We came back into Ecuador at the busy little Colombia/Ecuador crossing and quickly secured the necessary paperwork for the three of us and also the truck to stay 21 more days. This was the amount remaining on our original visa. Mike enjoyed a HUGE and drippy hot dog. This delicacy costs $1.00 and includes a … More Ecuador- The volcanic Andes
We really weren’t sure what to expect at the Equator. We have crossed the Tropic of Cancer a couple of times and posed at the sign. One crossing was in the Volkswagen Van during our time in Baja, Mexico. Another crossing was in the camper in mainland, Mexico. But we never saw any signs like … More Ecuador- The line that passes through!
Several different sources told us that the Otavalo Market is one of the largest weekend markets in South America. We decided to check out the city and specifically the market. On the Google maps it is called Plaza del Ponchos in reference to the HUGE number of vendors selling knit ponchos made from native llama … More Ecuador- Otavalo area. Markets, condors, views and a stuck truck!
The city of Villa de Leyva is known for many unique features. We stayed there long enough to fully explore the city and many of the surrounding villages as well as several lesser-known attributes. One of the most interesting things in Villa de Leyva is the proliferation of fossils. The soil composition, volcano formation and … More Colombia- Villa de Leyva, a Spanish colonial city with much to offer
For this round of our explorations we spent time in a wide variety of interesting places. But of course, before starting a rigorous round of exploring, we had to stop and visit this cool cat at a hot springs soaking area. Then we were ready to climb into the hills and look at the amazing … More Colombia- fossils, glaciers and soccer balls!
Antigua means, “antique” in Spanish. The city of Antigua is truly an antique, a relic of the past. This city was once the bustling business and religious capital of the country of Guatemala. But after many cycles of volcano and earthquake damage the residents abandoned the efforts to rebuild and restore. The capital was moved … More Antigua, Guatemala
After seeing Tikal we drove around the lake we were camped on. That took us to another lakeside camp spot on the island of Flores. This free spot was next to the local event hall and was filled with activity. We watched the water taxis, a family decorating for a quinceanera and a diver snorkeling … More Guatemala- A few campsites…..
El Remate was the gateway village to visit the ruins of Tikal. This Mayan architecture is notable for its size and some unique building features. The most visible unique feature is the stone “crest” on the top of the main temples. Some of the temples at Tikal have been featured in many photos and even … More Guatemala- Tikal
After nearly 30 days of exploring this small country, we found that leaving Belize was a fairly simple procedure. The Belize side requires a few fees and stamps upon exit. And try as I might, I could not get the agent to smile, even though we were all speaking English. But entering Guatemala was … More Guatemala- arrival
We received an email telling us that the animal import permit was ready, so we packed up and headed for the border. As soon as we arrived a “border helper” met us and walked us through the steps. He also led the dogs, on their leashes, into the administration building and no one seemed to … More Belize- week one