After a calm crossing last night, this morning we find our ship anchored in Academy Bay, the busiest anchorage of this archipelago.  Along the coast we see many buildings and houses making up the waterfront of Puerto Ayora.

This is by far the largest town in Galapagos, about 15.000 residents. The town is the economic center of the islands and most tours start here.  Therefore the bay is busy with yachts all waiting to go out for a week s cruise.  We are here to learn more about the human factor of the islands, after having had such a wonderful time in the uninhabited locations.

After a short bus-ride we start the day at the tortoise rearing center. At the rearing center we spend time seeing different species of tortoises, learn about the merits of the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the threats that the human presence and a growing economy pose for the fragile ecosystems. Afterwards we walk into the town and there is some time to shop.

So it is off to the hills of Santa Cruz, where we, before lunch, have a stop at a small farm. The folks at the farm have found a lucrative way to display their former lifestyle.  For most of us it becomes instantly clear that life was very harsh in those early days.  For the lunch itself we visited yet another location. Still in the hills, we arrived at a remarkable tropical garden where at the end a small house with wide verandas sits on a steep cliff overlooking a lush tropical forest.  This place is run by two expats who came in the seventies and never left. The atmosphere and approach feels completely different.  All makes for an interesting morning, showing more or less the range of colonists in the Islands.

After lunch we have the opportunity to walk around in the tortoise territory stretching across the southern slope of this medium-sized Galapagos island.  We also visit some lava tunnels and some of us wonder, while traveling through them, if we will ever get to see daylight again.  Once out of the tunnels we see plenty of tortoises in all sizes walking, grazing, dozing, even drinking.  It makes for great images and footage, while the cloud cover and light breeze finally gives us some relief on this warm day.

Back on board we get surprised by an animated group of musicians and dancers, giving us a glimpse of Andean and Ecuadorian culture. Despite the long day and our worn legs, most manage to get up and dance along with the hypnotizing tones of flute and charango.