This weekend I traveled to Quilotoa, a beautiful town perched atop a mountain that erupted in the late 1700s and has since been filled with water. The town is home to few- perhaps 150 people- with the central attraction being the lagoon filled crater. The members of my culture class and I were warmly welcomed- though that was the only warm thing about our stay. At 4,000 meters above sea level I was glad that I packed my long underwear, gloves, and winter hat. Our hostal was heated by a wood burning stove which kept us warm for most of the evening (until I woke up too late my shift of stoking the fire in the middle of the night).
Saturday was spent taking in the landscape, visiting a local market (if you want to purchase a cow head I know where to go...), enjoying a long walk with my friend Cammie, listening to community members speak of their efforts in developing tourism to the area, visiting with local artisans, staying warm near the fire, and dancing to the sounds of local musicians. We had a poor view of the lagoon as we arrived after the clouds had. A very peaceful setting for conversation and enjoying the setting.
Sunday we awoke in a chilly cabin to find that the sun was shining and we had a great view of the lagoon! Clad in long underwear, hat, and gloves I began my descent with friends to the center of the crater. I soon found that the long underwear, hat, and gloves weren't necessary and my friends and I ended up stripping along the way. This is a crazy aspect of weather in the sierras- you can often experience 3 "seasons" of weather everyday. So at 9 am I found I was getting sunburned and overheated when hours before I was shivering beneath my covers. The view on the hike was incredible- and though photos don't do it justice I will direct you there to get a better idea of the setting.
After a long, and slow ascent we left the crater, and then Quilotoa and began to make our way back to Quito. The voyage was long, with a stop in a very small town called Casa Quemada- or Burnt House. It was here that we met the family of our professor's godchild. We were welcomed to their home, and into their kitchen where the wife was preparing fried cuy- or guinea pig. I was surprised to see the kitchen filled with 25 or so live cuys onlooking the cooking of their relative. Guinea pig is a common food in the sierras, and I've been meaning to try it. The meat was good, though it was hard to hold onto the paw and eat it knowing so many friends keep them as pets.
There was also a wedding in Casa Quemada. In towns such as this it is common to invite the entire town to the wedding. We arrived just in time for the dance to the music of the local brass band. The bride was 16 years old and the groom 19- standard for Ecuadorian standards. In fact my professor told me that I 23 years of age I'd be considered a spinster! It was fun to observe the wedding festivities before returning to Quito.
Now the countdown begins to my family's visit this coming week (4 days!)... I'm looking forward to hosting their visit and sharing with them this country I have come to love!
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