We enjoyed our brief stay in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal, the 'capitol' of the Galapagos, whose population is about 7000 people, and who knows how many sea lions! They're everywhere along the new promenade, steps, and if you have a dinghy or scoop stern, they'll make themselves at home. They are very entertaining to watch swim around the boat, but we didn't enjoy the aroma of the waterfront...yuck. We visited the Interpretation Center on our first day, after dropping our laundry off to be done ($1/kg wash, dry and fold). The Center was open, but there were no personnel or other visitors while we were there. It had various exhibits on natural history, human history and, present conservation efforts. We then hired a taxi (they're all white 4 door pickup trucks) for $10/hr. to drive us around the island. Felipe was 22yrs. old and born on the island. We visited La Loberia first, where we saw sea lions and large (2-3 feet) marine iguana's sunning themselves on the black lava. Next we visited Laguana El Junco, which is the largest fresh water lake in the Galapagos, that has formed inside an inactive crater. It is usually shrouded in clouds and mist, so we were lucky the skies cleared while we were up there (elevation is 650m). We then went to La Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, one of the two places to see giant tortoises on the island. Their focus is a turtle repopulation program...where they take the eggs and raise them in captivity for the first 5 yrs. of life. We again were the only ones there...and came across two groups of turtles munching down their leaf/stem meal. They didn't mind us, but 'hiss' if we got too close (only happened once). We passed 'La Casa del Ceibo', where a precarious rope bridge brings you to the most unusual hotel on the island. It's in the tallest ceiba tree, 300 yrs. old; and below is a restaurant, but we didn't go in. We've been trying to get a feel for the ecological systems and issues facing the human and animal population of the islands here. It's tough to do in just a few days, but The Enchanted Islands is all about sustainability, as up to now we humans have done our worst in an attempt to destroy the natural resources of this unique place and efforts are being made to set things right and reverse the spiral of destruction that has, up to now, been the history of these islands.
En route to Santa Cruz Feb.18,2010
We enjoyed our brief stay in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal, the 'capitol' of the Galapagos, whose population is about 7000 people, and who knows how many sea lions! They're everywhere along the new promenade, steps, and if you have a dinghy or scoop stern, they'll make themselves at home. They are very entertaining to watch swim around the boat, but we didn't enjoy the aroma of the waterfront...yuck. We visited the Interpretation Center on our first day, after dropping our laundry off to be done ($1/kg wash, dry and fold). The Center was open, but there were no personnel or other visitors while we were there. It had various exhibits on natural history, human history and, present conservation efforts. We then hired a taxi (they're all white 4 door pickup trucks) for $10/hr. to drive us around the island. Felipe was 22yrs. old and born on the island. We visited La Loberia first, where we saw sea lions and large (2-3 feet) marine iguana's sunning themselves on the black lava. Next we visited Laguana El Junco, which is the largest fresh water lake in the Galapagos, that has formed inside an inactive crater. It is usually shrouded in clouds and mist, so we were lucky the skies cleared while we were up there (elevation is 650m). We then went to La Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, one of the two places to see giant tortoises on the island. Their focus is a turtle repopulation program...where they take the eggs and raise them in captivity for the first 5 yrs. of life. We again were the only ones there...and came across two groups of turtles munching down their leaf/stem meal. They didn't mind us, but 'hiss' if we got too close (only happened once). We passed 'La Casa del Ceibo', where a precarious rope bridge brings you to the most unusual hotel on the island. It's in the tallest ceiba tree, 300 yrs. old; and below is a restaurant, but we didn't go in. We've been trying to get a feel for the ecological systems and issues facing the human and animal population of the islands here. It's tough to do in just a few days, but The Enchanted Islands is all about sustainability, as up to now we humans have done our worst in an attempt to destroy the natural resources of this unique place and efforts are being made to set things right and reverse the spiral of destruction that has, up to now, been the history of these islands.
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