The Galapagos IslandS (Ecuador) with Celebrity xpedition

Santa Cruz is known for sandy beaches like El Garrapatero. The town of Puerto Ayora is the archipelago’s tourism hub. The Charles Darwin Research Station has a breeding program for endangered giant tortoises. Tortuga Bay attracts sea turtles and marine iguanas. You can also visit the Los Gemelos calderas and some lava tunnels.

 South Plaza is a small island off the east coast of Santa Cruz, this island is formed by lava up streaming from the bottom of the ocean.  The island is full of wild life and flora.  Enjoy the birds, seals, iguana and lots of cactus trees while walking the island.

Cerro Dragon or Dragon Hill is located on the island of Santa Cruz.  The area is named after the land iguanas that populate the hills.  Sometimes the iguanas can look like dragons. 

 Isabela Island is the largest island of the Galápagos  It was named after Queen Isabella of Spain. Punta Vincente roca is  known for colonies of Galapagos fur seals, the nesting sites of Nazca boobies, flightless cormorants, penguins, and marine iguanas.  And lets not forget one of the best snorkeling spots in the Galapagos

Fernandina is the youngest of the islands nad has lots of flora and fauna unique to the island.  Punta Espinosa features marine iguanas, lava lizards, Galapagos Penguins, Sea Lions, cormorants, sea life and you can see mangrove plants and different lava formations. 

As unique the Galapagos islands are above water, they are under water.

 Punta Moreno is located on the north coast of Isabela Island. The places to visit are the brackish lagoons and lava fields.  Urbina Bay was formed by an up-lifting of the sea floor that occurred in 1954.  Urbina bay is home to land iguanas, giant  tortoises  and even some Galapagos Penguins 

Floreana operates a unique system of sending mail from one of the world’s uninhabited areas. Floreana was a stop for 18th-century whalers, they would stop at the wooden barrel and leave mail and also pickup any mail that would be for their next destination and deliver it.

At Punta Cormorant you land at the beach and walk to a large brackish lagoon, you will find a large number of flamingos and white-cheeked pintails and you might spot the flamingoes' mudpie-like nests.

 Suarez Point has an enormous amount of wildlife and an amazing scenery.  Española Island  is also the breeding site for the Waved Albatross, during breading season (April - June) the world population of Waved Albatrosses is in the Galapagos.  The Waved Albatross is critically endangere

Gardner bay is mostly known for the white sand beach and features a colony of sea lions. The surf in the bay is not particularly rough, and the swimming is excellent. The colony at Gardner Bay is quite friendly and unafraid. And Gardner bay is also home to the Española mockingbirds will most likely pay a visit.

The best way to get to the Galapagos is by air,  the main island to fly into is Baltra Island, Seymour Airport (GPS), GPS is the world's first green airport.

The best way to see the Galapagos is by boat, we like Celebrity Cruises and went on the Celebrity Xpedition.

Quito, Ecuador's capital, located at an altitude of 9,350 feet (2,850 m). The city is constructed on the base of an old Inca city.  Quito has a lot of 16th and 17th century building and a nice historic center.  The main new must view is the Virgin overlooking the city from Panecillo hill.

Center of of the World or the 0.0.0 latitude is just outside of Quito, you can visit the Museo de Sitio Intinan, a museum dedicated to the 0 latitude and Sun, the old and the new center of the world monument.  The old location is not correct, the new location of the monument, determined using GPS coordinates is the correct center of the world.