Well, I guess I´m getting used to the long bus trips... but the trip to Mindo was super cool as we passed fields of palms (for palm oil?), coffee fields, and other various neat farms, little communities, and of course, the ever-changing landscapes of Ecuador. We arrived in Mindo around 430 or so in the afternoon and wandered about until we found La Casa de Cecilia... a stunning little log cabin-style hostal just off the main road. When I say we I mean: Mike, Charlotte, Olivia, Scott and I... and Tristan is with Shane in Quito and coming on Saturday... which basically rounds out the ENTIRE volunteer group! (So not much of an escape but that´s ok I guess... good bonding?)Mindo is definitely a beautiful and relaxed little town set in a high altitude valley within the cloud forest. The atmosphere was so welcoming and quaint, it was a real treat to be there!
We went into town and had a nice pizza dinner and just hung out and then smuggled some beer back to the hostal (alcohol free!?!) and played cards for the remainder of the evening. Mike bailed early and the rest of us headed to my room (got my own!) to continue the card games. The following day we all got up and had breakfast before wandering down to the hummingbird/orchid/butterfly garden while we waited for Shane and Geovanna to show up. Once they got there we grabbed lunch and then headed out to do some ziplining... what a blast! 13 lines, varying speeds and heights, but all at the top of the cloud forest canopy... if it wasn´t for my harness almost damaging my box it would´ve been a perfect afternoon! After that we all went back and chilled at the hostal until dinner time when we all headed out except for Shane and Geovanna who stayed in to nap... or ¨nap¨ lol
Saturday night had the Friday crew heading out to the Mindo club scene... lots of drinking and dancing including a little salsa lesson for me from some guy... sadly for him my coordination was compromized and he ended up getting elbowed in the face not once, but twice! His own fault I think and thankfully Scott saved me soon after.
Sunday morning was mostly recovery time I think and just wandering about until our bus left to head back to Santo Domingo... there was a bit of a f-up in Sto Domingo as a few of us wandered off to find a bank machine only to realize that there were two in the bus station and we ended up waiting an hr and a half in line for a bus back to the reserve! Brutal!... ah well, it was a wicked weekend anyway, despite the crappy ending.
Hooray for pictures!!!!
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