Getting Ready for our Trip to the Amazon

In just ten days, we'll be taking a trip to the jungle.  There are many different types of trips to take -- staying at various lodges, or taking a boat cruise on the Napo River that feeds into the mighty Amazon River.  It is the boat cruise that we have decided upon.  The Manatee Amazon Explorer resembles a large three-story houseboat.  It has fourteen private cabins with air conditioning and hot showers, a dining room, sundeck, and a lounge.  This will be our base for our four days/three nights in the jungle.  We'll be taking daytime and nighttime expeditions -- both on the river in a canoe and trekking on land.  We will go to the Yasuni National Park and also the Parrots' Salt Lick.

Preparation is important, as with any new experience, to having a successful and safe adventure.  The list of things to do, to buy, and to bring is extensive and should be taken seriously and followed.  Among the things one must do is to have your yellow fever vaccination.  (Once you have one, it is good for ten years.)  You'll be given an official record that shows you have had your vaccination, and you cannot go to the jungle without displaying it to the appropriate authorities.

I had my yellow fever vaccination one week ago (as did my husband).  Some people experience reactions to the vaccination -- my husband hasn't but I haven't been so lucky.  Starting on the second day after my vaccination until now, I've had intermittent stomach pains ranging from mild to severe.  I think the pains are easing off a bit and hopefully should be gone by the end of this week.  I've been tired also.  It will be good to feel good again.  (In Cuenca, you need to go to the Public Health Department to get your yellow fever shot.  It is called Jefatura de Salud and is located within the Military Hospital on Doce de Abril.  The cost was $10 per person.)

Another health-related item is to go to your doctor to get anti-malaria pills.  These are not mandatory but still a good idea.  (These are taken one a day for ten days starting three days before your trip.)  Also, you should bring with you insect repellent (containing DEET) to keep those pesky mosquitoes off of you.

There is much more information available at the Manatee website at www.manateeamazonexplorer.com.

Wish us good luck!!

Hosteria Uzhupud

Entrance to the hosteria

We had the opportunity to visit one of the hosterias that we've been wanting to visit because of what we've seen and heard from our friends who have been fortunate enough to see this beautiful resort.

History

Uzhupud means “Hot Chili Pepper Valley”.  This name combines two native languages  (Quichua and Cañari).  "Uzhu" in Quichua means hot chili pepper and "Pud" in Cañari means plain, flat, and ample place.

The current majority owners of Hostería Uzhupud are the descendants of don Cornelio Vintimilla Muñoz, his wife doña Esther Muñoz Dávila, and their grandchildren Crespo-Vintimilla and Vintimilla-Vinueza.

The Hostería is situated on the lands of the old hacienda.  The current buildings have been adapted to the old, large family houses in which the Muñoz and the Vintimilla families lived.  Today they produce the French liquor Marie Brizard, the Italian vermouth Gancia, and many other similar products.



Information

There are 36 private rooms in the main plaza and two communal rooms in the main building.

They have an indoor and an outdoor restaurant, and both are open Monday through Sunday, from 7:00am to 10:00pm.  They also have a convention center, a chapel, swimming pool, tennis courts, and horseback riding.

We ate lunch outside on the patio

Location

Hostería Uzhupud is located 40 minutes away from Cuenca in the Chicán parish.  It is near the town of Paute in the Province of Azuay in the Ecuadorian Andes, at an altitude of 2180 meters above sea level in one of the most sacred places of the ancient Cañaris:  the Totemic Valley of the Paute River.  The Paute River forms five minutes away from Hosteria Uzhupud as the result of the merging of the Gualaceo River and the Cuenca River.  From this point it starts its long journey towards the magnificent Amazon River.

Indoor dining

 

We will be taking a trip to the Amazon next month.  It will be a four-day cruise on the Amazon Manatee Explorer.  Looking forward to our trip --  will share our stories and photos when we return.

Forever Young, Yellow Magic, Cherry Love

Ecuador is a large exporter of flowers and most notably, roses.  We had the opportunity to visit one of the growers and were given a guided tour.  "Altaflor" is a member of the National Association of Flower Growers and/or Exporters of Ecuador.  Their farm is located just outside of the town of Paute, which is about 20 miles northeast of Cuenca.  There are about 650 growers throughout Ecuador, employing thousands of people.  Roses make up the bulk of the flower exports at 62%.  The largest importer of Ecuadorian roses is the U.S., with Russia being a close second.  We learned that Russia wants roses with extra-long stems so the tallest roses are exported to Russia.  Sixty-five percent of the roses produced at this particular farm are exported to Russia.  So much for the facts, now for the fun stuff -- pictures:

These roses are ready to be packed and shipped. 

But before they were cut -----

--- they were here

"Forever Young"

These roses were just cut.  We learned that this farm cuts 28,000 stems a day, everyday (7days a week)!

"Yellow Magic"

"Cherry Love"

"Movie Star"

"Mohana"

"Esperance"

This farm employs 200 people, 60% of which are women.

After the roses are cut, they are placed in these wet containers so they don't dry out.

You can see how tall the roses are

"High and Magic"

"Priceless"

Ready to be sorted and packed

In the cold storage room

Potpourri anyone?

We were each given roses on our exit from the farm

Here they are on our dining room table.  Beautiful!!

After our visit to Altaflor, we then went to have lunch at Hosteria Uzhupud.  See my next post for the pictures of this beautiful hotel.