COTACACHI, ECUADOR IN MARCH 2016

This six week stay in the Cotacachi area has been mostly about nature, and I've loved it.  I'm seen above (on the far right) with a group who went on Milton Andramurio's March 10 tour of the Jerusalem Forest. Milton is usually accompanied on his tours by his Translator, Bonnie Arnold. Milton's English is quite good;  however, he enjoys Bonnie's support. 

The Jerusalem Forest, just north of Quito, is the largest dry forest in Latin America. It's called a dry forest because of being located in the Inter-Andean forest near the Guayllabamba River in a much dryer climate than surrounding areas. Hence, it is much less hospitable to agriculture. The Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture dedicated 2800 acres for preservation, and it is one of the most family friendly reserves in Ecuador. 

This reserve is well known as an important birding area. Below are photos in which a Naturalist guides our group through a learning experience of the bird life here. His explanation of various feeding, breeding, and other habits of the birds in the reserve was one of the best I've experienced.

Next is a photo of a tree revered by Ecuadorian ancestors and viewed the Jerusalem Forest. Also, I've included a photo of a train at the reserve, which our group enjoyed touring throughout the park.

That same day our group visited a rose plantation at Tabacundo, Ecuador. The tour give me an insight into the rigors of packing roses for exportation. Below are some photos taken on that day:

After our tour of the rose plantation and lunch, our group visited a nearby interactive deer farm.

I also took a tour of the Antisana Ecological Reserve (SE of Quito) with Milton and his Translator, Bonnie Arnold. Volcano Antisana is about 18,000 feet above sea level. It is the best place to view condors in Ecuador. Below are photos taken from that day. First of all is a photo of Milton in front of his van.

Some people in our group rode horses while the rest of us viewed Mt. Antsania and walked in the reserve.

We ate lunch at the lodge below:

We not only viewed condors, we watched Andean Bears feeding at Volcano Antisana. This wall of rock was across from the lodge where we had lunch, about 1/2 mile away:

Next are other views from our day at the beautiful Antisana Ecological Reserve.

We saw various varieties of ducks, birds, rabbits and vicuñas in the Antisana Reserve, although not shown here. It was an exquisite day of being in nature.

Below are photos of the day I served as Translator to Milton, due to Bonnie's knee surgery. We had several stops, the first in Bolivar(Ecuador), in which many mammalian fossils have been discovered.  

We then visited the Grotto of La Paz (Cavern of Peace). This shrine to the Virgin Mary is located in a cave along the Apaqui River. Nothing like it exists any where else in Latin America. 

We crossed into Columbia and visited the shrine of Our Lady of Las Lajas, a cathedral  built in 1802 and connected to the opposite side of the canyon by a 160 ft tall bridge. We also went to Tulcán's Cemetery, known for its beautiful Topiary Gardens and considered Ecuador's most famous cemetery.

I enjoyed doing the translation for Milton very much, and people told me how much I'd helped. Milton seemed very appreciative. 

Below are several photos of Bolivar, a town about an hour and a half north of Cotacachi. The museum there was small yet well worth visiting. I learned so much about the importance of excavations in the area of Bolivar. Previously I was unaware that the bones of archaic mastodons and other mammals shown in Quito museums are all from the Bolivar area.

 Below are photos taken at the Grotto at La Paz, in Northern Ecuador:

The thermal waters seen below emerge from springs inside the cavern.

Next is a photo taken at San Gabriel, known as the City of Bicycles:

 Next, we crossed into Columbia and visited the shrine of Our Lady of Las Lajas, a cathedral  built in 1802 and connected to the opposite side of the canyon by a 160 ft tall bridge. 

Some of us took the teleférico, (cable car), back up the canyon after visiting the Cathedral at Las Lajas, which was really a fun ride, and a lot easier than walking all of the way back up the hill.

Below are photos of the Tulcán Cemetery, known for its beautiful Topiary Gardens and considered Ecuador's most famous cemetery. 

Lastly are photos of our morning hiking group, which has been my favorite group activity while staying in Cotacachi. 

I've also very much enjoyed the Tuesday morning knitting group that meets in town. I've been volunteering at the Hogar de Ancianos (Home for the Elderly) in Cotacachi Monday afternoons. Christmas of 2014, I helped the ladies here at a Christmas cookie decorating event. It's been wonderful spending time with many of the same women. 

Next weekend I head for Quito, where I'm looking forward to a week of sight-seeing! Then I'll fly to Cuenca, where I'll stay for 2 months. 

Thank you for reading my blog and viewing the photos I've posted. All the best to you in the next weeks,  and I look forward to posting again in April!