Solar Calendar at Lake Cuicocha in Ecuador
Ancient cultures throughout the Americas have long been aware of the Sun and its apparent movements throughout the year. Indigenous peoples have always been attuned to relationships between the sun, moon, planets and stars. They have not only observed them and kept accurate records of their movements in time but also intuited and made use of their energy as sacred beings. It is one thing to track and observe great celestial cycles, but quite another to understand how to interpret and use the power of certain alighments. Many remnants of such wisdom remain today, but not many are able to grasp or use the knowledge as it was used in the past. At Lake Cuicocha, a volcanic crater lake in the highlands of Ecuador, there is a solar calendar situated above the lake. Shaman visit this lake at specific times of the solar year for sacred ceremonies. In the center of the lake are three domes of volcanic rock which form two large islands. These were once lava domes which formed after the huge volcanic eruption that blew off the top of the mountain, but are now covered with vegetation and separated by a water channel, called the “channel of dreams”. Its name derives from a pre-inca language: “Tsui cocha” meaning “lagoon of the gods.”...
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One of the best things about living in Ecuador is the surprising variety of fruits, many of which I had never heard of until coming here to live. The fruits pictured are cherimoyas, or “custard apples.” They have a rather strange appearance if you have never seen one before. The skin looks rather reptilian with its green color and scaly appearance. At this writing I believe we are just coming out of the season for these delicious fruits. They can be picked while still very firm or even hard to the touch, then let to ripen over a few days time into the perfect custard like texture. Inside they are white fleshed and contain a number of large black seeds. Once the fruit yields slightly to the touch they are ready to eat. Cut in half and eat it with a spoon. It is something like a sweet fragranced pear, but much...
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