Saturday, October 29, 2011

Galapagos V

Had an early morning wake up to get our bags ready to go back to the airport. After breakfast we headed out by panga to the town of Puerto Ayora.  This is the largest town in the Galapagos.  It has about 25,000 people. Many people stay here and take day trips to the islands. There are only a few you can do in a day, but it is an alternative to the ship experience. There are many hotels. Also, the dive shops are here. We caught a bus to Rancho Pichala to see the giant tortoises. This was about midway through the island. It is at the highest point. The tortoises stay here year round, except for the females.  They go closer to the coast to lay their eggs. This was a very foresty grassy place. The tortoises were every where.  Apparently, there are about 20,000 on the islands.  A few hundred years ago, there were around 400,000.  The settlers, militia, navies, pirates, etc., decimated them almost to the point of extinction. Not only were they a good food source (high fat content in the meat), they have a bladder like organ that stored water. They can go for a year without water, which is good in an arid environment like the Galapagos.  The mariners would capture the tortoises and keep them live on the ships.  They would turn them on their backs and stack them up on the decks.  That way they had an extra source of water as well as food. No environmentalists back then.  Like the buffalo in the U.S.

Following our hike around the area, we went by bus to the far end of the island.  We caught a ferry to the airport island and caught our flight to Guayaquil. We had made arrangements for a van to Cuenca earlier.  But we were both uncertain if it would happen. Sure enough, no van. We tried to get a flight to Cuenca, but a all flights but one had left. The remaining one was full. We located a van service, in the airport.  For about what the airfare would have been, we arranged a van to Cuenca. Having wasted a lot of time, our trip put us on the roller coaster road in the Andes in the dark (and fog). Actually, I handled that better, as I couldn't see the drop offs, etc.

We finally got to Cuenca and ended our trip with a bang. We were stopped at a stop light about a mile from our apartment and got rear ended by a semi truck. Apparently, when the light turned green he took off right into us before we had gotten started. What ensued was very bizarre. Our van and the truck pulled over. The truck driver was screaming and yelling that our driver was at fault because he didn't move right away when the light turned green. Our guy called the police.   When they arrived, they heard both stories. Apparently, they sided with our driver, as the truck driver got very quiet and got on his cell phone, presumably to his boss. I think when an accident occurs and the parties can't get it sorted out before police involvement, the police will make the decision, on the spot, as to who was at fault. Our guy seemed happy when he got back to the car. We made the last mile without further incident.

Galapagos Fotos I

Sea Lion siesta
North Seymore Island
Iguana
Female with nursing pup and stray pup
Female warning stray pup not to get too close
Second warning
Second female being told to stay away
Second female persists
Second female thinks better of it and leaves the area
Pup
Sandy eyes - the sea lions produces a fluid that gets sand out of their eyes and the sand collects around the eyes.
Land iguana
Land iguana
Baby booby
Booby chick
Magnificent Frigate male (getting ready to puff up) and nesting female
Blue footed booby male with hungry chick. Male has semi digested shrimp in it's craw. It waits until the area is clear of Frigates before feeding the chick. Apparently, they will try and take it.
Male with chick
Angry chick with dad
Getting ready to puff up
Another chick
Dots in the sky are the circling female frigates
Deflated male frigate - the red sac is just visible under the beak
Nesting
Ready for action
Size does matter
The female arrives
Another male arrives - too late
Iguana

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