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List of all travel stories from Ecuador: Straddling two hemispheres
Travelogues: The line that split the Earth | Stumbling across Bizcochos of Cayambe | Tale of two lovers: a tree and a lake | Hitchchiking to laguna Cuicocha, the guinea pig lake | Shopping for leather in Cotacachi
List of all travel stories from Ecuador: Straddling two hemispheres
Travelogues: The line that split the Earth | Stumbling across Bizcochos of Cayambe | Tale of two lovers: a tree and a lake | Hitchchiking to laguna Cuicocha, the guinea pig lake | Shopping for leather in Cotacachi
Sun casting it shadow at 10am. Being cloudy, the contrast was not enough… - At the Equator
To reach this place, hop on a bus to Cayambe (every 45 minutes) from the bus terminal and ask to be let off at Mitad del Mundo.
Sundial at the “correct” equator, Mitad del Mundo. The place is quite beautiful and definitely accurate than the other touristy location
Standing on the Equator with one foot in the north and the other in the south hemisphere - check
Tear yourself between two hemispheres. Go here and get it right.
Mural in Otavalo village
The trek from Otavalo to El Lechero and onwards to the lake is very beautiful. I met extremely friendly villagers along the path that went over a number of hills and farm lands under the watchful eyes of volcano Imbabura. The route took me about three hours in total.
According to a story, El Lechero is a magical tree with healing powers.
El Lechero, a single tree on top of a hill, a lover watching his love laguna San Pablo at the base of the hill.
According to another legend, El Lechero (a tree on top of a hill) and Lake San Pablo are the souls of two lovers from rival families. Unable to get their families to reconcile, they decided to escape to be with each other. Unfortunately the lovers were caught in their attempt and cursed into a tree (Lechero) and a lake (San Pablo). 
The route took me about three hours in total. Budget sufficient time for taking pictures at the top of the mountain and sitting on the edge of the lake throwing stones in it.
San Pablo is a dusty little village on the shores of this lake. The walk from Otavalo is about 3 hours each way, but I hopped on a bus on the way back.
Bizcochos and the baker’s daughter who insisted on being in the picture
Writing my journal and drawing silly sketches in Otavalo
Contemplative, at Laguna Cuicocha
Conservation signs
The Guinea Pig Lake about 30 minutes into the trail.
$2 entrance fee for the park. Helps keep the trail and the park.
Dry terrain on one side of the lake
Refuges on two highest points on the trail.
Circumnavigating the lake on a scenic trail on a not-so clear day.
Trail winding down through the barren side of the crater.
Almost as I reached at the end of the trail, it started raining.
Several streets and walls are covered with murals and graffiti. Some of these are quite funky.
Main cathedral, located at the heart of the town.
Cotacachi's main cathedral seen from Ave 10 de Augusto
Several streets and walls are covered with murals and graffiti. Some of these are quite funky.
Public art
Volcano Cotacachi at sunset.
Cotacachi under the watchful gaze of Volcano Cotacachi.
Villages south of Otavalo
Imbabura and San Pablo lake
Otavalo town with a grid layout. The single road emerging from the city goes to Ibarra
Cattle grazing as the majestic volcano Imbabura looks over the town
Sneak peak of the Volcano Cayambe
Mojanda lake (and two sun dogs) on a sunny morning.
Fuya Fuya trail
Mojanda lake seen from the trail. It's shaped like a heart, isn't it?
Trail markers at various points on the trek will point you in the right direction. Being well above the tree line, it's hard to get lost. But there's fog.
Hello world
Scribbling messages at the summit for the loved ones. This was the highest elevation I had ever climbed to, the other places were in the Himalayas and quite snowy too.
Above the clouds. The trail is 1.92 km long and gains an elevation of about 550m from the lake
The majestic black mountain "Cerro Negro" flanking one end of the lake
Dirt road spiraling around the lake. I don't know where this leads to
Pristine blue waters of the Mojanda lake 
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