Page 3 of 3National Strike in Ecuador
Our trip to Ambato was only meant to be a stopping point on our way to Baños, but we ran into an interesting situation that caused us to remain there a bit longer. Our plan was to stay one more night and leave for Baños on Tuesday. We walked to the main bus station to see what the schedules were for buses going to Baños, but all of the counters were closed except one. We inquired about going to Baños and were told it was impossible for anyone to go anywhere until Wednesday! After further discussion, we discovered that there was a "paro" organized by the peasants that prevented travel to or from Ambato.
We bought a newspaper ("El Comercio") and discovered that "paro" means strike. There was a nationwide protest organized by an "indigina federacion" (federation of indigenous craft workers) and other minority groups. In some cities there were marches, others had work stoppages, and in the area around Ambato (and other areas), the roads were blocked. Over 1,400 km of roads were closed throughout the country due to the demonstrations. The strike was mainly as an objection to the President’s speech the night previous. Indigenous groups did not agree with his lack of concern or plan for helping the indigenous communities promote equality and commerce.
After wandering the town for hours we found the tourist office, who’s location differed in each guidebook, but it was located at the Hotel Ambato in the Summer of 1997. They told us that it was possible to get to Baños by a combination of walking and hitchhiking. Pelileo and Salasaca were the two towns along the road to Baños, and these were also the heart of the strikes according to the newspaper. The tourist office also said that the campesinos were only hassling buses and commercial vehicles, not individuals walking through. Against the wisdom of the desk clerk at the hotel we were staying at, we decided to make the attempt.
Transportation via Taxis and Trucks from Ambato to Baños, Ecuador
The morning greeted us with cloudy, wet skies. We started by getting a taxi and asking the driver to take us as far as he could towards Baños. He thought he could get a little less than half way, at which point, we would have at least 20-30 km left to go. The first roadblock was a kilometer past Salasaca (about 15 km from Ambato), where we got out and paid 2.50 USD for the taxi. Ahead of us the road was littered with burning and smoldering remnants of trees and large boulders pulled down from the hillsides. Campesino Indians walked and stood everywhere along the road, all wearing black wool ponchos. We weren't threatened or intimidated. Some of the younger people even smiled at us. No one would allow us to take their picture though, or wanted to be paid for permission.
Mike walks around the burning tree roadblock
Two kilometers later, we had climbed to the crest of a hill where a Coca-Cola factory stood, and the road was littered with people and natural barriers. A white Toyota pickup truck carrying other passengers drove by and slowed down enough for us to hop on. It was a crowded truck bed with many Ecuadorians, as well as a French Canadian girl, all standing with baggage as we traveled through the dirt roads and detours of the foggy, mountainous countryside for several kilometers. We hit another roadblock, where we paid the driver 1 USD, walked through the roadblock and got on another white truck on the other side, which we rode into Pelileo for .50 USD.
The foggy mountains surrounding Salasaca
Pelileo, Salasaca, and a host of other tiny towns dot the roads between Ambato and Baños, each comprised of half-finished, depressing looking cinderblock houses with tin roofs. From the center of Pelileo we got on yet another white pickup. The local driver agreed to take us all the way to Baños (25-30 km) for 2.50 USD. The narrow, winding dirt roads provide a very peaceful descent among the scenic villages and volcanoes. There were several detours and in one place, we had to stop and clear some small trees that blocked the road. We reached Baños 2 hours after we left Ambato, not bad considering the direct bus takes 45 minutes. The total cost was 3.25 USD each and was well worth the adventure.
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