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Published: July 20th 2009
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JULY 13TH. SECRET GARDEN. COTOPAXI NARIONAL PARK. 3500M. GETTING COLD "No its not my kinda scene, footprints on the other side remind me of where i have been" -POWDERFINGER Any chance i get, i like to ride on top of a bus, truck or train. When our driver said that two of us had to ride in the back of the truck i jumped at the opportunity. Unfortuntately if i knew who i would be sharing the scenery with i may have thought twice. Not for the first time has some obnoxious yank spoiled the ambience. For some reason he felt the need to knock back a sixpack of the local pilsner along the way and proceeded to belch (not burp) uncontrollably the entire trip, his empty bottles left to rattle at the bottom of the truck. I shouldn't have been surprised...but really?
For me the main attraction for coming up to the Secret Garden Cotopaxi was to sit by a mountain stream and fish for trout all day (as advertised). Upon arrival though I was informed that fishing was no longer available, and in fact, there were no fish in the river anyway. My second reason for
coming was to get as close as possible to Vulcan Cotopaxi...but because the group would be doing a different activity the following day I wouldnt be able to do this until the day after. This left me a little annoyed...I understand that they recommend 4 days here in order to enjoy all the activities but nowhere did they mention that if you were only here for 2 you might not get to do the activities of your choice. So if anybody reading this is planning on going for less than 4 days...check ahead first or you may be dissapointed.
At 5900m, Vulcan Cotopaxi is one of the highest volcanoes in the Andes...streching high above the paramo, a habiat unique to the Andes. This area is known as the Avenue of the Volcanoes and rightly so. Four volcanoes in varying stages of activity surround the hostal and the view is literally breathtaking. The group i arrived with decided to go for a short hike but after being surrounded by people for the last week i chose to stay and enjoy the view in solitude...i was still staring at the view 3 hours later when the group returned. Unreal. From the
hammock on the porch, Cotopaxi with its perfect snow capped peak just demands your attention, the mountains and hills surrounding it tunnel your view as if pulling it into frame. A wander around the hostal reveals a number of strange plant species. One in particular caught my attention because its leaves were completely white and rubbery..how would such a plant photosynthesize i thought? Upon closer inspection the white was actually very fine, long threads of some kind of hair and if you rubbed at it, it would slowly reveal the green leaves beneath...very strange.
After a meal shared around the table with the other guests, i found myself wanting more and more to be by myself and alone with my thoughts...i was feeling anxious about something but i didnt know what, i was also missing my friends. I Returned outside into the cold evening, kept company only by the stars...the view was just as good at night. You know you are high when you are looking down on lightning...the storm clouds to the south and below were struggling to breach the rolling hills in the distance leaving the sky above me clear, the milky way casting a faint glow.
I decided that i would leave early the following morning for Latacunga and do what i came here to do...travel by myself. As I walked to my dorm a shooting star streaked across the sky and i felt good.
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Steve
non-member comment
Awesome
Hey dave... Keep it coming man.. Gives me a bed time story every night.. I love it... miss ya man