Not surprisingly, we subscribe to several travel magazines. Yesterday I received the latest (April 2009) edition of National Geographic Traveler. On page 76 a story caught my eye entitled Ecuador: Avenue of the Volcanoes. In the article the author describes his visit to several haciendas in the Cotopaxi and Otavalo areas, as well as an excursion to Cotopaxi National Park. Two of the haciendas he mentions, San Agustin de Callo and Cusin, are the same ones we stayed in during our trip in November 2008.
The article discusses the authenticity of the haciendas and their cultural significance. It is very much like the experience that we had and definitely complements our descriptions and emails from our visit there. Click the links to view more detailed pictures and videos of the San Agustin de Callo and Cusin haciendas, as well as the adjoining Cotopaxi National Park and the market town of Otavalo.