Quilotoa Loop
We spent the last few days traipsing around Ecuadorian mountains. It was, however, somewhat difficult to traipse since we had to wear so many clothes. Who knew it gets so cold 4000 meters above sea level? Leaving Quito, we headed for Latacunga where it rained all day, but we didn’t mind because we got a hotel room with a TV for the first time in months and months and watched the second Harry Potter movie in Spanish. From there, we bused it to Zambahua, planning to take in a Saturday market and bus around what our travel guidebook called the “Quilotoa Loop.” We soon realized that this “loop” may or may not be the creation of Lonely Planet in tandem with hostels in Chugchilán (a town halfway around the loop). I mean, how can a loop exist apart from the context of some weird travellers’ discourse? However, whether or not this “loop” was “socially (re)constructed” or not, it was constructed for a reason (you know, like gender and race). And unlike gender and race and all other socially constructed spectral entities, the Quilotoa loop is gorgeous, so neither of us can see a downside to its existence. If we had more time, we would spend several more days traipsing around the constructed terrain, but alas we’re beginning to realize that our trip is over in less than two months (unless we change the date of our ticket home).
Apart from creating the lovely Quilotoa Loop, however, our guidebook proved practically useless when attempting to get around the thing. The book warned us that the only way to get around said loop was by getting up at 3 or 4am every morning and catching the only bus to the next town on the circuit. Thus, we felt very hardcore when deciding to attempt the journey. But, as it turns out, there were buses every hour or so all day long… so… there you go. Also, several towns are within walking distance (14 km or so) from each other. If we had known that, we may have attempted a tantalizingly beautiful hike to Chugchilán, leaving our ten books and pounds of coffee behind at the loop’s beginning. (I know, I know, why are we carrying around ten books and two pounds of coffee on our backs? We’re literary coffee snobs I suppose… even after this trip, no one will ever confuse us with real travellers who only need a pair of underwear, duct tape, and a toothpick to get by.) As it turns out, however, we made it to the highlight of the loop, Lake Quilotoa, breathed in some crisp mountain air, wandered around a market where pigs heads were sold, rode almost bareback on two horses up the sides of a volcanic crater, and truly enjoyed ourselves.
Now we’re in Baños, Ecuador, which looks like a small town in the Alps, complete with a Bavarian-looking cathedral and mountains in all directions.
-Las Dos
Tags: Baños, Books, Ecuador, Latacunga, Times When Lonely Planet Has Led Us Astray, Transportation, Travel
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How strange and lovely to find yourself in a town straight out of Bavaria in the middle of Ecuador! Even better that you have a nice cup of coffee to perk there.
There are getting to be a number of Lonely Planet gaffes along the way, huh? You two should contact the Lonely Planet folks and tell them you want to do the next revision of their guidebook… and that hiring you will pre-empt the rival book you otherwise intend to write!
I hope your altitude isn’t making the traveling too tough… remember to hike high, but sleep low, wherever possible in the mountain treks. I’m looking forward to pictures and colorful Andean clothes on you two!
Love,
Bill/Dad
Wow. So jealous.
From my totally wussie experience travelling around Europe, Lonely Planet SUCKS and Rough Guide ROCKS. So perhaps you should swap out?
But Wow. SO JEALOUS.
xoxoxoxoxox
please never become the kind of hikers who need only a pair of underwear, duct tape, and a toothpick. There is just something disturbing in contemplating that…
but also — don’t break your backs!
everything just sounds so magical.
lots of love,
mom
It’s weird. EVERYONE has lonely planet… I don’t think I’ve run into a single traveller who has any other guide. I also know two people who work at Lonely Planet… how weird is that? Really, I think our main problem with the guide is that its out of date (even though we’ve got the latest copy of South America). Those with the Ecuador guide seem to have a much better time with it.
You’ll be happy to know that, although we still have 10 books on our backs, we’ve exchanged three of them… so now at least we’re toting around books we haven’t yet read.
-Sarah