Tortoises and Iguanas - Galapagos Island Trip

We flew in on LAN on the redeye and were really glad the Adventure Life staff recommended a direct flight from JFK and suggested that for such a long flight we upgrade to Business Class. The seats were terrific and the airline staff treated us like royalty. The plane had great down blankets and pillows and we slept well. We arrived at our hotel in Quayaquil after getting into the airport around 4 a.m. Friendly, English speaking staff got us checked in early and we were able to get a nice buffet breakfast at the hotel that was included in the cost. Breakfast included fresh fruits, cheese and meats and a variety of baked goods. This is traditional in Ecuador and its pretty standard at all the locations. The hotel had a nice exercise room so I was able to get a nice workout in while Dayton lounged by the beautiful pool on the upper deck. We walked down in the park by the river several times. It is a holiday atmosphere on the weekends. There are quite a few places to get ice cream and snacks as well as great places to sit and people watch near the water. Later, we mounted a search for the socks Dayton forgot and were able to purchase some at a store nearby. We visited the beautiful cathedral by the hotel along with the iguana park, where iguanas bask on rocks in the bright sunlight. A woman brought bananas for the iguanas and children were playing with the animals. The iguanas seemed to not mind all the tail pulling...poor things.

We were met in the morning by a very nice and articulate Adventure Life representative who took us to the airport. He walked us through all the paperwork and luggage inspections required to get Galapagos. He made a lot of suggestions that were very helpful - such as purchase a couple of bottles of wine at the Duty Free Store. It was really reassuring that we didn't have to worry about language and he seemed to know the airport personnel well. There was some delay getting on the plane because of bad weather in Quito. Planes travel from Quito to Quayaquil and then to the airport on Baltra. But, there were lots of people in the same situation and the airline staff broke out snacks. Once on the plane to Baltra, we had a great flight and landed promptly. The airport at Baltra is easy to navigate and we were quickly ushered through the entry process where you pay your park fee and have any carryon bags inspected. We were pleased to be met by a very nice driver who we saw promptly. He got us quickly onto a very crowded bus and took care of our bags. It was a bit of a crazy ride to the ferry that takes you to Santa Cruz island. At the ferry, the driver put our bags on top of the boat and paid our fare. After the ferry landed, he whisked us to his truck and drove quickly over the terrain. Santa Cruz is dotted with small houses and farms in a variety of colors and shapes. There are chickens everywhere and a lot of grazing cows. The moment you set foot on Santa Cruz, you realize that you are in a different world. We drove by white painted churches with names scrawled on their fronts and viewed the hills and volcanos in the distance. We also drove through the quaint town of Bellavista and then into larger Puerto Ayora. Our driver got our bags into Adventura Lodge and they quickly checked us in because we were late. After a quick lunch, we were off to our first adventure. We met our guide Qwan who was with us for the next few days. He had a great sense of humor and was extremely knowledgable. After lunch, we went to beautiful El Garrapatero beach. It was fairly warm and we swam and waded in the beautiful clear water. Dinners and lunches were buffet style at the lodges we stayed at and that worked out well because I am a vegetarian. There were always plenty of vegetables and fruits and they are very safe to eat because the water is filtered. After dinner, we stayed on the beautiful deck facing the port, which is surrounded by the lights of hotels and small fishing boats. We also visited the Coco Bar across the street, which features a female mannequin in a blue suit, high heels, and a top hat. You can sit outside on rock couches and chairs and have a pre-dinner drink or night cap.

We had a great breakfast out on the deck overlooking the port. We were joined by sea iquanas that were sunning themselves on the deck around us. Grey pelicans swooped and caught fish in front of us. We suddenly heard loud barking and realized a mother seal and her cub were lounging on another part of the deck, while another seal seated himself on the deck furniture. In the morning, Qwan loaded us in vans to visit the lava craters and tunnels. The tunnel was particularly interesting with the many minerals on the walls. After that - the big event - the giant tortoises. For Dayton, seeing these was one of the reasons for the trip and Qwan made sure he got a photo of one of the biggest that could be found. It was great to see these gentle giants in their habitat. We learned a lot in that Qwan said that all reptiles continue growing till they die. He showed us how to determine the age and sex of the tortoises. In the afternoon, we were taken to board a boat to Floreana. The trip over was half the fun, though many people fell asleep! The boat really moves, but for those that need it, the hotel provides motion sickness pills to take before lunch. We saw blue footed boobies and penguins along the way. The penguins were adorable, small ones and they were practically posed for pictures. Arriving in the port of Floreana, you realize immediately that this is a remote place. No cell phone reception at all for me. We were taken from the port, which is littered with seals, sea iguanas and grey pelicans, to cabins on the ocean. The cabins were spotless, but basic - with a twin bed and a bunk bed. We were taken to the black lava beach for snorkeling, which I was a failure at, but I did enjoy swimming in the ocean. Some people in our group of 13 saw sea turtles and lots of fish. We were allowed to watch the sunrise from the beach or return to our cabins to sit our porches. We elected to shower off the black sand! Very different. Everyone then met in a pavilion for wine and snacks. Qwan showed us old movies on a laptop and told us about the Dentist that settled on the island in the 1930s with his lover Dora. Both the dentist and Dora pulled out all their teeth and became vegetarians. The video featured the dentist showering in the only water source on the island and Dora dancing with a donkey! He also told us the story of the Baroness that settled the island with her three lovers - one from Ecuador and 2 from Germany. The movie showed a film the Baroness tried to make with her favorite lover - kind of a Tarzan flick. Two of the Baroness' lovers left and the Baroness and her remaining lover disappeared and were never found. After the gathering in the pavilion, we were taken to a local restaurant. We ate outside on long tables and were served family style with more wine all around. The meal was comprised of fresh locally made bread and vegetables and chicken for those who ate meat - chickens are everywhere on this island. Needless to say we slept well afterword.

In the morning, we had a good country breakfast at the same restaurant as the night before with good fresh butter, yogurt, cereal, fruits and eggs. Afterward, we climbed aboard our Chevato to make the trip to the Peace Asylum. Qwan told us that these open vehicles were named after female goats because they could go anywhere and because of their lurching movement. The trail to the Peace Asylum was up hill and steep. We passed the scenic island graveyard with the beautiful above ground crypts and crosses - no one is like the other. Along the way there were men mending fences for cows in the hot sun and we mused at what their lives were like in such remote conditions. Once at the Peace Asylum, we hiked to the caves that were occupied by pirates. One was outfitted with a chimney for a stove. The caves allowed the pirates to see far and wide. Qwan showed us some crosses on the rocks that indicated someone had died there. He said that one represented the dentist's death and that Dora fed the vegetarian doctor a spoiled chicken that killed him, but she ate the same chicken and lived! So, it was a plot by Dora to do away with him. We saw the giant tortoises within the Peace Asylum. They are gathered within a stone fence and their eggs cannot hatch in this environment. They are not indigenous to the island and they will eventually die off. They were brought to Floreana as a gift to one of the early settlers who arrived on the island pregnant. When her child was born, the baby tortoises were brought as gifts. We were soon off on our boat trip to Isabella that took about 2 hours. We saw Blue Footed Boobies on our way. Once at Isabella, we had lunch. We stayed at a beautiful lodge right on the ocean. The beach was pristine and the water blue. It was a nice romp in the waves! After lunch, we visited the marine iguana breeding ground in Tortuga Bay. On this lava crusted island, you can barely walk without disturbing these animals - they are so ugly; they are cute. Red crabs dot the rocks.

We were introduced to our new guide Igor the night before we left for our hike to the Sierra Negra. We boarded our Chevato and started the long ride with only three other hikers and our hotel representative. It was a long and scenic ride up twisty mountain roads. We arrived in a drizzle and I thought- What dumb Americans - we are the only ones without rain gear. All the other hikers where neatly outfitted, but we were in shorts and tees. At the start of the hike, we were pretty wet in the mist, but as we climbed higher I became glad we weren't lugging gear. It was becoming hot and steamy! It was definitely an uphill trek on a trail that was deeply rutted by horses. But as we reached the top, we began to see the beautiful views of the volcano crater and that made it all worth while. We ate a box lunch under the trees with Finches fluttering around us, looking for crumbs. On the trip back, the mist had cleared and we had even better views of the volcano. Tired and happy, we were surprised to be informed that we were getting a second lunch at a local farm. Once there, we ate some wonderful flavorful Papaya and Banana in a sweet sauce that I long for to this day. It was just so fresh! We also enjoyed the salted popcorn in soup that Igor and our hotel representative promoted. It makes so much sense, but was something we would never have thought to do.

We met Igor early to board the Chevato to take our morning excursion. After a short drive through town, we stopped at a quarry to see the flamingo. There were several of these beautiful birds along with some ducks that were unique to Galapagos. We then drove toward Love Beach and had to stop abruptly because Iguanas were using a rope across the road as a bridge. It was literally an Iguana parade passing in front of us. As we entered the woods that pass behind Love Beach, we were treated to beautiful water views and then we had to stop abruptly again because a small Giant Tortoise was in the road in front of us. People jumped out to take pictures and eventually he went to the side of the road so we could proceed. Our truck stopped at the Wall of Tears - the sight of a former U.S. Military base. After it was abandoned, police from the main land attempted to build a penal colony on this remote island. The prisoners were brought over to build a large containment wall. They lived outside and were subject to exposure and disease. They carried large, sharp rocks to the site and began erecting the wall. As prisoners died, their bodies were thrown into the wall. It was never completed. An attempt was made to contain the prisoners based upon the volcanos. The prisoners were very dangerous and some escaped, harming the people of the town - killing and raping. Igor said that a prisoner and a police officer still live in the town, but they do not talk about the wall of tears or the penal colony - it is just too painful. We were taking to a very beautiful viewing spot where we could look out over the island. It was bittersweet in that we knew were leaving beautiful Isabella after lunch and heading back for our final night at Santa Cruz.

After our boat returned us to Santa Cruz, we checked in and were amazed at the terrific room at Adventura. We had a beautiful, private balcony that overlooked the Port as well as a room that was luxurious (to us). We sat on the balcony for a good while, watching the brown gulls swoop and marveling at the little fishing boats. We elected to take some time to shop and pick up souvenirs. There are beautifully crafted wooden boxes and other items for sale at reasonable prices. The merchants packed them quite well for airline travel. We stopped for a drink at a local restaurant and enjoyed the bustling little town, watching as local residents rode past on scooters and trucks. There is a really amazing truck/taxi business that goes on in these little towns. Sadly, we went back to our lodge for a final Galapagos dinner and sat on our deck with a glass of wine as the sun went down on our Galapagos vacation. In the morning, the hotel appointed a representative to take us back to the ferry and to the Baltra airport. We were sad to say goodbye, but the hotel representative made it as easy as possible.

We were happy to find the same Adventure Life representative meeting us that took us to the airport when we got off the plane from Balta. He drove us back to the Grand Hotel. We had a good night at the hotel and then caught the shuttle back to the airport. Things went smoothly getting on our LAN flight - we were again provided complimentary ambassador lounge privileges and were once again happy that Adventure life gave us good advice about traveling Business Class. Sadly, after a night at a New York City hotel, we traveled home, but with wonderful memories of Galapagos.