Our week has been full of activities and our trip is about halfway over. On today’s list of events is From Quito: Quiltoa Lagoon Full-Day Tour with Lunch. This is an all day tour (11 hrs) so this is the only thing we planned for today. We had the option of choosing between 3 locations as a meeting spot so of course we selected the closest to us which happened to be Plaza Foch. Thankfully from our Airbnb on the bus it would only take 26 minutes.

We wanted to make sure we left with enough buffer time so we planned to leave at 6:20am with a meeting time of 7:10am. One thing about the buses here is that they come every 3-5 minutes which we love. I made it a point to send a message to the activity provider that we’d be off wifi but that’d we’d be there on time and to look for us (and sent our picture). We left around 6:25am and arrived around 6:50am. Since we got there so early we took pictures around the neighborhood

We were the only ones to be picked up at that location but we stopped in 3 other areas (one being Cotopaxi) to pick-up other groups. Today Alex would be our driver and Jose would be our guide. Here are some facts Jose shared with us:
•The Quilotoa Lagoon was a volcano 800 years ago and is 270 meters deep
•Just around Quito are 20 volcanoes
•The difference between a volcano and mega volcano is a mega volcano has a valley

Our first stop was at the town Saquisili in the Cotopaxi province. Here there was a market that we got a chance to go around and look it. We ended up getting a few things at the market (mostly food). There were many dogs there hoping for scraps of food. As we left at some point an artist boarded the van and showed us a bit of his work. I think overall he managed to sell 2 of his pieces. Next we went to the home of an indigenous woman who had her own hut like homes and owned a few animals.

It was there that we got a chance to pet the llamas and hold the hamster (the hamster was absolutely adorable). If we wanted she also had some souvenirs to buy. Next we went to the Mirador Canon Del Toachi which was a good photo opportunity and a bathroom location. Here was a background heart over a huge crater like dip as well as swings. My mom and I did the heart photo but I was nervous and rushing the guy taking the picture because it was so windy and one wrong move will send you falling over.

Our next stop was the main attraction of the day Quilotoa Lagoon. Stepping up to the lookout of the crater it was pretty. You could see the clouds mirroring in the water below and the wind making waves in the water (whew that wind was intense). There was an opportunity to do a hike down and back up but with the wind being as strong as it was my mom and I opted out (we know our limits). Instead we just went to the different lookout areas and shopped around the area.

Of course we found some things we were looking for and some we weren’t but it helped pass the time and prices were negotiable and reasonable (except the chips lol-inside joke for mom). Because it was so windy being outside long is not something we wanted to do so we sat in a restaurant and my mom ordered a $3 empanada (2) meal with coffee. By the end the group was beginning to arrive back up (some had to come on horses while others hiked back). They all said it was challenging and one girl said it was the hardest thing she’s done so far (wait until she does Cotapaxi).

Finally before heading back to Quito (because that in itself is a 3 hour drive) we went and had lunch nearby. Lunch was included and earlier we gave our choice of protein (meat) with it (today we chose chicken). Lunch was alright (although while here I’ve had better) but the soup that came with it was really good (and needed to help warm us up). Afterwards we began the journey back to Quito.

We weren’t lucky enough to have our guide drop us off in front of our Airbnb like the other day so we just made our way back from the meeting point we were at this morning by bus. Back at the Airbnb we took some time to sit and watch tv before eating leftovers from last night. The day has been busy and long so afterwàrds we got ready for bed for we have a few things in store tomorrow.