Day 11: Day 11 started off with our journey towards Quilatoa, which was a beautiful mountain with an imploded volcanic crater that filled with water long ago. The lake was wide and hundreds of feet deep within the mountain and you were able to climb down into it via a walkway or you could rent a donkey to carry you down the pathway.
The morning started off with me only feeling significantly sicker but I was still able to control myself and refused to be the reason that the trip was hindered. I slept for most of the morning until we arrived at the mountain site, from there I walked around the crisp cool air on the tip of the mountain. I wasn't strong enough to walk down the mountain as I was feeling a lot of nausea, I decided to hang around the bus and play with the local stray dogs, but the day was mostly a blur as I continued to fall back asleep over and over.
Following that we drove to the Cotopaxi volcano, but I was asleep the entire time trying to still recooperate my energy, but it was to no avail. The rest of the day was a blur to me before we got to the hotel later that night, I slept through most of the day and skipped lunch and dinner.
The morning started off with me only feeling significantly sicker but I was still able to control myself and refused to be the reason that the trip was hindered. I slept for most of the morning until we arrived at the mountain site, from there I walked around the crisp cool air on the tip of the mountain. I wasn't strong enough to walk down the mountain as I was feeling a lot of nausea, I decided to hang around the bus and play with the local stray dogs, but the day was mostly a blur as I continued to fall back asleep over and over.
Following that we drove to the Cotopaxi volcano, but I was asleep the entire time trying to still recooperate my energy, but it was to no avail. The rest of the day was a blur to me before we got to the hotel later that night, I slept through most of the day and skipped lunch and dinner.
Day 12: Day 12 started off with me feeling a bit better in the morning, not a substantial amount, but enough for me to walk around and mildly enjoy the sights. The days plans were to take a full tour of the city and explore all of the areas where the tourists go and visit the many churches that were thrown throughout the city during the Spanish occupation of the city. With some of the most ornate and beautiful churches, with some of them standing as monuments in the city for the craftsmanship put into them.
Most of the churches were a no cameras allowed rule for respect for the members who were in there to actually pray and worship, but the first church we visited was a large church in the city's center, which was never truly finished, as local legend has it that finishing the church can mean the end of the world. This was all according to Diego of course, but as we climbed to the top of the church, the unfinished roofing and upper building areas looked as if it was a fresh construction awaiting approval. We scoped out the top of the city from there where we got to see how densely populated it truly was, and how the illegal building of houses on the sides of hills created dangerous living conditions with no roadways and poor sewage. This coupled with Quito being built within a valley, and their inability to remove their thick photo chemical smog causes not the healthiest living conditions. The fog blanketed the city, as they were trying to become more eco-friendly, but were still plagued by the inability to stop pollution in a densely populated city
From there we explored many other church and holy sites, with some being on the top of a hill overlooking the city, and another being filled with 8 tons of pure gold. We also learned of the poor and rich segregation of the city and how the poor Inca people were forced to live in the outskirts whilst building all the catholic churches in the town, so their ability to hide Inca crosses in the designs was largely unnoticed while the building was happening.
Following this my sickness started to ramp back up, be it from the heat and movement or just lack of nutrition, I headed back to the hotel and slept for the night as the group toured the cities public bus system. Following the bus tour the group went out for a group dinner and enjoyed themselves out on the town for the night.
Most of the churches were a no cameras allowed rule for respect for the members who were in there to actually pray and worship, but the first church we visited was a large church in the city's center, which was never truly finished, as local legend has it that finishing the church can mean the end of the world. This was all according to Diego of course, but as we climbed to the top of the church, the unfinished roofing and upper building areas looked as if it was a fresh construction awaiting approval. We scoped out the top of the city from there where we got to see how densely populated it truly was, and how the illegal building of houses on the sides of hills created dangerous living conditions with no roadways and poor sewage. This coupled with Quito being built within a valley, and their inability to remove their thick photo chemical smog causes not the healthiest living conditions. The fog blanketed the city, as they were trying to become more eco-friendly, but were still plagued by the inability to stop pollution in a densely populated city
From there we explored many other church and holy sites, with some being on the top of a hill overlooking the city, and another being filled with 8 tons of pure gold. We also learned of the poor and rich segregation of the city and how the poor Inca people were forced to live in the outskirts whilst building all the catholic churches in the town, so their ability to hide Inca crosses in the designs was largely unnoticed while the building was happening.
Following this my sickness started to ramp back up, be it from the heat and movement or just lack of nutrition, I headed back to the hotel and slept for the night as the group toured the cities public bus system. Following the bus tour the group went out for a group dinner and enjoyed themselves out on the town for the night.
Day 13: This was the morning where I started to get fed up with being sick and Tait grew nervous of what was wrong with me, so I finally had to crack and go to the hospital and see someone. I felt incredibly guilty about this as I learned public health care hospitals take an eternity to see help in, so most of my classmates were forced to roast in the bus as they waited for me.
The ordeal took about 3 hours in total, with me sitting in a Spanish hospital with my trusty friend Diego to translate for me and try to prod them along to hurry up. Most of my time was spent sitting in the hospital trying to read the signs or understand what people were saying, as my Spanish sits at about a 3rd grade level, maybe 2nd. I was trying to just be comfortable but my stomach pain was growing, so I was given a nutrient drink similar to pedialyte to drink to give me some vitamins that I had been missing. After spending hours twiddling my thumbs I saw a doctor, who took my vitals and then told me to sit back down. Here we waiting another hour or so, after finally getting an answer that I'm gonna get a shot. Needles don't bother me in the slightest, but I was told I would be getting the shot in my butt cheek, so I had to pull my pants down as grown man and get a shot in the butt face down in an Ecuadorian hospital. It eventually helped my nausea and helped me keep food down, so it was worth it in the long run. Needless to say it was an experience nonetheless.
After this we headed to the real equator and got to see all the tourist gimmicks that showed us what it was like to balance on the equator and how centripetal force from earths spin would make water spin in different directions. We also had to preform a challenge where we saw who could balance and egg on a nail, where I was one of few who was able to get it, claiming that one side was easier than the other due to the equator. We also had to try and walk in a straight line and see if it was easier or harder on or off the equator. It was hard to tell if it was all a placebo effect or if any of it was real besides the water drainage but was interesting to see regardless. It also showed us how little the Spanish and French respected the natives, as the real equator site was significantly less funded and built up compared to the original fake site that was created. Even after learning their folly they still kept the site and funded it more than the real one due to how built up it already was
After this we started our final stretch of our trip towards the cloud forest in Mindo.
The ordeal took about 3 hours in total, with me sitting in a Spanish hospital with my trusty friend Diego to translate for me and try to prod them along to hurry up. Most of my time was spent sitting in the hospital trying to read the signs or understand what people were saying, as my Spanish sits at about a 3rd grade level, maybe 2nd. I was trying to just be comfortable but my stomach pain was growing, so I was given a nutrient drink similar to pedialyte to drink to give me some vitamins that I had been missing. After spending hours twiddling my thumbs I saw a doctor, who took my vitals and then told me to sit back down. Here we waiting another hour or so, after finally getting an answer that I'm gonna get a shot. Needles don't bother me in the slightest, but I was told I would be getting the shot in my butt cheek, so I had to pull my pants down as grown man and get a shot in the butt face down in an Ecuadorian hospital. It eventually helped my nausea and helped me keep food down, so it was worth it in the long run. Needless to say it was an experience nonetheless.
After this we headed to the real equator and got to see all the tourist gimmicks that showed us what it was like to balance on the equator and how centripetal force from earths spin would make water spin in different directions. We also had to preform a challenge where we saw who could balance and egg on a nail, where I was one of few who was able to get it, claiming that one side was easier than the other due to the equator. We also had to try and walk in a straight line and see if it was easier or harder on or off the equator. It was hard to tell if it was all a placebo effect or if any of it was real besides the water drainage but was interesting to see regardless. It also showed us how little the Spanish and French respected the natives, as the real equator site was significantly less funded and built up compared to the original fake site that was created. Even after learning their folly they still kept the site and funded it more than the real one due to how built up it already was
After this we started our final stretch of our trip towards the cloud forest in Mindo.
Day 14: This started arguably the most beautiful day of our trip, where we were finally settled in our beautiful rain forest hotel in the cloud forest of Mindo. I was finally starting to feel myself again and was regaining the strength to be myself, we got to see the swarm of hummingbirds that lived in the area, from small ones with long wispy tails, to brightly colored ones with white cuffs on their feet. The variety was seemingly endless as more came and went along the many bird feeders that lined the area, and they graciously flew near you inspecting you, and their little buzzing wings sounding like an over sized bumblebee.
Following this we hiked around a local trail near the hotel where we got to walk further into the cloud forest and see all of the lush plant life, with brightly colored plants covering the sides of the trails. With one that particularly caught my eyes, which was a blue pepper shaped plant, that not even Diego or Tait knew what it was, and it stuck out like a sore thumb in the area as blue is such a rare color in nature. We hiked further down into the forest for a quick morning hike and saw more of the wonderful flowers and plants that lived in such a moisture rich region.
As we got down to the bottom of the river, we learned a bit more from Tait about how mercury poisoning was a large issue in the regions waterways as gold is still commonly found in the region, and panning for it was common. With the panning for the gold they used the mercury to help mold it together to keep the chunks from easily sifting through the grates, which would eventually leak into the river systems at ever increasing concentrations. This would eventually poison not only the plants and animals that live there, but the local water system that people use to bathe, wash their clothes, and often drink from if they cannot get external water sources. This causes massive cancer clusters and can lead to cases of psychosis and even death.
After this the group went again for another hike towards the other side of the mountain, but it was optional as a few people needed to finish up working on stuff or others were feeling under the weather like myself. So I stayed behind before getting ready for our lunch before our descent into the zip lining area.
The zip lining was up my alley as I love reaching for more and more adrenaline, and this trip would allow us to glide through the cloud forest at high speeds and see the valleys and cliffs that were located throughout. The interesting part was that as we reached about the second of 11 cable lines, the fog rolled in and eventually brought a monsoons worth of rain, which drenched everyone no matter how water resistant your clothes were. So us gliding through the forest at high speed felt like we were in the worlds fasted moving shower, and we got to dash into the dense fog towards and uncertain end.
This whole experience in Mindo was surreal, as you always see rainforests in books and on TV, but to hear it, and see it in person was otherworldly. The ability to be amongst so many different forms of life living harmoniously with one another was eye opening. I don't think I'll experience anything else like it, and it was a privilege to visit such a delicate and beautiful ecosystem.
Following this we hiked around a local trail near the hotel where we got to walk further into the cloud forest and see all of the lush plant life, with brightly colored plants covering the sides of the trails. With one that particularly caught my eyes, which was a blue pepper shaped plant, that not even Diego or Tait knew what it was, and it stuck out like a sore thumb in the area as blue is such a rare color in nature. We hiked further down into the forest for a quick morning hike and saw more of the wonderful flowers and plants that lived in such a moisture rich region.
As we got down to the bottom of the river, we learned a bit more from Tait about how mercury poisoning was a large issue in the regions waterways as gold is still commonly found in the region, and panning for it was common. With the panning for the gold they used the mercury to help mold it together to keep the chunks from easily sifting through the grates, which would eventually leak into the river systems at ever increasing concentrations. This would eventually poison not only the plants and animals that live there, but the local water system that people use to bathe, wash their clothes, and often drink from if they cannot get external water sources. This causes massive cancer clusters and can lead to cases of psychosis and even death.
After this the group went again for another hike towards the other side of the mountain, but it was optional as a few people needed to finish up working on stuff or others were feeling under the weather like myself. So I stayed behind before getting ready for our lunch before our descent into the zip lining area.
The zip lining was up my alley as I love reaching for more and more adrenaline, and this trip would allow us to glide through the cloud forest at high speeds and see the valleys and cliffs that were located throughout. The interesting part was that as we reached about the second of 11 cable lines, the fog rolled in and eventually brought a monsoons worth of rain, which drenched everyone no matter how water resistant your clothes were. So us gliding through the forest at high speed felt like we were in the worlds fasted moving shower, and we got to dash into the dense fog towards and uncertain end.
This whole experience in Mindo was surreal, as you always see rainforests in books and on TV, but to hear it, and see it in person was otherworldly. The ability to be amongst so many different forms of life living harmoniously with one another was eye opening. I don't think I'll experience anything else like it, and it was a privilege to visit such a delicate and beautiful ecosystem.