Santa Cruz Island
We had a dry landing this morning at the happy town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. We had the chance to see the town and learn about how the locals start their day at their shops and, most of all, the colorful local fish market.
Some of us mailed post cards at the local post office and walked along the main “malecon.” We did some colorful shopping at the main shops to support the island economy.
Later in the morning we traveled to the green highlands and enjoyed the lush greenery and the giant land tortoises in the wild.
The highlights of the morning were the fresh air, lunch at the local ranch, swimming in the cool and clear swimming pool, and the direct encounter with wild reptiles, finches, mockingbirds, barn owls and more.
After lunch we headed back to Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station to visit, see and learn about the efforts the Park Service has been making for about fifty years to recover the dynasty of the emblem of the islands, the giant land tortoise.
We were all back on board late in the afternoon after enjoying another great day in the Galápagos.
