Mindoo cloud forest, 12/19
We arrive in to Quito around 4 AM and after being driven in to the old city, which is about 25 miles away and with a few hours of sleep and a headache we travel via car towards the Mindoo cloud forest, which is a rainforest. While Quito is 2850 meters, Mindoo is lower by about 1000 meters and feels a whole different world. Mindoo cloud forest is fairly typical of most rain forest however the trees are not quite high, supposedly because it's a recovering secondary forest.
We spend some time in a butterfly sanctuary that is limited in its variety with large monarch's and even larger snake eye butterflies and a smattering of other. There are interesting orchids that we had never see before which is what Ecuador is know for. There is a humming bird section that has several bird feeds with sugar water in them to attract the birds. Humming birds are very territorial and it was interesting to watch them battle and protect their bird feeds. A walk in the rain through the forest looking at the flora rounds up the morning.
The evening has attracted tourists and locals to the independence square, where there is plenty of music, dancing and people watching. Old town Quito is the world's first UNESCO world heritage site and is very alluring. Dinner is at a roof top restaurant called Vista Harmosa with spectacular views of the old city and hills around it, however the food is wanting by considerable measure.
On Christmas day we drive up to the top of El Panecillo to catch views of Quito city and that of the Virgin Mary's statue that is taller than the Christ redeemer in Rio, something about the Mother being above the son. Quito is in a valley surrounded by several volcanoes some that have some activity. The city is large for a population of only 2 million, about 35 miles long and 4-5 miles wide. Then we return to walk the old city starting with the independence square opposite the presidential palace which allowed us in for a quick look including the changing of the guard.
There are several churches in this area including 7 on Garcia Moreno such as the la compania which unfortunately is closed on Christmas Day! We wander up to St. Francisco cathedral, where legend goes that a certain local constructor named Cantuna made a deal with the devil to build the courtyard over night as he was running behind schedule. Cantuna was to sell his soul if the devil could complete the courtyard by day break, however Cantuna hid one brick disallowing the devil to complete the courtyard and saving his soul. The church is attached to a monastery and museum that gives an insight in to the work the Franciscan monks work to learn art and promote their faith.
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| San Francisco |
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| La Compania on the right looking up Garcia Morena |
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| Cathedral of Quito on the Independence Plaza |
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| San Francisco at sun set |
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| Independence Plaza |
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| The Basilica of the National Vow |
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| St. Francisco |
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| La Compania |
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| The Basilica |
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| La Rhonda Street - Bohemian Quito |
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| Old Town Quito from El Panecillo | | | | | | | | |
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| Balconies of La Rhonda |
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| Balconies of La Rhonda |
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| Metropolitan Cathedral & El Panecillo |
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| On Opposite sides of the world |
After lunch we head to the monument that has been constructed on the equator. Apparently there is a private museum that is next door from the museum that is on the true equator as indicated by modern gps however they were closed ahead of schedule...endemic of Ecuador's laid bac
k attitude to business. So we go to the public monument and our iPhone suggests that we are at 0,0',7", about 7 seconds off. Apparently the equators width is approximately 5 km to care for the earth's revolution.
More Quito Pictures
This is a fascinating city in the valley in the north of the country with a quaint old city. We liked it so much we came back to Quito 3 times from various excursions around the country. Still it takes a while to get used to the altitude.
In 1999 through the culmination of several financials crisis Ecuador changed to the US dollar as their currency replacing the Sucre.
12/20
Galapagos: Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz Island
We have an early flight to Baltra, Galapagos, which stops at Guyaquill to drop some passengers and pick up loads of supplies. Galapagos is a archipelago of over 25 islands some 1000 miles to the west of mainland Ecuador. The island operates with sole purpose of preserving its fauna and flora. As a result they don't grow or produce anything on the islands. Their sole source of income is tourism that is heavily regulated . Despite this it is interesting to find that they try to make it as exclusive as possible by slowing the count of visitors by making it expensive with many restrictions of where and when one can visit. Given our late reservations, we have been fortunate to get ourselves on a very nice yacht that can carry 16 visitors. The Sea Star Journey is a freshly furnished yacht that will carry us on a northerly route starting from Isla Santa Cruz, up to Isla Genovesa, the furthest island and back down to Isla Bartolome and Isla Santiago. We have been assured that this route gives us the best that the Galapagos has to offer.
The folks from the yacht are at the airport to receive us for a short ride to the dock to catch a "panga" or a rubber dingy with an outboard motor. Once we are settled on the yacht and a wonderful lunch we are off on our first excursion on Isla Santa Cruz to see Sally light foot crabs, marine and land Iguanas, Flamingos, Sea Lions and some excellent views of the Galapagos. I think these pictures tell the story better than I can in words.
If you can get past the altitude sickness in Quito and the highlands, sea sickness in the Galapagos and the heat and sun all over, this is a spectacular country to visit.
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| Chinese Hat Island |
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| One of many Lizard types |
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| These Sea Lions vacation all their lives |
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| Sally Lightfoot Carb in all its colorful glory |
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| Apparently this little fellow is abandoned... |
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| ...while this little guy has not a care in the world |
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| Grass grows on lava! |
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| Parts of the beach are layered with Corals |
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| These marine Iguanas are uglier than ugly! |
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| Galapagos Penguins....they are really tiny |
