Deja view all over again

To make up for going to bed late, the Ecuadorians insist on making us get up early, so we are transferred at 6am(sic) to meet our group for the train tour of Ecuador. We meet our fellow travelers, a motley polyglot of Aussies, Brits and Americans and then on the bus to Otavalo(hang on weren't we here 2 days ago) where we board our magnificent choo-choo train

Heavily armed bodyguards who scoot ahead of the train to stop cars at level crossings

If you pay them enough they will stop

to Ibarra with stops along the way to observe various regional and very traditional handicrafts such as coffee making, icon sculpturing

Bought 2 of these bad boys

and the ancient craft of weaving incontinence pads out of cactus needles, a practice which declined sharply in the early 17th century 3 weeks after it was introduced!

Then by bus to the rose farm(hang on weren't we here 2 days ago?) for a tour of the rose farm(ditto), lunch(ditto) and then back to Quito by bus and an average dinner. It seems that what the Ecuadorian lacks in delicacy in more than makes up with stodge!