The Wonder of God's Creation...

Today we took a special 2 hour tour with the cab driver Omar who brought us from the Quito Airport our first night.  Omar has many talents from basketball coach to cab driver, tour guide to real estate agent.  He speaks some English and is very good at sharing information.  We ask him to take us up onto the volcano to see Cuicocha Lake and the farming areas.  WOW!  Did we get more than we bargained for.  Omar took us up above the lake on a dirt road and then we got out and walked over to the lake and looked down on one of the most breathtaking and peaceful sights. (Most people just go to the tourist restaurant on the lake and take pictures) He told us of how the lake rests in the crater of the volcano and the small island in the middle is home to rabbits, guinea pig and armadillo.  The wolves swim the lake for lunch on the island.  We also saw an eagle circling and looking for food.  He said that between 4-5:00 you can see the eagles hunting for rabbits as the rabbits come out in search of food.  Condors also live on the volcano.  He described the incredible size of these birds.  When asked if they too ate rabbit, he laughed and said no...goats and cows!  He showed us one of the bushes that the Indigenous people who populate so much of this area, use to color their fabrics green.  He showed us the plant that produces honey and one that produces glue.  He talked of how the tree tomato juice will lower your cholesterol, that guananbana juice is used to treat cancer and zucchini will lower your blood pressure. The Indigenous people use all the gifts God has given us to benefit their health.  He talked about how Cotacachi is a safer town to live in because there are so many Indigenous people and they watch out for others. He also told of the honesty of the Indigenous people and how you could hand them a key to your house to clean and never have to worry about anything being stolen or mistreated. We asked him what would the Indigenous people find to be offensive by the Gringos and he said a disrespect for the land and peacefulness around them.  When ask what the Ecuadorians would consider disrespectful he said, the taking away of their jobs by not using their services such as maids, gardeners, taxi drivers, etc.  It was a wonderful 2 hours of learning about the people and their land.  We loved every minute of it and felt honored to be given the information.  We also pray that as more people move here that the ones that will respect the privilege of living here will far out weigh those who don't.

When we returned to Cotacahi we were pleasantly surprised that the main park a block from our Inn was finally open after it's renovations. We sat on a bench and watched families stroll through the park and kids playing in various areas. Then the church bell rang at 6:00 signalling the setting of the sun, our day was complete.

The field in the distance is corn.  The corn is planted by hand and there are seven different varieties grown here. It will be harvested around Easter.

The dark green field is potatoes.

Just one of the farmsteads.

This is the school for the Indigenous people high on the volcano.  About 100 students attend.. 

Lake Cuicocha approx. 10,650 ft.

The small light area near the edge of the lake is the restaurant we refereed to above.

This is the path around the lake...doesn't it look like it's out of a fairy tale.

What contrast of the old and new.  The fence on the left uses a tree that is impossible to kill as the fence posts.  This type of fencing is used throughout the farming area on the volcano.  Again God provides.

The distant field is tree tomato.  This is only consumed as juice.  It's boiked and then turned to juice. 

The renovated park

6:00 pm and all is well.