The purpose of my travel to Ecuador was to visit my family and spend time with Rio Amadeo, with whom I connected before mainly on a screen via What’s app. I was a stranger when I arrived and slowly we became friends. Two days ago, we had a family celebration, a ritual of welcoming Rio Amadeo into the family and the world. Ecuador is a very Catholic country and the baptism is done in a traditional way. However, we changed it a bit and brought water from a “sacred” well in Austria.
Church in Puembo
Water from Mariazell, the most important pilgrimage site in Austria. My daughter and daughter in law were pregnant at the same time. Together, we did a welcoming ritual for the then unborn babies and collected water from the sacred well in Austria. This water was now used for the ceremony in Ecuador.
The desserts for the family party were brought by both grandmothers of Rio Amadeo. This beautiful and also delicious cake with the two hummingbirds was provided by the Ecuadorian “abuela”. I made a typical Austrian Apfelstrudel.
Grossmutti and Abuela in black and white outfits. I could not help but smile about this coincidence. It was a small family gathering. When we were all standing around with a glass of champagne, each of us said different wishes and blessings for Rio Amadeo. Most of it I did not understand (by not speaking Spanish), but I know that they were wishes for love, compassion, wisdom and joy in life.
Lorenz took one day off to hike with me on the 4,788 meter Corazón mountain, about 30 km southwest of Quito. It is an inactive volcano and a nature preserve. The access road to the entrance of the preserve is in terrible shape, but we managed it. We would have needed a permit in advance to enter, but Lorenz convinced the guard to register us directly at the gate. We paid the entrance fee there ($5, Ecuador has the same currency as the US). When we were waiting to get in, several “llamas” came and looked at us.
Beside the guardian house there is a field with sheep. In the background, covered by fog, you see the twin mountains Los Ilinizas.
What an enriching two weeks you had in Ecuador. Your photos brought back many happy memories which I wrote about in my second memoir that just came out.
I love your posts!
Erica, I have ordered your book” from Mountains to Medicine” on Amazon and I am so much looking forward to reading it! You are such an adventurous woman! Glad that you liked my posts. Love, Traude
Spectacular photos…..I especially liked the ones of Los Ilinizas…..apparently those mountains are 17,000 feet above sea level so the pictures must have been a whopping 10,000 feet above sea level with animals grazing…..not a place to go for a run and not risk altitude sickness I guess.
Thank you so much, Don, for your comments. Yes, the view was spectacular! We were up about 12,000 feet and hiked up to the saddle about 15,000 feet. I did not have altitude sickness but felt it in my breathing. The mountains are spectacular! I wished I would be younger and could hike up to the top of Cotopaxi or other glacier volcanoes. At the same time, I am happy that I am able to do what I am able to. Love, Traude