Tag Archives: vacation

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

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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Tagged as Ecuador, photography, Quechua, R. Doug Wicker, San Isidro Hummingbird Lodge, travel, travel photography, vacation

September 25, 2017 · 5:35 am

Ecuador — AmaZOOnico Rescue Center Part 1

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

The next day, February 20, 2016, we took a relatively brief boat ride from Casa del Suizo along the Rio Napo to the nearby Rio Arajuno. Our destination this morning was the AmaZOOnico Animal Rescue Center. This wonderful rescue center was created to “receive, treat, rehabilitate, and reintroduce wild animals that had been confiscated from the illegal trade.” Those that cannot be returned to the wild have found a permanent home.

AmaZOOnico Rescue Center

And some just don’t want to leave. The grey-winged trumpeter bird is a very gregarious creature, easily socialized and exceedingly friendly. So, not only did we have a human guide, we also had Trumpy to keep us company throughout our visit. Trumpy appears to believe that he’s a guide, and it’s quite charming to watch him herd us along, hopping up and down steps, winding along the muddy pathways, and interacting with the animals along the way.