Ecuador’s Avenue of the Volcanoes–Still Actively Building the Andes
Journeying from the jungle--visit Ecuador’s Amazon Basin Jungle in El Oriente (The East) to view our adventures there--to the mountains on the same day meant totally readjusting our minds and bodies again. We left the Napo River (2,500 ft.) for the Andes at 12,000 to...
Ecuador’s Amazon Basin Jungle in El Oriente (The East)
Traveling to the jungle from Quito meant many changes: leaving Quito at 9,400 ft. to be at less than 2,500 ft. altitude in Ecuador's El Oriente (Eastern in Spanish) Region was only the first. Then came flying for about 30 minutes to Coca (pop. 20,000) along the Napo...
Galapagos Archipelago’s Boobie, Frigates and More
Rick, Wendy and Carolyn loved observing how all the animals were "ecologically naive" --no fear of predators--so they could get very close. While Giant Tortoises are the Galapagos' emblem, Wendy’s #1 priority was to see the Blue-Footed Boobies. "Booby" may be...
Galapagos Archipelago’s Tortoises & Other Animals
Famous Giant Tortoises: Giant Tortoises have been especially vulnerable for centuries since sailors took them for meat on-board whaling, military, or pirate ships. Sadly, these animals had been kept alive on their backs for up to two years to serve as a source of...
Galapagos Achipelago’s Geology
About 1,000 miles west of mainland Ecuador lies the unique Galapagos province, 97% of which has been protected, since 1959, from any use except tourism and science. It is where Charles Darwin stayed for 5 weeks during the survey voyage of the HMS Beagle and which...
Ecuador’s Bellavista Cloud Forest
About 100 miles northwest of Quito lies a huge mountainous cloud forest region at about 9,000 ft. altitude. Bellavista private preserve has an eco-lodge, scientific station, steep trails, and hundreds of birds, insects, and exotic semi-tropical plants within its...
Ecuador: Incredible Geological, Ecological & Biological Diversity & its Key Cities
Ecuador is a relatively small country compared to most of its South American neighbors. In fact over the years both Peru and Colombia have stolen border lands from Ecuador. Straddling the Equator that gives the country its name, it has such a range of animal species...
Peru: Visiting Businesses in the Andes
In May 2008, Rick and Wendy visited Peru—their third time—on a business trip for TechnoServe. Prior trips to Peru had included both pleasure--mainly visiting Lima and Machu Picchu--and a volunteer work project for Rick. This was part of their visit to five countries...
El Salvador Recovering from Civil War
In order to create more jobs and income opportunities for the rural poor, El Salvador is boosting its agricultural exports. Besides TechnoServe helping farmers in key sectors to sell to export markets, it also runs entrepreneurship programs that empower people to...