We hung around the campground until late this morning, bidding Sandra and Bernie bien viaje, talking to the couple that arrived last night and generally just lazing, then back north to Ibarra for a chance to get at a grocery store with some food that we might want to eat.

After the chores we headed for the Cotacachi, a small town famous for its leather good - but we did not see any. Will try again tomorrow on our return. From the town we followed the signs to Laguana De Cuicocha, a crater lake that contains two islands and an expanse of beautiful blue water. The road up to the lake climbed steadily, and after the park gate steeply for a short stretch to 10,200 ft (approx 3100 m)at the place we parked for the night.

The spot is spectacular, its right next to a building that looks like it belongs to the Park, there is room for perhaps 4 vehicles on the cobbled parking area, and we have views of the lake, the valley below where Ibarra and Otavalo are, and we can look across the lake to Mt Cotacachi at 4944m.

During the afternoon there were a few visitors, a couple looking for a quiet place to talk, some young women killing time, and late in the afternoon a couple of young men we did not talk to - until much later in the night. Yes much later - about 10:00pm there was a knock on the Tiger door which eventually woke us and we proceeded to have a conversation, through the window, in broken English and Spanish with the two young men from the afternoon. This continued for some time, and then repeated again about 30 minutes later. The second time I got dressed went outside and talked to the them for some time but finally got across the message that we wanted to sleep. I could not work out what they were doing, but they had keys to the building we were next to, had cooked a chicken dinner in the buildings kitchen and said something about security until 4:00am. They were gone next morning.

Thats only the second time we have been disturbed by someone at night, the previous occasion was the security guard at the apartment complex in Phoenix where our son lives. I am sure it wont be the last.