C & C globetrotting around the world…

We arrived in Guayaquil and it was really hot. Gustavo, a friend from Amsterdam picked us up at the bus terminal and we were really happy to see him again after more than 6 years. After picking up his girlfriend Sophia, we drove down-town and walked around on “Malecon 2000”, a nice river promenade. We also went to “La Rotunda” with the statue of the encounter of Pizzaro and Bolivar, where Gustavo showed us the funny sound travel. After a quick dinner we walked around the “Las Penas” historic neighbourhood of Guayaquil. With about 4 million inhabitants, Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador and its economic centre.

The next day, Gustavo brought us to have breakfast at a “classical” place and we had “Tigrillo”, a dish of mashed plantain mixed with cheese and bacon bits. It’s good, but really stuffing and heavy. We then went to “Parque Historico:” It’s a park with many native plants and animals, as well as some typical buildings of the area, so it was interesting to see. Afterwards we got a car tour of down-town Guayaquil, but there is not so much to see. We stopped at the Cathedral and also went to the park across the street. There are lots and lots of iguanas wondering around, it’s kind of weird. From there we went to “Mirador de Bellavista”, a look-out point, to get a view over the city. The city is very dispersed and not too pretty. The vast majority of buildings are one or two stories high. There are no regulations controlling the territory, so the city keeps expanding. Gustavo also pointed out many neighbourhoods that have invaded the land. Families establish themselves there and build a wooden hut on land that doesn’t belong to them. In time, they make a house out of it. Since it’s not an official neighbourhood, the government doesn’t build roads and facilities there (electricity, water, sewage). Some of these neighbourhoods have eventually been recognized and were given an official status, helping the people have a better life. The dilemma is that by doing so, more “invasions” might be encouraging more people to move here. A very tough decision.

Besides showing us Guayaquil, Gustavo also wanted to show us the coast of Ecuador, so we headed that way for 3 days. After reaching the coast, we drove North on “Ruta del Sol” and watched the beautiful sunset from a cliff. We checked in at a hotel in Montanita. It was $40, more than double of what we’re used to paying, but unfortunately it wasn’t better at all (not even as good). Montanita is a very touristy beach town with lots of rich people from Guayaquil coming here on week-ends, so the prices are accordingly. The entire place is made up of restaurants, bars and discos. Unfortunately it was impossible to sleep due to the loud music from the bars and discos. To top it all off, we had flying crickets in our room!!! They were the size of a large thumb and would fly against the wall, then fall down. It was really scary as they could land on us while we were in bed. Christoph killed about 10, but every time we turned the lights off and went back to bed, there would be more. We checked all the orifices and didn’t find any, but somehow these stupid insects kept coming in. As the night progressed, Christoph felt worse and worse. He had a high fever, was throwing up, having diarrhoea and was generally very weak. We decided to go to the hospital to get him checked out as we were very scared that he might have Dengue fever, something common in this area.

In the morning Christoph got a blood test done and it turned out that it wasn’t dengue fever! Fiuf! It was just a severe gastro, but he needed a transfusion since he was very dehydrated. He also got some medicine through the IV (antibiotics & fever reducer). Around 3pm when the transfusion was finished and he was feeling better, so we left after 6 hours of free treatment. The only thing we had to pay was the blood test (done in a separate clinic) and the drugs that got prescribed. Now that Christoph has also tested how the health system works on this continent, we hope we won’t have any more health issues. Luckily it wasn’t anything severe. From there we drove to Ayampe, a small fisher village and found a nice guesthouse. From the balcony it had a nice view over the treetops and the ocean. We were both exhausted after the sleepless night, so we went straight to bed. What a day!

The next day we slept in and had breakfast on the terrace with the nice view. We then continued North on “Ruta del Sol” until “Los Frailes Beach”, which is part of the Machalilla National Park. It is said to be one of the nicest beaches in Ecuador. It was nice and wide and the water had a good temperature, so we swam a bit too. If not in the water, you had to stay under the umbrella though, as the sun was scorching hot. We left the beach and continued on Ruta del Sol, stopping at a look-out point over Puerto Lopez as well as in Puerto Lopez itself. There were some fishermen who just got back with big fish – 12kg they told us – while others were repairing their nets. It was a nice sights with the colourful boats and the fishermen. We checked in at a hotel in Puerto Cayo right on the ocean front. We went to town to have dinner, but now Cecilia’s stomach was acting up, so she only had white rice. Unfortunately she kept on having fever and diarrhoa all night. She drank a lot of water and Pedialyte and took Paracetamol. She wasn’t feeling bad anymore and was even laughing the entire time. Christoph made her “Wadenwinkeln” (cold water compresses on her legs) all night and eventually the fever subsided. It was nice to hear the sound of the waves outside since we couldn’t sleep anyway. The following day, we had breakfast and relaxed in the hammocks to the sound of waves before hitting the road again. We arrived in Guayaquil and watched “Men in Black 3” to finish the week-end.

The coast is very long and almost entirely lined by sand beaches. There aren’t many palm trees, but the area is still very green. There are some fisher villages like the ones we passed, but it remains mainly undeveloped, especially by tourism. Had we both not been sick, it would have been a more enjoyable week-end, but you can’t plan for these things. Thanks Gustavo for your hospitality though.

From Otavalo we headed South, passing through Quito until Banos. The area was beautiful and we saw many mountains and volcanoes shrouded in mist. This small town is a famous tourist destination because there are lots of activities to be done. The green peaks around town are perfect for hiking and there are also lots of adventure sports such as mountain biking and rafting on offer. The town has its name from the thermal baths caused by the nearby Tungurahua volcano. Unfortunately during our stay the weather didn’t cooperate, so we couldn’t do any of the fun activities. The rain kept us in, but we used the time to catch up on our Blog and emails. The sun came out every 2 hours for 10 minutes, just enough to allow us to go for lunch or to go for a small walk around town. One evening we met up with some friends we had met in Otavalo and went to a microbrewery (“Stray Dog”) together, so that was fun.

The next day was just as rainy as the first one, so we stayed in again. In the evening the rain stopped and we took the “Chiva Bus” tour. It’s a party bus that goes up to Mirador de Bellavista (2,800m, compared to Banos at 1,800m). Unfortunately there was no view because it was extremely foggy, but eventually it cleared up a bit and we could see the town. Up there we got a free cinnamon tea and there was a “magic show”. The show was a total joke, but it was funny to see how the guys made a show out of nothing. It was all in Spanish and the locals enjoyed it, but to us it was just hilarious to see. We then took the bus back down and it stopped in front of a bar. We sat down with some people we had met on the tour and all got a free shot of “volcan”, which was very strong. Overall it was a fun evening chatting with everyone.

The next day the weather was perfect: sunshine and warm. Too bad we had to leave Banos already, but our friend was waiting for us in the next town. The drive to Guayaquil was really pretty, passing through beautiful landscape. Looking back to Banos, we saw smoke coming out of Tungurahua volcano. We also think we passed Volcan Chimborazo. Not only is it the highest mountain in Ecuador (6,310m), but its peak is also the furthest away from the centre of the Earth (due to the Earth’s equatorial bulge). Eventually the grasslands gave way to more lush green forests and deep valleys. As we came down from the mountains into the lowlands and approached the coast, the climate got increasingly hotter and agriculture increased. We passed by plantations of bananas, cocoa, sugar cane, tomatoes and corn. It’s really impressive how big the difference is in just a few hours.

We took a 3-hour bus ride from Quito to Otavalo on the Panamericana Highway. There was not one kilometre where the road was straight, always winding and going up and down, but it was in perfect condition and they even working on widening it. The hillsides were mainly covered in shrubs, but as we approached Otavalo we also saw lots of rose plantations. Otavalo is a prosperous town North of Quito at an elevation of 2,550m famous for its Saturday market. After checking into our hostel and having lunch, we followed the old train tracks until the indigenous village of Peguche. There we hiked to the “Cascada de Peguche” and came back the same way, following the train tracks. On the way back, we visited a weaving factory and even bought 2 shawls. We had dinner in our hostel’s rooftop kitchen and chatted with other travellers, so it was a very pleasant evening.

The next day was the big market day. The Otavalo market dates back to pre-Inca times and is said to be the largest handicrafts market in South America. First we went to the animal market where indigenous men and women buy and sell their pigs, sheep, cattle, chicken and guinea pigs. It’s fun to see all that activity and especially the indigenous people in their traditional costumes. Men wear white pants to the calves, string sandals, a poncho with a pony tail and a dark felt hat. Women wear beautifully embroidered blouses, long skirts and a folded cloth on their head. There are hardly any tourists here – the market is for the locals. Lots of village people descend into town on Saturday to do their shopping. From there we went to the handicrafts market, where there are lots of traditional clothes, hammocks, blankets, ponchos and some souvenirs. Compared to other markets we’ve visited, this one is not geared towards tourists. Everything was so nice and colourful. On the way back, Christoph almost got mugged, but luckily he outsmarted them and they didn’t get anything. It’s really interesting how they operate in groups though and you really cannot tell who was the thief. We spent the rest of the day in our nice room with a beautiful 360 degree view of the surroundings.

After a very long journey (Luxembourg-Amsterdam-Atlanta-Quito), we finally landed in Ecuador late at night. Quito, Ecuador’s capital, lies at an elevation of 2850m in the Andes and is surrounded by mist-covered peaks. We had a hearty breakfast in our hostel of eggs, bread roll, fruit salad and coffee. We then set out to explore the jewel of Quito: its historic centre (Centro Historico), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old Town itself is very hilly, has narrow streets sprinkled with beautiful colonial buildings and churches everywhere. We first climbed up one hill to Basilica del Voto Nacional, an imposing building from the 20^th century. We then had lunch at a small restaurant. We read that if you have the “almuerzo del dia” (lunch of the day) it’s really cheap, so we tried it. For $2 per person we got a soup, a big piece of grilled chicken, rice, salad and a juice. Not bad! From there we went to “Palacio del Gobierno” (Government Palace) on the Plaza Grande. We took a free English tour with 2 other Canadians. President Correo is the first president to open up the palace for tourists. Since he actually conducts business here, we were only able to see some rooms, but it was interesting. Not only was the tour for free, but we even got a free picture at the end. “Plaza Grande”, also known as “Plaza de la Independencia”, is a nicely restored plaza flanked by important buildings: “Palacio del Gobierno”, the municipal counsel, “Palacio Arzobispal” (Archbishop’s Palace) and the Cathedral. The plaza is full of life and there are dozens of shoe-shiners offering their services. From there we walked to “Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus”, a marvellously gilded Jesuit church from the 17^th century. The entrance price included a guide, but they didn’t have an English-speaking one available. We took a Spanish guide, as that’s better than no guide. We were surprised by how well we understood the guide, but she probably also spoke more clearly for us. She pointed out the church’s unique features, including its Moorish elements, its perfect symmetry, as well as symbolic elements such as the bright red walls symbolizing Christ’s blood. Quitenos (inhabitants of Quito) call it the most beautiful church in the country and it’s easy to see why. We were told not to go out after dark, so for dinner we went to a local restaurant around the corner from our hostel. By 8pm we were in bed. The jet lag, fatigue and the high altitude got to us, we guess.

The next day we woke up very early and took the bus to “Mitad del Mundo”, the “Middle of the Earth”, 22km North of Quito. This is where Charles-Marie de la Condamine made the measurements in 1736 proving that this was the equatorial line. We took funky pictures of us jumping over the Equator and then took the bus back. After lunch at the central market we headed to Monasterio de San Francisco on the Plaza of the same name. It is the city’s largest colonial building and its oldest church (built in 1534). We took a guide through the Museo Francisco, which has some of the church’s finest artwork. The guide was really good and explained to us the distinguishing features of the “Escuela Quitena” (Quito school of art). This style developed when the Aboriginals were trained by the Spanish conquistadors. The artists portrayed Spanish religious concepts, but incorporated some of their indigenous beliefs, creating very unique art. This style can be seen throughout Ecuador, but most specifically in Quito itself, but it died out with Ecuador’s independence in 1822. For dinner we went again to a local little restaurant that was full of people. We had the “dinner of the day” (“merienda”), which also costs $2 per person for soup and stew with rice, salad and juice. By 9pm we were both sleeping again.

The next day, we woke up at 7am, like every day. Maybe it’s the air, but most probably the fact that we go to bed so early. After a typical Ecuadorian breakfast we visited the Cathedral of Quito. The guide pointed out some interesting things, as well as the tomb of Mariscal Sucre, the leading figure of Quito’s independence from Spain. What’s also funny to see is that there is a painting of the Last Supper where Jesus and the Apostles are having an Ecuadorian feast: roasted guinea pig (“cuy”) with “humitas” and drinking “chicha” (a corn drink). From there we went to “Museo de la Ciudad” (City Museum) located in an old hospital and depicting life in Quito through the centuries. After lunch at Cafe Modelo where we tried a bunch of different Ecuadorian snacks, we took a cab to the Teleferiqo, a sky train that takes you up to 4100m and from where you can enjoy beautiful views of Quito’s mountainous surroundings, but unfortunately it was under repair. Instead, we visited “Museo del Banco Central” where we learnt about many different pre-Columbian cultures. To finish off our stay in Quito, we watched a small military parade on Plaza Grande before taking the bus to Otavalo.

Christoph’s brother Stephan and Carolin got married and we were very happy to be able to be part of the celebrations. In the morning, when everyone was ready, we took some pictures in front of the house and then drove to Mertesdorf to Schloss Gruenhaus. It belongs to Standesamt Ruwer, so Stephan and Carolin exchanged their vows in this nice castle. Just like at our wedding, it was Herr Werhan to perform the ceremony. He is a really nice man and his speech was very deep and personal. It shows that he doesn’t just do his job, he puts heart into it (at least for the Preusser marriages). Following the nice ceremony, we enjoyed the beautiful setting and had a cocktail. Whenever the sun hid behind the clouds, it got pretty chilly, but we chatted to some people and took lots of pictures.

From there we left with the “Just Married” and rattles attached to the bridal car and drove through the villages honking until we reached Landhaus St. Urban. It also has a nice location with a small lake and surrounded by green meadows. There too we had a cocktail before sitting down for lunch. It was a small wedding with only the close family and the witnesses, so we all fit at one long table. The decoration was nice, fitting with Carolin’s bouquet. We had a exquisite French-style lunch: delicate portions with fancy names and elegantly presented. Everything tasted really delicious and the service was impeccable. We now understand why the owner has earned a Michelin star for his restaurant. After lunch we all went to Preussers for the traditional afternoon “Kaffee und Kuchen”, including wedding cake.

The next day was Mother’s Day, so we woke up relatively early to pick up the bouquet for Christoph’s mom. After breakfast we went for a walk around Waldrach to walk off all the food and get some fresh air. The temperature was so pleasant and it was a nice walk. We also had to pack since the next day we left to South America. It’s weird to pack again for our world trip after 5 weeks in Europe with friends and family. It might take a little while until we get used to it again, but now it’s a different continent and a different world too. We had dinner reservations in Kasel, so some of us decided to walk and meet the others there. It was a beautiful May afternoon and we walked all the way through the vineyards until Kasel. The restaurant is owned by a wine producer. The food was indeed very good and the wine matching perfectly to the dishes. It was a nice Mother’s Day, After-wedding day as well as a nice way for us to end this part of our Eurotrip before heading off again. See you again in August, Old Continent!

We went on a tour to visit friends in the Duesseldorf-Koeln-Bonn region and also saw some wonderful castles. Burg Eltz was on the list of things Christoph wanted to show Cecilia for a long time, so now was the perfect time. From from parking lot we took a 20-minute walk through the woods to reach the castle. When you emerge from the woods and see it’s beauty, it feels like a fairy tale. Burg Eltz (“Eltz Castle”) is a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier. It is still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. Luckily, due to the family’s strategic allegiances, the castle was never destroyed. It is situated on a 70m rock spur, on an important Roman trade route between rich farmlands and their markets. This castle is divided into several parts, which belong to different branches of the same family. About 100 members of the owners’ families lived in the over 100 rooms of the castle. Because the huge rock is the foundation of the castle, the castle and its rooms sometimes have unusual shapes. We did a guided tour through the beautiful castle. The tour guide was really really good in explaining the history and also some expressions from the Middle Ages.

From there we drove through bright yellow canola fields and reached Abtei Maria Laach (“Maria Laach Abbey”). It is a Benedictine abbey on the shores of the Laach Lake. The Laach Lake is a caldera lake which was formed 12,900 years ago after an eruption more powerful than the one of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.  The Abbey was founded in 1093 as a priory of Affligem Abbey (in modern Belgium) by Henry II of Laach of the House of Luxembourg. Laach became an independent house in 1127, under its first abbot, Gilbert. The abbey developed as a centre of study during the 12th century. The 13th-century abbots added significantly to the buildings and architectural decoration, including the monumental tomb of the founder. The abbey structure dates from between 1093 and 1177 and is considered a prime example of Romanesque architecture of the Staufen period. Despite its long construction time, the well-preserved basilica with its six towers is considered to be one of the most beautiful Romanesque buildings in Germany. We watched a movie about the daily life of the monks there and also visited the rich gardens they have. The monks have a hotel where people can come to spend some reflexion time, have the garden where they sell plants, they brew alcohol and they make many different things, such as candles and art.

We arrived at Walter and Petra’s place in Monheim (on the Rhine, between Cologne and Duesseldorf) and it was nice to see him again. For dinner we went to an all-you-can-eat sushi place in Koeln and it was delicious. We were all so hungry that the first 20 minutes nobody talked, we just stuffed our faces. Then we started being more selective in what we take and started chatting, but it was so nice to eat sushi again! The next day, Walter showed us where they will be having their wedding and gave us some info since Christoph will be his “Best Man”. We then went to the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, which was really interesting and well made. Located at the site of the first Neanderthal man discovery in the Neandertal, it features an exhibit centered on human evolution. In the evening Petra came back from a business trip and we spent a relaxing evening together. The next day we met Petra’s “Maid of Honour” and helped assemble the invitations before leaving.

We drove to Swisttal where Anne and Christian live. We were happy to see them again and meet their adorable son Johann. The next day we headed to “Drachenfels” (“Dragon’s Rock”) close to the Rhine river. Several legends surround the Drachenfels, the most famous being the one which recounts that Siegfried – the hero of the Nibelungenlied – killed the dragon Fafnir living in a cave in the mountain, then bathed in its blood to become invulnerable. About a third of the way up the mountain is the “Nibelungenhalle”, built in 1913, a gallery of paintings by the symbolist painter Hermann Hendrich depicting scenes from Richard Wagner’s operas. At the top of the mountain was the “Drachenfelsburg” (“Castle of the Dragon’s Rock”) with a nice, albeit hazy view of the Rhine. The castle was built atop the mountain in the 12th century by the Archbishop of Cologne and was intended for the protection of the Cologne region from any assault from the South. The castle was damaged during the Thirty Years’ War and never rebuilt. Erosion due to the continued quarrying undermined much of the remains and only a small part is left today. The quarry also delivered the building material of the Cathedral in Cologne (Koelner Dom). In 1956 the site was declared a national park. On the way down we passed Schloss Drachenburg, a neogothic castle built in 1882. Drachenfels is sometimes called “the highest mountain of Holland” due to its popularity among Dutch tourists. The descent was very steep and difficult, especially with the baby carriage, but Johann slept almost the entire time. We had lunch in Koenigswinter by the Rhine riverside and it was nice because the sun came out. We drove home, passing many white asparagus plantations, and then chilled in the sun on their terrace while sipping a cappuccino and playing with Johann before driving back home after a wonderful week-end.

Our flight was from Budapest to Koeln/Bonn. In Cologne we met up with Lena, whom we met in Thailand, for a beer and a chat comparing our impressions of Asia. It was nice to see her before continuing on to Trier. There, we met up with Katrin and had a pleasant dinner together. We were in Trier for 2 weeks, more than ever before. It was nice to see friends again and see a bit more of the area, but we also spent days on end working on the computer. There were many things that we needed to take care of, so now was the time to do it. But we also had nice walks around Waldrach, where Christoph’s parents live. Waldrach is a village close to Trier located in the Ruwer valley overlooking nice forests and many vineyards. Walking around there is so peaceful and the fresh air is so nice. On sunny days we always went out, either walking in the vineyards, the fields or through the village. We also had great “Kaffee und Kuchen” (coffee and cake) as well as delicious food and amazing wine from the region. It was nice to see Christoph’s parents for a longer time, as we’re usually in a hurry. We also spent some evening playing games (“Romme”) and chatting, so it was a wonderful family time.

Cecilia’s old colleague Alain Patrick from CIBC (who moved to Bonn) visited for 2 days with his family. We showed them the surroundings of Waldrach and walked up to a point from where you can see 9 surrounding villages. The next day, we showed them Trier, the oldest city of Germany. Trier, called Treves in French, is wonderfully located on the banks of the Moselle River, in a valley between low vine-covered hills producing the famous wines of the Mosel regions. Due to its proximity to Luxembourg (20km to the border), Christoph feels great affection to the small neighbouring country and its Grand Duke Henri.

There was a Germanic tribe (Treveri) living in the area, but the Roman Empire subdued the Treveri in the 1st century BC and established Augusta Treverorum (Lit: August (Regal, noble) [City] of the Treveri) in 16 BC. The name is likely to be taken from the title Augustus held by the Princeps or head of state at the time, Augustus Caesar. The city later became the capital of the Roman province of Gallia Belgica and may have had as many as 70,000 inhabitants within its city walls. Due to its history as a Roman city, Trier still has many landmarks also found in Rome. The Porta Nigra is the most famous one and the symbol of Trier. The city is also the oldest seat of a Christian bishop North of the Alps. The bishop of Trier is still an important figure in the city, owning much land and vineyards in the area.

We first drove up Petrisberg, a nice look-out point over the city. There are also maps showing Trier during various periods of its history from the Roman times through the Middle Ages and up to modern times. We then drove past the Roman Amphitheatre, which can hold around 20,000 people, and parked the cars. We walked in the down-town pedestrian area and visited the “Roman Thermal Baths” discovered underground near the Viehmarkt (“cattle market”). During the Middle Ages, the Roman buildings got covered up by dirt and the city was rebuilt on a higher level. The “Viehmarkt” is where cattle was being traded during the Middle Ages and is a now a nice plaza surrounded by cafes. We then continued to the “Kaiserthermen” (The Emperor’s baths), which are a lot bigger and open-air. These baths are the largest Roman baths North of the Alps. Across from them is the “Palastgarten”, a nice garden in front the Rococo “Kurfuerstliche Palais” that used to be the seat of the prince-elector of Trier. Later it was used as an administrative building during the French occupation under Napoleon. Next to it is the impressive Constantine Basilica, a basilica in the original Roman sense. It was the 67m long throne hall of Roman Emperor Constantine. It was built so big to intimidate anyone coming to ask for favours. Today it’s used as a Protestant church.

We went inside the “Liebfrauenkirche” (“Church of Our Lady”), where we had been for Easter mass. This church is really beautiful (more detailed explanations in the “Easter” post). Next to it is the “Dom”, the Cathedral of Trier which dates back to Roman times. We could not visit it because the “Holy Tunic” is currently on display and the line-ups are big. We then went to the “Hauptmarkt”, the main plaza, a nice place surrounded by beautiful buildings and thriving with life. After lunch we continued to the “Porta Nigra”, the best preserved Roman city gate North of the Alps. Luckily the building was used as a monastery during the Middle Ages and therefore was spared from plundering. Many other buildings have been destroyed because their stones were used in the construction of other ones. On the way back to the car, we passed by the house where Karl Marx was born in 1818. We then drove past the “Roemerbruecke”, the 2nd century AD Roman bridge across the Moselle and the oldest bridge North of the Alps still crossed by traffic. We stopped at the “St. Paulinkirche” (Saint Paulin Church), one of the most important Baroque churches in Rhineland-Palatinate Bundesland (province). We finished off the afternoon with a coffee on the terrace of Nell’s Park Hotel, nicely located next to the beautiful and peaceful Nell’s Park.

One day Christoph went to see the “Heilige Rock” (The Holy Tunic), a garment with a recorded history back to the 12th century. In the Catholic tradition it’s said to be the robe Jesus was wearing when he died and it’s exposed in the Trier Dom only 3 times per century. The first time was 500 years ago in 1512. We also saw some friends such as Stephan Thomm with whom we went to Astarix. This place is an institution in Trier and a classic for the guys and we had a good time. It’s funny how we only see Stephan once in a blue moon, but there’s lots to talk about and fun. We also went in the surrounding area to Mehring, from where there is a nice view of the Moselle river and its vineyards. Afterwards it was time to get ready for Christoph’s brother’s wedding.