After a day of rest, we met with our guide friend Marco Vega whom we met while on our first tour of Ecuador. He was our guide at the Amazon resort Casa Del Suizo, in Ahuano, on the Napo river. This day he took us on a tour into northern Ecuador and right into Columbia. Once past Ibarra we headed uphill into some beautiful highlands and the towns of El Angel, Bolivar, La Paz, and San Gabriel. The views were spectacular, again.
Our first destination was the town of Ipiales, Columbia. The border crossing was uneventful. We didn’t even stop or show passports! The traffic was insane!
Once we got through the traffic jam, it was off to visit the church we had heard so much about – the Sanctuary of Las Lajas. What a stunning setting for a church! Situated deep inside a gorge straddling the river below is this absolutely gorgeous structure.
After a few hours wandering about and touring the museum in the basement, we travelled back to our second destination of the day – the topiary gardens in the cemetary in Tulcan, back in Ecuador. Another absolutely beautiful spot.
We stopped for a late lunch somewhere along the way home at a place Marco knew about. The food was great. If you are in the Ibarra/Cotacachi area, I have included Marco’s business card. Friendly, reliable service.
