The adventure only got better by the time we got to Miami. Apparently Obama and Air Force One were in Miami so in order to give him enough space, our flight was again delayed. We were the last ones on the plane because American Airlines gave our seats away again! Finally, they said just get on the plane and find the last 2 seats - no boarding pass or anything. Yikes!! It was a good thing the government was not shut down or we'd still be waiting at customs to be let back in the country.
Danny was waiting for us at Logan at 2am. They graciously invited us to sleep over but we really wanted to get to our own bed. It was close to 4am by the time we dropped Danny off and got into our own house. That has to be the most wonderful feeling in the world.
THE RECAP
After 12 planes, 2 trains, numerous buses, one being a jungle bus, various types of boats, canoes, row boats, taxis, and even bicycles, we managed to explore 3 very diverse areas. This is not even counting our Miami experience, which, thanks to Roman, was wonderful time in the Everglades, South Beach, Little Havana, etc. I think we survived extremely well, traveling through several climates and extreme altitude changes. I do not think there was one piece of clothing I brought that I did not wear at least 2 or 3 times. Oh yeah, I might have had one bathing suit too many.
For me, the highlight of the trip was definitely Machu Pichu, even with the rain and fog. It holds a certain mystique that simply cannot be described and I have a real pull to go back someday. The jungle experience was just that, an experience. Some of it interesting, some not so much. The Galapagos offered sites and sounds you cannot see anywhere else in the world. Our 7 day cruise offered several islands and hikes and snorkeling to see, feel, and experience. A truly wonderful adventure,
The big question a lot of people asked us, since this was our virgin group experience, "How does it compare to your independent travel?" It is very different. We were extremely fortunate that we had such a congenial and friendly group. Everyone got along and there was a great deal of respect for everyone else. Traveling as a group, however, takes some getting used to and quite honestly, I think the jury is still out on that verdict. For the most part, the guides were very good and you gain an awful lot of knowledge as you go. On the negative side of that, a lot of it gets repetitive. The itinerary certainly keeps you busy. There was not much down time. On the really negative side, we were not at all satisfied with how OAT (our travel company) dealt with our airline problems. This is a big issue and they will definitely be hearing from us on that score. As mentioned above, there was an awful lot of air travel and although delays cannot be helped, they could have been handled in a better fashion.
All that aside, looking back it was a whirlwind trip and one we will treasure for a lifetime. It will make a very exciting book, if not three books! I am grateful for meeting and traveling with the people we did. It was wonderful getting to know folks from all kinds of backgrounds and from all kinds of places. I hope we can keep in touch, but you know how those things go. I would like to thank Stephanie for adding a certain character to the blog.
Speaking of the blog, thank you all for reading and sharing your comments and being there with us when we are in the middle of who knows where. It is a real comfort. Love you all.
Till next year ....
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Waiting, Waiting, & More Waiting
Well, we were up bright and early and on the bus in time to get to the airport only to be told that our 10:30am flight had been delayed and will leave at 3pm!! For some reason, OAT had switched our flight from LAN to the wonderful American Airlines. Now we all sit here in Quito airport for 6 hours. Then we were told that the locator number we had for our AA flight from Miami to Boston was not right - someone else's name going to Dallas! That's when I lost it. The very nice guy behind the counter went in the back and somehow got it all straightened out. In the end, we did happen to get a connecting flight to Boston and arrive at midnight instead of the scheduled 9pm. Hope we get there. Hope the kids can come get us.
As par for the course, our Stephanie didn't not get a connecting flight from AA because OAT had booked them on United to get to Indiana. There was a lot of drama around that situation. S went storming off to call OAT (another great experience when the collect emergency number wasn't really collect). They eventually got a flight out of Miami but like many of the group, will have to stay over in Miami.
It is an unfortunate way to end a wonderful vacation. However, at least these problems are on the way home and not cutting into our vacation. And we are all pretty miserable together which helps. I am also grateful for the free wifi and have been able to help some folks get in touch with their connections. However, I am a bit suspicious of how OAT manages these arrangements. Might pay them a visit in Boston when we get home.
Needless to say, there will not be any pictures connected to this post. You do not want to see the expressions on these folks.
Next time.... A Final Note
As par for the course, our Stephanie didn't not get a connecting flight from AA because OAT had booked them on United to get to Indiana. There was a lot of drama around that situation. S went storming off to call OAT (another great experience when the collect emergency number wasn't really collect). They eventually got a flight out of Miami but like many of the group, will have to stay over in Miami.
It is an unfortunate way to end a wonderful vacation. However, at least these problems are on the way home and not cutting into our vacation. And we are all pretty miserable together which helps. I am also grateful for the free wifi and have been able to help some folks get in touch with their connections. However, I am a bit suspicious of how OAT manages these arrangements. Might pay them a visit in Boston when we get home.
Needless to say, there will not be any pictures connected to this post. You do not want to see the expressions on these folks.
Next time.... A Final Note
Thursday, March 3, 2011
7 Day Galapagos Cruise
We finally made it back to Quito. As you can see from the photo albums, there are 4 Galapagos Albums. Lots of iguanas, lizards, tortoises, birds, fish and more! Below is 7 days at sea in the magnificent Galapagos - grab a cup a coffee and en joy!
Thursday, February 24
Off to see the Lizard
Well it was more of a tortoise than a lizard. But here is how it went: dinner was fabulous last night. I had the best fish I have had since being in this country. Geoff and others got the steak, since it was an Argentinian restaurant. Fish turned out to be the better choice. There were 14 for dinner and we managed to polish off a few bottles of wine. Everyone left happy and excited to be on to the next adventure.
Got our laundry back when we returned to the hotel. Oh goodie, time to repack yet again. I thought I brought a lot but some of these folks have really packed heavy. We managed to get all of our Galapagos stuff into my new Eddie Bauer duffle plus the two carry-on backpacks. Left the other stuff behind. We will be back at the hotel once more for our last night. I think the altitude got to us, because we didn't sleep so well. G had a headache and I was just restless. We have changed climates and altitudes so many times, it is hard to know where you are when.
Ate breakfast, put the luggage out, and yup, got on the bus. Arrived at the airport in plenty of time to sit and wait for another plane delay. So here we sit again, only this time there is no funky cafe to hang out in. We are in the midst of a tiny airport trying to figure out when the plane will actually come. They handed out free snacks. Yesterday on our 1/2 hour flight out of the jungle, we were served a sandwich and drink!! What is it with these greedy American airlines??
Well, we have been here for over 3 hours now and the natives are getting restless. They say we will board in 10 minutes but who knows. Stay tuned...
Finally got on board at around 1pm. Not happy being dumped at the airport when we could have waited at the hotel all this time. It was a half hour flight to Guayaquil where we waited on the plane for another half hour before taking off for the Galapagos. Our new tour leader, Gustavo, met us on the plane. Touched ground at around 2:30 and hit the ground running. Took a bus to the ferry to another bus which took us to the Giant Tortoises. They were really something to see. Then we went to the lava cave, which being claustrophobic, didn't do much for me. Back in the bus to the port where the dingies took us to the Monserrat.
Well we were relagated to a downstairs cabin with no light so after a minor freak out I settled down and sucked it up. We are not in the cabin much anyway. The boat is not much but is pleasant enough. Gustavo is full of gusto. We are getting excited about what is to come.
Friday, February 25
Espanola Island
Finally got to sleep last night. Woke up to the anchor being pulled up. Couldn't get back to sleep so I decided to go topside and take in the sunrise. Beautiful. After breakfast, Gustavo had us do the obligatory boat safety drill. Then we loaded into 2 zodiacs for a dry landing at Punta Suarez on Espanol Island - one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos. First thing we saw were tons of sea lions and beautiful iguanas. The iguanas were in full color because of mating season. We did a three mile hike around the island encountering finches, blue footed boobies, nazca boobies, night heron, crabs, and various other flora and fauna. Took a rest at the blow hole and we all sat in awe of the vista. Most of the wildlife appears to be very docile and not disturbed by humans. It was back to the boat and time for lunch. We ate lunch - cerviche - while sailing over to the other part of the island.
Back in the zodiac to go snorkeling. There is hardly any coral here, so the snorkeling is not what we are used to. We did manaage to see a couple of schools of fish, a bump head parrot, and some great starfish. Back on board the yacht, it was time to get ready to go to the beach and hang out with the sea lions. This beach is absolutely pristine. The sea lions are wonderful to just sit and watch. We took a long walk down to the end of the beach and back and then went in for a swim. Occasstionally, a sea lion or two would swim right up to you and go by. They are very playful creatures. There were about 5 of us who stayed as long as we could. Eventually, we had to tear ourselves away and get back to the boat.
Geoff and I held a quiet Jerry B. ceremony. We will try to do it at every island stop. The sun was setting, which is always a perfect time for such occassions. Gustavo gave his briefing and handed out bandanas with the map of the Galapagos on them for souvenirs. We had our welcome cocktail and headed to dinner. Everyone is pretty tired and turned in immediately after dinner. We are about to do the same. Hope I can sleep better tonight.
Saturday, February 26
A Day in Town
First activity was the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, where they have laid out the history of the Galapagos Islands. Then it was a short hike to the waterfront walk with shops and a great path along the harbor. Sea lions were everywhere. They have just taken over the town. In the playground, on the benches, on the paths - they were everywhere. We did the whole walk and then turned around and strolled through some of the shops. Got back in the dingy and it was time for lunch when we arrived back at the boat.
After lunch, we circumnavigated this huge rock called Sleeping Lion to see the Great Frigates with a blooming red pouches to attract the females. Next, Gustavo took us to a fabulous snorkeling spot. That was the good news, the bad news was the camera decided to die. We swam with the sea lions, marine iguanas, and great schools of fish. Not sure if we can revive the camera or not. Glen said he has a spare camera so maybe we can use that in the interim. When we had our fill of the water, it was back to the boat and time to get ready for another short walk. We hosed off on the boat, put some clothes on, and off we went to Islet of Lobos where we saw flying fish and various birds. The pangos came and we rode up the coast of San Cristobal and saw some more of the great frigates. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures. Tonight's dinner was fish and chips - tasted great.
Tomorrow is more snorkeling and more walking. I really hope we get our camera back and running. Before we went to bed, we did remember to have our Jerry B. moment in the San Cristobal harbor. This is the first time we have done this at night, and the picture is glowing.
Sunday, February 27
Islet Mosquera
First order of business was to go back to Baltra Island (this is where the airport is) and refuel the boat. Fortunately, we arrived early enough, so we were the first to get our fuel and go. We had a wet landing and an easy short walk on Islet Mosquera. Our camera is toast. Geoff thinks that the sensor for the door is blown so now it thinks that the the door is always open and won't work. Did a survey of who had what tools - it was interesting to see what folks travel with. However, nothing was small enough to take the darn thing apart. I did try throwing it across the cabin a few times, but that did nothing but maybe make me feel somewhat better. Glen was kind enough to lend us his extra Nikon, and although we can't go underwater with it, we can use our SD card and at least continue to take land shots. There are plenty of extra cameras on board, but no one else has an underwater camera. Anyway, we did our little walk and saw what has become the usual sites, sea lions, lizards, and birds. One unusual site, was a raft floating out not too far from the National Geographic boat (there are several boats out here, so don't think we are alone). I thought it might be a some sort of diving platform, but when we passed by, we realized that it was the massage raft - with a glass bottom, so you can look at the fish as you get massaged. I am definitely on the wrong vessel. Getting back to our islet tour - there were several very young sea lions and a very big "beach master" protecting them all. There is no swimming here, mainly because of him and the sharks. At the end of the beach we came across a whale skeleton that had been there for about a year. We stayed for a while and just watched the sea lions. You just can't get enough of them. Eventually, it was time to get back to the boat to get ready to go snorkeling. While getting in the dingy, Cora got hit by a wave and she went down. Another camera that is now out of commission.
The snorkeling was very good. Bright sunshine and saw lots of fish that we hadn't seen before, along with our friends the sea lions. Betsy encountered a black tip shark that shook her up some. You will just have to take my word for it, since we don't have pictures, it was beautiful. No coral, though. We snorkeled close to the rocks with a strong current. We get to snorkel again after lunch - this time from the beach.
It was nap time after chowing down on pasta and other goodies. At 3pm, the bell rang for the next activity. Sometimes I feel like we are at camp! We zodiaced over to Bachos Beach to walk around some and do some more snorkeling. There were plenty of other boats in the area and plenty of other tourists on this little beach. We walked along and were careful not to disturb the sea turtle nesting areas. More birds, lizards, and even a grasshopper spotting. At the lagoon, there were two lonely flamingos. Gastavo was very happy to see them. We hiked back to the crowded beach where some of us stayed to go snorkeling. Not such a good idea. The water was very murky and we couldn't see much of anything. Coming out of the water, I was attacked by green heads - UGH!! The zodiacs came, and I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Probably a trip I could have done without.
Not sure what is in store for tomorrow. Gustavo is going to be giving a lecture in about a half hour. Actually, the lecture turned out to be quite interesting. The longer we are among these islands the more we learn about the history and the geology of the whole island chain. After dinner, we did some star gazing. The milky way was brilliant and the southern cross was pretty specacular too. Got to bed pretty early.
Monday, February 28
The Postcard Shot
Motored over to Bartolome last night and woke up to a picture postcard setting. After breakfast, we headed out to climb the some 400 stairs to the top of Bartolome Island for some beautiful vistas. I am pretty sure that this is where the picture on the blog comes from. The big attraction is "Pinacle Rock" which got actually got created during WWII US target practice. Yes, they bombed it in two to form the icon we see today. Those pesky Americans are everywhwere. We made it to the top with clicking cameras all the way. Saw more lizards, cacti, and the Galapagos Penguins. It was hurry up and change into bathing suits, when we got back to the boat. The zodiac dropped off the "Navy Seals" around the bend from the Pinacle Rock and we snorkeled through some heavy lava formations back to Golden Beach. The snorkeling started out great. Sharks, penguins, large parrot fish, and many more. Things got a bit hairy when the day boat landed and all these folks started snorkeling in the opposite direction of us, I literally got my mask ripped off me by someone's hand who just wasn't looking. We made it to shore and back in the zodiac. I don't think I have mentioned yet, that everytime we get back from an excursion there is one of the crew members with a plate of munchies with dipping sauce and fruit juice. So much for the diet!!@##
We have eaten lunch and everyone is either reading or napping. The bell rang at 3:30 and it was time to head out to Santiago Island for our lava field walk. We did a dry landing at Sullivan's Bay. Walked around on the lava and Gusatavo showed us a few different types of lava formations. This flow was created a little over 100 years ago. We got off the island just in time -- those National Geographic folks were right on our heels.
We took the zodiacs for a penguin hunt. Success. Not only did we spot them, but we caught a couple in the act of mating! Must have stayed there taking pictures and gawking at these poor birds for a long time.
It was back to the boat for more food treats and shower up for a briefing and dinner. We also had our Jerry B moment at this beautiful place before we set out for another location. Jerry would have been 66 today.
Tuesday, March 1
The Caldera at Genovesa
Nobody knocked at our door this morning for wake-up call. We dragged ourselves out and just made it to breakfast. After crossing the equator last night, we anchored in the Caldera at Genovesa. Hopped in the zodiacs for a "pango" tour of the rocks to try to find the tropic bird and the Galapagos Fur Sea lion. We found both. This sealion is a bit different from the ones we have seen strewn on all the beaches. Those are California sealions. The fur sea lion has a shorter snout and lives on the rocks.
After the tour,we climbed to the top to be greeted with the Red Footed Booby and the Great Frigate birds. The male frigate puffs out his red balloon to attract the female. This being mating season, we were in luck to find them all puffed out. Also ran across a couple of "2 story" Nazca Boobies (that is what they say when the birds are mating). Came across many Nazca nests. They take they guano and make a ring around the nest so it is camoflouged from above. At the edge of the caldera were thousands of storm petrels flying. We waited patiently to see their predator, the short eared owl. They hide in the crevases below and come out snatch the petrils. Managed to see 2 owls, but too far for photos.
It was back in the zodiac and back to the ship. The captain put the ladder down, since it was nice and calm inside the caldera and some of us jumped right in to cool off. This afternoon is another beach visit (Darwin's Beach - even though Darwin never stepped foot on this island) and some snorkeling off the beach. Geoff and I decided to stay on board and relax and just swim from the ship. After swimming, we sat up on the sun deck under the shade and read. At one point, we heard this big ruckas in the water. A blue footed booby dove into the water (they actually dive bomb in) and caught a fish. He was swimming around with the fist in his mouth when the frigates came and tried to get the fish from him. The booby dropped the fish and went in after it again -- this was when we saw the "FIN". Yes, the circling fin went around twice. Definitely a shark - guess I won't be jumping back into the water. It is one thing to see them snorkeling, it is another to see the "fin". The booby never did get his fish back. While this was going on, there was a sea turtle that kept popping his head up to take a look every now and then. So, we were pretty content to stay on board and let the action come to us.
After dinner tonight, we went up to the top deck with Carol and Larry to watch the stars. The ship is underway and going at a good clip. It is pretty weird going full steam ahead into the pitch black. Tomorrow is our last full day on the ship. We are going to Santa Fe Island for yes, another walk and another snorkel. Then we are going to cruise to South Plazas and then over to Santa Cruz. There was talk of going on shore after dinner. Till then..
Wednesday, March 2
Iguanas & Beach Masters
6am wake-up call and we were fed and in the zodiacs by 7:15. Off for our wet landing on Santa Fe Island to see the Santa Fe Land Iguanas. We were greeted by the "beach master" with some powerful roaring. The sealion babies just ran around us. On the trail we spotted several pre-historic looking iguanas with some great facial expressions. At one point, I was aiming to get a shot at one and almost stepped on a snake. Seeing snakes in the Galapagos is extremely rare. Gustavo said he would buy a beer for anyone who spotted one. Not only did I see the snake, but he was chowing down on breakfast. Having himself a lava lizard meal for one. I made Gusatavo very happy. This was the first time he has seen anything like this in all of his 15 years as a naturalist. I also won my afternoon beer!! Of course, we all forgot about the iguana and watched the snake totatlly devour the lizard. Continuing on our path, we saw the giant cacti and of course more lizards, birds, and iguanas. We hiked across the island to another beach to get picked up and ran into another "beach master" who bid us farewell.
It was back to the boat and into our swimsuits for our last snorkel of the trip. There were a few kinds of different fish and I so wish I had the camera. Olympus is going to hear from us, oh boy!! There were several sealions to play with. Marilyn and I were swimming with a couple of them when we decided we were a bit too close to the rocks and swam out. One of the highlights of the snorkel was when one of them started playing with Geoff's fins. He was swimming backwards and the sealion swam after him nipping at one fin and then the other - it was cute, but he was pretty big and I did get a bit nervous. Eventually, the sea lion got bored and swam off grazing my side - pretty powerful creature. When we had our fill, most of us swam straight to our boat. Got some sun up on deck as the boat pulled up anchor and we were off to South Plazas Island. After lunch we are going for our afternoon walk.
Once again we were greeted by the beach master as we approached South Plazas Island for our walk. We immediately saw the Galapagos Land Iguana resting under the cactus tree. This our third and last iguana species. By the way, Gastavo has given us a checklist of species and every night at briefing we check off what we have seen that day. The landscape on this island is a bit different from what we have seen before. The vegetation turns from green to a beautiful rust red color. That plus the cacti make for some wonderful landscapes. We hiked out to the edges of the cliffs and watched the sea for a while. Betsy spotted a good size shark and we all saw at least 6 eagle rays were either feeding, playing, or mating. The concensus says that they were mating. I was also able to get a nice shot of the cactus finch.
As we got closer to the landing, we noticed that the "beach master" had plopped himself right in our way to disembark. Rusty and Gustavo tried clapping and doing all sort of things to get move him. He moved alright - began chasing the two of them and set right back down again. The guys in the zodiacs didn't know what to do. Eventually, the big guy had to defend his turf from one of the younger bulls and slipped into the water. We were finally free to get off the island. We all had a good laugh and told Rusty we were all rooting for the sealion. Of course, you have to know Rusty to appreciate that joke!
Pulled up anchor and headed back to Santa Cruz where it all began 7 days ago. On route, Gustavo gave us the boat tour. There is a farewell cocktail tonight (where we hand in our tips) with a turkey dinner to follow. A trip into Santa Cruz after dinner. Tomorrow we make a stop at the Darwin Research Center before heading to the airport.
Thursday, March 3
Heading back to Quito
Went into Santa Cruz last night after dinner. Walked the shops and took in the nightlife up until about 9:30 - early wakeup this morning - 5:30am. Quick breakfast and back in the zodiacs for our last ride over to the Darwin Research Center. This is where they have kept a lot of the giant tortoises to try to preserve the species. Took a lot of photos of the 5 or 6 guys in the habitat. Then it was over to try to find the famous Lonesome George. He is an endangered Pinta Saddleback tortoise. We were in luck cause George was up and about with his new woman. They have tried several different species of tortoises for him to mate with but so far not much luck. They are hoping that these new females will that are close enough to his breed will do the trick. He is only about 80 years old so he's got at least another 80 to go.
We scurried out of the center to catch the bus, to catch the ferry, to catch the bus, to get to the airport to WAIT!!!! As has been par for the course on this trip, the plane is at least 2 hours late. They do have wifi but it is sketchy. However, we did catch up on all the email.
As for the Adventures of S.....She kept a pretty low profile during our cruise. Skip, her husband, left their camera back in Quito (we only took essentials to the boat - I guess he screwed up his luggage). Anyway, I have taken pix of them throughout so they at least can prove to their friends that they have been here! For the most part, everyone survived pretty well in tact. There was a cold here and there and a few stomach problems but fortunately nothing serious. Marilyn left her socks on South Plazas and we think there a few pair of someone's traveling underpants floating in the Galapagos. There have been whispers that they may be going "commando".
Hopefully, we will get back to Quito in time to clean up and go for our farewell dinner held at a small museum. later... Dinner was very good at a wonderful small museum. I took some shots that have been added to the Quito Photo Album. I only wish I had more energy to enjoy the whole thing. It has been a very, very long day and tomorrow looks like it will be the same. Wakeup at 6am and start the long journey home. Till then...
Next time.... Final Notes
Thursday, February 24
Off to see the Lizard
Got our laundry back when we returned to the hotel. Oh goodie, time to repack yet again. I thought I brought a lot but some of these folks have really packed heavy. We managed to get all of our Galapagos stuff into my new Eddie Bauer duffle plus the two carry-on backpacks. Left the other stuff behind. We will be back at the hotel once more for our last night. I think the altitude got to us, because we didn't sleep so well. G had a headache and I was just restless. We have changed climates and altitudes so many times, it is hard to know where you are when.
Ate breakfast, put the luggage out, and yup, got on the bus. Arrived at the airport in plenty of time to sit and wait for another plane delay. So here we sit again, only this time there is no funky cafe to hang out in. We are in the midst of a tiny airport trying to figure out when the plane will actually come. They handed out free snacks. Yesterday on our 1/2 hour flight out of the jungle, we were served a sandwich and drink!! What is it with these greedy American airlines??
Well, we have been here for over 3 hours now and the natives are getting restless. They say we will board in 10 minutes but who knows. Stay tuned...
Finally got on board at around 1pm. Not happy being dumped at the airport when we could have waited at the hotel all this time. It was a half hour flight to Guayaquil where we waited on the plane for another half hour before taking off for the Galapagos. Our new tour leader, Gustavo, met us on the plane. Touched ground at around 2:30 and hit the ground running. Took a bus to the ferry to another bus which took us to the Giant Tortoises. They were really something to see. Then we went to the lava cave, which being claustrophobic, didn't do much for me. Back in the bus to the port where the dingies took us to the Monserrat.
Well we were relagated to a downstairs cabin with no light so after a minor freak out I settled down and sucked it up. We are not in the cabin much anyway. The boat is not much but is pleasant enough. Gustavo is full of gusto. We are getting excited about what is to come.Friday, February 25
Espanola Island
Geoff and I held a quiet Jerry B. ceremony. We will try to do it at every island stop. The sun was setting, which is always a perfect time for such occassions. Gustavo gave his briefing and handed out bandanas with the map of the Galapagos on them for souvenirs. We had our welcome cocktail and headed to dinner. Everyone is pretty tired and turned in immediately after dinner. We are about to do the same. Hope I can sleep better tonight.
Saturday, February 26
A Day in Town
Tomorrow is more snorkeling and more walking. I really hope we get our camera back and running. Before we went to bed, we did remember to have our Jerry B. moment in the San Cristobal harbor. This is the first time we have done this at night, and the picture is glowing.
Sunday, February 27
Islet Mosquera
The snorkeling was very good. Bright sunshine and saw lots of fish that we hadn't seen before, along with our friends the sea lions. Betsy encountered a black tip shark that shook her up some. You will just have to take my word for it, since we don't have pictures, it was beautiful. No coral, though. We snorkeled close to the rocks with a strong current. We get to snorkel again after lunch - this time from the beach.
Not sure what is in store for tomorrow. Gustavo is going to be giving a lecture in about a half hour. Actually, the lecture turned out to be quite interesting. The longer we are among these islands the more we learn about the history and the geology of the whole island chain. After dinner, we did some star gazing. The milky way was brilliant and the southern cross was pretty specacular too. Got to bed pretty early.
Monday, February 28
The Postcard Shot
Motored over to Bartolome last night and woke up to a picture postcard setting. After breakfast, we headed out to climb the some 400 stairs to the top of Bartolome Island for some beautiful vistas. I am pretty sure that this is where the picture on the blog comes from. The big attraction is "Pinacle Rock" which got actually got created during WWII US target practice. Yes, they bombed it in two to form the icon we see today. Those pesky Americans are everywhwere. We made it to the top with clicking cameras all the way. Saw more lizards, cacti, and the Galapagos Penguins. It was hurry up and change into bathing suits, when we got back to the boat. The zodiac dropped off the "Navy Seals" around the bend from the Pinacle Rock and we snorkeled through some heavy lava formations back to Golden Beach. The snorkeling started out great. Sharks, penguins, large parrot fish, and many more. Things got a bit hairy when the day boat landed and all these folks started snorkeling in the opposite direction of us, I literally got my mask ripped off me by someone's hand who just wasn't looking. We made it to shore and back in the zodiac. I don't think I have mentioned yet, that everytime we get back from an excursion there is one of the crew members with a plate of munchies with dipping sauce and fruit juice. So much for the diet!!@##
It was back to the boat for more food treats and shower up for a briefing and dinner. We also had our Jerry B moment at this beautiful place before we set out for another location. Jerry would have been 66 today.
Tuesday, March 1
The Caldera at Genovesa
It was back in the zodiac and back to the ship. The captain put the ladder down, since it was nice and calm inside the caldera and some of us jumped right in to cool off. This afternoon is another beach visit (Darwin's Beach - even though Darwin never stepped foot on this island) and some snorkeling off the beach. Geoff and I decided to stay on board and relax and just swim from the ship. After swimming, we sat up on the sun deck under the shade and read. At one point, we heard this big ruckas in the water. A blue footed booby dove into the water (they actually dive bomb in) and caught a fish. He was swimming around with the fist in his mouth when the frigates came and tried to get the fish from him. The booby dropped the fish and went in after it again -- this was when we saw the "FIN". Yes, the circling fin went around twice. Definitely a shark - guess I won't be jumping back into the water. It is one thing to see them snorkeling, it is another to see the "fin". The booby never did get his fish back. While this was going on, there was a sea turtle that kept popping his head up to take a look every now and then. So, we were pretty content to stay on board and let the action come to us.
After dinner tonight, we went up to the top deck with Carol and Larry to watch the stars. The ship is underway and going at a good clip. It is pretty weird going full steam ahead into the pitch black. Tomorrow is our last full day on the ship. We are going to Santa Fe Island for yes, another walk and another snorkel. Then we are going to cruise to South Plazas and then over to Santa Cruz. There was talk of going on shore after dinner. Till then..
Wednesday, March 2
Iguanas & Beach Masters
It was back to the boat and into our swimsuits for our last snorkel of the trip. There were a few kinds of different fish and I so wish I had the camera. Olympus is going to hear from us, oh boy!! There were several sealions to play with. Marilyn and I were swimming with a couple of them when we decided we were a bit too close to the rocks and swam out. One of the highlights of the snorkel was when one of them started playing with Geoff's fins. He was swimming backwards and the sealion swam after him nipping at one fin and then the other - it was cute, but he was pretty big and I did get a bit nervous. Eventually, the sea lion got bored and swam off grazing my side - pretty powerful creature. When we had our fill, most of us swam straight to our boat. Got some sun up on deck as the boat pulled up anchor and we were off to South Plazas Island. After lunch we are going for our afternoon walk.
Pulled up anchor and headed back to Santa Cruz where it all began 7 days ago. On route, Gustavo gave us the boat tour. There is a farewell cocktail tonight (where we hand in our tips) with a turkey dinner to follow. A trip into Santa Cruz after dinner. Tomorrow we make a stop at the Darwin Research Center before heading to the airport.
Thursday, March 3
Heading back to Quito
We scurried out of the center to catch the bus, to catch the ferry, to catch the bus, to get to the airport to WAIT!!!! As has been par for the course on this trip, the plane is at least 2 hours late. They do have wifi but it is sketchy. However, we did catch up on all the email.
Hopefully, we will get back to Quito in time to clean up and go for our farewell dinner held at a small museum. later... Dinner was very good at a wonderful small museum. I took some shots that have been added to the Quito Photo Album. I only wish I had more energy to enjoy the whole thing. It has been a very, very long day and tomorrow looks like it will be the same. Wakeup at 6am and start the long journey home. Till then...
Next time.... Final Notes
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
4 Day Update - Back from the Jungle
Just got back from the jungle (no bites on either of us, surprisingly).
NOTE: I forgot to add the Quito photo album before leaving. Thanks to Tundragirl, it is now up along with jungle pix. Don't think we will have wifi in the Galapagos either so tonight is my last shot at posting for a while.
Just found the link to the photos from our bike ride in Peru: click here
Sunday, February 20
Bungle in the Jungle
We were all checked out and in the bus by 8:15. Driving through town, we noticed that all the avenues were closed down. Sophia said that the close the large avenues on Sunday for bicyclists. Right On! Made a stop at a popular food market on the way to the airport. This place was amazing. Clean, bright, and the people were very friendly. Sophia gave a demonstration of some of the different fruits. Names I simply can't remember. Stopped by the herb guy and there was a big package of Maca! I scooped that right up. If you don't know what it is for, google it. I won't go into it here. I can hear the girls at Curves giggling now. I also bought a liquid extract from the Amazon Dragon's Blood tree. This little bottle is good for, and I am not making this up it is on the label, tuberculous, cancer, and acne! These people swear by it. For 4 bucks, how can you go wrong?
When we had our fill of the market, it was off to the little local airport, where they served free sandwiches, coffee, and fruit. The weather was good, which was fortunate. Sometimes they have to cancel flights if it is raining too hard. This is a DeHavilland 35 seater plane. Took some shots leaving Quito and then over the Nado River. Disembarked and boarded the jungle bus for a quick ride through town to meet our boat. Before boarding, we all had to be fitted for our jungle boots. OAT provides these so that you can walk around in the mud. Put mine on and everything was fine, until we were pretty set to go and I decided to see if my orthodic fit. Can't be do any walking without that. Uh Oh, no go!! They searched high and low for the next size up with no success. Finally someone had to go buy a pair. I was devestated that I held the whole group up because I didn't think of this earlier. However, I am thankful that I realized it in time. Got my spanking brand new boots - another perk - no prior sweaty feet. With lifevests donned, we were ready for our cruise down the Napo River. This river eventually leads into the Amazon. We sat in the back, so it was easy to have a little Jerry B. ceremony without disturbing anyone. As usual, I got teary, but it is nice to know that he is on his way to the Amazon River. Who would have thought?
Arrived at the lodge and immediately were served dinner. This country lives and breathes potatoes. I have no idea how many different varieties there are, but at every meal we seem to experience at least or one or two more, Settled into our little hut, which will be our home for the next three nights. Did I happen to mention that it is HOT here - 91 degrees and humid. The lodge is no big deal but very clean and pleasant with lots of individual huts. There is running hot water, but electricity only between 6 and 10 at night. Right now we are finally getting some quiet time to ourselves and trying not to move too much to stay cool. After the cool weather and high altitudes, our bodies need some adjustment to the climate. At 4pm, we are off for a short walk around the grounds. I wish this blog had sound. The sounds are incredible. More later.
4pm came and we suited up with our jungle gear and headed out. The highlights of this excursion were the Dragon's Blood tree, where my magic potion came from; the horse penis root, no explanation there you just have to look at the picture,the tarantula, always a pleasure, the fake banana flowers which are a gorgeous red, the shaman's hallucinogenic root, the walking tree that actually walks toward the sunlight, and the general atmosphere of being in the jungle.
Got back to the cabin and decided it was useless to shower, so we headed down to the main building and found some of our group enjoying cocktail hour. Joined right in with this mega bottle of beer for $3.00! Sophia gave a lecture on Ecuador - mostly about the political situation and the oil. Dinner was served soon. Family style with beef stew as an entree. Very tasty. We walked back to our abode, and took a relaxing shower. The rains are back and we are not sure if we will be able to go bird watching at 6am - darn!
Next time... I have no clue
Monday, February 21
Jungle Tours
....and they say we'll have some fun if it's stop raining. Started raining soon after the thunder and lightning just as we finished dinner last night and continued heavily into the morning. The good news about the rain is that it is a whole lot cooler. The 6am bird watching was a no show. We managed to get ourselves out of bed by 7 but we were still the last ones at the breakfast table. It was back in the "bus" after breakfast and off to visit a school and a village home with a short jungle trek. We headed out in our jungle boat in the pouring rain. OAT also supplies great ponchos for these occassions. On our walk to the school, we came across a baby boa hanging in someone's yard. The man found this on his property and had to kill it in self defense. He had just finished skinning it when we arrived. He will bring it into to town and hopefully it will fetch a good price.
Because the rains were so heavy, there were only 4 kids in school instead of the usual 15. We had a great visit. The teacher was very well educated, and even though Sophia had to translate, he made himself understood. He teaches grades 1-7 and has to be nurse, counselor and administrator as well as teacher. The school had received 4 new computers, but the problem was keeping the electrcity on, and when it was on, it fluctuated. The group decided when we go back to Coca, We will all chip in and buy a UPS or something to regulate the power. By the time we left the school, the sun had come out and the ponchos came off.
It was time to go visit the Kitchu family down the road from the school. We were introduced to Christine who owns 9 acres of land and farms it with her husband for bananas, cocoa, and coffee. She also makes crafts and we all loaded up on handmade jewelry. Back in the boat and back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch we had a few minutes of free time and then it was off to go fishing. Well, Mr. Geoff was very happy. About 6 of us split up into 2 canoes and headed down the river with wooden poles with a piece of beef on the end. Not too long after we left the dock, I felt a giant hit and my line got completely stripped - hook and all. "Grande" said Hymie. "Yeah, but he got away". There were a few more hits but no keepers. The ride down the river was beautiful. So peaceful and serene just listening to the sounds of the jungle.
It was time to eat again and then off for another jungle walk to see some large birds and a night time paddle to possibly encounter a caymen or two. Well, we managed to see one big very beautiful bird and a very friendly turtle - oh yeah, there was also a toad. After paddling around the pond twice we were skunked out of seeing any caymens, but the fireflies around the edge of the water looked like little cities. Made it back to the lodge at around 7:30, ate dinner then showered up before lights out. As I sit in bed writing, my eyes are starting to close. It is not so humid tonight and we saw a few stars. Not sure if I'll make the 6am bird watching thing.
Next time .... Shamans and Cooking Class
Tuesday, February 22
Shamans and Cooking Class
Another cloudy day but not as hot. Got down to breakfast and met up with the 6am bird watchers. This bird watching takes place from the lodge, so it is no big excursion. Apparently, at 6am it was still dark so they didn't see much. There were some birds around by the time we got down there and we were able to spot a few. The toucans are the best. After breakfast, everyone enjoyed taking pictures with the lodge parrot. This guy loved getting on peoples shoulders. Although, Betsy had on her beads from yesterday's village visit, and the bird went to town on her neck. Missed that photo!
Some of the group has gathered to go off on another 3 hour jungle walk. Me and a few others have passed up this opportunity. My foot is starting to really bother me and I think the rest will do it good. These walks are can be painfully slow. They stopped every few feet to explain something - first Hymie talks in Spanish and then Sophia has to translate - meanwhile, we are all just standing there and that is what has been the most painful. Others feel the same way and they don't have any foot problems. Geoff went, so he will take the pictures and report back. I am taking this opportunity to catch up on my reading. Till later...
While Susan took it easy I went on the morning hike. Hymie showed us a few more herbal remedies for snake bites and sinus aches and things but also said that non-native people find these tougher to take compared to pharmacy drugs. Too much discomfort and bitter tastes involved. That's why they are not so popular outside the jungle. Hymie also discussed survival foods, like roots, edible leaves, fruits, and lemon ants that nest in some trees. They actually tasted quite good raw once you ignored what you were eating. Not everyone felt that way but I had seconds! I'm thinking trout, sauteed in butter and lemon ants. By the time we got back it was time for a normal lunch. This time corvina, a popular ocean fish.
Nap time after lunch until 3:30 and then down to the dock to head out for the cooking lesson and the shaman. The cooking started out tame enough. Geoff volunteered to help prepare the fish. Betsy got the task of slicing the slugs! Boy was she surprised. After slicing, she had to skewer them. The food was served using palm leaves as plates. The fish was very tasty but very bony. The slugs happened to be very tasty - bacon like flavor. Betsy even went back for seconds and Geoff had about half a dozen.
After we had our fill on snacking, the shaman arrived. He looked vaguely familiar - I know I have seen his face around the lodge. We did the Q & A thing for a while and then he asked if anyone wanted healing. Stephanie (you all remember her) and I stepped right up and were the first to be "healed". No use explaining, just watch the video and the pix. Next up was the blow gun demonstration. This was pretty impressive. Everything is made from what is available in the jungle. They make a notch in the point of the dart with a paranha jaw, so that the poisoned tip would break off in the animal. Everyone had a shot at trying to blow and aim. After all that fun, it was back in the boat and off to the lodge for a quick shower and dinner. I had been complaining about all the beef meals at this lodge, although this afternoon we did get some good fish. For dinner it was beef again, however, I was given a vegetable stir fry thanks to Sophia.
Next time... Coca Town
Wednesday, February 23
Touring Coca Town
Back in the long boat to go back over to Coca Town to the airport. Walked around town trying to find an electronics store that had an adequate UPS to give to the school we visited. Had some luck at the second store we found. The price was perfect, $75 - that made exactly $5 each (there are 15 of us). Hymie will take it to the school tomorrow. We all felt good about doing something other than pencils and erasers! Toured some more and took some local pictures. Hopped on the Jungle Bus to get to the airport. Plane was delayed an hour. Hung out at the cafe - Denny's - next door. Ordered some fruit shakes, which were out of this world and chatted with Washington, and Ecuadorian who works for the government national oil. Finally our plane arrived and we cleared our 7th flight with no problems. Only 4 or so more planes to go! We are back at the hotel. Handed in our wash and reorganized to the trip to the Galapagos. A lot of packing and repacking on this adventure. I feel like we have been on several vacations packed into one. We decided to skip the museum tour in Quito this afternoon. I booked a massage and Geoff is relaxing. We will be dining in another restaurant tonight. Hope it's as good as the last one.
Just an update on the Adventures of S.... she survived the jungle with her trusty Kindle.. Although, not as adventurous as most, she did come to be healed by the shaman. Did it help? Who knows? I think I may have forgotten to mention that her knitting needles were confiscated by security going into Ecuador leaving her defenseless. Will let you know how it goes in the waters of the Galapagos.
Next time.... Off To See The Lizard
NOTE: I forgot to add the Quito photo album before leaving. Thanks to Tundragirl, it is now up along with jungle pix. Don't think we will have wifi in the Galapagos either so tonight is my last shot at posting for a while.
Just found the link to the photos from our bike ride in Peru: click here
Sunday, February 20
Bungle in the Jungle
Got back to the cabin and decided it was useless to shower, so we headed down to the main building and found some of our group enjoying cocktail hour. Joined right in with this mega bottle of beer for $3.00! Sophia gave a lecture on Ecuador - mostly about the political situation and the oil. Dinner was served soon. Family style with beef stew as an entree. Very tasty. We walked back to our abode, and took a relaxing shower. The rains are back and we are not sure if we will be able to go bird watching at 6am - darn!
Next time... I have no clue
Monday, February 21
Jungle Tours
Because the rains were so heavy, there were only 4 kids in school instead of the usual 15. We had a great visit. The teacher was very well educated, and even though Sophia had to translate, he made himself understood. He teaches grades 1-7 and has to be nurse, counselor and administrator as well as teacher. The school had received 4 new computers, but the problem was keeping the electrcity on, and when it was on, it fluctuated. The group decided when we go back to Coca, We will all chip in and buy a UPS or something to regulate the power. By the time we left the school, the sun had come out and the ponchos came off.
Next time .... Shamans and Cooking Class
Tuesday, February 22
Shamans and Cooking Class
Some of the group has gathered to go off on another 3 hour jungle walk. Me and a few others have passed up this opportunity. My foot is starting to really bother me and I think the rest will do it good. These walks are can be painfully slow. They stopped every few feet to explain something - first Hymie talks in Spanish and then Sophia has to translate - meanwhile, we are all just standing there and that is what has been the most painful. Others feel the same way and they don't have any foot problems. Geoff went, so he will take the pictures and report back. I am taking this opportunity to catch up on my reading. Till later...
 |
| Lemon Ants - YUM |
Next time... Coca Town
Wednesday, February 23
Touring Coca Town
Back in the long boat to go back over to Coca Town to the airport. Walked around town trying to find an electronics store that had an adequate UPS to give to the school we visited. Had some luck at the second store we found. The price was perfect, $75 - that made exactly $5 each (there are 15 of us). Hymie will take it to the school tomorrow. We all felt good about doing something other than pencils and erasers! Toured some more and took some local pictures. Hopped on the Jungle Bus to get to the airport. Plane was delayed an hour. Hung out at the cafe - Denny's - next door. Ordered some fruit shakes, which were out of this world and chatted with Washington, and Ecuadorian who works for the government national oil. Finally our plane arrived and we cleared our 7th flight with no problems. Only 4 or so more planes to go! We are back at the hotel. Handed in our wash and reorganized to the trip to the Galapagos. A lot of packing and repacking on this adventure. I feel like we have been on several vacations packed into one. We decided to skip the museum tour in Quito this afternoon. I booked a massage and Geoff is relaxing. We will be dining in another restaurant tonight. Hope it's as good as the last one.Just an update on the Adventures of S.... she survived the jungle with her trusty Kindle.. Although, not as adventurous as most, she did come to be healed by the shaman. Did it help? Who knows? I think I may have forgotten to mention that her knitting needles were confiscated by security going into Ecuador leaving her defenseless. Will let you know how it goes in the waters of the Galapagos.
Next time.... Off To See The Lizard
Saturday, February 19, 2011
City Tour of Quito
Just got down from the steam room and sauna, so I will try to write this fast, as I really need some sleep. Please note there are new pictures in Quito photo album. Also, this will be my last post until we return here in about 4 days. I will keep writing though.
After breakfast, Sophia gave an orientation of what is coming up. We also got to meet the new folks, Natalie, and Carol and Larry. They immediately blended right in with the group. When that was all done, you guessed it, back on the bus! Off we went, first stop the Crystal Palace. This is quite a structure built by the architect who built the Eiffel Tower. This building over looks all of the old city with great vistas and interesting sculptures. The Quito Basilica was next. Bought some shawls outside from the woman selling goods. The Basilica's main features were the gargoyles and the stained glass. One window, in particular, had all the variety of orchids that grow in Ecuador. We moved on to the Historical Center of the Grand Plaza. Here lies the Archbishops Palace and the National Building. The Ecuadorian version of the Statute of Liberty lies here as well. There was a World Press Photography exhibit going on so we took it all in. Back in the bus and a drive over to the San Francisco Plaza. Here you could get a good shot of the Winged Virgin Mary. Also took a tour of the Jesuit Church, where the walls are guilded with 24 carat gold! There was a wonderful fair trade shop and Geoff picked up a real Panama hat. Everyone agreed he looked dashing!
It was time for lunch, so headed over to the grounds of the museum of the Middle of the World. Where we were hosted by Maria, who cooked a fabulous lunch. We tried goat, which was delicious, and some different types of fruits and vegetables. Really like the babaco, which is a papaya variety. Since Maria owns the grounds and the museum, we took a tour after lunch. Ecuador lies right on the equator. In fact that is how it got its name. Quito, means middle of the earth. Qui meaning center and to, meaning earth. You can actually feel the gravitational difference when you step across the line from north to south. There is another monument about 150 meters away that was built before they could accurately measure the exact placement of the equator line. This is the "official" tourist monument but we know better and so did the Incas. All of their measurements were dead on.
On the way back, Sophia treated us for ice cream, which was more like a sherbet- no cream, no sugar, no milk - just pure fruit, made on the premises. It all tasted great. As soon as we got back, Geoff took off to try to find some glasses. He ran into Sophia and she lead him to a mall with great success! He can now see again.
We had a great day. Sophia filled our heads with Ecuadorian history and many stories of Simon Bolivar and others past and present. Our heads are swimming. We topped off the day, with a lovely dinner at the hotel. Geoff and I got the steak and it was delicious. We have packed a small bag for the Amazon and are excited about our first trip into the jungle. As for the Adventures of S, fortunately, no new disasters to report. She did, however, get herself a hired gun. Tonight she had a lovely massage and is resting comfortably. We will see what happens going down the Amazon. Speaking of which, we have an early call tomorrow, so I will say good night.
Next time... Welcome to the Jungle!
It was time for lunch, so headed over to the grounds of the museum of the Middle of the World. Where we were hosted by Maria, who cooked a fabulous lunch. We tried goat, which was delicious, and some different types of fruits and vegetables. Really like the babaco, which is a papaya variety. Since Maria owns the grounds and the museum, we took a tour after lunch. Ecuador lies right on the equator. In fact that is how it got its name. Quito, means middle of the earth. Qui meaning center and to, meaning earth. You can actually feel the gravitational difference when you step across the line from north to south. There is another monument about 150 meters away that was built before they could accurately measure the exact placement of the equator line. This is the "official" tourist monument but we know better and so did the Incas. All of their measurements were dead on.
We had a great day. Sophia filled our heads with Ecuadorian history and many stories of Simon Bolivar and others past and present. Our heads are swimming. We topped off the day, with a lovely dinner at the hotel. Geoff and I got the steak and it was delicious. We have packed a small bag for the Amazon and are excited about our first trip into the jungle. As for the Adventures of S, fortunately, no new disasters to report. She did, however, get herself a hired gun. Tonight she had a lovely massage and is resting comfortably. We will see what happens going down the Amazon. Speaking of which, we have an early call tomorrow, so I will say good night.Next time... Welcome to the Jungle!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Off to Quito, Ecuador
It was a Chinese fire drill getting up this morning at 5am. I blew out 2 hairdryers and they came up with a third. Then I realized in all the commotion of going back and forth to Machu Pichu last two days and me not feeling well, I forgot to take Jerry B. up there with me. I know this may sound strange to some, but our dear friend passed about 2 years ago and we have been traveling with his ashes and spreading them all over the world. He always wanted to travel and now he is. Anyway, I felt awful, knowing that I am not coming back here any time soon. On the bus ride to the airport, I talked to Benito about this as asked him if he would take some ashes up with him next time he goes. He thought it was a beautiful thing. He asked me where and I said "you decide" - "OK, I will spread them around the Temple of the Sun, the most sacred place." I really do think that he will do this. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and even teared up a bit. Benito is truly a wonderful man and he was a great guide for us. I left Cuzco feeling much relieved that Jerry B. will be well taken care of.
We are now sitting at the Cuzco airport waiting to board the flight to Lima. Only to sit there for three hours waiting to board the flight for Quito. We are in Quito for 2 days and I hope we have a chance to come up for air. At least be able to wash the traveling underpants! Wake up calls have been so early and by the time we get back to the hotel all you want to do is crawl into bed and sleep. This has been non-stop, but a great experience. Once again, I will say I am thankful for the folks we are traveling with. They are very diverse but all get along - no stragglers in this group! We will soon meet the rest of the group who will join us in Quito for the main tour. I think there are 3 or 4 of them. Machu Pichu was the optional pre-trip.
Hung around the Lima airport for a few hours before finally boarding the plane to Quito. Geoff and I pulled out the netbook and watched NOVA's special on Darwin "What He Didn't Know". All about his adventures in the Galapagos and evolution. We recommend it highly plus a friend of ours has a son who is an actor in it. The movie turned out to be longer than the flight. When I opened the window, I was greeted with a spectactular view of a great mountain top. The views going into Quito were tremendous. Quito is the captitol of Equador. There is an old part of the city, which we will see tomorrow, and a new part, which is where our hotel is located. Sophia met us at the gate and we were off. This hotel is a tres chic. The rooms are huge. Some of us decided to meet downstairs for a quick tour of the neighborhood with our guide, Sophia. She explained that when they built the new part of the city, they were influenced by European archecture. So although the churches and buildings have an old look, they were only built in the 1960's.
Got back to the hotel and freshened up for dinner. Made a call to Pete, Geoff's brother, to see if the softphone worked from the computer and it did. Very cool. Went to Mama Clorinda where everyone ate pretty hearty and the food was great. This city really rocks on Friday night, plus the full moon was out. There was music and people everywhere. Got back to the hotel and decided to take a tour of the gym and spa facilities. Guess what? The sauna and steam were free! Say no more - we'll be right back. However, Geoff realized that he was missing one of the lenses from his glasses. Went to the desk and they called the restaurant. No luck. Back upstairs to change and head for the sauna. Met up with Betsy and Glen and had a nice sweat. This place was great. coming back for the full works - massage, jacuzzi bath, and choclate strawberries when we get back from the jungle. We were sufficiently cooked, so we headed back down to the desk to check and see if they heard from the restaurant about the lens. Still no luck. He will have to get a pair of readers tomorrow. Too bad. Oh yeah, this was after he forgot his Grand Lake Stream hat on the bus in Cuzco. Think he got the Stephanie bug! So now we hunt for a hat and glasses. Oy vey.
For those keeping up with the Adventures of S, she got through today unscathed. However, it seems her karma has been transfered to another, Marilyn, who went through the Lima Airport in a tizzy because her watch was missing, only to find that the velcro strap had stuck to her fleece jacket going through security. It was hanging on her jacket the whole time. Next when we arrived at the Quito airport, the zipper on her luggage broke. Still working on how to either repair or replace that one. Stephanie, however, has enjoyed a trouble free day. No telling what tomorrow will bring.
Next time... Touring Quitor
For those keeping up with the Adventures of S, she got through today unscathed. However, it seems her karma has been transfered to another, Marilyn, who went through the Lima Airport in a tizzy because her watch was missing, only to find that the velcro strap had stuck to her fleece jacket going through security. It was hanging on her jacket the whole time. Next when we arrived at the Quito airport, the zipper on her luggage broke. Still working on how to either repair or replace that one. Stephanie, however, has enjoyed a trouble free day. No telling what tomorrow will bring.
Next time... Touring Quitor
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Two Day Update
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Lost City of the Incas - Day 1
No wifi in Machu Pichu so this post will have to wait till we get back to Cuzco. I was also informed that we may have some new comers to this blog - friends and/or relatives of our fellow travelers. Welcome and please note that the photo albums are clickable on the left sidebar. All comments are welcome just click below the post.
First, I will start with last night's dinner. Finally tried the Alpaca and could have done without it. I think it just wasn't cooked good. Nobody really liked their food too much so we were all a bit disapointed. Up until then the food had been great. Ok enough of that.
Inca St. in Ollantaytambo
WOW! What a day. It started for us about 1am when we both got hit with some sort of nasty bug. All I can say is "Thank God for Cipro." I won't bore all of you with the ugly details. We did manage to have an extraordinary day even though we are a bit weary and very drained.Skipped breakfast, needless to say, and boarded the bus for a 2 hour ride to Ollantaytambo. Once there, Benito handed out our lunch boxes for the train ride up to Machu Pichu. Left our stuff in the bus for a short tour around this fascinating town. We walked down the narrow Inca streets, visited an Inca home, and learned more about the culture and lives of the Inca. We were fortunate that the sun was out and it was warming up.
From here we took another van to the train station where we had about an hour to kill. I finally had one of my protein bars and was feeling a bit better, so I grabbed some pix of the group and Bruce. Bruce is from another OAT group and we sat with him on the plane over. He's from CT. A real sweetie. The train ride was amazing and extremely comfortable. We sat and ate our lunch as we watched the Urubamaba River roll by. This is the head water for the Amazon River, which happens to be the largest in the world. Larger than all the US rivers put together. We will get our shot at it next week. The ride was about 1 hour or so long. The sun kept teasing us - going in and out. It would rain then it wouldn't then it would. Ce la vie!
Reached Machu Pichu and we all kept pinching ourselves that we were actually here. This is truly an awe inspiring place that one has to experience for themselves. Words can not do it justice. The Incas were an amazing civilization. Machu Pichu was built as the King's summer get-away. You can be nothing but in awe of their archecture. The giant stones so perfectly cut and positioned. There was also a sundial that was positioned exactly between Machu Pichu (old mountain) and Wayna Pichu (Young Mountain) - and between Vericona Mountain and Puma Sillu Mountain. A stone compass was also found with each corner pointing N,E,S,W. Benito put his own compass down and it read true north. The sun went in and the rain came out, aimed at theSouthern Cross. But not much deterred us from pressing on. The one good thing about going in the rainy season is that there are very few tourists, so at least they don't clutter the photography. We walked up to the guard house which sits as a look out between the Inca trail and the trail going up Wayna Pichu. This is the highest point on Machu Pichu. We have a great group and everyone did fine. We stayed until the closing bell, trekked down and got our passports stamped with the Machu Pichu stamp. Very cool.
Back in the bus and back into town to check into our hotel. Everyone else went out to dinner tonight. Geoff and I are staying in eating saltines! I think our bodies need the rest.
Tomorrow we go back for round 2. We were going to trek up the Sun Gate for some spectacular views but without the sun it probably won't be worth it. So we voted on touring the lower part that we missed today.
This just in.... If you recall Stephanie, who lost her luggage, was not given a seat on the plane, and was bopped in the head with a ski pole getting off the plane, got bopped in the head again on the bus coming back from the mountain, Hope this is the end of her misgivings there is a lot of time still left.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Lost City of the Incas - Day 2
Leisurely morning before boarding the bus back up the mountain. Benito and Eddie took us on a tour of the lower Machu Pichu sites. When we arrived the fog was moving in and the feeling was just overwhelmingly mystical. It was a sight you really don't see in the postcards. Going down beneath the Temple of the Sun, where they kept the virgins. We continued to a large opening where the people would gather for ceremonies. Here, there once stood a great monolith with a hole for the sun to shine through. However, within the last 8-10 years, the king and queen of Spain had it removed for their helipad. Another interesting note we learned today - there was never any evidence of gold or silver found at Machu Pichu. Only one gold bracelet was found by an American geologist while studying the drainage system of the terraces. This was found by the tree 
that sits in the middle of the site (put there only 20 years ago or so). On to the entrance for the Wayan Pichu Trail and then to the houses built from 2 stones with windows that looked through to each room and up to the Temple of the Three Windows. Eddie showed us to the mirror pools that they fill with clean water and they would reflect the stars. This was their astronomy tool. Down to the Temple of the Condor. Looking closely you can see the two wings. The head is on the ground. There was, as always, the sacrificial altar. Along the way, we passed not only some orchids, wild ginger, and a couple andean chincillas - not to forget the little millepede. The rain, nothing new to us now, starting come down pretty hard and it was close to lunch. Went to a very nice restaurant in town - had the chicken soup, trout, and to top it all off, quinoa mousse - which was to die for - have to get the recipe for that.
Back on the train to the bus which took us to one of the most beautiful ceramics shop I have ever seen. We were fortunate enough to meet the owner, Paublo Seminario, internationally famous for bringing back customs of Incan and pre-Incan ceramics along with his contemporary works. We were given a wonderful tour of the workshop studios, Where artists work among the flora and fauna and a parrot that says Hola! All were thoroughly impressed, and bought lots souvenirs.
Right now, I am writing this on the bus ride back to Cusco. We made one photo-op stop to get the glaciers of Mt. Vericona and Puma Wanka. This is our last night in Cusco. We are up at 5am tomorrow to catch an 8am plane to Quito, Ecuador. The Amazon awaits.
BTW - Stephanie lost her luggage once again. Happily she has gotten it back. What will happen next in the adventures of S?
Next time..... Quito, Ecuador
The Lost City of the Incas - Day 1
No wifi in Machu Pichu so this post will have to wait till we get back to Cuzco. I was also informed that we may have some new comers to this blog - friends and/or relatives of our fellow travelers. Welcome and please note that the photo albums are clickable on the left sidebar. All comments are welcome just click below the post.
First, I will start with last night's dinner. Finally tried the Alpaca and could have done without it. I think it just wasn't cooked good. Nobody really liked their food too much so we were all a bit disapointed. Up until then the food had been great. Ok enough of that.
Inca St. in Ollantaytambo
WOW! What a day. It started for us about 1am when we both got hit with some sort of nasty bug. All I can say is "Thank God for Cipro." I won't bore all of you with the ugly details. We did manage to have an extraordinary day even though we are a bit weary and very drained.Skipped breakfast, needless to say, and boarded the bus for a 2 hour ride to Ollantaytambo. Once there, Benito handed out our lunch boxes for the train ride up to Machu Pichu. Left our stuff in the bus for a short tour around this fascinating town. We walked down the narrow Inca streets, visited an Inca home, and learned more about the culture and lives of the Inca. We were fortunate that the sun was out and it was warming up.From here we took another van to the train station where we had about an hour to kill. I finally had one of my protein bars and was feeling a bit better, so I grabbed some pix of the group and Bruce. Bruce is from another OAT group and we sat with him on the plane over. He's from CT. A real sweetie. The train ride was amazing and extremely comfortable. We sat and ate our lunch as we watched the Urubamaba River roll by. This is the head water for the Amazon River, which happens to be the largest in the world. Larger than all the US rivers put together. We will get our shot at it next week. The ride was about 1 hour or so long. The sun kept teasing us - going in and out. It would rain then it wouldn't then it would. Ce la vie!
 |
| The Lost City of the Incas |
Back in the bus and back into town to check into our hotel. Everyone else went out to dinner tonight. Geoff and I are staying in eating saltines! I think our bodies need the rest.
Tomorrow we go back for round 2. We were going to trek up the Sun Gate for some spectacular views but without the sun it probably won't be worth it. So we voted on touring the lower part that we missed today.
This just in.... If you recall Stephanie, who lost her luggage, was not given a seat on the plane, and was bopped in the head with a ski pole getting off the plane, got bopped in the head again on the bus coming back from the mountain, Hope this is the end of her misgivings there is a lot of time still left.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Lost City of the Incas - Day 2
that sits in the middle of the site (put there only 20 years ago or so). On to the entrance for the Wayan Pichu Trail and then to the houses built from 2 stones with windows that looked through to each room and up to the Temple of the Three Windows. Eddie showed us to the mirror pools that they fill with clean water and they would reflect the stars. This was their astronomy tool. Down to the Temple of the Condor. Looking closely you can see the two wings. The head is on the ground. There was, as always, the sacrificial altar. Along the way, we passed not only some orchids, wild ginger, and a couple andean chincillas - not to forget the little millepede. The rain, nothing new to us now, starting come down pretty hard and it was close to lunch. Went to a very nice restaurant in town - had the chicken soup, trout, and to top it all off, quinoa mousse - which was to die for - have to get the recipe for that. |
| 2000yr old pre-incan bowl |
Right now, I am writing this on the bus ride back to Cusco. We made one photo-op stop to get the glaciers of Mt. Vericona and Puma Wanka. This is our last night in Cusco. We are up at 5am tomorrow to catch an 8am plane to Quito, Ecuador. The Amazon awaits.
BTW - Stephanie lost her luggage once again. Happily she has gotten it back. What will happen next in the adventures of S?
Next time..... Quito, Ecuador
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Inca Ruins
NOTE: Please check the Cuzco, Peru Photo Album for more pictures.
Miracles of miracles, the sun came out this morning. We were all loaded on the bus by 7:15am and headed out to Saqsayhuaman. This is an archaeological site that they are continually working on. The Inca archecture is amazing. These stones are absolutely huge and perfecty cut. We walked around and took lots of pictures. Then it was back in bus to go to Q'engo. Here was a ruin of a great Puma. The Incas worshipped, the puma, the condor, and the anaconda as well as the sun, moon, stars and earth. Benito lead down to the sacrificial caves where once a year they held their sacrifices. They sacrificed black llamas and for special occassions, yes you guessed it, they brought out the virgin. There is a picture of the sacrificial throne.
From the ruins we moved on to the so-called alpaca factory. Not so much a factory but a store. Looked around- some folks bought some stuff. It waa back in the bus and up to our highest altitude 11,600 ft. to visit the giant Jesus Blanco on the hill, who happened to be a ironically enough, a muslim Jesus donated by some Palestinians. Our next stop was the market. This is a very colorful place. Most folks come to here to grab a cheap meal as well as shop. We learned about fruits, grains, and lots of corn.
It was lunch time by the time we left the market. Benito took us to a family's house in a middle class neighborhood. Our hosts were very generous and the food was delicious. It was a very traditional Peruvian meal. Purple corn drink, tasted like regular fruit driink. Quinua soup to start. Rice, some sort of corn and flour national dish, plus a corn tortilla, and an additional small piece of large kernal white corn. Dessert was even made from the purple corn, Lots of corn cooked lots of ways all very good Christine, our host, brought out the national entree of fried guinea pig. We all got a good look before she hacked it up into pieces so we could try it. Can't say I got very excited about it.. The families raise their own guinea pigs, and we saw where this family was raising theirs. All in all, it was an excellent experience.
We were dead tired when we got back to the hotel at 2ish. But someone suggested the Inca Museum where they have an old mummy exhibit. So we took a 30 minute recess and met them back down in the lobby. It was pouring now and a cab was in order. Got to the museum and the girls hired a guide. This would have been great but he was explaining each piece of ceramic and every statute, that I just could not stand on my feet any longer. Geoff and I pulled away from the group and did the museum on our own. We were not allowed to take pictures inside so that is why I don't have any. It is too bad because the mummies were amazing. I can't even describe what they looked like. The rain stopped and we hobbled back to the hotel. They sent up some cocoa tea and we are now resting up before dinner. This will be at a local restaurant tonight - we ordered the alpaca for dinner. When in Rome!
Next time.... The Mystical Machu Pichu
We were dead tired when we got back to the hotel at 2ish. But someone suggested the Inca Museum where they have an old mummy exhibit. So we took a 30 minute recess and met them back down in the lobby. It was pouring now and a cab was in order. Got to the museum and the girls hired a guide. This would have been great but he was explaining each piece of ceramic and every statute, that I just could not stand on my feet any longer. Geoff and I pulled away from the group and did the museum on our own. We were not allowed to take pictures inside so that is why I don't have any. It is too bad because the mummies were amazing. I can't even describe what they looked like. The rain stopped and we hobbled back to the hotel. They sent up some cocoa tea and we are now resting up before dinner. This will be at a local restaurant tonight - we ordered the alpaca for dinner. When in Rome!
Next time.... The Mystical Machu Pichu
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day
 |
| Ken & Geoff handing out cookies |
Dinner was at the hotel tonight and, as usual, the food was delicious. A couple of Peruvian musicians came in to entertain us and sell their CD. We bought one at lunch but passed on this one - too many Beatle covers.
We did so much today that this is really just a taste of what we learned. I also have to say that we have a very nice group. All my worries were for naught - as usual.
Next time... Alpaca lunch?
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Welcome to Lima
Touched down at 5:11 am right on time. Have to say that the LAN plane was very nice. We made it through customs with only one couple missing luggage. Since it was so early, it was hard to determine exactly what the weather was or would be. Arrived at our lovely Hotel Carmel and checked in to what feels like a suite. This room is huge - with a kitchenette, jacuzzi tub - it is bright and sunny and just two blocks from the heart of Miraflores. Took a short nap, when we awoke, the sun was up and the skies were clear and the temperature is a lovely 75 degrees. We have to enjoy it now, because it is cold and raining where we are going next.
Stopped at the desk after breakfast for a map and guide book and headed out. Our walk took us through Central Park and KennedyPark,which is surrounded by local artists selling their wares, to the Municipal Building and a beautiful church that was in the middle ofSunday Mass. We ran into a bicycle advocate group that was holding a special event this weekend. We were too late for the bike Lima tour, but we got invited to join their "critical mass" event this evening at 5pm and cycle Miraflores. Fantastic! Just what we love. Continued on and got some information atthe information center and decided to head towards the ocean. As we got closer, we got a taste of the infamous Lima fog. They have a huge market area on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It resembles Quincy Market right down to the same stores. We had lunch at a place that wasn't American and set off again back to the Central Park to try to catch the 1:30 tour bus. Made it back in plenty of time but found out the tour was 4 hours. Couldn't do it - besides we would miss our 5pm bike tour.
Walked some more down to the Peruvian Arts & Crafts - no big whoop there. Think we will hold off souvenirs till we get to the villages. Stopped for a coffee break and headed back to the hotel to rest up for some biking. Most of our group was sitting in the lobby waiting for their tour bus. We were invited but turned them down - theirs was only 3 1/2 hours but still a long time inside a bus. We will have plenty of that to come. I don't think we will miss too much. Would rather be out with the people on the bikes.
So, I am sitting here typing and resting and hoping the Celtics are whipping the Heat. Later...
Just listened to the end of the game streaming WEEI - technology is a wonderful thing. Celtics beat Miami 85-82. They ROCK!
Got it together after the game and went back to the park to meet up with the biking group. Oops - not leaving till 6pm. More time to kill. There was plenty to see. Sunday is big stuff here - dancing in the park, flea markets, lots of people watching. We did some more walking and then went back to Jose to get our bikes. I settled on this funky little one that at least had hand brakes. It was a real trip to ride. Geoff got the beach cruiser. It took a bit of time to organize but eventually we all took off. Have to say there were around 50 cyclists. We did a great tour of the city with a beautiful ride down by the shore at sunset. Too bad I couldn't stop to take some pix. There was a photog riding with us taking shots, so we may end up on their web site in a day or two. Will let you know. We had a blast, made some friends, and were real happy we decided not to go on the tour.
Got back to the hotel at around 7 to find Betsy and Glen (our youngest members) at the front desk asking about dinner places. After much discussion, we all decided to go out together to a small place G & I spotted in our travels that was close. We were all pretty tired. Their 3 hour tour turned into 5 hours - doubly glad we didn't go. Took a quick shower and we all headed back down the street. Split a grande portion of cerviche which was to die for. Geoff & I split the Chiliean Sea Bass - another good dish. B & G had some ravioli thing that was also tasty. There was good conversation - turns out their son works in Burlington, VT at the University and one of their daughters goes to Wellesley. They hail from outside Chicago. We had a wonderful time to top off our wonderful day. Hope we can manage to keep our spirits high in the rains at Cuzco.
Back in the lobby, ran into Cora who notified us that Rusty was not feeling well. Hope he recovers soon. Also hope those other people get their luggage at the airport tomorrow.
"When do we put the luggage out?" 7:00am "What time does the bus come?" 7:15am
Next time ... Cuzco, Peru
Stopped at the desk after breakfast for a map and guide book and headed out. Our walk took us through Central Park and KennedyPark,which is surrounded by local artists selling their wares, to the Municipal Building and a beautiful church that was in the middle ofSunday Mass. We ran into a bicycle advocate group that was holding a special event this weekend. We were too late for the bike Lima tour, but we got invited to join their "critical mass" event this evening at 5pm and cycle Miraflores. Fantastic! Just what we love. Continued on and got some information atthe information center and decided to head towards the ocean. As we got closer, we got a taste of the infamous Lima fog. They have a huge market area on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It resembles Quincy Market right down to the same stores. We had lunch at a place that wasn't American and set off again back to the Central Park to try to catch the 1:30 tour bus. Made it back in plenty of time but found out the tour was 4 hours. Couldn't do it - besides we would miss our 5pm bike tour.Walked some more down to the Peruvian Arts & Crafts - no big whoop there. Think we will hold off souvenirs till we get to the villages. Stopped for a coffee break and headed back to the hotel to rest up for some biking. Most of our group was sitting in the lobby waiting for their tour bus. We were invited but turned them down - theirs was only 3 1/2 hours but still a long time inside a bus. We will have plenty of that to come. I don't think we will miss too much. Would rather be out with the people on the bikes.
So, I am sitting here typing and resting and hoping the Celtics are whipping the Heat. Later...
Just listened to the end of the game streaming WEEI - technology is a wonderful thing. Celtics beat Miami 85-82. They ROCK!
Got it together after the game and went back to the park to meet up with the biking group. Oops - not leaving till 6pm. More time to kill. There was plenty to see. Sunday is big stuff here - dancing in the park, flea markets, lots of people watching. We did some more walking and then went back to Jose to get our bikes. I settled on this funky little one that at least had hand brakes. It was a real trip to ride. Geoff got the beach cruiser. It took a bit of time to organize but eventually we all took off. Have to say there were around 50 cyclists. We did a great tour of the city with a beautiful ride down by the shore at sunset. Too bad I couldn't stop to take some pix. There was a photog riding with us taking shots, so we may end up on their web site in a day or two. Will let you know. We had a blast, made some friends, and were real happy we decided not to go on the tour.Got back to the hotel at around 7 to find Betsy and Glen (our youngest members) at the front desk asking about dinner places. After much discussion, we all decided to go out together to a small place G & I spotted in our travels that was close. We were all pretty tired. Their 3 hour tour turned into 5 hours - doubly glad we didn't go. Took a quick shower and we all headed back down the street. Split a grande portion of cerviche which was to die for. Geoff & I split the Chiliean Sea Bass - another good dish. B & G had some ravioli thing that was also tasty. There was good conversation - turns out their son works in Burlington, VT at the University and one of their daughters goes to Wellesley. They hail from outside Chicago. We had a wonderful time to top off our wonderful day. Hope we can manage to keep our spirits high in the rains at Cuzco.
Back in the lobby, ran into Cora who notified us that Rusty was not feeling well. Hope he recovers soon. Also hope those other people get their luggage at the airport tomorrow.
"When do we put the luggage out?" 7:00am "What time does the bus come?" 7:15am
Next time ... Cuzco, Peru
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