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.