Hacienda La Alegria Quito

... second highest summit in the country, reaching a height of 5,897m and is still active and apparently due for an eruption (the last one being in 1877). Cotopaxi means "Throne of Moon" and the mountain was honored as a "Sacred Mountain" by local Andean Indians even prior to the beginning of Inca domination in the 15th century. <br><br>We opted for the riding rather than the climbing option for this particular trip and as we have had great bike rides during our ...

... good. When we told the owners they told us about how they had fumigated above where we were staying a week or so ago and mice just happen to drop from the ceiling every now and again. So they understood. It´s understandable. I didn´t argue too much. Caroline found another place which included free use of the kitchen and free bread, eggs and milk in the morning. French toast here we come!<br><br>What a way to start a day ...

... Quito to the Equator. We spent a few minutes admiring the statue that marks the equator (which is actually about 400 feet from the actual GPS located equator), and then hiked a ways to a giant crater. We talked to locals at the edge of the crater who told us that the aggriculture community that lived below was completely self sustaining without much outside infuences. They have no cars and must hike an hour up the steep crater wall to leave their ...

... waiting. We had also heard that robberies were common, particularly pickpockets so I made sure our money was well hidden, and backpacks were somewhere where they couldn&#8217;t get slashed. The trolley bus was full before it left the bus terminal. On the bus we spoke we someone who told us we had to change to another bus before we got to Quito old town. Sure enough everyone got off at a station called Chimbacalle where most passengers walked ...

... also the official border of Lumbisi, was crossing the river. Jumping from rock to rock both Freddy (with little Martín on his shoulders) and Grace ended up with wet shoes and so Alex, Mathilde and I decided to take of our shoes, roll up our pants and walk through the freezing mountain water in the still chilly morning air. After the crossing, the climbing began for real. It turned out there were no real path, as I had thought, but instead we marched through barely visible animal paths ...

... etc... they both took turns playing the harmonica and flute while we all ran around in a circle around the outside of them. Every so often one of them would yell ¨Fe-cha, Fe-cha¨ and we would turn around and run in a circle in the other direction. I realise this doesn´t sound like much, but I can tell you it gets very dizzy after about 5 minutes, add some local alcohol to it and the fact that apparently they do this for hours on end, going from house to house ...

... by 4 or 5 regional bus companies. There are two large, connected concrete buildings there which house, on the outside but under cover, 10 or so almuerzo restaurants with outdoor tables, and artesania vendors. But the real treasures are to be found inside the buildings. One building is filled with stalls selling all the produce and fruits you could want, attended by local ladies, and occasionally gents, just waiting to make the best deal possible. The problem ...

... my name and passport number, ignoring the feelings I had (perhaps I was overreacting, I thought). After filling out the paperwork and as we began heading upstairs, the man warned us, &#8220;No se puede cancelar (you can&#8217;t cancel).&#8221; Once we reached our room, Ania blurted, &#8220;I can&#8217;t picture myself sleeping here at night.&#8221; "Oh my goodness, I feel the same way too!&#8221; I said. &#8220;Okay, I think our mutual feelings tell us ...

... take you to a store to buy it" Sweet! By the way, the police officers here are awesome. Very nice, funny as hell, and helpful. So after I wait hours for paperwork and talk with a few English people I take a ride up to the armor store and buy some maze. They then take me back to my hostel. So next time I will maze their ass, then kick their ass. What an entertaining day.<br><br>Oh check out my picture of the *******s behind me. <br>

... After a few hours, the doorbell rang, and in came Jon, Tania and Dina- our 3 adorable aihados (godchildren). It was so wonderful to see them, and, although they have, of course, grown a lot since my last visit in 2005 (and enormously since I first met them in 2003) their little faces are still so dear and familiar. It was a joyful reunion, and the joy increased incrementally when the regalos (gifts) came out! Dina, who is 6 and very outspoken could think of ...