Ecuador in 2012 was my first foray into South
America. It was a different kind of trip for me in that I had a companion and
we traveled from location to location exclusively by airplane. We arrived into Quito on separate flights
and at 9000 ft altitude acclimation was a must for a few days. Quito is an old
and new city, good for walking and the eating was pretty good. The churches
were the most interesting architectural feature. A flight south bought us to
Cuenca, an old town and the expat center of the country. Nice enough, with
enough architectural intrigue to making walking a pleasant past time.
Next we
flew to Guayaquil, the only place with air access to the Galapagos Island which
was our next stop. Being a great admirer of Darwin, there was special
meaning for me (and I suppose I am not
alone in the feeling) to walk in his tracks, so to speak. A fascinating 5 days,
as we covered the main island by horseback, charter boat, kayak, car and
walking , observing and photographing the fauna and flora on land, the
surrounding seas and up in the air.
Then back to Guayaquil and Quito for a few more days
before flying back to the States.
