Because We Can

Our flight took off at 12:30 AM and I was so tired it looks like I didn’t take a single photo once we left for the airport. This is our luggage in Houston. We used our Global Entry to fly through customs, very little wait at all, once we figured out how to use the machine. Somewhere over Hidalgo County descending to the airport. By now it was almost 1 PM, making for a very long 30 hours since we awakened yesterday morning. It was great to see the faces of our neighbors, Roger and Stewart, who left the Retama men’s luncheon that was being held nearby, to pick us up. And so ended another wonderful trip, with more places checked off our bucket list. Some statistics from the trip. Days gone: 23 days (our shortest overseas trip ever) Modes of transportation: Plane, train, bus, boat, canoe, panga Number of flights: 11 Number of photos to go through: 13,377 Video clips: 660 totaling just over 20 hours Number of OH's and AH’s: Incalculable Value of the trip: Priceless Bob...

Sunday morning in Quito. All the shops are closed. It is our last day on the tour, but it will be a very, very long and busy one. Actually it won’t end until shortly after midnight when our plane leaves for the US. Graffiti boards? The sidewalk vendors are ready for the day. Our first stop. The Sinamune Disabled Children's Orchestra which helps children with mental and visual disabilities via participation in music and dance. A very special moment for Linda. When it came time for some of the children to dance with the people watching, this girl came out directly to Linda and took her hand. It was meant to be. The girl’s mother. She then wanted a photo of Linda and I with her daughter. Special beyond words. Back in the bus Linda’s smile says it all. Her sister had Downs Syndrome and Betty loved music. There were tears shed that morning by both of us, but they were tears of joy. Sweet Linda. Fruit market. Linda spied these right off. Note t...

Amazing how much crud we bring back on us. This is what came out of our swimming suits from yesterday afternoon’s snorkeling . Easy to guess what day this is. Departure day from the Galapagos. Linda is the most organized person I have ever know. That’s why I start worrying when I see her pawing through something. Luckily she soon found whatever it was she was looking for. Relieved Bob. Just like when we arrived. It’s his bench and nobody better try and sit here. Another packed minibus ride. Remember those cut sections of tree they use for fence posts that sprout? The ones I wrote about a week or so ago? These have sprouted and grown. And these have really grown. Tortoise sighting. Tortoises everywhere. What happens when a tortoise suddenly see you. Video is 1 1/2 minutes long, the tortoise’s reaction is near the end. The Galapagos Bee. The only bee found in the Galapagos. Photographing the Galapagos Bee. Messy eater. Where’s ...