Hey sorry we didn’t post yesterday; we had a 5 am wake up call ๐Ÿ™‚

We started a beautiful morning in Guaranda (even though it was way too early to be up) then we had to say goodbye to the new way of life in Guaranda to go to Salinas. When we got there, we noticed the tight-knit community and love for cheese. We enjoyed the scenic views, then we all hurried to the cheese factory and learned the process of cheese making; we were able to experience the life of the workers in the factory. We were all fascinated with all the types of products they come up with and nevertheless, so excited with all the llamas and cowws we could see around.

After the cheese factory we stopped by the textile factory to observe the way yarn is made. We saw the process of the wool becoming yarn and as we walked into the wool factory, it looked like a horror Disneyland ride and the wet wool looked like a wet dog. All the products in Salinas were handmade by a group of strong empowered women to aid their family income. We were all fascinated by the capability of these womenโ€™s imagination to create such cute products. After the factory visits we had free time and had time to shop for souvenirs for families and friends The rainbow of colors that shined through the window made us go buy everything.

Later today, we had the privilege to go up a mountain with our great guides, Luis, Mary and Jovanny. The view was a great sacred place for them because they had never taken any other group to watch the sunset with them. Before the actual sunset, our guides prepared a bonfire right at the edge of the mountain, which was a ceremony for the sun. This along with the sunset meant the new beginning of our lives and the desires to leave all negativity behind.This moment gave us peace of mind. Following the sunset, we descended back down the mountain where we made our way back to the hostel. It was a fun-filled day where memories with our new friends were made.