity. It was an honour to witness.

In another effort to delay the awakening from our Colombian dream, we decided to take the long way to Ecuador by cycling into the Putumayo province and riding El Trampolin de la Muerte, The Road of Death. Although we didn’t tell our Mums it was called that until we reached the other side.

Carnaval de los Blancos y Negros in Pasto

Riding El Trampolin de la Muerte – The Road of Death

Now you can ride The Road of Death

03 Jan

HAYWAY Episode 30 – Pasto, Colombia #Festive500

Welcome to our special edition #Festive500 podcast.

The Festive500 is the brainchild of the cycle clothing designer Rapha and is designed to get people riding their bikes between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve at a time when most of us are keen to get on the turps and stuff ourselves full of mince pies.

The challenge is to ride 500 kilometres in eight days and we thought we might as well take up the task here in Colombia since we were planning on riding south anyway, although perhaps not this quickly.

This podcast is a summary of our week on the bike with stories from the road between Sevilla and Pasto in Southern Colombia, an area of stunning scenery in the Northern Andes mountain range.

Clockwise from top left: A wonderful Christmas with Mauro and his family in Sevilla; we set off as a trio from Sevilla on day 1; sugar cane fields in the Cauca Valley; Shelley gets some friendly advice from a local; Buñuelo is a crucial ingredient in a Colombian breakfast.

Clockwise from top left: Buga’s Basilica; Baden with the friendly nightwatchman at Buga’s sports complex; we meet some kind bikers in Piendamo; Shelley riding to Popayan; Shelley with our host Lilia in Santander de Quilichao

Clockwise from bottom left: The white city of Popayan, festive for the Festive500 in Popayan; around Blanca’s breakfast table in Popayan; New Year’s Eve dummy; Baden riding with fellow cycle tourist Gunnar.

Clockwise from top left: Shelley shares a Lulo juice with new friend Ever in El Bordo; “The most beautiful pool in the world” in El Tablon; the odometer passes 10,000km for our journey since London; time for a celebratory boiled egg on the road in the Patía Valley; hot but rewarding riding in the Patía Valley.

Clockwise from top left: the parade ends in Chachagüi’s plaza; the park where we slept through New Year’s Eve celebrations; Chachagüi’s mayor immortalised in paper mache; Venezuelan President Maduro is vilified; woman power in Chachagüi’s parade.