On The Road Again
The theme song I have chosen this month is On the Road Again. Living in Cotacachi affords us a great home base to explore the other cities in Ecuador. If you have registered Texas Annie Ecuador please click on the red link to access the full blog including music and slide shows.
Milton Andramunio Izurieta and his brothers own and operate Trans-Rabbit Cotacachi. Not only does he provide a nice comfy van or bus but he is an excellent driver. Milton is very knowledgeable about Ecuador since he was a history professor. His English is limited but when he brings his interpreter Bonnie along all your questions will be answered. Not only will your trip be educational it will be filled with humor and fun. Our trips are what I call magical.
We recently went on a tour with Milton to Pantavi Hosteria and Spa for breakfast. What a wonderful discovery this charming Hosteria offers. We had a full breakfast buffet for $8.00. Touring the grounds was exceptional with artwork tucked around every nook and cranny. I especially liked the wine bottles artfully displayed on the walls. The sunshine made the bottles shine. Now I know why I have been saving all my wine bottles much to Billy Bob’s reluctance toward a new project.
After our wonderful breakfast at Pantavi we were On the Road Again to discover the City of Knowledge which you could equate to Silicon Valley. We were offered a tour guide.
Most ex-pats living in Ecuador soon realize that this is not a third-world country but we are witness to a developing country. The government made investments in the public infrastructure by building new highways, airports, parks, hospitals, schools, a new light rail system in Cuenca, and the Quito subway. Even in little Cotacachi, the replacement of hazardous sidewalks is underway.
We were surprised to learn that among Ecuador’s public investments, is the initiative to improve its universities. According to President Rafael Correa, who earned his master’s degree in Belgium and a Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, building a world-class university system is fundamental to improving the lives of Ecuadorians.
The centerpiece of Correa’s plan is a massive education and research center north of Quito known as Yachay or City of Knowledge which is an 18-square-mile planned community that is the home to a large university campus complete with dormitories for students and facility. The students pay $55 per month for their housing. Currently, the students are all Ecuadorian and are required to speak English. Ecuador places a high priority on education in order to be a placeholder in future world research. In order to attract the best of the best talent pool, they must offer first-class facilities for learning.
During the Yachay planning process, Ecuador targeted the assistance of the best educational leaders from the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and Italy. Ecuador foresees that investing in education is one of the best ways in creating human capital that will last long after the oil is gone.
Our next stop was in the little Highland village of Zuleta which is known for its traditional embroidery. We stopped at a shop that makes the beautiful artisan shirts that the President wears. Plus we stopped at a wood carving shop that makes beautiful furniture as well as decorative pieces. The highlight was listening to the woodcarver plays his guitar and then letting us pose with his water buffalo. We all wanted our picture taken with the water buffalo but first, the woodcarver had to comb his pet’s hair! You never know what you will stumble upon in Ecuador.
If you have time you might want to watch this short video of me and the water buffalo.
On another adventure, Milton and his magical rabbit took us to Cayambe to have lunch at a Cafe el Jinete that offered authentic British food. Chris our Wales neighbor said the fish, chips, and mincemeat pie brought back memories of snowy evenings in Wales. Turns out one of the owners is from England! Ecuador is indeed a melting pot of cultures. The food was wonderful!
Next, we were off to Quito to dine at Baalbek Restaurant which offered wonderful Lebanese food. The owner was so proud of his food that he served us himself and showed us which sauces to be paired with each dish. We shared a sampler for 6 people that must have included every dish that they served. We will certainly be going back soon.
Okay, it certainly was time for good old American Carnival Food. So we were On the Road Again for a return trip to Carsnack. We loaded up with chili, cheese, chips, popcorn seasoning, and flavored coffee syrup. Now it’s time for a parteeeee!
Where is the beef? Now the question is could Milton and his magical rabbit find a good meat market for ribeye steak and brisket? Stay tuned for part two to find out what we discovered.
Hugs to family and friends
