Narnia

How can a place look so diverse?  Our earth never ceases to amaze me in all its created beauty.  After settling into our cabins and having a delicious soup for lunch we were given the opportunity to try on mud boots for the hike to the waterfall.  Our guide Jack kept joking that he hoped he remembered the way and along the way I certainly saw that we retraced our tracks but after all he had only been there once before.

The path led us down the driveway across a field and into a forest.  This forest was taken straight from Narnia complete with a large creek, trout, moss-covered drooping trees and plentiful rocks.  At times we hiked in the water hence the mud boots.  At other points we were grabbing the roots of trees to pull us along the cliff at the water's edge.  And my favorite part was the rock climbing the side of one of the waterfalls.  The water was cold as it tumbled down from the high Andes peaks.  The sun peaked through the branches lighting our path but not warming it.  Long-sleeves were certainly in order and I knew at this point I would not be jumping in.

The hike took a couple of hours and the whole time I just was taking in the scenery.  The creek bed was so isolated.  The steep cliffs let only those who knew the way explore. (Narnia)  We had to rely on each other's help to guide each of our steps.  The hike was not an easy one but the whole time I couldn't help but think of how much my boys would enjoy it.  They would have been up for the challenge.  The pictures I took will not do this place justice.  Imagine the sounds of the water at times falling and at times moving slowly.  Imagine the sides of the creek so wet that each foot placement held the importance of life and death.  A fall here would not bring a quick response.

Each time we reached a waterfall we asked if this was the one, the goal.  Only after we had scaled one did we find the ending fall we were awaiting.  It was actually a double fall.  The large was in the back and fell into a shallow but wide pool.  The smaller fell into a deeper pool but even at its deepest was only 4 meters.  Two brave souls donned swimming attire and made the plunge for a free drink back at the lodge.  They didn't stay long because of the frigid temperature.  I climbed up to gaze at it and contemplate.  Immediately I knew my sister would make this plunge but I didn't have it in me.  Cold water for me is like a death sentence.

We hiked out a different path and quickly were up on top with a view of Cotopaxi which was just peaking out of the clouds.  On the way back it slowly emerged from its clouded seclusion in all its snow-capped glory.  And we, we were all grateful.

The rock face waterfall we climbed.

The final double waterfall. 

Into the area of Cotopaxi

I left Quito for my stay in the mountains, not that Quito isn't mountainous being the second highest capital in the world, but I was headed to a more rural mountain area.  Our van was packed and I had to ride on the jump seat which would be reasonable on reasonable roads.  The roads leaving Quito were smooth and nicely paved but that was not to last.

We turned off the main road to head to our location overlooking Cotopaxi.  The road up was cobbled but with large cobbles.  It was far from smooth and I was being jostled in that little seat with barely a cushion.  The road wound around up and down and past many farms.  I was stunned by the variety of things being grown in this high region of the world.  Of course there were potatoes which had been domesticated here, and I had eaten them daily since arriving.  But there were so many other things being grown.  Huge squashes and pumpkins sat ready to pick on the vine.  Artichokes jutted out of their stems.  Corn was planted neatly in rows on hillsides.  Amaranth stocks graced some gardens. Animals were tethered all over the sides of the roads, a brilliant way to feed and maintain the overgrowth.  It was clear the population was trying to sustain itself through the crops and animals and it seemed as if they were doing a wonderful job of it.

The next thing I was struck by was our driver's lack of concern for people walking and other cars.  I watched an elderly lady crossing the road with a small child be hurried across by his forceful driving.  I wondered how a culture would develop this lack of concern or care.  Cars were of no concern either.  The driver several times would pass around blind corners and quickly dash in front of the car he had just passed but even stranger the drivers would then always give two toots of their horn, both our driver and the others.  Our driver did not hold the exclusive on this type of driving.  He was passed as many times as he passed others.  The road was slow going for the most part because of its structure.

Finally we turned down the dirt/rocky road to our destination; The Secret Garden Cotopaxi.  Off in the distance the hostel sat against a grass covered hill.  Each building with its unique style was set perfectly against a spectacular background.  The view of Cotopaxi was obscured but the surrounding landscape gave a taste for what would come when the mountain decided to show its face.  This place was perfectly situated and perfectly built.  The rooms blended in with the natural setting and the furnishings were all natural as well. Wooden, custom built bunks lined the edge of my cabin with wood stove in the middle.  We had been promised a waterfall hike a bit later and I couldn't wait to explore.

A good home base-Quito, Ecuador

I landed in Quito late at night and was tired from having been on east coast time since I traveled directly from New York City.  The taxi ride in was long and I could barely keep my eyes open.  They have built a new airport outside the city and ingeniously re-purposed the old using it as a park.  I strained to keep my eyes open and observe the city.  The road was very well built as it wound down from on high to the edge of old town and my shelter for the next two nights.  We pulled up, I spoke to the night guard and he showed me to my private room with a shared bath.  I had chosen to splurge on the first two days because I knew I would arrive late and need a good nights sleep.  The room had wood floors and a comfy double bed.  There was even a tiny window above my bed that looked out upon the city.  I slept well that night and the next.

The next morning I climbed the stairs to the rooftop of the hostel and ordered breakfast.  The view was amazing from this location.  I could literally see all of Quito including the Virgin Mary statue, teleferico, many churches and plazas.  The breakfast was simple; yogurt, homemade roll, fruit and granola.  Immediately I started chatting with other travelers.  I met a total of ten teachers on this trip and the first person I met in Quito just happened to be one.  He was traveling from Quebec with his family; wife and three kids.  His family was still tired from the plane ride.  He told me they had walked Quito the day before with the guide and then without.  He said the unguided tour was better because you could take your time.  After his family arose I met Amy, a future doctor who had been studying/practicing medicine in Ecuador and was now on her own to travel before returning to the states.  We decided to go on the walking tour together and since we both liked learning a bit about a place choose the guided tour first.  Gabby would be our guide and three others joined us, Steve and Nikki, a couple from Australia traveling all of South America and Nick another American traveling solo.

Gabby was well educated on the history of the sites of Quito and guided us giving us caution about our bags and cameras.  She would tell us when it was safe to have them out and when it was not. The one location where she had us go inside was the Benalcazar House which signifies the beginning of old town.  They display Ecuadorian artwork as well but the most interesting part of this house was the entrance.  There are bones inlaid to ward off evil, some human bones and some animal.

 Gabby guided us through the two main plazas and then left us at the convent and told us of the tunnels which ran underneath.  Within these tunnels were the stages of Ecuadorian history and artwork from each stage which had been replicated for sale.  There were some very unusual pieces of a sexual nature, surprising for being sold in a convent.   There were a few places Gabby had pointed out that we all wanted to revisit later and after she left us that is just what we did.

First we all needed food.  Gabby had told us about her favorite juice bar which also served delicious empanadas.  Just as she promised it was delicious.  After we were nourished we made a plan. We wanted to go to the Virgin Mary statue but it was unsafe to walk the path up there as muggings were common.  We shared a cab, all five of us jamming into one.  That made the ride cheap.  The cab wound its way up the hill and to the park where Mary's wings were outstretched and her eyes overlooked the city.  This is the only Mary with wings we were told.  She is made of metal square panels and you can climb inside to the viewing platform.  The views of the city were well worth it.  There were also vendors lining the park with their wares in these very nicely made stalls.

A man began to talk with me when we had walked over to the park portion.  He happened to be a tour guided and explained his English was so good because he had a English girlfriend in the past.  He hit on me with the line, "You know the best way to learn a language is to take a lover who speaks it." It still makes me chuckle.  This guy had nothing appealing about him whatsoever.  He was short, round and not handsome.  I told him I knew Italian better than Spanish to get rid of him and luckily or unluckily an Italian man came to my rescue upon hearing that.  I felt bad because I haven't been practicing my Italian since I was traveling to a Spanish speaking country so I couldn't really communicate but at least he saved me from the creeper and graciously snapped photos of the group.

We took the bus back down the hill, much more economical at .50 cents but it dropped us off in the wrong part of town up on the hills in the west.  We then had to make our way down and back up to the churches we wished to visit, no small task in Quito the second highest capital.  You have to walk slowly and I couldn't even imagine trying to exercise aggressively at this elevation.

The gold church, Inglesia de La Compania de Jesus, was our next stop.  The gold church is nicknamed such because the inside is completely covered in gold.  The problem with a gold church is that people who are poor would like some gold so in the past they would scrape little flakes off in order to sell.  The church is very well protected now.  As you visit you can see the places where people took a little gold home.  The gold was excessive and not attractive at all.  I really don't understand the appeal of it.  Just because it is shiny doesn't make it valuable, at least not to my eyes.  Besides so many poor people could be taken care of with the amount of gold in this church.
It was over the top and showed the history of Spanish conquest in graphic form. In other words, "we don't care about these people who live here but we would like to take all of their gold and use it to build a church that is on the way to one of their worship sites just to influence them to be like us. Oh and if they don't agree we will just kill them."

Next was the cathedral which was only recently finished and though is made to resemble Notre Dame is made of modern materials such as concrete.  Instead of gargoyles, this cathedral has all the significant animals of Ecuador such as armadillos, tortoises and iguanas. It is called the Basilica del Voto Nacional.  There are three towers that can be climbed and so we did but the best part was a restaurant bar tucked into one of the towers where we ordered beer and wine, yes in a church. Cheers to a great first day in Quito!!!