Rude Lamas and Unusual Soccer Defense

 While I hiking from Qualitoa to the Black Sheep Inn in Chichilian the other day, we passed by a school where the kids were playing soccer.   While I was never the best soccer coach back in the day, i am pretty sure this was not a recommended goalkeeping or defense-

I think the keeper should always at least be in the field of play.

Hiked along the rim of the Quilitoa crater to the highest point.   With the altitude and a severe blister on my foot (you'd think I would learn by now),  it was not easy, but it did afford great views of the iconic laguna and the surrounding country side-

It is such a drop into the lake below-

Sometimes you are right on the edge.  While I was hiking the rim, I came upon this fellow with a lama-

Naturally, I got it into my head to have my picture taken with the lama to show that I was having an 'authentic' Andes experience.  The native was willing but the lama on the other hand did not take to my authentic idea at all well.    Whether because he did not fancy English or my limited Espanol, he objected and then rudely spat in my face!  It got all over my face, jacket and camera and I can tell you it did not smell well.  If some of the pictures seem a bit blurry, you will know why.  Not all of my authentic ideas work out. 

There are so many farms and plantings so high up in the mountains.  It is hard to capture how high and steep they are on camera-

The grade sometimes must approach 40 degrees or more.  

After finishing my hike in the rain, I took a pick up truck with 2 other hikers from QuiIitoa to another village and then took the bus back to Latatunga which is a mid sized city about 1.5 hours south of Quito.   The 30 minute ride in the pick up cost $2 - how they make any money on this is beyond me- and then the 2 hour bus ride set me back about another $2.  I then hired a taxi to take me to my hotel about 2 miles from the bus station for $1.50.  Keeping all this small change isn't easy!  I stayed in one of the better hotels in Latatunga for $29, but it did include breakfast.  

As you can surmise, Ecuador is pretty cheap.  The pandemic has hit the tourist industry very hard.   There have been few people in my hotels or at the restaurants where I have gone.  It is nice for me, I guess, as it is so inexpensive and there is no issue re availability, but you do feel bad for the innkeepers and others like the Black Sheep Inn.  They have had a very rough 2 years.

The ride from Quilitoa to Latatunga had some really dramatic and sheer mountain scenery- better than most of the pics here- but unfortunately the SRO bus ride prevented any pictures. 

Well, I walked back to my hotel from dinner last night past this nice park and pretty church-

 

I now head to Cotopaxi NP which is about an hour south of Quito and stay at a place called The Secret Garden.  Not sure how much of a secret it is as it is all over TripAdvisor, but it any case it supposed to be great for hiking around the 19k' iconic volcano.  So this is likely my last post until Thursday when I return to Quito and then (Friday morning) fly to the Galapagos.