Did you know Long Beach has a "great outdoors" perfect for taking a walk and enjoying nature? The El Dorado Nature Center and Regional Park is 105 acres of animal and plant sanctuary. See it for yourself at 7550 E. Spring Street. | Gazette Newspapers

The El Dorado myth originated with a ritual of the Muisca people in Colombia. During a new ruler's coronation, he was covered in gold dust and paddled to the center of Lake Guatavita, where treasures were offered to the gods. Spanish conquistadors, hearing reports, misinterpreted this as evidence of a vast golden city. Their relentless quests, like Gonzalo Pizarro's 1541 expedition from Quito, were disasters. Men perished from starvation, disease, and conflicts. Francisco de Orellana, sent from