Galapagos - Santa Cruz
Salamander
Tue 25 May 2010 15:33
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This Galapagos trip is the first time we have
acted like tourists. We go ashore on a water taxi for 60cents or $1after 7pm
(fwhich can be flexibly early if you don't have the correct change). So no
tender to pump up and care for. We've eaten out every day and laundry is just
handed to the water taxi man and he brings it back done. Apart from a boat clean
on arrival and replacing a broken pump little else has needed to be done by
us.We even have the same boat neighbours as in Panama. We are about to prep the
boat for leaving having seen the last of our 'must do's' yesterday (displaying
frigate birds and dancing boobies).
We have had an absolutely fabulous time here. It
would be wrong to say that the wildlife was 'tame', it just lives side by side
with humans and has no fear as there are no real predators for most of the land
animals.
A different class of bum sleeps it off on the bench
at the dock. Our neighbour tried to sit on the bench with her and was told where
to go immediately.
 These two shots are from the Darwin Research Centre
- a captive breeding programme for release back into the wild.
The land iguanas live to 60 years.
 No-one actually knows how long a giant tortoise
will live for - it's over 175 years and could be about 200.
 The only sea-going Iguana
 There are some people on the island too! This is at
the Saturday market - the boat with stores arrives on Friday and takes all day
to be unloaded by hand.
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