Ecuador is much more than the Galápagos Islands. So, for a moment, forget about the giant tortoises, like the one on the cover of this book. Instead, think of a country that contains not only a part of the world's largest rainforest, the Amazon basin, but also a section of the world's longest mountain range, the majestic Andes. Imagine a place where you'll hear the sound of marimba music and taste an array of tropical fruits. And visualize yourself visiting craft and agricultural markets that have remained relatively unchanged over the past 1,000 years.
Now that you've gotten a tiny sense of mainland Ecuador, go ahead and picture those tortoises. Their home, the Galápagos Islands, is the site of some of the most startling biodiversity on earth. Some 1,000km (600 miles) off the country's Pacific coast, the islands are the nesting ground for giant tortoises that were around when Charles Darwin arrived here, in 1831. Among other species that call the Galápagos home are marine and land iguanas, sea lions, albatrosses, and the famous blue-footed boobies. It's not surprising that this magical archipelago inspired a scientific theory that would change how human beings understand the natural world.
Ecuador is a nation of extremes, a nexus of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, a link between the Old and New worlds. Centuries of Inca civilization and Spanish colonial rule, coupled with recent decades of tumultuous government, have given its economy, politics, crafts, architecture, languages, and religious customs one common trait: profound variety. With 13 million residents, Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America, but it's home to a diverse population that includes a sizable number of Amerindian, white, black, and mestizo people.
Ecuadorian politics is well-known for its own type of variety: The nation has had seven presidents in the last 10 years. Fortunately, large-scale violence has not accompanied the political turmoil, and, for travelers, Ecuador is one of the safest countries in Latin America.
During a visit here you won't fail to encounter your share of awe and adventure, whether you're floating down the Amazon in a dugout canoe; passing through colonial churches or plazas; hiking along snowcapped volcanic peaks or in dense jungles; dodging piranhas or anacondas; searching for howler monkeys in the rainforest or for giant condors soaring above the Andes; learning Quichua in a Quiteño language school (or listening to it spoken in a mountainous village near Riobamba); or viewing the woodcarvings, paintings, Panama hats, woven tapestries, and clothing of contemporary indigenous craftspeople or the stone temples, carvings, and fortresses of ancient Inca empires.
