Saturday, June 25, 2011
Welcome to the Jungle
Wow - where to start...
We've not had internet for the past three days - stayed in some very remote areas of the jungle. So many amazing stories to tell! Let me at least start with some lists of foods we have eaten
(in addition to the Guinea pig....)
lemon ants, steamed worms cooked in leaves, lots of plantain at every meal as well as 63 different varieties of potatoes - I think we've tried half of them. Yucca, fresh pineapple, quave, hearts of palm fresh on the trail, blood from trees that bleed (medicinal jungle juice), quicho - made with bottled water and NOT fermented, various green things from the jungle, fresh radishes, cukes, and lots of onion hot sauces. Home grown eggs, chicken, beef, and pork - and of course on the idlands fresh fish every day along with soup of the day, celery, avocado, potato, and other's that tasted great too.
Now between eating, we managed to get some serious hiking done. Our hike in the jungle included a rope swing - those brave enough to try it enjoy being Tarzan for a few seconds. Unfortunately Steven and Daniel slipped off and got to experience the jungle's cushioned floor. Abbie and Christina got stuck knee-high in thick mud and scenes from old movies and quick-sand went racing through my mind as the more they laughed, the deeper they got stuck. Thanks to the 11 yr. old Jose that came on the walk with us, for her hand dug out the boots for the girls. Christina liked it so much she had a repeat performance on the way back to the lodge. the rain held off until late at night, but we were all fast asleep in our jungle huts. We are really enjoying having a hammock on our porches - a great place to chill out.
so many pictures to post, but with this very slow internet that fades in and out, very hard to do so.
All seem to me managing the intensity of this adventure. The homesickness for the most part is gone, although everyone is looking forward to dry clean clothes in a couple of days. Tomorrow we hike in the highlands - which will complete the 4 geographic areas of Ecuador. The jungle has been amazing. Did I mention the mosquitoes are as big as dogs here? We are using our Deet and our sunscreen.
If possible, pictures to follow...
We've not had internet for the past three days - stayed in some very remote areas of the jungle. So many amazing stories to tell! Let me at least start with some lists of foods we have eaten
(in addition to the Guinea pig....)
lemon ants, steamed worms cooked in leaves, lots of plantain at every meal as well as 63 different varieties of potatoes - I think we've tried half of them. Yucca, fresh pineapple, quave, hearts of palm fresh on the trail, blood from trees that bleed (medicinal jungle juice), quicho - made with bottled water and NOT fermented, various green things from the jungle, fresh radishes, cukes, and lots of onion hot sauces. Home grown eggs, chicken, beef, and pork - and of course on the idlands fresh fish every day along with soup of the day, celery, avocado, potato, and other's that tasted great too.
Now between eating, we managed to get some serious hiking done. Our hike in the jungle included a rope swing - those brave enough to try it enjoy being Tarzan for a few seconds. Unfortunately Steven and Daniel slipped off and got to experience the jungle's cushioned floor. Abbie and Christina got stuck knee-high in thick mud and scenes from old movies and quick-sand went racing through my mind as the more they laughed, the deeper they got stuck. Thanks to the 11 yr. old Jose that came on the walk with us, for her hand dug out the boots for the girls. Christina liked it so much she had a repeat performance on the way back to the lodge. the rain held off until late at night, but we were all fast asleep in our jungle huts. We are really enjoying having a hammock on our porches - a great place to chill out.
so many pictures to post, but with this very slow internet that fades in and out, very hard to do so.
All seem to me managing the intensity of this adventure. The homesickness for the most part is gone, although everyone is looking forward to dry clean clothes in a couple of days. Tomorrow we hike in the highlands - which will complete the 4 geographic areas of Ecuador. The jungle has been amazing. Did I mention the mosquitoes are as big as dogs here? We are using our Deet and our sunscreen.
If possible, pictures to follow...
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Galapagos
We visited the Charles Darwin Center this am and got to see some of the different turtle that are being bred. We met Diego, a turtle from CA that is the resident Don Juan of the center. He's got a long neck and a rather small body for being the father of so many offspring. Nearby, we saw some rather large land iguana that were bright yellow in color and pretty motionless, save for an occasional blink. The finches are flying all around, and in each pen yard are different tortoises from the many islands. We see a feeding platform with a large group of males, then we check out Lonesome George - who has two females with him, but he's just not interested!
After another short ride, we are able to get out and walk the lip of a volcanic crater before heading to the dock to catch the ferry to the island where the airport is. Our plane ride to the mainland was uneventful and we got back just after noon Gap time, 1:00 Ecuador time.
Marco our guide met us at the airport, and Carlos had arranged for him to bring us some pink banana - a local specialty. We mad a quick stop at the local grocery store to load up on junk food, and good Ecuadoran chocolate and Lexie picked up some Jif PB for the bananas - which she shared with all of us. Carlos had never tried PB on bananas - I think we converted him!
We've spent the next three hours climbing through a pass in the Andes over 14,000 ft high, then back down to about 10,00o where we have settled for the night. It's a beautiful hot springs spa with the waters just a few feet from our rooms. Boy did it feel good tonight. It's raining and cold out, but the hot springs are steamy and crystal clear. Our rooms all have heaters in them, and big cushy comforter quilts. tomorrow we hike again, probably in the mud and rain - just when we finally got all our clothes dry! No one seems to mind. Good food, god company and beautiful country - wish you all could be here to enjoy with us.
After another short ride, we are able to get out and walk the lip of a volcanic crater before heading to the dock to catch the ferry to the island where the airport is. Our plane ride to the mainland was uneventful and we got back just after noon Gap time, 1:00 Ecuador time.
Marco our guide met us at the airport, and Carlos had arranged for him to bring us some pink banana - a local specialty. We mad a quick stop at the local grocery store to load up on junk food, and good Ecuadoran chocolate and Lexie picked up some Jif PB for the bananas - which she shared with all of us. Carlos had never tried PB on bananas - I think we converted him!
We've spent the next three hours climbing through a pass in the Andes over 14,000 ft high, then back down to about 10,00o where we have settled for the night. It's a beautiful hot springs spa with the waters just a few feet from our rooms. Boy did it feel good tonight. It's raining and cold out, but the hot springs are steamy and crystal clear. Our rooms all have heaters in them, and big cushy comforter quilts. tomorrow we hike again, probably in the mud and rain - just when we finally got all our clothes dry! No one seems to mind. Good food, god company and beautiful country - wish you all could be here to enjoy with us.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Hello from the Islands
This will be a short update with more to follow when we return to the mainland. We've had an amazing time here on the Galapagos Islands. It has been most challenging, and very rewarding. We've seen giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, penquins, sea lions, iguanas galore, sharks, flamingos, finches, warblers, pelicans and so many more wild life I can't list them all! We spent the night in Santa Cruise in a charming hotel the students dubbed the "Dr Suess"house, We spent our first day doing a little snorkling where we spotted our fist sea lion, and lots of Sally \Lightfoot crab. We ate an amazing dinner and had time to re-group for the next day's trip to Isabella Island.
Next day, After a grueling 2 hr boat ride on choppy waters in a twin engine 26 ft cabin cruiser, we landed on Floreana Island for a hike to a Tortise preserve, and lunch,. We had a little rain, but the weather was cool enough to hike through the wooded area. We got up close to many tortoises, and got lots of good pictures.
When we got back down, we again loaded on the boats for another 2 hours of rough riding to get to Isabella Island - our home for 2 nights. We were pretty whipped, but were happy to be gounded. The rains came and we have learned to embrase being wet.
The next day we hiked 4 miles up to 4000ft to the caldera in the rain and mud. We got to the top only to find the beautiful promised view was fogged in. We slid down the mountain with many of us landing in the multiple mud puddles. We all looked like mud-monsters! But that didn't stop us from going to lunch at a beautiful outdoor camp area, where we woofed down lentals, potatoes, rice, corn, chicken, and fresh oranges. We spent a little time when the sun came out, playing some soccer. We got back to the hotel, did some fast washing up and headed out for another hike in the city to see the flamingos and another turtle preserve.
We spent some time relaxing in the ocean, and playing some additional soccer on the local town fields.
Today we took that same 2 hours boat trip completing the triangle of islands back to Santa Cruise, but not before we did more hiking to see the igauana on Tortuga \Island and some amazing snorkling where we spotted sea turtles, starfish, and lots of crabs.
Tomorrow we are off the the Darwin Center and then hop a plane back to the mainland. We will be heading to the spa tomorrow evening. We miss our families but are having a fabulous time.
Next day, After a grueling 2 hr boat ride on choppy waters in a twin engine 26 ft cabin cruiser, we landed on Floreana Island for a hike to a Tortise preserve, and lunch,. We had a little rain, but the weather was cool enough to hike through the wooded area. We got up close to many tortoises, and got lots of good pictures.
When we got back down, we again loaded on the boats for another 2 hours of rough riding to get to Isabella Island - our home for 2 nights. We were pretty whipped, but were happy to be gounded. The rains came and we have learned to embrase being wet.
The next day we hiked 4 miles up to 4000ft to the caldera in the rain and mud. We got to the top only to find the beautiful promised view was fogged in. We slid down the mountain with many of us landing in the multiple mud puddles. We all looked like mud-monsters! But that didn't stop us from going to lunch at a beautiful outdoor camp area, where we woofed down lentals, potatoes, rice, corn, chicken, and fresh oranges. We spent a little time when the sun came out, playing some soccer. We got back to the hotel, did some fast washing up and headed out for another hike in the city to see the flamingos and another turtle preserve.
We spent some time relaxing in the ocean, and playing some additional soccer on the local town fields.
Today we took that same 2 hours boat trip completing the triangle of islands back to Santa Cruise, but not before we did more hiking to see the igauana on Tortuga \Island and some amazing snorkling where we spotted sea turtles, starfish, and lots of crabs.
Tomorrow we are off the the Darwin Center and then hop a plane back to the mainland. We will be heading to the spa tomorrow evening. We miss our families but are having a fabulous time.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
going out of internet range for a bit
Don't worry if you don't hear fro us - not sure what we will find on the Islands - besides George. We will post when we can.
Guinea pig for lunch...
Not sure if you can catch the gasoline sign - gas is $1.40/gal here for regular $1.99 for premium. It's a good thing, since the Andes are one long drive up followed by another long descent. We saw 4 of the active volcanoes.
In the morning we visited a traditional Ecuadorian Rose farm and watch as they packaged beautiful long stem roses for deliver to Russia, Germany and the US.
After a wonderful dinner, we went to the town''s music festival - then home to crash and re-pack for our flight to Galapagos.
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