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A Tourist's View of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Part 1
Ecuador's Galapagos Islands are world famous for being the place where British naturalist and evolutionist Charles Darwin was inspired to write his seminal volume "The Origin of Species" in the mid 19th century. The islands are certainly a hotbed of evolutionary ferment, as recent reports have noted that some of the island's finches are evolving in response to competition from birds with larger beaks. The exotic fauna and flora of the Galapagos has proven to be a beacon for tourists from around the world and they have been declared to be a UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides the aforementioned finches, there are magnificent long-lived Giant Tortoises, colorful Sea Iguanas and a variety of marine mammals that thrive in the cold Pacific waters that are rich in fish and other nutrients.
Ecuador's Tungurahua Province - A land of Leather, Arts and Crafts
Few regions can seduce its visitors as easily as does Ecuador's Tungurahua province. With its temperate, wet, and cool climate, this province - which lies to the south of Cotopaxi - is a region of majestic peaks, challenging terrain and the rythmic parting of Carnivale'! Known as much for its leather crafts as it is for its fruit and flower production, you'll soon discover why the town of Banos is known as the "gateway to the Amazon".
Chimborazo, Highest Volcano in Ecuador
Ecuador may be a small country, but it boasts one of the world's highest mountains: Chimborazo. Towering 20,560 ft above Pacific coastal lowlands on one side and the Amazon rainforest on the other, Chimborazo is the tallest peak in Ecuador and ranks 17th in the world. A curious fact about Chimborazo is that its summit is the farthest point on the surface of the Earth from the center of the Earth. This is due to the Earth's so-called "equatorial bulge" that makes the planet slightly wider laterally than longitudinally. Chimborazo's position just a single degree south of the equator allows it to benefit from the added girth of the equatorial bulge.
Ecuador: In Search of a Vision Quest
Among the tourist industry, they are referred to as "Shamanic or Vision" quests; trips deep into the Amazon rainforest in search of indigenous healing techniques and the old shamans that perform them. A niche' market for the last ten year's or so, the vision quest has proved to be quite popular in Ecuador, as visitor's seek out the healing techniques and first-hand experiences with little-known plant medicines.
Ecuador: The Imbabura Province - Home of the White City
With its beautifully paved streets and its colonial houses, Ibarra, also known as the White City, is one of the most-visited towns in northern Ecuador. The older part of the city is lined with white, split-level houses built around ornamental and well-preserved parks such as Moncayo and La Merced Park. Art exhibitions are displayed in the Catholic University, the Universidad del Norte, the Culture House, and the Colegio de Arquitectos. There are also several museums with archaeological and paleontological displays, among others. Ibarra has a wealth of hotels, bars, and restaurants that serve delicious local cuisine. Outside Ibarra and throughout the province of Imbabura, there are lovely country hotels, both old and new, which welcome the visitor to the beautiful hidden corners of the area.
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- On the Top of the Little Face of God
