August 12, 2006 –The Day of the Traffic Jam
Today in Ambato the skies were mostly clear, holding the promise of some good volcano viewing as we headed back to Quito today. We started out with breakfast at the Hotel Ambato, similar to yesterday’s breakfast. I had pineapple juice this time while Mom and John had pear juice (though they weren’t sure when they ordered it, as the waiter couldn’t explain what kind of juice it was). After breakfast Walter picked us up and took us to a bookstore to get Mom some Juan Montalvo books. The bookstore had four such books, making Mom quite happy. Now that Mom’s Juan Montalvo book quota was filled, we headed over to Juan Montalvo’s casa to see if it was open today. It wasn’t open when we got there, but Walter thought it might open at 10:00 a.m., so we waited for awhile in the nearby Juan Montalvo park (yup, there’s lots of Juan Montalvo stuff in Ambato!). Mom got into a conversation with an elderly gentleman from Ambato (known as an Ambatanian) and that went on for awhile, with Walter also joining in.
Mom really enjoyed the conversation.
Mom chatting with a local Ambatanian
Turns out Juan Montalvo’s casa isn’t open at all today, so we’re out of luck on that one. We may be able to catch it next week when we head back to Quito through Ambato from Shell Mera.
So now it’s time to head north, back to Hotel Los Alpes in Quito. Things were going well up to around Latacunga, with us stopping by Yampa Lake. Mom remembers many years ago hearing about a train that fell off the train track running next to the lake, plunging into the deep lake, never to be found. The train tracks are still there, but they are in a state of disrepair and obviously haven’t been used in awhile.
Lake Yamba, where Mom remembers the train taking the plunge
Around Latacunga we started hitting heavier traffic and then in Latacunga we hit a detour, which we were told was due to some sort of bicycle race that was being held today in the area. In Latacunga we stopped by the same snack place we had stopped at on the way south earlier in the week. This time I got it’s name, which is Helados La Avanzada. We had some yummy cheese as before, and we also got some extra dulce de leche squares to snack on in the coming days. The dulce de leche reminds me of the good fudge we’d get on Mackinac Island when we’d go there on vacation as kids. John’s stomach was feeling a tad queasy, so he wasn’t joining in on the snacking, but they did bring him a cup of coffee to which they added a substance (oregano) that they said helped upset stomachs. John wasn’t included to drink it, but to quote Mom she told John to “suck it up” and then he drank some of the coffee.
Mom chatting with the locals during our break in Latacunga
After this respite we head back into the growing traffic mess. They route us east of the Pan-American Highway for quite a distance, taking us through the famous market town Saquisili and others. It’s clear this traffic rerouting for the bike race is a major traffic snafu, as at one point we come to a stop for at least ten minutes. We wind through various backroads, heading in a general northern direction and eventually we get back onto the Pan-American Highway.
Even in the best of times Ecuadorian drivers pay little head to yellow lines and such, and these weren’t the best of times. We start heading north and the northbound traffic spills over into both the southbound lanes, with some traffic on the shoulders also, so we’ve got about 5 northbound lanes and nobody coming southbound. Very crazy! A bit down the road, we suddenly hear sirens and it’s a police convoy leading the two southbound lanes of traffic south, forcing a shrinking of the northbound traffic into the northbound lanes (for the most part). It’s stop and start now, but at least we’re making some progress. This comes to a halt maybe 10 miles south of Quito, where the road narrows to one lane each direction (why the Pan-American Highway should narrow near a major metropolitan area begs the question of how such things are planned or not planned) and we come to a virtual standstill, inching along for an hour or two. There’s Ecuadorian military and police scattered along the route, but they seem to be only marginally helping the situation, as there’s way more traffic than there is room for vehicles to move forward. The pollution from the vehicles, particularly the big trucks and buses, is rather stifling. They could sure use at least minimal emissions standards here! All too often we found ourselves sitting next to or behind a vehicle that seemed designed to create clouds of black smoke. Walter had to drive through all this and he did quite well. Eventually traffic crawled to point where we starting getting into southern Quito and the traffic jam eased up. It took us over five hours to go from Ambato to Quito, a trip that we did in two hours or so in the other direction. And it took us over four hours to do the last 50 miles or so to Quito. Not something I’d like to repeat. And I’ll think twice before complaining about the relatively minimal inconveniences of event traffic routing in Tempe, Arizona, where I live. Maybe Tempe can send a few folks down here and help the Ecuadoreans plan things in a way that doesn’t clog up sizable portions of the country’s primary transportation artery.
People walking around, waiting for traffic to move
A lady selling food to people stuck in traffic
More traffic as far as the eye can see
On the bright side, with a relatively clear day, we got some real nice views of Cotopaxi, with the snow-capped volcano looming over us as we sat stagnating in traffic. John joked that when he now looks at the painting of Cotopaxi they have in their bedroom back in Littlerock, that he’ll always think of the massive traffic jam we went through from Latacunga to Quito.
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi
Illiniza South
We got back to Quito around four o’clock, and we were all tired enough that we decided to not do much the rest of the day. Walter helped Mom track down information on the Spanish-speaking Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Quito, which Mom wants to go to tomorrow morning. We rest for a bit and then it’s time to get some dinner. The dinners here at Hotel Los Alpes have been ok, but we decide to head out on the town and try something else. It’s generally suggested that after dark you take a taxi to and from places here in Quito, so we’ll just take a taxi to some nearby restaurant and take a taxi back.
We decide to go to Le Arcate, a nice pizza place with a selection of other items. We get a taxi and he gets us to Le Arcate after wandering around the area a bit. We decide to order a pizza, and Mom picks out one of 50 or so they offer. When the pizza comes we are a bit surprised, as it has mustard on top of the other toppings, something none of us are excited about. Mom claims she didn’t realize the pizza she picked had mustard on it, but a check of the menu indicates that it says it includes mustard. For this offense of misordering a pizza, Mom has been banished from ordering pizza for us for one week (I’m covered after one week, as I’ll be in Arizona, and John can extend the ban if he wishes), in the long family tradition of implementing bans when people do a bad job ordering food, picking a restaurant, etc. John and I eat a few pieces each (Mom had one) and then Mom orders some spaghetti which she is very happy with. A good meal, apart from the unfortunate mustard situation. We get a taxi back to Hotel Los Alpes, and call it a night.
Mom really enjoyed the conversation.
Mom chatting with a local Ambatanian
Turns out Juan Montalvo’s casa isn’t open at all today, so we’re out of luck on that one. We may be able to catch it next week when we head back to Quito through Ambato from Shell Mera.
So now it’s time to head north, back to Hotel Los Alpes in Quito. Things were going well up to around Latacunga, with us stopping by Yampa Lake. Mom remembers many years ago hearing about a train that fell off the train track running next to the lake, plunging into the deep lake, never to be found. The train tracks are still there, but they are in a state of disrepair and obviously haven’t been used in awhile.
Lake Yamba, where Mom remembers the train taking the plunge
Around Latacunga we started hitting heavier traffic and then in Latacunga we hit a detour, which we were told was due to some sort of bicycle race that was being held today in the area. In Latacunga we stopped by the same snack place we had stopped at on the way south earlier in the week. This time I got it’s name, which is Helados La Avanzada. We had some yummy cheese as before, and we also got some extra dulce de leche squares to snack on in the coming days. The dulce de leche reminds me of the good fudge we’d get on Mackinac Island when we’d go there on vacation as kids. John’s stomach was feeling a tad queasy, so he wasn’t joining in on the snacking, but they did bring him a cup of coffee to which they added a substance (oregano) that they said helped upset stomachs. John wasn’t included to drink it, but to quote Mom she told John to “suck it up” and then he drank some of the coffee.
Mom chatting with the locals during our break in Latacunga
After this respite we head back into the growing traffic mess. They route us east of the Pan-American Highway for quite a distance, taking us through the famous market town Saquisili and others. It’s clear this traffic rerouting for the bike race is a major traffic snafu, as at one point we come to a stop for at least ten minutes. We wind through various backroads, heading in a general northern direction and eventually we get back onto the Pan-American Highway.
Even in the best of times Ecuadorian drivers pay little head to yellow lines and such, and these weren’t the best of times. We start heading north and the northbound traffic spills over into both the southbound lanes, with some traffic on the shoulders also, so we’ve got about 5 northbound lanes and nobody coming southbound. Very crazy! A bit down the road, we suddenly hear sirens and it’s a police convoy leading the two southbound lanes of traffic south, forcing a shrinking of the northbound traffic into the northbound lanes (for the most part). It’s stop and start now, but at least we’re making some progress. This comes to a halt maybe 10 miles south of Quito, where the road narrows to one lane each direction (why the Pan-American Highway should narrow near a major metropolitan area begs the question of how such things are planned or not planned) and we come to a virtual standstill, inching along for an hour or two. There’s Ecuadorian military and police scattered along the route, but they seem to be only marginally helping the situation, as there’s way more traffic than there is room for vehicles to move forward. The pollution from the vehicles, particularly the big trucks and buses, is rather stifling. They could sure use at least minimal emissions standards here! All too often we found ourselves sitting next to or behind a vehicle that seemed designed to create clouds of black smoke. Walter had to drive through all this and he did quite well. Eventually traffic crawled to point where we starting getting into southern Quito and the traffic jam eased up. It took us over five hours to go from Ambato to Quito, a trip that we did in two hours or so in the other direction. And it took us over four hours to do the last 50 miles or so to Quito. Not something I’d like to repeat. And I’ll think twice before complaining about the relatively minimal inconveniences of event traffic routing in Tempe, Arizona, where I live. Maybe Tempe can send a few folks down here and help the Ecuadoreans plan things in a way that doesn’t clog up sizable portions of the country’s primary transportation artery.
People walking around, waiting for traffic to move
A lady selling food to people stuck in traffic
More traffic as far as the eye can see
On the bright side, with a relatively clear day, we got some real nice views of Cotopaxi, with the snow-capped volcano looming over us as we sat stagnating in traffic. John joked that when he now looks at the painting of Cotopaxi they have in their bedroom back in Littlerock, that he’ll always think of the massive traffic jam we went through from Latacunga to Quito.
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi
Illiniza South
We got back to Quito around four o’clock, and we were all tired enough that we decided to not do much the rest of the day. Walter helped Mom track down information on the Spanish-speaking Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Quito, which Mom wants to go to tomorrow morning. We rest for a bit and then it’s time to get some dinner. The dinners here at Hotel Los Alpes have been ok, but we decide to head out on the town and try something else. It’s generally suggested that after dark you take a taxi to and from places here in Quito, so we’ll just take a taxi to some nearby restaurant and take a taxi back.
We decide to go to Le Arcate, a nice pizza place with a selection of other items. We get a taxi and he gets us to Le Arcate after wandering around the area a bit. We decide to order a pizza, and Mom picks out one of 50 or so they offer. When the pizza comes we are a bit surprised, as it has mustard on top of the other toppings, something none of us are excited about. Mom claims she didn’t realize the pizza she picked had mustard on it, but a check of the menu indicates that it says it includes mustard. For this offense of misordering a pizza, Mom has been banished from ordering pizza for us for one week (I’m covered after one week, as I’ll be in Arizona, and John can extend the ban if he wishes), in the long family tradition of implementing bans when people do a bad job ordering food, picking a restaurant, etc. John and I eat a few pieces each (Mom had one) and then Mom orders some spaghetti which she is very happy with. A good meal, apart from the unfortunate mustard situation. We get a taxi back to Hotel Los Alpes, and call it a night.
posted by Bob at 8:12 PM
3 Comments:
The driving comments remind me of my time in Honduras. Sounds like Mom is having a blast!
I'll have to keep in mind Mom's pizza ordering ban next time I see her. As my week hasn't started yet!
You'd think that mustard as one of the ingredients in a pizza would catch your attention...
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