This morning before we left Ipiales we took a taxi to see Las Lajas Sanctuary. It is a beautiful gothic church built into the side of a gorge. The altar area is a cave in the rock where it is believed that miracles have happened.

As soon as we got in the taxi and the driver found out that we were from the United States he asked us if Trump is really going to build a wall with Mexico. Duke said who knows! And they went on to discuss American politics and the current situation in Columbia. I got to use my stock phrase Él es una vergüenza National. (He is a national embarrassment). All of our taxi drivers so far have been very friendly.

We walked down to the church from the road at the top and then took a new cable car across the Gorge back up to the top. It was spectacular.

Back in Ipiales we caught the bus to Pasto, about a ninety minute bus ride.

Pasto is the most modern town we visited since Quito.

We walked around and explored a bit. For dinner we ate Mexican food

Today we moved just a few miles north to the town of Ibarra. We took a taxi. Although our hotel is less than 5 miles east of Ibarra it took our taxi almost half an hour to drive up the mountain to our hotel, La Estelita. What a setting.

Our room is on the second floor far right in the picture below.

While we waited for our room to be ready we went for a walk.

From an outcropping a little below the hotel we could hear and see motorcycles racing at the road course across the lake. The track is called Autodromo Internacional de Yahuarcocha.

A man working nearby pointed out the ruins on the hill above the lake to the east. They were built by the local people to defend against the Incas. We were standing on an ancient pre Inca trail.

We could see goats grazing below and also walked by goats in a pen.

Once we got back to the hosteria and into our room we changed and went to the pool for a swim and we used the sauna.

The dining room is in the main building of the hosteria. The food was wonderful. We started with potato soup.

Then Duke had beef and I had chicken.

Dessert was figs with goat cheese.

And what a setting!

Duke and I are on the road again. Yesterday was a long travel day. We got to our hotel in Quito, Ecuador about midnight Quito time. On our flight from San Francisco to Houston our plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It was my first time on a Dreamliner. What a nice plane. The bigger windows and comfortable sears were great.

We were in Quito last year at this time and stayed at the same hotel, The Zen Best Western, so it feels familiar. After breakfast in our hotel we walked to the scenic historic district. At a vender in the park Duke bought his first souvenir, some knit finger puppets at fifty cents a piece. There was a five year old girl at the stand. She had lots of suggestions for which ones we should buy. She also said they would be a dollar apiece.

We toured the Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City). It is in the building that housed the first hospital in Quito. The museum was very well done and interesting.

Then we walked down the pedestrian street called La Rhonda and had lunch in a little cafe.

We are still acclimating to the 9,300 foot elevation of Quito. I took a lovely little nap this afternoon.

For dinner we went to a restaurant we ate at last year, Zao. It was great last year and was great again tonight. Food is a big part of our travel experience so get ready for lots of food pictures!

I started with a uvilla martini. A uvilla is a little yellow fruit that we see a lot of in Ecuador. You can see one on the rim of the glass.

Then we shared coconut shrimp.

And for our main course Duke had beef and I had salmon. They were each served on vegetables with a slightly sweet sauce.

Every thing was very very good. Our waitress was from Venezuela. She said we should visit there in a few years when things are better.