Lazy Sunday ...

What excitement! Went to the loo at around 1am, on my way back to the room (remember this is an eco-lodge, no in-room bathrooms!) i was confronted by one of the inn´s llamas, who had been quietly chewing away on some grass and then felt the need to walk right in front of the bathroom steps. We looked at each other, straight in the eye, we smiled (yes both of us!) then he very kindly moved aside and i went back to bed! The pleasure of living at one with nature! Talking about nature, check out the view from our room - isn´t it beautiful!

Would you believe the breakfast menu on Sunday´s is pancakes, all American style (in the middle of Ecuador!)with a healthy serving of jazz? Dominique was so excited; she had been craving pancakes for ages so was quite delighted!


Decided to take it really easy today and just pottered around and visited the local market - it was tiny! There was this fantastic salesman, who had himself rigged up with this wierd microphone and he had the whole town´s attention, selling everything from toothpaste and toilet rolls, rugs, tons of different types of pots and pans and everything in between!

Walked through the local cemetary
(very different than at home, and apparantly very different than in the cities here too!). On the day of the dead, the families of those who have died, make the dead person´s favorite meal, then take the food and all the family to the cemetary where they have a fiesta of sorts, celebrating the person who has died...when they are leaving, they always leave a plate of the dead person´s food on their grave so they too can enjoy!! Who knew!!

Spent the rest of the day hanging out in the hammocks, reading and generally relaxing in the fresh, Andean air....ahhh!