Saturday morning we woke up with a new guide, can't remember his name, who took us to Cajas National Park. We learned that about 60% of Cuenca's fresh water is stored in the "Paramo," or the wetlands of the park. The floor is like a great big spongey plant, and there are marshes and lagoons in every part of the park. Our guide said it's usually pretty decent weather in the morning, but the afternoons and evenings get cold and windy, and there's almost always a bit of a drizzle. We hit great weather, and had a fabulous hike. Here are some pictures to show the diversity of the plant life.
"Fairytale Forest." We quickly re-named it: Enchanted Forest. Being inside it felt just like being in the Lord of the Rings forest with the talking tree shepards.
A lagoon, and a 400 year-old tree. The trees grow very, very slowly because it stays fairly cold. Our guide says a lot of these trees have been lost because people used them for firewood or building at one time, not realizing that they take centuries to mature.
Some waterfall/stream action.
The middle stalk of this plant grows for about 4 years before it breaks off to spread its seeds, killing the whole plant in the process.
Sportin' the new hat from Saraguro, and enjoying the view of the wetlands.
1 comment:
It's amazing what you learn (hopefully relearn) when teaching 5th and 6th grade science. Wetlands are disappearing treasures, as they vanish so will many delicate lives that abide there. What a priceless sight to see!
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