THE GREAT GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE Chapter 2

That first afternoon we settled into our rooms and quickly headed out to get a “lay of the land”. We were told there was a beach just around the corner at Finch Bay, so that’s where we headed. 

We rounded the bend of the volcanic path to see the perfect little protected cove with the greatest little surprise. A pair of sea lions lazed nonchalantly on the beach, nonplussed by our intrusion. They looked up, yelped a little, and went back to their siestas. Very cool.

The next morning we went right back ~ this time with snorkel sets in hand. Okay, now you have to understand something. I’ve been swimming all my life, but never have I used a mask and snorkel. When Jeff ordered the sets on Amazon a few weeks before the trip, I was secretly dubious as to whether or not I’d ever use the darned things. Little did I know that a person without a snorkel in the Galápagos is like a fish without water...or something like that.

By the time we’d put our stuff down and I turned around toward the water, Jeff was already in. Following his lead, I struggled to get the unwieldy mask and snorkel on. Finally adjusted, I dipped my face under. 

Unbelievable. I was standing in not more than 3 feet of water and a totally different world revealed itself. YES! I was jazzed to see schools of little fish swimming by, barely noticing me at all, without a care. Hesitantly though, I pushed myself to just get in there farther and swim. Wow. It was both exciting and a little freaky to be sliding belly-close over volcanic rocks watching tiger eels slither into the hollows. I swear I giggled, though, as I swam over the cutest little fish I’ve ever seen. They were a velvety royal blue irridescent with yellow lips and red eyes. As I passed they seemed to intentionally pop up out of their volcanic holes as if to say something. Was it a big “hello” or a warning to “STAY AWAY!” - I’m not sure. Sweet, beautiful fish were everywhere, totally at ease with our presence. What a blast! Oh, what I wouldn’t have done for an underwater camera!

I kept at it for a bit, but just couldn’t even dare to think about following Jeff out towards the open mouth of the bay. Besides, I was getting a little chilly in the increasingly cooler water, so I ended up back toward the shore. Gliding by about 3 feet away was a manta ray. I followed him, watching in awe as he pulled back and forth up to a small rock at the edge, sucking and filtering whatever he did from the sand. Wild. I turned back, and a marine iguana lumbered before me, apparently sneaking up for a sleep in the sun. Amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so close to the natural rhythms of such a wealth of creatures like that. Love it. 

That afternoon we took the 5 minute water taxi over to  Puerto Ayora. It's a sweet little town with a great main street and lots going on. The hub of the island, this is where you pick up tours, rent bikes, kayaks, diving or snorkeling equipment,  browse the shops, go to the market, or eat out in one of the few restaurants. Word to the wise: much is imported, and therefore tends to be expensive. Still, we found some great little eateries that were relatively reasonable.

The fish market ended up being a favorite daily stop. It was fun to watch the catch of the day being expertly sliced, and even moreso to be entertained by the pelicans and sea lions waiting patiently for their cut. Do you see that cute little face just under the counter? I swear, the sea lions were like pets and even seemed to know that they had to wait their turn. So cool.

We walked around some more and investigated tour options. So much to choose from! Thankfully, though, we already had the next day set. We were going to the Charles Darwin Center, and to a giant land tortoise farm with our house manager Paul, who also happens to be a naturalist and tour guide. Stay tuned and come along for the ride!

THE GREAT GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE Chapter 1

Have you ever dreamed of visiting Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands? Like so many, my imagination was captured way-back-when in geography class by this mysterious archipelago. What is it about this remote island chain where outrageously unique species of creatures roam? What are they like? How did they get there? Not to mention wanting to understand how Charles Darwin came to his evolutionary conclusions...

Jeff and I figured we’d take advantage and get there sooner or later, but an ideal chance popped up that we simply couldn’t pass over. Friends of ours had rented a house with a few other couples on Santa Cruz island but, alas, life got in the way and they couldn’t make it. Would we take their place? they asked. Heck, yeah. We jumped at it!

We started out at Guayaquil airport, really glad to have gotten there way ahead of time as recommended. Before you can even check into your airline, you have to get in a long, daunting “CinGal” line to pay a $10 migration entry fee. They also screen your luggage to be sure you aren’t carrying or introducing any fruits, vegetables, seeds, animal products, etc. to the island. It actually went pretty easily, and we enjoyed chatting with a group of surfers going to San Cristobal island and an adorable French girl traveling “sola” from her present home in Lima, Peru. Let the vacation begin!

We landed in Baltra Airport, which is just across a strip of water to Santa Cruz island. The views coming in from the plane are surreal ~ the islands look desperately desolate, dotted with piles and piles of rust-colored volcanic rocks, cacti, and bare silvery trees we later learned were called Palo Santos, or “holy sticks”. I guess I was picturing a lush, green, tropical island kind of landscape. This was wild.

Following the lines on the tarmac, we entered the airport's tiny arrival area. It, too, is currently under renovation and expansion ~ yet another reminder of Ecuador’s vast effort towards growth and development. And this project is totally ecologically “green”. Very cool.

Now that we have our Ecuadorean residency visas and “cedula” ID cards, we were able to go straight to a “Nationals” line. Okay, I have to admit, we felt a little smug to be able to go through the much shorter non-tourist line, only to pay $6.00 each for the entry fee as opposed to the typical $100 cost per person for tourists. Now that’s a deal!

We then waited for the other two couples to arrive on a different flight. Once altogether, we were herded onto a bus for a very brief ride to the ferry, which got us quickly over to the main island of Santa Cruz. Luckily, our friend Barry and the house manager Paul had already prearranged for taxis (here they're pickup trucks) to await us. So we threw our luggage in, and hopped in for the 40 minute ride down the length of the island south to the main town of Puerto Ayora, from which everything happens. Our driver Jorge was a wealth of info along the way, noting especially how we went 600m up from the arid coast to verdant agricultural highlands where the giant land tortoises love to roam the grasses.  Finally, we dropped back down to the coastal town, inhabited by a bustling mix of local “Galapageños” and tourists.

Ah, but still yet, there was one more quick journey to go. At the main dock of Puerto Ayora, water taxis await all the time to take people to and from areas in the crystalline harbor that are unaccessible by foot ~ like Finch Bay where we’d be staying. Greeting us at the landing was a bevy of crabs, two marine iguanas, and a sea lion lazing contentedly on one of the cement steps. What a wonderful welcome! Surely it was a sign of great things awaiting us.

Oh, but after dragging our stuff out of the boat, we found ourselves staring down a long, winding, cement path. Uh-oh. How far away was the house? And how in the world were we going to get all our luggage to it? Thankfully the house  cook had met up with us on the water taxi, and pointed with a more-than-amused smile to a couple of wheelbarrows designed to traipse the belongings of locals and hotel guests to their destinations. As she guided our way, we were cracking up to be rolling crazily down that undulating path. It was brief enough, though, thank God, and we just had to hook another right onto a shorter pebbly volcanic path to our island home “Mimosa”.

Woohoo! Once at the door, Jeff and I grinned at each other. We could both feel it ~ this was going to be one cool adventure.  So come along with us in the next few blogs. I'm guessing you’ll agree!

THE JOY OF LIFE'S LITTLE LESSONS

As I’ve said, there’s nothing better than to host friends and family from afar, but our recent visit from great friends Kim and Andy a few days after Mom left was extra special. We spent the first week visiting places they hadn’t seen the first time they were here, and the second week we were joined by their 20-something daughters Lexi and Hannah. Not having children, it certainly turned out to be a very cool experience for us to “travel family style”.

One thing we all wondered about was the girls’ reactions to being exposed to some very different life styles than what they’re used to. Yes, Ecuador is absolutely spectacular in terms of its history, culture, and gorgeous terrain, there’s no doubt about it. But still, it’s definitely a developing country. What would they think? 

Cuenca itself is a city with every modern amenity you can think of. But once outside, the agricultural countryside and coastal areas often tell a different story. Many “campesinos” (country folk) live in a variety of housing - made of cement, brick, wood, or adobe. Some homes are more elaborate, but many are extremely humble. Families often share the limited space of a tiny house. Clean, running water and sanitary facilities are often crude. Hot water? A rarity. Electricity? Yes, but often bare bulbs are sufficient. Paint is costly, so often the homes look drab and dirty. And, while we’re running off to the supermarket for more goodies, they’re living off their farms and very possibly bartering when they can.

Yes, their lives are simple. But look closer and you can see just how wealthy they are in terms of family. They cultivate and harvest together; tend to cows, chickens and pigs together; cook, eat and celebrate together. Just watch, and the children are often taking care of younger siblings, smiling, playing and teasing with sweet innocence. Even the teenagers seem to be playful with one another, and very respectful of adults. 

With few exceptions, we’ve experienced Ecuadorians as very gentle and affectionate people. Yes, I’m sure they will certainly have imperfections as we all do, but there may be a lesson for us in watching how they live their daily lives. I admit that I’m too spoiled to trade lifestyles at this point. But are they any less happy than those of us with more privileges ? I wonder...

And apparently so did the girls, which was wonderful. They arrived with open minds and hearts, took it all in, and thoroughly “got it”. These beautiful words from Hannah’s thank you note...

“I enjoyed...everything we got to do, eat and see. I’ve never really been exposed to a culture so different from America and the lifestyle I have. It was interesting and also humbling. I also loved the Andes ~ our mountains here don’t compare!”

Gotta love it.

Of course, we also got to show the girls the highlights ~ Cuenca’s best: Piedra de Agua spa in nearby Baños where we luxuriated in volcanic mud baths and massages (talk about contrasts!); hiking in the Cajas National Park, and down to the Ecuadorian coast for beach-combing and zip-lining. Top those off with a visit to Incan ruins at Ingapirca and jewelry shopping for silver in Chordoleg, and WOW, that was one full visit.

And lovely it was. We may not be parents, but now we understand how proud kids can make you feel. It will be an honor and a pleasure to have these girls back any time!!!

LIFE ON OUR NOT-S0-LONELY PLANET

“So, what’s up, guys? “Have you dropped off our “Planet Cuenca?” 

This brief email message came from our good buddy Edd who, despite a busy life too, was sweet enough to take the time to reconnect. It sure seems like we’ve been out of touch forever, that’s for sure. Unlike me, however, Edd would never have thought to abandon his fantastic “Edd Said” blog for well over a month like I did ~ no matter what what was going on.  But that’s what makes him such a premier blogger. So, after duly chastising myself for awhile, and a promise to all get together with him and his wife soon, all I can say is, I’m happy to be back. Hope you are, too!

Okay, so what HAS been going on?  First of all, we've had a string of really special visitors to brighten our holidays. It’s always a treat to get to share our new lives with people we love so much, taking them around to visit favorite sites and restaurants. Just after they left,  though, we, too, were able to explore new horizons on a fantastical trip to the Galápagos Islands. It’s been quite the whirlwind time for sure, but we love it. I'll be telling you all about the journey over the next few blogs. 

It all started when Jeff’s 85 year old mom hopped on a plane all by herself to spend Christmas with us. She’s a pretty adventurous spirit, but still, we’re incredibly proud of her. Despite a couple of travel “hiccups” (like  having to wait three days for her baggage because it somehow stayed in Miami; or dealing with the logistics of staying in Quito overnight on both legs all alone before flying to Cuenca), she took everything in stride. What a trooper.

Cuenca’s a wonderful walking city, but we didn’t want to push Mom’s limits by traipsing her all around ~ especially while getting used to the altitude. So we did what we usually do in the first days of someone’s visit ~  jumped onto our favorite Cuenca city bus tour. The bright red, double-decker, open-topped bus is run by Pazhuca Tours and to us, it’s the best $5 you’ll ever spend. It’s a great way to get a “lay of the land”, and offers a fabulous birds-eye view of the Cuenca and its history. A definite “must do”.

We then took easy going day trips to give her a glimpse of the dramatic beauty of Ecuador. One day we showed her our new property in the Andes. She actually promises to return when the house is built. We’re definitely holding her to that!

We also took a drive through the tundra-like mountainous Cajas National Park, catching a llama sighting to boot. Of course, we just had to take her for a dinner of fresh trout at our favorite elegantly rustic “Dos Chorreras” restaurant just outside of the park, too.

 Life is Good!

The friends we’ve made here are another part of our new life we love to share, so we spent a lovely Christmas dinner together with Mom and dear amigos Joe and Cindy, Dave and Janet. But alas, just days later she had to get back to her “children” - two little doggies just aching for her. And what did she tell us she did after a tiring day of travel? Why, hug her doggies and have guests over to play Mahjong, of course. Too funny. Can’t wait till her next visit!