July 2011
In 2011, my brother and I traveled to Ecuador for two weeks. We visited the capital city of Quito, the lush rainforest in the Amazon Basin, and the spectacular Galápagos Islands. Ecuador, in addition to its warm welcoming people, is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.
Leah and her brother stand in front of an enormous tree in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest.
Darwin’s REALIZATION
As we sailed around the archipelago, I tried to read Charles Darwin’s Voyage of the Beagle. It was so dry, much like a textbook. Eventually I gave up, I’ve read enough bio textbooks to understand the Theory of Evolution, so I took it all in - The majestic hundred year old tortoises. The iguanas that feed underwater. The penguins, dolphins, sharks, and spectacular mix of ocean life. These isolated volcanic islands felt like no where else on earth. There were plenty of adventures with the extraordinary endemic wildlife, including when I was Bitten by a Sea Lion.
Leah standing beside a Galapagos giant tortoise. 2011.
