In the fog forests of Mindo and the crater landscape of Quilotoa

16/10/2018

In fact, we didn't have to hurry that much, as the next bus to Mindo only leaves in about 1.5 hours. But we use the time wisely and try to improve our Spanish skills, which have been deemed insufficient many times before.

The drive through the mountains, as so often, is a feast for the eyes. We have to be careful not to get too used to the beauty of nature.

Arriving in Mindo, we set out in search of our hostel - the Mindo Guesthouse. Tripadvisor and the like rave about the charming older couple who run the hostel. And yes, they are even more amazing than the stories say. It's a perfect find.

Our planned stroll doesn't happen as we get stuck in the kitchen with the current residents. But in the evening, we all head to a small lake known for its loud frog concerts. Unfortunately, a smart investor took advantage of that and built an exclusive hotel with small wooden bungalows around the pond. Anyone who wants to witness the mating rituals has to pay 5 dollars, but they also get a small wine tasting. It's all about proportionality. Since everyone considers the spectacle too expensive, we stand aside with our own beer and listen. Well, you can't really call it listening. Our conversations become funnier and louder. After a while, we are punished with angry looks and a request from the hotel staff to please be quieter. So we start making our way back home and toast Carsten's birthday together.

17/10/2018

The next morning, we meet up again for an international breakfast. We throw together German fried potatoes, Israeli Shakshuka, and 'Italian' tortillas before we embark on our journey into the fog forests.

With the seven of us, we make our way steadily higher for two hours, passing bamboo forests, until we finally float over the deep valleys and cascading waterfalls in a small gondola. 

Unfortunately, when we reach the top, we realize that the gondola is not currently in operation. So we walk back down the other side of the mountain and admire the waterfalls from below instead of from above. 

Little by little, we shorten the distance to our destination. The waterfalls are not spectacular, but perfect for splashing around. So we take off our pants and jump into the cold water. 

from left to right: Massimo, Carsten, Annika, Richard, Mom von Gaia, Catherine, and Gaia

As we make our way back, the sky starts to darken. Before the rain begins, we manage to reach home with dry feet after covering a total distance of 18 kilometers. In the evening, we enjoy a fantastic carrot and sweet potato soup. We spend a long time in the kitchen again. Our companions from the 'island' Catherine and Richard impress us with their humor and great outlook on life. We plan to meet up with Massimo from Italy and Gaia from Israel again. Rich and Catherine head north.

On the other hand, we head south towards Quilotoa. Hiking at 3500m awaits us. It's supposedly going to be cold....

18/10/2018

The whole day is dedicated to the journey to Quilotoa. We catch every bus and make it to our hostel in Zumbahua just before closing time. Great place names. On the way, we catch the first glimpse of the Cotopaxi volcano, which towers impressively at almost 6000m. The last eruption was only 5 years ago. So it's no surprise that we seem to see smoke rising again.

In the bus, we admire the locals of the Andean highlands. Beautiful felt hats, colorful woolen skirts, and shawls wrapped around them protect them from the cold and the sun.

The valleys spread out in front of the village of Quilotoa in the morning light. Crossed by a wide, steeply falling gorge.

We start early. We get up at 6, sit on the bus at 7, and start the ascent to the highest point of the 'Quilotoa Loop' at half past 7. This hiking trail describes the circumnavigation of the gigantic and beautiful crater lake. It has a circumference of about 13km.

We quickly cover the first kilometers. The path is good and wide. The view is magnificent. We feel like we take a break every 10 minutes to try to capture the scale of the landscape.

Halfway through, we start mentally preparing for the ascent. 

We see a thunderstorm approaching from a distance. We have covered a little over 3/4 of the loop and start walking faster. But at some point, we lose motivation and the chances of reaching our starting point dry diminish. Luckily, the only restaurant near the rim of the crater is not far away. Two other Ecuadorian couples are already waiting there for a taxi. After 30 minutes and a cup of coffee, instead of the expected colectivo, a pickup truck arrives. No problem with the sunshine. Unfortunately, it starts raining just as we get in. So the six of us squeeze in and admire the hail in the dry.

In the end, we are said to have covered over 10 km and almost 1000 meters of uphill in 4 hours. At this altitude, it's no piece of cake for us. In the evening, we realize that our complexion has turned the color of tomato salad. We should really get into the habit of bringing sunscreen.

We spend the rest of the day planning the rest of our journey.