Day Trip to Mindo, Ecuador

Mindo is a district in the canton of Los Bancos 84 km west of Quito, with a rapidly growing tourist industry based on Ecotourism in the Mindo-Nambillo Protected Forest. Small commercial enterprises exhibiting butterflies, hummingbirds, orchids and bromeliads abound.

The Mindo area ranges from approximately 1400 to 4780m above sea level, and its most popular attractions are typical of the cloud forest flora and fauna. Temperatures range from about 15ºC – 24ºC (60ºF – 75ºF), and rain storms are common throughout the year, although the climate is driest from May – September.

July - October are the busiest months for overseas tourists, but weekends and national holidays throughout the year find many Quiteños in Mindo.

 Cloud forests like Mindo have high humidity, cool temperatures and an abundance of wildlife and plants, particularly epiphytes, varieties that grow on other plants.

While Mindo Ecuador cloud forest is a heaven for bird watchers, it also appeals to photographers and explorers for its outstanding panoramic views. The Valley of Mindo is considered to be one of South America's best bird-watching sites.

BirdLife International named Mindo as the first IBA or Important Bird Area in the Americas in 1997, for its exceptional flora, fauna and botanical abundance, unique in species, considered vital for the development of ecological tourism.

And the area has recently achieved the highest single day bird count during the world-wide Audubon Christmas Count.

So for a birder, this region of Ecuador has to be a "prime destination". And of course Don't forget to pack your binoculars!!

Also, every 200 meters or so drop in altitude means a change in the species of birds that live here in Mindo.

Consider that Ecuador which only covers 0.02% of the earth's land surface, holds about 10% of all bird species found on the planet and it is not an exaggeration to state that an inordinately high number of Ecuador's 1,600 species of birds are found in the Cloud Forests!

Just to mention a few, some of which are endemic (unique) to this cloud forest:

Tanager-Finch

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan

35 species of Tanagers of all colors

manakins

Cotingas and more...

 

Watch for other specialties such as Black-and-Chestnut Eagle, over 20 species of hummingbirds, Golden-headed and Crested Quetzals, Toucan Barbet and Powerful Woodpeckers.

Over 170 species of orchids have been identified within the reserve of Mindo Ecuador, which lies in a region with some of the highest rates of plant endemism in the world.

Orchids, bromeliads, heliconias, ferns, vines, mosses and lichens grow in abundance here.

Mindo is also a perfect area for adventure sports like: Horseback riding, mountain biking tubing and also rafting in the rushing Mindo river.

 

 

 

Ecuador Futbol Team

Team Overview

The Ecuador national football team is the national team of Ecuador and is governed by the Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol. It was for a long time one of the weaker teams in CONMEBOL, but it has recently had more success, making their first World Cup qualification in 2002, and qualifying again for the 2006 World Cup in which they made the last 16, losing to England.

History

Although without any major tournament achievements until the current millennium, Ecuador was never short of footballing talent.

They first participated in qualifying in the 1962 campaign but were well beaten by Argentina over two games. However, the 1966 qualifying campaign pitted the side, regarded as one of the finest teams Ecuador has ever produced, against 1962 hosts and third-place finishers Chile and a weakened Colombia. Ecuador, featuring stars such as Washington Muñoz, Alberto Spencer, Carlos Raffo, Enrique Raymondi and Jorge Bolaños, forced a play-off in Peru before being eliminated by Chile.

Other talented players to have represented Ecuador include Jose Villafuerte in the 1970s and 1980s.

This remained the closest they had come to appearing in a finals until the qualification tournament for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan in which they finished second to Argentina, and one point ahead of Brazil who went on to win the World Cup. Agustin Delgado, with 9 goals, finished joint top scorer in qualifying with Hernán Crespo of Argentina. Álex Aguinaga, Iván Kaviedes, Iván Hurtado and Ulises de la Cruz were other stars of the Ecuadorian campaign, led by Colombian born manager Hernán Darío Bolillo Gómez. Although they were knocked out at the group stage, they achieved a 1-0 victory over Croatia, who had come third at the previous edition of the World Cup.

A disappointing showing at the 2004 Copa América in Peru led to the resignation of Gómez, who was replaced by another Colombian, Luis Fernando Suárez. He lead them successfully through the latter stages of the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, finishing third to make the finals. In Germany, they were drawn into Group A with the hosts, Poland, and Costa Rica. Wins over Poland and Costa Rica earned La Tri qualification to the knockout stages for the first time.

Another disappointing showing at yet another Copa America in 2007 and three successive defeats in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign led to the end of Suarez time in the national team. He was replaced in 2008 for Sixto Vizuete, who became one of the few Ecuadorians to ever coach the national side.

Their best finish in Copa América was fourth in 1993 (they also finished fourth in the 'extra' South American Championship in 1959).

World Cup Record

1930 to 1938 - Did not enter, 1950 - Withdrew, 1954 - Did not enter, 1958 - Did not enter, 1962 to 1998 - Did not qualify, 2002 - Round 1, 2006 - Round 2

2006 FIFA World Cup

Ecuador qualified for the second time to a FIFA World Cup by finishing third in the CONMEBOL qualification tournament. They were drawn in Group A, alongside hosts Germany, Poland, and Costa Rica.

Ecuador won 2-0 against Poland in their first game in Gelsenkirchen, with goals from Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado sealing the win. They then beat Costa Rica 3-0 in Hamburg, thus securing their qualification to the next round, the goals coming from Carlos Tenorio, Agustin Delgado, and Ivan Kaviedes. Their qualification complete, they rested key players against the hosts Germany and were beaten 3-0. Ecuador thus took second place in-group A behind Germany and faced England in the second round. A second half free kick from David Beckham was the only goal of the game, and Ecuador were eliminated 1-0.

 

The San Francisco Museum

The San Francisco Museum

The temple of San Francisco of Quito is the religious construction of greater extension in the region. There are 4 thousand objects are lodged, between sculptures, linen cloths and furniture. The most beautiful convent of America, with 3.5 hectares, San Francisco is an impressive structure.

The History of Ecuador

Pre-Columbian

Quito's origins date back to the first millennium, when the Quitu tribe occupied the area and eventually formed a commercial center. According to Juan de Velasco's 1767 book Historia del Reino de Quito, the Quitu were conquered by the Caras tribe, who founded the Kingdom of Quito about 980 CE. In 1462, the Incas conquered the Kingdom of Quito. In 1533, Rumiñahui, an Inca war general, burned the city to prevent the Spanish from taking it, thereby destroying any traces of the ancient pre-Hispanic city.

Colony

Indigenous resistance to the Spanish invasion continued during 1534, with Diego de Almagro founding Santiago de Quito (in present day Colta, near Riobamba) on August 15 of that same year, later to be renamed San Francisco de Quito on August 28. The city was later moved to its present location and was refounded on December 6, 1534 by 204 settlers led by Sebastián de Benalcázar, who captured Rumiñahui and effectively ended any organized resistance. Rumiñahui was then executed on January 10, 1535. On March 14, 1541, Quito was declared a city and on February 14, 1556, was given the title Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de San Francisco de Quito ("Very Noble and Loyal City of San Francisco of Quito"). In 1563, Quito became the seat of a royal audiencia (administrative district) of Spain and became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru with its capital in Lima (see Real Audiencia de Quito).

Main doorway to the Cathedral

The Spanish promptly established the Catholic religion in Quito, with the first church (El Belén) built even before the city had been officially founded. In January 1535, the San Francisco Convent was constructed, the first of about 20 churches and convents built during the colonial period. The Spanish actively evangelized the indigenous people and used them as slave labor for construction, especially in the early colonial years. The Diocese of Quito was established in 1545 and was elevated to the Archdiocese of Quito in 1849.

In 1809, after nearly 300 years of Spanish colonization, Quito was a city of about 10,000 inhabitants. On August 10, 1809, a movement was started in Quito that aimed for political independence from Spain. On that date, a plan for government was established that placed Juan Pío Montúfar as president with various other prominent figures in other positions of government. However, this initial movement was ultimately defeated on August 2, 1810, when Spanish forces came from Lima, Peru, and killed the leaders of the uprising along with about 200 inhabitants of the city. A chain of conflicts concluded on May 24, 1822, when Antonio José de Sucre, under the command of Simón Bolívar, led troops into the Battle of Pichincha. Their victory marked the independence of Quito and the surrounding areas.

Gran Colombia

Just days after the Battle of Pichincha, on May 24, 1822, the leaders of the city proclaimed their independence and allowed the city to be annexed to the Republic of Gran Colombia. Simón Bolívar went to Quito on June 16, 1822, and was present at the signing of the Colombian Constitution on June 24, 1822. When the Gran Colombia dissolved in 1830, Quito became the capital of the newly formed Republic of Ecuador.

Republican Era

In 1833, members of the Society of Free Inhabitants of Quito were assassinated by the government after they conspired against it, and on March 6, 1845, the Marcist Revolution began. Later, in 1875, the country's president, Gabriel García Moreno, was assassinated in Quito. Two years later, in 1877, Archbishop José Ignacio Checa y Barba was killed by poisoning while he was giving mass.

In 1882, insurgents arose against the regime of dictator Ignacio de Veintemilla. However, this did not end the violence that was occurring throughout the country. On July 9, 1883, the liberal commander Eloy Alfaro participated in the Battle of Guayaquil, and later, after more conflict, became the president of Ecuador on September 4, 1895. Upon completing his second term in 1911, he moved to Europe. When he returned to Ecuador in 1912 and attempted a return to power, he was arrested on January 28, 1912; thrown in prison; and assassinated by a mob that had stormed the prison. His body was dragged through the streets of Quito to a city park, where it was burned.

In 1932, the Four Days' War broke out. This was a civil war that followed the election of Neptalí Bonifaz and the subsequent realization that he carried a Peruvian passport. Workers at a major textile factory went on strike in 1934, and similar unrest continues to the present day. On February 12, 1949, a realistic broadcast of H. G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds led to citywide panic and the deaths of more than twenty people who died in fires set by mobs.

Palacio de Gobierno "President Palace"

This Plaza also incorporates the Palacio de Gobierno and the Cathedral constructed between 1550-1562 although the tower was only finished in the latter part of the 1900s. The walls are decorated with the founding fathers of the country's capital as well as several other fine 17th-18th Century oil paintings that garnish the Cathedral.

There is also a burial tomb of the great warrior Antonio José de Sucre in the chapel part of the building. Adjacent to the Cathedral on the western wing is the Palacio de Gobierno built in the 17th century which was later superseded by a neoclassical appearance and re-sculptured by the country's first Republic president Flores.

 

On level one you may view a large mural of Orellana successfully journeying the Amazon while the exterior balconies are ornately decorated in ironwork from the Parisian Tuilleries. Opening times are Tuesday-Thursday 0930-1230, only with special prior permits booked a week in advance.

 

Opposite the cathedral you will also see the Archbishops palace called Palacio Arzobispal. Facing the Palace northwest lies a former 1930 constructed Hotel called Hotel Majestic with baroque styles columns that today is home to municipal administration offices while to the east of the plaza lies the newly formed Municipio.

The Sanchez Family

For the past two weeks I lived with the Sanchez family.  Apart of the study-abroad program is a cultural experience of living with an Ecuadorian family.  It was a blast, living with them helped my spanish a lot and it was really an enjoyable two weeks.    

Juan Carlos:  is a result of missions. He was led to the Lord and to his work in the country of Bolivia by missionaries. At the age of nine he went to live with a missionary family that became his family, Charles and Hannah Brooks.  There he was saved, baptized, grew up and learned to serve the Lord until he finished high school.

    Through God's grace, in 1978 he attended Bible School in Texas, where he met Susanna.  Upon graduation he joined the B.E.M.A. Mission.

    In 1983, Susanna and he got married and immediately went to the mission field in Bolivia. Since they already knew the language, they worked in Church planting and had the privilege of training faithful men for the ministry, who are now pastors of local churches.  Also, they had a fruitful ministry among young people, leading many to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, since April 1987 they have been working in the country of Ecuador.  Here they have established the Pomasqui Baptist Church.  This Church is becoming self-governing and self-supporting as local leaders are being trained. 

   Also since 1997, they have been involved in planting six churches and training local leaders in the jungle region of Ecuador.  These churches are growing numerically and spiritually. 

Susanna:  was born in Ecuador to a Christian mother, but it was not until she was 18 years old that she trusted in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  She attended and graduated from the University of Ecuador as a school teacher.  She worked for five years as a certified teacher when the Lord lead her into full-time service.  In 1982, she attended one year of Bible School in Texas, where she met Juan Carlos.  They got married on July 2, 1983.  Then in 1986, the Lord gave them beautiful twin boys, Daniel and Carlos.  She considers it a privilege to help her husband, using the talents that the Lord has given her for God's honor and glory. 

El Panecillo

El Panecillo (from Spanish panecillo small piece of bread, diminutive of pan bread) is a 200-meter-high volcanic-origin hill with loess soil, between southern and central Quito. Its peak is at an elevation of 3016 meters above sea level. The original name used by the aboriginal inhabitants of Quito was Yavirac. According to Juan de Velasco, a Jesuit historian, on top of Yavirac there was a temple, which the Indians used to worship the sun. This temple is said to have been destroyed by the Spanish conquistadores.

In 1976, the Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras was commissioned by the religious order of the Oblates to build a 45-meter-tall aluminum monument of a madonna which was assembled on a high pedestal on the top of Panecillo. It is made of seven thousand pieces of aluminum. The monument was inaugurated on March 28, 1976, by the 11th archbishop of Quito, Pablo Muñoz Vega. The statue was engineered and erected by Anibal Lopez of Quito.

The virgin stands on top of a globe and is stepping on a snake, which of course is classic Madonna iconography. What is not so traditional is that she has wings. The people of Quito proudly claim that she is the only one in the world with wings like an angel. The monument was inspired by the famous "Virgen de Quito" (Quito's Madonna) also known as "the dancer" sculpted by Bernardo de Legarda in 1734, which now decorates the main altar at the Church of St. Francis. This Madonna represents a turning point of the Quito School of Art (one of the most renowned of the Americas) because it shows a virgin with great movement that is practically dancing in contrast with the traditional static Madonnas that were produced during the 18th century.

This monument today has a bronze placard affixed to it that reads "this is the woman from Revelations 12:1–18". The true identity of the figure is revealed. It is not a virgin.

A few meters to the north of the Madonna monument, there is an entrance to a large cistern (called the Olla del Panecillo), which was legendarily said to be of Inca origin; however, recent tests showed it dated from after the Spanish arrived. Driving Melchor Aymerich Street up to El Panecillo affords a wonderful view of downtown Quito. The area was notorious for street crime and muggings, but in the last few years there has been an increase in the police force around the hill, as well as increased lighting at night. There are even new restaurants opening on the hill. (Information from Wikipedia)

Leader Mundial

"Today I had the first of four conferences hosted and lead by Leader Mundial.  The first sessions topic was Finding Personal Balance in your Life.  I really enjoyed our time learning from Russ Cline, I am looking forward to our future conferences."  

Leader mundial:  

Exists to Help Organizations Position Themselves for Greater Global Impact

We want to help your organization understand your global potential impact! We do that though a simple process:

We LISTEN to your desires, dreams and goals for global involvement

We STUDY your current portfolio of projects, resources and staff

We PRESENT a process of global growth and impact

We PARTNER with you to reach the goals we've defined, and to see the impact happen!

Currently we are working with 2 organizations:

Please contact us if you'd like us to help you Educate, Expose and Mobilize your organization into the World!

Leader mundial: is currently working on projects with these organizations...

Youth World International

Global Youth Workers Conference

 Bringing together North American Youth Workers and Latino Youth Workers to "educate, expose and challenge" to greater involvement. The event will be held in Quito, Ecuador October 11th - 14th, 2007

 

Latin Leadership Summit Youth World and Leader Mundial work together to bring youth ministry leaders from throughout Latin America together for a 5-day summit. This is our 5th year doing this. Dates are pending as we are proposing holding this summit in Spain in the fall of 2007. 
For more information, contact: Russ Cline

 Cuba Youth Ministry Youth World and Leader Mundial partner with Pancho and the Eastern Baptist Denomination in Santiago de Cuba to train, equip and network youth workers on the Eastern half of the country. In our 8th year, this partnership has produced incredible fruit!

 Extreme Response International

Partner Leadership Development

Leader Mundial is working with Extreme Response to develop ongoing training and support for each of the 18 partners working with Extreme Response.

Malawi Motorcycles Leader Mundial and Extreme Response are leading a "Motorcycle Adventure Trip" in South Africa, with the end result being the distribution of 5 motorcycles to our partners’ ministry in Malawi. These bikes will be used for health care workers to travel around the region.

 Leader Mundial: offers a variety of international leadership experiences in Ecuador. We offer:

Cultural Awareness Trips

Adventure Trips (including: motorcycle tourism, mountain climbing, kayaking)

Community Service Trips

Team Development and Leadership Training Trips

We will help create a custom event and approach for your organizations or companies needs.

 Leader Mundial will come alongside your company or organization to help you become more effective at accomplishing the vision and purpose you have defined. We specialize in areas of:

Leader identification and assessment

Management Systems

Evaluation of your vision and purpose

Mentoring emerging leaders

Training and teaching for your team

Identifying areas of needs of problem areas

Team evaluations

Team Growth Plans and Life Maps

 

Leader Mundial Board of Directors:

Russ Cline, President & CEO, Leader Mundial, Inc.

Clark Adkins, Director, Leader Enterprises

Jim Hastings, Owner, Digicom Satellite

Jim Van Eerden, The Helixx Group

U.S. Address:

Leader Mundial, Incorporated
P.O. Box 426
Snellville, GA 30078-0426
949-294-7825

International Address:

Leader Mundial, Incorporated
Casilla 17-17-691
Quito, Ecuador
South America
(593-2) 225-3597
info@leadermundial.com

Casa Victoria

"Today I started my internship with Casa Victoria.  It is an amazing house and the people who lead the ministry are very cool and I look forward to getting to know them.  Here is some information from their blogspot." 

Overview

A few years ago, a group of friends (some Ecuadorians, some North Americans) pooled their money together to purchase a 100-year-old house in the heart of Quito's Historic Center- just a few blocks from Presidential palace.

 Alicia--the daughter of Sixto Duran Ballen a former President of Ecuador and former Mayor of Quito-- had a vision to restore this run-down house and use it as a place to accomplish three things:

 1) To house young men who would commit for 1-3 years to live and study together the principles and Person of Jesus of Nazareth.

 2) To create a safe, inviting place where both the leaders of the country and the poor in the community could gather, share a meal, and get to know one another. People from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and social classes would be welcomed in the name of Jesus.

 3) To host international friends who would visit, share, serve, and participate in the activities of the house for a period of time, causing the network and family of God to grow.

 Restoration

Casa Victoria is a venue for two kinds of restoration. The obvious and tangible restoration is that of the house itself, and the landscaping of the surrounding area. It is a beautiful, grand, and historic home with an inner courtyard, high ceilings, wood floors; many fire places and several original artistic designs.

 The other type of restoration is the restoration of people to God and to each other. Alicia, Jose Luis, and Jose's wife Carolina have been pouring into the five young men who are currently living at the house, and caring for each visitor (rich or poor) who is somehow connected to Jesus.

The young men living in the house come from various backgrounds, but each of them knows their need for God, for His love, grace and leadership in their lives. They are learning to be faithful in small things, like keeping things clean and doing what they say they are going to do. They are learning to be honest with each other and to apologize and forgive each other for offenses. They are learning to love and serve the poor, whether it is a hungry person, or a political leader who is poor in spirit.

 These young men are also serving the community of San Roque, where the house is located. This neighborhood is inhabited primarily by poor people, who come from the countryside in hopes of having a better life in the city. Most of the time, they face disappointment, hardship and mistrust. This is where Casa Victoria come in: it is a place where they are shown love and care, a listening ear, a shared meal, and Jesus of Nazareth.

The Library

In August of 2007, the city council of Quito awarded Casa Victoria a grant to build a library inside the house, as a prize for their submitted proposal of a project that would benefit the community. When completed, this library will be an information center with computers, multimedia, and two levels of bookshelves. This is a vital opportunity to open the doors of Casa Victoria to the children of the neighborhood and their parents, many of who are single mothers. There are no libraries in the local schools, so this will be a wonderful resource for people, and one more opportunity for those overseeing and living in Casa Victoria to serve and develop relationships with those who come.

Diversity of Animals

Ecuador is one of 17 mega diverse countries in the world according to Conservation International. With 1600 bird species (15 percent of the world's known bird species) in the continental area, and 38 more endemic in the Galapagos. In addition to 25,000 species of plants, the country has 106 endemic reptiles, 138 endemic amphibians, and 6,000 species of butterfly. The Galapagos Islands are well known as a region of distinct fauna, famous as the place of birth of Darwin's Theory of Evolution, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite being on the UNESCO list, the Galapagos Islands are endangered by a range of negative environmental effects, threatening the existence of this exotic ecosystem. 

The Llama

The llama (Lama glama) is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat.  The height of a full-grown, full-size llama is between 5.5 feet (1.6 meters) to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall at the top of the head. They can weigh between approximately 280 pounds (127 kilograms) and 450 pounds (204 kilograms). At birth, a baby llama (called a cria) can weigh between 20 pounds (9 kilograms) to 30 pounds (14 kilograms). Llamas are very social animals and like to live with other llamas as a herd. Overall, the fiber produced by a llama is very soft and is naturally lanolin free. Llamas are intelligent and can learn simple tasks after a few repetitions. When using a pack, llamas can carry about 25%–30% of their body weight for several miles.  As of 2007, there were over 7 million llamas and alpacas in South America and, due to importation from South America in the late 20th century, there are now over 100,000 llamas and 6,500–7,000 alpacas in the US and Canada.  One of the main uses for llamas at the time of the Spanish conquest was to bring down ore from the mines in the mountains. Gregory de Bolivar estimated that in his day, as many as three hundred thousand were employed in the transport of produce from the Potosí mines alone, but since the introduction of horses, mules, and donkeys, the importance of the llama as a beast of burden has greatly diminished.

Llamas, which are well socialized and trained to halter and lead after weaning are very friendly and pleasant to be around. They are extremely curious and most will approach people easily. However, llamas who are bottle-fed or over-socialized and over-handled as youngsters will become extremely difficult to handle when mature, when they will begin to treat humans as they treat each other, which is characterized by bouts of spitting, kicking and neck wrestling. Anyone having to bottle-feed a cria should keep contact to a minimum and stop as soon as possible.  When correctly reared spitting at a human is a rare thing. Llamas are very social herd animals, however, and do sometimes spit at each other as a way of disciplining lower-ranked llamas in the herd. A llama's social rank in a herd is never static. They can always move up or down in the social ladder by picking small fights. This is usually done between males to see who becomes alpha. Their fights are visually dramatic with spitting, ramming each other with their chests, neck wrestling and kicking, mainly to knock the other off balance. The females are usually only seen spitting as a means of controlling other herd members.  While the social structure might always be changing, they live as a family and they do take care of each other. If one notices a strange noise or feels threatened, a warning bray is sent out and all others come to alert. They will often hum to each other as a form of communication.  (Information from Wikipedia)

 

 

Parque Metropolitano

Parque Metropolitano Guanguiltagua is the largest urban park in South America at 1,376 acres (5.5 km²) (as reference, New York's Central Park is 843 acres [3.4 km²]). The park is located in northern Quito, on the hillside behind Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa. The park is suited for mountain biking, walking, and running. Most of it is eucalyptus forest with trails, but there also are numerous sculptures on display. The park has four sites that can be used for picnics or barbecues, and the eastern section has a view of Cotopaxi, Antisana, and the Guayllabamba river basin. 

I had a nice day at the park, two park rangers gave me a tour and explained some of the key features and attractions that the park offers.  There are lots of hiking trails and viewing point.  There are llamas that live at the park, and other small birds.  The park is filled with plants that are native to Ecuador and some that are imported.