Arriving at the airport in Miami always gives me pause. All those people going someplace! This time, I was one of the lucky ones. The flight was uneventful and I arrived in Quito earlier than expected. Quite a coup in this day and age! As I traveled by cab to the hotel, I couldn't help watching this huge city on the north side of the Pichincha …

Today began with a small breakfast of fruit and toast in the hotel's cafe. They had arranged for a bus to pick me up a couple of blocks away to go on my sojourn. From the moment I walked outside into the fresh air until I returned, I was in awe of the city, the countryside and the people.

First I went to Calderon, a town where women artisans …

As I was having a leisurely breakfast, I pondered where to go first in the city. I settled on the central square as I had read that there was a tour given by the local Metropolitan Police. I took a taxi, as it is recommended to take taxis everywhere because of security, and when I arrived in Colonial Quito, I realized I had forgotten my camera! I …

Today, I hired a taxi for the entire day to see the sights around the PIchincha countryside. First, we went to La Midad del Mundo, or Middle of the World Monument. It is a geological monument where the equator separates the northern and southern hemispheres. My driver, Fanny and I walked all around and took pictures of the monument in the …

I was so excited I couldn't sleep! I awoke at dawn and when I arrived at the airport it was all fairly organized. I got my seat assignment and boarded the Tame plane that would wing its way about 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) to the Islands of the Galapagos. I arrived at Baltra and as I walked across the tarmac I nearly shouted with excitement. …

The island of Floreana, a 5 hour motor sail from Santa Cruz and Baltra, was breathtaking at dawn. We had a hardy breakfast at the communal table and watched the sea lions congregating peacefully on the boat next to us as they barked out their morning greetings. We had a dry landing at Puerta Valesco Ibarra and were greeted by some of the locals, …

Espanola is a table top island, the oldest and easternmost in the archipelago chain with only a caldera of rock left. Millions of years ago it was a shield volcano which has basically fallen into the sea. Española's remote location helped make it a unique island with a large number of endemic creatures. Secluded from the other islands, …

Sometime during the night the seas flattened out and it was smooth sailing toward San Cristobal. We arrived at Punta Pitt and the sunrise was exceptional. The island was silhouetted by the dawn and numerous birds floated effortlessly overhead. I took an early morning panga ride around the rocks to see sea lions cavorting in the water. Their …

The morning dawned crystal clear and I had a spectacular view of Santa Fe Island. The island was formed by an uplift, rather than a volcano, which gives it a table top shape. It was a wet landing at a sparkling turquoise cove, called Bahi Barrington, but the island was extremely hot and arid. We were advised to bring plenty of water to ward off …