Wall of Tears and Return to Santa Cruz Island

The Wall of Tears is a grim reminder of the penal colony that operated in times past. The rocks are of dark lava and were placed by the prisoners who, we were told, hauled them in rucksacks without benefit of shirts or shoes. The Wall of Tears seemed to have no practical purpose except as make work for the convicts and I've read that bodies of deceased prisoners were sometimes thrown into the wall as it was built. The nearby lookout point was a steep climbs wooden steps but gave an exhilarating view of the surrounding valleys. A two hour water crossing brought us back to Santa Cruz Island where a short nap was in order followed by an evening walk around Puerto Ayora for some street photography. Several local volleyball games were in progress in the town squares and seagulls and a seal standing on its hind flippers at the counter waited for scraps. Crime is evidently almost non-existent on the islands and walking alone in the towns with a camera felt quite safe.