Otavalo, Ecuador - Condor Park and Lake San Pablo (January 2014)

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21 January 2014 – Tuesday – Otavalo, Ecuador

Today we took a taxi to Condor Park. Condor Park is located on a hilltop, called Curiloma Pucara, about 5 kilometers outside of Ortavalo and has a wonderfully panoramic, stunning view of the surrounding mountains, volcanoes and lakes. In a beautiful garden setting are about twenty large mesh cages containing raptors: birds of prey, including hawks and eagles, condors and owls. These are all rescue birds; the park’s information states that none of the birds in the park have been taken directly from nature. Most of the birds are rescued from illegal captivity or unsuitable environments. These rescued birds are rehabilitated here. They are released if deemed they will be able to survive when in the wild again. It is a fascinating place to visit, with wonderful gardens and extraordinary views. The aviaries that the birds are kept in a very large and spacious and the birds appear contented and calm and well looked after. We were very lucky to be able to tour the park as it is normally closed on Tuesday, but the Dutch proprietor was on site and allowed us unrestricted access for a small donation. There were an elderly American couple and a young Ecuadoran couple also wandering around the park at the same time.

From Condor Park we walked downhill – and I mean down a slippery dirt footpath through corn fields – to the San Pablo Lake. We were hoping to find a snack bar or local restaurant to have lunch but it was only residential housing, a small church and school, and numerous skinny stray dogs. We walked down to the water to find a local farmer pushing his cows into the edge of the lake to feed on the rushes. In the other direction were two small pigs happily burrowing in the soft lakeside soil. We hopped onto the local bus back to Otavalo; it cost 50 cents for the two of us.

Later that evening, back in the town, we heard a commotion at the main square two blocks away so went out to investigate. A parade of school children dressed in their uniforms were marching to a police brass band up to the beautiful central building of the square. We learned later, while having another wonderful Ecuadoran coffee at the Daily Grind, that this was a 50^th Anniversary celebration of one of the five local schools. There was music and dancing and balloons released into the sky and everybody dressed in their finest clothes. Also, as we had experienced last night during our search for live music, the coffee-man confirmed to us that Otavalo goes to sleep at 9pm!

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