A Special Day in San Rafael de la Laguna - We had a difficult time finding the meeting point for the tour, but we eventually got there: it was an exquisite little restaurant on a hill overlooking Lake San Pablo. Later in the tour we had the option of eating lunch there or eating at a fish restaurant where you caught your own fish in little ponds. As I was traveling with three fishermen we chose the fish (trout). The tour took us to various places in the little town of San Rafael de la Laguna. First to the home of a wonderful artist who also had a fantastic garden with, besides gorgeous trees and flowers, gnomes and houses carved into rocks, fish ponds, all in his backyard. Then to see (actually to dress as) El Coraza, a celebrated character with his own annual festival in that town. We went to a workshop where various items were made out of reeds (tortora) that grow in the lake, and we got to make our own little lamas. We took a boat ride on the lake. We saw two big boulders with symbols carved on them that predate the Inca invasion of Ecuador. The last stop was a coffee shop where we had coffee (excellent) and corn muffins with soft cheese (also excellent---we bought some to take with us). An impromptu concert took place there: marimba and drum. Everyone we met was so kind to us. A very special day.