We went to stare at a Spectacled Bear

An Andean spectacled bear in the Avocado grove planted for this small colony that have made the place their home

We had an opportunity to join an organized tour north to possibly view the endangered Andean spectacled bear. The trip originated in Cotacachi and headed north through Ibarra toward the Colombian border. As we neared the border, we turned off the Pan American Highway and up into the hills to a small town. This was the transition area from modern paved roads to narrow country lanes, sometimes paved, sometimes cobblestone, sometimes dirt. There was a small moment of confusion as the maze of narrow roads in the village confused our guides for a moment and we stopped as they discussed the route to take through the village. The discussion was successful and we headed back into the village taking a circuitous scenic meander through the village then continued on.

The narrow hillside roads provided beautiful panoramic views as we wound our way through small villages and fields along steep mountainsides. As we wound