Santa Cruz Island & Sombrero Chino
Today we celebrated Saint Valentine’s Day on two different sites in the Galápagos, walking through a giant prickly pear cactus forest and snorkeling among rays and penguins in clear and warm waters. We celebrated our love for nature, for discovery, for human kind, and we celebrated on board National Geographic Polaris, our home away from home.
I am not sure how long we have had a Saint Valentine’s Day in Ecuador. But somehow, all societies have found a way to honour love and friendship. In Chinese culture, there is “The Night of Sevens”, when two stars, normally separated by the Milky Way, meet by crossing on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. In Brazil “Dia Dos Enamorados” is celebrated on June 12, the day before Saint Anthony’s day, the marriage saint. Who was Valentine? Some sources say it was a martyr, Valentine of Rome, others mention Valentine of Terni. Why February? Romans had February festivals devoted to fertility and love, maybe that’s how it all started. Anyhow, it is good to dedicate a day to those we love, to the things we love, to life itself which is the loveliest gift of all. And that’s what we did today! We celebrated with the discovery of an unexpected tortoise on the north-western side of Santa Cruz, where they are absolutely rare, and celebrated with dear friends, new friends for life, as this friendship was born in the Galápagos Islands.
Today we celebrated Saint Valentine’s Day on two different sites in the Galápagos, walking through a giant prickly pear cactus forest and snorkeling among rays and penguins in clear and warm waters. We celebrated our love for nature, for discovery, for human kind, and we celebrated on board National Geographic Polaris, our home away from home.
I am not sure how long we have had a Saint Valentine’s Day in Ecuador. But somehow, all societies have found a way to honour love and friendship. In Chinese culture, there is “The Night of Sevens”, when two stars, normally separated by the Milky Way, meet by crossing on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. In Brazil “Dia Dos Enamorados” is celebrated on June 12, the day before Saint Anthony’s day, the marriage saint. Who was Valentine? Some sources say it was a martyr, Valentine of Rome, others mention Valentine of Terni. Why February? Romans had February festivals devoted to fertility and love, maybe that’s how it all started. Anyhow, it is good to dedicate a day to those we love, to the things we love, to life itself which is the loveliest gift of all. And that’s what we did today! We celebrated with the discovery of an unexpected tortoise on the north-western side of Santa Cruz, where they are absolutely rare, and celebrated with dear friends, new friends for life, as this friendship was born in the Galápagos Islands.
