We traveled through Quito heading west across the mystical Andes to the rainy western side of the mountains. The drive took us up and then gradually down through the dry desert of the outskirts of Quito to lush and verdant green countryside.
Our first stop was the overlook of the pristine village of Puluawa, a gorgeous village of 3,000 indigenous people who live in the green, patchwork farmland crater of a volcano. Good news is that this volcano has not erupted since 500 BC and the families have lived there for hundreds of years. From our aerial view we could see white farmhouses with red clay tiled roofs. Sleepy cows and sheet dotted the land. All framed by Andes mountains shrouded in clouds....
I met an Indian man who was selling wooden flutes that he made by hand. We played the flutes together and this was great fun!
Second stop was at the Sachatamia Hummingbird preserve. Built of wood and mostly glass with bay windows, sky lights and windows all around and afforded a panoramic view of 8 species of hummingbirds buzzing around the many feeders. Watching them was a true zen experience because they are such a fleeting rare beauty in my world.
Next we rode to the charming town of Mindo which serves as the gateway to the Mindo Cloud Forest and Preserve. We drove through the town of a few hundred people and meandered over a dirt road riddled with pot holes to the cable gondola that took us at a frightening height across the river to the falls trail. This was like zip lining in a group! Great fun!
Once we got to the other side we descended a steep hiking trail to the water falls where the brave were jumping from a 30 foot cliff in a 24 foot deep mountain pool. We crossed a foot suspension bridge to get a better look at the falls. The bridge looked like it could collapse at any moment!
Observation...Ecuador has very lax safety in these public parks. Americans would never tolerate a bridge and- or cable gondola in that dilapidated condition.
Eventually, we had a fabulous lunch back at Mindo town. This place reminded me of Dodge City in the Gunsmoke series from the 50´s. Dirt roads, but many taverns or saloons where the locals meet and bring their guitars, mandolins, and percussion instruments for jamming together. Loved this! The restaurant was very quaint with a big stone fireplace and plaster walls painted in bright colors.
This is a woman who is roasting coffee by hand in a coffee plantation high up on the western side of the Andes! I bought some fresh, hot coffee beans for Gene, my coffee aficionado!
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