The day started again with a simple breakfast at the hotel, where I figured out that I don't really like wheat germ, and then we were off on our cloud forest adventure. Our bus took us south of Quito, through the sprawling suburbs, up to a high elevation saddle between two mountain peaks. From there, we descended down a winding, harrowing road into a cloud forest to a small preserve called Bamboli. The preserve consisted of about 100 acres of pastureland, that was bought by a couple of Ecuadorians about 30 years ago, and which has undergone an impressive restoration effort by the family. The man, Oswaldo, met us at the bottom of his farm and we piled into his truck and an suv. A bumpy ride through pastures and second growth cloud forest brought us to their humble ranch house. The couple introduced themselves, explained their history on the land, and talked about some of their philosophies, which include living with nature, treating the earth and the ecosystem with respect, and caring for god's creation. Everything on the ranch is done organically, without herbicides, etc, and without the help of electricity, an impressive feat in this day and age. As we walked the property, Oswaldo showed us some of the lessons he has learned through the years. He showed us how some plants fix nitrogen, and thus facilitate the growth of other plants, and how the right mixture of leaf litter and sticks can be the perfect growth medium for the bountiful orchid species on the property.
Above all, his main lesson was that with a little water, nutrients, and love, plants will grow and that it is possible to repair the damage done by clear cutting and deforestation with some hard work and love of nature.
The day ended with an amazing meal of quinoa cheese soup, mixed vegetables, and a chocolate, caramel, Dulce de leche crepe to die for.
By the time we left Bomboli, it had started raining, leading to a thrilling, yet wet, trip down to the bus in the back of the truck (11 people!).
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