mi pequeño paraiso

Illinizas the snow-capped South 5245m and rigged North 5126m

We have always called it our “pequeño paraiso”, this hidden gem in the Andes sandwiched between the two more famous (or notorious) touristic countries (Colombia and Peru). It’s the place where I could truly relaxed, disconnected and sleep well. Not sure what it is – maybe the climate (the eternal Spring of 15-20c), maybe all different shades of green from different cultivations, maybe the gigantic snowcapped volcanoes we wake up to every morning, maybe the quietness, maybe the slowness (people really take their time here), maybe the sun, which rises at 6 and sets at 6 all year around, maybe the fact that the rest of world races at thousand miles an hour but nothing seems to change the speed of life here in the Andes. Even the recently erupted Cotopaxi had welcome us when we landed by standing still on our way out to the airport. 

It almost never fails, the altitude (2800m/9200ft) always leaves us out of breath after walking just a few blocks in Quito yet it never deters us from strolling and inhaling the fresh cold mountain air. 

We did a excursion out to the Illinizas, the infamous twin peaks and the crater nearby, Quilotoa (3194m). 5 hours on a horse (Laura, who I called the “stupid dog"), I could barely feel my bottom. The Andean páramo is just breath-taking. It brought back all the nostalgia and reminded me why it was our peqeño paraiso at the first place. We’ve lived in 8 countries have trotted all over the world, and truly, nothing comes close to the Andean landscape. It will always be our pequeño paraiso or shall I say Ecuador, Mi Encando!

Laguna Quilotoa 3194m