First we stopped at the Manna House.

Above, the view from the roof. Notice the neighbor's decorated Christmas tree at the bottom left.
Apparently it's difficult to get a Norwegian Spruce in Conocoto.

Right, Jocelyn shows us the preferred method of getting to the adjacent apartment.
The more dangerous route requires you to traverse a narrow ledge, two stories above the patio.

A long bus ride took us to a village of Loreto near Selva Alegre, and then a couple of miles down a dusty road to the park.

The vistas were beautiful.

Then a steep descent down a grassy hillside. At the bottom of the hill the trail we had to squeeze through a barbed wire fence to continue. Sarah wisely decided to stop at this point.

Left, about halfway down the muddy streambed we could see the Rio Pita and the waterfalls. Kendra wisely decided to stop at this point. Kermit fell in the mud a few steps later.

Right, Jocelyn washes off at the rapids. We met several other hikers at the bottom, plus a few dogs and a stray cow and bull.

Then back up the steep hill.

A horseman on the road back to the village.

After a long and arduous hike we have a tradition of celebrating with ice cream. OK, maybe this is only the second time but there was no argument. Jocelyn knew of a crepe and ice cream restaurant in Sangolquí. Kendra couldn't decide between the two so she picked both!