Bellavista: The Cloud Forest Reserve

We took our first trip from Quito to the cloud forest. This is one of the last places in the world where there is still cloud forests. They are becoming exstinct due to a number of causes (mainly human reasons). It was beautifull! It is sort-of like a jungle experience in the mountains and clouds. Bellavista is a reserve where people go to hike the trails and bird watch. Ecuador has been ranked as the best place to bird watch in the world due to its incredible variety of birds that you would not be able to find anywhere else.

When you can see it, the view is amazingly beautiful!

So, we did not realize that bird watching was the only thing to do and we are not all that into bird watching. The other thing is that I am alergic to, well, really about everything, ESPECIALLY musty, damp, moldy places... hmmm... who would have thunk that a cloud forest would be that way...(Note: everyone has binoculars except for Cass - they were really looking at a bird, not just posing)

The lodge was an oversized treefort with a bit of everything I am alergic to. We left a day early so as not to make me sick. But, the hiking really was beautiful. We had three guided hikes through the forest at different times of the day. One particular hike, we walked up a creek for about 45 minutes and saw some great things.We wore rubber boots on all of our hikes because all the trails were wet and muddy (or you had to walk in a creek for part of it).

Of course, Cass´ boot had a large gash in it so it really served no purpose other than to freak her out that some blood sucking creature was going to swollow her foot, and to build muscles in one leg due to draging this boot full of water for 45 minutes.All in all, it was a beautiful time!