Day 1 in Ecuador with Eco Planet Adventure

You can get all the full tracking of the expedition and the posts of all the expedition members at http://www.ecoplanetadventure.com/ .

Today we drove North on the Pan-American Highway from Quito to a small town called Otavalo Ecuador - a town know for its fabulous textiles and street market. I've got a little walk through the market - so you can get a feel for this colorful market. I bought some gifts for my kids, wife, and my soccer team (if they practice hard while I am gone).



After the fun in the market we drove to Cuicocha to hike around the volcanic lake. Mom - if you read this I saw some birds that you haven't - one very large shiny blue hummingbird and some others that I did not recognize. The hike around the lake is a spectacular one - though it is a fairly strenuous one, the elevation is 11,000 feet and there are plenty of ups and downs. The trail, however is very good and well maintained.



After the hike we went to Cotacachi to have lunch. Cotacachi is an absolutely beautiful small town, clean and friendly. The restaurant was an open air that appeared to cater to westerners, as we saw British, Australian, and plenty of other tourists in the restaurant. The highlight of the menu was Cui or as we know it, Guinea Pig. I am particularly fond of Ahi (a sauce, with tomatos, cilantro, and spices). I am now back in Quito - tomorrow we head for Bano and a climb up Cotopaxi. Stay tuned - and for a humorous see next video.