01/27 After a somewhat grueling climb up an often rough and wet dirt road I made it to village of Quilotoa. Just a short walk across the only road in town and you can look down at a huge volcanic crater lake. The afternoon clouds had already come in so I’ll have to wait until the morning to get a good view. According to the locals the lake has no bottom but geologists came along and ruined it by determining that it’s 820 feet deep. This might be the only time I had to pay an entrance fee to get into a village. $2 wasn’t a huge dent in the pocket book but it seems odd to charge a fee to come into a village where 70% of the buildings (maybe more) are hostels. If they are going to charge a fee maybe do it at the museum that overlooks the crater.
Speaking of pocket books, the zipper on the small pouch thing I use to hold change broke so I bought a fancy new handmade one from a girl selling them in one one of the many booths. I’m looking forward to having a day where something doesn’t break on me. 
This Quilotoa Loop route is shaping up to be one of my favorite areas on the entire trip. The scenery has been spectacular almost the entire way. Normally I’m not a big fan of populated areas but it’s hard not to appreciate how hard the people living here work just to make enough to scrape by. Every inch of cultivable land is worked in some way whether it be for growing crops or grazing sheep/llamas. The altitude has an odd effect on the kids. Their cheeks are incrediby rosy. It’s not a healthly looking red either; more like a the color of a deep bruise. Their hands are also the same color.
Karen found out some info on the family that runs the hostel. It’s a dad, mom and 2 young kids (under 6). They get $100 a month from the owner to run the place. They don’t have to pay to live there (no rent/electric/water expenses). Food is also provided. The four of them stay in one room in the basement and share the same bed. There is no stove to warm the room like in the guest rooms.
Hit a new max altitude record (12864 feet).
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