Following our Galapagos adventure we spent three days on the mainland where we also enjoyed first class facilities and most competent guides. On an overnight trip to Otavalo we had a van, driver and guide to ourselves. We visited out of the way native villages and observed wood carving, bread dough sculpturing and weaving. We visited the market in Otavala and loaded up on gifts and mementos. We enjoyed an overnight stay at La Mirage, a deluxe resort, with facilities, food, amenities and service which deluxe implies.
Pictures complete the story.
To reach the picture postcard view we climbed to an 800 ft high point. In the course of our seven day cruise we explored eight islands. Sharing a common volcanic heritage their climates differs markedly, ranging from arid to semiarid to near rain forest. Vegetation ranged from virtually none to lava cactus to grasses, bushes and trees. Flightless Cormorants qualified as the most extreme adaptation to a unique environment, one lacking predators.