Category Archives: South America Travel

San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos

Posted on January 15, 2019 by kcbernick

Saturday, January 12, 2019 We had to leave the hotel in Quito at 5:30 this morning to catch a flight to our next destination. We arrived here in the dark and we are leaving in the dark. When we reached … Continue reading →

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Last Day in Mashpi

Posted on January 14, 2019 by kcbernick

Friday, January 11, 2019 On this, our last day in Mashpi, we took a short hike where we observed a few more birds, butterflies, and even a millipede and an iguana. The iguana flexed his throat in agitation, he looked … Continue reading →

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Mashpi Dragonfly and Waterfalls

Posted on January 11, 2019 by kcbernick

Thursday afternoon, January 10, 2019 Mashpi Lodge has a an open-air cable car ride – The Dragonfly, which carries its passengers on a 45 minute ride over the forest canopy, at up to 650’ above the ground. The setup looks similar … Continue reading →

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Mashpi Cloud Forest

Posted on January 11, 2019 by kcbernick

Thursday morning, January 10, 2019 What’s a cloud forest? How does it differ from a rainforest? These were questions we had after coming to Mashpi. The area feels and looks like some of the rainforests we’ve visited. The difference is … Continue reading →

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Quito to Mashpi: 70 miles in 3.5 Hours

Posted on January 10, 2019 by kcbernick

Wednesday, January 9, 2019 We left Quito at 9am to head to Mashpi Lodge. The lodge is only about 70 miles away as the crow flies, but it takes 3.5 – 4.5 hours to traverse the 135 miles of winding … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Butterflies, Ecuador, Hummingbirds, National Geographic, South America Travel, Wildflowers | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Quito City Tour

Posted on January 9, 2019 by kcbernick

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 We enjoyed a tour of central Quito this morning. The day was a bit cloudy, with a drizzle that turned into a heavier rain by afternoon. This is the beginning of the rainy season for Ecuador, … Continue reading →

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Quito, a First World Heritage Site

Posted on January 8, 2019 by kcbernick

Monday, January 7 In 1978, Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, became one  of the first cities to be named a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Located about 15 miles south of the equator, with an elevation of 9,350’, … Continue reading →

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Getting in Touch With Nature in Ecuador and Peru

Posted on January 7, 2019 by kcbernick

Sunday, January 6, 2019 We flew from Minneapolis to Quito, Ecuador today, the first leg in another voyage of discovery. We will spend a few days in Quito, then head to the cloud forest area of Ecuador. After that, we … Continue reading →

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“The Mapmaker’s Wife” – Another Book Review

Posted on December 11, 2018 by kcbernick

December, 2018 Personally, I find the title of this book to be a bit misleading. That didn’t prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it. I read The Mapmaker’s Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon, by … Continue reading →

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Frozen Waters Six: Chilean Fjords

Posted on October 25, 2018 by kcbernick

February, 2017 By surface area, 80% of South America’s glaciers are located in Chile. There are five ice fields that feed the multitude of glaciers in Chile. While cruising around South America, we stopped in Puerto Montt, Chile for a … Continue reading →

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