Photos from Cascada de Peguche daytrip

These pictures are ones I took at the Peguche Falls, which was on my list of places to visit. I had mentioned this previously in a letter to Dany, and his family apparently made a point of remembering -- and personally seeing to it that I got there! They borrowed a pickup truck from a friend, packed a picnic lunch, and picked me up for a daytrip to the Cascada de Peguche! What a special day that was! The Peguche Falls are considered sacred to the Quichua (indigenous people of the area), with claims of healing properties and such.

Dany's whole family escorted me... Dany is in the striped shirt, his two brothers are in the white shirts (one is older than him, one is younger), and his little sister is in the white top and blue hat. They are all really sweet kids -- quiet and polite, yet eager to show off to me (typical kids!), make me laugh, and win a little extra special attention from me. Dany's parents were very attentive and full of smiles and hospitality.

I was encouraged to walk along as the "guest of honor" (in front), but I couldn't help falling behind now and then to walk with Dany's mother, who brought up the rear, carrying the picnic lunch. As is the custom with the indigenous people there, the women are the pack mules (for lack of a better term), and the men walk in front. As Dany's mother seemed a little uncomfortable about my wanting to walk with her (as if I didn't belong in the back), I would just click a few pictures and proceed back up to the front of the family group. It was a very casual outing, and we had lots of fun, but there are still cultural rules that one must be sensitive to. It's not like the husband treats the wife with disrespect -- quite the contrary. Dany's parents seem very close and laugh together alot. They're just raised with different traditions and are obviously content with them.