Fire on the Mountain

Friends,

The Cajas mountains in Ecuador are one of my favorite places. Filled with cloud forests and scrublands, this ragged territory situated over 10,000 feet above sea level has witnessed many of my adventures. Memories of making my way through the fog on narrow unmarked paths across enchanted valleys to inaccessible lakes still make me smile. This year’s prolonged dry spell, destined to be remembered alongside the cruel drought of 1906, desiccated the highlands, leaving Cuenca’s famous rivers dry, leading to water cuts and power outages. Fueled by misguided beliefs, some natives set fires that burned over 20,000 acres of this pristine and fragile area. Futile firefighting efforts paled next to the vast flames. Only the long awaited rains finally succeeded where best efforts failed. The burn’s scar tissue is destined to remain as a reminder of how fragile this ecosystem can be when stressed by unusual weather patterns. The thought of it makes me yearn for some comfort food. A donut anyone?
Happy Friday!

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Friday Donuts

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