Loja, Ecuador

 

Loja was our next destination! Johan read on a blog somewhere that it was not a good idea to take the Internacionales bus, because they stop all over to pick up some people, and instead of four hours, it would take six! When we left our lovely hostel, with regret this morning and walked to the terminal, this was what we knew! But things didn`t work out that well! When we got there the only bus ready to depart was the Internacionales! The other bus was only scheduled to depart at eleven! So we got onto the bus, thinking that we could just as well sit for two more hours on a bus, than waiting for two hours at the terminal!

Marco slept again on my lap for about two hours, and I enjoyed the scenery. We were still snaking around the mountains, but at some stage the mountains changed to dry yellow grass with what looked like to me, little thorn trees. We did stop here and there to drop off some people, and we had to listen to a Spanish movie of John Sena, with bulging muscles, but the four hours went by quite quickly.

The bus stopped at the terminal, and we were heading for a place to stay. There was three places to stay close to the terminal, and we decided to go there, because we had to be on the next bus, tomorrow morning at seven! We found a hotel, and relaxed a bit. We had only the afternoon to check out Lojas, so Johan and I got into a taxi to the centre ot town. it is a lovely town, with nice little shops. We stumbled into a market, and were looking for manderinas. full of confidence I saw the slaughtered chickens hanging by their necks, with still bundles of orange eggs dangling as well. I lifted up my camera to take a photo for you, but the smell hit me, and blinded by the rush of my stomach, I had to flee, very quickly! Sorry, you are not going to see what I saw this time!

But the churches were nice, and I especially enjoyed the Gate of the City, erected in 1571, and restored in 1990 somewhere. I stood there and for a moment I thought I am going to see the loving green face of Shrek peaking out of the tower! What an impressive entrance to a town!