Our Friends in Mindo

Arriving in a town where you know not a single soul is part of traveling, finding wonderful people that become your friends is one of the unexpected joys of traveling. In Mindo we met Gary and Karen through our hostal owners, Susan and Luis. During the 12 days we explored Mindo they were always there to lend a hand, drive Ian/us birding and give us the gift of their company. For this Ian and I are very grateful!

We had dinner with Gary and Karen nearly every night during our stay in Mindo, this is one of the first dinners at Caskaffesu were Susan showed us her baby Armadillo. The baby was a present for Christmas, it had been abandoned by it's mother. Susan gave it to a rescue group that released it to the wild when it was able to fend for itself.

So cute!!!

A poster advertising all that Caskaffesu has to offer. It's a wonderful place to stay, comfortable, clean, quiet and very helpful owners. Good food, breakfast is included in the $16.80pp per day, and credit cards are accepted. I'd heartily recommend this as THE place to stay if you are in Mindo!

Birding at the Mirador Rio Blanco in Los Bancos, one of our first outings.

Luis, Susan's husband.

View of Rio Blanco.

The birders: Karen, Gary and Ian. I tagged along and took photographs.

Gary and Karen moved here from New Mexico. 4 years ago they started the process of moving permanently to Mindo, and they bought 50 hectares, about 110 acres, of land. This photo is of the entrance to the land and the road that is the in process of being built to get to the site that their house will be built on. They have been living in a rental near Mindo for the last 6 months while the construction is being undertaken. Brave souls,  on an extraordinary adventure.

Another of our dinners after they've spent the day birding with Ian.

They are parrot lovers, this is Karen with her parrot Paco, who came from a parrot rescue group in New Mexico.

Karen and the dog that followed us to the waterfall. Mindo Loma.

Arriving at the waterfall after a strenuous hour and half walk up and down mountains was so rewarding!

Finding the birds on the way.

Gary.

Note the small used-to-be-white dog next to Ian.

We had so much fun with this 1 year old dog, he bounced up and down the trail, in and out of the jungle for 3 hours without slowing down once! Totally full of dirt and very happy for the chance to go on a walk.

Lunch at El Siete, a restaurant on the main road at the Y.

Excellent meal of llaping gachos and salad, yumm.

Susan and Luis, owners of Caskaffesu. They were peace corps volunteers 20 years ago in Ecuador, returned to the United States to work 2 jobs and save up money for 15 years to come back and build their dream, Caskaffesu. 

Susan taking a food order from a large group of 20 people. 

The courtyard eating area.
Our room is top right, in blue.

Nice view from our room.

Susan talking to Karen and Gary, at the coffee machine.

Inside our comfortable room, cleaned daily.

Our last meal at Caskaffesu, the famous not to be missed banana cake with chocolate.

Gary and Karen's rental house at a higher elevation than the town of Mindo, more in the cloud forest. Built by an artist, it's very quirky.

Gary and Karen were so kind to us during our stay in Mindo, and then they drove us back to Quito, icing on the cake! Thankfully, they had some errands to do in Quito, but I wasn't looking forward to taking the bus at all.

We stopped at this Hosteria Alemana to look for the Giant Hummingbird. Did not find that bird, but other new ones were found.

Sad to say goodbye. Thank you Gary and Karen,  we will keep in touch.