After a restful night's sleep at the hotel, we ate breakfast at the hotel, and we were off. About forty-five minutes into our journey, we stopped to grab some snacks/water and examine some of the wares of some indigenous people in front of the store and restaurant. Many bought colorful alpaca scarves or canvas paintings of some of the legends and celebrations of the indigenous people. We also had the opportunity to grab a photo and besito from Pepito, the llama. We then continued on our journey up to 12,000 ft at the Cotopaxi National Park. When we were driving up, Victor our guide and Bolívar our driver noticed the clouds clearing from the peak so we pulled over and frantically took pictures before the clouds blew over it again. Pictures and descriptions cannot give an accurate picture of how small I felt while standing there.
We then continued on our trek to our hiking destination, passing wild horses and various backpackers and bicyclists until we arrived at a lagoon. We went with a local guide on a forty-five minute hike around the lagoon, showing us different flowers and plants that are used for medicinal purposes, and giving us great opportunities for more pictures of Cotopaxi. We also learned that Cotopaxi is the second highest active volcano in the Andes. Scientists monitoring the seismic activity determined that it might be due for an eruption soon, to follow the historical pattern, but we completed our day without experiencing that! It was a brisk hike, with a fierce wind in some places. Some of us felt the altitude at some points, when even a little incline left us gasping for breath. At the end of the hike, Victor asked us to pause and reflect on the beauty of the day. He had us close our eyes and just hear and feel nature, and, if we believe, God. It was a very calming experience; even though we were close to the main road in and out of the park, there were no motor noises during those two minutes of reflection. We have learned a lot about Pachamama, Mother Earth, during this trip, and all that the Ecuadorian people have done and are currently doing to protect her. Atahualpa, the last Inca ruler was ultimately killed because he refused to believe God was just in the Bible, so strong was his belief in God creating the world around him. Recycling is so important here now, and every restaurant has a system for recycling plastic, glass, paper, and then organic material.
The bus then took as down the mountain a bit, reaching the Cafetería where we would eat lunch. On the way, Victor had explained to us that this was a very special lunch. Usually, they have ham and cheese sandwiches with potato chips for us, but today we got a more authentic lunch. We started with locro de patata, a warm potato soup with queso fresco, a slice of avocado, and cilantro. We then had choclo con queso, corn on the cob with cheese. It was a filling lunch, topped off with mini cookies and té de coca, which the natives use to combat the altitude. It was a perfect ending to an excursion filled with ll the beauty nature has to offer.
On the way back to the city, Victor gave us samplings of the finest Ecuadorian chocolate, coming in at 77%. He had three different kinds for us to try, and we all plan to purchase some at the grocery store before heading back to the States. We ended the day with another stop at the Artesanía market, where we bought a few more souvenirs.
Tomorrow, we head to Riobamba and indigenous villages. It is basically a few days of travel with a few stops along the way. We then spend two nights there before heading back to Quito for a short night's sleep before our early flight home. As long as the next hotel has wifi, I will tell you of our adventures with the indigenous people. Tonight, we say goodbye to two of our groups, as only two of e four are continuing with the extension.
Hasta luego...
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