For a first contact with South America, we should expect a country not too vast, leant against the Andes, varied enough to immerse ourselves in the flavors of South America : Ecuador soon became evident. Otavalo market plunged us into an indian atmospher. Then we continued during ten days to climb on volcanic slopes : Tungurahua, Chimborazo and Cotopaxi. We visited one of the last days of old steam train linking Alausi to Guayaquil, but when we reached the rich banana fields, we just jumped into a bus to the city of Cuenca. Hispanic atmosphere. A short trip to see the insolite flora of Las Cajas park and a flight over the volcanoes led us back to Quito. From the capital city, a new flight brought us to the endemic wonders of Galapagos Islands.