We kicked off a dream vacation to Ecuador and Peru that was originally meant to be taken for our 25th wedding anniversary, but with two kids in college at that time, this dream had to wait about 7 years! My sister, Dawn Wahle, and her husband, Dan, joined us for the adventure that started in Quito, took us to the headwaters of the Amazon on the Nappo River, over to the Galapagos Islands and then to Cusco, Peru, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. 

May 4: Teleferico gondola ride to base of Ruca Pichincha volcano and view of Quito and surrounding area.

May 3 – 6 and May 10 – 12: Old Town Quito: 

View from the Basilica to the Virgin Mary!

Basilica del Voto Nacional Church

Roof top dining

Fabric store

Panecillo viewpoint

Panecillo viewpoint

Casa Gardenia

Panecillo viewpoint

Hotel Casona de la Ronda-I want to paint my house like this!

Winged Virgin-made of aluminum in 1976

Mother’s Day in Quito!

May 11:  Pululahua Volcano and Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth) & Intinan Museum

The true equator based on GPS

Big hummingbird

Standing on the true equator

Dawn & Dan on the equator

Tom and Dawn balancing eggs on nail heads ON the equator

Tom was successful!

Middle of the Earth Museum, which is now no long the true equator according to the GPS

Original Middle of the Earth

Original survey method used to determine equator from 1736

Before

After