Ecuador

Slide 1
Slide 2
Our transportation
Slide 3
Kings of the World
Slide 4
Slide 5
Greeting committee
Slide 6
Slide 7
Max discussing the origin of species with our guide.
Slide 8
These guys were everywhere.
Slide 9
Slide 10
Slide 11
Slide 12
Slide 13
Slide 14
Slide 15
Slide 16
Slide 17
Slide 18
Slide 19
Slide 20
Slide 21
Slide 22
Slide 23
Slide 24
Slide 25
Slide 26
Slide 27
Slide 28
Slide 29
This was a massive hole from where the origins of a volcano collapsed back into the earth.
Slide 30
Slide 31
Slide 32
While on the mainland we stayed in Quito, the Capital of Ecuador.
Slide 33
Quito has a population of over a million people sprawling out over a mountain terrain
4 miles wide by 20 miles long. The elevation took a bit of getting used to (9,350 ft).
Slide 34
The pool at our hotel (a key feature for the kids).
Slide 35
A tree at the hotel we referred to as the Giant Pineapple.
Slide 36
A view of Quito from our room.
Slide 37
Although there was lots of poverty, it did not convey the sense of sadness you might expect.
Slide 38
Slide 39
On our way to Otavalo we were invited to stop off for breakfast at a farm.
Slide 40
Slide 41
As it turns out, this was the home of one of the largest and most prestigious rose producers in the world.
Slide 42
Slide 43
The main house contains 3,000 fresh cut long-stem roses, which are replaced on a weekly basis.
Slide 44
Slide 45
There were roses everywhere and they were perfect.
Slide 46
Slide 47
An old mission church located on the property.
Slide 48
Slide 49
Slide 50
Two girls we met at a gas station. We ended up giving them a ride to the market in Otavalo.
Slide 51
Slide 52
Slide 53
Max being Max
Slide 54
Slide 55
Slide 56
Slide 57
Slide 58
Everywhere we went the landscape and terrain was different.
Slide 59
Slide 60
Slide 61
Slide 62
Slide 63
Slide 64
Slide 65
Slide 66
Slide 67
Slide 68
Slide 69
Slide 70
Slide 71
Wild horse and cattle
Slide 72
Slide 73
Slide 74
Slide 75
Slide 76
Slide 77
Notice anything different about this weathervane?
Slide 78
Slide 79
Slide 80
Slide 81
Slide 82
Slide 83
Slide 84
This was on our last day. We took our bus to a jungle region, then caught
a ride in the back of a pickup which hauled us to the top of a mountain.
From there we hopped into this basket which carried us over a massive gorge.
Slide 85
Even though it's hard to see the basket in this photo, you can get a sense of the scale.
This was several hundred feet above the trees, spanning an enormous distance.
Slide 86
And this is the guy and machine we trusted with our lives.
Interestingly enough, by that point in our trip it didn't seem to be that big of a deal.
Slide 87
Slide 88
Slide 89