Mountains, Mist and Water
Some favorite images of this week’s subject blog articles:
Walkway
Basket Case 1
Mmmm
Casa del Suizo
Bend in the Rio Napo
Basket Case 2
Tag Archives: Ecuador
Fun Photo Friday — Cuy, Waterfalls, and the Amazon Basin
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Ecuador — The Amazon River Basin and la Casa del Suizo
Rio Napo overlook at Casa del Suizo
Passing down into the Amazon Basin we left Highway 30 and headed north on Highway 45 (Troncal Amazónica—Amazon Trunk). Turning onto 436 just south of Tena we headed west along the Rio Napo until the road ran out. But our trip this day was not yet over. We still had a ways to go to our lodgings for the night. So, into the river boats we went for the final leg on this Amazon tributary.
Riding the Rio Napo to our lodgings
It took several boats to accommodate our group.
Rio Napo, a tributary to the Amazon
Our destination for the day was a marvelous resort built by a gentleman originally from Interlaken, Switzerland — Arnold “Beni” Ammeter. This is la Casa del Suizo Rainforest Eco-Lodge, where we lazed about in the pavilion while our rooms were assigned and our dinners readied.
Casa del Suizo pavilion and bar
La Casa del Suizo pavilion and bar
While my fellow travelers imbibed I decided to take a gander at the common areas of the resort, starting with the views perched above the Rio Napo.
Rio Napo overlook at Casa del Suizo
Here are the common areas of this luxurious resort:
La Casa del Suizo dining room
La Casa del Suizo pool palapas
The grounds to the lodgings are equally as picturesque and impressive.
La Casa del Suizo Rainforest Eco-Lodge
La Casa del Suizo Rainforest Eco-Lodge
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Ecuador — Cuy tasting; a Basilica, and the Devil’s Cauldron
Waterfalls near Baños de Agua Santa
We left Hostería la Andaluza early in the morning of February 18, 2016, and headed towards our next destination, the Amazon basin. But along the way we had several stops to make in the vicinity of Baños de Agua Santa, which roughly translates to Holy Water Baths. First up was a cuy (guinea pig) tasting in the small town of Baños de Agua Santa (translation: Baths of Holy Water).
Roast cuy (guinea pig)
While guinea pigs may be pets to most Americans, they’re raised specifically for food here in Ecuador. We saw several cages full of guinea pigs throughout out travels in Ecuador, including several pens at the Ikat weaving facility near Cuenca (see: Ikat weaving at La Casa de la Makana). So, how does guinea pig taste? The meat is of the darker, oilier variety, not unlike overcooked duck in texture and consistency. It certainly does not taste like chicken.
Tastes just like . . . duck? Not quite.
A few minutes later we stopped by the basilica in Baños. I somehow failed to get a photo of the exterior (probably raining at the time) of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Agua Santa, but I did snag some wonderful images of the rather opulent interior:
Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Agua Santa
Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Agua Santa
Baños de Agua Santa known for something else. It’s the “Gateway to the Amazon,” as it lies along Ecuador’s major Highway 30, the country’s “Central Traverse”. Thus, Baños is the passageway through the mountains down to the Amazon basin. Baños is also known for its nearby waterfalls, over sixty. One such waterfalls is the Cascada Manto de la Novia (Waterfall Cloak of the Bride).
Cascada Manto de la Novia
But the main attraction here may leave you a basket case . . . literally.
Cascada Manto de la Novia basket ride
I know I certainly wasn’t going along for this ride, although several members of our group did. Remember Parvis Eivazi? He’s the gentleman below peering directly at the camera.
Cascada Manto de la Novia basket ride
After Cascada Manto we stopped at yet another waterfall for lunch. This is Pailon del Diablo, the Devil’s Cauldron.
Pailon del Diablo
There is a pathway to view the bottom of the falls, but it looked equally scary to me.
The path to Pailon del Diablo (the Devil’s Cauldron)
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