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A Turtle Travel Club Excursion
As part of the Turtle Travel Club leap, we got to head out for a group excursion to a series of towns that have some amazing cultural arts and artisans. At 8:30 AM we piled into a van with our hosts, Amelia and JP, along with our guide, Wilson and driver, Franklin, to start the journey south (and a little bit east) towards the first town …
San Bartolomé
After about 45 minutes through the Andean hills and some winding roads, we arrived at an overlook spot with a view of the small town of San Bartolomé. Wilson provided us with an introduction to the indigenous history of the town (along with the Spanish gold rush in this valley) before we made our way to the first cultural artisan.
Uyaguari Guitars
Mr. Uyaguari is a master guitar maker and his guitars are considered the best ones in Ecuador. The signature of his guitars are the super detailed and artistic inlays around the sound hole, neck and other parts of the instrument. His family has been making guitars for a while and we got to see a demonstration of some guitars in the making along with a whole room filled with guitars, ukulele, balalaikas, and more.
After spending some time here we made our way to stop #2 …
Delicious Tortillas
We stopped along the road at a place Wilson said was the best tortillas in the area. These two women were making hand-made corn and wheat tortillas filled with either cheese, chochos (bits of corn) or plain. They also had coffee, hot chocolate and morocho (a spiced corn pudding made with morocho cracked corn, milk, cinnamon, sugar and raisins) to drink. Everything was $0.50 each. And they were delicious.
Then it was back in the van and a quick circle around the San Bartolome plaza before we drove about 20 minutes to the next town.
Chordeleg
The town of Chordeleg is well known for its jewelry industry, especially gold and silver filigree jewelry. But before going to check out some of that we first went to a local couple that make amazing ceramic figurines.
Traditional Ceramic Miniatures
This couple is trying to keep this cultural art alive and the wife, Rosa Guzmán, demonstrated how she makes a character from scratch. In the span of 7 minutes she crafted a man sitting on the ground with a hat, holding a guitar. It was pretty amazing.
The husband, Fernando Loja, was there too, and apparently he focuses more on making the clothing and painting. In fact he is a painter as well and some of his art work was hanging on the walls.
Afterwards the Turtles were able to head down to their shop and pick up some figurines of their own. Then it was back in the van to visit a …
Silver Filigree Craftsman
I opted to rest in the van for the next stop. but apparently the master craftsman who was demonstrating and making the beautiful silver filigree was amazing to watch.
Ruhi took a picture of some of what he was making, but there were hundreds if not thousands of pieces in his shop so lots of Turtles spent time perusing the wares.
Amelia and JP made a video about this shop a few years back, which you can watch here. The video is actually the two of them doing almost the exact same tour of three towns three years ago, so you can get a good feeling for what we experienced, even down to our guide, Wilson.
Group Picture
After leaving the Filigree workshop we went up the street to the town square and took a group picture in front of the Chordeleg sign.
Ruhi and I also got a picture of the two of us, which JP was nice enough to take for us.
Then it was back in the van for a 20 minute drive up to the last town of the trip.
Gualaceo
It was a little after lunch time and even though we had gotten the tortillas earlier we all headed to the main mercado in town for lunch.
Lunch at the Mercado
Ruhi and I went up to the 2nd story area and got some chicken soup as well as some chicken with rice. We had brought some of the sourdough bread from the Chilean bakery and an avocado which we used to enhance the dishes.
After lunch everyone walked up to the main plaza for photos and exploration. Ruhi and I stayed in the van but we got to see an actual funeral procession into the church next to the main plaza where the people were carrying the casket into the church. Not something you see every day. (At least not for us.)
Shawls and Scarves
Then it was back in the van and up the road to the last artisan of the excursion. This time it was to check out a shawl/scarf shop where a family was making traditional Andean neck wear.
I was really wiped out so I didn’t go inside. I actually ended up napping while everyone was there. But based on how many bags of scarves people brought back out with them it looked like it was a good time. (You can see some of what this looks like in Amelia and JP’s video.)
Then one more time back in the van where we headed back to Cuenca. Since the drive from San Bartolomé to Gualaceo was due north, we were actually closer to Cuenca so it was just a 30 minute drive back to town.
When we got back to the apartment Ruhi and I relaxed a bit, had some of the leftover chicken that we brought back from the mercado and then did some work before heading to bed.
Overall it was a great day-trip to these artisanal spots, and it makes me want to spend more time in each one some day.
Definitely worth a repeat visit.
Today’s Song: Up in the Andes
Lyrics:
Chorus:
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Artisans hands crafting with ease
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
San Bartolomé. Feeling the breeze
Rolling through the Andes at an easy pace,
Clouds puffy, sun in our face.
San Bartolomé below the brink,
Where artist’s hands teach wood to sing.
In a room of strings and dust and pride,
Uyaguari skills don’t hide
Every fret tells a story deep,
Every guitar I wish I could keep.
But before we pack up and leave
It’s time to snack. It’s time to drink.
Amazing Ecuadorian tortillas are fresh,
Get our fill, and then on for the next.
Chorus:
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Artisans hands crafting with ease
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Chorteleg. Feeling the breeze
Chorteleg shimmers with silver and gold,
Clay tells a ceramic story so old.
Rosa formed dreams in seven breaths,
Had to pick some up before we left.
Fillagree, so much mastery,
The workshop housed amazing jewelry.
A walk up to the town plaza
For group photos before we had to …. go
Chorus:
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Artisans hands crafting with ease
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Gualaceo. Feeling the breeze
Stop for a bite in Gualaceo,
At the mercado where we stayed-oh.
Then to the plaza for a quick stop
Before heading out to the next shop.
Shawls and scarves. Made by family.
Colorful designs. Worth a look and see.
But I crashed until we loaded the van.
Back to Cuenca with the Turtle Fam.
The artisans of the Andes, (of the Andes)
The artisans of the Andes (of the Andes)
Oh, the artisans of the Andes!
Chorus
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Hands crafting with ease
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
With each town we can feel the breeze
It’s San Bartolomé! Wish I could stay
Then It’s Chorteleg! Make me beg!
And Gualaceo! Me oh my oh!
We’re up. We’re up. (We’re up. We’re up.)
Up in the Andes
Oh, yes we’re up. Up so high. (We’re up. We’re up.)
So high in the Andes
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
Artisans hands crafting with ease
We’re up in the Andes (in the Andes)
With each town we can feel the breeze