Inez's Birthday and Visiting the Highlands of San Cristobal
Take Off
Jörgen Wennberg
Thu 18 Feb 2016 01:59
Our first day in Galapagos we celebrated Inez’s 5th Birthday by waking her up with song and cake by the bed.   Once again I thank Cécile on Heidi who the day before asked me if I needed a cake for Inez’s birthday. I must admit that still by late in the evening I had not done a cake so I would have been stupid not to accept her invitation. And so once again Cécile saved Mummy’s preparation of Inez’s birthday ;-). However I stood at least for the decoration. And it was a lovely cake!   Cécile came swimming from Heidi with a present: a sea shell she had picked from a previous destination.   We had an excellent guide, Caroline. Being a student she worked extra as a guide, charming, interesting, competent and full of interesting knowledge! We started by walking up to San Cristobal’s volcano and the Highlands. We learned all about how and why the vegetation is growing as it is. On top of the volcano we enjoyed a fantastic view over the Highlands of San Cristobal and the crater lake surrounded by flying frigates.       Syskonkärlek!  Coming down from the Highlands we visited a Tortoise Farm where they bread the tortoises considering that their number has decreased considerably. Galapagos is putting a lot of work in preserving the population of the tortoises. In the old days people ate the tortoises. They were extremely good to have as food on ship as they did not need water nor food and could be kept as fresh food for a long time. How cruel isn’t that! These babies are approx 2-3 months. And these big ones are 20 years old. After that they are released in nature.   We found this one very dedicated to its destination.     Most of them were lying in the shade or in the mud trying to keep cool from the sun. It is extremely hot at midday, especially in the middle of the island. This girl will have a special memory from her 5th birthday! Visiting a Tortoise Farm in her prettiest dress and new earrings she got from Ellen ;-)    And now for lunch. Caroline found this charming place by the road. Everything we wanted from the menu was not available... However what they finally managed to cook was excellent! We spent some time relaxing in the garden’s hammocks.          And off for the last stop, The Beach of Cincho??. And what an amazingly beautiful beach! We were lucky to have no other visitors so we enjoyed this beach all by ourselves...   … with a sea lion. Wonder who really disturbed who?   Someone decided not to swim at first, but then ok I can change into my bathing suit and finally why not...   …. take a swim!  Raphaël, Jörgen, Alex and Louise going for a swim.    Artist Alex!     In the evening, Nilla and Ellen went out for dinner in town, so we were invited by Heidi to have dinner on board and watch an “outdoor movie” in the cockpit! This birthday evening will always stay in my mind: Cécile and Daniel had taken down the sprayhood, put up a white sheet as a screen and put on their projector (yes they have a bigger boat with all the luxury that comes along!) working with the generator (220V) so that we could watch a movie, a “sail thru movie”! Their cockpit has a special family corner that we got the privilege to use. It was soooo cosy ;-)  |