We were prepared to spend almost the full day on shore. Today was giant tortoise day! In the morning the focus was on conservation, protection, breeding, rearing and what species from which island needed help for what reason. Late morning was a walk through town past the fisherman’s wharf where the day’s catch was being sold (to the local human inhabitants), and given away (to the four-finned, two-winged inhabitants).
Lunch was in the highlands with a stop-off at a small farm where coffee and sugarcane is produced. We got to taste much of that! And later, we wandered in green fields to watch the huge, domed tortoises lumber slowly from one tasty plant to another. With the slow pace and the cooler air, it was easy to imagine this going on for millennia, time stretching out ahead and behind.
