Category Archives: Travel Journals

Fooling with phones in Plaza Gutierrez outside the sisal weaving collective!

Oswaldo carries our lunch to Siempre Verde, a surprise retreat built in the midst of thick vegetation. Peaceful place designed for school groups. Bird sightings include the toucan!

More pix of Cuicocha lake in province of Cotacachi Ecuador. Salem students are good sports about a variety of experiences, including a visit to the Music Man at the end of the day. We are listening to the family play … Continue reading →

Our guide, Ivan Suarez is explaining the shaman traditions here at the lunar calendar on the rim of Cuicocha lake….then we trek about a quarter of the way around, always keeping the islands in view – they look like 2 … Continue reading →

Luz Maria in her weaving workshop in Agato demonstrates again the back strap process; washing the wool, cleaning it, carding it, dying it, spinning it…then setting up the loom! Here we see baskets of sheep wool at various stages of … Continue reading →

Practicing camera techniques with my hand-me-up Sony x330 digital cool lens monster camera. The workshop by Maria Teresa Ponce was a big help….. Here is a better pix of the Lechero.

Our guide, a mountaineer, stops at this huge lechero tree that was planted hundreds of years ago to explain the indigenous significance. Any branch from this type of tree will grow when stuck into the ground. It is used for … Continue reading →

A visit to the weaving workshop of Jose C. In Peguche with our guide, Ivan Suarez on the left.

High sierras of Ecuador – my 17th year here – these particular ones didn’t exist last year – the country is always improving it seems.

He’s in the middle not feeling very photogenic!

This American eagle is named Gringo – he is just back from his flying demo over the Peguche valley on a beautiful day of mixed clouds! I’m visiting this Condor Park – again – this time with Salem College Women.

Small garden behind our hotel, Posada del Quinde (home of the hummingbird) in Otavalo. Everything is as beautiful as it looks here, but the sound track includes a call and response routine by the local canine population. We are so … Continue reading →

Afternoon is well spent in a photo workshop with Maria Teresa Ponce, who has taught at university. She pared down her weekend workshop to 3 hours for us – time well spent to learn and review digital cameras techniques. She … Continue reading →

Our first day El Dueño, the owner, Sr. Nik Millhouse takes the Salem team around the grounds of the restored Hacienda Cusin, his property for 25 years… of long considering it was built in 1602! A colorful and informative intro … Continue reading →