Buenos Aires May 28 to June 2

Mom and Gram arrived.  Forrest has developed a cold, probably from a weakened immune due to the strong allergic reaction to the mold from the other apartment.  So we ran around trying to get him stuff to make him fight it.  We have gone grocery shopping and are settling in more.  

Mom and Gram arrived this morning after travelling a full day.  They were visibly tired but were in good spirits and wanted to go do something.  We were heading into downtown to American Express and so they went with us riding the Subway.  Afterwards we went grocery shopping again to cook in house the first night.

The next day we went and took the bus tour to see the city.  It's fairly new this particular service and is on a double decker bus.  They arent necessarily our favorite things to do (any of us) but the buses are new, clean, and have some neat audio systems that have 10 languages to choose from as you are guided through the city to see major sights. you  can get on and off as you like at the set stops.  You buy a two day pass.  We only ended up doing the one afternoon but we saw some neat areas that we want to go back to.   We went out and had dinner that evening, which is about the latest place to eat dinner we have been so far.  But we had a very good steak dinner and the service was great.   The theme in this city so far is great food, lots of transportation, good service and a very friendly people which is so unusual for such a large city as this.  

Saturday was rainy and so we stayed in.  The next day we headed to the Plaza Frances to go to see the Mausoleum which is an incredible site.  Its a massive "park" with blocks and blocks (almost a city itself) of crypts and mausoleums.  Each one different and ornate and having a unique theme.  I dont usually like things like that but this was definately an amazing thing to see.  Afterwards we headed into the street market.  There were people still setting up but a lot had already gotten their wares ready.  It was a very large market all outdoors with specific booths for people to claim.  It was fun to see all of the great stuff.  Some very unique handmade and then some things you could buy anywhere.  But mostly some great handicrafts.  Mom and i were becoming obsessed with the various Tango art.  

The next day we did errands and then in the evening decided to take Gram to the casino.  It is on two river boats parked next to each other.  It was an interesting complex but none of us were very impressed by how anything was paying.  While out the next day we decided to book a Tango show and then a trip over to Colonia, Uruguay by passenger ferry.  We are going to do those later this week.  More to come on those.  

Guayaquil to Buenos Aires May 25 - 28

After some quick respite in Guayaquil, Ecuador we got on a flight (LAN) to Buenos Aires.  The flight was not the best we have had on LAN (Very crowded, full flight and the seating wasnt the best).  Up to now we have been so happy, and still are, with LAN.  It was a long flight first to Santiago where we disembarked and then got back on the flight as it continued on to Buenos Aires.  The plane wasnt full and so we were able to spread out.  We were definately tired by the time we got in the next morning.

We were met by the manager of the apartment rental place (property management).  Forrest had reserved a nice spot between Recoletta and Palermo.  It was a great old building.  The elevator required you to open and close two doors for it to work.  The apartment itself was very cute and we quickly unpacked and settled in.  We were both tired and so didnt really push it that first night.  We wanted to start getting things set up before mom and gram arrived on thursday.  

We woke up the next morning and Forrest went to have a shower.  He was having a coughing fit.  He wasnt not feeling well.  Then i had my shower and had the same problem.  The bathroom had water damage (the manager had shared) but as we all thought it wasnt an issue in the end we found out that there was some serious mold and mildew issues going on in the bathroom and part of the master room.  We ended up calling the management firm and told them we needed to leave.  Forrest was getting sicker by the minute.  He is extremely allergic to mold and mildew and i discovered i was mildly.  I never saw him get so ill so quickly.  That is saying something. 

We had to pack up all our things and haul our stuff up the street 14 blocks closer to Barrio Norte.  The rental firm sent a very nice young woman to help us haul our stuff and call cabs.  (a slight issue in Buenos Aires).  The new apartment is more modern and is right on one of the main roads of the city.  It wasnt as quaint as the other but it was dry.  Since it was a smaller space we decided to rent a studio right next door to us.  It is cute but not very big.  But at least they have their own space but also are the room next door and so close.  We had to spend another day settling in.  We were so fed up we decided to stop and find a movie theater and to go see a movie.  We have been so behind in movies.  So we went to go see "Star Trek."  It was in Spanish Subtitles and was down by the docks.  There was a lot of restaurants down there and night clubs but neither of us was really in the mood for a late night.  We still had some "settling in " errands to finish before mom and gram arrived.

up to to now though we have met some very nice people and everyone here seems so helpful, and really nice.  Our limited Spanish is being put to the test as they have a very different dialect here.  You can tell they have a strong Italian influence. But as long as you try people are very understanding and helpful and willing to lend a hand.

Back to Guayaquil May 23 24

The next day Endeavor anchored off of the docks where this whole trip started.  We had spent the evening cruise with a huge barbeque and viewing the trip video that the videographer had made.  We also squeezed in some packing and preparing for the journey back to Guayaquil.

We zodiaked off the ship looking back at the boat that had been our home for one week.  She had been our tour guide to an archipeligo that was unique, full of surprises and wonders (sorry to sound cliche) and experiences none of us will forget.  I know i for one will relish every special moment, every animal i encountered who was a intrigued by me as i was by it.  The Galapagos has always been my dream trip and i am very thankful to have had the opportunity to experience it.  If i am lucky i will get to go  back again but if not the people i met and the animals who bedazzled me will forever stay as very fond memories.  It was like nothing we expected and in some ways it was exactly how we imagined.  

We arrived at the airport from the docks by coach bus and as usual Lindblad had it all organized like clockwork.  We had to do very little. Lindblad does amazing trips and i encourage anyone who is lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to not let it slip by.  It will be the most unique thing will do in its class and if you have a special occasion, one that will be unforgetable.

We arrived Guayaquil and everyone split ways.  In the end Forrest and i were the last to leave, heading off to Buenos Aires. We had a long flight ahead of us but with Machu Pichu and the Galapagos behind us we werent quite sure what BA would have to offer.  Though we are looking forward to a few weeks of respite and no travel.

Cerro Dragon, Sombrero Chino and bartolome May 21 and 22

We arrived in Cerro Dragon early and there was an option to get up before God again which this time i passed on.  Essentially it was a hike up 300+ steps to reach the top of a "peak" (more like hill) to over look a volcanic landscape that apparently was impressive.  If any of you have watched Master and Commander the movie there is a scene on it that was filmed from this vantage point.  

Later on we went to our last snorkel site on the same island.  First we did a wet landing and walked across the thin section of the island to reach the other beach.  Here we saw white tip reef sharks coming right up to the shallows of the beach, their dorsal fins wagging in the surf.  There had to be at least half a dozen.   Forrest and i had swam with these in several places and had no fear of them.  i was ankle deep in the water trying to get a good shot of the silhouette of the shark with their dorsal protuding but the shot never came.  There were very interesting rock formations on this side of the island and the beach was full of life (Sea Lions, birds, and crabs).  

We walked back over to the other beach where we were told to drop our snorkel gear.  This side was teaming with life also.  Penguins were on the hunt underwater and the diversity of fish their colors matched if not surpassed anything we have seen to date.  i even swam with a school of Damsel fish(if you have seen Finding Nemo, "Dori") that were as big as my torso and the prettiest blue with yellow tail fins.  They let me swim with them as they grazed on the bottow floor.

The next day was a peaceful day.  Up to now the staff kept us VERY busy.  This day we had our last outing on Bartolome, Friday.  Not many people took this excursion so Forrest, Helen and I went with three of the photographers and a naturalist.  We were a very small group and very specialized.  At this point (actually the day before) i had the photo bug.  i was enjoying taking photos and really looking how to get a different or best shot and asking LOTS of questions.  The photographers were being very good about it all.  And always helpful.  There were no new species and the trip was slow but very enjoyable as the seven of us meandered the island. I think the best part of it all was that we found the Sally Lightfoot Crabs doing mating dances and we found a female who was "airing" her "egg hatch" which was full of eggs.  We all got some good pictures of her.

Santa Cruz May 20

The next day we arrived at Santa Cruz.  It is on this island where the most people live.  Puerto Ayora is a small port community with quaint shops and avenues.  From the dock we walked up to Darwin Research Station.  It is from here that all of the many research studies and the restoration projects are directed.  There are hundreds  of scientists and naturalists working hard to preserve the bio-diversity and endemic species to these islands.  

Because of the islands unique geographic placement they have seen some interesting immigration and use of the islands.  From Pirates who hid amongst the island chains, to whalers and seafarers who stopped by for provisions (including Giant Torti who can survive without food or water for up to two years guaranteeing fresh meat on long voyages).  To these same seafarers and local colonizers who brought with them alien species that have put added pressure to the islands.  From goats, to cattle, to cats, dogs, rats and birds there are radical restoration projects underway to stop the decline of of the endemic species of plant and animal.  At the Darwin Station one of the more successful programs is repopulating islands of the Galapagos with their endemic species (or subspecies) of Giant Torti.  This includes the eradication of alienn species.  On island has been made pristine again through the culling of thousands of goats.  And the Torti project is just one of many that they are focusing on to turn the tide and preserve this world heritage site.

It was here that we saw the Giant Tortoise, the one species that for me defined the Galapagos the most and the one for which the archipeligo got its name. Meaning "saddle" the name refers to the saddle-like shape of some of the species of Giant Torti found on the islands.

My affinity for turtles is strong as many of you know.  This was the hightlight of this trip for me.  Being so close and being able to watch and touch them brought it all closer for me.  And to see the dozens of baby Torti they were successfully breeding was amazing.  Even i, who knew the importance of every one of those animals, wanted to take one home they were so cute.  

Isabela and Fernandina Islands - May 19

Today was a very slow day for myself.  I only did one of the three excursions offered but Forrest did them all.  We crossed over the equator northward and are now situated on the western edge of the archipeligo.  Early in the morning there was an announcement to the whole boat (5:30) that the ship was sailing past the western most edge of Fernandina Island.  This is the newest of all the islands (300,000 years old) and is the most volcanically active (last major volcanic activity three weeks  ago).  It looked like an island in turmoil and the edges of the shore were in this lateset area were covered in lava flow.  There was some life in amidst this but most of the life on this island was on the edges (marine).  

We were sailing along the coast because of the unique situation of this island.  It was literally balancing on the edge .  West only a little ways off was the edge of the continental shelf where the cold under current pushes up and meets the warm equatorial current (or counter current) sometimes creating marine fog and unusual cooler waters for this area.  These conditions create a literal soup of rich organisms that the animals take advantage of here in the Galapagos.  This side of the island is known for seeing a rich diversity of marine life (like whales, fish, etc) who can take advantage of these conditions.  

Later, after breakfast we headed back to Isabela to Punto Vicente Roca to take a Zodiak ride around the edges of this unique area of Isabela.  The largest of all the islands and the one that is shaped a little like a Seahorse, we were exploring around the head (northernmost).  We were not getting on the shore but the zodiak was taking us along it.  This is where we saw our first penquins (only one the rest were swimming we later found out) and the flightless Cormorant. 

We were then taken back to the ship to put on our snorkel gear and zodiaked back to those waters.  This was cool as the Penguins were swimming and fishing and were not afraid of us so we were in and amongst them.  A few of the Cormorants were in the water too.

The afternoon we were taken back to Fernandina on the northeastern tip.  It was here that we landed at Punta Espinosa.  This was a great outing as there was just so much to see.  Tons of flightless cormorants, snakes, marine iquanas by the hundreds (some swimming between little rocky out croppings, there were tidal pools (one even had a sea turtle in it).  The ground at the shore was ropy, pumicy hardened lava and so was super slick. Three photographers fell (backwards and always protecting their equipment).  They had some skinned and bruised knees though.  We saw a juvenile sea turtle, two Great Herons, tons of Sea Lions, Crabs and even a Hawk.  These shores were rich in wildlife.  This island had a good sized (if not young) mangrove just off of the lava field but it was starting to claim the lava too.  There was an endemic (which is incredible considering the youth of this island) Cactus that grows off of the lava.  It is the primary colonizer, and breaks the lava down into gritty sand readying it for the Secondary plants that come in and continue the process of creating soil.