We leave Quito behind and start Hacienda hopping..... Today we had another early start and traveled again on the Pan American highway to the south to viist the Cotopaxi National Park. It's huge as in over 88,000 acres, which sits around the Cotopaxi Volcano which risess to 5897 metres above sea level. The Ecuadorian highlands are a huge attraction but there is no accounting for the weather .. after walking up the mountain for about an hour and get a great education along the way about the flora and fauna we didn't get to really see the Volcano due to all the cloud cover, ah well was a good work out anyway.

After our workout we headed to a nearby hacienda which was really charming. Lunch was served in a room with Inca walls perfectly preserved throught the centruries just waiting for us After lunch we mingles with the many pet Llamas of the hacienda and had some excellent photo op's.

From the hacienda we drive to a huge rose plantation. Ecuador supplies roses of the highest quality and colours all over the world mostly into USA and Russia!! See the pictures for the amazing colours and they grow so tall. Get this the cost for 12 roses is a huge $1 yep just 1.

From there we end up in the town of Patate to spend the night at a 300 year old hacienda hidden amoung the mountains. This place is full of stories about past people who left in search of the treasure of the Incas in nearby Llanganatis mountains and never returned. After another 3 course dinner is was time for bed...