Weekend 7/10-7/12

notice the arches

notice the arches NOW walking the plank btween towers
this was not a guided tour, you´re on your own!


If you click on the picture, you can see a person in red standing outside the left steeple. That was me!

Holding on for dear life





look mom, no hands! At the highest point you could go, sitting OUTSIDE!

Jenny, Carrie, Claire

Friday -- Carrie, Claire and I climbed the Basillica. Again, dislike heights? The pictures might even be too much. (I will post tomorrow) I still can´t believe that we did this. Met a woman, Jennifer, from Seattle who was traveling by herself. She was meeting an REI group the next day and heading to the Galapagos for a hiking/climbing tour. You go girl! Very nice lady. Met a girl from SHEBOYGAN in one of the towers. Small world!

Friday night -- The three of us met in the Mariscal after class. Shared a bottle of wine at Azuca Bar and ate wet chocolate cake. Talked with 5 guys from the US. They were only to be in Ecuador for 16 hours but they were going on their 4th day. Long story short...one of them was trying to show me video on his camera from the night before and how Ecuadorians celebrate during/after a soccer game. However, flipping through his photos to get to the video, there was a picture of him with a few "weapons" of sort. Needless to say, he put his camera away. They were military and very top secret. It was very interesting talking to them. It was a beautiful night to sit outside and people watch....especially the famous dancer dude doing a tv promotion.

Saturday -- Van picked me up at 0800 for Papallacta. 1.5 hr ride through the mountains with spectacular views of the Andes, Cotopaxi, and Antisana. I haven´t seen many mountains in my life so I was in awe. Just the ride was worth the $$. Pictures to come. Papallacta is a small town with LOTS of HOT water. This resort/spa sits smack dab in the middle of the mountains.
I went alone and this was by far the best part of the summer so far. It´s not fair to describe my stay there. Photos don´t do it justice.

A few highlights so I remember:

POOLS -- everywhere. Must have been 20 of them. Mostly warm, some HOT and a few cold. I think I made it to almost every one of them. Public access to an area so that part was busier with families. Found the more private and FUN pools at the spa. After a treatment of jacuzzi, Andean Mud Wrap and massage, I dipped in them for hours. Had dinner and headed to room 15 thinking that I could read or watch a movie on my laptop but NO.......It was such a beautiful night. An even more private option was the pool right outside my door. The stars were out in full force and after almost two hours in the water, I finally headed to bed. The best part of the pools was that they were fresh water and no chlorine. Crystal clear water, warm and you never wanted to get out. I was in the water for 5.5 hours on Saturday and another 4 hours on Sunday. Kid you not! At 10,660ft, it was cool but the thermal baths and hot springs were perfect. Amazing!

Saw a CONDOR fly right over my head and into the mountains. Hummingbirds everywhere. Blue and green ones. Tried to go horseback riding ($6 per hr) but they were too busy.
Took an hour walk in the mountains, not a soul in sight. To look around, turn around and see nothing but mountains was very cool. I felt like I was in a hole but was being kept very safe. I felt protected there.

Sunday, woke up to a beautiful sunrise (you can only see it coming over the mountains). Had the breakfast buffet that was to die for and then headed back to the spa for a chocolate wrap. Yup, you got it. It´s a good antioxidant! Sat in the pools and headed back at 4pm. We drove through the clouds on the way back. Had dinner with Ana and Blake and headed to bed.
Just what the doctor ordered. It was perfect timing being the middle of my time here. I think I can make it the rest of the way.