Quito & the Galapagos (There are two galleries on this page; do not miss "the Galapagos", below.)

Quito:  Ecuador is more than Quito and the Galapagos; it includes rain forests and Andean mountains among other things.  But Quito (and its environs) and the Galapagos were the limit of my recent Ecuadoran travels.  Quito is a large and growing metropolis nestled in a mountainous setting, struggling with its physical expansion and gerry-rigging solutions as it grows.  It has progressed significantly in the 25 years since my last visit but, as with many colonial cities, much of its culture and beauty can be most readily found in its historic center.    (Click a thumbnail image once to enlarge; click within the left or right of the image to advance or go back - or use your right and left arrows.)

The Galapagos:  The Galapagos Islands, 600 miles off the cost of Ecuador, are a wonderland of nature, tightly controlled for preservation by the Government of Ecuador.  The animals here have been protected from the predation of man and, as a consequence, are unafraid of human visitors.  The result is a uniquely approachable menagerie of beautiful creatures which, by their isolation, demonstrated to Darwin the basis for his theories of evolution.  For animal-lovers there is no better place.  Below is a small gallery of images reflecting four Islands of the archipelago during a brief recent visit.  (Click a thumbnail image once to enlarge; click within the right or left side of the image to advance or go back - or use your right and left arrows.)