Quilotoa (IPA [kiloˈtoa]) is a water-filled caldera and the westernmost volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. The 3 kilometres (2 mi) wide caldera was formed by the collapse of this dacite volcano following a catastrophic VEI-6 eruption about 800 years ago, which produced pyroclastic flows and lahars that reached the Pacific Ocean, and spread an airborne deposit of volcanic ash throughout the northern Andes.^[1] The caldera has since accumulated a 250 m (820 ft) deep crater lake, which has a greenish color as a result of dissolved minerals. Fumaroles are found on the lake floor and hot springs occur on the eastern flank of the volcano.^[1]

I would agree with that.

We were a little confused on how to get there on our own, and we never bought the Lonely Planet guide to Ecuador, so we went with a guide.  It was worth it for us.  However, if you’re ever in Ecuador and you want to do it on your own, it’s pretty easy.

• Go to the town of Latacunga
• Catch a bus to Zumbahua (at the terminal)
• Pay somebody to take you up to Quilotoa in their truck

It’s that last step that made us think we wouldn’t pull it off, but once you’re in Zumbahua, if you don’t look like a Latin American, there will be plenty of people offering to take you up for a few bucks.

Anyways, the day we went happen to coincide with main market day (Saturday I think) as well as a big political rally of some sort, so it helped to be in a vehicle with our guide instead of trying to get through the madness ourselves.

The road to Zumbahua.  People were everywhere because of the political rallies.

The market in Zumbahua.  We ate some red bananas but I don’t have the pictures up…

Traditional-isms and sheep.  We ate some red sheep but I don’t have the pictures up…

A couple shots from with drive up:

It’s easy to get down, but because of the elevation it’s pretty tiring to get back up.  Some people pay to be taken back up on horses.  We were too cool for that but almost died.

This is what some of the trail looks like.  The blurry white thing in the corner is the Chupacabra.

“Brianna, get a picture of me!  Brianna!!  Hey, get a picture of me!”

And this is pretty much what you get…

 This is me and our guide.  We went down so he could show me the bubbles coming up from the water.  Quilotoa crater is an active volcano and so it bubbles.  The water is undrinkable here because it’s full of abrasive minerals from deep down in the crust.

And of course there’s Alapaca´s up there and God knows what they might be up to.

We have made it to the other coast! The sunny and dry Pacific Coast.  We decided to go to Montezuma and the trip there was, well, bouncy.  Three girls from our last hostel in La Fortuna were on the bus so we travelled with them and were happy to have their company. It was a long 10 hour trip. Bus then ferry then bus again.  It was fine until the second bus.  That was so bumpy.  My boobs were flying every which way.  I had to hold them down with my arm.  We arrived safely in Montezuma around 10 pm and there were hundreds of people flooding the steets.  People were friendly and trying to give advice on which hostels might be available.  We soon noticed a pattern:  “NO VACANCY!”  We tried so many hostels with no luck and then finally, like it had just appeared out of nowhere, came this big hostel (Or as I call it the haunted house).    There was this old man, shorter than me, with one glass eye, hairy, with big glasses and wearing only heart patterned boxer shorts who greeted us.  It was like something from a twisted 80’s thriller.  He couldn´t remember a damn thing either.  The one girl and I checked out the place, decided it´ll have to do and came back to tell him.  He said he´d given it away already.  “Ya, to us!” we replied.  “No, no, it´s gone”.  After much explaining, he gave us the room (18 bucks per person, the bastard).  He then started going on about how he wanted to die and he´s too old and has had multiple heart attacks.  “Ummmm, okay, well good night then!”  We´re pretty sure we slept where his hired goons slept but, whatever.  We got a bed and that was good enough for us!  It was more funny then anything.  We did however sleep on our own sheets.  Keep the buggies at bay.  Lesson learned:  Don´t show up to an already touristy spot the week of spring break at 10 at night and expect to sleep anywhere.  Word.

P.s Speaking of spooky things, I did end up seeing a ghost in the haunted house that night.  It was disgusting. 

]]> http://ryanbosinger.com/southamerica/2009/03/18/bri-says-2/feed/ 1 http://ryanbosinger.com/southamerica/2009/03/18/i-lost-my-anus-in-puntarenas-costa-rica/ http://ryanbosinger.com/southamerica/2009/03/18/i-lost-my-anus-in-puntarenas-costa-rica/#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:59:49 +0000 rbosinger http://ryanbosinger.com/southamerica/?p=89 On our way back to San Jose from Montezuma we decided to stay in Puntarenas (Poont-ah-ray-nuss) for a night, just for the hell of it.  Puntarenas in a post town, and most people would only come here to catch a ferry or boat to the Nicoya Peninsula and go to a place like Montezuma. 

It was a nice place, and felt a lot more authenticate than everywhere else we had been in Costa Rica.  The coastal towns in Costa Rica feel a little bit like a tourist amusement park.  We thought this might be a good experience before we moved on the countries in South America where there would be far less tourists and English speakers than in Costa Rica.

Not much else to say about that. 

It has been about three weeks now… here is what we have lost so far…

• 2 pairs of sunglasses
• 1 pair of flip flops
• 1 Sony USB cable
• 1 cool hat I bought in Costa Rica…that lasted long…
• 1 mp3 player… destroyed by the ocean
• both of our water bottles

Only 50% of losses were due to drinking and recklessness.

Oh boy.  Unfortunatetly because of the USB cable lost we cant get any photos off Briannas camera.  This sucks because although I have the better camera, she gets the better photos…. oh well… stay tuned.

One sunny day in Cahuita, a small Caribbean town, Ryan and I decided to grab a bottle of vodka, some O.J and hit the beach.  We grabbed our bathing suits, mixed our drinks and off we went.  The ocean waves slammed against the shore and Ryan and I run in.  Mmmm, salty.  After a good swim, we go back to the beach and pour ourselves a drink in our canteen (so technically its about 4 drinks).  It was a perfect day.  We pull out our 20 dollar Mp3 players and let the sun dry us.  I was so happy.  I got up, started dancing around like nobody’s business.  I was feeling so good.  So good infact that my dance moves took control! I dropped to my knees to do my special move in the ocean when I fell and my mp3 player got wet and died instantly.  But that stupidity doesn’t stop me, noo…Ryan and I decide to frolic in the ocean some more.  I guess I wanted to look cool so I kept my sunglasses on but the waves got greedy and stole them right off of me.  God dammit!  The ocean just takes and takes.  Well, that was it.  We decided to leave..I guess.  The next thing I know, we woke up in our hostel hours later wondering how we got there.  The sun, tricky little guy.  You feel good but don’t really feel that inebriated.  Great times, but lesson learned:  The rhythm really IS gonna getcha!

Although there has so far been internet cafes everywhere, I think this blogging thing is going to be too hard.  The browsers crash all the time and the internet cuts in and out.  I could write a pure text blog, but I’m having no luck getting pictures up on Flickr.  I think I’m going to bail on this idea.  We’ll see how it goes.