Some of the volunteers of Katitawa - Nicolas, Lizzy, Damir and Emma had made plans to visit Salinas, the town of cheese and chocolates. I obviously jumped at the opportunity to not only do some sightseeing but also get to know some of the people I would be spending the next few weeks with. Salinas was a two and a half hour bus ride away, and it was lunch time by the time we reached.

Cockfight arena in Ambato

Nicolas, Damir & I in Salinas

Llama - this was the probably the first time that I was seeing one (and definitely so at such close quarters). But unlike what Tintin comics had led me to believe would happen, it didn't spit in my face

There was no menu at the restaurant we went to. There was a set meal and the only thing you could choose was whether you wanted it with chicken or with pork. After lunch, we checked out the famous chocolate factory. The others bought a lot of chocolates, but not being a big chocolate lover, I was content with watching how they were made. From there, we went to a cheese shop. The others bought a lot of cheese, but not being a big cheese lover, I was content with watching it in the shelves.

Volleyball - the favorite sport of the Ecuadorians

Camioneta ride on the way back

None of us was keen on sitting in a bus again, so on the way back we hailed a camioneta ride till Ambato. Since all seats in the front were taken, Nicolas & I rode standing in the back. It was cold as it is, but riding that way meant that we were freezing all the way. But we didn’t mind it one bit because we could chat with random locals hopping in and out of the back of the camioneta every now and then. Moreover the wind in our hair among the lush green hills with the pure mountain air made it a totally exhilarating experience.