Traveling Ecuador by train | DW Travel Documentary

Our rail adventure begins in the colorful port city of Guayaquil located on the Pacific coast. It is home to more than 2 million people. One of the few historic buildings in the city is the Cathedral. There are quite a few iguanas here, they are free to roam and they multiply prodigiously. I like to feed them. Ten years ago I brought my iguana here, Marco Antonio. I still recognize him by his colors as your uncle. Our trip will begin in a few minutes. The

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is waiting for us in Tehran. a suburb of Guayaquil

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manager Karin Escobar is here to greet us a ticket costs the equivalent of 17 euros sales are still a bit bureaucratic this line only resumed service in 2013 train

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in Ecuador is experiencing a renaissance at the moment The railway was completed more than a hundred years ago when Aloy Alfaro was president it made him a national hero but it was difficult to kill Akito back then the only way to get from Guayaquil to Quito was on horseback and it took a month we urgently needed a better connection between the coast and the mountains and the route It was so dangerous that

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ers used to make a will because they did not know if they would return alive. railroad gates on highways for guards to secure crossings when the railroad was completed in 1908 it became a symbol of national unity today its reconstruction serves the same purpose the project has become known as a patriotic challenge that aims to unite Ecuador's diverse peoples ethnic groups The Trans-Ecuadorian Railway is 450 kilometers long and runs from the Pacific coast east to the Andean highlands.

It is widely considered the most spectacular railway line in South America, but Ecuador's vital route was blocked for 15 years. 250 kilometers of roads were affected by landslides and general negligence. We are very proud of the reconstruction effort. It takes us back to the times of President Arroyo. Here, train travel through furrows was normal when older people boarded the train. Now it is a moving experience for them. They have tears in their eyes. They remember when they and their children used to travel. From the coast to the highlands the railroad has even inspired a popular love song the song Dolores I Love First Is Called Rumble Sore It Is Called Rumba It was written by Santería Palma and originally sung between them It is a very popular song that is about the railway that runs between Guayaquil and Quito, the temple of the antigen, so Nava way aqui Depot at the beginning of the 20th century, Ecuador was an economically underdeveloped country, but the railway line changed everything that takes crops from the fields to the market Today, for example, Ecuador is the largest exporter of bananas in the world.

The fruit is still harvested by hand. Then the bananas are transported by cable car. These bunches of bananas are heavy and it is hard work to transport them between teams. The legal monthly minimum is equivalent to about 220 euros. This is the logistics center of the plantations. Here the bananas are separated from the stems and then classified according to different export standards. The climate of Ecuador is ideal for growing bananas throughout the year. bananas are carefully washed to remove any traces of pesticides the nominal Ellis Arnall bananas are intended to never be exported those with soft skin specially trained staff ensure that only high quality fruit is sent to export markets we do not want any complaints about overripe bananas You have to export them when they are still green, they are not yet ripe. 3300 Here, boxes full of bananas are harvested per hectare per year and exported to Germany, Japan, Russia and the United States. rebuilding the railway was almost like building a new line the project cost the equivalent of 220 million euros a huge sum for a country like Ecuador the trains have only recently returned to running and we are still dealing with some problem areas which will take some time before Let's get that under control.

We are always doing maintenance work so that the train can run as efficiently as possible and transport cargo and passengers without interruptions. We are moving slowly uphill. Now the vegetation changes with elevation. A feature of the transition from the coastal region to the Andes Mountains is the cloud forest, a primeval natural paradise that is also one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. We were about to meet a local tribe of indigenous people, the Schwa, who are holding a ceremony to determine where strangers are welcome here today if they are not they will have to leave those who are allowed to visit are greeted with ritual dances a shoe important our custom is to drink master an alcoholic drink known as spit beer was well known even in the In the time of the Incas, those who drank chicha were considered friends, thank you, no, our enemies, the schwa did not treat their friends kindly. enemies in a sacred ritual, tribal princes cut off the heads of criminals, this took place near a sacred waterfall to which they prayed. the god of nature you are done and you used a combination of herbs to shrink the heads the people here believe that this waterfall is the temple of our rotom this is the final part of the welcoming ceremony it is a purification ritual designed to eliminate energy refusal of strangers so that they can be taken to the schwa community.

After this inspiring experience, we traveled about 90 kilometers to the town of Buckeye, which is located in the foothills of the Andes at an elevation of about 300 meters above sea level. sea. Some local residents and traditional costumes are here to welcome you. Train that tourists love in 1998 the chan chán river overflowed here the floods uprooted a section of the track and damaged a nearby train station and this fuel tank in 2008 on the centenary of the completion of the railways The president Rafael Correa announced that the entire line would be rebuilt but the majority of people do not benefit from this new service this railway no longer has a real purpose it runs every 15 days the rich can afford tickets the luxury train is not designed for poor people or retired railway workers, you wouldn't be able to afford a ticket anyway you're talking about the Cruise Train offers the only continuous service on this route it leaves once every two weeks and has capacity for 54 passengers good review welcome cordial meant a suit ring Cruzeiro hello and welcome to the train zero crew As we travel through Ecuador I invite you to enjoy all the comforts that our train has to offer you during the trip you will see impressive landscapes and experience a large number of different climates the 4 day trip costs the equivalent a thousand euros only for the rich.

Foreign tourists can afford to travel on this train. This small cemetery near the town of Weiler recalls a dark chapter in railroad history. Thousands of workers died in construction accidents or because they fell ill. Construction supervisor John Harmon died here in 1907, probably yellow. fever this cross is dedicated to him this cross is for all the workers who died when no, not by the MOA numerical relic and there are no precise numbers, but the victims included several men from Jamaica, especially in the area around Devil's Nose . Of those who worked with dynamite were not caught in the explosion due to the weather, the local Highlanders were considered unsuitable for railway construction work, so administrators recruited almost 3,000 men from Jamaica who had experience in railway construction.

This is the city of C Bombay where we began the climb to the famous Devil's Nose the origin of the name is part legend and part reality the mountain really looks like a nose but some say that the president at that time a toy Alfaro made a deal with the devil for him he could build the railway Oh, the heart of the world's most challenging railway line lies deep in the Chanchan River Gorge. The train zigzags up the mountain, moves forward, then reverses to the next higher section and then moves forward again as it goes. makes its ascent from here you can clearly see the devil's nose for the passengers it is always an impressive journey we are not going to do it yes go but I see a BMC Bombay we told the passengers that we would reach the devil's nose soon Let's go up everything the road and all the passengers said Oh, then we have served some liquor.

On Munira day we wanted to calm the passengers' nerves. Report that the drinking man said through the hatch at one point people were allowed to sit down. on the roof of the train but after several accidents the authorities put the brakes on one of the first passengers was President Eli Alfaro wrote when we arrived to let us see and I looked into that terrifying abyss I closed my eyes and put my trust in the stars the city of a low sea is located at two thousand three hundred and sixty meters above sea level which is five hundred and fifty meters higher than see Bombay and see is an important commercial city for local tourists who come to allow the sea to visit the site of the Largest Inca ruins in Ecuador found near Ingapirca These seamless walls made of carefully chiseled stones are typical of Inca architecture The area around England was settled by a local people called Qunari who were conquered by the Incas at the beginning of the century XVI The archaeologists found a tomb under these stones, the relevant ones here and six of them, in short, eleven skeletons, all of the deceased were women, among them there was a possible Can Yari priestess judging by her age and funerary clothing.

England was aware of other women lying in physical positions around him. that is an indication that they believed that they would be reborn after death because they thought that since we were supposed to be a SI Inga perco was sacred to both the Canarians and the Incas we return to the trend through zero this train reflects much of the modern history of Ecuador. Cartoon DNA on a beach car has its own design, they are all different, a coach, a drama or a chase that the car is in at the moment, it is furnished in baroque style with colonial details, you can see it on the panels of wood and in the gold leaf that is attached.

We spent the morning crossing a semi-arid region called Choke Aha at an altitude of 3,000 meters. We also have a car decorated in a pre-colonial style that predates the arrival of the Spanish where the rituals of our ancestors are evoked as ceremonies dedicated to the Sun. and the moon this region here was known as the middle of the world which refers to the equator so north of here this steam engine will take us to the next stage of our journey it was built by an American company and was used regularly on this line until 1992 to operate a steam locomotive you need a lot of experience, ideally a stoker, if you have the opportunity to become a train driver you should take it, it is a great job at the moment, I am the only veteran steam engine driver steam.

In Ecuador everyone else has pulled out it's time for some last minute maintenance while that happens we head to a small chapel right next to the railroad track. The chapel was built in 1524, making it the oldest church in Ecuador. It suffered severe damage from an earthquake in 1797. The poros are the local indigenous people who worshiped the moon and Mother Earth. This chapel is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. From the time of Barban, it was built in a local ceremonial plaza that was used by the Indians later. When they converted to Christianity they believed that the Virgin Mary would bless them and their grain harvest screams record MSM in Paris yes, it produces grandmothers, this was the beginning of the Spanish effort to convert the region to Christianity at full speed, the engine generates many horses of force and does so at 3,300 meters high.

At sea level it is almost like watching a volcano erupt. I wouldn't be here one day. I would like to be an engineer and drive a steam engine up to the devil's nose. That is my dream and I hope that one day it comes true. Maybe I never will. become an engineer but I would at least like to drive a steam locomotive through the mountains on this section of the route the trend cruise always uses a steam locomotive it is a nice change as we travel through the highlands of the Andes we reach the Leo Bumba village are quite fast when the sky is clear, you can see several volcanoes from here, some of them are still active, the train crew Sarah will stay in Rio Bamba overnight now let's try a local delicacy, they have us invited to the house of a locomotive engineer Edgar Rio Bomba is known for a grilled dish made with guinea pigs called quiesce ro Edna María's mother watches over the preparations a few years ago the locals died of the plague after eating guinea pig, but María knows how to cook the dish correctly with garlic, onion and potatoes.

The guinea pig was also popular among the Incas. When he comes, when my son comes home from work,You also eat a whole guinea pig, the tongue, but you can't always offer people a whole pig. Although they would like a roast qui often served on holidays to taste a bit like rabbit, it is not surprising that Edgar often enjoys a great meal. The train drivers can really work up an appetite the next day the Cruise Train leaves Rio Bamba and makes its way to the mountains the security guards are still with us the observation car at the end of the train offers stunning views of the Roosevelt Ramos field The Río Bombo Viña Route we are now on the way from videobomb to would be no, this is one of the most impressive railway lines in the country that rises from 2,600 meters to 3,600 9 meters adore bina the station is located at the foot of the Chimborazo volcano the mountain highest train station in Ecuador and an important part of our ancient culture these llamas seem to be at home here at or have been this is the highest train station in Ecuador, you might expect to see a cog railway here but the engine makes the trip on its own, meaning that a zip-top became machines.

Our poor Miss team engine used to run on this line and if the train was too long. Some of the cars were left behind at the station the rest of the train would continue to Urbina and then return for the other cars then they would put them all back together they must have arrived a little later we met a man who represents another part of Ecuador's cultural heritage Baltazar pushka is In the regions of Chimborazo, the last trader of yarrow or ice, even here, at an altitude of 4,100 meters, there is still some grass to be found, but since ours makes ropes from grass, it cannot.

I leave the ice chips for his donkey when the air is very thin here Baltasar, 70 years old, and his donkey are doing very well. The ice mine is located at an altitude of 4800 meters. Baltazar has been digging ice here for 55 years when I was 15. I started working with my father, my mother and my brothers sometimes. People needed ice so much that we had to make two trips and then take it to a merchant. The merchant sold it from house to house so that people could keep their food cold. He also sold eyes to fish sellers at the local market, but like us he cuts the ice into pieces that weigh about 50 kilograms each.

It's hard work, especially at this altitude. Then wrap the pieces in grass to keep the ice cold. He tied a rope around a bale of ice and then loaded it onto his donkey. Now they will. Return to the mountain Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador at almost six thousand three hundred meters. It's too late. Baltazar has returned to the Bamba River and sells his large chunks of ice for the equivalent of just over four euros each. especially pure and dense, but today only a few customers appreciate those qualities. Connoisseurs say that the ice has a sweet taste.

Some even claim that it is good for your bones. It certainly seems to have kept Baltazar in good shape all these years of our train journey. the pain continues northwards, it is clear that the railway was rebuilt for tourism, the locals do not benefit much from it, the train continues to run through the Highlands and the passengers seem to be enjoying the journey, it shows a bit of warmth in the mouth, I mean, just look out. Out the window I see things I've never seen anywhere else, it's fantastic and the people are very friendly, only a few speak English and I haven't found anyone who speaks German, but you can write whatever you want or use your hand. gestures and you will get along Ecuador is famous for its roses and exports 2 billion of them each year the local climate and high elevation offer almost perfect growing conditions this is the Nevada rose farm 52 species of roses are grown here in a total of 35 hectares of red roses are in demand throughout the year 500 workers, most of them women, searched and packaged the flowers even for the people who work here every day roses are something special, they are the most beautiful gift you can Giving a bouquet of roses symbolizes love, affection and gratitude.

Now we are in the last stage of our journey. It is time to say goodbye to our security guards. This is Latacunga. The city has been destroyed several times by earthquakes and damaged by the eruptions of the nearby Cotopaxi volcano. After each disaster the city was rebuilt. Hacienda La Ciénega has survived intact for more than 400 years. It has hosted several notable guests, including the German geographer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. State Nazi Micah while researching the cotopaxi, this was a good place to work because in clear conditions. days you can see the volcano from here I was able to make detailed visual observations over an extended period of time the party in the case of many years on the opportunity with a party this is the room where Humboldt stayed in 1802 today visitors can stay here Humboldt's work created the basis for his mountain research but he never climbed Cotopaxi the national park that surrounds the volcano is home to several wild horses we wanted to know how they ended up here in the shadow of the highest active volcano in the world nattokinase Nakata exists politics a place where the horses that live in the National Park escaped from nearby farms and we are never close, they have become accustomed to the cold climate, elevation and nature, that is why we refer to them as wild horses, they say for Verona what which is a single horse town cotopaxi national park cotopaxi is known as the Matterhorn of the Andes the summit is often obscured by clouds the final part of our trip takes us through an area that Humboldt called the Avenue of Volcanoes the time from scratch is too heavy for the tracks to make this part of the trip so we have changed to the trend a loss for fairgrounders that is lighter this is also a tourist train and makes trips to Quito on weekends the trans-Ecuadorian railway sometime It was much more than a means of transportation, it was a symbol of national pride, but much of the freight traffic moved from the railroad to the Pan-American Highway.

Still, the legacy of the railroad remains is the simple law where this Iago era and this national symbol were created. During the administration of President Arroyo Faro he was the greatest citizen of our country the railway project overcame enormous difficulties in the end this new transportation system helped move goods and services between the coasts in the mountains for decades the system was a symbol of national unity Unfortunately, our goal is no longer to restore this national symbol and its cultural heritage, but can it be done with a railway line that primarily serves tourists? We arrive in Quito, our final destination, this is the highest capital city in the world at a height of two thousand eight. one hundred and fifty meters Quito was one of the twelve original UNESCO World Heritage sites the list was first compiled in 1978 Alexander von Humboldt enjoyed his stay in Quito he wrote that the city simply breathed sensuality and opulence today Quito is considered By many as the country party city a popular way to celebrate a festive occasion is to pile guests into a successful bus and drive around town.

Traditional Chivas versions are often used in rural areas where roads are in poor condition. These souped-up party buses first appeared in the capital. 20 years ago, a tour of the city lasted approximately two hours. We have many tourists. People celebrate birthdays here or, like these people, our graduation ceremony. We also organize bachelor parties and many other events. The people love it. Okay, let's have fun.