Back to Civilization....and internet!--Days 6-9

CHRISTY:

Day 6

Today we had to get up early to catch a flight to THE GALOPAGOS!!!  I'm not excited at all.  If you know me, you know this had been a dream of mine since I was young and I honestly didn't think I would ever get here.  The flight was about 90 minutes and when we landed we started hearing about people in the group not feeling well.  One couple rushed to the bathroom after the flight and we waited for a long time in the tour bus until they came back.  We got to our hotel from the airport in like 5 minutes and then we had to get ready for the walking tour.  This hotel was not what I was expecting, it was a very small room with a double bed.  I knew this was going to be tight quarters for the next 3 days but to me it didn't matter, I was only there for the wildlife experience and I couldn't wait!!  Our group was 2 people short because the couple couldn't leave the bathroom.  We walked down to the town which was only like a 10 minute walk and right away we see sea lions every where.  It was incredible!  We also see so many iguanas and to my surprise the tour guide says, "do you see that bird over there?", that's a Blue Footed Booby.  There are so many of the animals I have read about, it doesn't seem real.  We continue our walk and the tour guide points out Darwin's Finch, a Warbler, a Pelican and so many other birds I have heard about.  At the end of the walk we end up at a beautiful beach and have lunch.  After lunch we walk back to our hotel and luckily we were pretty tired because there is no internet, the TV is about 25 inches long and only has Spanish speaking channels.  I'm thinking the next 2 nights are gonna be rough.

Day 7

We got up  early to have breakfast and had to walk up 3 flights of stairs but I was excited to see what they had.  Well it wasn't what I expected at all....It was like a continental breakfast from motel 6.  They had 3 small containers with different kinds of cereal with warm milk.  They cut up different pastries and placed them out in trays that looked like the trays from the cafeteria when we were in grade school.  They had fresh squeezed warm juice.  OOOh yeah they had toast that they toasted to look like a waffle and they had a bowl of tuna next to it.  This was not a great start to my day but it wasn't gonna ruin it because we were going to see giant tortoises!   The drive to the sanctuary wasn't that long and once we stepped in there were tortoises there to greet us.  They are bigger than I thought they would be.  This sanctuary had hundreds of tortoises roaming all over.  They also had a nursery of baby tortoises that they keep separate.  I kind of thought we were gonna see them in the wild but it was cool to see how they are protecting them.  After the sanctuary we drove to a beach nearby and it was by far one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to.  The sand was white and the water was a turquoise blue.  We climbed to the top of this huge hill and took in the beautiful view.  From the top we saw sharks, sea lions and huge fish, it was breathtaking.  We didn't stay too long at the beach but it wasn't a beach you could really swim at so we got back on the tour bus and headed to the hotel.  We had a little time to relax and then back on the but for a 5 minute drive to a beach we could snorkel in.  This beach was also beautiful.  There were volcanic rocks all over in the beginning of our walk and there were iguanas just out sunning.  A little passed the rocks there's a beach with beautiful white sand and gorgeous blue water.  There are sea lions just laying around the sand sleeping.  We get our snorkel gear on and beginning floating in the water.  The tour guide takes us out and shows us where the sea turtles are and we see 3!  Two were medium size and one was humongous.  We saw a variety of fish and most were pretty big and made me a little nervous but they always seem to keep their distance.  We only stayed here for about 2 hours and then we head back to the hotel.  I have to note that on this trip we were missing a few more people from our group, they are dropping like flies!  Later we find somewhere to eat with a couple from our group and have a nice dinner at a place called the Post Office.  As we were walking back to the hotel we walked along the water to check out all the sea lions.  There were literally hundreds just laying everywhere and I may or may not have touched one......

Day 8

This was our day of rest and I was glad.  There were optional tours but they were all boat tours of the islands and Scott and I don't do well on boats these days.  I didn't want to risk being sick the whole time so we opted to just sleep in and go souvenir shopping.  After getting some good deals we head back for a much needed nap!  A few hours later Scott emerges from his cocoon and we get ready to meet a couple for dinner.  We found a nice tex mex restaurant over looking the water, it was a beautiful sight!

Day 9

I wake up early so that I can take in one last view of the beautiful wildlife.  I don't want to leave!  The sea lions are just so cute and they are every where, all over the side walks, under parked cars, laying on benches, literally everywhere.  There was one that was sleeping on the sidewalk and as Scott walked by it started to creep up behind him.  I swear it was gonna try to bite him for being too close so I yell out Scott watch out and he turns around just in time to move.  It was crazy!  Before we head to the airport I get an Affogato (espresso poured over ice cream) and head to the hotel to pick up the bus.  We get to the airport and board the plane for our 90 minute flight to Guayaquil.  Once we land we meet up with our tour guide and get on the bus to our hotel for the next 2 days.  When we arrive I am so pleased.  This hotel is great compared to our last one.  We have nice comfy beds with big fluffy pillows and the best part....WE CAN FLUSH OUR TOILET PAPER!  After a quick shower Scott and I find a close Italian restaurant, I needed a pasta fix.  As we are having dinner it literally starts to pour down rain and all I can think about is how I'm gonna get back to the hotel without getting my white shoes dirty.  Luckily the waiter comes to my rescue and escorts me back to the hotel and my shoes are saved!  We were supposed to meet our friends for a drink in the hotel bar by the pool but they said they left because  there was an orgy happening!?  WTH!?

SCOTT:

San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos was truly amazing.  As mentioned we saw a myriad animals, some found nowhere else in the world.  We also experienced something else found nowhere else in the world--NO INTERNET AND ONLY 1-G CELL SERVICE!  Hence the four-day recap all at once, we literally could not have updated this blog daily if we wanted to. We COULD get out a snap or Insta post if we walked down by the Navy base.

Everything is very inexpensive here, especially food.  On the mainland, a burger or local dish might cost $6-7.  On San Cristobal, it was a bit more, but only like $10-12, all very reasonable.  We even did some laundry because the place next door to the hotel apparently had a laundry service.  Kind of odd really, because this is also where we rented our masks and snorkels for the beach day (for $3).  The laundry rate was a flat $2.25 per kilogram.  Our laundry cost $4.50 and came back neatly folded.  Of course, I originally wasn't sure who's laundry I was getting.

Not sure if I got MY clothes back or not, but whoever that guy was had similar clothes, so all is good.

Yesterday morning when were just out looking at the wildlife, I took what I thought was a pretty cool picture of a picturesque local boat with a sea lion in the foreground:

I thought that really captured the essence of the Island.  Later that night after dinner, as we were walking back to the hotel, we noticed some heavy equipment clearing some beach area.  I looked a little closer and realized that they were destroying that very same boat!

I don't know what that boat or its captain did, but I likely got the very last picture of it.

Christy telling about the people dropping like flies is no joke.  Something seems to be happening to everyone, except us.  Of course, as seasoned Latin American countries, we already have pretty safe practices of what we drink, eat, and more importantly don't eat.

And by the way, let me tell you what REALLY happened with the "sea lion incident."   First of all, let me say that I have learned something very important about sea lions on this trip.  They are incredibly lazy.  They spend almost all day just lounging around.  And here they lounge around everywhere.  Under cars, on the playgrounds, on the Malecon walkway, on park benches, in a bush, anywhere.  One such loafer was across the sidewalk, so I just walked around the front of him and was standing on the other side of him, watching some Iguanas.  He never even opened his eyes when I passed.  Then all of the sudden, it wasn't the aggressive sea lion bearing down on me in attack mode that scared the crap out of me, it was Christy yelling at the top of her lungs (I was facing away from her) "SCOTT WATCH OUT!".  Yes I jumped, but not from the threatening sea lion, who was lumbering off to climb under an F150.  Of all the wildlife here, I didn't think that it would be Christy who was the greatest threat to me injuring myself.

Also, we find that this far along into the tour, there are a few couples we really like and a few that are getting on our nerves.  It IS very cool to talk to folks who all have a passion for travel, to hear their stories of the places they've been.  We're among the younger couples so its cool to hear about so much travel.

Our hotel on the island was as 'rustic' as described.  HOWEVER, it was our first hotel with air conditioning, so a lot can be forgiven.  THIS hotel on Guayaquil, however, is deluxe.  Soft beds, air conditioning, big shower, fridge, and as mentioned we can flush our toilet paper.  Whatever inference you take from that comment is correct.  Imagine the only tiny trash can you have in the entire room is in the bathroom, and it is not only for your trash, but your toilet paper as well.  I was told by some others in our room that some European countries are similar; I asked them to make me a list so I could make sure not to go there.  Unpleasant.

Did some minor venturing into the city today once we got here.  Incidentally, the State Department has issued a warning for Guayaquil, telling folks not to go South of a particular street.  Of course, I have no way of knowing where this street is or whether we might inadvertently cross it, like meandering from South to North Korea. I'll keep you posted, but I might need to start a GoFundMe to raise ransom money.