Back from Galapagos

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Hello Everyone,
I finally got back into the grove of work and life after my trip to Ecuador. I spent time in Quito, The Galapagos, and Otavalo. It was simply an amazing trip. Ecuador is a beautiful country with so much variety. One could spend weeks there and be in a new city every 3 or 4 days. Galapagos was something that I will never forget. If you ever get the chance to go DO NOT pass it up. It is not necessarily inexpensive but it is definetely worth it.
I was on a 4N/5D cruise aboard the Coral I. It is a smaller boat that sleeps 34 or 36 but we only had 24 on the boat. The guides were excellent, the food and crew were great, and the excursions were amazing. I enjoyed the snorkeling more than the land excursions but the combination of two was outstanding. The water was a bit cool but the wetsuits created a very comfortable environment. We snorkeled with sea lions, penguins, green seas turtles, and all kinds of fish. September is definetely low season, which I really enjoyed. There were only a couple of times we saw other boats during the whole trip. During high season I think it would be a little too crowded and the trails and snorkeling areas would not be as enjoyable. The cooler weather was perfect for me.
Quito and Otavalo were also great. Prices are low and you can use the dollar just like you do in the states. I found a great restuarant in Quito called Zazu. It was amazing. Very classy but it still was able to pull off a very casual atmosphere; lots of families, hip crowd in the bar, all kinds of dress.
I am heading back down in March to do the Amazon. I am really excited. I will keep you all posted. I might be heading to Peru in about a week. If I go, I will hit Trujillo, Chiclayo, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu. I have never been up north so it would be fun. Check out my pictures. Contact me with any questions or let me know if you to see more photos.
Safe Travels!!!

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