A few moments this week vividly reminded me of the excitement I felt when first arriving in Quito. I’ve been so focused on my routine for the past few months that, to some degree, I lost sight of the fact that this experience has been a lifelong dream. And I love being immersed in a culture so fascinating to explore. 

Environs of Quito

The landscapes in and around Quito continue to amaze me.

I hiked with a friend to the top of Pichincha Volcano, on the outskirts of the city. Its beauty reminded me of the Scottish highlands. 

The weather kept changing, and unfortunately the view from the summit didn’t exactly cooperate:

I went on a weekend camping trip with about 20 colleagues to Pululahua, apparently the only inhabited crater in the world. From above, it just looks like a big valley of farm fields, but the landscape from the bottom is quite dramatic. 

While I opted to tent camp, our campground had adorable A-frame cabins – and a hot tub!

Galápagos!

But the absolute highlight since my last blog post has been traveling to The Galápagos Islands for a week.

While the name Galápagos is derived from an early Spanish word for tortoise, for centuries it was also known as Las Islas Encantadas, or “The Enchanted Islands.” Both names felt appropriate, as the fascinating landscapes and abundance of interesting animals (including tortoises!) thoroughly enchanted me.

Santa Cruz

At the Charles Darwin Research Center, I learned about the programs to replenish the various tortoise species populations. I also paid my respects to “Lonesome George” in his taxidermied glory. Fun fact: these tortoises can survive for up to a year without food or water, which played a key role in why whalers historically stocked up on them as a food source.

While scuba diving, I encountered huge schools of hammerheads (the highlight for me), as well as white tip sharks, sea turtles, eagle rays, a manta ray, and hundreds of garden eels. 

From the boat, we witnessed male red-chested frigates, with striking, hugely inflated red “balloons” at their throats for attracting mates. Sadly, I didn’t capture a photo. 

One morning, I walked to Tortuga Bay, a beautiful sandy beach with several marine iguanas lounging on lava rocks and near the mangrove trees. These are the only sea-going lizards on the planet. While taking pictures, one startled me with a loud noise. I initially thought it was meant as a warning to me, but then learned that they sneeze out excess salt from a gland between their eyes.

My favorite day of this trip was visiting Los Túneles. On the boat ride there, a manta ray jumped out of the water right next to our boat – absolutely amazing to witness! We snorkeled with dozens of adorable baby sharks, white-tipped sharks, a school of golden rays and sea turtles. We also observed a Galápagos penguin and several blue-footed boobies perched on the rocks above the water. 

Isabela Island

Adorable Isabela Island has a gorgeous beach and just the right amount of infrastructure for tourists. It’s not nearly as developed as Santa Cruz and is favored by many (including me!). 

One day, I hiked with a guide to Sierra Negra, the second-largest active caldera in the world. Unfortunately, the weather remained overcast and rainy for most of the hike, preventing visibility of the rim. Continuing on to Volcán Chico felt like walking on Mars, with cool lava tubes and red and black lava fields. The stunning landscape was unlike anything I’d ever seen.

One morning, I rented a bike. Along with periodic stops along the beach, I encountered a few wild, repatriated tortoises. They barely took notice of me as they ambled along the road.

My trip to Galápagos was a magical experience and made me appreciate this beautiful country even more – me encanta, Ecuador.