Ecuador and Galapagos

Quito, Ecuador's Capitol

At 9000' altitude, it's quite a way up in the mountains. Ecuador, being 85% Catholic, of course sports many magnificent churches

Sea Lions

Sea Lions (not to be confused with seals) where everywhere, and blissfully unimpressed with our presence. In keeping with the Darwinian theme of the islands, our guide explained that sea lions are descended from wolves, while seals are descended from an ancient bear.

Our "Hotel"

The Galapagos Islands

Well, they're islands... pretty much like any others you're going to see anywhere else in the ocean.

Iguanas

The black ones are the marine variety... they swim in the ocean and eat algae, then come up on land to sun themselves. Not afraid of humans at all. The colorful ones below are land iguanas, and are bred by the Darwin center to re-populate areas where they have been wiped out.

Birds

...and more birds. In the shots below, the most prominent are blue and red footed boobies (go ahead, laugh...), Nazca boobies, and frigate birds

Tortoises

Well, it's the Galapagos... ya gotta have tortoises. They live wild, although some are also bred in captivity to re-populate areas where they have been having trouble

Miscellaneous