On Sunday, July 12, 2015, I stepped out onto the street in front of my hostel. Daylight was barely beginning to dawn as I quietly walked about 100 feet up the steeply inclined street in front of me. After quietly knocking on the front door of another hostel (and tour agency), I giggled when a security guard came to the door looking as if he were half asleep. Less than twenty minutes later, I found myself aboard a small bus, zooming through the streets of Quito, preparing to head south through the Ecuadorian countryside. Our ultimate destination was the “Quilatoa Crater”.
Quilatoa is a popular tourist destination just a few hours south of Quito. It is a huge two-mile wide volcanic crater (caldera) with a beautiful lake inside. The lake level itself is at 11,483 feet (3500 meters) above sea level.
This post contains 65 photos photos telling the story of my visit to Quilatoa, and then includes my flight into the skies above Quito, less than two days later (including 7 more photos).
As usual, the photos in this post are thumbnail images. Please click on any photo to enlarge it. The thumbnails leave much to be desired as far as colors and resolution – plus the thumbnails clip all of the edges. I use thumbnails for the post itself, because it gives people an opportunity to get a summary glimpse without downloading huge amounts of data for the high-res photos.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE TO HIGH RESOLUTION
After about an hour of driving south, our bus stopped in a small town where we met our tour guide and all had breakfast together. Soon, we were back on the road again. Eventually, as we left the main highway, we stopped to visit a large “typical street market”.
We didn’t have a lot of time, so I hurried around by myself, taking in as much as I could before our scheduled rendezvous time.
Lots of street food for sale.
And a huge section filled with exotic fruits, most of which come from the jungle side of the mountains.
Pineapples, melons, tomatoes, oh my.
Everywhere I go, the traditional clothing changes.
But transportation options often have a familiar flair. This is different from Guatemalan open-air pickups … but similar in concept.
After leaving the market, we drive for a half hour up into the mountains … and then stop in the middle of nowhere by a tiny farm hut – where we stop to visit a traditional family.
This hut was totally dark inside … they had no electricity. I took this photo with a flash. The corner is filled with live guinea pigs, all being grown for food.
Also with a flash, this appears to be their kitchen area.
They do have gas stoves. The walls appear to be black with soot.
Our tour guide, standing in one corner off the house.
More guinea pigs in another corner. They are everywhere.
Even with a flash, the inside of the roof is so black from smoke that you can barely see it.
A birdcage, also inside the house.
This upside-down Bart Simpson mask was interesting.
The little hut as seen from the outside. The farmer is the man in front, with the poncho.
He gave me permission to take his photo.
That is part of his family behind.
We are at quite a high altitude here, and the terrain is more rolling hills, with different climate and vegetation.
After driving another half hour (or more), we briefly stop at a view area. We are continuing to get higher and higher. We must be at least 12,000 to 14,000 feet in this spot.
Soon, after stopping at an artist shop, I cannot resist taking this photo (same mountain behind) of a small scarecrow.
That is our little white bus in front of the artist shop.
One of their “works of art” adorning the sign outside the shop. It is beautiful and very unique.
Inside the shop. I expected that they were going to do some type of tour and/or do demonstrations, but that never happened.
These types of masks are very traditional in this area.
This woman runs the shop, and a lot of what is displayed is her creation.
As we get higher and higher, the mountains are increasingly rugged.
Glimpses of a small village as we pass on through.
More of the village.
A glimpse of the surrounding landscapes.
We pass these canyons as we approach the Quilatoa area.
I love this woman standing by the road with her sheep.
By the time we reach Quilatoa, it is raining. This photo was taken through the wet windows of the bus.
A sign in the little village that sits atop the ridge where our trail/hike begins.
A sign at the top of the trail. It was so wet on the bus window, that I cannot read the sign.
I borrow some rain gear from the tour bus and we begin to hike to the bottom.
This is a sign at the very top of the trail. It reads “Welcome … Ecological Reserve Los Llinizas … Quilatoa Lagoon”.
Beginning to walk down the upper part of the trail … I was paying close attention all the way down, trying to decide if I would be able to walk back up … or if I wanted to pay to rent a horse to bring me back up. (And I am very conscious of the fact that the high altitude will make the hike back up ever more difficult.)
Finally, my first glimpse of the Quilatoa Crater and lake below (barely visible just above the head of the person in front of me).
The clouds and rain were still impacting the view as we began descending on the inside of the crater. Even with the fog, it was gorgeous.
Looking a little more to the left.
Zooming in on the water below …
… and zooming in on our actual destination below.
Me, in my rain gear and borrowed walking stick. My belly sticks out because I am wearing my day-pack on my front side, trying to keep it dry (and also making the raincoat fit better).
Continuing down the trail. If you click to enlarge, you can see the lake as well.
Gradually getting closer to lake level. By now, the rains are temporarily backing off, and the air is less foggy.
It is gorgeous here.
Looking down at one piece of the lake below.
Looking back up at part of the trail behind me.
Another view to the left below.
Looking back up at the ridge. We started the hike up there on top, just left of center at the top of the ridge.
A nice view of the lake, as the weather continues to cooperate even more.
The trail is quite steep here … and long too. By now, I am deciding that I really do want to ride a horse back to the top.
A glimpse behind just after two horses passed me going back up.
Increasingly closer … down … down … and more down.
More horse riders in the foreground.
Our first stop will be on top of that peninsula straight ahead.
Looking off to the right side as we get closer.
Approaching that peninsula.
Turning around to look back toward the top … way up there.
Using full zoom, you can see the top right in the center area of the ridge above.
The altitude is quite an issue here. As I mentioned earlier, the lake level itself is at 11,483 feet (3500 meters) above sea level.
Some of my group posing at the end of that peninsula, still slightly above lake level.
In case you cannot tell from the rain gear, I am second from the right.
My clothing is so “flattering” … but I am having fun.
Finally, I am standing on a sandy beach. It is too cold to swim, but I do briefly touch the crystal clear water.
Looking out across the lake.
There is construction here on the beach. They are building a new pier.
Finally, after a short rest, it is time to climb. I think there were three or four of my group that decided to rent a horse. The tour guide took this photo for me.
My view for most of the return journey. At least the saddle was so much more comfortable than the one on the mule that I rode on as I climbed back out of Colca Canyon (Peru) about a month and a half earlier.
We had a little more drizzle as the horse carried me back up, but at the top, the rain again subsided … giving me some beautiful views through clear air.
The place where we hiked to is at the bottom right corner of this photo …
… and looking off to the right. The place where we hiked to is at the bottom left of this photo.
After this fun, but tiring journey, our tour included a delicious meal in a restaurant just across the street from where I took this photo.
As soon as we finished eating, we loaded back into the bus and drove for a few hours, returning to Quito at around 6:00 p.m..
Quito Wrap-Up
I was exhausted as I walked around Quito that night, looking for a quick meal. I could not wait to crash on my pillow.
I spent most all of Monday, July 13, packing and making final preparations for my early morning flight to Guatemala.
Early on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 (at around 3:30 a.m.) I turned off my alarm, stuffed my pajamas in my backpack, and nervously waited for one of the hostel employees to join me in his little school-bus – one that was parked directly in front of my room. He had a job driving kids around during the day, and agreed to take me to the airport for the same price as a taxi (about $40).
The ride went quickly because of the time of day. We made the journey in just over an hour. If there were traffic, it might have taken two or three times that long. The airport is quite far out of town.
When I got to the airport, I was so early that I had to wait twenty minutes for the Aero Mexico gate to open. A half hour later, I was through security, and tiredly waiting for the plane … feeling thrilled that I was able to access the WIFI using my little android tablet.
Finally, I was on board my plane, preparing for takeoff.
In this photo, I am in my seat, looking through a rainy window toward the tarmac below.
And we are being pushed out of the gate …
At full speed and beginning to lift off from the runway.
In the air, looking down at final views of Ecuador.
Looking back at Quito in the distance.
And looking down at a portion of the Andes Mountains.
And finally, as the clouds take away the view, I begin to focus elsewhere.
So many mixed feelings flow through my heart as I ponder the journey on which I find myself. It has been nearly twenty months since I first flew into Lima, Peru, to begin this magical South American adventure. I am not even close to being the same person that went to Iquitos, in the Amazon Jungle, in the early days of December, 2013.
I have been through two robberies, each of which brought huge bursts of gut-wrenching fear – each of which resulted in huge faith-building trust and growth.
I have spent a year and a half, exploring shamanic plant medicines, both in the jungles and in the tops of the Andes, experiencing profound emotional and spiritual growth in so many ways, many of them unplanned and totally unexpected.
I have experienced so many natural and historical wonders of the world, a partial list including places like: The Amazon Jungle, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon, Paracas, The Nazca Lines, Beach Paradises, The Galapagos Islands, the Equator, many volcanoes, and so many magical archaeological ruins that they are too many to count.
But it is now time to let go and move on to more unknown adventures.
Hasta La Vista Ecuador … and Hasta Pronto Guatemala. (See you later, Ecuador … and See you Soon Guatemala.)
Butterflies fill my stomach as I realize that in just over nine hours, I will be landing in Guatemala, where so much of my more-than-six years of journeying have taken place. I wonder how I will be received … what I will do … how I might continue to heal and further open my heart.
Trust fills my heart … giggles fill my heart … I will find out soon enough.
Copyright © 2015 by Brenda Larsen, All Rights Reserved