I should have adopted this pose for more of the trek, for then I wouldn't have lost my beanie in those fierce winds!

The Quilotoa Loop

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September 17th 2012
I gasp involuntarily, both from the shock of the bone-snappingly cold wind of these high Andean plains and the sight of the volcanic crater that drops dramatically away beneath my feet. The walls, serrated from violent eruptions and the incessant whippings of the winds, plummet downwards until they meet the blue-green water of the mystical crater lake, known in these parts as <em style="mso-bid ... read more

South America » Ecuador » Centre » Quilotoa » Chugchilan

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The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A b... ... read more