Photos from Parque Nacional Cajas

Kids in a Karate class right where we stepped off the bus near the entrance to the park. 

Laguna Toreadora, elevation about 13,000 feet

A little waterfall above the lake

Sara and Helen, quite cold, waiting for a bus to take us back to Cuenca.  In less than a minute, we accepted a ride from a stranger in his car.  It was perfectly OK.

No kidding!  At above 13,000 feet, my coronary arteries were already calling my attention; I took a somewhat shorter path than Helen and Sara and took it REAL SLOW.

Sara and Helen on the hiking trail.  Brrrr.....  gloves would have been nice.

Vegetation at the high elevation fascinated us.

Photo doesn't give any indication of the scale.  These flowers are teeny tiny: the wee green rosettes covered the ground like closely mown grass.