Photo of the Day (08.17.08)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

It’s been a long week at work, and I’m spent. Somehow I think this napping sea lion, taken by Flickr user goalielax, would probably agree with me. Goalielax caught this guy snoozing on Isla Española, one of the many islands that make up the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador. Take the rest of this lazy summer Sunday to rest up people, there’s another week ahead of us!

Have any great images you’ve taken during your travels? Why not share them with Gadling? Add them to the Gadling group pool on Flickr and we just might select your shot as our Photo of the Day.

US retirees changing the face of Central and South American communities

by Aaron Hotfelder on

In warm-weather locales all over the Americas, the same scene is unfolding: US retirees, marching in lock-step in their all-white orthopedic shoes, are ditching traditional retirement communities and spending their golden years in destinations both less expensive and more exotic. And who can blame them? Prime real estate in these beautiful warm-weather countries– places like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Ecuador– costs a fraction of what similar land goes for in Florida and Arizona. And we all know the elderly have never been ones to pass up a good bargain.

As legions of retirees decide to retire in countries south of the border, they bring with them an economic boom for places that sorely need it. In recent years, Costa Rica has seen property values skyrocket, greater foreign investment, and a surging economy– much of it due to the migration of the gray-haired masses.

So we know about the benefits. But what about the drawbacks? Indeed, not everything is hunky-dory in these new retirement hot spots. When large numbers of relatively wealthy folks, whether backpackers or retirees, descend upon a previously “undiscovered” paradise, they’re almost always a mixed blessing. Nowhere is this more apparent than in one of South America’s newest retirement meccas, Vilcabamba, Ecuador.

First a little background: Vilcabamba is not your ordinary retirement community. Thirty-five years ago, National Geographic famously described the small town as the “Valley of Longevity” because of its supposedly long-lived inhabitants. Since that time, seekers and searchers from around the world have visited the town hoping to discover the secrets of these modern-day Methuselahs.

While many visitors still pass through the town– it’s now solidly part of Ecuador’s “backpacker circuit”– the past five to ten years have seen an increasing number of older people choosing to make Vilcabamba their home. Because of the town’s unique reputation as the “Valley of Longevity,” these adopted residents lean decidedly towards the mystical, the metaphysical, and the organic. Simply put, these are not people who you’d want to tell about your most recent trip to Wal-Mart.

Last year, I visited Vilcabamba and wrote about it in a journal entry:

“Oh, this town is weird, weird, weird. Or at least the old gringo hippies who moved here are. Carol, the gregarious owner of the Madre Tierra spa/hotel, invited me to sit with her four 60-something friends for dinner. I felt like their son or something. After the where-are-you-from formalities were out of the way, they resumed their conversation about homeopathic medicine, which they were all wildly in favor of (of course).

“The lady next to me, Norie, said, “I went to the doctor for the first time in 30 years because I wasn’t feeling well.” I felt like pointing out a possible cause-and-effect relationship there but bit my tongue. “The doctor said that I was basically healthy,” she continued, “but that I had Epstein Barr, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, nephritis, pesticide poisoning…” and a host of other ailments and maladies, none of which lent support to the doc’s original “basically healthy” diagnosis.

“Later, Walter mentioned that he would soon be having a metal bar rolled over his back to try to alleviate his back pain. Carol mentioned that just having someone do that alone would be unlikely to help. They must first put their energy into the bar, and then roll it across his back. The four others nodded in agreement.

“Then Walter mentioned that he wanted to meet with a local businessman to make sure they were on the same wavelength, and I’m pretty sure he meant an actual wavelength– he wasn’t speaking metaphorically.

“Then the five of them sat around discussing how to change the town in any way they possibly could, implying and even stating flatly that the local folks weren’t intelligent enough to effect change themselves. One could reasonably infer that the citizens of Vilcabamba were waiting patiently in their cribs until their five gringo leaders returned and told them what to do, and breast-fed them, and rocked them to sleep.”

Yes, as I wrote back then, and as I still feel now, the ol’ gringos are slowly taking over. That sounds bleak, but certainly it’s not all bad. They’ll undoubtedly create jobs for the locals, spur further investment, and eventually bring something approaching prosperity to the “Valley of Longevity.” Indeed, there are a lot worse things for poor people than having rich Westerners move to town.

But let’s at least recognize that the town is losing something too– namely its own character and autonomy. These days, Vilcabamba is more likely to be featured in AARP Magazine than in National Geographic— and surely there’s at least something depressing about that.

I guess for every thing a town gains, it loses something.

Dispatch from the Galapagos: The summer I gave up meat

by Jerry Guo on

Rachel Atkinson hops like a Darwin finch from one volcanic outcropping to the next, then plunges into ankle-deep mud. Squishing as she walks, the botanist with the Charles Darwin Research Station homes in on the ailing invaders: blackberry, passion fruit, and quinine bushes clustered near Santa Cruz Island’s last shrubby stands of Scalesia trees. Atkinson smiles in approval. One more blast of herbicide ought to prevent the aliens from regrowing and give the Scalesia a shot at survival after all.

We were on the front-line of an epic war being waged on all sorts of invasive species in the Galápagos Islands. Surprisingly, the culprit seems to be global warming, which is usually associated with polar bears and other sorts of cold things-not an archipelago situated one degree south of the equator.

It all started in the late 1980s, when the periodic El Niños became more frequent and severe. Of course, we do have to give some credit to the pirates and whalers who began visiting the Galápagos in the 1700s and leaving behind goats, pigs, and other animals as a living larder for future visits. That couldn’t have helped.
The torrential monsoons have since thrown the entire island ecosystem in a loop. In some cases, like what Atkinson is battling, invasive weeds have exploded. In other cases where there aren’t weeds, native plants have been doing the exploding, also a problem because that attracts goats. Godfrey Merlen, a Galápagos native and director of WildAid, says he saw “two or three” goats on the upper flanks of Isabela Island’s Alcedo volcano in 1992. When he returned three years later, he saw hundreds. “It was total chaos,” Merlen says. The goats had denuded the once-lush terrain, transforming brush and cloud forests into patchy grassland.

While I didn’t make it to the remote volcanoes on Isabela, I was able to tag along for two weeks with a National Geographic research team tracking giant tortoises. Although the tortoises were interesting (they’ve been a victim of the goats, who have eaten up their food source), I was there for the .223-caliber rifles. You see, several trigger-happy park rangers were accompanying the scientists and they were mad. Their goal was to shoot and kill any goat they saw. I learned they were part of the world’s largest eradication campaign-an $18 million effort to rid the islands of 140,000 feral goats.

But I never saw them use the rifles, for by now, ten years after the start of the campaign, they have become so fit and smart they can run down the goats on foot (and bullets cost money). The first time I witnessed the exhilarating chase, I thought it couldn’t be that hard to keep up with them. While the rangers nimbly corralled the goats into a basin depression, coordinating with each other in an elegant ballet, I had found a rock to stub my toe on. And that was that.

For the next two weeks, we feasted on goats. More accurately, the first week was a feast. Then we ran out of spices. Yet still, we were too polite not to chow down the goat soup, goat sandwiches, goat sushi (only once), and whatever else the park rangers / part-time chefs cooked up.

I stayed up late into the night talking to them about goats-and trying to digest my dinner. I learned that the national park imported hunting dogs from New Zealand and trained them to track and kill goats. Helicopters were pressed into service for sharpshooters to reach rugged highlands. To flush out holdouts, the park released “Judas” goats, including sterilized females plied with hormones to keep them in heat and attract males.

All in all, these rangers have been excellent hunters who were using the latest technology, and it’s paid off-this year they managed to wipe out the goats on Isabela. “A great battle has been won,” Victor Carrion, subdirector of the park, said to me later, though he cautioned that much more work needs to be done eradicating other invasive species.

Although one bane has been eliminated, others are at large. In northern Isabela, rats have ravaged the last two nesting sites of mangrove finches, estimated at fewer than 100. And both rats and feral cats have decimated a subspecies of marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus albemarlensis) endemic to Isabela, prompting the World Conservation Union to add it to its vulnerable list in 2004. Rangers have set out traps and poison for Isabela’s rats and are plotting eradication campaigns on Floreana and Santiago islands. An effort to poison feral cats will commence next year.
Impressive, no doubt.

But those rangers?

They were not good cooks.

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GADLING TAKE 5: Week of 3-21-2008

by Catherine Bodry on

Did you have a happy St. Patrick’s Day? While I didn’t get in to any shenanigans (for once, it seems), I was able to have a few pints with friends up in Anchorage. Though they weren’t perfectly-poured Guinnesses, they were locally brewed and likely tasted as good as Guinness in Ireland tastes. But there’s plenty of non-St. Paddy’s Day news this week at Gadling:

And here are some more fun posts to set your weekend off right: Aaron’s post on headlines from North Korea still makes me laugh; I’m curiously following the fate of squat toilets in Beijing (because I love squat toilets and think everyone should try them — I know, I’m a freak); and an Australian put his entire life on eBay.

Ecuador: Your guide to the “new Costa Rica”

by Aaron Hotfelder on

With the Galápagos Islands, Pacific beaches, Andes Mountains, and Amazonian jungle, Ecuador is a little country that packs a big punch. And travelers, always on the look-out for the hot new destination, are starting to flock there in droves. One backpacker has even dubbed the small South American country the “new Costa Rica.” Okay, that was me.

Anyway, here’s a quick-and-dirty rundown of the highlights and lowlights of Ecuador’s three regions– East, Central and West.

East

To hear the reputation of the city of Guayaquil, you’d think that calling it a cesspool of crap would be insulting to all those plucky little bacteria out there who survive on human excrement. The truth is that, despite Guayaquil’s dismal reputation, things are rapidly improving, and lots of fun can be had in this port city of three million. There’s a casino downtown if that’s your thing, and the Malecón area on the riverfront is brand new and always packed with people. Head to the Urdesa district for some great restaurants and to the Kennedy Center for vibrant nightlife. For sightseeing, try the hilltop neighborhood known as Las Peñas, where you’ll see a colorful slice of colonial Guayaquil.

The best-slash-only beach I went to in Ecuador was in Montañita, which is about two hours north of Guayaquil. The town is really chilled out and uber-friendly to backpackers, with plenty of places to eat and sleep (and smoke funny-looking cigarettes).

Shameless plug: A friend with whom I visited Montañita moved back there recently and opened a watering hole called Nuestrobar. Mention my name there and receive 50% off. (Warning: This deal may come as news to the owner.)

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Central

Starting from the top, Quito, the capital, is a must-see destination. Quito’s Old Town is a refined, dignified queen, full of majesty and grace. Explore her curves, and take her picture. Go ahead, she likes it. The New Town (especially the Mariscal area) is an ageless whore, a seductress, a vixen. She’ll do anything for a buck, and she’ll give you the best nights of your life.

There are a million-and-one places to go out in the Mariscal, but take taxis at night because the area can be a little dodgy. The Secret Garden hostel in the Old Town is highly recommended for its spectacular balcony view and lively backpacker atmosphere. It’s the best budget place to stay in Quito by a lot. Make a reservation, as it’s endorsed by Lonely Planet and therefore often packed.

Visit the cable cars known as the Telefériqo for a panoramic look at the city. Go early, as heavy fog tends to block the gorgeous view any time past noon.

For a challenging hike just a few hours from Quito, hire a guide and head to the world’s tallest active volcano, Mt. Cotopaxi. At 19,347 feet, the climb will kick your ass unless you’re in good shape and have spent time acclimatizing to the altitude. Still, it’s possible to have a good time even if you prefer donuts to dumbells, and you don’t make it all the way to the top. (I know from experience.)

Heading south from Quito, spend some time in the town of Baños, so named because of the existence of several thermal baths created by the nearby Tungurahua Volcano. Baños is where I stayed for about six weeks, so I might be biased, but it was just about the best Ecuador has to offer. It’s nestled beautifully in the mountains, there is tons to do– mountain biking, rafting, hiking, soaking in thermal baths, bungee-jumping off bridges, drinking, dancing with girls who are probably too young.

If you go, I recommend staying at Plantas y Blanco and eating at Casa Hood (great used book selection), and Cafe Hood. And yes, there are two different restaurants with the word “Hood” in the name– it’s a long story.

Taking the bus south from Baños, you’ll come to the beautiful old colonial city of Cuenca. It’s where I met the most beautiful girl in Ecuador, and for that reason, it will always hold a spot near and dear to me.

In the southernmost region of the country, you’ll find the small gringo-hippie-retiree town of Vilcabamba. If you enjoy talking about your chi and saying things like, “The energy in this room just doesn’t feel right,” this is the place for you. Head to the Madre Tierra spa/hotel for the full effect.

West

The Amazonian jungle. I went for about a week, and it was certainly a experience I’ll never forget. It costs about $40 a day to hire a guide, which you must do. Going into the jungle is just like it sounds– lots of fascinating plants and animals, but lacking in creature comforts such as air conditioning, WiFi, and buildings with doors. Go if the preceding sounds appealing.

Note: When your jungle guide introduces you to a shaman who offers you a psychoactive tea called ayahuasca, politely refuse– that is, unless you’re looking to writhe in agony for hours while suffering from temporary psychosis and acute diarrhea. Or so I’ve heard.

Final Thoughts

If you have extra money, go to the Galápagos Islands. It’s about the one thing in Ecuador I didn’t do, but wished I had. It’ll cost US$1000 to go for a week, but it’s cheaper if you fly to the islands and explore on your own rather than joining a pre-arranged tour.

For more info, consider picking up an Ecuador guidebook or make your own Frankenguide.

Finally, and most importantly, ignore most of the advice above and just find your own places to go and do your own things. Traveling is about making it up as you go along. Somehow things always work out, no matter where you go or what you do.

Got questions? I never get tired of talking about Ecuador, so leave it in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer it. Happy travels!