Morning of day 3

This morning, we left Quito for Jerusalem, a tropical dry forest in the Andes northeast of the capital. On the way,  Javier gave us some information regarding the forest we were heading to. Jerusalem is the only dry forest in the Andes; most dry forests are located at sea level, while Jerusalem’s elevation is about 9000 feet above sea level. The climate there is hot and dry, with some well-known plants there being aloe, various cactuses, and the century plant (which blooms once in a century). We made a quick stop on a remote bridge above the Guayllabamba River, where we had some photo ops and Javier pointed out some of the surrounding vegetation.

          At Jerusalem, we split up into two different groups to hike through the forest and learn about the plants that grew there.  Our guide pointed out the carob trees that grew along the entire path. Before getting on the actual trail, we passed by a large pool that collects natural water and takes eight months to fill because of the dry climate. Tilapia fish eat the algae in the pool, cleaning the water and making it suitable for watering plants. On the trail, she explained some of the history and traditions of the indigenous inhabitants of the area. An early Andean tribe called the Quitucara (the namesake of the city of Quito) lived in the forest prior to the arrival of the Incas in the fifteenth century. At a small stream, she told us that the indigenous tribes believed that water was a source of sinchi, meaning inner life force in the Quechua language. They believed in nature gods embodied by the sun, moon, and stars, and spirits represented in rocks, trees, plants, and animals. She pointed out a species of tree believed to be a source of energy and power. To imbibe this power, one only had to hug the tree with closed eyes. We were all invited to hug the tree. We also passed by an apachita, or Andean cross, that serves both as a religious symbol and as a sign that tells travelers the cardinal directions.

We stopped at an observation point used for stargazing and navigating by the indigenous peoples. The equator runs right through this point. On a clear day, there’s a view of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world. Our guide told us about some of the area’s fauna, including the giant hummingbird, swallows, agoutis (large rodents that suck rabbits’ blood), and Andean foxes.

When we continued the walk, our guide began pointing out different plants and their traditional medicinal uses along the way. The achupalla plant, with slender, triangular arms with spines running along the side has a liquid on the inside that is used to treat burns from fire. The tube-shaped pitajalla cactus has a fruit that is good for digestion and red flowers used to treat coughs. She also explained that in certain parts of Ecuador, carob trees could be used to produce coffee, though not in the area we were in. However, the liquid it produces is believed to be a good treatment for diabetes. Agave trees produce a liquid thought to be good for the bones, and that can also be fermented to produce tequila. An infusion from a pink flower called the rosadilla is thought to treat anger. The mosquera or purga plant is used to produce latex and can also be used as an ointment for cuts. The cholan trees have yellow flowers used to treat yellow fever, and have leaves that can be chewed to soothe a toothache. After walking through the “natural pharmacy garden,” our hike was done, and after a short bus ride, we had lunch in the nearby town of Guayllabamba. We had locro de papa, a soup made of potatoes, avocadoes, and cheese;  rice, potatoes, chicken, salad, and avocadoes; and small pastries in syrup with cheese. After lunch, we headed back up to the forest to participate in a reforestation project.