Santa Cruz is perhaps the second largest of the Galapagos islands and is mostly wilderness, with the Parque Nacional Galapagos taking up much of the island.

Isabela Island is shaped somewhat like the United Kingdom with Ferdinanda it's own Ireland. It is one of the larger islands in the Galapagos archipelago and has some of the more iconic experiences.

Floriana Island is a small place with approximately a hundred and fifty inhabitants, it is a common stopping point on the way to Isla Isabela.

Isla de San Cristobal has a relaxed, casual atmosphere to it, almost Caribbean in its vibe. The main strip of the shops and restaurants runs along the beach.

A small town between Tulcan and Quito, Otavalo is famous for its local market offering various tourist souvenirs as well as more practical local goods.

A strange place.

A small village has sprung up around the church, mostly offering snacks, drinks and souvenirs. During the season I was there it was reasonably quiet, but during the busy periods, you could tell the location would turn into a market square, with shouting and haggling going on in all corners.

The second best place in the world, after Machu Pichu to see Incan ruins, this shows more how completely the Spanish conquest impacted the indigenous cultures.

The main attraction of Biblián is the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rock. Carved into the mountain face, it has a sturdy construction and some of the internal walls are just bare stone.

Cuenca is laid out in a grid pattern, reminiscent of American cities and a reminder that it is a relatively new city. It is a mixture of very new buildings and some beautiful old ones, with a handful of Incan ruins scattered through the city as well.

The capital city of Ecuador, though in the shadow of the Galapagos islands as Ecuador's most famous location, Quito sits amongst volcanic hills, that rise around it. Turbulence from the strange layered landscape buffets every plane to fly into the airport.