Saturday: We had breakfast at the house and then took the bus to Otovalo, where there is a large handi-craft market. The bus ride is approximately 2.5 hours, and since we didn't get a very early start, that was mostly what we did the entire day. We came back home that night and crashed.
Sunday: One of the visiting brothers was kind enough to give our Public Discourse at the meeting this morning and all of the Quito English congregation appreciated the delivery of the material. Afterwards, approximately 25 of us went out to Mall El Jardin for lunch. Finally, after lunch I was able to retrieve my phone :) A few of the friends came over to my house that night to watch a movie.
Monday: A group of us met up at my house in the morning to travel to Mindo for the cloudforest/ waterfall hike and to do some ziplining.
We took a truck to Los Bancos approximately 30 minutes in the opposite direction in order to catch the bus at the beginning of the line. We waited almost an hour for the next and final bus departing that night. And as it drove right by us, we all began to chuckle at the situation. We debated on spending the night in Mindo, but then Carlos, the kid who had driven us from Mindo to Los Bancos, offered to drive us all the way back to Quito. We gratefully accepted his offer and half of our group piled in the cab of the pickup truck and the other half piled in the truck bed.
We stopped for dinner on the way home and finally made it home, albeit exhausted, cold and tired.
Tuesday: Today one of my friends and I went in service in the morning. Then later that afternoon, we all traveled to Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World). We went to the official museum site "Intinan Museum" (instead of the monument site, which is actually located on the adjacent lot next to the museum). Unfortunately, we arrived about 10 minutes after they closed. We snuck around to the exit, where the man informed us that we were too late. I told him that we had traveled all the way from Quito and meant to ask if we could spend just 15 minutes and look around. Instead I asked for 50 minutes and he chuckled and said no! Realizing my mistake, we pleaded with him for just a few minutes. He agreed to charge us a discounted admission and then proceeded to give us a private tour, which lasted 45 minutes in the end!
Wednesday: Today we went in the ministry in the morning. Afterwards we went to lunch at a popular spot called the Magic Bean and then to the Mercado de Artesnal market in the Mariscal area.
Thursday: Though we intended to go to Papallacta today, our plans didn't seem to work out. Instead we went back to the local market and my friends picked up some more souvenirs to take home.
That night, I made dinner and invited some of the friends from the hall to join us. We had beef tenderloin with sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers, asparagus, mashed potatoes, salad and garlic bread.
Friday: Sadly, today was the last day of my friends' visit. We had a nice breakfast together and then they packed up their bags and and headed off to the airport in the early afternoon.
On the bus
We made it!
Hold on! This cart seems rickety...
Safely on the other side
Where is this waterfall anyway?
Surely this is not it...
Finally we arrived!! The water was freezing!!
Suited up and ready to go ziplining!
We took a truck to Los Bancos approximately 30 minutes in the opposite direction in order to catch the bus at the beginning of the line. We waited almost an hour for the next and final bus departing that night. And as it drove right by us, we all began to chuckle at the situation. We debated on spending the night in Mindo, but then Carlos, the kid who had driven us from Mindo to Los Bancos, offered to drive us all the way back to Quito. We gratefully accepted his offer and half of our group piled in the cab of the pickup truck and the other half piled in the truck bed.
We stopped for dinner on the way home and finally made it home, albeit exhausted, cold and tired.
Tuesday: Today one of my friends and I went in service in the morning. Then later that afternoon, we all traveled to Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World). We went to the official museum site "Intinan Museum" (instead of the monument site, which is actually located on the adjacent lot next to the museum). Unfortunately, we arrived about 10 minutes after they closed. We snuck around to the exit, where the man informed us that we were too late. I told him that we had traveled all the way from Quito and meant to ask if we could spend just 15 minutes and look around. Instead I asked for 50 minutes and he chuckled and said no! Realizing my mistake, we pleaded with him for just a few minutes. He agreed to charge us a discounted admission and then proceeded to give us a private tour, which lasted 45 minutes in the end!
View from the bus
At the entrance to Intinan Museum (the true Middle of the World)
Walking the Line
You gotta love the "calculated with GPS"
Our private tour guide
Trying to balance an egg on end
Shrunken heads exhibit
Our Service Group
Before long, it was time to head back to the house to change and get ready for the meeting that evening. After the meeting a few of us went out for a late dinner at a local establishment.
That night, I made dinner and invited some of the friends from the hall to join us. We had beef tenderloin with sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers, asparagus, mashed potatoes, salad and garlic bread.
Friday: Sadly, today was the last day of my friends' visit. We had a nice breakfast together and then they packed up their bags and and headed off to the airport in the early afternoon.
Time for one last photo
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