On Sunday we took a bus to Cajas National Park, which is at 13,000 feet. It was rainy and cold, but we enjoyed our time in this very unique landscape. There is a daily limit for the number of people that are allowed on each trail, so we had only one choice and it was very muddy. Enough so that we had to turn back where it was super slick. But in other places the ground is kind of like tundra, and very spongy because the plants are designed to hold water. The plants and birds were cool (see Doug's bird page for some nice photos of those). The mossy green photo is the bottom of a little pond, seen through the super clear water. Look closely and you will see a tadpole! We met some llamas along the road, and then had a nice lunch at the visitors center. We didn't feel the altitude until we tried to run to the bus stop to catch a passing bus and had to stop to breathe, thus missing the bus. Since we didn't make it onto the bus we ended up hitching a ride in a van/microbus with a family from the coast and a naturalist guide who had been up at the center and flagged down the microbus. The bus was full of plantains, bananas, melons and herbs, and also tired children (both the ones we added and those already in the bus!). All in all a fun adventure and a place we hope to return to often. Sorry that some of the pictures are sideways- can't figure out yet how to fix that. : )
AuthorWe are a typical family, ready for a change of pace and a cross-cultural experience. ArchivesCategories |