In the morning, the owners were gracious to make our breakfast earlier than the usual hour. We had fresh baked bread, delicious fried egg and hash browns, marmalade, honey, granola and fruit.
Our new driver, Ivan, picked us up from the hotel and shuttled us over for our first big adventure of the day…tubing. Although the tour description labeled the experience as a “relaxing morning floating on a giant inner-tube down the river,” I would beg to differ. We bounced, jostled and hit the rapids in giant inner tubes as we made down the icy River Mindo. The water was so cold but once I was numb, the experience was quite enjoyable. The boys loved it. The guides were young and enthusiastic and I could tell they were as delighted to take this group of Americans down their river route.
Next up was the butterfly gardens. (http://www.mariposasdemindo.com/jard-n-de-mariposas) After a short tour in English describing the life cycle of the butterfly, we were released into a large area with an abundance of more than 1,200 butterflies in more than 25 species, according to their website. There were so many flying around and they happily landed on flowers, trees and people. Walker soon discovered that if he put a little of the nectar on his fingers and later on his face, that the butterflies would take roost. He and I spent a lot of time soaking up the beauty of the butterflies and the orchids while Mason and Bill wandered out and explored other parts of the grounds.
For lunch we stopped with Ivan at a little hole in the wall, una hueca, called El Sabroson in Nanagalito. We ordered the midday meal as an Ecuadorian family would, asking for fritada for the group. The plate came out with pork pieces, cooked and then fried, hominy called mote in Spanish, yuca and banana. Walker ordered choclo con queso which we learned meant ears of corn served with cheese wedges. There was salsa de aji on the side.
It was raining a bit as we drove off for the final leg of the trip of the day to Tierra del Volcan, Hacienda El Porvenir. Ivan told us that the first time he had driven up to El Porvenir, he was surprised. Google maps indicated that the drive would take a mere five minutes from where he started. Google maps did not anticipate a heavily cobblestoned, windy road complete with potholes. We literally bounced around as the minivan climbed up the mountain.
We were richly rewarded for our bumbling journey. Our lodging was in a farmhouse made from local building materials in the Andean style of the area. After signing in at registration, we were directed to the sitting room in the common area. There was a large dining table with tea service, comfortable arm chairs and an adjacent sitting area with a roaring fire. While we waited for our rooms to be prepared, we were treated to an Ecuadorian snack of fresh empanadas and a sweet tea. We took a little time to settle into our rooms. Our rooms for the night were adjacent to one another on the second floor. We had breathtaking views of Cotopaxi and a before dinner in the restaurant.
Mason ordered beef cooked on volcanic rock, Walker had trout encrusted with Ecuadorian pumpkin seeds and cilantro pesto, Bill had trout, blackened and marinated in Andean spices and served with red pepper sauce and I ordered Andean tortillas which were little potato, sweet white carrot and quinoa dumplings stuffed with fresh cheese. They were served with yuca and fresh vegetables. We were also served llapingacho, little potato dumplings with cheese inside. Walker ended his meal with a Cotopaxi crepe: vanilla ice cream folded in a crepe with a papaya sauce.
While we were at dinner, the hotel staff turned down our beds for the night and tucked in hot water bottles. Given that the temperatures had dropped to 30 degrees and the rooms were heated with small space heaters, the hot water bottles were a huge gift.
If we had had more time, I am sure we would have loved to have spent a few more days at the Hacienda. They had horseback riding, a high ropes adventure course, hiking and beautiful grounds to explore.
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