Computer Access At Last!

It´s been a week without computer access and so much has happened. Kathleen shared our Otavalo adventure that would have not happened without the kind assistance of our driver Carlos and Gilberto & Marta Ruiz, the owners of the Hostel Los Geraniosin. Besides arranging for interesting places for us to visit, Carlos helped us all to do some great shopping at the world famous Otavalo market. He is our hero!

Ivan Endaro and Luis Gutierrez of the Ibarra Rotary Club gave us a tour of their club building the day after we arrived. They are involved in two major projects through Rotary matching grants--prothesis and cleft palate repair.

The Rotary Club of Ambato Cosmopolita were our hosts last Sunday and Monday. A lot was packed into this short visit. A trip to Banos showed us hot springs fed directly from a volcano. My favorite activitiy was a ride in an open gondola across a deep gorge to view a beautiful waterfall--spectacular. Afterwards we went on a very long down hill hike to view yet another waterfall up close. It was magic...as was the fact that I was able to get back up that hill to the car!

On the way back to town we visited an area where fifth-year dental students were surveying the dental issues of the indigenous people living in that area. Many problems are being caused by a high percentage of flouride in their water. Guillermo Lopez Ulloa of the Ambato Cosmopolita Club, who is a dentist, is gathering this informtion to apply for a Rotary Matching Grant to help these people.

Many thanks to Lourdes Garcia, Guillermo and Marta Lopez, and Miryan Auz for giving us such a fun day. Our evening was spent at their Rotary meeting and our presentation ended a stay that was much too short.

Our next stop was Riobamba. Maria Teresa Rivas from the Riobamba Rotary Club warmly greeted us. We had many adventures there that will be much better described by the rest of the team along with pictures. Many thanks to Roberto Didonato, Lorena Rivera, Leonardo Mora, and Maria Teresa for giving us so much of their time and making us feel like we were at home amongst friends.

We have now arrived in Cuenca after a 6-1/2 hour ride through the most beautiful countryside. The hills are planted way up to the very top. One spectacular canyon is called the Nose of the Devil.

Our stay in Ecuador has been nothing less than incredible. We have been hosted by warm and generous Rotarians in their homes, treated to delicious food, experienced great adventures, learned about how our professions are conducted here, and have only to ask and our every wish is fulfilled. I am daily impressed with the great work the Rotarians are doing to assist the poor in their country. We are so fortunate to be having this experience and will have tons to share when we get back home.

Beverly