Actual trip to Alausi was on March 2, 2008 (my moms birthday)
The guide book talks about this great train ride that supposedly you are allowed to sit on the top of the train, from Riobamba, Ecuador to Alausi, Ecuador...approximately 150 km. There are some pretty cool switch -backs that for parts of the ride the train is actually going backwards in order to get down the switchback...
So this ride sounds awesome, right?! Ride on the top of a train, see gorgeous scenery, meet new people, the whole nine yards. Well, when I booked my ticket, I was sadly informed that they unfortunately are no longer letting people ride on the top as two silly Japanese folks fell off the top and died. ¡Que Lastima!
Now the trip is a bus trip to the small town of Alausi, Ecuador...so all the beautiful scenery along the way is viewed in an old bus with dirty windows and barely enough room for your knees in front of you; and I'm not even tall!
Once we reached the town of Alausi, it was beautiful, small and quaint. Loads of indigenous Ecuadorians in their fabulous garb, good food and BONUS!, it's Sunday, so it's MARKET DAY!
The actual trip down the switchbacks was probably the most 'tourist - trap' type thing I've done. Not really worth the $8 ticket, but I liked the town of Alausi nonetheless. I think you'll see why when you view the photos. Enjoy!
This mountain is supposedly the "Devils Nose". I don't really see it, do you????
Maybe the conductor can explain it...
Nope...just gonna have to be content with the beauty of nature. Quite enough for me!
It looks like a train right? Well, the 'train' was actually an old bus made to appear to be a train, but instead of wheels it did run on the train tracks. Again...the scenery was the saving grace.
Plus...BONUS, it was market day...as well as ANIMAL MARKET. There were people and pigs EVERYWHERE! I was in photo/culture heaven!!!
Where can I get a pair of those??
How rad are these hats??? Everyone wears them, men, women, children....super cool!
The second brown hat down in the second column on the left is no longer there...it's currently in my mochila! :-)
Market day in Alausi.
I think he's flirting. Yo pienso, el esta coqueteando con ella. :-)
Local cuisine. I'm continually amazed at the parts/pieces and how the parts/pieces of pig are used and prepared. Awesome!!!
Small town Alausi, Ecuador.
Need a lift up?
Now this photo I paid for...of course, asked very nicely and they were really sweet. She wanted a dollar (Ecuador is on USD and if you wonder why you don't see many dollar coins in the states, it because Ecuador has them all!!). And as they started to pose, she asked what about him? Well, I was ready for this question and I had two .50 coins ready in my other hand....BUT...I wanted to get the photo first, so showed the coinage, took the picture and then paid her cohort. This was worth $2 and easy for them to earn a bit of extra cash.
Local Ecuadorians enjoying the beauty of their town. 
Animal market from above.
Do I really need to write anything here?!?! 
AWESOME STUFF out there in the big 'ol world!
Alausi from above at the Jesus Cristo statue. (below)
PIGS PIGS PIGS!!! Fat ones, grown ones, and...
...baby ones.
GOOD STUFF IN ALAUSI, DON'T YOU AGREE? :-)
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