Heading to the Islands

This morning I headed back to the Quito airport to fly to the Galápagos Islands. These islands are located about 620 miles off the Pacific coast of South America. They are now a National Park that covers nearly 3100 square miles.  This archipelago is comprised of 13 major islands with lots of islets served as a living laboratory for Charles Darwin.

Once my plane landed, I didn’t even need to leave the airport before I spotted one of the island’s famous iguanas. 

   

After checking into the hotel I explored Charles Darwin Research Center. It was initiated in 1964 and works to preserve the Galapagos ecosystem and provides a study location for international scientists.  On my way back to my hotel a sea lion joined me on a park bench.