Let’s get high. Way up in an Andean forest.

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Our driver, Julio, points out groups of Venezuelan families walking along the road from Otavalo to Quito. They left their devastated country on foot in search of work and a better life. A harsh reminder of nearby troubles.

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We stop at the “Middle of the Earth” where the sun always rises around six o’clock in the morning and sets around six o’clock at night.

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An incredible contrast to places like Alaska in the northern hemisphere. You could pay for a tour to the “formal” equator display just outside of Quito, but here we have no cost, crowds, or fanfare.

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Enter paradise. Away from city pollution and bandito vigilance. Ali Shungu (Good Heart) Retreat in Otavalo soothes our souls so much that we extend our stay.

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Our cabana has a kitchen and a wood burner for heat.

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We have views of mountains, llamas, and gardens. A couple of friendly dogs too!

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We’re over two miles high, hiking private mountain trails where in the 1700’s French scientists tried to map the equator and left inaccurate markers.

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At the daily market we stock up on fresh produce, beans, breads, shrimps, and of course beer and wine to last a week.

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On Saturday, we head to the famous Otavalo Market.

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At the animal market outside of town, young men show off their fighting roosters.

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It’s common culture for young men to raise their roosters with with utmost care, love, and pride.

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We missed the cock fights. These fights rarely result in death, as they do not use sharp talons, but strap on blunt edges sort of like boxing gloves.

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Not being shoppers, we spend little time perusing the wide array of handicrafts on display.

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Instead, we find the third floor of the indoor food market in search of stall number 99, which we heard has the best Hornado (oven roasted pig) in town.

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Served over hominy, rice, potato pancake and mixed with special sauces, it melts in our mouth.

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Time to work off some indulgences with a heart pumping hike around Laguna de Cuicocha (Guinea pig lake).

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This crater lake, a caldera formed by a collapsed volcano, earns its name from two islands in the middle that resemble guinea pigs, which are a revered source of meat and income for people in the Andes. (See: A Taste of Quito Ecuador)

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The trail weaves in and out, up and down and across the surrounding mountain for about eight miles.

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We traverse counterclockwise in order to tackle the steepest climb first while our legs are still fresh.

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Luckily, it rains which keeps us cool, but limits visibility.

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Direct exposure to the sun at around 11,000-foot altitude could be brutal, so we appreciate the clouds.

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This amazing trail passes above the clouds through five different ecological systems from desert to brush to jungle.

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Once we break below the clouds, Laguna de Cuicocha shows us its true colors.

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Back at paradise, the Ali Shungu Retreat, is much like Canoa, in the sense that we could easily stay for a much longer time.

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Alas, it’s time to prepare for tomorrow’s journey where we get even higher on the way to the unique town of Banos.

Thank you, Abundant Universe.

 

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