The Galapagos, day six.

This morning we came ashore at Isabel Island and dropped our overnight bags at a small hotel. They limit sleeping aboard ships in this port to curb pollution so we "had" to sleep in a hotel - air conditioning, hot water, non-generator electricity and falling asleep to the sound of ocean waves instead of an engine motor under my head? - sounds absolutely TERRIBLE.

Hotel Sol Isabel

another room with a view

Next we were bused up the road about 30 minutes to Paradero Sierra Negra for a little horseback riding,* and hiked the rest of the way to Volcan Chico.

*This took the others about 30 minutes. As for me and my horse... Well, you know that song that goes, "old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be..."? That was my horse going up the hill. I tried all the calls and controls and gentle kicks/nudges to no avail, so finally I just sat... back... and... enjoyed... the... slooooooooow... ride... up. I firmly believe one of those giant tortoises would've beaten us in a race.

my view for most of the ride up

The views of the canyon were amazing and I was able to get some nice shots of that, as well as some of the unusual plants, from the back of Old Gray Mare.

Darwin shrub - if it isn't a "Galapagos" species its most likely a "Darwin" species

The hike to the crest of the volcano started out fairly green and rocky, changed to desertish with cacti everywhere after a quarter mile or so, and as we passed holes in the ground that were warm to the touch the climate got very hot and dry and the rocks turned black. All of this in just about a 15 minute walk. I know I keep saying this but the views at the end of the trail were truly stunning. We could see the beach and the lush green from the volcano's edge, and the colors of the rocks were amazing. Bright red mixed with browns and blacks, and occasionally a little bright green foliage in one of the volcano caves serving as a makeshift greenhouse.

surely Wile E. is around here somewhere...

one of the holes where heat - hot heat - was escaping

On the horseride back I got some tips and kept up with the others just fine. We even did some galloping. OGM must've also had a snack while he waited because on this trek he wanted to be first in line no matter what cost to his feet or my face. (Como se dice, "hey horse watch out for that tree!" or "hey horse no need to run this other horse off the road!"? Maybe an estancia in Argentina isn't such a great idea after all.)

apropos of nothing, a sign in the bathroom... paper is okay, but not "paper"

This afternoon we had down time so I sat in a shady hammock at the hotel for about an hour and then wandered around town taking pictures.

modern day pirate cave

Galapagos kitteh

Galapagos music

making the most of what's available

Absurd thing o' the day: swinging on a swing set in a public park in the Galapagos.

Dinner on the boat to celebrate another passenger's 25th birthday, and back to the hotel hammock to continue my new favorite pasttime of stargazing - only this time, from solid ground with little chance of dolphins or sharks swimming below my feet. If not for the bugs I could totally sleep out here tonight...