Tuesday, June 22, 2004

This was an adventure-packed day. We rode our bus from Quito to the community of Morochos where we visited the Pinchincha school. The children put on a special program for us, including a poem about clean water. Then we hiked & hiked through the paramo (treeless alpine plateau) up to an alpaca farm. What a great diversity of flowers we saw! We were at 10,000 feet elevation when we arrived. We were honored with a ceremonial dinner outdoors, traditional music, and dancing for all. This Ecuadorian community recognizes that conservation begins with its own people.

Dinner outside (left) and the house where the alpaca keeper lives, Cotapaxi volcano looming in the background (above).

<< Previous | Next >>