I...Can't...Breathe...

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We have a lot of ground to cover in a limited amount of time, so we say goodbye to Quito and make haste to our next leg of the trip, Cotopaxi. Now since Ecuador does not have an extensive train system and buses take twice as long we elect to hire a car and driver through the hacienda where we'll be staying.

Cotopaxi is one of Ecuador's many volcanoes and is situated in the middle of a national park. The ride through the park and up the volcano is a long and bumpy one over gravel roads, good thing the car we hired is an SUV. An hour and a half later we arrive at the parking area where the cars are left behind and those that are able begin their trek up the mountain. The parking area sits at ~15k feet above sea level, the peak at ~19k. There's also a refuge lodge in the middle where those who do the hike to the top spend their time waiting for a break in the weather. It's only 1k feet to the refuge but I'm having a hard time catching my breath and feel a little dizzy. High altitude and asthma just don't mix. Megan on the other hand isn't fazed at all, like she was born and raised at these altitudes. The weather on the mountain begins to turn on us poring down stinging hail so we take our hint and move on.

Another long and bumpy ride later we arrive at our hacienda, Hacienda La Cienega. Situated back off the road through a tunnel of trees, the place is absolutely stunning and the 300 years of history definitely shows through. We're shown to our room, simply furnished and clean with a reading room that has a fireplace. The nights tend to be brisk here and the hacienda staff go around to all the rooms and light the fireplaces. An excellent and cozy way to cap your day.

We grab lunch at the restaurant in the hacienda, being that we are somewhat isolated from any real civilization here we're sort of stuck with eating on the premises. After lunch we spend a few hours exploring the hacienda grounds; there's a horse farm, a quaint little chapel, and a courtyard laden with exotic flowers and plant life. Later in the afternoon, like clockwork, the dark clouds roll in bringing the rain with it. Heavy thundering downpours, perfect time to settle in at one of the hacienda's gathering rooms in front of the fire and catchup on some reading.

At dinner we're "treated" to a musical performance by a local band. A little loud for the cramped dining room so good thing we arrived late to catch the tail end of the performance.

Tomorrow's Laguna Quilotoa, crater lake, can't wait...

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