Puyo Part III: (Mis)Adventures in Exploring

Monday, October 1st

I resumed my plan to visit the Botanical Gardens, looking forward to a tour where I’d learn about some plants (because a botanist or biologist, I am not. Ask my grandma who loves plants – I’m pretty sure I can identify 5 plants total. Bless her heart, she tried so hard with me!). In order to get to the Botanical Gardens, you have to walk along a scenic river pass (Paseo Turistico), which was incredibly beautiful and peaceful. Unfortunately, I completely forgot that the gardens were the only place on my list that were closed on Mondays. Still, I didn't really mind since the walk was so incredible and probably my favorite part about my visit to Puyo (other than the wedding and seeing/meeting new friends, of course)! If you ever make it to Puyo, I highly recommend the scenic river walk. You can even bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it!

People tend to think that because I am living abroad, I am on one extended vacation. That could not be further from the truth! While I am here, I am constantly doing research, interviews, attending events to take notes, and did I mention writing notes?! This is my work. It might sound fun, and it can be, but it’s still work that requires discipline. Visiting Puyo was amazing because it felt like a much-needed vacation. It's in a tropical climate, so that already makes it feel like a getaway. Maybe it's the hotel where I stayed or maybe it was the atmosphere of the Amazon, or maybe it was just because I had a break from doing research, or maybe it was the combination of all of the above, but it was definitely a relaxing and fun trip! After all of the stress with my visa (the blog post I wrote about it only scratched the surface of the craziness that was the visa process), I felt sort of permanently exhausted. And as a chronic insomniac, that’s saying something. This ‘getaway’ was amazing in helping me recharge for the final part of my research trip. It also confirmed what I suspected all along: traveling around the country and not just in the same area I'm familiar with not only shows me the diversity and beauty of the country and its people and their cultures, but it also reenergized me and made me once-again excited to be here. It shook up my routine and helped me to notice the small things again (an essential skill for anthropologists).

I actually wrote the above paragraph (and this one too) while walking along the scenic path using the talk-to-text option on my phone because I was feeling so inspired. Like I said, I talk to myself (or in this case, my phone) a lot while I’m here. This also allowed me to enjoy the scenery, which my words and pictures won’t do justice. It's called a ‘tourist pathway,’ but I've seen locals enjoying it and no one else who obviously looks like a foreigner. It winds through the jungle along a river. It's a lot like what you would imagine the Amazon to look like, especially based on movies/photos (which before this weekend were my only exposure to the Amazon, despite this being my fourth trip to Ecuador), but in some ways, it's sort of feels like home… like being in a State Park in Pennsylvania or New York, walking through before the forest, alongside a river/stream. It’s odd to try to describe how much I feel at home in a place that’s new to me and so far from home, but it's peaceful, beautiful, and I wouldn’t mind coming back here. Despite the feeling I get that sort of seems like home, the temperature and humidity certainly prevents me from forgetting but I'm in the Amazon! It's hot enough that I've never been so grateful to see an ice cream stand along way walk. Coconut ice cream to help me cool down? Yes please!

It might look pretty and innocent here, but if you know my terror of bridges and heights, you'll be proud I made it across this bridge of doom without incident. Seriously, infrastructure should NOT move so much and make such horrible noises!!

Since my first touristic effort on Monday was a strike, I decided to push on to my second option -- the thing that I most wanted to see: the archaeological museum. Disclaimer: you may already know that I LOVE museums. My dream job would be to work in a cultural/historical museum...or maybe just live in one! I tried to stay in the Field Museum in Chicago, but some very observant security guards caught on… My natural love of museums coupled with an undergraduate internship in a museum (Seneca Iroquois National Museum – before it got its fancy upgrade), I tend to geek out and spend a lot of time in museums, learning but also analyzing the displays and tucking away ideas of innovative display options...so much so that my mom says going to a museum with me is a special form of torture (she'll probably claim she words it more nicely, but I guarantee that's the sentiment).

I was a little concerned from comments online that they might be closed for renovations, but some locals assured me that they had reopened. Because I was feeling rather determined and enjoying my walk (despite sweating profusely due to the humidity), I bought some fresh-squeezed orange juice and kept walking another mile or two to the museum. It was absolutely worth it!! I don't know what the museum looked like before, but I can guarantee that the renovations were worthwhile! Its displays were open, clean, neat, and enticing (a far cry from the museums I visited in Costa Rica and much like you'd expect from a museum in the US). There was a good mixture of items, text to explain them, and space so as not to be overwhelmed. I lucked out and was able to join a group that was receiving a tour, which was a real highlight for me! Puyo stop #2 that I highly recommend!!

Pictures: pottery, map of indigenous groups in the province of Pastaza (in the Amazon), and baskets/clothing woven from natural fibers.

I LOVE this room with indigenous words and their Spanish translations. They also did an excellent job of incorporating technology by including short interviews on various topics with tribal representatives from each of the indigenous groups noted in the map above. I told you I geek out at museums!

After the museum, I tried to meet up with the hotel chef (I told you I made new friends) to do some things around town, but we weren't able to make connections. Instead, I decided to visit the next stop on my list: the orchid garden. I took a shot in the dark since they did not have their hours listed online. Unfortunately, when I arrived, they were closed, despite the sign declaring them open. I tried calling to no avail. I should note that hours of operation in Ecuador are really suggestions, so it wasn't all that surprising, even though it was disappointing. I was a little disappointed since I struck out on both garden options, but since I already had a taxi, I decided to continue on to the last location on my list: the monkey rescue/reserve (Paseo de los Monos). Boy did that turn out to be a disappointment!

The monkey reserve had received glowing reviews online, since they rescue monkey and other animals and often provide visitors with opportunities to volunteer as well as take tours. However, when I arrived, it was nearly deserted. As in, I sought out people and there were none to be found. I also found the reserve to be so overgrown that I felt incredibly claustrophobic. If I thought the zoo was a little too ‘one with nature,’ this was off the charts! The paths were not clearly marked, and judging by the recommended amount of visiting time and a not-so-helpful map, I’m certain I missed parts of the reserve because I simply didn’t know how to get to them. Not only were the paths not clearly marked, but the animal enclosures were also lacking in descriptions. I supposed if I had been able to take a tour, I would’ve learned all about the animals, but as it was, I had to rely on my anthropology training and found the experience rather disappointing. I also found it alarming that the big cat enclosure was conspicuously empty. I realize I sound dramatic, but I genuinely felt like I was going to be attacked at any moment. Also, every time I approached an enclosure, the monkeys went crazy, like they were starved for attention or had been trained from so many visits to perform whenever people walk by. I suppose this was to be expected, but it was disconcerting and disappointing. If these animals were rescued, I would hope the goal would be to reintroduce them to their natural habitats, not make them glorified pets.

Not to be entirely negative, I found it quite clever that they didn’t simply have square enclosures for the animals. There were caged pathways in the trees so that the primates could roam all around. It was both neat and freaky to have monkeys playing a few feet over my head! And if that wasn’t enough, on my way out, there was a monkey playing in the trees along the path…completely outside of any caging (last photo -- no caging!)! As in, I could’ve touched it if I wanted. As I’ve mentioned, I don’t have the desire to touch monkeys (diseases, people!) and instead found myself trying to skirt the monkey without making contact. It was at this moment that a man who worked in the reserve saw me and angrily demanded I pay admittance. Dude, I tried! Y’all weren’t anywhere to be found! And while I expected to pay, I did not appreciate the insinuation that I was trying to get away with something simply because they weren’t doing their job. While I applaud their goal, it was a terrible experience and I would not recommend a visit. Oh, and it’s in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, so getting a taxi back to town was nearly an act of God. No good, I tell you!