Tag Archives: photography

October 2, 2017 · 5:35 am

Ecuador — Arriving Quito


Compañía de Jesús

Our first full day in Quito, and our last day with the tour group, began on February 22, 2016. After this day we would be on our own until our flight a couple of days later. But on this day we had much to see and do. The following images are of the old Central Bank of Ecuador building.

Banco Central de Ecuador

Banco Central de Ecuador

Right next to this beautiful building is La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, or the Church of the Society of Jesus.

Compañía de Jesús

In the distance we could see El Panecillo, atop which stands the 148-foot/45-meter Virgen de Quito statue.

Virgen de Quito atop El Panecillo

Other images from our first excursion into Quito:

Quito
Quito
Quito
Quito
Quito
Quito
Quito
Cathedral of Quito

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September 29, 2017 · 5:35 am

Ecuador — AmaZOOnico Rescue Center Part 2


AmaZOOnico Choo-Choo Train

Continuing our tour of the AmaZOOnico Rescue Center, here’s a cut little tapir:

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

And a beautiful ocelot:

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

Remember Trumpy, the friendly grey-winged trumpeter from Monday? I promised a neat story involving this helpful little guy who thinks he’s part of the AmaZOOnico staff, and who enjoys accompanying the visitors on their tours. Trumpy is so at home with the human staff that he even watches out for them. He trumpets warnings to the unsuspecting whenever he senses a venomous snake nearby, for instance. And on one occasion, when one of the staff was accidently locked in an enclosure, Trumpy went to retrieve help for his hapless fellow staffer. Now that’s cute. Here’s another view of Trumpy the guide:

Trumpy the grey-winged trumpeter and AmaZOOnico trail guide

Now for some more of the AmaZOOnico guests:

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

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September 27, 2017 · 5:35 am

Ecuador — San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge and Cresting the Andes


San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge

On Sunday, February 21, 2016, we left the Amazon Basin behind us and headed toward Quito. Along the way we were do for a lunch stop at the San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge. It was drizzly on our arrival, and we didn’t see many hummingbirds, but the views along the eastern slopes of the Andes were rather breathtaking, but not as breathtaking (literally) as our later climb above 13,000 feet/3,900 meters on our journey to Quito.

San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge

As you can see from today’s photos, the vegetation here is lush, dense, and beautifully green.

San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge

San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge

San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge

After lunch our tour group loaded back aboard the bus for the continued climb into the high Andes. The air grew thin, and trees gave way to shrub.

High Andes waterhole

Look in the background in the photo below and you’ll see that humanity reaches even here. Notice what appears to be a ranch?

High Andes ranch

Next week we begin an extended tour of Quito.

 

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