The weather was pretty nice. It rained a few times in the afternoon, but never for too long. Most of the time it was warm and sunny or warm with some clouds. Since Cuenca and Quito are both so high in altitude you do have to remember your sunscreen even if it's cloudy though.
The only animals I saw out in nature were a few fish in a lake I hiked to. However, I saw llamas, cows, horses, and sheep when I was out in the countryside. My favorite was when I saw a pasture of dairy cows and noticed that the owner's horse and cattle dog matched. All the animals were black and white! When I was in the city, I saw lots of dogs. Everywhere in Ecuador you'll find perros de calle (street dogs) who live outside and wander around the plazas and neighborhoods. They usually have owners who they go back to for food, but sometimes just rummage through the trash instead.
