In the Shadow of Cotopaxi

Hostel Tiana-roof access stairs with Derk studing map below

Soviet Madonna?

Cotopaxi and a Coke

We've decided to break up the trip to Banos with a stop over in Latacunga. Like most of these places on Avenita de los Volcanes, they seem to get wiped off the map every hundred years or so. Latacunga isn't due until next fall so we figured it was fine.  The hostel manager, Jose, turns out to have lived on the corner of Hennepin Ave. and Franklin Ave for many years and we had fun talking Minnesota.  They also had a spectacular roof terrace with stunning views of Cotopaxi in one direction and the Uber-Madonna-on-the-Concrete in the other. 



When you throw in a beer, it was all together pretty much breathtaking. 

Yvonne--10 minutes off the bus

 The fruit juices are a high point of the day--fresh squeezed and often completely unknown to our prairie repertoire.

Making Babaca juice

We had hoped to make a short 1 1/2 hour hike up to a glacier on Cotopaxi and maybe rent a canoe on a lake inside a dead volcano but the weather has been really uncooperative.  Instead, we're heading east to the village of Banos on the edge of the Amazon Basin in search of clear skies...and maybe a spa and massage...