Early November - North to Riobamba

At the beginning of the month we loaded all three dogs in the car and headed north.  Riobamba was the goal and it was the first time the puppies had a long drive.  Riobamba is the capital of the Chimborazo Provance. I had bought a kennel to put in the back of the car for the puppies, big mistake.  They both got car sick!  Oh well lesson learned.  We stopped along the way and got medicine for them and moved them to my lap.  They were much happier!!

The trip was another amazing lesson in the varied topography of Ecuador.

High green pastures

Dry mountain sides

River canyons

Just WOW

And more WOW

The road is a good road and the views are fabulous.  We passed through many small towns each with its church hundreds of years old.  I think the date on this one was in the late 1500!

Riobamba has a population of about 95,000 and at an elevation slightly higher than Cuenca.  The streets are wide, not nearly as clean as Cuenca but a perosn we met who knows both cities compares Riobamba to Cuenca 15 years ago.

Riobamba

The streets downtown were closed for a fiesta!

Jack and the kids at the Hostel Oasis

Hostel Oasis, not much to look at from the street but

Inside is an Oasis!!!!

Row of tailers with their tredal machines in the plaza market

Mercado - you can't really see but all the vendors wear green uniforms

Just north of Riobamba is Guano known for its rugs

Central Park in Guano

 

Jack and the girls taking a nap after a hard day of sightseeing!

The camera could not capture the expanse of the mountains and the deep canyons we saw on this trip you just have to come and see for yourself!!!  The volcano Chimborazo hid itself in clouds while we where there.  Chimborazo is the tallest mountain in Ecuador (6,310 meters that's 20,702 feet) and due to the bulge of the earth at the equator its' peak is actually the farthest point from the center of the earth, farther than Mt. Everest.

We had two great dinners in Riobamba one at Bonny Restaurant and another at an Italian place that was fabulous.  No point in giving the name as they are closing and have to move as the property they rent has been sold.  They may move to Cuenca which would be fabulous as it was delicious!!!

The return trip was uneventful, just a review of the wonderful sights of drivng in the Andes.  We will make this trip again!

After our return home we tried a new coffee shop - Moca Cafe on Gran Columbia west of Unidad Nacional in the Excaliber Building for a breakfast burrito.  Jack said the coffee was GREAT and I really enjoyed a whole pot of tea with my burrito!  Sorry no picture!  Anyway a nice change of pace....German bakery products too to go with your coffee!!!

Hope all is well in your world. Thanks for following!!!!  Chau for now.