One of the most interesting spots in Guayaquil is Seminario Park, aka Bolivar Park and Iguana Park. It hosts dozens of its namesake critters as well as a turtle pond:
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Stepping off the cruise ship in Guayaquil marked my first visit to Ecuador, to South America, and to the southern hemisphere. Ecuador was also my 4th new country on this trip.
Our chosen excursion was a bus / walking tour of the city, which was modern and clean – and very colorful. There’s a long, very wide promenade along the river. I would have loved to be on my own in order to sit at a café and people watch for a bit.
Crossing the Equator
After leaving Panama and continuing south toward Ecuador, I crossed the equator for the first time ever. I knew this moment was coming, of course, but I didn’t think to pay attention to when it would happen, so I was pleased when the cruise director announced that there would be an “equator crossing ceremony” for first timers like me at 3pm. Continue reading
Gamboa Rainforest (Panama)
After crossing the canal, we took a bus to Gamboa to visit the rainforest and Soberania National Park, which included an orchid garden (sadly out of season), a sloth sanctuary, a butterfly enclosure (too fast to get good pictures of), a frog house, and an aerial tram over the canopy.
Panama City Skyline
As we neared the end of the canal, we started getting great views of Panama City’s beautiful skyline.
Panama Canal
After Costa Rica, it was time to cut through the Panama Canal. I’d done this once before and to be honest, I was underwhelmed both times.