Two hours into our rainy, cold, early morning birding tour somewhere outside of Quito, I grumpily look at my mom and declare, “Just so you know, THIS is your Mother’s Day present.” She just nods her head while keeping her eyes peeled for humming birds.

The whole reason why I’m in Ecuador is because my mom wanted to see birds.

So much so that she signed us up for 3 days at the Tandayapa Bird Lodge, two hours outside of Quito, near Mindo.

I agreed to do this because in my mind’s eye, I was picturing a fancy bird lodge. A Whistler-esk, cedar beamed palace with warm lighting and a friendly (if not charming) bartender with a knack for making Caipirinhas. Instead a cement block with a musty aroma and a mini-bar fridge awaited me.

But I’ll be damned if it didn’t have a lovely patio buzzing with hummingbirds, chirpin’ and dartin’ through the air.

“Oh Megan! Loooook!!!”

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