{"id":1886,"date":"2015-02-22T00:35:14","date_gmt":"2015-02-22T00:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jimily.org\/?p=1886"},"modified":"2015-03-05T16:04:09","modified_gmt":"2015-03-05T16:04:09","slug":"a-lap-of-galapagos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimily.org\/?p=1886","title":{"rendered":"A Lap of Gal\u00e1pagos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s the run-down on our lap of the Gal\u00e1p.<\/p>\n

SANTA CRUZ<\/strong><\/p>\n

After flying into Baltra, having your bags sniffed by dogs for contaminants (foreign plants\/animals), declaring your pepper, curry powder and maggi stock cubes in case the dog finds you, you take a little ferry over to Santa Cruz and you can grab a bus for $2 down to Puerto Ayora – the main town. We stayed at Glori\u00e1 Gal\u00e1pagos<\/a>,\u00a0just a few mins from the centre of Puerto Ayora. Huge room, no safe, and wifi only in 2 specific spots.. much to the delight of a cleaner who\u00a0accidentally opened our door whilst Jim was standing in a tight corner using his phone without the encumbrance of clothes.<\/p>\n

Spent the first day at the Darwin Centre and Playa Estaci\u00f3n – looking at giant land tortoises and land iguanas in breeding programmes, and marine iguanas at the beach. They stink, poo on each other and look like devils, but it’s interesting to see them swim and nest, and generally stare at you. Slept a lot in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

“Oh dear, it appears I’ve been asleep for most of Valentines day.”
\n“And that’s the greatest gift you could have given me.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Spent another day at Tortuga Bay – about a 40min walk away – a huge, long white sand beach with surfing waves and marine iguanas, and a little bay at the end where we swam and read.<\/p>\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n

On our final\u00a0day we walked to Las Grietas – a water taxi and 30min walk – an amazing cavern between volcanic walls that’s filled with water but cut off from the sea. It has huge parrot fish and eels in it that were deposited as eggs but cannot escape as adults, interesting snorkeling but very busy.<\/p>\nngg_shortcode_1_placeholder\n

Every evening during our stay there was Carnival – children’s bike parade, live music, fashion show, the crowning of the islands Queen, kids throwing water bombs and spraying ‘espuma de carnival’ at each other, the adults dancing and drinking. Every morning around 7am I’d see revellers\u00a0walking home with their shoes off – they know how to party!<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a Miss Galapagos competition, alongside a wood modelling display at the same time. A bit ironic.”
\n\u201cHope your wood isn\u2019t on display”
\n\u201cIt came second”
\n\u201cThere\u2019s a change you old romantic”
\n\u201cIt’s that time of year”<\/p><\/blockquote>\nngg_shortcode_2_placeholder\n

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