The Best And Worst Memories In San Antonio

We got to the last part of this interesting written interview with Ned Cresswell from the San Antonio Farm. In case you have missed any of the previous Q&A:

#1 From London to an isolated village in Ecuador

#2 Why sustainable tourism in San Antonio

#3 The hardest part

#4 The only foreigner in the village

#5:

What kind of people and families would enjoy visiting San Antonio?

I suspect that most people would enjoy at least a short visit to San Antonio, the obvious exception being those who feel miserable away from an urban environment.

The tranquility, absence of stress, beautiful views, and friendly locals, all make it a fine destination for families or individuals seeking a break from the noise and rush of big city life.

Those seeking a pristine jungle enviromnet will not be disappointed, with the Nature reserve right on our doorstep; while those seeking rural entertainments such as horseriding, walking, birdwatching, sugar production, and milking, will also find plenty to interest them. Lastly, our trips deep into the Nature Reserve are challenging enough to satisfy the most demanding extreme sports or adventure enthusiasts.

San Antonio is a working, living community, and so is not a suitable destination for those seeking total escape from human activity and influence: instead, we have tried to make a marriage between the natural, unspoilt wonders of the Nature Reserve, and the cultural activities which proudly display the realities of human life in an isolated, rural community. In short, San Antonio is a fine destination for those who seek and appreciate natural beauty, and who have also managed to make peace with the inevitable influence of human activity on the beautiful landscapes of Ecuador.

And finally my last question:

Tell us your best and worst memories from your life in San Antonio

Best memory: moments spent enjoying the amazing view across the misty espanse of jungle-clad peaks that is the Cotacachi-Cayapas Nature Reserve. An awesome sight!

Worst memory: The sound of chainsaws cutting down nearby native forests.

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The Only Foreigner In An Isolated Ecuadorian Village

This is the 4th question I sent to Ned Cresswell, from Intagtour, as part of this written interview we’re having in this blog:

#1 From London to an isolated village in Ecuador

#2 Why sustainable tourism in San Antonio

#3 The hardest part

#4:

What is it like to be the only foreigner in the village?

Well, for a start I suspect that it’s a lot easier than being the only foreigner in an English village, or even worse, in an English city. People in this corner of Ecuador are generally polite, cheerful and easygoing, and so any newcomer has a lot to be thankful for.

I have noticed two general beliefs about “gringos”. The first is that locals often think we are more intelligent than they are, and the second is that they think all gringos have potfuls of money! By now, most have realised that, in my case, neither belief is true!

More difficult, to me, is the problem which faces any newcomer in any village the world over: that of getting to know which people are trustworthy, which are false, and which (like most of us!) have good and bad days.

Everyone knows the saying “buyer beware”, and that is especially true in Ecuador, where almost all of us are struggling just to make ends meet. To start with, I tended to “Buy high and Sell low”, which is obviously a fool’s game. For example, I have learnt to put on a pained expression when selling a cow, and to let the dealer walk away if the price is too low. Under the circumstances, it’s surprising how generous some neighbours are. I have received help with everything from shoeing a horse to the finer points of rearing poultry and milking an angry cow!

So, all in all, I have no complaints about being the only foreigner in the village, and count myself lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world, among friendly people.

The Hardest Part

I’ve been away for a while. I mean Peru . I have lots of things to share about our first international and longest backpacking trip, but first I want to continue with Ned’s interview. Sorry for the delay. He sent me the answers on time when I was out of this world trying to get the things done before the trip.

In case you don’t know Ned Cresswell yet, he’s the owner of the San Antonio Farm in the Intag region, here in Ecuador. Here are the previous questions and answers:

#1 From London to an isolated village in Ecuador

#2 Why sustainable tourism in San Antonio

My third question is:

For you, what`s the hardest part of being in charge of a farm? Are there things you’ve learnt the hard way?

Ned’s answer:

Well, perhaps the hardest part of being in charge of a farm is the endless work. In fact, I would say that it is closer to the truth that the farm is in charge of me! I generally start around 5am and finish about 7 in the evening – quite a long day.

Most things I have had to learn the hard way, as I had little experience either of farming or of the realities of life in Ecuador. For example, when I first started to milk the cow, I could just about get enough milk for a cup of coffee!

I try not to take life too seriously, but I have learnt that you do need to be a bit careful in Ecuador if someone asks you for a favour. There are certain situations where Ecuadorian law converts the favour into a legal right. For example, if someone asks permission to use the water on your land for their household, the moment you say “yes!”, you have given legal, irreversible right to that household to take water by hosepipe from your farm for ever after. A bit scary, because the favour is often requested (and therefore granted) as if it were trivial.

So yes, I have had to learn the hard way to be more cautious and guarded in my dealings with other people. A simple friendship, which is relatively common, for example, between two Ecuadorians or two Englishmen, is actually very rare, in my opinion, between an Ecuadorian and a “gringo”. Nearly always, the relationship is complicated by the perception that the “gringo” has money to spare, and can easily be parted from that money.