Next stop: Riobamba, a 2 hour busride from Alausi. The countryside out the window was beautiful, rolling green hills, cows, and steeper green mountains in the background. Below are pictures
of Chimborazo Volcano.
And this is Al Altar volcano, extinct since prehistoric times. There's a lake at the top. This was taken out of my hotel window. (Excuse the power lines.)
First, I wanted to rappel down Hotel Zeus, which was right near my hotel. So I went and asked. They said they need a minimum of 5 people before they'll set it up. Nobody else in town was interested so I didn't get to go. This is how high it was! I asked if I could go in and take pictures from the top floor and they said yes so I ordered a beer. Five minutes later they said there's a private event so I can't go. I chugged the beer and went onward.
The next day, I decided to go try to find the religious art museum. It supposedly has some art piece that's pure gold, inlaid with hundreds of precious gems. I walked and walked and walked...
...Stopped in a park and took a few pix:
...finally found the religious art museum after going down the wrong street seven times. It was closed. So I started back and ran into a parade. It seemed pagan or something for some reason.
Was tempted to try the pig but it had been out too long in the afternoon and didn't want to take a chance. So that's Riobamba...not a whole lot to do. If I'd had more time I'd have taken a tour up to the volcanoes.
And this is Al Altar volcano, extinct since prehistoric times. There's a lake at the top. This was taken out of my hotel window. (Excuse the power lines.)
First, I wanted to rappel down Hotel Zeus, which was right near my hotel. So I went and asked. They said they need a minimum of 5 people before they'll set it up. Nobody else in town was interested so I didn't get to go. This is how high it was! I asked if I could go in and take pictures from the top floor and they said yes so I ordered a beer. Five minutes later they said there's a private event so I can't go. I chugged the beer and went onward.
The next day, I decided to go try to find the religious art museum. It supposedly has some art piece that's pure gold, inlaid with hundreds of precious gems. I walked and walked and walked...
...Stopped in a park and took a few pix:
...finally found the religious art museum after going down the wrong street seven times. It was closed. So I started back and ran into a parade. It seemed pagan or something for some reason.
These green guys were funny. They were growling and yelling and chasing everyone around. I don't know the meaning at all.
While I was leaving, a guy with a wolf mask ran up to me and poked a bone, like a chicken or beef bone that had been eaten off of, at my shoulder and then at my cheek. He was growling and kept jabbing it at me. I screamed and ran away and he kept chasing me. I didn't know what he was doing and started freaking out a little but I knew it was some kind of joke. Someone later told me I was supposed to give him coins.
He ran away too fast and I couldn't get his picture, darnit!
On the way home I stopped by Parque Guayaquil. It has a huge kids area with a lake for paddle boating. That day there was an event of some kind so I walked around looking for chicha, a fermented drink the locals like. (Couldn't find any.) But check out the zebra cow!
Was tempted to try the pig but it had been out too long in the afternoon and didn't want to take a chance. So that's Riobamba...not a whole lot to do. If I'd had more time I'd have taken a tour up to the volcanoes.
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