Date of trip: August 2009

The Galapagos Islands have always seemed to me the most exotic and special place in the world. When naturalist Charles Darwin travelled there in the 1800s he found them to be the best example of his theory of evolution. Although some of the animals on different islands were similar to each other and to those found on mainland South America he realized many came from one species that had ended up on different islands. Isolated and unable to leave, they adapted and evolved into new species with characteristics better suited to life in their new homes. The best examples of this are the finches who often look identical on different islands except for their beaks, which vary in size and length depending on the food source available there.

Tourists can’t go to the Galapagos on their own. They must be accompanied by a licensed naturalist who has gotten approval from the park service for the visit ahead of time. While there are some small hotels, many of the islands are far apart so the majority of visitors travel and sleep on a boat to make the most of their time.

Will and I decided to go on the Celebrity Xpedition. Although the Xpedition has been criticized as the largest boat in the Galapagos, I was very impressed with the staff and their conservation efforts and I was happy with our decision. We spent seven days on the ship taking two excursions on land per day, usually on different islands.

Highlights:

North Seymour Island: Sea lions, some of them with nursing babies, greeted us as we pulled up to North Seymour on our zodiac. They are so cute and will get pretty close to you, but you have to remember that they are wild and respect their space. The rocky terrain provided good nesting and resting areas for many birds including blue footed boobies and bright, red-necked frigate birds. The blue footed boobies are especially fun to watch when they dive for fish. They just crash down into the water like little bombs!

San Cristobal Island: Most foreigners probably don’t expect people to be living in the Galapagos, but there are a lot of little towns. We went to one on San Cristobal and walked along the beach admiring the bright orange Sally Lightfoot crabs on the dark black rocks. We also visited the Centro de Interpretacion, a small museum about 15 minutes from downtown with nice displays detailing the interesting and sometimes brutal history of the Galapagos.

Espanola Island: On Espanola we saw many nesting birds along the cliffs including masked boobies and albatross. We saw more blue footed boobies and even caught a couple doing a mating dance. Nearby, a Galapagos hawk was sitting among a group of iguanas deciding whether or not to have one for dinner.

Floreana Island: Florida usually comes to mind when I think of flamingos but there are several areas with brackish ponds in the Galapagos that make optimal feeding grounds for the birds. We visited a few such places on Floreana Island and it was particularly beautiful because we saw a rainbow stretched over one of them.

Bartolome Island: On Bartolome we hiked up a long wooden staircase to the top of a volcano for stunning views. The landscape was ashy and barren except for some lava cactus sprouting up through the rocks. Although we didn’t see many animals on the island other than birds, we did spot some penguins in the caves nearby and also had a mother and baby humpback whale swim by us in our zodiac.

Fernandina Island: Will couldn’t wait to see a marine iguana and Fernandina is home to a huge colony of them. They are endemic to the Galapagos and are the only iguana in the world that can swim. We watched many of them gliding through the water, making their way onto the lava flows where they sat frozen in the sun for hours. Hundreds of them were soaking up the heat, motionless except for little snorts every few minutes to spit the salt from the water out of their noses.

Santiago Island: Even though most of the animals in the Galapagos are relatively unafraid of people, there are a couple that were hunted in the past and still have some fear. One of those is the fur seal, a type of sea lion with a thick furry coat that the animal was killed for until it was made illegal in 1959. We saw a few of them playing on Santiago and they are really cute and mischievous. We went snorkeling on several of the islands but Santiago was my favorite spot. We counted over 20 sea turtles and even had a penguin swim up to us!

Santa Cruz Island : The most populated island we visited was Santa Cruz where we did some shopping and toured the Charles Darwin Research Station. The station’s main focus is a giant tortoise breeding program and we got to see many of the famous animals, from babies to full size adults. The tortoise is another animal on the islands that has fear of humans because of past hunting. They are timid and shy and some are over 100 years old, making them the oldest animals on the planet. One of the tortoises is called Lonesome George because he is the last of his species. The station has been trying to find another of his kind or get him to mate with a female of a different species but he is uninterested. After decades of solitude, they fear he doesn’t remember how to socialize. Out of the downtown area, we went to some more remote sections of Santa Cruz where we watched two large land iguanas fighting and saw more giant tortoises grazing in the wild.

We were blown away by the number of different animals we came in contact with on this trip. Standing next to a giant tortoise is definitely the ultimate Galapagos experience but for me it was bittersweet. When you look into the eyes of a gentle animal that has been hunted almost to the point of extinction you can’t help but feel guilty. There are so many precious creatures in the Galapagos that are in danger of disappearing and it is heart breaking. Fortunately, the people of the islands have a vested interest in preserving them. Not only do they get a sense of pride from keeping their home beautiful, but it’s also the best way for them to make a living. Tourism is the biggest source of income in the Galapagos. The natives struggle to balance protecting the land with allowing visitors to enjoy it and while it’s likely to be a long battle, they are really trying to make it work.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Galapagos Islands Links:
The Charles Darwin Foundation
Celebrity Xpedition

Date of trip: August 2009

Will and I didn’t set out to visit Quito but, when we booked a trip to the Galapagos, our group met up and spent a few nights there. It’s not the most popular and cosmopolitan city in Ecuador, that would be Guayaquil, but it is the capitol and the center for the country’s government and business. It’s a busy place full of traffic and crowds and, at over 9,000 feet above sea level, it’s one of the highest cities in the world. Will and I woke up with altitude headaches the first night but coca tea, plenty of water and some chocolate helped us to get back to sleep and through the next day. Although we felt safe, there was definitely a dodgy feel in the center and shopping areas and we did have to stay alert.

Highlights:

-The Basilica del Voto Nacional sits high on a hill near the old town and is the tallest church in Ecuador. Although its size is impressive, it’s when you get up close that you see what really makes the cathedral special. Like most churches, it’s adorned with many statues but, instead of the usual gargoyles, stone grotesques of animals jump out from the sides of the building. The animals represented are native to Ecuador and include iguanas, turtles, monkeys and jaguars. The cathedral is technically unfinished and locals believe that its completion will mark the end of the world.

-The Plaza de la Independencia is the main square in Quito’s old town. It’s busy and loud with people everywhere and live music. It’s a great place to people watch, but you also have to keep a close watch on your belongings as there are many pickpockets in the area. The plaza is filled with monuments and gardens and surrounded by buildings including the President’s Palace.

-The most popular tourist area in the city is called La Mariscal. It offers plenty of shopping with everything from handmade goods at the handicraft market to items like art and jewelry at more upscale stores. There are also plenty of cafes, restaurants and nightclubs.

-The equator, or imaginary line that cuts through the center of the earth, goes right through Ecuador and, in fact, gave the country its name. A visit to Quito would not be complete without standing on the line and visiting the monument and museum set up where it’s located. Since the word for equator in Spanish is ecuador, the area is called the Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the world.

-Quito is surrounded by volcanoes and some are quite spectacular because they are capped with snow. You can get a glimpse of many of them while driving around or through a plane window when flying in or out of the city.

-A popular day trip from Quito is to Mindo, an area known for its cloud forest. A cloud forest is a rainforest but, when you look at it from a distance, clouds sit over it and cover it. It takes about two hours to get to Mindo but it is a wonderful escape from the city. There is a beautiful botanical garden with waterfalls and an orchid garden and a butterfly sanctuary where the pretty insects often land right on visitors. Our favorite part of our tour through the cloud forest was seeing so many different birds up close. I have never seen so many hummingbirds in my life! In Mindo they buzz around like little bees in the hundreds around hanging feeders in all different sizes and colors. If you stand close to the feeders they zip right past you at impossible speeds. We also saw finches, tanagers and even several toucans.

Like most of South America, Ecuador is a country in transition. All over Quito there are construction projects and the locals seem motivated and anxious to improve their lives and their city. All this growth makes South America one of the most exciting areas to visit. Whenever I am there, I feel like I am watching history unfold and I know that whatever I see during my visit will look completely different in 5-10 years. Quito may still be somewhat gritty, but it is definitely a city in progress.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Quito Links:
Quito Official Site