As we walked to the Galapagos National Park Service Tortoise Breeding Program and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, several Darwin finches moved from one tree to the next, probably looking for some food or maybe a mate. A beautiful forest of Opuntia cacti of different sizes surrounded us as we made our way along the path, ready to meet the giants of the Galapagos. This program has been very successful in reintroducing thousands of tortoises into the wild.
We began with the smallest juvenile tortoises that were crawling in their corrals—some born this year, others born last year. These little creatures moved like little all-terrain vehicles between the rocks, sometime in the future these babies will become giants, like their ancestors.
The walk through town gave us the opportunity to appreciate the diversity of souvenirs and products that from these islands. The sugar cane press and the possibility to see a local farm was very interesting, especially because we got to taste some of their products. After our time in town, we had lunch at a small restaurant in the highlands, where the climate was a bit cooler than what we have been experiencing so far.
After lunch, we prepared to explore new areas and start searching for giant tortoises in the wild. We visited a ranch where these giants wander around outside, hoping for a chance to meet them up close. Sure enough, as we made our way through the tall grass, suddenly a giant tortoise appeared in front of us.
As the sun began to set, we left the ranch and traveled back to the ship. The day ended with a performance of a local music group that came onboard with us. Ecuador’s diversity impressed our guests, who went to bed tired, but with a fuller understanding of this beautiful, friendly country and its people.
