Ecuador

Kicker Rock is actually split in two, and we dove in the channel. The currents were VERY strong - this is definitely not for novice divers. There was such a surge in current at the [...]

The giant tortoises were amazing. Prehistoric looking and huge. You can get an idea of the scale looking at the road this guy is travelling on, which is big enough for a jeep. This guy [...]

The Galapagos have thousands of iguanas...and they vary from island to island. These are Marine Iguanas, who love to swim in salt water. It's amazing how graceful they are underwater, like an eel. Other than [...]

This was a moving sight. The little chick had died, but Mom was still standing watch. As Darwin noted in his research, only the strong survive. Of the two remaining chicks, only one may make [...]

This is so amazing - you don't even need binoculars. You can walk up to birds and they don't fly away. Everyone is very careful not to touch them, but we were inches away from [...]

Sea lions are a plentiful and friendly species here. Recommended distance is 6 feet, as they may bite. We swam with them, posed with them, stepped over them and talked to them. We saw many [...]

Here is the spot! El Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the world and the actual equator line, at the highest point in the world. Thumbs up is the traditional pose here, as you are [...]

People in Quito are extremely vocal about their political opinions! We were in El Centro Historico, where El Presidente was attending mass. There were probably 100 guards and police armed with assault rifles. We were [...]

While Ecuador is primarily Catholic, they definitely take some liberties... and church attendance is sporadic. Here we have the reclining Jesus, a statue used for luck with women!

Gruesome but true - this is an actual shrunken head, along with instructions. Although this hasn't been done for hundreds of years, the indigenous people felt this was a way to capture the soul of [...]