You can see most of the main city sights of Ibarra in a day. To get your bearings, look for the huge
obelisk near the railway station dedicated to the man who gave the city its name, Miguel de Ibarra. Walk a couple blocks eastwards along Velasco and then three blocks north along Bolivar to the
Parque Pedro Moncayo, named after a famous journalist and diplomat of the 19th century. Some fine buildings, including the city cathedral, whose main interest is its magnificent golden altar and powerful portraits of the twelve apostles, surround the clipped-grass, tree-lined square. To its south,
Plaza Francisco Calderon's attraction lies in the new
Plaza de la Iberrenidad development where well-healed
ibarrenos come to enjoy the bar, restaurant and shops.
Two blocks west
of Pedro Moncayo
square, you
come to
Parque
de la Merced,
as it's usually
called, or
Parque
Dr. Victor Manuel
Penaherra,
its official
name. A bust
of this eminent
son of Ibarra,
a lawyer and
academic, stands
in the park.
Nearby is the
Basilica
La Merced,
crowned with
a statue of
the Virgin.
The opposite
side of the
plaza is dominated
by the imposing
Mediterranean-style
Ministerio de
Agricultura
y Ganaderia.
Under its arches,
bright stalls
vend wonderful
nogadas
[
a
bit like nougat]
and also
helados
de paila,
a type of ice-cream/sorbet.
For some local
culture the
Museo
Banco Central,
Sucre and Oviedo,
displays both
general Ecuadorean
archaeology
and more local
history, including
gold funeral
masks. You can
ask for a guided
tour, though
information
is available
in English.
The museum also
houses a small
cafe, and is
open Monday
to Friday 8:30am
to 1:30pm and
2:30 to 4:30pm.
Ibarra's other
museums of note
are the quirky
Museo
y Zoologico
Dominicano
at the northern
end of Bolivar
by the
Dominican
church,
which combines
a modest religious
art collection
with cages of
iguanas, sloths
and birds, and
the
Museo
Atahualpa de
Caranqui,
set on the site
of an excavation
of what is thought
to be the birthplace
of
Atahualpa,
the last
Inca
king.
Around
Ibarra
Just four
kilometres
[two
and a half
miles]
north of Ibarra
is the well-known
lake, Lago
Yahuarcocha
[Lake
of Blood],
so-called
because of
a great battle
between the
Incas
and local
Cara Indians,
whose bleeding
bodies were
thrown into
the lake,
turning the
water red.
A motor racetrack
now circles
the lake spoiling
its natural
setting.
The great
hot springs
of Chachimbiro
lie northwest
of Ibarra,
past the little
village of
Urcuqui,
about 38 kilometres
[23
miles]
of winding,
partly-cobbled
road through
beautiful
countryside.
The site of
the springs
has been developed
over the years,
and the result
is supremely
relaxing,
except at
the weekends
when it gets
pretty crowded.
The complex
includes medicinal
mineral baths,
hydromassages,
saunas and
pools, as
well as walks
in the surrounding
hills and
a decent restaurant.
Places
to sleep
Accommodation
[no
phone]
inside the
springs is
basic but
good value,
and includes
the entrance
fee.
Getting
there
To
get to the
springs, either
share a taxi,
or catch the
only bus
up at 7am
from the stop
on Pedro Moncayo
and Flores
[though
ones to Urcuqui
leave every
thirty minutes].
The bus returns
to Ibarra
at around
noon.
Heading north
on the Pana,
the road down
to San Lorenzo
forks off
at Salinas,
about 25km
[15
miles]
from Ibarra.
Following
the highway,
you enter
the dry and
dusty Chota
Valley,
inhabited
by descendants
of slaves
who still
retain many
of their tribal
traditions.
At Mascarilla
[about
33km or 20
miles]
out of Ibarra,
the road forks
again. The
Panamericana
continues
to the right,
while to the
left, the
old road to
Colombia bumps
up to La
Mira
15km [nine
miles]
away, famous
for its firework
fiestas [particularly
on February
2 for the
Virgen de
la Caridad].
Reserva
Ecologica
El Angel
{learn
more}
The route
up from La
Mira
leads to the
friendly highland
village of
El
Angel
[a
further 25
km or 15 miles]
from La
Mira,
and the access
point to the
Paramo
del Angel,
an area of
mystical lakes,
windswept
grasslands
and the curious,
hairy-leafed,
tree-like
frailejon
plant,
said to be
the biggest
plant in the
world. If
you want to
explore this
little-visited
ecological
reserve, ask
for the offices
of the Fundacion
El Angel.
From
Ibarra to
the Coast
Unfortunately,
the train
ride from
Ibarra to
the coastal
regions is
no longer
operating
this route.
But there
is another
road going
northeast
that leads
you to the
valley of
the Rio
Mira
to the lowlands
and passes
by Guallupe,
a village
which is the
base point
to access
to the Cerro
Golondrinas
cloud forest.
Getting
there
Bus
service is
available
frequently
to San
Lorenzo
[6
hours],
ticket US$4.00*.
*Prices
are approximate
Last
updated 14th
July 2006
| |Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton||| |
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