CH-CH-CH-CHIVA

We were first introduced to Quito's Chivas while watching a Househunters International episode before our big move. Chivas are basically gutted, open-air buses with music and drinks that drive around the city while partiers dance around.  After we arrived we would see them from time to time driving down the street with partygoers hanging out the sides.  Clearly fun that the Cabezas couldn't pass up.  This Friday we booked one for us and some of the finest educators we know.  But you can't board a party bus without a few drinks first so we invited one and all over to our apartment for some celebrations before the bus.

Javier was excited to bring back his blind beer taste test. Club, Pilsener, Brahma or Bud?

Michael was just excited.

I was pumped for the 80s Power Hour that Scottee sent us for the occasion (I made this face a lot)

And there is our CHIVA!  Looks like a party right?

Here is the scene inside...lots of arms holding on and legs dancing around

Did I mention that they serve warm canelazo on the bus?  It was delicious but made for a bit of a sticky mess...

We had a ton of fun!!  It was a wild and sticky time and probably not something to do every Friday night, but we figured at least once!  I mean....when in Rome Quito...

Papallacta and Trip to San Rafael

Javier and I had one last three day weekend in the school year and debated a bit about where to go.  There was talk of flying to Colombia or the beach, but in the end we decided a relaxing trip close by would be best.  While I got to check out the hot springs of Papallacta with the girls, Javier hadn't yet, so we thought that would be the perfect little getaway.  When reading our Ecuador book, I saw that the country's largest waterfall was just a short distance away from Papallacta, so the plan became to rent a car and drive there after our night at Termas.  The drive to Papallacta was a bit hectic because of the fog (or should I just say clouds since we were so high up?) so we were very excited to relax when we arrived.

Our room was very nice (although I forgot to take a picture before our bag exploded on the extra bed)

hot springs right outside our door

steamy pools and misty mountains

We spent the morning soaking away

We took a break from the water to go on the little hike that is right be the hotel
On the way we found a little garden!  These are the trees that we saw in Cajas National park
(that look like Grimm's fairytales)

We also saw some llamas

It was an easy little hike that took us along the river

Papallacta is high up in the mountains so it's often cloudy, but so beautiful

Traversing the raging river

There were many pretty falls along the way

and gorgeous scenery (can you see the little waterfall cutting through the trees on the mountain?)

we also got a lovely little view of the town down below

We checked out after lunch and started our trip to San Rafael.  Google maps told us it was another hour and a half down the road (away from Quito) but the front desk estimated two and a half hours.  I'll end the suspense...the front desk was right.  We might not have gone if we had known it was so far, but the drive was gorgeous and San Rafael was very worth it.

sights along the way....three waterfalls

there was a flat stretch of road where the mountains just opened up around us

We arrived at San Rafael and checked in with the park station.  The views were beautiful.

it was an easy (a.k.a. not too steep) walk down to the falls!

there she is!   This sign told us that we could go no further for our own safety...

Even this far away this waterfall was intense!

so much water just crashing down....it was gorgeous!

amazing to behold

The long trip meant finishing our drive in the dark...but just as the sun was setting the volcano Antisana decided to make an appearance.  We've been told you can sometimes see it from Papallacta, but after two trips I've only ever seen clouds.  It was an amazing sight to end our trip of amazing sights!

Hiking Cotopaxi

The weekend before my birthday, Javier and I scheduled a day trip to the closest volcano outside of Quito: Cotopaxi.  We had heard from friends that the trip out and hike up to the glacier was a worthwhile adventure, so we booked with Gulliver Expeditions and layered up our warm clothes.

Remembering how naive we were the last time we decided to hike a volcano.

The day included breakfast and lunch at an adorable hostel just outside of the national park.  Then a drive through some gorgeous scenery and wild horses in the park.  The Cotopaxi National Park is pretty huge and is home to four different volcanoes.  The weather had not been cooperating on our trip in; lots of rain and clouds...but we were staying hopeful for a change once we reached the the base of the volcano.....it didn't.  This meant a pretty steep walk up with a lot of snow and sleet in your face....fun, right?!

Here is a good view of the ash we were climbing up.

at El Refugio...we just walked up that hill you see behind us...

this one . . . trust me, it was quite steep

The Refugio was an awesome spot to take a breather and drink some hot beverages.  I think some folks on our tour didn't realize what they were signing up for because they decided this was as far as they could go...
(can you see the snow that is falling in my pic?)

After a little rest, our guides asked who was heading farther up to the glacier.  Keep in mind, it took us about an hour to hike from the bus to the Refugio and the glacier was only another 20/30 minutes.  Out of the 21 of us who started the ascent, only 7 agreed to plow on to the glacier...

but even with the snow and wind...the 7 of us agreed it was so worth it!  (pictures just don't show how amazing it looks)

we made it!

Here is a look at our steep path to the glacier...lots of snow and loose gravel

it opened up a little on our hike down and the views were breathtaking!

Part of the day included a bike ride down the volcano after our hike.  We were very interested in the idea of biking down the volcano.  In truth, it was a bit scary.  The road was all gravel and super steep.  We basically never pedaled, but man did I wear out my brakes on that trip down.  The next day my wrists were actually sore from gripping my handlebars so tightly!

This was the truck that we followed on the way down (look at that view!)

We stopped on the way to check out this herd of wild horses!

there were so many of them!  A few of them that were closest to us stopped and watched us the whole time we were nearby

We ended our bike ride a gorgeous lake where the sun finally came out!

not bad

It was too cloudy to ever see the top of Cotopaxi, but you can see the snow line starting to peak out in this picture

On the way out, we stopped at an information center and walked around a bit.  The views were incredible.
(pictures just don't do it justice...)

We had so much fun on the trip.  Even with the snow and sleet, the hike was 100% worth it.  We both agree that Ecuador is one of the most beautiful places we've ever been.  And when you're this close...who wouldn't hike a volcano?

20 years of Colegio Menor

The weekend after Mom and Dad left, I was excited to have a planned event!  Instead of a Christmas party, Colegio Menor decided to throw its staff a party in April (around teacher's appreciation day) in honor of their 20 years in business.  And what better theme for a 20 year anniversary than...the 1920s!  We had been more than slightly encouraged to come dressed up (not just in our finest, but in our finest 20s get up).  In fact, school had a costume company that came to school one day in case you wanted to rent your attire for the night.  Lucky for me, I had Mom and Dad bring me a feathered headband to wear with the black cocktail dress I had brought for the Christmas party and decided to call it a day.  The party was in the basement of the mall near school, but was decked out in 1920s decor for our shindig....

This marquee was shining bright as we descended the stairs to our party.

Here we are all dressed up for the event!   (My headband and Javier's vest 100% count as costumes)

Expats making an effort and cleaning up good.

The Andersons!

The large room was full of flowers and intimate lighting.

More friends inside: Christina, Madison and Mike Parker

My happy hour girls: Ashley, Amy, Tiffany, Esperanza and me
 (except Holli who was busy getting married in the Galapagos that weekend...poor girl)

We were a bit disappointed because the bar was only turning out fruity, sweet drinks.  Here are Peter and Mike Parker enjoying theirs.

We had a good time, but were a bit disappointed that there were no door prizes (that sounds terribly snobbish and ungrateful), but we had heard that in years past, school had given out a number of prizes (from cash to Galapagos tickets!).  We think they spent a lot of the budget on decorations (which were cool!), but most agreed that prizes might have been a better gift to the teachers.  Even so, the night was fun and it was great to see the staff all dressed!  Thanks to Colegio Menor for a very fun night!