Quilotoa and Bus Rides

Hello amigos!

So, I made it all the way to Quilotoa and back. It was an adventure throughout. First, we rode with our family for 3 hours (shuffling two children between laps). We watched How To Train Your Dragon (I loved it again in Spanish). Then we got on a bus and so the buses stop whenever people want and at assigned stops but they dont like make announcements or anything. So, my solution is to make sure everyone in the vicinity of my seat knows where I need to get off by asking loudly each time we stop if this is it. Luckily this plan worked and we got off. Also, the moon is completely full and it lit up the whole landscape. I can't even describe how hauntingly beautiful and lunar it looks because it is so dry and cold there isn't much vegetation.

Then we got in a truck to our hostel. Luckily they still had some food and the fire was going in the woodstove in the center of the common room. It had been hot that day so it was quite a shock to the system to go to the cold.

The next day we set out around the rim of the lake. It is such picturesque country just craggy hills with squares of grain. There were shepherds and sheep wandering the steep hills. One had a cell phone it was pretty ironic. Also, the lake is at like 12,500 feet. So the altitude made it difficult. Every time we went up an incline I had to catch my breath. The terrain changed from moment to moment. Sometimes craggy rocks and sometimes sand like literally sand you would find at the beach to beautiful wildflower lined path. The lake was green though it changed colors as the clouds skimmed over it.

And then, to get home. We took the truck this time riding in the back to the first bus. Then we transferred to another bus that took us part way until we had to get on yet another. So, on the buses they are always playing music and people are selling stuff so I am going to do a stream of conscious example of my typical bus ride.
Maybe I'll practice my Spanish as I ride....what can I get here...your eyes...never leave...always...panflute interlude (the universal language)...song change...ok maybe this time I'll understand..."have to change" (was that you or I, maybe it'll come up again)...your eyes (again!)...love..the words you must...looking out the window: That aloe plant was the size of a Christmas tree!!...And drowning out the words now "Empanada, empanada...helado,lado,helado,cola"

Now you have had the feeling of the bus in Ecuador. Pictures are taking too long to load, you will have to come back. I head to a 3 day stint with a community in the jungle. We have a 5 hour hike into the community! I am excited and a little nervous. Won't be updating until Wednesday because I don't think remote Jungle villages have wifi.