Yesterday we took a train trip from Ibarra to Salinas. Salinas is a small town surrounded by sugar cane fields with a very dry climate, low precipation and humidity almost zero. Being in a valley many thousands of feet below the elevation in Ibarra it's a much warmer climate. Some 100 years ago it was Ecuador's major salt mining centre - thus it's name Salinas. Our rail trip was a 1-1/2 hour beautiful ride over high tressels and deep valleys. Once arriving the locals put on a traditional welcome dance in costume. Then it's off with a bilingual guide for a 3 hour walking tour of the town with a traditional lunch before heading back to the station for the 1-1/2 hour train trip back to Ibarra. Below are some photographs of the day.
We left at 8:15 a.m. in jackets but soon shed those as we travelled into the warm valley where Salinas is located.
Receiving our tickets in the station. It was quite a production booking as they require names, ages, dates-of-births, passport numbers, etc. to get your tickets. Then we had to deposit our fare in a local bank to the Railroad company's account. The prized ticket - below.
A group of university students asked me in broken English to pose with them for a class trip picture. Not sure what I was asked to hold up?
The train waiting outside the station in Ibarra.
We had the end car (of a 3 car train) and right from the start we noticed a conductor on the outside step reading the Trinity brochure in Spanish. He read that brochure on and off the entire 1-1/2 hour trip to Salinas.
It soon went from being lush and green to a dry and arid climate.
Still reading.
We were greetd by the traditional welcome dances. A noteworthy ability is the skill to balance a bottle on their heads while dancing.
The Salinas train station.
This town reminded us of a place Hollywood would make an old western movie in.
There are many large wall murals throughout the town with meanings interpreted by our guide.
The mural below explains how the train coming to Salinas has meant "Liberation" and growth for the isolated, poor town of Salinas.
Very basic houses but the people are happy and there's an abundance of affordable food.
The National government has been investing training dollars to locals in order to start up new business ventures. In the non-descript building below a group of woman prepare and sell food items for tourists such as chocolates (from local cocoa beans), marmalades, etc.
Samples of their wares.
Salinas is on the Pan-American highway. Very desert like here in this valley.
This lone restaurant on the city's outskirts was where our train group went for lunch.
Our meal was 3 courses. Soup, a main chicken dish and dessert - $4.85
"Window" shopping in a local Salinas handcraft shop.
Around the train station they are putting down new roads and sidewalks.
Too hot to stay awake!
Ready to head back to Ibarra.
A long, enjoyable day. Everyone was tired. We were in bed before 9 p.m.
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