On Monday afternoon, after finishing up our independent project presentations, we left for our second excursion to Cotopaxi – tierra del volcán. We arrived in the evening amidst pitch black skies, our bus slowly climbing through the rocky mountain roads. All of a sudden we saw lights in the distance and realized that we had finally arrived to our home for the next few days – Hacienda El Porvenir. We were received with warm cups of tea called cañelazo and small empanadas. After a romantic dinner over candlelight we were off to our tent-like bedrooms heated by wood stoves to rest before a big day ahead of horseback riding and hiking.
The horseback riding was spectacular. We all got dressed up in ponchos and chaps made of wool and leather. We rode through the Andean highlands, got to see some great views of Cotopaxi and Ruminahui, and experienced the mist of the paramo. In the afternoon we set off for Cotopaxi and with the help of a local guide we hiked to 4700 meters in the middle of a wind/snow storm to the refuge. At the refuge we warmed up with cups of hot chocolate and delicious tea, rested, and some brave group members continued up to the start of the glacier line at 5000 meters. It was an impressive sight, especially because we could see just how much ice has melted in the last decade due to climate change.
In the evening we were back at the Hacienda preparing to surprise Ben Darcy for his 16th birthday with a cake and a bonfire. The surprise was a success and the walk to the bonfire underneath the stars and the milky way was breathtaking. Thanks to Lily, we all signed a soccer ball that we gave to him as a memory of his first birthday away from home.
The next day we split up into two groups. Half of the students went to do a zip lining tour over the forest and rappel in the afternoon while the other half decided to stick around the hacienda to bike ride and rest. The bike riding group did more resting then biking because we didn´t anticipate how difficult it would be to ride up and down the rock filled, dirt roads. The zip lining group had a great time exploring the forest and flying across a lush canyon vaulted on both sides by rock walls. Then they rappeled down a 90 foot rockface and spent some time after lunch wading peacefully in river that divides the canyon.
We left Cotopaxi in the late afternoon and en route to Quito for the grand finale of Ben´s surprise – a viewing of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince which our stduents had been asking us about since we first arrived in Ecuador. When they found out that we weren´t going back to community, but instead staying in Quito for the night to see Harry Potter, go out for dinner and dancing, there were excited screams that came from every corner of the bus. It was a fun night.
Today we let everyone sleep in and recover from the intense days in Cotopaxi. In a couple of hours we will head back to Panecillo where we will finish laying new pipes for the water project and set up different activities with the youth of the community.
Saludos!
Sarah & Shereef
