the last train in Ecuador- i wonder why!

finally i have left Quito, mike and i are heading south towareds Peru. The first town we got to was called Alausi, the prinicpal reason that people go there is for the 'spectacular' train ride down the steep edge of a mountain named the devils nose. This too is the reason we went there. The little town is beautiful perched on the edge of the aforementioned mountain. We had bumped into an old couple at the bus station at quito and they told us they owned a hostal and would we like to stay, so we agreed. On arrival we were not disappointed, the hostal was a brand new log cabin set on the hillside above the town and we we had it all to our selves! We planned to take the train the following day and so just had tea and a little wander around town that evening. The following morning we walked into town along the railway line to wait for the train, we waited and waited, waited some more and then had lunch, afterwhich we returned to the station to wait some more! the train arrived - four and a half hours late by which time the sky had clouded over and looked rather menacing. The train is a total tourist magnet and so we clamboured on top with several hundred other tourists and hung on as the train rumbled off. i have to say the descent down the mountain was less than spectacular, average i'd probably say and then on the way back it began to rain; so now i'm not only cold and a little bored but wet too! wonderful. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around the town in the drizzle, it was actually very pretty and i was warmer now i wasn't clinging to the roof of a train. The following mornig we left for a village called ingapirca, which has some 'impressive' inca ruins. Unfortunately this excursion too didn't live up to my expectations! The village was tiny with one restaurant (this was the best thing) where we had both lunch and tea, the hostal was fairly scabby (no toilet paper or hot water, what is a girl to do) and the 'impressive' inca ruins looked a bit like a sand castle! we left very early the next morning for Cuenca to watch the first Ecuador football match and i spent the next 2 days in the bathroom!