Ayampe: Tranquilo

Ask anyone in Ayampe about Ayampe, and you hear: ¡Es tranquilo! It’s chill, it’s calm, it’s enveloped by an inexplicably peaceful energy. We are told the town does not allow assertive vendors even during high season (which most certainly is not now). Ayampe is quite small but even so, yoga classes abound and foreigners aplenty come to surf, play, live, work, and, of course, be tranqilo.

We spent our first couple days visiting local attractions close to a nearby fishing village, Puerto Lopez. First stop, Playa Los Frailes in the Machilillia National Park.

We drove into the park. Most people, however, walk the long dirt road from the main thoroughfare to the beach. On our way back, we picked up a young Italian woman, Ilaria, hitchhiking her way to her hostel in Puerto Lopez. We explained that we were touring Agua Blanca on the way back, and she came along. This turned out to be a happy decision, and we spent three of our six nights in Ayampe with Ilaria, who we dubbed our “adopted daughter.”

Agua Blanca is also part of the Machalilla National Park. It includes a museum featuring artifacts from the Manteño civilization, which thrived in Ecuador during the pre-Columbian period, and lived independently of the Incas.

Today, some eighty indigenous families live and work in Agua Blanca, guiding visitors through their museum, trails and sulfur springs, and living off the land. According to our guide, with the exception of rice, the community produces its entire food supply.

The next day, we took an all-day tour to Isla de la Plata, which is often called the “poor man’s Gallapagos.” It is close to Ecuador’s mainland (in fact, overnight stays are prohibited) and hosts many of the Gallapagos’ unusual species, most notably blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds. I haven’t been to the Gallapagos, but I am sure Isla de la Plata is no match. Nevertheless, we loved it!

We were able to walk right by blue-footed boobies in all stages of life: males standing alone right on the human hiking trail hoping to attract a mate, pairs courting, and both moms and dads building nests, incubating eggs, and caring for their young.

Once they pass the newborn stage, the babies’ thick white feathers make them look larger than their parents. They shed them during adolescence, and after that their feet turn blue. Fun fact: when the boobies dive for fish and pump their adrenaline, the blue shade of their feet deepens. Below are some baby blue-footed boobies, sans blue feet.

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We also saw other fascinating species, including vultures and frigatebirds, pictured below.

On the way back from the island, we experienced the best whale watching of our lives! At times we were able to see close to twenty whales at once, jumping out of the water, blowing air, and swimming in sequence. One even swam within a couple yards of our boat!

During our final few days in Ayampe, we went back to school at Otra Ola, which offers yoga, surf, and Spanish lessons. Given the breadth of their offerings and the size of the school, our expectations were low, but the programs turned out to be first-rate. We took yoga every day from 9-10:30 followed by Spanish from 11:30-2:30. Our Spanish teachers (Melany and Genesis) were talented, dedicated and understood immediately what we each needed. Lucile was one of the best yoga teachers we’ve encountered. And the setting was beautifully serene.

We were sad to leave Ayampe, but there is so much more to see!

Yesterday we headed for our next destination, Cuenca, which, so far, might be our favorite of all! During our drive we passed through the magnificent Cajas National Park. At first, the roads were entirely covered in clouds, with near-zero visibility. Not just fog. Clouds.

After the road cleared, we stopped to ride a cable car over the most stunning of valleys.

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At the other end of the ride, we were able to take a short walk with still more breathtaking views.

Finally, we drove a bit further and stopped at Tres Cruces, also part of Cajas National Park, which sits on the continental divide.

Now we are in Cuenca, a fantastic smallish city nested in the mountains.

While exploring the city, we happened upon the Prohibido Centro Cultural, a small museum or gallery of sorts displaying dark and sensual art created primarily by Edwardo Moscoso but also by his son. It was a fun little surprise.

Tomorrow, we enroll in yet another school, this time here in Cuenca. We have decided to participate in the school’s homestay program with local families, and requested separate homes for the week in an effort to expedite our language improvement and deepen our experience with the community, at least a bit.