All good in Ecuador

Tommis mum and brother came for Christmas so we have been spending some quality family time in quality accomodations :) and enjoying doing some action followed by doing some nothing by the sea! All good, luxury vacation from the normal camper vacation! Peace!

Cotopaxi

Couple of days ago we climbed Cotopaxi. It was the highest mountain we have ascended (Iitus first real mountain ever), and it felt great! Before the climb we spent quite a lot of time in high altitudes to get acclimatized. Then we rented crampons, axes and gaiters, and finally after a strong discussion we also hired a guide.

Cotopaxi 5897m, beautiful volcano in the central highlands of Ecuador. It is the world’s highest active volcano. Looks like a snowy nipple.

While we were getting ready, Iitu made me these nice and warm mittens. She’s a magic woman!

The first part of the climb we made with Karma. It is such a tough old van. It had no problems to climb a steep dirt road to 4500m altitude. On the way up we saw many new looking(Chinese?)4X4 cars engine hoods open and steam rising, but old Karma kept climbing solidly. The parking area at 4500m was our base camp. There was a refugio at 4800m, but we decided to save some money and not to go there.

Not a bad place to cook some pasta and get ready for the climb.

At midnight we were ready to start the ascend. One have to start the climb at midnight as then there is enough time to ascend and descend before the sun makes the snow conditions too dangerous. Sun is strong here at the equator!

Going up slowly on the moon light with our guide Francisco.

The atmosphere was magical with all the icy shapes and beautiful stars.

Some parts were a bit steeper, but most of the climb was technically fairly easy.

The sun started to light the horizon when we were almost on the top.

Nice soft snow everywhere, and there we were without skis and snowboards.

Finally on the top! After 6 hours of floundering on the glacier short of breath. While we were ascending and jumping over the cracks Iitu said that she will NEVER do stuff like this again, but on the top everything was good again!

The crater was huge and strange. There was a small cloud of smoke rising from the bottom. Apparently the volcano is quite peaceful at the moment.

Soon we had to start the descend. It was nice to be able to see the route we had climbed. Some poor fellows still tried slowly to get to the top. We were happy that our preparing had been careful and tried to encourage the guys. From their eyes you could see a message: shut up and f#*k off.

There were many beautiful big cracks on our way.

Ice formations

Some more ice art.

Back in the parking area after 8 hours of struggling, dead tired.

Weavings and one conquest in Ecuador

After we recovered the shock of leaving Colombia we realized that something new and fun was ahead, Ecuador. We drove straight from the border to a town called Otavalo. The name gave me a cozy feeling of  the starry northern sky in the winter.  We parked the car along the main road just to clear our heads when a smiling man, Hernan,  came to talk to us. He told about his trips around Europe in a van with his band and how after the chinese came and brought down the wholesale prices of the weavings he had to change his business to churros. He introduced his wife and offered us a place to stay at their home. First touch with local people fulfilled our hearts with love.

Hernán with his wife at their front door.

Otavalo is known of the textile market on saturdays, when the weavers and artisans of the villages around gather to sell their artifacts. It is one of the biggest in all South America. The athmosphere was nice and the traditional dresses of the women were beautiful. I was so abashed about the fact that while the young women wore the traditional dresses when most of their husbands and boyfriends wore western style that I didn´t even get one foto. I feel stupid. Almost only the old men wore their traditional outfit. Best of all, the men had a long thick braid! Kids, teens, men, seniors, no matter the age! Well seniors had thinner...

From Otavalo we drove to Laguna Mojanda, up in the mountains. Around there were other smaller lakes too but to get to this one we didn´t need to struggle in the mud. The weather changed so many times during a day, from rainy to foggy to sunny etc. Landscape was beautiful and peaceful. During the day, Sunday, there was people enjoying their day off but when they left and we were left all alone it was complete silence.

 

 The refugio had seen its best days so we slept in the car.

The view from inside the van gave me a similar feeling as sleeping in the sauna hut of  Laulusaari, so close to the shoreline.  The water was clean and clear so we filled our cistern with it.

As we had decided to conquer the volcano Cotopaxi, this place was good for acclimatization. Well, specially the climbing to the extinct volcano beside the lake, Fuya Fuya, 4290 meters.

Midpoint pönötys, from there we came....

...and up there we were heading.

And we reached the top. Toppen!

This lonely horse was wondering around the hills all by himself.

Neighing for longing. Where dissappeared his friends from the refugio foto?

Fare well Colombia!

Colombia went straight to our hearts. We have never met so friendly people than we did in that infamous country. There was no single problem with anything. Even police and military were nice and helpful for us. Quite a surprise. Colombians are civilized and warm hearted people. At the moment they live in a country that is more peaceful and nonviolent than it has been in many decades. The contrast between poor and rich is huge, but we met many poor families who were quite happy with their simple life. Compared to many Central-American countries, Colombia feels modern, clean and developed. Tourists are relatively new phenomenon there and they are warmly and curiously welcomed. Hopefully mass tourism will not spoil the country in the future as has happened elsewhere. Here are some random pictures from our last weeks in this lovely country.

The city center of medellin was full of Boteros fine art. Naturally as Botero is from there.

Hombre stripping on top of the car in Medellin

Young students having little fun and throwing bottles and other stuff against riot police in Medellin.

Cool Clouds in Coffee country

Coffee country view. Early morning in Salento

Friends

Mompox and up to the mountains

I got Mompos into my head when I heard of it being the location of Gabriel Garcia Marquez' book Chronicle of a death foretold. I'm a big  lover of his imaginative writing and wanted to see it, to live it. It wasn't easy to get there, as the area is covered with crisscrossing rivers and thick flora. Some guidebooks recommended a 4WD for the roads but as it hadn't been raining lately we took the chance with Karma and made it, although the roads were bumpy and muddy. We also had to take a ferry and a flat boat along the way. Mompos is a village along Rio Magdalena and was a major port town until the shipping was diverted to other branches of the river in the end of 19th century and much haven't changed since then. And you feel it.

The view from the ferry. The river was wide.

Sunset colors

The locals use canoes for the crossing.

A 30 year old bite, the bench was dated 1970. The tree didn't tell his age though I asked.

Around we went with a mototaxi and in a cross road this band was playing.

In the afternoons the villagers take out to the street their village made rocking chairs.

Silent and calm.

As the town is from colonial era, the inner yards are the gathering places of a house. They were so beautiful.

In one I found this curious big tree.

A peak from our rooms window which was the size of a post card.

Having a beer with a park bench.

Another beautiful inner yard.

Peaceful cemetery.

Even the direction arrows of the streets were a piece of  blacksmiths art.

I was fascinated about the shelves of the small grocery stores. Every product had its own neat square.

Coffee time by the river.

Park.

"La vida es tan corta como vivir odiando."

Life is too short for living it with hatred.

This house has already seen its best days.

As in anywhere in Colombia, the donkey was a hard worker.

A street name sign.

The river bank street.

Luckily we got to continue our trip on the other side of the swamp so we needn't go back the same way as we came. The roads were bit more muddy and crowded by cows but scenery was new and refreshing.

This cute donkey child was on the road all alone.

Country side.

Washing day.

These field cones we assumed to be homes for famous ants. (Not sure though)

Famous ant of Bucaramanga. Roasted and salted.

And into the mouth it goes. Tasted good!

When getting up to the mountains the roads got winding and the face concentrated.