The room is large with only a fireplace for heat and two large skylights. Thus, it gets pretty bright when the sun comes up. Even so, we manage to stumble out of bed about 9:00. Breakfast is ham omelets and pancakes filled with apples and other fruit. They serve me coffee in two parts: a cup of hot water and what must be a strong syrup in a pitcher. I pour the syrup into the cup to fill it up - and it makes a pretty good coffee.
After wandering about the grounds a bit, we are talked into a hike by Jorge. We are in Eastern Foothills of the Pichincha Mountains and as we rise we enter the highland rain forest. Jorge describes many of the plants and in many cases, their medicinal value. Angela turns back before me head our first objective, San Jorge Cape waterfall. Apparently dining the rainy season the falling water assumes the shape of a cape, but night now, it is a trickle. Karen is out of water, so she and Galan turn back.
![Potato Farming [8,6] 50mm 1/60 f11](2-26/Farming.jpg)
The path becomes considerably steeper now. After climbing quite a bit, we come out near a horse corral with a potato field right below it that workers are actively tilling. There is a house even further up the ridge. I can see a panorama of Quito including the airport - which has development all around it. Jorge tells me we are at 3350m (11,000 ft.).
We walk down through the potato field onto a road with switchbacks, then down to the hosteria. I find Angela just before we get there and then Karen who has been looking for Angela since she and Galan got back. Galan has gone out looking for Angela so we are still missing one. He shows up about 45 minutes later with curses under his breath.
We goof off for what's left of the afternoon. Jorge sits with us at dinner and we discuss the state of the world and politics.