The Oriente - Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 146

along with a light breeze that comes off the languid Puyo River. The river snakes straight
through the town center signifying the easygoing attitude of residents and eventually join-
ing the Pastaza before becoming the Amazon. The missionaries had little success at first
but built the city's quaint church on Parque Central 21 de Mayo nevertheless. Nowadays
the plaza is still frequented by missionaries along with mestizo schoolchildren and an in-
teresting mix of indígenas from all over the Amazon.
About 15 minutes south of Puyo on the road leading to Macas is The Orchids Botanical
Gardens where hundreds of rare orchids flourish in a lush setting. A guided tour is in-
cluded in the entrance fee. For a different kind of wild experience, take any taxi about 10
minutes out of town to Paseo los Monos , a rescue center for abused animals. Though the
park features coaties, otters, turtles and talking parrots, the monkeys are definitely steal
the show, jumping freely onto visitor's shoulders and posing for pictures. Some of them
can get a little annoying, pulling hair and peeing on people, and one even stole a $5 bill
from me and ripped it up in front of everyone, but they're too adorable to miss!
For something closer to town, the Parque Etnobotánico Omaere can be reached by the
bridge 5 minutes north of downtown. The natural park features rainforest plants and nat-
ive guides that explain how indigenous groups use them for medicinal or ceremonial pur-
poses. It has a network of trails stretching out over 38 miles, including 2-mile one that
leads to the Puyo-Tena road. But for something completely different, one shop in down-
town Puyo is worth mentioning. It's called Florasana , a French-owned company that
makes organic bath and body products from Amazonian plants that also bear nutritional
properties. Also on sale are teas, tinctures, lotions, pure tobacco, shade-grown coffee, and
handicrafts made my local villagers. Anything from Florasana would make a perfect,
unique gift.
Mera
Mera is a beautiful little jungle town about 20 minutes west of Puyo that really shouldn't
be lobbed in with the oil exploitation town of Shell, as the city's official name Shell-Mera
belies the 5 miles that separate them and make a world of difference. The neighboring
town's namesake derives from the Royal Dutch Shell Company who drilled in the area be-
fore being driven out by indigenous tribes in 1948. Shell is now only visited for its milit-
ary airport which takes passengers deep into the Amazon. But Mera tells a different story,
of hummingbirds buzzing about the florid tropics in springtime air, and sweet women
cooking fat worms in the few restaurants that dot the town. The gusanos are full of protein
and generally eaten during regional celebrations every April. Mera is peaceful above all
the kind of place you'd expect a tourism boom in 10 years, so catch it while it's still a
secret.