We then began the climb up the Andes from sea level to 13,700 feet in one day (no time to acclimatize)!! We climbed the Andes in the bus and hiked in Cajas National Park, filled with breathtaking landscapes and biodiversity, where we saw so many plant species and learned of the medicinal properties of a variety of them. It was a rough transition from the altitude and many people felt sick and had trouble breathing but the views were worth it. Cajas has one of the highest concentrations of lakes in the world with over 200 lakes in the area. The paramo ecosystem has soil with high water retention resulting in their supply of water to millions of people in the lowlands. Quito and Bogota are almost entirely dependent on the paramo for their supply for freshwater (Buytaert et al., 2006). There are over 500 plant species, most of which are low-lying to protect from the wind, and 127 bird species.
Here are just a few examples of the awesome plant species and their uses. Chukuiriagwa and tipo are used to make tea for altitude sickness. Valeriana is used in Valium. A plant called deer head is used by locals to make tea to calm diarrhea. Casteilleja phisipholia are used to regulate menstrual periods. It was truly astonishing to hear of all the medicinal uses of these plants species and how natives take full advantage of the natural functions of their environment. Looking around as we hike, large patches of pine trees were visible which we learned are an introduced species used for afforestation purposes. Walking into the Polylepis forest in the highlands was enchanting. These trees have loose bark which peels to prevent over-growth of moss, and their minimal competition allows them to thrive. Descending down the mountain a bit, we ended our day at the beautiful Victoria hotel in Cuenca. Sixty percent of Cuenca’s population is 18-65 years old, making it a very productive city. The river that flows through the city goes from Cajas to the Amazon and provides the people with some of the cleanest water on the continent. Lots of expatriats have settled in Cuenca, in fact, we even passed an area of the city dubbed 'Gringoland'. All public busses run on diesel and streets are narrow, contributing to heavy pollution. Later that night we went to dinner at Paul's, one of Tait's friends, who moved from the U.S. to Cuenca. There are several options for resident visas including social security visa, investment visa, and professional visas which Paul did. If you leave the country for 5 years, the visa can be revoked. Cuenca is a popular retirement destination as the cost-of living is low. Paul uses private insurance and gets reimbursed as social health care appointments are too difficult to schedule without doing so long in advance. The average monthly wage is $450 and the middle class barely exists. Among expats, there are class discrepancies. Most items are relatively cheap except for electronics and cars, and other imports. The city has the best water in Central and South America due to the paramo ecosystem of Cajas acting as a natural filtration system. New American restaurants have opened up to meet the influx of expatriates, showing the increasing draw of retirees to cities with low costs of living. References: Buytaert, W., Célleri, R., De Bièvre, B., Cisneros, F., Wyseure, G., Deckers, J., Hofstede, R. (2006). Human impact on the hydrology of the Andean páramos. Earth-Science Reviews, 79(1-2), 53- 72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2006.06.002. |