DANCING WITH CONDORS

It all started last Friday night on Kevin and Tamara´s terrace watching the sunset. Instead of summiting Fuya Fuya on Sunday, Kev had the idea to bump it up a day. After slight deliberation, we decided to put down the Pilseners for the eve, and be sure we´d be well-hydrated for our first Ecua-summit of the trip.

The day started at Las Lagunas de Mojanda, a beautiful set of lakes about 10km above La Luna. The lakes are also the base of an ominous peak called Fuya Fuya...almost always covered in thick cloud, resulting in strong hues of gray, green and black.

Halfway up Fuya Fuya, Rachel looked up to the sky. She pointed out a very large bird. A pair of birds, actually. First thought: vultures. After further review of the incredible wingspan and, most noticeably, the white ring around the neck, Kevin quickly concluded they were condors.
The Condor: the national symbol of Ecuador. Latest count by the Ecuadorean Condor Bioreserve has the endangered condor count at 80!

So there we were...Rachel, Kevin and I repeatedly being circled by two gigantic condors. We saw them halfway up the mountain and then they flew off. As we approached the summit, our feathered friends returned for an encore and began to swoop down with seven foot wingspans within only a couple meters of us! We stared in awe, savoring this once-in-a-lifetime moment.
...and then they soared into the distance for a second time, only to leave us wondering if they would appear again (and if anyone would believe our tale).