Ecuador
A few years ago, my sister and I promised each other that no matter how busy or crazy our lives get, we would always find some time every year to do a trip together. So in 2016, we stayed in treehouses in Oregon; in 2017, I took her to London and Paris with our mom for a European escape; and this year, we ventured to the equator! This was the first time either of us have been to South America, which made it extra special.
My sister is my rock; she is a constant reminder of everything that is important in my life. When I’m old, I want to look back on my life and reminisce on the memories, adventures, and experiences I’ve had with people that I love, especially her. Not only is she special to me because of who she is, but also because of how much she impacted my life for the better. She was a ray of light in my childhood; the cutest, sweetest, spunkiest girl who I haven’t stopped adoring since the day she was born. I am so lucky to have her as my sister, but even luckier to have the privilege to be her sister.
This trip was a whirlwind, fun, breathtaking adventure that I’ll never forget. I cherished every second of the time with my beautiful sister. Below is a recap of our trip, but all of the real “footage” is in my YouTube vlog :) Xoxo
WELCOME TO ECUADOR
We (somehow) survived an overnight flight from SFO to Panama City before hopping on another flight to Quito. I got sick on the plane, but it was worth it obviously! We were so exhausted and relieved when we finally landed in Quito. It was another hour-long bus ride to our hotel, but I loved seeing the mountainous scenery and the liveliness of the city on the drive in. We rested that afternoon and went to bed early since the next 3 days would be jam packed.
DAY ONE: OTAVALO MARKET, COTACACHI… & ALPACAS?!
On our first day, we traveled a few hours away by bus to Otavalo and Cotacachi. At Otavalo, we had time to shop at the most vibrant outdoor market. It was overwhelming; almost everything at the market was hand-made, great quality, and colorful! We bought a few sweaters, hair bands, jewelry, and a few other random things. We also made a few pit stops throughout the day, including at a small cafe by Mira Lago (a big lake) where we tried some traditional corn flour biscuits and met my sister’s new best alpaca friends, Papito and Rosita. My sister was obsessed (still is) with them and although I’m not an animal person, I thought they were pretty cool :) In Cotacachi, we learned how traditional Ecuadorian instruments and clothing are made (fun fact: they smash insects and then combine lime and other natural ingredients to color their wool). Ecuador has 84 total volcanoes (5 of which are still active) so almost everywhere you turn, you can see one in the distance. It was fascinating and the scenery throughout the day was gorgeous.
DAY TWO: TELEFERICO, MITAD DEL MUNDO, & QUITO OLD TOWN
The highlight of the trip for me was swinging in the clouds over Quito. To get there, we went to teleferico, which is a cable car that goes 14,000 feet up the mountain to get sweeping views of the city. Words and photos don’t do it justice; it is something everyone needs to see in their life! At the top, we went on a “hike” (altitude issues were a challenge - it was hard to breathe and had shortness of breath) and then came upon the swing set.
The next stop was the famous Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World), where we fulfilled my lifelong dream of being in two places at once! Interestingly enough, there are two equator lines about 200 meters apart from each other. The first (left picture below) is the accurate line as calculated by GPS and the second (right picture below) is what the French believed to be the middle of the earth in 1736 (they were close….but wrong!). We went to both places and it was incredible. At the real line, you can balance an egg, try to walk on the line without difficulty (it’s tough because of the opposing atmospheric pressures), and can see water go down the drain with no coriolis effect (but just one step away in each hemisphere, the coriolis effect was there!). We learned so much and even got stamps in our passports to prove we’ve been to the equator.
The last stop of the day was Quito’s historical old town, where we had a delicious lunch inside a beautiful courtyard and then saw the old governmental buildings, cultural center, and the most beautiful church I’ve ever been in. The entire inside of the church was gold; it was one of the most stunning churches I’ve ever seen but sadly we couldn’t take pictures in it. We went chocolate tasting and ended the day exhausted but exhilarated!
DAY THREE: PAPALLACTA HOT SPRINGS, HIKE, & MASSAGES
On our last day in Ecuador, we drove a few hours outside Quito to Papallacta (a small farm town in the middle of the mountains) where we went on a hike along a river and then spent a few hours totally chilling in the pools filled with medicinal water from the mountains. It was pretty cold outside but the water was hot and it felt SO good! It was nice to not sit in pools filled with chlorine like we do at home :) Afterwards, we had lunch at the onsite restaurant followed by 1 hr massages that were beyond relaxing. I still have the mental image of the beautiful mountains and can feel the clean air in my lungs. It was the perfect way to end our time in Ecuador. We will definitely be back someday, where we plan to stay longer and visit the Galapagos!
