Ecuador, this magical little equatorial country, is about to become the next Internet celebrity

△Credit: Amazon Rainforest Canoe

Before I actually arrived there, my impression of Ecuador was from the words in books and the introduction in the land map. Although I had not seen it with my own eyes at that time, its richness and beauty had already fascinated me, and finally in 2018 In June, I was lucky enough to go there in person and start a 20-day trip, and it was only 20 days that made me fall in love with this place.

△Credit: Cuenca, Ecuador

The primitiveness, nature, purity and richness of this magical country amaze me. It can be said to be the most exciting and magical of all the countries I have visited. Next, I will follow my memories to see the colorful charm of Ecuador.

△credit: Quito Equator Monument

Encounter with the small town of Cuenca

In the Spanish-speaking world of South America, I reunited with Spain after a long absence.

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Ecuador was originally a settlement of Indians, but became a Spanish colony in 1532 and later declared independence in 1809. During the 277 years of colonization, its first language became Spanish, and many buildings can Find elements of Spanish style.

△credit: Quito

This is why I say that I met Spain in South America. I remember when I landed in Quito after a 29-hour flight and walked out of the airport, I was moved by the soft light at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. In this ancient mountain city , the second highest capital in the world, this city is crossed by the equator, it is as warm as spring.

△credit: Quito

I stayed in Quito for two days, basically walking slowly in this small town. I walked through the stone paths of its old town. The houses on the streets are white, mint green, and yellow, and they are arranged in rows and winding rows. When you walk up high and look back, you can see that the outline of the street seems to extend to the outer suburbs.

△Credit: San Francisco Monastery in Quito

Quito is an ancient city with many churches. There are not only the famous Brasilia Cathedral and San Francisco Monastery, but also many gorgeous Baroque-style churches that you can’t name. Walk around and look at the front of the church. The white pigeons in the square and the leisurely strolling tourists will make you feel that this place is really Spanish.

△Credit: Cuenca

But among my impressions of Ecuadorian cities, my favorite is Cuenca, which is also the second place I went to after leaving Quito. Like Quito, it is listed as a World Cultural Heritage. However, Cuenca has one more title than Quito, and is one of the top ten retirement paradises in the world.

△Credit: Cuenca

Surrounded by green hills, there are four rivers passing through the city. You can see old people sitting on the streets and basking in the sun everywhere. I don’t know why, but I get lazy as soon as I get to the city. I like to sit in an open-air cafe and watch the streets. The buildings with red roofs and white walls are like traveling back in time to the streets of the 16th century.

△Credit: Cuenca

Cuenca, like Quito, has many churches. The most famous one is the Blue Dome Cathedral. Its dome is covered with tiles in the style of Czechoslovakia and the Renaissance. Looking at it from a distance, it is quite charming. At that time, I followed After climbing to the top of the church through the entrance, overlooking the exquisite old city, you will find that every corner of the street is full of its unique style and charm.

△Credit: Cuenca Blue Dome Church

I bought a Cuenca-specific Panama hat as a souvenir in Cuenca. I had always thought that the Panama hat was produced in Panama, but the guide told me that in the mid-19th century, the Panama Canal became an important link between the west coast of the Americas and Europe. Through this canal, Ecuadorian merchants exported straw hats to Europe, so they were called Panama hats.

△credit: Panama Hat

There are really no words to describe the beauty of Cuenca. Its exquisite shops, colorful flowers, delicious roasted guinea pigs, and sightseeing carriages in the square. Everything exudes tranquility and comfort. Now that I recall all the things at that time, I am still fascinated by it. A golden time in just a few days.

△credit: Cuenca city view

An exciting trip to the Amazon rainforest

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The Amazon rainforest is called the lungs of the earth. There are rare insects and animals in it, including piranhas with super strong bites and pink river dolphins. Before going there, I was full of anxiety and uneasiness, but it is so mysterious. The curiosity far exceeds these.

△Credit: Amazon Rainforest

At that time, I chose a river cruise. It can be said that I floated on the Amazon River for three nights and four days. I rested and ate on the river cruise at night. During the day, I took a canoe on the river and followed the guide to look for rainforest animals. The guides here were all natives. The locals rely on hearing to identify the direction of animals. It can be said that they almost never make mistakes, which is also amazing.

△credit: Amazon rainforest animals

On the morning of the second day after visiting the rainforest, our group arrived at the west side of the Amazon. At that time, we happened to see a strange landscape of parrots eating soil. It is said that the soil in this area is rich in minerals, which is why such a landscape was created. Do not lament the unique wisdom of each species in surviving in nature.

△credit: Amazon rainforest animals

Of course, the most arduous and unforgettable thing was hiking in the rainforest. We wore boots that went below the knees, walked through the swamps of the rainforest, stepped on the slippery land, and walked all the way to the hinterland of the rainforest. This section was really extremely primitive, but although the process was a bit It’s hard work, but the colorful butterflies, multi-rooted magical trees, and various small animals make everything worthwhile.

△Credit: Amazon Rainforest

△Credit: Amazon rainforest at dusk

When I was hiking in the rainforest, I saw ants moving for the first time. They lined up in a long line, each carrying a small leaf, and marched forward densely. We all retreated to both sides to make way for their huge project. , watching them work together was very shocking.

△Credit: Amazon Rainforest Ant Moving

We also visited the Amazon Aboriginal Center. When we visited the school, we learned that due to the shortage of teaching resources, students of different grades were crowded into the same room for classes. At that time, we felt that many corners of the world were really different from our superficial understanding. Very different.

△Credit: Amazon Rainforest Tribe

△Credit: Amazon Rainforest Tribe

During these few days in the rainforest, we traveled to the Amazon at night to watch the activities of nocturnal animals. We also tried to find white caimans and fished for piranhas in a special piranha fishing area. Looking back now, we miss the return to nature life. state.

△Credit: Amazon rainforest crocodile

See the Bird Kingdom in the Cloud Forest Mindo

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After returning from the rainforest, before going on an island hopping trip to the Galapagos Islands, I stayed in Mindo for two days and visited the cloud forest, a bird watching resort, on the way. It is a forest wonderland shrouded in mist, but unlike the sweltering heat and humidity of the rainforest, it is very cool and humid, making walking in the forest particularly comfortable.

△Credit: Cloud Forest

Just inside this forest reserve, it is home to approximately 4,500 species of butterflies, 345 species of reptiles, and more than 500 species of birds. It is famous for its rich variety of tanagers and hummingbirds.

△credit: Birding in Ecuador

There are feeding devices everywhere here to attract birds. At that time, I saw beautiful hummingbirds standing on the feeding devices drinking sugar water, raising their little heads and looking around curiously. It was very cute.

△Credit: Cloud Forest

But what impressed me most was the afternoon in the cloud forest. When I looked up, I suddenly caught a glimpse of the splashing waterfall, fluttering white clouds and lingering mist. It was a peaceful scene that was very healing.

△credit: Birding in Ecuador

Where Darwin said goodbye to God

Start a magical journey

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The Galapagos Islands are located on the equator in the eastern Pacific 1,000 kilometers west of the mainland of Ecuador. They are a group of isolated islands that are known as the "living museum of biological evolution."

△credit: Galapagos Islands

The reason why this is the place where Darwin said goodbye to God is because Darwin took the British Admiralty's exploration ship "Beagle" to South America for geographical investigation. The Galapagos Islands were an important stop, and it was here that Darwin discovered the theory of evolution, overturning the mainstream view that God created human beings.

△Credit: Galapagos Islands sea turtles

△Credit: Galapagos Islands Frigatebird

In order to reduce the twists and turns of the journey, island hopping on a cruise ship is the best way. I stayed on the cruise ship for about 6 days. I woke up on the blue sea every day, and then took a kayak to get closer to the island. Explore these large and small islands bit by bit and observe these cute animals on the equator up close.

△Credit: Galapagos Islands sea lions

In these short 6 days, the Galapagos Islands have completely subverted my imagination. On Isabela Island, I saw penguins that I thought would only survive in Antarctica, sea lions lying on deck chairs leisurely basking in the sun, and Godzilla in the sea, a particularly ugly but very timid and gentle sea hyena. lizard.

△Credit: Galapagos Islands Marine Iguana

In addition to these, the uninhabited island of North Semore also left a deep impression on me. The green shrubs and exposed rock layers revealed their unmodified primitiveness, making me feel as if I was standing in the prehistoric era.

△credit: Galapagos Islands

Here I saw the cute blue-footed boobies with blue flippers unique to the Galapagos, and various birds that I couldn’t name. They are very naughty, and they perform egg-stealing, fighting, and feeding scenes here, which is very interesting.

△Credit: Blue-footed Booby

△Credit: Galapagos Islands Birds

I also sent myself a letter at the mobile post office on Floreana Island, the southernmost island of the archipelago, saw turtles crawling slowly on the white sand beach, walked on the yellow sand beach on Bartolome Island, and on Fernand Watch the harmonious way wild animals live in groups on Dina Island.

△Credit: Galapagos Islands sea lions

I also went diving in the sea to see the beautiful fish in the clear water. I also stood on the deck in the evening to watch the sunset over the sea on Kashima. It has to be said that when I look back now, the animal kingdom that seems to be isolated from the world is still in front of me, and its purity, primitiveness and this epic animal exploration journey are worth a distant flight.

△Credit: Galapagos Islands Diving