I knew I wouldn’t make it through a food free FD and the the stir fry was the sensible option or I might have resorted to the cheese and that would have ended very badly…….
This topic contains 7,125 replies, has 64 voices, and was last updated by Barata 9 months, 2 weeks ago.
I will bet that one of the changes in Japan over the last 20 years, Jo, will be the greater uptake of the Western diet, with resultant obesity and health issues.
Our autumn has struck. Where we were having over-night lows of 17 a day or two ago, today we only reached 16 as a high. And there is another tropical cyclone brewing near Vanuatu, with us in it’s sights.
Hello fasters,
Catching up after a few weeks of travelling with a French friend in NZ:
Sorry to hear about your son, RT. That is a real worry.All my warmest wishes for a speedy recovery.
Glad the holiday was great, Amazon.
Glad the air is warming again in Europe. It got to -12° at our place in France.Quite pleased not to be there.
I am doing a 5 day as much a fast as possible. My splint ankle got so bad I went to the dr who found I am MRSA and gave me strong antibiotics.
I celebrated my milestone birthday with a warning from the dr that the ankle could get worse and I had to surmise what the dire warning was ( septecemia I think).
I have to stay with my foot up till it’s better. I can’t fast and take antibiotics, so I drink kefir with its 13 active ingredients and eat a bit in the evening.
It’s not bad being at home as it is autumnal, as Barata says.
I am happy to be back on board this thread.
Love Wiwi
Morning/evening all,
Wiwi, sorry to hear about your ankle. Now the problem has been diagnosed and you’ve been given medication it should heal up. You can fast once it is better 🙂 💐
Jo, the only reason I was so hungry yesterday is because it was the second day of my first fast for 2 and a half weeks and I was attempting B2B food free days. I only had 600 calories over the 2 days which is fine. The reason for going food free is to cut out nibbling and it works so I want to stick with it. I’m sure the next B2B will be much easier.
I’ve broken my fast with a small bowl of Bircher.
I’m going to an exhibition this afternoon and then on to dinner.
I’m so pleased the weather has improved to what we would expect at this time of year 😀
Have a good one everybody 😜
Hi Fast Trackers and Hello World (You All know Who You ARE) 😉
A husband and wife came for counselling after 15 years of marriage. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a passionate, painful tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the 15 years they had been married.
She went on and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of un-met needs she had endured over the course of their marriage.
Finally, after allowing this to go on for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and, after asking the wife to stand, embraced and kissed her passionately.
The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze.
The therapist turned to the husband and said, “This is what your wife needs at least three times a week Can you do this?”
The husband thought for a moment and replied “Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Friday’s, I fish!
Have A Happy Weekend All You beautiful Losers 😆
Peace RT
Hello Amazon, (your name appeared on the ‘most recent posts’ so I decided to pop in to see if you were back from Ecuador). Over coffee this morning, I have read with interest all your posts recounting your food diary and look forward to the promised account of your tour. Ecuador is a country holding some interest for us as a potential retirement destination. We did explore Uruguay for this reason but found the food awful – very bland and absolutely everything came deep fried. Your experience sounds a lot more varied and appetising by contrast.
Hi to all the other familiar names – hope you’re all fit, well and happy.
Jo,
I’m sorry, but you can’t use that excuse not to cycle! Cycling is a low impact sport (like swimming), since it’s non-weight bearing – your weight is supported by the bike (water). Your dancing and even walking will be higher impact on your joints than cycling.
I hope the acupuncture helps with the pain, constant pain is so debilitating.
Hi Thin!
Morning/evening all,
Jo, I’m with Happy regarding cycling and it is helping my knee that has had two surgeries and my hip get stronger and has not irritated either joint.
I weighed myself this morning and weight the same as before I went on holiday, I’ve only fasted twice this week which means I only gained a pound or possibly two while I was away which means I’m doing well so far as chnagning my eating habits are concerned 🙂
Equador, where to begin……
I landed in Quito on Friday afternoon. The group stayed in a lovely hotel converted from an old house in the suburbs. We went out for a light dinner to a place called Crepes and Waffles so I wasn’t expecting much.
I was surprised at the length and breadth of the menu as it offered much more than its name suggested. I had a delicious savoury crepe stuffed with mixed and raw veg in a cheese sauce which came with a small salad and it was delicious as was the house wine which like all of the wine I drank in Ecuador, came from Chile.
The next morning we got in the bus up to a viewpoint of the city then took a walking tour of the old city which was very interesting and very busy as it was Saturday and many of the locals were out and about. We had a nice lunch in a restaurant in one of the squares and then got on the bus for our journey to Bellavista cloud forest reserve.
The tour route went north then back through Quito and down to the southern city of Guayacil.
After a drive along some steep and winding roads with spectacular scenery we arrived late afternoon in the pouring rain. We were shown to our rooms, fitted out with a pair of wellies and left to our own devices until we met for drinks and a briefing before dinner.
The rooms were wooden chalets with stunning views of the forest.
Opposite reception there was a row of feeders which were surrounded by hummingbirds so most of us spent a good hour watching them and trying for the perfect photo.
While we were having dinner we were called outside to see what the lodge think is a rare and previously unknown species of nocturnal mammal called an Olingo.
They look rather similar to polecats and we were lucky enough to get a really good view of it. A great start, hummingbirds, some other beautiful birds and a rare mammal 🙂
The next morning we went for a walk in the forest. We saw lots of birds, butterflies, bugs and interesting plants.
We then left for Ibarra which involved a stop at the Equator which we crossed several times in our travels. We were given an interesting talk about the Equator, how it was discovered and how without lots of instruments, satellites etc the scientists/explorers worked out where the equator was, what it was and we were also given convinving scientific reasons why we should be looking at the map of the world with East at the top rather than North.
We stayed in a beautiful hacienda style lodge for the next two nights.
The next morning we travelled to a local farming community and spent the morning and early afternoon with a family on their farm. They reared a small number of cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits and lots of guinea pigs for food. They had a pair of oxen for ploughing the land and kept bees for their excellent honey.
They grew all manner of crops, quinoa, lots of different types of corn, beans, peas, potatoes and numerous other vegetables, limes, oranges, several types of passion fruit.
We participated in a few activities including prepping beans for lunch, making tortillas and then eating them with honey and some of the braver members of the group had a go at ploughing with the oxen.
We were then served an amazing lunch on the lawn of their beautiful garden before visiting some spa baths. There are lots of them around as there are several volcanoes in this part of the country some of which are still deemed to be active.
The spa bath was great despite the rain and we arrived back at the hacienda refreshed and hungry.
We met in the bar before dinner to try Cannelaso which is a traditonal drink in Ecuador. It is made from cane sugar spirit, sugar, lime juice, hot water and cinnamon and is supposed to be downed in one!
The next day we departed and stopped for a trek around the crater of the extinct Cuicocha volcano crater. On the journey we were afforded excellent views of another volcano, Irambarra. We had a local guide for the trek and while we were kitted out in walking shoes/boots/coats and hats, he truned up in white trousers, a sweater, little white shoes similar to espadrilles and his Panama hat (which originate from Ecuador) He didn’t speak much English but we were able to understand him as he pointed out the various plants and there medicinal or other uses.
The walk was exhilerating and not as tough as I thought it might be at altitude. All the cardio work in the gym was obviously worth the effort.
After the walk we travelled onward to a town called Cotacachi where we had lunch and some free time to explore before moving on the Otavalo Market for a browse around the stalls alive with cries of “Alpaca” followed by “one dollar” as scarves etc were thrust in our faces 🤣
We stopped overnight at a luxurios hotel/spa with a fabulous view of San Pablo lake and the mountains.There was a jacuzzi outside my room which some of us made good use of.
The next day we travelled south, crossing the Equator once more to our lodge in the Amazon rainforest where we would stay for two nights.
After dinner we went for a night walk in the forest wearing a different set of wellies and spotted a few things, the most exciting of which was two snakes in a small pond fighting over a frog that one of them had caught and killed. We watched the battle for several minutes before leaving them to it.
The next day I lay in bed at dawn watching a troupe of squirrel monkeys moving through the trees which was a fab way to start my day.
We had a long trek in the forest which was hot,humid and challenging in wellies but very interesting. This was followed by a visit to an animal rescue/rehabilitation centre. We then went back to the lodge for lunch before crossing the river to visit a local village house and another walk where we spotted a rare bird called a Hoatzin and lots of cayman. We also saw squirrel monkeys, capuchins and woolly monkeys.
The next day we moved on to the city of Banos where the tour company wouldn’t allow us to stay as the volcano erupted 30 years ago………..
We spent a couple of hours exploring Banos and then travelled to the spectacular Rio Verde waterfall and then on to another beautiful hacienda for an overnight stay.
Every night apart from the forest/jungle lodges I stayed in a beautiful room with a king sized bed some of which were 8 feet wide!
The next day we were due to walk at 4000-5000m at the Chimburazo volcano but unfortunately me and a few others were adversely affected by the altitude and unable to participate. Apart from the exercise itself, we didn’t miss any of the views but it was still disappointing not to be able to do the walk.
When we reached our destination in Riobamba we had a couple of free hours and I was able to recover in time for an excellent dinner.
This time my room and bathroom were the size of my flat!
The next day we drove to Alousi for train ride o the Devils Nose which is called so due to the shape of the mountain. The train travels down the mountain using a series of switchbacks. We stopped at the bottom for an hour or so which gave us time for lunch and to watch local dancers from the village entertain us, then we got back on the train and back up the mountain. It was fabulous and I thoroughly enjoyed it especially as each carriage had a guide who told us about the construction of the railway and the surrounding area.
We then visited Ingapurra which is where the only Inca ruins in Ecuador are to be found. They were not very extensive and had been rebuilt in many places, so not very impressive but interesting nonetheless.
We arrived in the beautiful city of Cuenca for 2 nights. Some of us went out for dinner to a local restaurant I had read about in my guide book and wanted to try. We were not disappointed. It was situated in the town square and was spread over 2 floors. It was very crowded, lively and had a great atmosphere. The food was very good with a mix of traditional Ecuadorian and food from other parts of the world.
The town square had a bandstand and there was a military band playing with a siazeable audience.
The next morning we did a walking tour of the city, taking in most of the old part. Cuenca is built on 4 rivers which form natural boundaries to differnt parts of the city. We went to an incredible ceramics studio and shop where all of us parted with some money and a couple of other interesting places which included the Modern Art gallery which I loved. We also visited the Panama hat museum and a shop that made and sold them.
We had a free afternoon and I headed off to the Aborinigal museum which had an extensive collection of artefacts going back to 4000BC. I spent a couple of hours there then sat in their conservatory with a nice cold beer mulling over all the fascinating things I’d seen before heading back to the hotel.
I returned to the same restaurant, this time with a larger number of the group and we had another excellent dinner. This time the bandstand was occupied by a group of young men break dancing and on our way home we stopped for a few minutes and watched their incredible move.
The next morning we drove to Cajas National Park for another fabulous walk with a local guide who spoke excellent English and was very knowledgeable. We saw lots of birds and interesting plants plus a herd of semi-tame llamas who posed nicely for photos.
We stayed overnight in a beautiful ranch style hotel situated in a valley overlooking the river. We arrived mid afternoon so had plenty of free time to walk one of the trails or simply relax. It was very luxurious and every room had its own hot tub 😀
It also had a shop which sold some fabulous things. I bought myself a scarf which is made from Alpaca wool.
We dined in a private room complete with indoor waterfall and river……..
The next day we descended to sea level after spending almost two weeks at high altitude.
We visited a cocoa plantation, made some chocolate which was turned into hot chocolate, were served a delicious lunch and then travelled to the Mangroves. We took a walk in the forest in search of howler monkeys which we could hear but never caught sight of, then took a boat ride. It was a lovely quiet peaceful way to spend the late afternoon. We saw lots of birds; ospreys, roseate spoonbills, several types of heron, cormorants, ibis and numerous others plus a few lizards.
We arrived in the city of Guayacil for our last night. We went out for dinner before saying good bye to our tour leader and driver who were both travelling back to Quito for their next tour.
The next day I explored some of the city including the town square which is home to 200 land iguanas and the city museum which was very interesting bfore heading to the airport.
It was a fabulous tour with a wide variety of experiences. It was full on and I was very tired when I got home but it was worth it.
The people of Ecuador are very friendly and everywhere we went the locals greeted us in the street.
The food was very good with a wide variety to choose from. They eat a lot of rice, potatoes and beans but there is plenty of meat and fish and a huge amount of vegetables plus lots of delicious fresh fruit. They grow very high quality organic and non organic cocoa in Ecuador and the chocolate is world class.
The cuisine in many places was much more sophisticated than I expeccted considering the relatively small number of tourists compared to other South American destinations and the service everywhere was of a very high standard. We were looked after very well.
I need a coffee now!
Have a good one everybody 😜
Goodness me Amazon what a mighty fine post of deliciousness 😉 writers week is coming up i book you as main speaker 😉 that is so cool congratulations well 35d yesterday 35 today glad you enjoyed Pt Mac Nama sort of a showdown today but not really not long now to the real stuff can’t wait…Jojo passion and desire we must contine to chuck a few logs on the fire or it will go out and we cant be having that now can we…..keep smiling.
Have a great day efficient fat burners
RT
A beautiful diary, Amazon. Equador sounds like a great destination. I guess continental Equador is overshadowed by the Galapagos Islands.
Sorry, Jojo about no cycling. I am in the same situation. I can’t go swimming either.
My new electric bike looks at me reproachfully, ridden only by OH.
Happy weekend
Wiwi
Amazon, what a fabulous account of your amazing trip – thank you! I really enjoyed reading all that. What a lot of great memories you will have. It all sounds very inviting – except the snakes and monkeys! I had to laugh at the town called Banos – toilets! I’m copy/pasting your account to read again later.
JoJo, hello! Well done on starting & maintaining such a lively thread. Yes, we intend to see out our dotage in a country significantly less expensive than Australia – Ecuador comes highly recommended as a potential destination but we’ve explored many and are still considering Spain, Botswana and a few others. People think we’re mad – and we probably are.
I used to have significant knee joint pain but the lost weight served to alleviate most of that. Just lately, I have made a concerted effort to reduce the amount of animal protein in our diets (my OH was working away for the first month which made it easier but even he is embracing the ‘eat mostly plants’ mantra). I’ve noticed that my usually puffy looking knee joints are actually significantly more ‘normal’ looking for the first time in 30 years. Another side effect was that, without trying at all, I have lost another 1-2kgs and am now comfortably below 60kgs. Mung beans soaking as I write.
Congratulations on your fasting longevity PVE. And presumably Mr P. I’ve been happily maintaining with two fasts per week for about 31 months. I love my FDs and have never missed one yet in nearly 4 years. NFDs remain a work in progress.
Hi Happy and everyone else. Must return to the SHs, but lovely to catch up with you all.
Thanks so much Amazon, for taking us on a voyeurs’ tour of Equador. You certainly had some experiences!
We were leaving the beach this morning and a life saver warned us that a 1.5 metre brown snake was slithering along the lawn ahead of us. We skirted right around, took a photo and jumped in the car. In 60 years of going to this beach I’ve never seen one right down amongst the people on the beach before. Apparently it was an Eastern Brown snake..responsible for 60 % of snake deaths in Aust. Nice!!!P
Having been born and raised in the UK, I’m too soft to live somewhere with poisonous snakes, spiders, or larger animals that want to ear us!
Amazon,
What an incredible amount you crammed in while you were there, no wonder you were tired! I was exhausted just thinking about your itinerary! It sounds amazing.
I’m not sure we’ll get out of the UK this year. I love my animals, and polytunnel, but they/it are a tie…
Happy, Billy Connolly once said it’s a wonder any children in Australia ever grow up to become adults, there are so many things to kill you. Last year, I was sitting right at the waters’ edge on Rottnest Island (off the Perth Coast for those who aren’t familiar) when a dugite slithered across my towel. I am terrified of snakes and monkeys. Fortunately, there are not so many monkeys downunder.
Morning/evening all,
I’m glad everyone enjoyed my journal.
I always take a note book and write a few lines every day, mostly to remind me where I took photos and it is very useful to remember what I did/saw and where I was at the time.
It was a full on trip but the company I travel with seem to take the attitude that people probably visit most places once so they try to include as much as possible.
I did know the reason why the place is named Banos but I’ve forgotten………
Have a good one everybody 😜
I looked it up, Amazon: Baños is appropriately named after its dozens of waterfalls, hot springs, and surrounding rivers. It is a naturally beautiful town with a population of less than 20,000, a pleasant climate year-round, and an ancient affinity for miracles. The town’s full name is Baños de Agua Santa, “Baths of Sacred Water”. Sort of like a bathroom.
tanga, what happened in WA?
Unsure what vile boiled veg is but I’m sure I don’t want to try it 😆
I can’t believe I’ve been home for 9 days, I don’t know where the time goes.
It would seem that the cold Siberian weather was the last kick of winter for this part of the world as the weather this past week has been much milder and seems set to continue 😀
I made a nice squash, potato and blue cheese bake for dinner which I served with some savoy cabbage. It was very filling……
Back to fasting tomorrow 🙂
I thought it was a typo and was trying to work out what you meant 😆
My dinner was delicious. It was my version of a meal made by a friend after she had carved out a Hallowe’en pumpkin for her children and didn’t want to waste the flesh so used a recipe from a leaflet that came with the pumpkin!
I am really enjoying a mainly vegetarian diet with the occasional helping of fish/meat and found it quite difficult to eat meat almost every day. It is amazing how quickly our preferences can change.
Hi Fast Trackers And Hello World (You All know Who You ARE) 😉
I have been fiddling around with a few experiments of a different kind last week of combinations to fulfil the cook once eat twice mantra with cabbage and mushrooms not a particularly attractive combo but not a vile Jojo combo either 😯 and applying different cooking styles and regions I enjoy the challenge. Well its Adelaide Cup day here in SA a very low key horse race and the Government grant us a public holiday but our Beef Processing Company is QLD based and do not recognise this point and pays everyone time and half so a full processing day Monday so lets get our fast on 4-3 is my protocol and fits in very nicely
ADF 182 fast days
4:3 156 fast days
5:2 104 fast days
SA votes next Saturday we have had the same Government for 16 years so it will be interesting to see how that pans out have a good fast week Fast Trackers.
“It is easier to avoid eating than to stop eating once started”
Peace RT.
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