Dear Travelers,

Another season has flown by full of adventures and new places to visit. We want to thank all of you who travel with us and share in the excitement of seeing some of the most incredible places on earth. After twenty some years of travel, we never tire of seeing new places or visiting old friends.

We had another fantastic tour to the Galapagos Islands to see the flightless cormorants, the remarkable Galapagos penguins, the unique algae-eating marine iguanas, and the mating dance of the blue-footed booby. Our naturalist guide remarks that our itinerary is the best available. Of course, the Diamante is one of the few sailboats in the islands that actually “sails” – and it is thrilling to watch the sunset over the ocean as we sail over the equatorial line!

We also have the Land-side Galapagos in the works if you would like to visit the area without going on a boat.

Machu Picchu, now one of the seven wonders of the modern world, is a “must see” unbelievable archaeological site. Peru is full of pre-Columbian marvels and we visit many of sites of the cultures who predated the Inca by thousands of years. Peru is home to world class museums where the remains found in these sacred sites have been marvelously preserved for the world to see. The Nazca lines remain a puzzling enigma and are fascinating to fly over.

Whale watching in the Baja Peninsula is an amazing experience – touching one of these one-ton baby behemoths provides an unparalleled thrill. This tour is almost filled, so call us soon if you would like to join us.

Guatemala provided a wonderful experience this year which we are excited to offer again in March of 2009. There is marvelous array of colorful Mayan cultures in a country which is caught up in the modernization process. We learn about the various groups of Maya, their history and prehistory, and enjoy beautiful scenery along the way – culminating in a visit to the awesome Lake Atitlan, where we stay in a delightful bed and breakfast overlooking the magical volcanic lake.

The Colonial Mexican cities of San Miguel, Oaxaca, and Alamos remain on our list of offerings – each with experiences special to their own unique areas. See the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, the art and history of San Miguel, and enjoy the native cultures of Sonora on your way to the Music Festival in Alamos. We will be doing the special Archaeology of Oaxaca tour again this year and are excited about the local expert archaeologists who will be leading our expedition.

A few weekenders will provide quick get-aways if you would like to take a shorter tour into Mexico. Try a visit to the beaches of Kino Bay, the mountains of Sonora, or to see our long-time friends in the pottery making village of Mata Ortiz.

Always a new learning adventure. Join us!

Cathy & Marshall Giesy