I learned late Friday that Maya had Monday and Tuesday off for Rosh Hashanah, so it was time to take a little vacation. Eric was exhausted upon his return from New Jersey/Baltimore, but I convinced him to take a couple of days off before starting to work in earnest. I wanted to try the train through the 'Avenue of the Volcanoes', but that meant getting up very early Saturday, and that was not going to happen. Maya had been urging us to go to the hot springs at Papallacta, so when Eric agreed, I quickly made reservations at Hostal Coturpa (much more affordable than the lodge we usually go to). Maya was less than thrilled when she heard we were taking the bus. She often gets ill on the bus, and the movies that are shown are often bloody and violent.
The problem was getting Eric moving Sunday morning. Maya was up early doing her homework and practicing violin. Eric made an arrangement to meet with his collaborators, and we left later than I wanted....but all went well. We taxied to Cumbaya, caught the bus, which turned out to be new and clean and not as smelly as I remember. 'Cowboys and Aliens' was playing, which frightened Maya terribly. We arrived at Papallacta before dark, and once we found our hostel only 300 metres from the road and dropped off our bag, we took bathing suits and towels and hiked up higher for what was supposedly 2 kilometers, but felt much longer. We spent a few hours in the hot springs until it was truly dark. I was almost too hot in the water, but very relaxed when we headed down the hill. It was cold and getting colder. It was amazing to see Antisana suddenly visible across the valley, magnificent and covered in snow.
We stopped at a restaurant 'Choza Don Wilson' for dinner, but after sitting down and getting a visit from the waitress, we were told there was no more food and we could not eat. We were told to hike up the hill again, but our feet took us downward to 'Restaurant Quitenito'. An older lady invited us in, and we chose from all sorts of written signs distributed throughout the over crowded room. Maya had a chuleta (beef, not pork)- and Eric and I shared trout. It took long for the food to come, especially when another family came to order dinner, and our host became overwhelmed. she forgot the empanadas until the end of the meal, which we ate with 'hierba louisa' tea. Maya's lips were turning blue as she waited for her food.
When we got back to 'Hostal Coturpa', we were relieved to find three blankets on the bed and a heater. We all cuddled in together to watch movies and to sleep.
It was even colder the next morning, and getting out of bed was painful. The sky was full of clouds, and the tops of the mountains shrouded in fog. We hiked up to the 'termas' and then further along a rushing river, through several microclimates and changes in vegetation. The hike is familiar to us, I think we do it every time we are here. I looked for birds (too late to see many) and heard them in the trees, but did not get close enough to photograph any. We could really feel the altitude; I was surprised that I had adjusted to the 9000+ feet of Quito, but here were up another 2000 or so, and hiking upward was tough. Maya was like a mountain goat, skipping along with ease!
Eric worked while Maya and I had massages at the spa. He was happy to have internet and the time to catch up on work he wanted to do anyway (rather than leave Quito).
When we returned to the hostel, the owner had much to say about the state of Ecuador, and engaged in a long conversation with Eric. When I asked about the timing of the buses to Quito, he told us they could come on the hour, 15 minutes after or 15 minutes before, or on the half hour, or anytime in between. So Ecuadorian; the bus would come at any point during the hour. We waited about a thirty-five minutes when we arrived at the bus stop, and again found the bus comfortable and clean. Except that again, the choice of movie (unavoidable, with two TVs and the noise blaring) was violent and disturbing, and even I had to turn away. The traffic was intense, and it took a long time to get back. From Papallacta, the bus first ascends to a pass, and after that gradually descends from the paramo through green fields and canyons. The view is stunning, and the ride a little scary, with all the wild turns in the road and incessant descent.
Eric asked Melissa and her student over for dinner, and I tried a quinoa soup that worked out well. I also made brownies which tasted like caramel, delicious, but clearly I need to learn how to cook at high altitude. Their consistency and look were not quite right. Less sugar, less baking powder, more liquid (including butter, which is a liquid when cooked) are the changes to make.
The problem was getting Eric moving Sunday morning. Maya was up early doing her homework and practicing violin. Eric made an arrangement to meet with his collaborators, and we left later than I wanted....but all went well. We taxied to Cumbaya, caught the bus, which turned out to be new and clean and not as smelly as I remember. 'Cowboys and Aliens' was playing, which frightened Maya terribly. We arrived at Papallacta before dark, and once we found our hostel only 300 metres from the road and dropped off our bag, we took bathing suits and towels and hiked up higher for what was supposedly 2 kilometers, but felt much longer. We spent a few hours in the hot springs until it was truly dark. I was almost too hot in the water, but very relaxed when we headed down the hill. It was cold and getting colder. It was amazing to see Antisana suddenly visible across the valley, magnificent and covered in snow.
We stopped at a restaurant 'Choza Don Wilson' for dinner, but after sitting down and getting a visit from the waitress, we were told there was no more food and we could not eat. We were told to hike up the hill again, but our feet took us downward to 'Restaurant Quitenito'. An older lady invited us in, and we chose from all sorts of written signs distributed throughout the over crowded room. Maya had a chuleta (beef, not pork)- and Eric and I shared trout. It took long for the food to come, especially when another family came to order dinner, and our host became overwhelmed. she forgot the empanadas until the end of the meal, which we ate with 'hierba louisa' tea. Maya's lips were turning blue as she waited for her food.
When we got back to 'Hostal Coturpa', we were relieved to find three blankets on the bed and a heater. We all cuddled in together to watch movies and to sleep.
It was even colder the next morning, and getting out of bed was painful. The sky was full of clouds, and the tops of the mountains shrouded in fog. We hiked up to the 'termas' and then further along a rushing river, through several microclimates and changes in vegetation. The hike is familiar to us, I think we do it every time we are here. I looked for birds (too late to see many) and heard them in the trees, but did not get close enough to photograph any. We could really feel the altitude; I was surprised that I had adjusted to the 9000+ feet of Quito, but here were up another 2000 or so, and hiking upward was tough. Maya was like a mountain goat, skipping along with ease!
Eric worked while Maya and I had massages at the spa. He was happy to have internet and the time to catch up on work he wanted to do anyway (rather than leave Quito).
When we returned to the hostel, the owner had much to say about the state of Ecuador, and engaged in a long conversation with Eric. When I asked about the timing of the buses to Quito, he told us they could come on the hour, 15 minutes after or 15 minutes before, or on the half hour, or anytime in between. So Ecuadorian; the bus would come at any point during the hour. We waited about a thirty-five minutes when we arrived at the bus stop, and again found the bus comfortable and clean. Except that again, the choice of movie (unavoidable, with two TVs and the noise blaring) was violent and disturbing, and even I had to turn away. The traffic was intense, and it took a long time to get back. From Papallacta, the bus first ascends to a pass, and after that gradually descends from the paramo through green fields and canyons. The view is stunning, and the ride a little scary, with all the wild turns in the road and incessant descent.
Eric asked Melissa and her student over for dinner, and I tried a quinoa soup that worked out well. I also made brownies which tasted like caramel, delicious, but clearly I need to learn how to cook at high altitude. Their consistency and look were not quite right. Less sugar, less baking powder, more liquid (including butter, which is a liquid when cooked) are the changes to make.
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