09 June 2018

Salinas: City of my Gastronomic Dreams

Today didn't feel like living on the road. Today felt like actual vacation. I woke up snuggled in a bed covered in fleece sheets, two heavy wool blankets, and a comforter, then walked out to a breakfast room already warmed by the sun to have breakfast. After breakfast, I had a little dessert of local chocolate. Eating breakfast dessert makes me feel like I'm on holiday!

Due to weather, we disappointingly found that Chimborazo was a no-go

We had arrived in Salinas (de BolĂ­var) the day before. We had ridden from Riobamba to Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador, and the point on the earth--due to the equatorial bulge--farthest from the core, or closest to the moon. The mountain, an inactive volcano, was so socked in with clouds that we stayed at the visitor center for only about twenty minutes, being very disappointed we wouldn't be able to hike. From the parking lot, we made the decision to to roll into Salinas.

We headed right for a hotel Josh had read about. There wasn't a room ready, but there was already an inviting fire going in the fireplace. The woman at the desk told us there would be a ready room in about an hour, so we went back into town for a little lunch. After driving the wrong way down a one-way street (par for the course on this trip) and circling the plaza twice (three times in Josh's case), we finally found a place to park and a little cafe with a wood burning stove going like crazy. While Josh ordered lunch--complete with local hot chocolate--I sat next to the stove, warming up and looking at the town map/info pamphlet I had been given at the hotel.

What I read was an amazing story!

Sitting high in the Andes at about 3550 meters above sea level, Salinas was a town that prospered on its salt mining hundreds of years ago, prior to the spaniards coming in. (Of course...) The original way of mining the salt had been tedious, but the town used the salt to trade with all the surrounding communities for other things they needed, so much so that they referred to the salt as Oro Blanco--white gold. The spaniards changed the method for mining the salt--no doubt collecting their perceived amount due--and over the following years the town grew extremely poor.

By the time the spaniards had been run out of South America, Salinas was in a bad way. By the 1970s, the town's inhabitants were poor, without electricity, living in what appeared to be huts, with a mortality rate of close to fifty percent for children under five. They needed help, and it came in the town of a visiting friar. With his help, the city turned it's economic tide by creating co-ops that supported the production of cheeses, chocolates, yarns and more, using raw materials from surrounding villages.

Due to the location and climate of the town, they couldn't grow all the raw materials needed. But, they managed to learn the techniques and find the equipment needed for turning those raw materials from elsewhere to finished products. On top of that, the town began to embrace tourism as a way to showcase those products, and create more revenue for the town.

The story was fascinating, and as we walked through town after eating a delicious lunch, it was clear to see how that change had impacted the town. No one lives lavishly, but people seem comfortable, healthy, and happy. Everyone was extremely friendly, and to be honest (for me, a fairly telling sign of how well a town is doing) the town dogs all seemed to be healthy and friendly. I pet A LOT of dogs yesterday!

We may also have bought a number of things, including, but not limited to, cheese, salami, chocolate, hand-knit alpaca gloves, and more chocolate. We talked to the town's people (who had all seen us ride through the plaza...) and wandered up and down most of the streets.

Finally, we decided to head back to the hotel and chill for the night. And I mean chill! It was cold. I sat out on our balcony (as promised by the girl at reception, it had a great view of the city) with my new alpaca glove/mittens on, marveling at their warmth and softness. How am I only discovering the joy of such a simple thing now??

While stuffing our faces with local chocolate and cheese, we made a plan for the following day. Though we usually do most of our exploring on our own, we decided Salinas would be a great place to take a guided tour of the town--the tour that included the local factories.

So, after waking in my warm, comfortable bed, then being served a beautiful breakfast in a sunny room overlooking town and eating breakfast dessert, we wandered into the tourist office in town. We were introduced to Don Victor, a local septuagenarian all set to introduce us to local life. Don Victor's role as tour guide was just one more way the town had embraced change to make life better. This town absolutely embraced tourism with a sincerity that had me feeling like a friend of everyone in town we met.

Our tour started at the local knit/crocheted goods co-op. They had about 150 women from all around who created goods at home, which were then sold there. The goods could also be found in small stores in the town, and the alpaca gloves I bought were made by the woman who sold them to me. Making sweaters, hats, gloves, shawls, etc., from sheep's wool and alpaca is a tradition passed down through the generations of women in local families.

So, where do they get the yarn?

That factory was next on the tour. In the heladeria, eighteen local men take wool from dirty shearing to fine yarn in all the colors. Some of the machinery was developed there, while the more complicating combing and spinning machinery was sourced from Europe and Canada. The building was humming with activity, and every part of the process was fascinating to watch--I loved the process and Josh loved the machinery.

Leaving the working part of the plant, we stopped in the small bodega which sold the skeins of yarn. I stood amongst the rainbow hued softness wishing I was interested in knitting or crocheting. I wanted ALL the colors, but knew I'd never do much with them. Also, space on the bike is tight--indulging in something like that was completely impractical. No matter, I am so completely happy with my gloves I bought, and they're the best of both worlds. I got the soft warm yarn, AND someone to make it into something. Perfect!

We wandered back outside into the somewhat surprising sunshine. It was warm enough I shed my jacket, and we walked back down a hill to an essential oil shop. The owner informed us it was a micro-business that did its own distilling, and product creation. The space was indeed micro, but filled with the calming scents of eucalyptus, rosemary, and other local plants. I bought a small tin of of something smelling of rosemary and promising to relieve insect bites, and we moved on.

Our next stop were the salineras. Getting there involved a bit of a trek, and I wondered not for the first time, how Don Victor was doing. But, in his lined wool trousers and North Face hiking boots, I'm a little embarrassed to admit he was fairing better than us. Though we were acclimatized to the high altitude, we didn't walk it every single day like most of the town's residents. On the way to the start of the trail, we made a quick stop at the salumeria. Okay, I know that's an Italian word, but I can't remember the word in Spanish. Nevertheless, we stopped in for a peek at the hanging salamis and the giant, walk-in smoker.

After gawking for a few moments, we continued on to the trailhead for the salt pools, and began that part of the journey. We passed cows on the hillside none too interested in us. After we crossed the river, we wandered through the salt pools, now only used by two women. My guess is they only keep those few pools growing for the tourists. It takes an entire day of work to produce a kilo of salt that sells for about $2. Salt production really went out with the spaniards.

Our reward for making the hike up and down the valley to the salt pools was a stop at the local chocolate factory. Here, through giant Windows we could watch the cacao from the coast of Ecuador be turned into the chocolate delights the town is so popular for. Walking into the small attached shop, a bowl of chocolate-covered coffee beans awaited. I popped one in my mouth, bit down, and my teeth sank into the softness of a raisin. GROSS! I couldn't believe I had let my guard down enough to be raisined. I quickly bought chocolate-covered coffee beans, and enough truffles made with the local liqueur to erase the taste from my mouth.

Josh, Don Victor, and I each popped the bombones into our mouths as we made our way to the next micro-business. Another small business with gleaming stills, making "health and beauty" products with local ingredients. After listening to the owner's spiel about the products--she exports 40,000 packages of product to help urinary problems to the U.S. Each year--I asked which product would be best for dry skin.

She handed me a container with a snail on it.

Right.... Well, I bought it.

And, out the door we went. To the cheese factory! Every morning, farmers from all over deliver their cow's milk via car, truck, moto, llama, donkey, etc., and the cheese factory turns it into delicious cheese. We had missed the farmers--as they are there between 7 and 9 in the morning--but we got to watch workers making cheese.

Then, we got to taste the cheese.

And then, we bought the cheese. Delicious, creamy, aged cheese.

Yeah, okay, there's more. I just got caught up in the deliciousness of that cheese. Sue me.

Our next "factory" was the fabrica de balones, where they make balls for futbol. Seriously. They don't just bring them in from somewhere else, they make them here. And, the reason I put the word factory in quotes is that this is a single-room, two-man operation. And it's not a big room!

Sadly, they were not working that day. But, being the small town it is, and Don Victor being the quintessential tour guide, he knew all about the process and explained it. He showed us the equipment, the leather, the glue, and the oven, and that was when I realized I had never questioned how a soccer ball got to be a soccer ball.

Though we thought that was the end of the tour--Don Victor informing us we had just walked a little over five kilometers for our tour--he took us to two more stores. One was a store with a tiny factory we could view through big windows, where they processed soy beans, and made all the soy products a person could want. We sampled some cookies, and they were tasty. You know, as far as soy substituted for butter could be....

The last little store had local liqueurs. We sampled chocolate and coffee liqueurs, as well as pajaro azul--the liqueur my chocolates were made with. We then bought a locally-produced limoncello, and a liqueur similar, but made with raspberries and blackberries.

Having exhausted the local treasure trove of businesses and smiling new friends, and being at the actual end of the tour, Don Victor escorted us back to the hotel--his own home being right across the street--and we dove head first into a lunch of salami, cheese, chocolate, and local liqueurs. It was ridiculously decadent, but seemed only fitting after our day of learning about the city.

However, as I finished an hour-long session of grazing on foods one should probably only enjoy in moderation, I realized we still had half of the day ahead of us. Since the weather continued to hold out, we headed for the hills. Our first stop put us high above the town, where a cross sat looking out across the valley. It was a pretty good view, though we have noticed that in most of these small towns, Jesus gets the best views from atop nearby hills.

We continued up the hill and away from the town, soon dropping into what was one of the most beautiful little canyons we had been in on this trip. The walls towered above us with beautiful rock formations, and patches of dense jungle clinging to the sides. The valley floor was vibrant green, with the occasional cow lounging in the tall grass. Once in a while, if I looked carefully and found a small trail through the trees, we would be rewarded with a cave entrance.

The further in we went, the sides became steeper, and the floor got narrowerer and narrowerer until it disappeared into the river. We came to a spot where we would either have to cross the river, or turn back. We headed back the direction we had come, until we found something that looked like a decent spot to cross. And, when I say "decent", I mean super sketchy, but I think we can make it....

This is one of those points where I weigh the risk versus the reward. Okay, if I cross this bit and make it, I still probably have to cross it to get back, and I might not make it. There could be something great at the end of this trail, or it could be another two kilometers of the same thing I've been looking at, and a dead end. If I make it across, there's something fabulous, and I make it back safely, that is a win! If I struggle getting across, there's nothing at the end, and I fall in the river coming back, that is really NOT a win.

The adventure side of me almost always wins out in this argument. Plus, I always assume the best. I mean, what if there was a cave at the end, filled with glittering crystals, and a family of unicorns waiting for me? Do I miss the chance at crystals and unicorns, just because I'm afraid of an icy-cold dousing in a rushing river? No, I do not!

Onward, and across the river we went. There were more magnificent views, and as we got deeper in, the going became more difficult. Slipping and sliding in the mud, grasping at trees for support, I climbed a little higher and found a really lovely waterfall. It was small, but the water rushed over rocks, dividing itself into two, then rushing back together to form another fall. It may not have been a family of unicorns, but it was worth the river crossing.

We continued on a bit further, and Josh nearly ran into the back of me when I pulled up short, looking back across the river where the valley opened up a bit again.

Josh said, "Oh, someone is cutting and drying wood for lumber."

Oh yeah, okay. That made more sense than, "someone is building a really tiny, well-ventilated house." Which, is what I had thought when I first saw the wood pile. Cheese and chocolate for lunch may have given me energy, but it had not made me any smarter.

This was where we decided to turn around. As we re-emerged from the closed off waterfall, we saw the clouds had begun to creep up the valley. The weather had been astonishingly beautiful all day considering the time of year, but we knew that if we didn't head back, we'd be pushing it.

Sure enough, as we returned to the hotel and made our way to the balcony again, we were able to watch the clouds creep into town, slowly taking over and smothering everything in their dampness. I watched the sun fade and the street lights come on while sipping limoncello.

It had been a really great day. The sights, the food, the people, and the leisurely pace made it feel like vacation. The following day we would get back on the road, and head for a campsite and our own cooking again. But, we had some salami, cheese and new gloves to take along with us, and a hot shower before we got on the road in the rain again.

 

9 comments:

  1. Here you will find best Latest Ghana music where you can download videos about culture lifestyle of nigerian people african citizens and much more. Thanks for visiting this website

    ReplyDelete

  2. The UK's most visited estate agents.Our Experts can help you buy, sell, rent and let property with branches across the UK. largest online letting agent uk .We will list your property on the main property portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla & PrimeLocations.let your property within the first 48 hours.largest online letting agent uk.

    ReplyDelete
  3. No matter, if you do not have cash, use cryptocurrency to buy top up phone with bitcoin , amazing and easy way to recharge mobile online international sim card number.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice post! It carries great information on it. I love motorcycle tracks. I would like to know more about the World’s best road course like Roebling Road Raceway Raceway.

    ReplyDelete
  5. One of the top website for organic SEO, where you can easily Drive More Traffic To Website within a month. Yes, it's time to increase your clients/visitors on your website and earn more and more money from your website or business. Visit for more details.
    drive more traffic to website

    ReplyDelete
  6. One of the top website for organic SEO, where you can easily Drive More Traffic To Website within a month. Yes, it's time to increase your clients/visitors on your website and earn more and more money from your website or business. Visit for more details.
    drive more traffic to website

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jokototo selalu memberikan prediksi setiap harinya untuk anda para pecinta togelmania, prediksi togel Singapore, Hongkong & Sydney yang kami berikan pastinya akan keluar hari ini, sehingga bisa membantu anda me-rumuskan angka main dengan lebih jitu ataupun akurat.
    Bandar Togel Online & Darat
    - Bonus New Member 20%
    - Bonus Harian 5%
    - Maks Bonus Rp 25.000
    - TANPA BATASAN LINE
    - CashBack 5%
    - Referral 1%
    - Link ALT : ebototo.xyz
    WA : +6283175557499

    Dilengkapi Dengan Berbagai Transaksi :
    - BCA
    - BRI
    - BNI
    - MANDIRI
    - CIMB
    - PERMATA BANK
    - GOPAY
    - OVO
    - PULSA TELKOMSEL
    - PULSA XL

    prediksi togel
    prediksi togel singapore
    prediksi togel hongkong
    prediksi togel sydney
    prediksi togel hari ini
    keluaran togel hari ini

    ReplyDelete
  8. I want to share with you all here on how I get my loan from Mr Benjamin who help me with loan of 400,000.00 Euro to improve my business, It was easy and swift when i apply for the loan when things was getting rough with my business Mr Benjamin grant me loan without delay. here is Mr Benjamin email/whatsapp contact: +1 989-394-3740, lfdsloans@outlook.com / lfdsloans@lemeridianfds.com. 

    ReplyDelete