It’s been an exciting week so far, not only because of the amazing wildlife sightings, but the seas have been particularly beautiful; a little violent along the western shores of the islands, calm at the southern coasts, always painted in blue, turquoise, and topped with clean foam from the pristine waves breaking against the rocks.
However, today was about exploring the land, as we visited the second largest island in the Galapagos, home to one of the healthiest and biggest populations of giant tortoises. Santa Cruz air temperatures were pretty high, but it did not stop us from visiting the National Park Breeding Center for Galapagos tortoises and land iguanas. We enjoyed learning about the successful conservation programs that work to save these two species from extinction.
We also had a chance to walk through Puerto Ayora, a lovely town of approximately 20.000 inhabitants, with a relaxed atmosphere, picturesque little shops and gentle people. Later, we travelled to the highlands of Santa Cruz, where we tried juice made from sugar cane on a local farm, and learned about its processing methods. It is great to have the opportunity to come back to the sweet details of a simple life: chewing sugar cane underneath a thatch roof, while a donkey makes the sugar cane grinder work, and happy children play around with their puppies. We met the Cabrera family, the owners of the Trapiche farm. Father, daughters, son, grandchildren, they all came to welcome us and to make us feel at home.
In the afternoon we found tortoises in the wild, and saw lava tunnels, before coming back to the ship for a sushi treat and beautiful music.
The seas have been smooth today, and we are excited to see what the ocean will bring for the National Geographic Endeavour tomorrow. It does not matter if it’s rough or still, it’s the sea, in all its capriciousness and unpredictability that we love, respect and enjoy.
