Don´t it Make My Brown Thumb Green?

October 1, 2010

I believe this has been my favorite day in Ecuador so far.

We woke up to brilliant sunny blue skies, and headed straight to the beach.  The tide was low enough so that we could walk around the Montanita Point, making it to the Olon side. We poked around tide pools, watched the surfers, and stood under a large bufadora (blow hole) to catch the spray.  We got drenched, and of course we kissed, because it is said to be good luck for lovers (according to a sign that I once saw posted at the Ensenada, Baja Mexico bufadora).

When we returned around noon, TJ invited us to join him on a jungle mission to hunt for orchids and bromeliads.  We jumped in his truck (still in our beach clothes and sandals) and headed inland, taking the “Cascada de Alex” road, east of Olon. TJ assured me that we would be fine in our flip-flops. My better sense told me this was fool-hardy, but I bowed to TJ’s expertise and the fact that I left my hiking shoes in my closet in Olon. TJ’s shoes weren’t much sturdier.

The trip up through the hills was strikingly beautiful as we passed through more rural and remote communities before arriving at jungle’s edge.

The road became a bit narrower and the foliage more dense, but I was surprised at how sunny the drive was, despite the thick jungle canopy just off the path.  We forded small, clear creeks and in some portions, actually drove in the shallow river coming off the falls.

These are some of the bromeliads
we found. TJ is grafting them on
a few of his palm trees.

We stopped at one river tributary so that TJ could gather some bromeliads growing six feet up a river embankment.  Bromeliads grow out of tree trunks, have colorful, tubular blooms, and there are many varieties to be found here. Our mission was to find some of the more unusual specimens.  I wasn’t quite sure about this part, since I can’t even say “bromeliads” (let alone point one out) and couldn’t tell the difference between an orchid and a Cadillac, quite frankly.

TJ needed his machete to hack his way in and up to this particular beauty (I was still trying to figure out which plant he was aiming for). He had no problem prying it from the soil, tossed it down, and was going for its neighbor when he yelled “bees!” and flung himself off the wall of the ravine.

We all scrambled. Both he and Todd are allergic to bees.  But except for a few nervous moments, and a several buzzing bees, it was fairly anti-climatic. Which is good, because really, I hate bugs. And I was wondering then why I agreed to this expedition. I have always wanted to see an Amazon jungle, but scampering around one in a bathing suit/cover-up and flip-flops wasn’t exactly the vision I had in mind.

It got better.  We were parked at the foot of a refreshingly clear tributary river, and while TJ hunted for plants, Todd and I waded in the water up river, hunting for rocks.  We like looking for interesting rocks and always pick up a few from our most memorable places.  After awhile, we all jumped back in the truck and headed further up river into more remote jungle areas and narrower trails – well past the turn-off for Cascada de Alex.  Four-wheel drive required. As we trolled on up the “road’ (getting out now and then to investigate and collect a few fine plant specimens) I became braver, carefully following TJ’s steps 15-20 feet further into the jungle at times – looking down—because I was acutely aware that one of the most venomous snakes in the world (the Fer-de-Lance) resides in these parts….the locals here call them “ekkies” because of their “X” shaped markings. 

Todd and I became increasingly more awed by the splendor (the butterflies alone are worth it – in particular the bright blue beauties the size of my hand).  Generally speaking, the jungle birds are also more colorful than their beach counterparts and we weren’t disappointed. I finally figured out what we were looking for, and no one was more astonished than me when I spotted several unusual bromeliads and orchids during the expedition, which was thrilling for me.  TJ is quite the horticulturist, and he inspired me today to take more of an interest in gardening. 

Si, from me who vowed in high school (while raking leaves and acorns and living in Kansas City cold weather) to live in the warm desert and have a home with nothing but rocks in the yard – which I have pretty much done since. Plants and me don’t get along (Hello, I´m Leigh, and I kill cactus...) but still I think even I could manage to grow a few things here.

Later, TJ used string and bamboo husks to "bond” the twenty or so plants we found to palm trees on his property and I know I will always look at them with pride and a wonderful memory.