Our wheels cracked over the crumbling rocks as they smushed into the soft, rich soil beneath the Jeep. I pushed my nose out the window to breathe in the crisp, clean air. I pulled the soft, furry edges of my alpaca wool jacket closer to my ears. The door creaked open as I slid out into the strange, cold, and humid atmosphere.
I turned back to clutch two tiny hands in mine, as each of our kids tumbled from the car kicking pebbles at my shoes. Their eyes were wide and unblinking, staring hard into the distance. I watched them, as they took in our surroundings. Piles of jagged black rocks gave way to startling, desolate canyons and then climbed again to peaks on the other side. My husband stepped up next to us, taking our daughter by the hand. She looked up at him and said, “Dad, are we on Mars?” His eyes sparkled with laughter as he looked down at her and put his finger to her rosy nose. “No, my dear, we are still in Ecuador.”
The rest of this post has been moved to our new blog site. So sorry, for the hassle but please continue reading it there. Thank you for bearing with us in our time of growth!
https://8duffels2mutts.com/2017/02/07/dandelions-and-daisies-dont-live-on-mars/
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Our Site has Moved! Go to 8duffels2mutts.com 
I read your post…. Well written and pictures are beautiful. I personally
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Thank you!
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What a beautiful adventure you had that day! Your pictures are stunning and the types of grasses and flowers in this area are so unique, I’ve never seen anything like it! No wonder your daughter asked if you were on another planet! Everything is so beautiful.
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Thank you! We really did enjoy the experience, I think it only added to it that we were not expecting such discoveries. I for one, never knew such an interesting ecosystem existed!
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There really is nothing more beautiful than nature itself. I love that you took the kids here, it’s the perfect place for some good old family time! The flowers are simply beautiful and that view? STUNNING!
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The view and everything in the environment were simply breathtaking! Traveling with kids makes every experience amplified. Now we have done it this way, I can not imagine the discoveries we would miss without having done it with kids!
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you have a great talent for photography. they are all nice.. the place looks so peaceful and refreshing!
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Oh, thank you! I really appreciate the compliment. I am really just learning about photography, but I was pleased with how the photos turned out on this day. My only regret, is not taking more photos of ht kids! Lesson learned 🙂
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These photos are amazing! They make me feel like I was there with you. Sounds like you had a fantastic day – and sounds like it was relaxing and beautiful!
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I am glad you enjoyed the post, thank you so much for the compliments! 🙂
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This sounds so amazing! I didn’t realize flowers could grow in conditions like that. It looks like you all had a good time.
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Neither did we! It’s pretty amazing to the learn about the things that exist outside our own communities!
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This is really nice! Amazing photographs! Love it!
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Thank you!
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Such a beautiful location. You’re really captured the experience you had with you family so eloquently.
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It is a stunning place! Thank you for the compliments 🙂
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Hi, which off the beaten track beaches of Ecuador would you recommend visiting? Which is the most beatiful and unspoiled Ecuadorian beach for you?
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I have two posts about beaches in Central Manabi: https://8duffels2mutts.wordpress.com/2016/08/15/fun-down-by-the-banks-of-the-sea/
I also have a new post in the works for other low key beaches in Manabi, called Canoa and Briceno Beach. Are you planning a trip to Coastal Ecuador?
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Thanks a lot! Yes, I am planning to be there in about 2-3 weeks. Currently I am in southern Colombia and dont knoe exactly how much time it will be till I reach the coast 🙂
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You’re Welcome! Enjoy your travels!
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What a great post! While we don’t have children yet, it is amazing to see things through their eyes and perspectives. What a beautiful yet rural place you found! We are outdoor travelers as well!
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Thank you! Children are such a joy to travel with, we wouldn’t do it any other way. They certainly show us things we wouldn’t have noticed before 🙂
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Great photos! This reads more like a book, maybe you should turn it into one 😉
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Wow! Thank you so much! 🙂 Maybe that is in the works! Only time and creativity will tell what the future holds!
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Those flowers are wonderful!! Really fresh and lovely to look and read:-) Thank you!
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Thank you for stopping to enjoy my photos and writing! 🙂
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Well written! It flowed very smoothly! Great photos, too! 🙂
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There’s quite a few times in South America that I’ve felt like I was on another planet. I’m headed to Quito next week. I’ll add this to my list:)
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I would definitely agree with that, it is just a unique place! Enjoy your time while you visit!
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We always travel with the kids and so love seeing things from their point of view. You never know what they’ll come up with. Once, while on a train, my then 5 year old son spotted a sign indicated your should run in a certain direction in case of fire. He interpreted it a little differently and said excitedly, “Look, mom! Running is allowed!” LOL!
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Oh, I love that! Hilarious! They do make the world a better place 🙂
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Gorgeous photos! Ecuador seems to have such a variety of landscapes – it’s no wonder your daughter thought you were on another planet. I bet your kids are loving being able to spend so much time outside. They are super cute, by the way.
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Thank you very much. We do spend copious amounts of time outside in endless landscapes. We are all happier than ever for it 🙂
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These are such beautiful images & while I haven’t been to this region in particular, I have been to Ecuador so I’m not surprised – it’s a very picturesque country & you’ve really sold it here, I want to go back for some more hiking!
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Thank you! There is just so much diversity in landscape and culture, I think it would takes years to discover it all in Ecuador. The more we explore, the more we want to see. It is an incredible country, especially for hiking!
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Incredible. I would have never have guessed the sights that those pictures provided. I love reading about what toddlers and young children find and see. They seem to always be in search of something else or something that we would never think to look for. Well written and in such a calming manner. Loved it!
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That is so much of the beauty of Ecuador, you really just never know what you’ll come across next. And of course, seeing it with kids…like you said, we can count on them to notice something that we did not. It is amazing! 🙂
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I love volcanoes, this is the first I’ve read abut any in Ecuador! That was such a cute thing of your daughter to ask, if you were on Mars, how lucky she is to be taken to such an rarely visited place. I will remember the Antisana volcanoes from this post!
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Oh there are many, many volcanoes in Ecuador. A few them are quite famous! 🙂
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Such a beautiful landscape! I have visited some volcanic landscape and I am always fascinated by them. Especially when you think how close the destroying power and their life giving lava ground are correlating together. I like your close up shots here, the purple flower in the Alamo Grass is adorable.
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Thank you! I had never visited a volcano site and it definitely ignited some curiosity for me and our kids, too. We look forward to explore the many more than are in Ecuador soon!
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Oh wow how beautiful, it looks a little surreal. It looks like you had a great time visiting the volcanic landscapes. It reminds me a little of the volcanic landscapes of Iceland. Great post
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Thank you! It was a bit surreal, even when I look at the photos I still wonder if that place was real 🙂 Hopefully one day we can explore Iceland and make the comparison as well.
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You certainly experienced this natural paradise to the fullest. The discover of the the daisies and dandelions was pretty neat in a volcanic field. The photos really told a nice story of your experience and I enjoyed reading the post.
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Thank you very much for all of your compliments!
We enjoyed this place so much that we hope to return one day..and we all want to explore many more volcanic areas! Luckily, Ecuador has many!
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Ecuador does look fascinating – a place I long to visit along with the Galapagos. The nature pics are so beautiful with all the blooming flowers. Volcanoes have a certain charm and this one looks like it could be mistaken for Mars 🙂
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Oh, Ecuador is incredible, we can’t wait to explore all of it! The nature is so diverse, and we are sure that this volcanic area is only the beginning!
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Great post and amazing photos! I felt like I was riding along with you. What a great way for your kids to learn about the world.
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Thank you! We are all having a blast!
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Seems like you had a wonderful trip! Equador looks amazing! I would love to visit one day! The views are stunning!
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Ecuador is pretty incredible, I definitely recommend adding it to your travel bucket list.
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“Dad, are we on Mars?” That is adorable!! This must have been such a great experience for all of you!
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It was wonderful! 🙂
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Such a gorgeous adventure and what an amazing thing to share with your family. My younger sister is 13 years younger than me, and I can remember traveling New Zealand with her when she was 4, is was amazing to see the world through her eyes. she was quite disappointed that we didn´t meet any Hobbits while we were there… Made me quite nostalgic reading your post about Mars!
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Aww, what a great memory! I wouldn’t change these experiences for the world. I am positive that having our children with us makes everything better. No hobbit searches yet, but fairies and trolls have been contemplated 🙂
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Wow..the landscape looks so picturesque and it would have been a great trip for the two little ones..
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Yes, the area is stunning. So far, every trip with our kids has been an incredible one!
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WHat a beautiful place for an adventure, its really what lot of people needs theres a need to escape from everything and just apretiate beautiful landscapes
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Couldn’t agree more!
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Your narration in the post is very engaging. I didn’t at all found it very tiresome to read as I’m very entertained and could well imagined how your day went by. Your kids are very smart and have made very intelligent observations from Mars to the discovery of the flowers dotting the landscape. What an adventure for your kids!
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Oh thank you so much! I am so happy to learn when somebody really appreciated the writing 🙂 Our kids are little sponges, ready to absorb the world!
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So gorgeous and breathtaking! I think exploring and traveling with kids is a must for every family. I was lucky to begin traveling at age three and have loved it ever since.
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That is wonderful to hear! We hope it will encourage our children to keep the exploring the world as well.:-)
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Thank you so much for this post. Beautifully written. i feel like I was there with you. You pictures are also great. i can’t wait to visit here next year!
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I am happy you have appreciated my post and photos 🙂 Ecuador is incredible, I hope that you will love it as much as we do!
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What a beautiful adventure. Nature is really awesome the pictures are really nice I love those roses and the cute little girl she is so cute. Great post
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Thank you very much! There are actually two kids in the photos, one boy and boy girl, but they do look very much alike! 🙂
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they are so cute god bless them
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I love this time of year when all of the flowers are blooming and there is an injection of colour. It can help transform a place so much.
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I am not sure that it is a time of year here. In this place, I understand that the weather is mostly stable and there really isn’t much variation from season to season. In other words, these blooms might be continuous all year round!
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I like your picture in the post, because very withdraw
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Thank you!
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