Ecuador!

Well, it is nearly midnight and I am rather more in the mood for reclining horizontally with my eyes closed at the moment than writing this blog, however I am unexpectedly leaving WiFi tomorrow for at least 7 days. Instead of beginning the next home-stay and service project on Wednesday as planned, we are beginning tomorrow. I will be able to post a full-fledged and over-analyzed blog post when I return and have more time, but here is a summary for now.

We arrived in Quito and over the next 3 days we explored Quito, saw several breathtaking cathedrals, fended of street-peddlers selling Coca leaves, did a jungle trek and canopy tour near a town called Mindo, and stood on some dirt which was apparently more special than other dirt since it was situated directly on the equator. I have settled once and for all that the vortex in draining water spins in opposite directions on either side of the equator, and it falls straight down without spinning when it is directly over the equator! I have a video for proof of this fact, in case there are still skeptics out there. Yesterday we visited Cotopaxi, and hiked up a ways to a "Refuge" on the side of the volcano. This refuge was also at 16000 feet of elevation, making it difficult to get enough oxygen while sitting, let alone while hiking up any type of incline! Unfortunately several of my group got altitude sickness, and spent more of their time evacuating their stomachs than admiring the view...

After Cotopaxi we all had a much-needed reprieve from the altitude in a rather inaptly named town called Banos. Banos is settled in the bowl of a valley and surrounded on all sides by forrest covered mountains. Almost everywhere in the town you can look directly above the buildings and see mountains soaring above. Today was our only full day here, and I explored the area, perused the artisan market, and purchased antibiotics for an ear infection which has stubbornly refused to get better after ear drops. Anyway, I must get some sleep now. I will post pictures and a more thorough blog post when I return! Till next time!

Group Photo in front of Cotopaxi