Hacienda am Cotopaxi

Today we were picked up at 11:00 am by a private driver/guide in Papallacta. He was supposed to take us to our Hacienda near Cotopaxi. The ride was very pleasant. He told us great things, including pointing out the 'Beware of Bears' sign. These bears could appear in the area from time to time. Well, that's great, and here I thought there were only guinea pigs here! Just past Papallacta, he suddenly stopped and said, 'Look, there's a condor in the sky!' Wow, that was gigantic, seeing that huge bird soaring above us with the help of the wind. Daniela filmed the spectacle with her camera. We thanked Gabriel and continued on our way. Unfortunately, he had to stop again after a short while because we both needed to go somewhere. He just laughed and stopped in front of a small restaurant where two very kind locals were sitting. We were able to use their restroom, and in the meantime, Gabriel ordered a grilled corn cob. Well, our corn cobs in Germany are already big, so I thought, but when I saw this corn cob, I wondered how corn can grow so big. I was told it's a special kind of corn. After a little small talk with the people, the journey continued. It was nice to see how the locals in the small villages sold their goods by the side of the road. What bothered me were the people who jumped in front of cars during a red light phase to sell something to the drivers or the guests. Even a man with a physical disability hobbled in front of the 1st car with his crutches and juggled balls. Since there were also motorcycle police officers standing in line, I thought, oh, there's going to be trouble now. But no, they were asked if they wanted anything too.

We left Quito behind us and drove through a town called Machachi. Here, Gabriel told us that the people make a living from agriculture. There were large fields with cattle and cows on both sides of the road. That immediately reminded me of the beautiful Allgäu. In the background, you could occasionally see the Andes and the volcanoes peeping through the cloud cover. Unfortunately, Cotopaxi was not visible yet, it was completely covered with clouds. There was a sign that said Cotopaxi 21 KM, and I said to Daniela, 'I have to go to the bathroom again.' She said, 'Come on, let's wait another 10 minutes, and then I'll tell him.' Okay :-)....! Hmm, a short time later, the normal road turned into, well, how should I describe this road????? It was a road made of cobblestones with numerous potholes and bumps. That went on for quite a while, and my bladder was almost hanging in my arms. Daniela asked Gabriel if he could stop for a bathroom break. He said, 'We'll be there in 3 minutes!' Alright, then step on it! But we really arrived quickly. We drove up a small gravel road, and there was the Hacienda in front of us. It is beautifully located and very lovingly decorated inside. It somehow reminds me of a ranch. The horses are standing right next to the main building in a pasture. There are hammocks attached for relaxing, and the view on all sides invites you to dream once again. We got the suite, for whatever reason, well, never mind. It is very spacious, and we feel very comfortable. After freshening up and having a snack, we took a walk along a hiking trail on foot. The goal was a waterfall. We walked for a while through meadows. A stream was gurgling to the left of us, and I liked the path. Behind the next curve, our sign pointed into the jungle. Well, since it was relatively cool and the creepy animals only appear in warm weather, I bravely walked this densely overgrown path without having a screaming fit, all the way to the waterfall. The waterfall came rushing down with great force. We took some pictures and then started the way back. On the way back to the Hacienda, the weather improved, and we had clear blue sky on one side, and proudly, the Cotopaxi volcano revealed itself. Wow, it looked gigantic. A few steps further, I found a horseshoe, well, if that's not good luck. When we arrived back in our room, an employee started the wood stove for us. After a short while, the room became cozy and warm. Since we are struggling with the altitude here, we went to bed early and were almost dozing off already. Around 8:30 pm, our door suddenly opened. A staff member brought us two hot water bottles and added more wood to the stove. Gracias and good night.