Baños, Illinizas, Otavalo, Quito, corrida and much more

From the beach, being very sad about that, we left for Baños. Small city with aquas termales, situated on the slope of volcano, in the Amazonian basin.

We have arrived there with Ruben - our new Argentinian friend. By the way he said he´s gonna be Polish ambassador in Argentina meaning we´re always welcome at his place and who made up some nicknames for us. Zosia was named as la Reina which means The Queen since she has barely talked to him. Well - quite hard to do so since he barely spoken English and she does not speak Spanish. I was named La Actrisse - dunno why - and I have got to know that my pronunciation and accent are very erotic... And Stefan was named El Italiano since he more speak Italian than Spanish and a little bit look like Italian. Anyways, so much fun with Ruben - and I spoke Spanish with him all the time! During those 4 days I improved so much my Spanish that last  night we even had discussion about marriages and cultural differences between Europe and South America and so on. Funny.

Ok - in Baños we walked around after arrival and sleeping off night journey, went to aquas termales, ate dinner and organized next day, for which we rented bikes to bike along the rivers and watch some amazing landscapes. So in the morning we left home around 9.30am got on the bikes and the day started. It was quite easy to do since almost all the time down the slope. There were some amazing waterfalls all around which we visited. Once we have arrived to the tunnel where police let us go. Thus,when we arrived to other tunnel we didn´t notice any signs that bikes are not allowed in. We have got in and after 200m we realized it was pitch dark and I don´t see totally anything where I go. On the both sides where gutters and lots of mud. And of course the wall. Suddenly I have felt that my handle bar is not straight any more and I turned but couldn´t see how far or how close I was to the wall. Next moment I realized Zosia is almost on the wall since she couldn´t see where to go either. The problem was that the other end of the tunnel was hidden behind the turn so no light was getting into. And of course we did not had light either. Stefan made his was through just by keeping his handle bar still. I managed only thanks to the quad who had miserable light and thanks to that I could see from time to time the reflective lights in the middle of the road.

Yes - that was the most ridiculous and stupidest thing we had ever done so far on this trip. Seriously we could easily have had an accident. All next tunnels we passed around by the special path for bikes. We just didn´t notice this first time that there are such paths.

Later on we have visited some other waterfalls, all great and nice but not comparable with Foz do Iguacu. That was the most impressing waterfall I´ve ever seen in my life.

When we were tired - instead of getting on the bus back home - we hitch hiked. As far as I remember it was 5th car which stopped and had taken us for the pack. Hitch hiking with bikes - ít´s something. Btw. when we were on this car riding through that tunnel - we realized who stupid we were.

From Baños we went up north, to climb us on Illiniza Norte - old volcano. We hitch hiked a bit from Baños, then from Ambato took the bus to Chaupi where from by pick up - got to the bottom of the mountain where the path is starting - 4000m above sea level.

The Illinica Norte - for me and Zosia mainly was about beating our life records and reaching 5000m of altitude. When we arrived there, on the way up our heads started to hurt. We reached the shelter at 4300m, ate disgusting dinner (salsa de tomate happened to be ketchup instead of expected tomato sauce) and went to sleep. Guys working in the shelter told us the best view is at 8am thus we wanted to wake up at 6am to get there by this 8am. When we had got to the tent our heads were horribly pumping and we couldn't fall asleep. By that time we had a feeling that i might be to much change of altitude and we may not make it all the way up next day since there was another 800m to go up. Luckily I had some pills so after taking them, we could fall asleep at least for a bit.

In the morning while we woke up, we realized the headache is gone!!!! Yaaaay!!!! Let´s go up. And the sky was clear contrary to the evening. What was amazing we were that high that could see all clouds from above. There was like a sea of clouds below us and from that only few peaks were standing up. Our Illinizas Norte and Sur, Cotopaxi - most famous volcano and Chimboratzo - the highest mountain in Ecuador. Amazing views!!!!!!!! AND WE DID IT!!!! WE HAVE ALL REACHED 5050M which means beaten our life records!!! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet :)))))))) Check out pics :)

All in all we were quite surprised by our bodies since we have moved from 0m up to 5000m within 3 days.

Ok, from Illinizas we moved all the way up to Otavalo - the biggest market in South America on Saturdays. In the evening we were thinking that it looks quite small. but in the morning it was amazing. We totally have got crazy with shopping. I have spent so much money althoiugh the prices was quite affordable and good. Me and Zosia - we loved bargaining. I have already had some practise from India thus we were doing quite good together. I was bargaining in Spanish and Zosia was always leaving saying that it is too much. That resulted in lowering and lowering the prices. Some time they were even chasing us.

From Otavalo, next day we went for day trip to the lake in volcano crater - but nothing amazing. I would even say that it was quite disappointing.

From Otavalo we came back to Quito. Here spent 2 days. First day - day trip to Mitatd del Mundo which means - center of the world. there we were standing on the equator!!!! Sweet! Well... to be honest the exact equator is a bit further than all the marks and the line (exactly 17m north I believe) but anyways! Nice.

Second day I convinced Zosia and Stefan to go see corrida. I t was such an experience. Wow!!!! Quito is celebrating 475 years of its foundation thus and there is week of corridas. Each day at noon. That is quite a big thing, so many people, so many stands, beautifull Ecuadorian hostesses (Stefan was excited quite a bit :). We have got to our seats and right there we realized that teh atmosphere is so great there. Everybody make friends with people around, all are so nice, share food and drinks. AT the beggining they have sung Quito anthem and then the corrida started. When we saw how they kill first bull - it was quite brutal. But later on to be honest we kind of got used to it. I mean - the bull is the king of the show. What was surprising for us is that even us - complete laymans - could tell which toreador is better. Btw. There were three of them and the second was the guy who is 4th best in the world and the third was the best Ecuadorian and as far as I remember 5th in the world. And in all the corrida all first 5th were showing up - only that the other days.

We have quickly made friends with people around us. behind - where 3 guys who decided to get us wasted but instead of - they did. All people around shared food with us, shared alcohol and talked to us and had fun. We have drunk bear, whisky, sangria, wine & vodka based drink. They had that special kind of thing for alcohol and where they were pouring that to our mouth - at some point we realized the whole sector around us was looking at us instead of at the corrida.

Later on one of our amigos invited us to his restaurant where took us by his car. It happened to be quite fancy restaurant with 15 years of tradition, where he served us awesome dinner with local food (sea food, some Ecuadorian special soup made of bull foot etc). One of the best dinners in life. And it was on him. We didn´t pay single dollar. During the dinner his friend who own hostel came - that guy is speaking great English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was such an experience and relief to be able to speak English normally - finally. After 2 months... so nice :)

Next day we left for the jungle which happened to be a bit disastrous trip. At the reserve entrance, after 10h of journey, we were told that we can´t get in without guide. But organised trip was way too expensive for us per day, especially that it was 4 days long. So we enede up walking around, we got in the jungle but haven´t seen any animals as during those trip is possible. Although we have got soaked from that heat and humidity, have seen incredibly beautiful butterflies and black-orange-white snake. Yes yes yes.... it was coral snake which we had no idea about. And what is the story about?
Zosia was the person who desperately did not want to see any snake....and she was the first who spotted that coral snake. The problem was that the snake was hiding in leaf and brunch litters. Thus I told stefan to turn on the camera and record a movie while I took bug stick and started to dig around the snake to make it move.... We finally managed to make it move and see it a bit more properly. It was about 1m long and about 5 cm wide ... Yes, we did play with coral snake, one of the most venomous snakes in the world... Well... we happened to be ignorant and not know anout that tiny, little fact...
In the evening we came back, by night bus, to Quito. Yesterday slept off till 3pm and then walked around in La Ronda - nice, old,colonial neighbourhood. Today we tried to find Vivarium to visit but didn´t menage. And now, in few hours we´re gonna go for the party to that restaurant of our new amigo - Esteban. Last night I had to call him to ask if still we are welcome (he said we must come after jungle) and I did talk Spanish with him on the phone and did communicate well!!! i´m so happy because it means my Spanish has got back at least a bit. Sweeeeeeeeeet!

Btw. we´re curious how it will look like - this party - since it seems like the people who come there are quite well-off  including f.ex. Bulgarian consul or so on....

Oh! I forgot - after corrida, before we went to the restaurant - me and Zosia were dancing on the stage because there was a concert. Haha! And we have got some gift as an umbrella and thermos. Hhahaha, funny times.

Ok, I must finish - I guess it is already quite long note but finally I did catch up.

Hope you enjoyed.

¡Hasta luego!