Touring Tallinn

 Friday, March 28th

As anticipated, despite the sleep deprivation of the last 28+ hours and an OTC sleeping pill, I barely slept last night.  I was able to enjoy my breakfast alone and read my Bible while enjoying a coffee, as is my usual at home.  Off to the bus where me met Kadi, our local guide for the morning.

Our first stop was the Tallinn Song Festival grounds, the home of a highly significant cultural event held every 5 years.  July 2025 will be the next festival and about 10% of the entire country's population will be on the festival grounds (the choirs have around 30,000 and the attendees are another 100,000 people).  Only the best choirs are admitted into the festival, and it is a celebration, not a competition.  

The ice was leftover from a skiing competition.

The very first Song Festival (in Estonia) was held in 1869 and it helped to unite the country during the period of the Estonian National Awakening.  The songs the choirs sing are Folk Songs, and Estonia is recognized as having one of the largest collection of folk songs in the world.  Estonian Folk Song Spotify Songlist.  The song and dance festival tradition of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are included in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a unique phenomenon in the world.  The statue (on the left) gazing out over the Song Festival grounds is of Gustav Ernesaks, the beloved composer and choir leader who they lovingly call the Father of the Song.  

On the grounds here, 36 years ago, the Estonians gathered to sing patriotic hymns and folk songs in what became known as the Singing Revolution.  The Russians didn't allow them to sing in Estonian (during WWII they were occupied by Russians, then Nazis, then Russians again), but the USSR couldn't stop them!  Kadi explained to us that this event (and the Baltic Human Chain) helped the world to know that Estonia, and her Baltic neighbors, did not want to be part of the USSR.  Within 4 years, by August 1991, Estonia had declared their Restoration of Independence (they'd gained their initial independence, also from Russia, back in 1918).  

Our next stop was the Memorial to the Victims of Communism.  As far as memorials go, it's relatively new, completed in 2018.  It commemorates those deported, imprisoned, or murdered due to communism (1 in 5 Estonians).  The entrance is a large, black walled "tunnel" inscribed, alphabetically, with the names of over 22,000 people who died - untold more were never heard from again, and the memorial is in their memory as well.  The list of names is by no means complete, but it is a start.  The inscription at the entrance explains the vision for the memorial, "The journey is a long corridor that symbolises the merciless power of the totalitarian system.  The home garden is the place where dreams, memories, and a longing for home intertwine.  The symbols of the home garden are apple trees and honeybees.  A monument to Estonian Officers who fell victim to the communist terror is a part of the memorial.  A wall as the place where they were executed stands as a reminder of their fate."  The outside wall, visible in this photo is covered in bees because they compare Estonians to bees since bees stick together and always find their way home.  The wall also has lines from the poem "He Flies Towards the Beehive" by Juhan Liiv which as since been put to music and is now sung at the Song Festivals as a song of mourning, resistance, and hope.  There are 22,000 honeybees in the swarm on the wall, one for each of the names inside the tunnel.

Kadi told the story of her great-grandfather who was a farmer with a lot of land when the Russians came.  He was deported in 1940 and sent to Russia to serve a 30 year sentence.  By the time he finally returned to Estonia there was nothing left for him.  his 65+ acre farm had long since been collectivized and his wife, assuming him dead, was with another man and had several more children.  He died within a year of his return, a broken man.  His name will likely never end up on a memorial, but the effects of communism surely led to his demise.

 Our last destination was Old Town Tallinn (tah-lin).  We sfirst aw the beautiful pink, Baroque-style Toompea Castle, the traditional seat of power in Estonia and home to their current parliament.  Opposite Toompea sits Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral, built in the 17th century style of a Moscow church.  It was mainly built as a show of Russian power & oppression (its location, facing Toompea, is not accidental) and it still stands, thought not much loved by Estonians.

Moving from the Upper Old Town to lower Old Town we were shown St. Mary's Cathedral which was established in the 13th century and is the oldest church in Tallinn, and mainland Estonia.  It was originally Roman Catholic, but after the Protestant Revolution it became Lutheran.  It is also known for the different kinds of tombstones dating from the 13th–18th centuries.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Tallinn

 

Raeapteek, considered the oldest operating pharmacy in Europe

 

Around 12:15pm our tour ended and we had the afternoon to ourselves.  Kadi graciously led some of us to Viru Centre, a large shopping center with a grocery store in the basement level and Rahva Raamat on the 3rd floor.  I love visiting grocery stores when in other countries, and she told us this one had a vast array of inexpensive and delicious prepared foods.  It struck me as a very posh grocery store, but after procuring nourishment I headed upstairs to the bookstore.  They are the largest bookseller in the country and this particular store (they have locations in 9 different cities) was recognized in 2022 as the World's Best Bookstore at the London Book Fair.

After heading back outside I wandered a bit - it was chilly, drizzly, and gray today.  Many cobble-stoned streets and lane ways, and surely many building of significance of which I was unaware.  Tired, and still fighting off a cold, unsure what else I wanted to do (besides sleep, and be warm & dry), I headed back to the hotel.

  

The Tallinn Brotherhood of Black Heads, est. 1399

 Dinner as a group tonight was at a lovely place called Scheeli Restoran (pronounced "Shelly").  I sat with an entertaining couple from Brooklyn (Bob & Bernadette) who were very New York Italian and had very strong accents; a delightful couple from New Jersey (Irv & Roz - Roz reminds me so very much of my late Grandma), and the other solo travelers: Mary Ann, Rose, Candy, and George.  Simona also joined our table and we had a nice time getting to know a bit more back story to everyone.

 

 

Off to the Baltics (and Poland)

March 27th

Despite all the stress with Finnair (they canceled my Helsinki to Tallinn flight on Tuesday afternoon, but eventually rebooked me) over the "planned industrial action (which I assume from what I read meant a strike), I arrived in Helsinki early.  This was quite helpful as my newly booked flight gave me only 35 minutes to get from one end of the airport to the other, as well as go through passport control (I was entering a Schengen Area country).  For those unfamiliar with these terms there are Euro Zone countries (part of the European Union and using the Euro), Shengen Area countries (who have agreed to remove border controls, it includes EU and non-EU countries), and then countries in the European Union (sharing common institutions and a set of specific laws). Interestingly enough, Schengen countries may not share physical borders, as in the case of Cyprus and Ireland.

Terminology aside, the terminal was very quiet and I got no inkling that three trade unions were going to "demonstrate" in just 30 minutes.  My flight took off and across the Baltic Sea we hopped and almost before you knew it we landed in Tallinn, Estonia.  I caught an Über to my hotel with minimum fuss and was soon checked into my room at the Radisson Blu Olumpia.  Although I had been unable to sleep on the red-eye from JFK, I wasn't able to nap before the tour meeting; I tried, but it just wasn't happening.

Simona, our tour director, is also my age, and is a native Lithuanian, married to a Slovenian man.  They split their time between Vilnius and Ljubljana.  Our Welcome Dinner was pleasant enough, no matter the country, no matter the tour guide, the welcome dinners are pretty much always the same.  Details on how the tour will run, how to reach her, giving out the "whispers" (small devices with earpieces so that we can hear the guide without the guide yelling), and introductions.  Our group had 39 people in total, so full, but still a handful of empty seats on the bus to allow for some freedom of movement.

 A bit more about my first destination. The capital's name is Tallinn (pronounced tah-lin as Estonian always emphasizes the first syllable). Estonian is their only official language and it belongs to the Finn-Euro language group (related to Hungarian and Finnish). Unlike English, Estonian has no prepositions, they simply change the ending of their nouns (there are 14 cases or endings to their nouns). The letter A is always pronounced the same (ahh), no matter the location inside the word.  The colors of the Estonian flag are the colors of their winter: blue for sky, black for forest, and white for snow. 

 

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

 Cheesecake (noun)
a dessert consisting of a creamy filling usually containing cheese baked in a pastry or pressed-crumb shell

Back when I started this blog I used to include the definition of a word at the end of each post.  As I blogged more frequently, the practice became mostly extinct.  The last time I posted a cheesecake recipe (Caramel-Nut Shortbread Cheesecake) was in 2015, but I assure you I have made my fair share since that time.  But back to the definition, when I looked it up I was surprised by two things: 1) the phrase "usually containing cheese" and 2) the second definition, which I have never heard used (they compare it to how we use the term "beefcake").  Since the word has been around since the 15th century and I was intrigued I admit to spending several minutes searching the web for recipes from back then (and yes, every one I found used cheese, so the mysterious definition remains).

Anyway, as is my typical process, when my Mom asked me to create one for Family Lunch I began contemplating the ingredients I had on hand and what recipes I could meld into something new.  Yes, much to the chagrin of my youngest brother, I rarely follow a recipe exactly as written down.  So many areas of life require strict discipline, but I do not believe that cooking is one of those areas.  If you made it this far and would like to simply print the recipe, you can do so here. For the usual food-blog step-by-step with photos and narration, read on friends!

DULCE DE LECHE CHEESECAKE

Crust Ingredients:
1 pkg/sleeve of graham crackers, crushed or 1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
7-8 TBSP (1 stick) of melted butter
pinch of salt
2 TBSP sugar (optional)
1 cup (12oz or 13.4oz can) Dulce de Leche.  You can sometimes find Dulce de Leche near the sweetened condensed milk or in the international aisle at the grocery store.  Otherwise, try out this recipe for making your own and then let me know how it worked!

Filling Ingredients:
4-8oz white chocolate chips or chopped bar
(4) 8oz pkg of cream cheese (softened to room temp)
1 cup of hastily poured brown sugar (unpacked). White sugar is also fine, but I wanted the contrast between the batter and the white chocolate bits.
4 large eggs
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp salt

Ganache/Glaze:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (chips or coarsely chopped bar).  Feel free to use an entire bag (in which case double the other ingredients), but you honestly do not need more.
¼ cup (4 TBSP) butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP heavy cream
Caramel sauce/topping (optional, I simply had some on hand and thought it went well with the bottom layer of dulce de leche carmely-ness)
Coarse sea salt (optional, I simply had some on hand)

• Start by preparing your 9" spring-form pan. If using a water bath, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil (and test that you have another pan large enough to house the pan and the water). 
• If your white chocolate is in a bar, coarsely chop it and set aside.
  
  
  
  
• Preheat oven to 375F. Melt your butter (however you prefer) and then stir it together with the graham cracker crumbs. Evenly spread out the crust mixture into the pan and then press firmly into the bottom of the pan (I like to use some plastic wrap or wax paper on my hand, but it isn't necessary). Bake for 6-8min; remove the pan and then lower temperature to 325F. 
• Open the can of dulce de leche and spoon out onto the crust (it will be very thick and unwieldy). Try to gently spread it around to make an even layer (the warm pan/crust should help, but it need not be perfect). Set aside to cool, refrigerating is optional.
  
  
  
• If you plan to use the water bath, boil water (a tea kettle is handy for this). If you'd rather not bother, I think it's fine.  I've made cheesecakes with and without the water bath and as you can see at the end here, I still had cracks (I think I overcooked it or should have put it on the bottom oven rack).  Since we're covering any cracks that appear on the top of our cheesecake with ganache...well, you decide.
• In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, then flour, vanilla, and salt. Attempt to uniformly pour about ½ of the filling onto your crust, then gently encourage the batter to the edges of the pan with a spatula. Mix your white chocolate into the remaining batter in your bowl and then repeat filling up your pan – smoothing the top as much as possible.
  
  
  
  
• Place your springform pan into your water bath pan and gently pour the hot/boiling water into the sides of the main pan, being careful the water level doesn’t reach the foil level.  You want a few inches of water up the side of the spring-form pan, but it's an art, not a science (according to me, anyway). Carefully transfer the cheesecake & waterbath into the oven and bake about 1 hour and 20min (until the center only slightly jiggles).
  
  
  
  
• While the cheesecake is baking, wash your dishes. Yep, you’ll appreciate it when they’re done, plus there is plenty of time to wait. Once the cheesecake is finished baking, turn off the oven, prop open the oven door (a wooden spoon is good for this) and leave the cheesecake inside to cool for an hour. Then remove the cheesecake and depending on the temperature, allow it to set for another 30-40minutes while you create the glaze.
  

  

  Despite the water bath, it still cracked, but I believe
  that is because I didn't put it on the bottom rack.
  

  
  
• NOTE: If you will be presenting this cheesecake outside of the pan, refrigerate it for several hours (or overnight) and remove from the spring-form pan prior to glazing (allowing the glaze to drip down onto the sides for a classy presentation).
  
• Heat the chocolate, butter, and cream in a double boiler (or in the microwave at 30 second intervals), stirring until smooth. Allow the glaze to cool for about 10 minutes and then pour over the cheesecake evenly (you may need to use a spatula if you want it spread uniformly).
  
  
  
  
• Refrigerate for 4+ hours, or overnight.  Before serving, allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so that the glaze does not crack when you cut into it. If using the caramel sauce & sea salt, you can drizzle sauce over the ganache before or after you cut the cheesecake, and the salt can be sparingly sprinkled over-top the caramel.
  
• Devour....or daintily consume, the choice is yours.
  
  
  
  
  

Baking A Medieval Cheesecake - The History of the Sambocade

The Original Cheesecake

Medieval Cheesecake-Saffron Cheesecake

Bucket List Checkmark

Our Tuesday morning began at Galeria Latina, mostly for some shopping opportunities.  The had a wide variety of handicrafts from scarves, to jewelry, to paintings, and pottery.  The artists were not solely Ecuadorian, but also from other "Latin America" countries.  As many of you may recall, I rarely buy souvenirs.  Although the items were beautiful, I talked myself out of buying anything, much to the chagrin of many of the husbands on the tour.

From there we were off to Old Town Quito which was given UNESCO Status in 1978. We again visited the Basílica del Voto Nacional (The Basilica of the National Vow), with its lovely Gothic style architecture. On this occasion we were able to enter the church (the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas). and view the interior and the courtyard outside as well. 

It was built as a monument to honor Ecuador's consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was inspired by European cathedrals. All of the stone, over 7,000 tons, was locally sourced which is why there is a bit of a pink cast to much of the exterior. The church represented "Ecuador’s commitment to peace and spiritual protection in the late 19th century. As a monument of national faith, the basilica embodies the spirit of devotion and unity among Ecuadorians, highlighting the country’s deep-rooted connection to Catholicism." (source) In a distinct blending of styles, the church does not have typical European gargoyles, but figures shaped like animals native to Ecuador, such as iguanas, Andean condors, and Galápagos tortoises.

Although the idea to build the church originated in 188,3 and it was designated a Basilica in December 1985, by Pope John Paul II, it remains unfinished. As such, a legend now says that the world will end if the basilica is ever completed. 

Note the large heart-shaped window
above the 2 middle doors

Chapel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

From the basilica we meandered around the Plaza Grande (officially the Plaza de la Independencia).  The main feature is their large monument to the Independence Heroes of August 1809, at the center of the square.  Topped with a statue of Liberty, in the middle a condor with open wings (the national bird of Ecuador), and at the base, a lion, representing Spain.

The First Cry for Freedom: A Story of Ecuadorian Independence

The plaza is flanked by many historical buildings, one of which is the Presidential Palace (Palacio de Carondelet), and we noticed a lot of security guards around who had not been present the night before. Antonio told us he believed the Secretary of State was having some meetings there that day, and we did see some people escorted out of the building into waiting cars. 

Next stop: Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. The entire façade is carved volcanic stone (Ecuadorian andesite) in a stunning Quitoan-Colonial Baroque style. Jesuit architects began work in 1605 and didn't finish until 160 years later, but the effort was well worth the wait. "Today the church is widely regarded as the finest church in Quito and one of the most ornate religious buildings in Ecuador...The predominant architectural style is Baroque, and the church has no shortage of the exuberance, fine detail, and grandeur associated with that particular style." (source)  The original blueprints for construction came from Europe and were a copy of a Jesuit church near St. Peters in Rome.  

The interior is gilded in gold, and is unlike any other church I've ever seen. Over time this church has also been nicknamed the "Temple of Solomon of South America" because of all that gilding. Many years of restoration have happened since an earthquake (in the rainforest) in 1987 caused a large crack in the wall.  They began reinforcing all of the church's walls and in 1995 began refurbishing the interior, which took another 12 years.  The restoration cost millions of dollars and used about 52 kilos (115 pounds) of Ecuadorian gold in their process of refreshing the myriad of gold leaf the church contains.

A lovely lunch at Patio Andeluz was enjoyed by our group and we were treated to traditional espumilla for dessert.  It's a type of meringue and is a popular street food here in Ecuador, often seen served on an ice cream cone. 

Soon we were back on the bus to head to the Middle of the World. Mitad Del Mundo is a city marking 0° latitude in Ecuador and commemorates the 18th century Franco-Spanish Geodesic Mission which fixed its approximate location. The location of the equator here is the reason for the country's name (the entire country used to be called Quito).  Construction on the current monument to the equator began in 1979 and replaced a smaller version built in the 1930's.  Antonio did an excellent explanation of which "equator line" is correct.  And, if you were like me and didn't even know there was controversy...well, there is discrepancy (the Wikipedia page covers it here).  As Antonio pointed out, to the credit of the gentlemen on the first expedition, people in 1736 weren't even certain if the world was round or flat!  Plus, it took them 6 years to calculate the information of where the equatorial line and center point were located, and now we know they were off by only 240 metres (790 ft). Impressive!  Also, for anyone curious what direction water spins down the drain at the equator...wrong location for that question.  Plus, the force of the Coriolis effect isn't as strong at the equator as it at the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and overall, a drain is too small of a scale of motion to be affected by such a large-scale force.  The best way to see the difference is in the way tornadoes or hurricanes spin in nature at the various hemispheres.  That's all the science lessons I'll give today.

Standing in both hemispheres

Once upon a time, I created a bucket list.  Honestly, it was just a list of a bunch of places I wanted to visit or things I wanted to do in those places...but it was REALLY long.  Nearly every country in the world is a place I want to go!  Now, lest you think I consult this list when I'm trip planning, let me be clear, I do not consult this list.  In fact, I had forgotten about it, for the most part, when the whole world is on the list, the list becomes inconsequential.  But, I happened to check the short version a few weeks ago and one of the activities on my list was completed on this adventure: standing on the equator!

After a wonderful "Farewell Dinner" at our hotel we said good-bye and went our separate ways.  Well, sort of, there were about 15 or 16 of us on the same flight out of Quito in the morning, so we knew many of us would see each other again, bright and early!

Full Map of My Tour

Rainforest to Cloud Forest

 On Monday morning we departed the Amazon just as we had arrived - by canoe. Once safely onto our tour bus, we headed back to the highlands in order to reach Quito.  At our mid-morning restroom stop, near Archidona, we were able to try "rumi changa" which is either fish or chicken cooked over a fire inside of palm leaves (no, palm leaves do not add any flavor). 

While there Roque, our bus driver, proceeded to eat a raw chincha de chonta (the squirmy white grubs we keep seeing); I simply could not watch, it was too revolting to imagine eating one in such a manner.  Before we all climbed back onto the bus, Antonio bought some roasted "Big Ass Ants" for us to try.  When I asked him what they were really called, because I assumed he was joking, he said that was their name.  When I googled "Big Butt Ants in Ecuador" I immediately got multiple results, so the name is apparently quite common.  Anyway, grubs, especially raw, are a big, fat, "no, gracias".  These roasted ants?  Sure, why not?  

What did they taste like?  Well, I thought they tasted like crickets (thanks, Dad).  There's a story behind why I know the taste of crickets, but that's for another time.

Our next stop was near the town of Cosanga, at San Isidro Lodge.  The lodge is located in a cloud forest reserve and they are known for their variety of hummingbirds. Worldwide, a cloud forest is a rare occurrence "since the exceptional conditions that create these forests are only found in tropical areas with tall mountains." source  As in the rainforest, we again donned rubber boots, and after almost 10 years of packing the same rain poncho into my suitcase (and never having it on me the few times it would have been useful), I finally had it with me on the day of need!  As it turns out, my poncho was a one-size-fits-all sort of deal, and about 2 other people could have joined me inside.  I tied it in a knot at the bottom corner, in an attempt to reign it in and prevent me from tripping on it as we hiked, so between my shorts, tall rubber boots, and XXL poncho, I was looking quite charming! 

These frogs are full-grown!

Our guide's name was Edwin, and he was a knowledgeable gentleman, but alas, a large group of people who struggle to be quiet were following him, so we mostly saw only plants and a few frogs.  The drizzling rain and chilled air didn't create a desire to linger in the lovely cloud forest, so I was content to quickly return to the lodge for some warmth and protection from the elements - the prospects of lunch didn't hurt either.  We enjoyed our meal, and even caught a glimpse of some of the hummingbirds for which San Isidro Lodge is famous, and then we were back on the bus to resume our journey to Quito.

As we were arriving at our hotel Antonio offered to take anyone who was interested into the Old Town for a look around and a bit to eat.  Unlike his offer in Cuenca, most of the group joined the excursion and we were soon off.  The subway entrance was just across from the hotel, and was astonishingly clean.  When questioned, Antonio told us that it had been open for less than a year!  We entered Quito at San Francisco Plaza in Old Town - a world heritage site. 

Wandering past illuminated old cathedrals and down cobblestoned laneways with soft, glowing window displays, it was a lovely walk through town. 

 Antonio suggested we visit a spot he knew that had a rooftop bar with a view of Quito's entire Old Town. A warm drink and a snack sounded delightful, as it was nearing 8pm, so we all headed to Vista Hermosa. While some names don't fit a place, this establishment was aptly named, the views were lovely. While waiting for the elevator, Antonio told us a bit about Julio Jaramillo (his picture was on the wall and they had a large figurine of him in the lobby). He's comparable to our Frank Sinatra and was incredibly famous in Ecuador, and much of South America (listen to his most famous song, "Nuestro Juramento", here). 

The views from the rooftop were enchanting, so we all decided to enjoy something, whether soup, hot chocolate, empanadas, or a cocktail.  The fascinating part of our rooftop view was the visible contrast to the areas of the city enduring their scheduled blackout.  

And thus ended another day in Ecuador...we traveled about 140 miles:

Rainforest Hike and Poolside Afternoon

 I enjoyed my breakfast with Antonio, Roque, and Theresa while listening to the rushing river behind the din of conversation.  We were soon off to be outfitted for our morning adventure.  This mainly consisted of rubber boots and a life jacket, although the lifejacket was only needed for the boat ride. Antonio had advised us to wear pants, long socks, long sleeves, a hat, and lots of bug spray and sunscreen for this morning in the rainforest. After a quick jaunt upriver we were at the Misicocha Private Nature Reserve for a tour with our local guides, Caesar and Andrés.  The nature reserve is owned by the hotel and they're trying to preserve and conserve the rainforest in that area, as it takes a long time to regrow.  

The locals used the rainforest as their medicine cabinet, and one example is the tea we learned about yesterday, called guayusa (wahh-you-sah).  They believes that regular consumption helps to prevent snakes and mosquitos from biting you because you sweat it out and they don't like the scent.  Blessedly, we saw no snakes, but we did see a lot of spiders.  Can you find the spider in this picture?  When I was looking back through my pictures I almost deleted it because I thought I'd mistakenly photographed the ground. 

When I was looking back through my pictures I almost deleted it because I thought I'd mistakenly photographed the ground. In fact, there's an effectively camouflaged tarantula! 

The hike, overall, was less than 2 miles in length, but what it lacked in that respect it made up for in altitude, as many spots were very steep, and the hike was generally upward for the first half.  We all hiked together for the first half a mile, with lots of stops to view spiders, bugs, interesting plants, etc. They told us that the Amazon Rainforest has more trees than all of North America combined, which seemed accurate when I learned that they estimate that the Amazon Rainforest has "390 billion individual trees". But, when I tried to check that against the number of trees in North America, the US Forest Service conducted their FIA (a.k.a. “America’s tree census” they estimated "nearly 300 billion trees in the United States", which wouldn't even include Canada, which is largely forested as well.  

Either way, Britannica declared the Amazon Rainforest " is the world’s richest and most-varied biological reservoir".  Caesar spoke English so he did the explanations and Andrés scouted and searched for the bugs and insects to be pointed out to us.  We learned about the Remo Caspi tree, which is a hardwood resistant to termites, and the Iron Palm (the "chonta palm" - remember those grubs from yesterday's escapades?) which has extremely hard bark that they used for spears and blow guns, and even the Walking Palms (the Quechua people use the young roots, which have protective spikes, as sandpaper).  Shortly before our group split into two (one group for the "difficult" hike and one for the "less difficult, thought not easy" hike), we all had to try out the tarabita. This basket-like cable car, which only holds one person, sort of ziplines you from one part of the forest to another over a canyon. Caesar and Antonio went first (Antonio took photos of everyone as they came across), and Andrés ran the cables, ensuring we all stopped on time.  Although I do not enjoy this sort of adventure normally, I think the basket made me feel safe enough, and the journey was short enough, that I actually enjoyed it.

Only 5 of us chose the difficult hike, and it really wasn't difficult, though it was hot and humid.  We arrived back at the starting point for our hike and waited for the remainder of our party to traverse the remainder of their trail.   

View from the "top" of the hike

 The reward of the hiking adventure (for those willing to accept it) was taking off our rubber boats and climbing onto the balsa wood rafts waiting for us in the river.  Although I enjoy being on the water, the raft was not the reward. The sun was searing down on us in our long sleeves and long pants and the guides told us we could jump in the river.  I hesitated as first, why be stuck in wet clothes, and the water was very muddy.  After recognizing I was returning to the hotel and could change right away, and my but was already wet from sitting on balsa logs tied together, I also jumped in the swiftly moving water.  Glorious!  Relaxing, refreshing, we stayed in the water, floating in front of the rafts, until they made us all climb back on (to ensure we could then transfer into our motorized canoes for the final leg of our journey home).  No photos of our rafting as we'd all handed over our electronics to be stowed in a drybag safely in one of the canoes.

As I was not interested in any of the afternoon's optional tours, I decide to relax by the pool and enjoy some extended free time.  We all enjoyed lunch together and then by 2:30pm everyone was off again for ziplining, a butterfly farm, or an animal rescue tour.  When I returned to the pool (having followed proper sunscreen protocol - the high altitude of Ecuador and its location near the equator make sunburn extremely likely) there was only one family and they didn't stay more than half an hour.  Solitude and sunshine, just what I needed by day 7.  A French tour group arrived around 4:30pm and many of them were soon in the pool.  I had already finished my book ("Josephine Baker's Last Dance" - can't really recommend it, but she lived quite the life) when the group arrived, and with the sun beginning to set the mozzies were coming out.  Yes, some Australian slang still sticks with me, so that's 'mosquitos' for anyone who hasn't read my Australian Adventures.  I had failed to bring any bug spray with me to the pool and decided that scrubbing off my sunscreen and giving my hair a wash was a good way to kill the last hour before everyone else returned and we all had dinner together.

This video (which I found online) gives you a glimpse of our hike - they're at the same nature reserve: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpf7EwRtlj0