Choo Choo Charlies

The first thing we did in the morning was head to the train station to buy our tickets. This turned into our first major mistake, waiting to get to Alausí before buying the tickets. No one was wandering about town except for those who appeared to be locals, so we thought we were sitting pretty. When I requested two tickets for the next morning’s 11am train, we were told they were sold out. I tried the 8am train with the same results, and it continued for the 3pm train. Where are all these people that presumably will fill up the train? 

With very long faces and the remorseful response that we came here specifically for the train and was only here for two nights, the manger stepped forward. He said he could offer us two tickets on the 11am train, but we would be in separate cars. Ron asked if it were possible for the conductor to see if anyone was single and willing to move cars, but the answer

was no chance. Deciding not to press our luck, we grabbed them. This country is document happy, so we had to show our passports to buy the tickets. With a sly mile, the manager said, “The ticket for you is $25, but for you”, pointing to Ron, “it is $14.50. Since you are over 65, you get a discount.” That was a nice treat. 

By 8am, we were out and about looking for the one restaurant in the town that has espresso coffee. It was extremely foggy; making us hope to be grateful, we were able to get the 11am train. 

At the suggested restaurant, we had their breakfast special for

$4 each. Hot milk with coffee, two eggs cooked to our choosing, a plate each of fresh fruit (it was cantaloupe and banana sliced), rolls, two jams, a thick slice of cheese each, and a large glass of juice. 

When it was time for the train, we had to go to Pre-Boarding, have our tickets checked and stamped again. Then we lined up depending on our car number. I said good-bye to Ron. The inside of the cars were lovely. On one side, there were single lush seats in twos: one facing the other. On the other side of the aisle, it was two lush seats facing two more. The windows were narrow, but enough to fit a camera through. The man across from me was from Germany as was the family of four directly across from us. 

A guide described everything we were passing in Spanish and then in English. I found out when we stopped in Simambe that Ron was the only English speaker in his train car; the male guide in the car gave the tour information in Spanish over the PA system and then personally repeated to my spouse. What excellent service. The ride was delightful. The mountains are magnificent and are quite comparable with those in New Zealand for shades of green. 

Along with the train ticket, we received a coupon for $2 usable at the Tren Cafe in Simambe. We stayed there for

about an hour, where you are able to see the mountain called Nariz de la Diablo or Devil’s Nose. One needs some imagination to consider how anyone would know what the devil’s nose looks like to begin with.  

To entertain us during our layover, folkloric dancers performed many native dances. The

alternative or addition to is to climb many stairs to the Interpretive Centre to learn the history of the railway. There were 2,500 lives lost in building this route from dynamite blasts cause rock avalanches; many were workers from Jamaica. The guides stated this is one of the most difficult railroad routes to have been built in the world. Due to the dynamite, the area once replete with condors is now barren. 

On the unused train tracks, there is a family with their adult llama, baby llama, and a horse. To have your picture taken with each of the llamas will cost you $1. A horse ride up and

down the tracks is more. After a couple of rides, the horse acted more like a mule. It was resistant to continue being the beast of burden.

When we returned the fog was coming in again, so we had concerns for those on the 3pm train. Seeing a number of tour buses, we realized that train tickets were sold to tour groups, not necessarily those staying in town.

Walking around the town, we delighted in its quaintness. The tourism office was open, so we stopped in for the heck of it. Finding the young woman spoke excellent English, we asked where she learned it. Her reply, "I was born and raised in New Jersey, but my parents are from here." That gave us a laugh.

At the far end of town opposite the train station, is a park. The walls beyond the park are decorated with humongous mosaic murals commemorating the train in the town. Beyond this are stairs that go on forever, too many to count. We watched people come up and down them; even the young looked exhausted. Some had school uniforms on, so the thought of having to make that up and down journey five times a week would make me reconsider an education. 

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Picking the Devil’s Nose

Personally, I think some of the desk staff at the Riverfront II Condominium was happy to see us leave. One desk clerk reminded me of Mr. Crabb from the Mr. Selfridge series. His nose elevated as soon as we made an appearance. It was less than a second of my handing over keys that he offered to call a taxi for us.

Although taxis should have meters, it seems in Guayaquil they march to a different drummer. We never found one with a meter in use. Generally, we discussed the fare ahead of time. This worked against for the trip to the bus station. The driver wanted $5 and was not persuaded otherwise. It was not a taxi he was driving, but a lovely new black car with no driver identification on the back of his seat as required in other cities.

Arriving ultra-early to the bus station gave us time to have a coffee, but allowed me to make three trips to dehydrate. These buses are not equipped with facilities, which gives my bladder nightmares the nights before and day-mares the day of riding. We are heading to Alausí to take the historic train to the Nariz del Diablo. We picked the Devil's Nose for a train journey.

We had assigned seats, but as we pulled out, the bus was less than a quarter full. Ron had the notion that he would find other seats to spread out. With some foresight, he held off on this; within the first hour, the bus was not only full, but there were at least 10 people standing in the aisle at various points. Between reading and napping, the four and half hours went rather smoothly.

It is incredible how the bus stops at any given point along the

journey to let passengers off or have new ones board the bus. People continued to stand in the aisle from the first hour out of Guayaquil until we arrived in Alausí. We had some concerns about finding a taxi to get to our hotel, but these were quickly abated. The hotel was across the street from where the bus ended the route. There is no station here, but just an oversized parking area.

When searching for a place to stay, we chose to spend two nights there. Alausí is the starting point for one segment of the Ecuadorian Scenic Trains. The only trains routes available in the country are

historic and cultural tours, none offer basic transportation. So we did not have to rush, we planned to take the train from Alausí to Sibambe to see the Devil’s Nose. At Sibambe, there is a cultural show for an hour and then the train returns to Alausí. We both love train travel; I especially love it. My father worked for a railroad for most of his life. I worked for a railroad for two years before deciding to return to college.

Alausí is an adorable little town that my attention span or patience would endure for longer than the time we will spend here. It

reminds me of the old Andy Griffith show that took place in Mayberry. It has a charm all of its own. There are plenty of small restaurants and about four places offering accommodations than I could find during my search. The train station is at the end of the main street. The main street is divided by sidewalks on either side of green spaces and planted gardens in the center.

Coming into the town, no one can miss the giant statue up on a hill. At first, I thought

it was Jesus, but it is St. Pedro or Peter. Peter is the patron saint of the city; Ecuadorian artist Eddie Crespo created the stature. The original name of the town was San Pedro de Alausí.

Hotel Europa where we booked a room is a typical Spanish colonial design. It is two stories with an open courtyard. One enters each of the rooms by a balcony that wraps around the center of the building. Our room has an ensuite bathroom. Had we chosen a shared bathroom, we would have had to walk via the open balcony to one end or other. Bathrooms are at both ends. The room has two double beds, it is clean, and that is where all bragging rights end. For $50 a night, it is not worth it. Breakfast is not included.

Once we settled in the room, we immediately went to the train

station to buy our tickets for tomorrow. They closed at 5pm; we arrived at 5:30pm. This is our first agenda item in the morning. We checked the tourism office. We were out of luck there too: closed.

Walking around the town was a real treat. It is small and cozy. Many of the home and stores are painted in pastel colors with ornamental balconies and plants hanging over the street. They do get more than their fair share of tourists here as the train ride is quite popular.

Most restaurants are empty so it is difficult to judge which one to choose. We selected the one across from the hotel for simplicity. A fixed menu consisted of juice, soup (cheese potato), chicken, rice, and mashed potatoes for $2.75 each. Adding in beers raised it up by $2.50, almost the cost of another dinner.

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