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Darwin Country

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by: Kerry Wohlstein
Following in Darwin's footsteps, I will be going to Ecuador, starting in Quito and ending in the Galapagos Islands. I have my backpack, my water shoes, guide to Ecuador and of course, my camera. Can't leave home without it. Buen viaje and vamos!

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Darwin Country

Want to go? Otavalo Market, Beagle: 10 Day Tour, A

I went to: Ecuador, Quito, Hotel Eugenia, Otavalo, Galapagos, Santa Cruz Island, Floreana, Espanola, San Cristobal, Santa Fe, North Seymour, Dragon Hill
The late Lonesome George - Hey, anybody see my girlfriends?Hotel Eugenia's delicate ironworkThe lobby of Hotel Eugenia was warm and welcoming!Drinking my first glass of wine at the hotel cafe!Even the stairs were beautiful!Calderon and very fresh pork!Locals making masapan figurines in CalderonA young boy learning the ancient craft of masapan figurines.Typical cart selling grapes and other fruit.Beautiful Emerald ValleyEmerald River near the Guayllbamba valleyThis is an example of the various rock formations. Explaining about Panama Hats, made in Ecuador! Who knew?Mother and child. Abuela and llamalow clouds over volcanoYoung lady explaining the traditional dress of Ecuador.The colors of Otavalo Market were exquisite!A young entrepreneur counting his money at Otavalo Mkt.An Ecuadorian man sewing sacks and bags for sale.I think the colors were so bright I was smiling!Locals in Cotacachi serenading the touristsClean streets with tiled walkways are part of the charmThe local church in CotacachiDaily rainclouds form over Cotacachi volcanoThe town square in Cotacachi was full of vibrant colorCotacachi is known for its leather trade, like these shoes.Inside El Palacio de Arzobispo in downtown Quito Sunday, in the Plaza de Independencia in QuitoThe roads are closed on Sunday and people walk everywhere.La Catedral on the square - QuitoGuards at the President's House (Palacio del Gobierno)Lovely architecture on the PlazaNarrow streets wind up toward Panecillo Hill and the VirginThe facade of La Basilica is tremendous in size and concept.I couldn't wait to climb to the top!Interior of the neo-gothic BasilicaView from inside the Basilica on the way up!View of the Virgin of Quito from the BasilicaThe wooden bridge connecting the towers from the main parta dizzying climb to the top on metal stairs with gargoyles spectacular view from the top of the Basilica clock towersNative Ecuadorians in costumes with instrumentsSan Francisco church- so imposingAll that glitters.....Fanny, the local cabbie and I at Mitad del MundoThis is where the REAL equator is, so they say!Marking the exact spot!At IntiNan, we learned about the local weavingsTeleferiQo going straight to the top!It was so cold and foggy, you couldn't see anything! At Parque Carolina there is a hidden Botanical Gardens!Such spectacular foliage!The Botanical Gardens in the rainAn entire pond ecosystem at the gardenOrchids are grown in large greenhouse structuresghost orchids!serenity at the end of the dayOur plane from Quito arrives in BaltraLoading Ferry with our bags for the short ride to Pt. AyoraPraying that our bags stay on the top!Our chariot, the panga arrives with LuisMy first glimpse of the Beagle, home for the next week.Marine Iguana convention on Santa CruzOur Guide, Daniel, explaining about the giant cactus This little guy will grow up to be big someday.Charles Darwin Research Station is amazing!Check out the tortoise whisperer!Fresh fish at the docks of Punta AyoraOur first look out to sea and wonder what we will see.My cabin, spacious and comfy.The bathroom or heada closet, drawers, what else could one ask for ?A view of an ancient volcano as we head out to sea.Floreana's local residentsTree finch on FloreanaHere I come to save the day! Gentle giants roam on FloreanaFloreana and epiphytes on the tropical forest treessmall tree finchThe Highlands and a view of the bay on FloreanaThis is where murder and mayhem reigned in FloreanaThe locals gathered elephant ears in bundlesPuerta Valiesco Ibarra and the welcoming committeeThe clear blue of the ocean as the waves crash on the rocksThe ever present slick sea lionsnorkeling at Pt. Comorant in the clear blue watersweathered volcanic rock on FloreanaAmerican oyster catcher wading as he looks for foodBlue footed boobie pair cooling offFlamingo colony on our evening excursionFlamingoes just before sunsetAll creatures, even hurt ones have little fear on the Islandwaiting for the panga, the sun sets over another dayThe remains of an ancient volcanic coneGreat Blue herons are so spectacular to viewFloyd, a doomed sea turtle and he has a story to tell.Colorful Sally Lightfoot crab on volcanic rocksea lions in the surf at Gardner Baybaby sea lion, perhaps 3 days old, sleeping and waiting.Hey! If you won't toss the stick, I will.So many sea lions, so much time!baby nursingMarine iguanas have great camouflage on the island.Hey, I am landing here with flaps out.Ok, so I have blue feet, but that is no reason to gawk!Is this Hollywood? I am ready for my close up now.swallow tail gullThe beautiful white Nasca boobieIf you like my blue footed boobie stomp, marry menasca baby boobie on the rocksMocking bird, have you heard?Waved albatross giving birth to an egg!I think it looks like you. No, you! But it is ours.Some day we will look back on this and smile.The blowhole, millions of years in the makingfluffy and full of down, this is a young boobie.The cliffs where seabirds gather and feed on local fish.Incoming! Waved albatross about to soar out to sea.I am airborne!Smoothly soaring over the water with huge wing spans.Another look at the wing span of the waved albatross.Dawn breaking over San CristobalRed Footed Boobies nesting on the low bushesRed Footed Boobie morphSurf's up Dude!curious adolescent sea liontuff rock or compressed ash, eroded by windThe path to the top of Frigatebird HillWe gave our rapt attention to our guide, DanielHere Daniel is explaining the geology of this islanda first peek at the harbor below the cliffsFrom the top of Frigatebird Hill we see our boat, the Beaglewhere earth meets sky, tranquility and peace beginRed footed boobieNote the colors on this Red Footed BoobieBaby Boobie and he is hungry"Mom! I am hungry, bring me food!"red low brush and the sea in the distanceMy first look at Dormido Leon, or Sleeping LionUp close and personal with the lionMale Frigates with red pouchesMagnificent Frigate Bird with inflated gularIn the middle of it all, flowersFlowers grow even in the most barren places.Blue Footed Boobie waiting......Volcanic Boulders, a reminded of time gone byAshes to ashes, dust to dustDawn breaking over Bahia BarringtonThai Chi in the early morning sun with the Beach Mastersmall tree finch on a Paulo Santos treesmall tree finch on Santa Fe and the deep blue skyMedium tree finch scouting out its domainCactus trees on Santa Fe IslandHungry Cactus Finch babies waiting for momcactus finch and babies on Santa FeGolden Land Iguana on Santa FeThe comb of this land iguana can be seen through the bushessymbiosis in motion Mocking bird and IguanaA little to the left, would ya? Yeah!!This close up shows the iguana's molting skin the golden color of this iguanas comes from the cactus fruitIt is easy to see the prehistoric nature of this speciesLand iguana eating the purslane flowerThe iguana has adapted to the dry, arid conditions Red billed tropic bird in flightThey are the largest colony in the GalapagosNursing pup and mom basking in the sunswallow tailed gull pairHeeeeres Johnny!swallow tail baby being watched over by mom and dadThis is the path from the water to the batchelor padHere comes bachelor #1The famous, or infamous, bachelor pad!As we headed back to the boat, we came acoss a small snake Just ONE MORE PICTURE, please!Nesting male with iridescent green w/ contrasting red gular This male Great Frigate was a phenomenal sight!Chick, perhaps 2 months oldMom feeding chick #1 (Head going)Mom feeding chick #2 (Head going)Mom feeding chick #3 (head almost gone!)Mom feeding baby #4 (Gone!)Baby Frigate - very youngFur seals sleeping on the rocksDo you think I am a handsome fur seal?Galapagos penguinsGalapagos penguins practicing their dance routineI'll race you and I am winning!Galapagos penguin swimming in the surf near No. SeymourLove the webbed feet and socks!I'm molting.......Pinnacle Rock with all it's vast colorsThe beginning of the boardwalk to the topremains of an ancient calderaLava Cacti growing out of rock on near barren environmentsmall low growing shrub near boardwalkMom nursing pup near volcanic rockThe motley crew from the HMS Beagleextinct cinder cone viewed from the lighthousethe volcanic ash goes into the bayfragile lava tunnelslava tunnels lava tunnels leading to the seaI think the yellow warbler is a sign of luckyellow warbler taking a bath near the volcanic rocksThe volcanic rocks rolling in to the surflava lizard, looking identical to the volcanic rockThe compressed rocks looking out to seaCurious mocking birdTall cacti trees and the lunar landscapeReminds me of the wild west!lagoon on Dragon Hill which gets more than the avg. rainfallAngel, our engineer and mechanicLuis, the panga driver and all around handy manTricky, our steward, perfectionist and funny manDaniel and Luis make me smile!Each day, Tricky cleaned our cabins leaving us creations.That's CAPTAIN Washington, to you.Luis snorkeling in the crystal blue watersThe fierce land iguana on Dragon Hillone of the valleys on Dragon Hill-Santa Cruz in the distanceView of Guy Fawkes islet from the top of Dragon HillAlternate view of the bay through Scalesia treesThe Crew - Daniel, Capt. Washington, Angel and TrickyThe crew- Tricky, Big Pedro, the chef and LuisMy last Galapagos sunset over the islandsThe last morning as the sun risesDawn breaking as we motor to Black Turtle CoveBlack Turtle cove with mangrovesNoddy terns land on pelican's head to help eat the killGodlen Eagle Rays in the morning stillnessReminiscent of Florida Bay, dawn at Black Turtle covegolden eagle rays with tips out of the water, gliding by.green sea turtle on silent flippersEven the pelicans came out to say goodbye!The sea turtle swam directly at our pangaIt is hard to leave our floating home after 8 days at sea.As we disembarked at Baltra, the locals ignored us.The passanger wharf or bus stop to the airport on BaltraWhile I dined on Locro soup, the sun set over Quito.

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