http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Ecuador en-us Wed, 25 Nov 09 16:04:38 +0000 Wed, 25 Nov 09 16:04:38 +0000 Woke up at 7am for breakfast at 730. I opened my eyes to my mom eating the chips ahoy chocolate chip cookies I had been saving for an emergency most likely for lunch today since the Russians we met last night said the sandwiches were tuna and vegetable...gross. I was like WHY ARE YOU EATING THE COOKIES IVE BEEN SAVING Because Im hungry and wanted a snack was her reply...I was not a ha http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Isabela-Island/blog-455602.html Aprs Cali nous avons continu notre route vers le sud direction Ipiales ville situe la fronitre avec l'Equateur. 7h30 passage oblig la douane passeports tamponns et quelques centaines de mtres plus loin nous voici cot Equateur. Arrivs Tulcan pas le temps d'aller aux toilettes ni de prendre un caf que des gars nous ont prcipits dans le bus pour Quito. Le bus est incroyableme http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/blog-455370.html Once we left our hostel in Quito we arrived at their sister hostel in Cotopaxi. This hostel was like a paradise exceot for the temperature as it is 3500 meters in the mountains On our arrival we were given our lunch and then brought for a short trip to a near by waterfall followed by the 4 dogs of the house. The house itself sits on two hecters of land and overlooks the giant volcano which is sti http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Cotopaxi/blog-455362.html So we arrived in Quito on the 14th of November. Quito is the capital of Ecuador and is at an altitude of 2800 meters. My main plan for Ecuador is to climb a mountain Volcano called Cotopaxi which is a couple of hours south of Quito. We figured that the altitude training would help.On arrival in Quito we made friends with a spanish couple Martin and Layla and we decided to stay in a hostel call http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-455357.html So after the four day tourI had 10 days left at the station. Our group was slowly departing the loss of Phil being the first. More drinks at the station bar for Nushs leaving dotoo many games of Ring of Fire for my liking and the loss of Mel at the weekend lead me to think that I wanted to leave a couple of days earlyheadback to Qutio and do some sightseeing around the area before the begin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-454669.html Apologes for the major tardiness with the blog. Its been a crazy couple of weeks but thats why I love it here. Firstly celebrations for Alycats birthday took place on the weekend of the 24th Oct many a mojito consumed with the final destination being Iguana Rock where else and an unfortunate meeting with Notorius PIG and his mate Vin Doll you know who you are boys Antics on the stat http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-454490.html Islas De Galapagos Isla San Cristobl Puerto Baquerizo Moreno 14101990.A small eatery on Puerto Baquerizo Moreno's quay with the fitting name Comedor Comida Rica tasty food in the local lingo is a perfect place for a meal and getting to know our new passengers a spanish couple in their early forties while we wait for the crew to load supplies.It takes but a few hundert human steps to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/San-Cristobal-Island/blog-454164.html Charles Darwin is the famous philosopher who is most commonly known for discovering the pristine and enchanting beauty of the Galapagos Islands. The first island that Charles Darwin discovered was San Cristobal the one I am currently living on. He originally spent only 2 weeks on the Galapagos Islands and spent the next 25 years working on his book called ldquoThe Origin of Speciesrdquo. Th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/San-Cristobal-Island/blog-453938.html Na schoen hier also unser erster richtiger Eintrag nach unserer Miserehellip oder eher Mussten also etwas frueher als geplant nach Quito zwecks Notpasshellip sind aber uebers FeriertagsWochenede auf dem Weg dorthin in Baos stehengeblieben um so schnell wie moeglich in eine andere Umgebung zu kommenhellip in touristische zivilisierte Gefielde. Zur Abwechslung wars 4 in der Frueh http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-453516.html Sorry that I haven't written in a while but nothing really has been going on here. Oh expect for the lights are turned off everyday at random times. The eletricity here is generated through hydroelectricity. No rain no power. It hasn't rained for a while so there is a power shortage. They cut the lights off in random parts of the city for about four hours at a time. It is kinda annoying w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-453515.html For the last month or so Irsquove been eating dinner with the people every night at the downtown Center in my break in between classes and it has been such a blessing. In the beginning I thought it would drain me and granted I am tired by the time I get to 6pm BUT it is definitely one of my favorite parts of the day.Tonight I sat with a few of my first grade girls and some other kids. On http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-453439.html Baos 14.11.20091630Meine letzten Tagebucheintraege berichten von viel Beschwerlichem aber es war auf keinen Fall meine Absicht ein negatives Bild von Ecuador zu zeichnen In Wirklichkeit habe ich mich laengst in dieses kleine bunte Land verliebt. Dabei habe ich erst einen Bruchteil davon gesehen doch bereits jetzt bin ich zutiefst beeindruckt von der Vielgestaltigkeit sei es auf die Landsch http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Banos/blog-453229.html We have entered Ecuador And here we go for our first extreme experience in this country more than ldquoExtreme Sommerrdquo the Volcano Avenue.The Volcano Avenue is a valley near Quito surrounded by several active volcanoes. There we would start our tour mountainbiking one of the highest volcanoes of the area the Cotopaxi volcano which reaches the very modest altitude of 5897 m We http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/blog-452990.html Spread across a spectacular valley and surrounded by volcanic peaks the setting of Quito is in itself striking. Then one discovers the colonial splendor of the old town and its architectural richness the modernity mixed with the indigenous character of the place. Shoeshine boys indigeneous women carrying impossible loads hollering street vendors blind accordion players legless guitar players http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-452983.html The Galapagos Islands are located about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They are the home to many unique and exotic animals. We could not wait to explore the different islands of the GalapagosSAN CRISTOBAL ISLANDWe arrived at the airport in San Cristobal late in the morning. After collecting our things we had to take a small zodiac boat to get to our cru http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/blog-452782.html We are in Banos now after a very long day yesterday getting here from Puerto Lopez almost 13 hours on three different buses. We arrived after midnight last night found a hostel and awoke this morning to towering mountains and a clean friendly beautiful town. A little back log of the trip thus far to catch you up We left Lima Peru after a few days in Miraflores. We met a Frenchmen there who http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Banos/blog-452727.html So I set my alarm for 401am in order to get up today and be at the bus stop by 430. I woke at some point in the night very very VERY confused...I didnt know where I was or even who I was...all I did know is that I was in my birthday suit on a bed under some sheets. I started panicking and felt around on the bed to give me a clue as to whowhere I was when I felt a plastic object...immediat http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Tumbes/Tumbes/blog-452249.html Its Sunday...so there was no construction going on so I was finally able to sleep inI got up around 11 then headed into town for breakfast...the usual. After breakfast I headed back to the cabaas for a nap before watching the surf competition continue around 2pm. Sandy Elyse and I headed to the beach around 2 to hang out and watch the competition...however it actually wasnt starting until 3 http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/West/Montanita/blog-452248.html First hourAmazing The Galapagos have not disappointed us and wersquove only been here 1 day Our flight in was spectacular over the lunar arid landscape of Isla Baltra. Within 5 minutes of being in our room which by the way has a balcony which overlooks the sea we spotted sea lions on the jetty thousands of huge red crabs marine iguanas other iguanas other crabs countless types of b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santa-Cruz-Island/blog-452101.html Landing on the Galapagos Islands for the first time is something that will stick in my memory forever. Maybe it was the tikihut airport or maybe it was the sea lions lounging on a nearby beach but something made this place very special. I was greeted by Nelly and her 4 energetic children Roberto 16 Analia 14 Ivan 11 and Andre 8. It was evident that this town was very small and it wa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/San-Cristobal-Island/blog-451436.html