April 02nd
I decided to check out a different beach today. From Puerto Ayora dock, you pay $0.80 for a taxi across the harbour to Finch Bay Hotel landing. From here you walk in to Playa de los Alemanes, which is not that nice of a beach, but still worth a quick visit.
I continued on the path, but took the long way in through Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel to check out what they had to offer. Continuing my walk on the path about another kilometre, I made it to Las Grietas.
There were steps that go down to this “lake” in the crack. It is actually salt water from the ocean, which is mind boggling seeing how it is a fair distance inland. I had to check this out. There was a group with a guide and I asked him if it was okay to jump in off the platform, he nodded his head yes. As I jumped, to ladies started to scream! I didn’t know what that was about, but I guess they were not expecting anyone to jump in off the landing and it surprised them. LOL
After swimming to the far end, which was not that far, I just lay on the water and looked up at the cliffs on both sides. At the far end rocks had fallen from one side of the cliff and blocked you from swimming further. It was possible to climb over the rocks and continue to swim, but it was not that much longer on the other side.
After a nice cool morning swim, I took a hike up a side path that goes along close to the edge where I was swimming. It certainly gave a different perspective of the landscape and how pristine the water was.
At the end was a beautiful viewpoint of the ocean and you could also see part of Puerto Ayora.
I walked back towards the taxi point and read a couple signs that explained about taking salt off of the flats.
This time I continued taking the short part of the loop back to the beach. A few people were relaxing on the beach as I made my way back to the taxi pick up point.
After a few minutes I got picked up, paid the 0.80 cents and headed back to my hostel as it was another hot, hot day.
April 3rd
This morning I headed out early to visit Tortuga Bay again. From the station where you sign in, it is 2.25km to the beach and another 1km to the other beach.
When I got to the end of the first beach, I went over to a pool of water and saw about 15 small sharks swimming in the pool. The tide had gone out so they were trapped in here until the tide came in. While watching the little sharks swimming around a pelican dived into the pool for a fish. Then it decided to swim around for awhile. I had set my camera gear down and was taking some photo’s and when I turned around I saw about 18 marine iguanas heading for the pool of water. I went to one end of the pool and saw some movement on the volcanic rocks. There were over 20 iguanas that blended into the rocks.
I heard a hiss sound by my feet and jumped back about two feet. There was an iguana right by the rocks and where I was standing … I didn’t see it. LOL
I watched the iguanas go into the ocean pool and make their way down to the far end of the pond to the ocean. It was interesting to see that once they entered the water, they curl their feet in and by moving their tail back and forth are able to quickly “swim” … such an interesting site.
After observing them for about an hour, I made my way to the other beach. It was a nice day to lay in the shade on the sand and let your thoughts drift away.
Next thing I knew three hours had gone by. I got up to leave and was it ever hot. Was glad to get to my accommodation and rest in an A/C room with a cold “pop”. A great morning at the beach.
After 6:30pm, I walked down to the waterfront to see what could observe in the harbour. Saw a few fish and black-tailed baby sharks. A young lad, teenager from California, came up to me and we started to chat. He explained what he had seen and where he had been. Somehow we got talking about what day it was and I thought it was Tuesday. He was certain it was Monday, that their flight was on Tuesday. I looked again at my phone and it said it was Tuesday … I don’t know why it changed, but it did. As I said to the young lad, I am in vacation mode and don’t really know what day it is. LOL
About 7:15pm, I went to Los Kioskos for supper. This is the street that is blocked off after 6pm and tables are brought out from all the restaurants. This street is a block long of nothing but restaurants on both sides of the street. After finding a place to eat, I sat down and just love to people watch.
I was a little upset to see many tourists walking up and down the restaurant street and would ignore the person offering them to see the menu. In many countries the person offering the menu is aggressive, but this is not the case in South America. A common courtesy here is to look at them and say, “No, gracias”. They do not chase after you, they do not curse at you; they are only offering you their menu to view. In one situation, a group of about 6 people, around 25-30 years of age, were walking through this street all with a beer in hand. One of the waiters held out his menu and the first guy knocked his hand out of the way and kept on walking without saying a word. At the end of the street they went up the other side and were just as rude. This was just a little side rant, but a little common courtesy can go a long way.
I had a wonderful meal and it was time to walk back to my accommodations. Another great day!
April 04th
Chill morning and afternoon spent in town. Went to wharf and watched the seals, pelicans, black-tailed baby sharks, and watched the locals play volleyball … different rules than Canada.
