I just returned from a four-week sojourn through the central and equatorial regions of the Americas. It turned out to be a perfect mix of time with old and new friends but also solo time, the intensity, energy and ultimate urbanity of the megalopolis that is Mexico City but also hiking in remote Andes mountains and jungles, and eating cheap street tacos and fresh fruit cups for lunch while indulging (comparatively speaking) in finer sit-down establishments for dinner. Can you tell I like extremes, and perhaps everything in between? As I reflect on the past month, I thought it would be fun to highlight a few new-to-me experiences.
Hiking an active volcano: Cotopaxi
Although I've hiked numerous dormant volcanos and volcanic fields, hiking Cotopaxi (19,347 ft), as it released steam and ash from the cone certainly stood out. It has erupted 87 times since 1534 and the seismic activity is monitored very closely. Visitors are not currently allowed to hike to the very top, but we were able to hike to 16,000 feet, where there is a base station (and hot chocolate) with unobstructed views of the ash-dusted glacial fields and peak. We were fortunate that the weather cooperated for our time hiking and for views of this majestic peak, especially as the surrounding valleys were engulfed in clouds, fog and drizzle.
Visiting a volcanic crater lake: Laguna Quilotoa
The two-mile wide crater lake was formed in this caldera about 800 years ago after the volcano exploded and collapsed. The lake itself is at 12,500 feet in elevation and sits nearly 1,000 feet below the rim. The very sandy and steep trail down to the lake takes about 30 minutes by foot. The scenery from the rim is a beautiful circular panorama of escarpment that is grayish volcanic soil and lightly-vegetated, only to be dramatically punctuated in its center by the richest blue-green water.
Riding a donkey, or is it a mule, or ?
After a slippery, steep, and dusty half-hour hike down to Quilotoa Lake, my friend and I took a rest lakeside taking in the unique, almost other-worldly, scenery. My friend's intention was to rent a mule for the ride back up to the rim, while I planned on hiking back. My resistance was two-fold, I always prefer hiking but I also wasn't sure if riding said animal would be scary or risky on such a steep trail, especially since I had never even been on a horse. I don't think riding the plastic horse mini-carousel outside the K-Mart in the 1980s counts.
Somehow I changed my mind after the midday heat kicked in and the trail was even dustier, and thinking it could be a new adventure. After just a bit of anxiety as we started the upward trek, I relaxed and enjoyed the ride, the beautiful scenery, and chatting with our deaf guide who managed to lip-read my less than perfect Spanish. My friend also tried to rationalize our ride saying that our slender builds gave the donkeys a lighter-than-usual load ;-) It was also reassuring to learn from the guide that they have a herd of 500 mules that they rotate through so that they aren't over-worked. I still talked to and pet my mule, Luis, as I admired his endurance on the steep climb.
Watching an international professional soccer game
Coincidentally, a dear friend's brother and his lovely family were visiting Medellín at the same time, so we met for the first time for dinner and an outing to a soccer game. We saw a Colombian team (Medellín's Atlético Nacional) play an Argentinian team (Club Atlético Patronato). Although the stadium can seat 45,000 rowdy fans, the smaller crowd this particular evening was still quite lively, wearing green, and chanted and sang for a good part of the game. We partook in some interesting (?) crunchy snack with an indistinct flavor but were mostly there to consume the ambiance and energy of the game, crowd, and beautiful evening.
Taking a cooking class
On a relaxing afternoon in Salento (Colombia), I stumbled upon a quaint, rustic outdoor wine bar with beautiful views of the verdant valley. I chatted with the owner and local chef, Fernando Vélez, who told me about his cooking classes specializing in the local cuisine. Taking the class was one of my trip's highlights, as it basically ended up being private lesson, where I learned a variety of prep, cooking, and serving techniques. Chef Vélez also showed me his herb and vegetable garden and small orchard, and introduced me to over a dozen new fruits and vegetables over the course of the evening. We prepared an assortment of local plantain and potato chips, several types of salsas, trout, rice, banana cake (all in a wood-burning stove/oven), cocktails infused with fresh, local fruit, and Colombian red wine. It was such a fun evening cooking and chatting for three hours and then sitting down to enjoy the lovely meal with my talented new friend. I was gifted with a newfound appreciation for all the work and talent behind the scenes at sit-down restaurants for a plate of food to arrive at our table. I was exhausted, but filled with appreciation, for this wonderful evening.
Touring a coffee finca & sampling the freshest coffee
I spent several days in the Eje Cafetero (Coffee Axis) of Central Colombia, in the charming town of Salento, which is the perfect base for adventures to the beautiful Valle Corcora with its majestic palm trees, other quaint villages, mountain biking, and numerous coffee farms. I toured Finca Buenos Aires, a smaller coffee farm in transition to fully-organic designation. I opted for the Spanish-language tour, where I had the pleasure of making two new Argentinian friends and practicing my Spanish listening and speaking skills. We were shown the entire process, including germination, harvesting, pulping grain from its shell, brewing methods, and eventually tasting freshly-brewed cups of three varieties of beans. One can't help but be impressed and humbled after learning about and seeing first-hand all the labor, science, and careful coordination thousands of miles away well before we sit down to our now seemingly luxurious morning cup of brew. I'll never again take my cup of coffee for granted but hope to reflect on the hands involved in making that happen.
Below: Jaime Valdez, Juan's estranged younger brother who only seems to care about the end product of the family business.
Riding a bike in downtown Mexico City (and surviving!)
I debated whether to include this, but to me, it felt like a big deal, especially since it started off as pretty stressful and risky endeavor but then evolved into a, shall I say, fun and exhilarating experience and new way to explore the heart of this megalopolis. All your senses get activated, and it forces you to be super-vigilant in looking for and anticipating any number of possible scenarios. Being on a bicycle in such a busy place puts you face-to-face with cars, delivery trucks, vans, buses, bicycles, motorbikes, skateboards, street vendors, parked cars, pedestrians, dogs, one-ways, unsigned four-way stops, speed bumps, exhaust, freeway overpasses, bridges, etc. Fortunately, drivers seem to also be vigilant and respectful toward bicyclists and there is an impressive and growing infrastructure for cyclists in the heart of CDMX. I was also inspired by my friends who were living in the city for a few months and made bicycling a regular part of their transportation in the city. Looking forward to doing it again, especially on a Sunday morning when they close the major boulevard through CDMX for recreational uses.
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