Day 6: Bizcochos and Bargains and Breathtaking Sights

 by William Lajes III

Hola y buenos dias damas y caballeros. Dejase su cinturon en ordinario, porque tomamos un viaje!

Today the Regis group left Quito to explore places of interest in the country nearby, namely, a beautiful Crater Lake and the market town of Otavalo. Even though the road was long and winding, and some of our group were sleepy due to not following the curfew... we saw some amazing sights along the way.

We first stopped at an overlook that gave us a terrific view of the Ecuadorean mountainside. This view provided a perfect backdrop for pictures with our new friends. Then we made a pit stop for delicious and crunchy Ecuadorian bizcochos and tangy cheese. It was so good that Michael Flood won the admiration of all by treating us to another round.

Once our hunger was relieved, we clambered back into our seats and pressed on to the world-renowned “leather town” of Cotocachi, where David Boak made the purchase of a fetching James Dean jacket. Next we reached the beautiful Crater Lake known as Cuicocha. We were captivated by the amazing view of this natural phenomenon, as well as fascinated by the fact that the lake sits over an active volcano. We took a boat ride around the lake, which gave us a perfect opportunity to take some breathtaking photos, as well as providing us with a quick shower.

We left the Crater Lake and arrived at last at our true destination: Otavalo. We hit the street and a sprawling market opened before us, where our hard bargaining truly shined. Setting the example was the dynamic duo Elliot Sanchez and Brandon Baldovin who utilized their tag team capabilities and impervious poker faces to bring down the price of Ecuadorean coins from $1.50 for 1 coin to 2 coins for 75¢. Most notable perhaps was Frank Aguilar, who let his Ecuadorean side come out by sporting a Panama hat, Ecuadorean scarf, and bag full of hand-crafted goodies.

Frank Aguilar: Ecuadorian gangster?

Once done with shopping for ourselves and family, we returned to the bus, feeling one with the Ecuadorean spirit as we sported our alpaca ponchos, sweaters, and blankets. We got back to the center exhausted, but the energy was well spent as we brought another amazing day to a close.

This is Double-You Lajes 3, signing off.