January 8 & 9 – Riobamba and Tungurahua Volcano
We are traveling south for the 8th and 9th and will be without internet access. I will try to post comments and pictures upon our return.
Today, we embarked south of Quito. On the bus we caught up on readings and much needed sleep. It was difficult to concentrate on the readings, however, because all I wanted to do was stare out the window. The faces of the local people, magnitude of the mountains and volcanoes, and vibrancy of the vegetation tell a captivating story of the history and culture of Ecuador.
We spent four hours passing verdant green valleys and mountains. Despite the steep slopes, the local people have built houses in order to utilize the fertile soils for farming (as evidenced by the over 30 types of potatoes grown in Ecuador) and animal grazing. We passed cows, llamas, and sheep. The bus even needed to yield for sheep crossing!
Our first stop was at an indigenous market in zumba hua. Indigenous men, women, and children were selling alpaca scarves, jackets, hats, and gloves. Vibrant colors caught my eye and I could not resist buying gloves and a jacket for myself and souvenirs for my family and friends. Little children were carrying chickens, fruits, and vegetables to the numerous crude stands to sell and prepare meals. We certainly stood out amidst the crowd of indigenous people. Many of the Ecuadorians were small, and I found myself the same height or taller than most of the women and men (and I am only 5’4”, so you can imagine the guys on the trip must have been perceived as giants!).
After lunch we walked around Quiltoa lake. This lake is called a caldera and was created by the collapse of a magma chamber within a volcano (once the volcano erupted most of the material in it, the surface rock caved in because there was nothing to support it).
We arrived for a late dinner at the Achignan village. The people were very hospitable and even staged a welcome ceremony for us. The leader of the village introduced the community and told us a little bit about their daily lives. A few children of the village sang some traditional songs and danced. Then, they invited us to dance with them! I don’t know whose smile was bigger- mine or that of the children as we were clapping to the beat and dancing to the rhythms of the song. After the children were done, the women who cooked our meal came out of the kitchen and sang a few songs accompanied by guitar.
Today opened my eyes and heart to the indigenous people of Ecuador. These people gave us all of their energy, time and resources. The two little girls who danced in the welcoming ceremony were not wearing shoes- while I had two layers of pants, a long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, and jacket on. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be on this interim trip and I know that the things I learn- both in and out of my field notebook- will be with me for the rest of my life.
Jan 9th
After a cold night in the indigenous village (I slept with four layers on!), we had breakfast and departed for Chimborazo. When we started the hike, we were at 15,400 ft. The day was sunny, but many people were having trouble breathing at such high altitude. We discussed the phenomenon of Adiabatic lapse rate (the difference in air temperature depending on moisture content in the air) as we attempted to traverse a peak. We climbed to about 16,200 ft., but the snow was too deep to cross. We attempted to go around another way, but got caught in a storm. Winds were whirling and hail pelting our faces. Due to the conditions, we were forced to retrace our steps and return to the refuge. We then had lunch at a charming restaurant at the foot of Chimborazo. We removed our wet hiking boots and wore comfy slippers. Photographs of the mountain and hiking gear adorned the walls. The warmth of the fire and beauty of the landscape were a welcomed relief.
After lunch, we continued our trip south to the town of Banos, which lies at the base of Tungurahua, a recently active volcano. We had dinner at the hotel and celebrated Sean and Bob’s birthdays with tiramisu. Then, we had an hour to walk and explore the city. Even though it was late, there were a number of stores opened. We browsed through handmade souvenirs, including scarves, jewelry, and trinkets. We also sat in a quaint park with a water fountain. As we gazed up at Tungurahua, we saw what looked like floating crosses. We realized that these were lights hung upon houses on the side of Tungurahua. It was picturesque and a wonderful end to an arduous day.