Category: Travel

Road Trip – Creekside American Bistro (Sedona)

American/New American Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Road Trip, Travel

After spending two nights in Scottsdale, we headed off to Sedona. The Missus was looking forward to the hikes and such in Sedona….but well, to be perfectly honest, I was kinda underwhelmed by what we ate there on our last trip back during Covid. I think it might have been that we stayed close to the very touristy Uptown area. So, this time, with JJ in tow, I booked us a dog friendly room with patio at the somewhat expensive El Portal Hotel. It was in the Tlaquepaque Arts area. The hotel had only 12 rooms and it had a somewhat historic, Hacienda fell to it.

Check out the lobby.

And our enclosed patio with a firepit.

We enjoyed the vibe here.

And JJ got his own goodie basket.

El Portal Sedona Hotel
95 Portal Lane
Sedona, AZ 86336

After unpacking we headed out for a walk. and explore a bit. There’s a charming little church in the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village.

The Hilton Vacation Club Los Abrigados is also in the area. They have a cute little Javelina statues along Oak Creek.

Which of course meant a photo-op for JJ. Can you figure out which one is the “little piggy”?

We then decided to head off to dinner. There’s an pedestrian underpass to the 179 close by.

And we strolled over to our dinner destination; Creekside American Bistro. I had reserved an outdoor table since we had JJ.

Which had a lovely view.

Service here was very nice…..JJ quickly was brought a bowl of water.

While we got our liquid refreshment.

One of the main reasons we booked Creekside was that they have a doggie menu! And on that menu is “beef tartare”. And you know how much Dad likes his Beef Tartare, right?

So, of course we had to order some for JJ. Though he really wasn’t sure about it at first….

But once he got started…..

Well, that’s all she wrote…..

He finished everything before our appetizers arrived!

The Shishito’s were supposed to come two different ways; blistered and charred.

That shishitos were on the chewy side….kind so strange and that what I think is a sesame based sauce didn’t pair well with it.

The Lamb Lollipops was supposedly flavored with a “Korean” style BBQ sauce, but it was quite mild and didn’t pair well with the mint based dipping sauce.

The lamb chops were really tough and not gamey enough for taste.

The flavor of the Lamb Shank in the Adobo sauce was much better; gamey and enjoyably tender. Not a big fan for the abodo – red curry….kind of a bit too much.

The bean were delicious though.

It was an interesting meal. And the view was quite nice.

We would actually return the next afternoon; but for Happy Hour to get JJ his now favorite tartare, and us a drink.

Creekside American Bistro
251 AZ-179
Sedona, AZ 86336

We walked back to El Portal. This was at the end of January, so weather at night was quite mild. I sat at the fire pit and had a cold one with JJ.

It was the end to another fun day!

Sydney – A Nightcap at Maybe Sammy

Australia, Buffets, Cocktails, Sydney, Travel

After our dinner at Midden we strolled around the Opera House taking in the light projection show.

It was something to see!

We then headed back in the direction of our accommodation. But, instead of stopping at our hotel, we strolled a few blocks west, over to Harrington Street. You see, there was a cocktail bar nearby named Maybe Sammy……so of course we had to visit right? We’d already gone to a Cocktail Bar named Frankie’s in Oceanside. And so, I’m sure this was Sammy’s request for equal time! As a plus, Maybe Sammy is named as one of the top 50 bars in the world! Leave it to Sammy the over achiever!

The bar has a Rat Pack (named from a 60’s Vegas sign at the Sands, “Dean Martin, maybe Frank, maybe Sammy.”), 1950’s-60’s Hollywood theme.

It was a Wednesday so things were pretty mellow. The bartender, dressed in a pink pastel jacket really played the “role”.

And if you really wanted to, you could get your drink via the roll of the dice!

I’m not sure what the Missus got; but I got the “Nightcap” which was really good as it featured Bourbon, Oscar Bianco, Ginger, and Shiso Bitters. There was also a light placed under the drink creating a more dramatic affect. It was quite balanced overall, not overly sweet…..enjoyably boozy; great savory-pungent tones.

This was a lot of fun and a nice way to end the evening…..

And of course, it made us think of our Sammy-boy!

Cheers Sammy, wherever you may be….we still think of you all the time!

Maybe Sammy
115 Harrington St.
The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia

Returning to our room….I just sat and enjoyed the view……

In the morning, we had breakfast at the hotel……

Which was really mellow on this morning.

Before checking out and heading to the Circular Quay Metro link…..

Back to the airport and our next destination.

Thanks for stopping by!

Where in the altitude were we????

Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

How’s that for a bit of a change from my typical “where on the road” posts? Because yes….we were on yet another road trip; though this time we had a cabin without cell or wifi for four nights. At an altitude of 9,400 feet! It was a new experience for me to be sure! I was a bit out of sorts…but both JJ and the Missus loved it.

At least the cabin had a full kitchen.

Though the lodge and nearby resort had small shops and places that served breakfast and lunch our meals basically looked liked this…..

Yes, we packed stuff from Carnival Market, etc…..to get us by, so not sure how many posts I’d get out of this road trip.

Each day would start with a hike….usually at a trailhead with an elevation of 10,300 feet! Oh, and I wasn’t prepared for the morning temps!

I packed one long sleeve pull over and had a windbreaker….so the first part of our hikes was…well, freezing….but things would warm up and the views were; well, outstanding.

Even JJ thought so!

All these morning hikes would be 4 1/2 to 6 miles long and have elevation gains of 800 – 950 feet. So yes, I was huffing along.

There were also so many beautiful lakes……

Which JJ also loved.

Each afternoon we’d hike along the nearby creek, where JJ would just avail himself of sticks and the clean water. And then……

It was an interesting experience. I did several posts ahead of time. And also we did two quick afternoon trips to places where there was cell service so I could check comments and such……

I especially loved the oncoming fall colors….I’m guessing it occurs much earlier at this altitude?

Anyway, even though we got back over 48 hours ago, I’m still recovering from the 8 hour drive.

So, thanks for dropping by and please enjoy the view……

While I catch up on some rest and get my act together!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sydney – Dinner at Midden by Mark Olive

Australia, Australian/New Zealand Cuisine, Memorable Meals, Sydney, Travel

We had one evening in Sydney before heading off on our way to our next destination. We’d be spending three night in Sydney on our way back, but I still wanted a memorable meal for this evening. I had come across this article in Atlas Obscura, one of their Gastro Oscura posts on a restaurant named Midden by Mark Olive. The restaurant is know for serving dishes made with Indigenous Australian ingredients. The head chef, Mark Olive is of the Bundjalung people one of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. And is a well known celebrity chef in Australia. As a plus, the restaurant is located at the iconic Sydney Opera House. So, I made reservations……

We headed out to dinner early, taking our time, the long route, and really enjoying the view.

Passing places we’d seen earlier during our tour of the area.

Just taking it all in…..

Before arriving at the Opera House…..

The Opera Bar was doing some great business already as we passed.

We arrived and requested a table outside….of course!

I started with a cold one….

While we looked over the menus………

I knew one of the dishes we needed to get; the Indigenous Australian Grazing Plate, which has selection of Australian proteins and various items with Australian based dishes. We also got the Smoked Kangaroo Salad and I really wanted to try some Barramundi, which is not found “back home” in Hawaii, which I’ve seen on menus as Asian Sea Bass. So, I ordered the Smoked Blue Gum Barramundi.

As anticipated, the Indigenous Australian Grazing Plate was a mixed bag. The lemon tandoori crocodile had that “old reptile” sourness that I don’t care for. The Smoked Kangaroo was very lean and chewy, but had a nice smokiness and I enjoyed the gameyness. The Emu had an almost metallic tinge to it.

Could not really tell the difference between the Wild Thyme Hummus and the basic stuff. I enjoyed the finish of the Tasmanian mountain pepper leaf flatbread, but it was a little too hard for our tastes.

The cheeses were fine, but nothing outstanding.

It was an interesting introduction to the amazing variety of plants and meats in Australia.

The Smoked Kangaroo salad was fine, though nothing out of the ordinary.

The one dish that we had which changed how we ate for the rest of the trip was the Smoked Blue Gum Barramundi. Though it wasn’t because of the use of Blue Gum…which is a type of Eucalyptus….I’ve always thought that the leaves and such are poisonous, but I came to learn that the wood of blue gum really imparts a wonderful flavor when used for smoking.

Beyond the mash and the somewhat acidic broth which had a touch of spice….it was the fish that caught our attention. Wonderfully crisp skin, a moist-tender, mild- buttery sweetness to the flesh. Man, this was so good. We’d end up ordering Barramundi where ever we saw it on the menu.

It was a fun meal…with a nice variety…..the restaurant had a steady stream of customers…..

I’m glad we ate here as it gave us a fun base for our future meals.

Midden by Mark Olive
Western Broadwalk Sydney Opera House
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

And as we headed back to our hotel, we totally enjoyed the view.

And there was one last…special stop I had in mind before calling it a night!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – The House Brasserie, Quartz Ridge Trail, and Papago Park Butte Loop (Scottsdale)

American/New American Restaurants, Fine Dining, French Restaurants, Phoenix/Scottsdale/Chandler/Central AZ, Road Trip, Travel

The Missus wanted a hike during our full day in Scottsdale, so I chose the Quartz Ridge Trail in the Phoenix Mountains Reserve. Being that JJ doesn’t like heat or very much direct sunlight we got an early start. 3 1/2/ miles, 600 foot elevation gain, not too bad.

And of course you get a feel of the Southwest.

Some nice views…..

And JJ did well.

We headed back to our hotel and just laid low during the hottest part of the day. Then headed back out during the late afternoon, walking to Old Town Scottsdale.

Kind of corny in some ways….but also somewhat charming and fun…..

The Missus found a tea shop She liked…..

And did a lot of window shopping……

We’d be having dinner just a block down from the Hotel Valley Ho at a place I noticed during our last stay in Scottsdale, named The House Brasserie. They had outdoor seating and folks told me it was more of a fine dining destination, though I’m not quite sure of that. Based on the name of the place, I was expecting a full on French restaurant, but as you’ll soon see, the menu was quite diverse and our favorite dish was quite unexpected.

Of course, I started with a Kir Royale. I loved the service, my glass of Champagne was brought to the table and the Sommelier brought over the Creme de Cassis and told me let him know when the “color was right” for my Kir! Something that I hadn’t experienced before. This was an awesome start to the meal!

And then the Amuse was brought out…..some pretty decent Gougeres.

Of course we started with some Foie Gras ($26).

We found the popcorn topping to be quite amusing. The Balsamic based sauce wasn’t too sweet and the bread was fine….though perhaps this a bit much. Though I’d probably try this again.

The Escargot ($24) was interesting as instead of the basic garlic-parsley-herb butter, bone marrow “butter” was used instead.

It was just overkill and this was waaaay too rich and oily for our taste.

Then the dishes started deviating from the expected norm. Next up were the Tempura Oyster Mushrooms ($22).

And while the batter wasn’t as light as typical tempura, it was nice and crisp. This came with smoked cauliflower which was awesome.

And yet, our favorite dish of the evening was one I just ordered because it stood out on the menu. The Crab Fried Rice ($26) with house made XO Sauce! My goodness; this was so good!

The rice was a little moist, but that egg was cooked perfectly….soft yolk, crisp edges. The crab was tender and sweet. And the house made XO sauce? It was an umami bomb! Savory, rich, perfectly salty, not very spicy…oh man, this was so good….better than many Chinese restaurant we know of!

Who’s have thought…we’d go to a Brasserie and get some really good XO Sauce Fried Rice? Service was excellent and professional. We really enjoyed this meal and can’t wait to return.

The House Brasserie
6936 E Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

The next morning, we were headed out to Sedona. But first we decided to check out the Papago Park Butte Loop, which turned out to be a nice 2 mile loop trail.

A very easy walk, well maintained.

Loved the red sandstone buttes along the way.

There’s even an stone amphitheater.

Which was built by the historic stone amphitheater built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Great Depression.

This was a fun walk and we left before things got too hot at 9am.

Next stop….Sedona!

Road Trip – Zuzu Revisited and Grabbing a Beer from Craft 64 (Scottsdale)

American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Dog Friendly, Phoenix/Scottsdale/Chandler/Central AZ, Road Trip, Travel

Back in January, we took JJ for his first road trip of the year. The Missus really wanted to take him to Sedona. Well, I figured we’d stop for a couple of nights in Scottsdale again. The Hotel Valley Ho is very dog friendly and the Missus really enjoyed the restaurant there; Zuzu.

The weather was much more pleasant this time around. On our previous trip, which was during the month of March, Phoenix was experiencing record heat! This time, JJ really enjoyed walking around old town Scottsdale.

And we decided on an early dinner at Zuzu.

I settled in with a nice, stiff Old Fashioned.

The Missus enjoyed the Cauliflower the last time….it was replaced by Romanesco ($14).

We find it interesting that the combination of fromage blanc and Thai Basil works well together. Though the capers were a bit too much for the dish. Still, this was our favorite dish of the meal.

If there’s one thing I want right away after leaving the state of California, it’s foie gras. So, I just needed to order the Beef Cheek and Foie Gras Gyoza ($22) from the Chef’s Special menu.

Well, this was a bit of a disappointment. The wrappers were plasticky and brittle, the chili crunch overwhelmed the dish. We could barely make out the offal-ly-savory flavor of the foie gras, the beef cheeks was really stringy. It was perhaps a too “over-the-top” dish?

We got 2 Short Rib Empanadas ($5 each).

The Chimichurri was very oily and bland…I like a lot of garlic and good sharp tones in my chimichurri and it was missing here. The crust of the empanada was much more crumbly and delicate than I was used to.

The filling was tasty, but a bit on the dry side.

Of course we had to get our favorite dish from our last visit; the Terra Heritage Wagyu Beef Carpaccio, which is amazingly, still just $21!

While still a bargain, this was not as good as what we’d had previously. The beef was room temp, so it lacked that refreshing edge. It also had a metallic taste to it. Loved all the Grana Padano which added some milky-savory-saltiness to the dish and the pumpernickel crumble added textural contrast. Not enough Dijonnaise this time around and we missed the anise tones of caraway which was missing this time around. Kind of a bummer since we really loved this dish last time.

Oh well, at least the service was nice, the price with my cocktail and the Missus’s wine was under $100 before tip! And our dinner the following night was a winnah!

ZuZu (In Hotel Valley Ho)
6850 E Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

After dinner, the Missus wanted some time to relax, so “Da Boyz” had to find something to do. Well, there’s a Brew Pub – Pizza place less than a block away from the hotel named Craft 64. I walked over and the place has a nice back patio….and it wasn’t super busy so JJ and I got a table on the patio.

They’ve got over 30 beers on tap here! Talk about analysis-paralysis right?

In the end I got a light and refreshing Rocky Point Blonde.

4.5 ABV, low IBU. Just a nice and light brew.

And JJ enjoyed hanging out as well.

Craft 64 – Scottsdale
6922 E Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

We enjoyed our evening in Scottsdale and the Missus had some activities up Her sleeve for the following day!

Touring the Rocks and Circular Quay (Sydney) and Lunch from Marrickville Pork Roll

Australia, Banh Mi, Sydney, Travel

I really wanted to get to see some of the sights in SYD during our short time there…especially in the area we were staying, known as Circular Quay and the Rocks. So, I hired a private guide for the morning. He met us at our hotel and were off. Sadly, the gentleman really didn’t seem into the job and mostly just pointed stuff out without any background or other info. So, I ended up doing a bit more research after the tour for context and such.

We headed off on the ferry from Circular Quay Wharf 5.

There seemed to be so many historical buildings in the area.

And of course iconic structures like the Sydney Opera House.

We would actually be having dinner at one of the restaurants at the Opera House this evening.

And of course there the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

We got off at Milson’s Point Wharf. and were led to the large Olympic Park. Which had so many sculptures and public art!

And the view from Milson’s Point is second to none!

And we were surprised to see Turkeys all over the place.

After looking things up; I found out that these are Australian Brushturkeys. They were almost driven to extinction, which led to the birds acquiring legal protection. Now, they are found thru out the city, and supposedly spreading everywhere in Sydney.

We walked to the Northern entrance to the bridge.

And crossed over. The views were of course wonderful.

Later on during our stay, we’d do a morning paddle in the harbor and were told that one of the nicknames for the Opera House is Nuns in a Scrum. You gotta love it!

You have great views everywhere….even when exiting the bridge.

We exited neat Miller’s Point and the Observatory Hill Lookout.

So many lovely green spaces everywhere! That’s the lovely Barangaroo Reserve above. A 15 acre park right on the waterfront.

From here we took the steep Baludarri steps down to the waterfront.

To an area known as Miller’s Point. Check out these harbour front homes.

You walk right out your front door to your boat/yacht!

Crazy, huh?

Crossing back under the bridge we got to an area known as Campbell’s Cove. Robert Campbell was a Scottish Merchant who built up this area, breaking the commercial stranglehold of the East India Company.

The warehouses he had built in the 1850’s still stand, called Campbell’s Stores they now house restaurants and various businesses.

The building I thought was a church is actually the ASN Company Building which has it’s own interesting history.

As we headed back to Circular Quay we passed this house.

When I asked about it; I was told “oh, it’s Cadman’s Cottage”…hmmmm…..ok? Well, you an find more info here.

I found this statue interesting.

It’s of William Bligh. Yes, that Captain Bligh. He was actually the Governor of New South Wales from 1806 to 1809! After the “mutiny”!

Walking back to our hotel we came across this.

It was an interesting dichotomy. On one hand, the Nurses Walk lays a path to the first hospital…you have to remember that Sydney was first populated with 750 convicts from Portsmouth, England in 1788. I read that many of the convicts arrived suffering from dysentery, scurvy, typhoid, and other illnesses. A tent hospital was established between George and Harrington Streets to care for those patients.

And then there’s the “Suez Canal”.

This is where water was drained. It’s also known as the haunt for various gangs and criminals. It was an interesting walk back to where we were staying.

And while our “guide” wasn’t really very good, there’s one thing he did which we enjoyed. Knowing we liked Asian type dishes, we stopped in a little alleyway a few blocks from where we were staying.

The name of the place is Marrickville Pork Roll. Now, I was wondering what the heck is a “pork roll”, but after a quick look it all became quite clear.

I had to crack up….it’s basically a Banh Mi Thit Nuong!

It was actually not too bad. The bread was a bit more chewy than I like; but quite yeasty and really crisp/flaky.

Loved the creamy funky pate, the pork was nice and savory.

Nice a refreshing pickled veggies……

This was not bad at all…..better than many of the banh mi shops here in San Diego.

We loved that you could walk down a random alley in Circular Quay and get a banh mi!

Marrickville Pork Roll
7 Loftus Lane
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

From HNL to Sydney and Cocktails from Three Bottle Man

Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Australia, Cocktails, Honolulu, Sydney, Travel

I figure I better get these posts done. After our visit to the Galapagos, the Missus was fully into exploring the reefs mode. Australia had been on our “list” for years, so we decided to go for it. Of course, I really wasn’t looking forward to flying all the way there from the West Coast…..and so, we decided on flying to and from “my home”…yes, that’s right…Honolulu. I’ve done all those posts already. The morning after our wonderful meal at Izakaya Uosan, we headed to the airport. Our flight left at noon and would arrive in Sydney at 745pm. We were flying Business Class…but man, the lounge was crazy packed, so we just hung out near the gate! What’s up with that?

Still, being able to sleep on our flight was key and the meals weren’t bad at all. And the little amenities bag was quite nice.

The pork belly was not bad at all…..

The Missus really enjoyed the Ube Rolls…..

That Shoyu Chicken wrap….which we had after waking up was a bit much though…..

Upon arriving, we actually took the train from the airport to Circular Key Station. I thought it would be an interesting introduction to the city. We caught the train and made it to our hotel…the JW Marriott.

We loved the view from our room.

We actually had a view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

I decided to get a nightcap so I went down to the lobby. Down some stairs and kind of tucked away I found a coffee shop during the day that became a cocktail bar at night called Three Bottle Man.

It was a really neat and quite chill place.

Talking to the bartender, he told me the inspiration for the place is based on William Pitt, who was the Prime Minister of Britain. Apparently, he popularized the “rule of three” and made sure to carry three bottles of liquor with him all the time! You gotta love it!

I went and had the Malfy G&T, which was nice and refreshing.

The bartender was so very friendly…something we’d find was the norm during our visit.

It was an enjoyable nightcap.

It was a fun introduction to Sydney.

Three Bottle Man (in the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay)
1 Bulletin Place
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

We had a nice night’s rest.

After having travelled so much, I decided to book our room at the JW Marriott with Club Lounge access. It just makes things easier for breakfast for us.

Nothing fancy mind you, but enough to get us ready for the day ahead!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ecuador – Mariposas de Mindo, Lunch and a Chocolate Tour at El Quetzal de Mindo.

Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, BBQ, Chocolate, Ecuador, Ecuadorian Restaurants, Latin American Cuisine, Travel

After an amazing time at San Tadeo Birding, we set off for our next stop. We drove thru the town of Mindo and down a short dirt road to a little parking lot and this place.

You see the name of the place right?

Yes, Mariposas de Mindo is a breeding and conservation project for the butterflies of the Cloud Forest.

We were escorted to the enclosed butterfly garden.

Where we were instructed on which butterflies are ok with humans and if they land on you, how to handle them. You never, ever touch their wings!

The amount of colorful butterflies fluttering and gliding around us was mind boggling!

All the colors, shapes, and sizes…..

And of course, one of the main purposes of the farm is breeding…..

And in case you’re not into the butterflies; right around the garden are all the birds!

Such amazing vibrant colors!

Another amazing stop!

It was getting close to lunch time; so we headed back to Mindo proper. When we first headed out, our driver/guide asked us if we’d had chocolate in Ecuador yet. I mentioned having visited Yumbos in Quito. Which was very helpful for him; because I guess there’s a Yumbos in Mindo as well. Instead, we headed to El Quetzal de Mindo, which is the restaurant location of Mindo Chocolates.

The menu was quite interesting, many dishes featured chocolate , but it seemed quite fusiony – touristic in a sense.

We started with some fried plantains which came with a very tart, mildly spicy Aji de Tomate de Arbol.

Our favorite dish of the meal was the Hearts of Palm Ceviche.

The earthy hearts of palm went well with the tangy-tart-sour-citrus forward sauce.

I was quite curious about the Cacao BBQ Wings. Which were much too sweet for my taste.

Somewhat earthy in the flavor, the wings were really tough and chewy. Really enjoyed the fried cassava.

We also got the Pollo al Chocolate. The chicken was overwhelmed by all that cheese and hardly had any chocolate flavor.

We figured that the chicken might be dry and tough, which it was….but we were interested in what that chocolate sauce would be like.

It was an interesting meal to say the least. Which was followed up with a chocolate tour.

Since we had done a pretty indepth tasting at Yumbos, we were more interested in the whole chocolate making process. From the various cacao plants.

There was an interesting variety, from the one’s that are native. The preferred species is the native Cacao Nacional, which is very slow growing with a low yield. We were told that it has the “best flavor” of all the cacao. Which is why most chocolate producers use CCN-51 Cacao which does well in direct sun, has a large yield, and is more resistant to disease. We were told that it now makes up close to 90 percent of the cacao used for chocolate in Ecuador. There are some reservations and worries about the growing use of CCN-51.

We were walked thru how cacao is made into chocolate.

Which culminated in a tasting.

We must be wimps, because we still enjoy chocolate with less than 7 percent cacao.

We were also given a very rich and sweet dessert as a finale.

El Quetzal de Mindo/Mindo Chocolate Makers
9 de Octubre
170167 Mindo, Ecuador

From here it was an over 2 hour drive to the airport. And our flight wasn’t leaving until 1130pm, plus we had a two-and-a-half hour layover in ATL. Luckily we were flying first, so we had lounge access. And the lounge at Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport was nice and peaceful.

And our flight from ATL-SAN was right on time as well.

All the waiting and flight time gave me a chance to reminisce about what an epic trip we had. From arriving in Quito and checking out the TelefériQo and visiting Latitude 0°0’0 and the Basilica to spending seven amazing days cruising the Galapagos and then feeding the hummingbirds by hand at San Tadeo Birding…..man, we’ve been blessed to have experienced all of this!

And thanks to all of you who’ve allowed me to be able to share these moments!

Ecuador – El Pahuma Orchid Reserve and San Tadeo Birding

Buffets, Ecuador, Travel

**** Not much food in this one…..but there’s a very unique experience you might enjoy!

As I mentioned in my last post on Ecuador; because I wanted a bit of a buffer in case something happened, we had almost a full day in Quito on our return. Since we were staying at a hotel located at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, I went and booked us a private tour of the Mindo Cloud Forest. You can read this Wikipedia page in case you want to know what a cloud forest is.

We had a quick breakfast at the hotel before waiting for our driver.

We’d be making several stops during the day; so we did the check out thing at the hotel and stored our luggage and were off. Our guide/driver quickly informed us that the difference between a cloud forest and a rain forest is that cloud forests are at altitude and the plant life depends on an almost constant mist/condensation/dripping to keep vegetation watered.

The drive to Mindo takes a bit over an hour from Quito. And our first stop was at the side of the road where there stood a welcome center, a small mini mart, and parking lot.

Across the street was El Pahuma Orchid Reserve.

A lovely, easy trail.

Of course there were some beautiful, almost tropical plants.

And we even had our own “trail master”.

Who guided us to the lovely waterfall.

The indigenous inhabitants of the area; the Yumbo considered waterfalls and ponds to be sacred.

In fact, they still hold various sacred ceremonies here during the year! The trail almost looks like it was dug into the earth like a trench. We were told that they call this a “culunco”, a trail dug into the ground by centuries of use!

This was a wonderful start to our tour. And our next stop is one that we’ll never forget. After about a 45 minute drive, we headed down a short road to a small parking lot. Which had a wonderful view!

This is San Tadeo Birding, a well known spot for bird watching…..

But is know for one other thing……we were given some coffee and walked around a bit, with our guide pointing out the various birds occupying the vegetation.

We were then walked to a little clearing and handed these little red hand feeders and instructed on where and how to stand…completely still, with feeder in hand. And then it started to happen!

The hummingbirds started coming over to feed on the sugar water!

It was an amazing experience…one that we wished never ended!

Different species of hummingbirds were pointed out to us.

I asked how these wild hummingbirds got trained to do this….our guide laughed and said the training goes both ways…for the human and for the birds. Hummingbirds are drawn to the color red, so things are done with stationary or hanging feeders first.

Then the birds are slowly transitioned to feeding from feeders in people’s hands. We were told that the place was closed to visitors during Covid and during that time, they got used to feeding from the staffs hands. And it’s now been 2 generations since then….so it seems that the info has been passed down!

It’s moments like these that makes these trips exploring our wonderful planet so wonderfully inforgettable!

Thanks for stopping by!