He's a Tortoise, Not a Turtle!

One of the things I have been most amazed at during this trip has been how comfortable all of the animals, whether they be fish, fowl, or reptile, are amongst their human invaders. We were duly warned about keeping a two-metre distance at all times from any wildlife but apparently, the fauna failed to receive the memo. They have been almost as inquisitive about us as we are about them and they can't seem to figure out what all the fuss is about. Sea lions wander into our paths; small birds land on our cameras; sea turtles fornicate within centimetres of our legs; and the great-granddaddy of them all, the giant land tortoises never retract into their shells when they see us coming. 

If there is a zoological mascot of these islands, it has to be the tortoise. These gentle giants have inhabited the highlands of Santa Cruz for thousands of years and they are still roaming the grasslands in search of appropriate mates and a decent meal. The tortoises can live for upwards of one-hundred years and some far exceed that number. Unfortunately, their numbers are decreasing. At one time there were fifteen individual species of Galápagos land tortoises but their numbers have diminished with the extinction of four of those. The most famous, of course, was the last of his kind known to the world as Lonesome George. George was adopted by the Darwin Centre in Santa Cruz and every attempt was made over a period of twenty years to try and get him to mate with a species that at least closely resembled his DNA. Unfortunately, George was having none of it and was determined to exit this earth as the end of his line which he did in 2012. The Darwin Centre has preserved George and frankly, seeing his taxidermied pose was unnerving. The centre is doing yeoman's work with an extensive breeding program and in its attempts to rescue injured tortoises. The centre then releases its charges back into their natural habitats when the animals are ready to fend for themselves.

And that is where we spent our final day in Galápagos. We trekked up into the wet highlands, strapped on somebody else's rubber boots (ew!), and wandered through the grassy and very muddy farmlands where the tortoises are hanging out in large numbers right next to cattle. Like their sea turtle cousins, the tortoises have a problem producing equal numbers of males and females due to the oddities of climate change and temperature fluctuations. There are far more males up here than females so natural breeding isn't always possible, hence the intervention of the Darwin Centre. We were able to get up close and personal with these land giants and they couldn't even care one whit about our being there. It was truly a lovely way to spend our last moments in their homes.

This trip has been filled with magic. I have run out of superlatives to describe our experiences. If anybody is interested in having a more in-depth conversation, do not hesitate to reach out offline. This trip has been years in the dreaming. Sometimes, it is fun to live your dreams. 

I promise to stay off of social media for the next little while so that your feeds can recover. Thanks for coming along for the ride. 

*The title of this post is so named because of a really irritating guy on our tour who kept asking questions about the "turtles". I was ready to scream at him, "they're tortoises, you Cliff Clavin wannabe." I'm definitely at the end.

We Hiked in Pursuit of Boobys

I have pretty much ascertained that the best vacations are the ones from where you need a vacation to rest up.

We have been going non-stop since we left the Southern Home last Friday. There have been hikes and swims (although, to be honest...not really our thing) and zodiac rides and even a few close encounters of the sea lion kind. We thought that our morning on San Cristobal that included a trip to a scientific interpretation centre would be a rest stop and in truth, it kind of was. There are only five islands in the archipelago that have human inhabitants and San Cristobal is one of them. It is the political capital of the Galápagos and while we aren't much for shopping and we definitely are not souvenir hunters, taking a leisurely stroll through the town wasn't a terrible way to unwind. There is a colony of sea lions that have pretty much taken over the place. They are EVERYWHERE like stray cats are at home. When we disembarked from the tender, there were hundreds of them just waiting to greet us on the pier. They were lounging aboard fishing boats and swarming the small beaches. One of the bulls even managed to make his way into town, stopping traffic as he jaywalked. The locals just ignore them and allow plenty of leeways. I suppose it is something like the way we deal with trash bandits or f***ing squirrels. Ignore them and hope for the best. I was enthralled by the sea lion pup that was obviously no more than a week old. He had just come from a swim and was (fingers crossed) waiting for his mama to come and feed him. There is every possibility that something had happened to his mother because it is unusual to see a pup that young so alone.

The quiet morning was necessary given the afternoon we had planned at Punta Pitt on the north side of San Cristobal. We decided to join the crazies on a three-kilometre hike straight up the rock facings of Punta Pitt. Our mission, should we achieve the summit, was to take in the nesting grounds of the red-footed boobys. Unlike their blue-footed cousins who nest on the ground, the red-footed variety like the altitude of the trees on Punta Pitt. We scaled a dry river bed that is impassable during the rainy season and made our way through narrow rock crevices and desert landscape. And it was hot. Really hot. Humid and hot. Swimming in your own juices hot. But, we were rewarded many times over when we reached the top. Not only is the view of the area spectacular but the red and blue lovelies were abundant. The blue guys were active with their wolf-whistle mating calls and we were even treated to the mating dance between the partners. Think of it as walking across hot coals danced by Urkel. Those with red feet required a sharper eye. Looking up into the trees, we noticed males close by while the females guarded the nests and already hatched chicks. This experience through nature's kindergarten has left me stunned in awe. There is so much beauty around us that we so often take for granted, that it was truly lovely to stop and stare in amazement at boobys for a while. 😏

I know...it's a dad joke.

We are winding down. One more day in the islands and then we head back to Quito for one last night. I will post one more from tortoise day at Galápagos camp tomorrow.

These are Nazca Boobys

Blue Footed Booby with newborn

On This Day, I Became Mama to a Sea Lion

There are times in every person's life that are imprinted forever in memory. The obvious ones being marriage, birth, special family occasions, and even death. We recall exactly how we felt at that exact moment in time. There is elation or excitement, pain or despair. We feel our emotions physically and our memories bring back those sensations and we experience them yet again.

I've had many of those moments over the past week here on The Galápagos Islands. Moments of joy, exhilaration, exhaustion, excitement, and even some sorrow are forever embedded in my cerebral cortex. Here are just a few from a thrilling day on Santa Cruz and North Seymour Islands.

Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz is a picturesque spot that is quiet and world-renowned for snorkelling and scuba excursions. It is also the foremost nesting grounds of the green sea turtle and we just happen to be in the middle of mating season. We took an extended walk along the white sandy beachfront and were amazed by the craters of sea turtle nests. The female will often burrow down close to six metres into the sand in order to protect her embryos. Dozens of turtle craters are presently dotting the Bachas coastline and careful observation of the shallow water reveals their parents.

Climate change and global warming have really affected the sea turtle population. Turtles are assigned their sex in the embryonic stage. Warmer temperatures produce more females and even a single degree lower will produce the males. With global temperatures rising, the Galápagos have seen a marked increase in females and, thus, there aren't enough partners to go around. We have witnessed full-on turtle orgies in the waters here so that all the males might have their opportunity to procreate. And so it was today on Bachas that we waded into the water and witnessed unadulterated turtle porn. It was jarring to watch the helpless female being constantly pushed under the water by her Yertle wannabe, all the while she seemed to be flailing her flippers forward in what can only be described as the sea turtle signal for "Ayudame!" (help me!) The craziest thing was seeing the lineup of males patiently waiting for their turn. It was like a disgusting turtle frat house all desperately wanting to lose their virginity. It was a moment of complete bizarreness and yet beauty all rolled into one.

On that same beach walk, we were distraught to see a young sea lion corpse that was obviously very fresh. The juvenile had a distended belly which indicated that he probably had ingested some plastics. As rigourous as the conservation efforts are here, the world still intrudes with its pollution.

We weren't expecting all that much from our second hike of the day on North Seymour Island but by were we ever wrong. This area is the nesting ground for both the blue-footed boobies and the frigate birds and we were overwhelmed with nests, fledglings, and feedings. The sea lions, which are everywhere on every island, were all coming in from their afternoon swims in order to take a siesta or nurse their pups.

And....that's when it happened.

I was just admiring the flora and fauna and seriously minding my own business, as we are gravely instructed to do, when a pup of no more than a month decided I looked like his mama. He wriggled over toward me and began sniffing, nudging, and licking my shoes and legs. He barked a few times and kept right on snuggling for my attention for a good five minutes. I was so enraptured that I almost forgot to take a photo. But, that's the thing. While the photo is lovely to have to share with all of you and as a keepsake, the emotional heft of that singular moment, which will probably never happen again to me, is something that is forever imprinted. I will be yacking about it for decades so if you are my friend, be prepared to become very bored with me and my sea lion story.

A day filled with imprinted moments.

Some tidbits.

1. For those who have asked me how my stomach is faring, the answer is pretty well. We are on the inner loop of the islands and while there have been a few rocky evenings, my nausea has been kept at bay.

2. When I say that the sea lions are everywhere, I'm not exaggerating. They are like stray cats and we see them sunning on beaches, small boats, benches, and even walking through the few inhabited towns. Today we watched as one sauntered across the street in front of a taxi with no cares at all. This is their world and we are just annoyances for them to overcome.

3. I need to understand tourists who photograph with iPads. Can anybody explain how or why this is a convenient method for photography? It seems cumbersome and awkward.

This is my baby!

And these are my legs.

I Walked On Lava

Geography has never been my thing.

In truth, I have always found it to be the most tedious of all of the natural sciences. And, as a subsection of geography, geology is a total yawner. I simply cannot get myself stoked about rocks. I suppose that I am far more interested in the earth's end story as opposed to its origin.

When I was in Grade 9, my geography teacher did little to stoke my educational interest. Truly the most monotonous and colourless woman on the planet, she managed to kill whatever lingering curiousity I might have had in the subject and our field trips to places like the Niagara Escarpments to collect rock and soil samples felt like a descent into the third circle of hell. Suffice it to say, that was the end of my geographic studies.

If I had had any one of the naturalists who guided us here for freshman geography, I might have taken up the study with more gusto. The excitement and verve with which they approach their conversations about such benign topics as volcanic ash, lava, sediments, and small burgeoning flora species is a delight for this geography curmudgeon.

And so it was, that we found ourselves hiking through a one-hundred-year-old lava field on Santiago Island at Sullivan Bay and being totally captivated by the ribbons of dried lava. The uneven terrain made for some harrowing hiking but the fascination in this field as rekindled a small ember of my geologic fascination. As we hiked further inland and deeper across the formerly molten landscape, we approached areas that were not affected by the eruption and have already begun to rejuvenate. Here we found various species of cacti, small ground covers, and a few small trees. A closer examination of the sedimentary and porous rocks reveals an entire world within a small area. At one point, it was even possible to view what seemed like a river of lava that stopped within centimetres of the desert landscape. The fact that the Cumbre Volcano on the island of Fernandina, which is just a few kilometres off the coast of Santiago, erupted this past Sunday brought the entire exercise very close to home.

Another geography lesson occurred during our afternoon hike to the top of Bartolomé. We did the steep climb up the six-hundred metres and were treated to spectacular views of the rock formations below. Some of the most famous views of the Galápagos Islands are shot from the summit. The climb was certainly worth the effort.

Geography and its subsections will never be my favourite part of science but for this one day, it had me captivated. Take that, Mrs. S.

Some tidbits.

1. Many of you have asked me to chat about our trip. I am happy to engage with anybody who wants to email or private chat but I will say, everybody's needs and abilities are different. We chose Celebrity because, in part, it offered us everything we wanted to see and do and we didn't have to deal with a lot of the hassles that come with travel here. There are paperwork and park passes and tour arrangements that must be made if you choose to travel without an organized tour. You cannot visit many of the islands WITHOUT naturalist park guides even if you travel here on your own. So, do your planning carefully.

2. We have been very fortunate with the weather. While it hasn't rained (yet), we haven't had a whole lot of sunshine, either. It is quite warm and humid and that is a sign that the rainy season is coming. I am so glad that we decided to view the stars on our first, and so far only, clear night.

3. Another plug for The Husband's photography. Private message me if you can't see his Instagram or Facebook postings. I have shlep and will get you in.

Tears of Passion

I am on information overload since I have been here. It is truly impossible to properly digest the colossal amounts of facts, figures, and names that have been hurled our way since we arrived. It almost makes me wish that I had paid a bit closer attention to geography, chemistry, and biology in high school.

So, instead of bogging us all down with useless data, I thought that maybe we could play a game.

Outside of your family and friends, (they are a given in this exercise) name something about which you are so passionate that it brings you to tears. It can be anything. A song or music that triggers memories. A beautifully prepared meal. A piece of art that is so magnificent that you simply cannot comprehend its depth and breadth. What out there in the world moves you to tears?

There is much that does it for me. Years ago, I saw the original cast of Wicked on Broadway and the first time I heard Idina Menzel sing Defying Gravity I was a puddle. There's this one note that she hits toward the end..."So, if you care to find me, LOOK to the western sky." It gets me every single time I hear her do it and I sob. No explanation, just copious tears.

I've had many experiences like that on this trip and yesterday our two stops in Isabela Island brought tears on several occasions. I welled up when I caught sight of the Galápagos sea turtles fishing in Isabella bay. I felt the tears coming when the Galápagos penguins posed naturally for us on the rocks. It happened again when I saw the two brown pelican chicks in a nest off the cliffs of the island being tended to by their mother. There were the three young seal lion pups that determinedly played a game of chicken with our zodiac and were barking happily as we laughed at their games. We caught our first glimpses of the famous blue-footed Boobys and I was so excited I nearly collapsed in giggles.

My point in asking about passionate crying is not to suggest that some people are less than emotional, but rather to explain how excited I am to simply be here. The Husband, the gifted photographer that he is, mentioned that he keeps reminding himself to put down the camera and watch what is happening through his eyes and not his lens.

Sometimes, a good cry is cathartic and magical.

*Please share your passionate tears in the comments.*

A few tidbits.

1. The head waiter on this boat is determined to feed me. Krassimir (we are tight now and on a first-name basis) has been concerned about our vegetarian diet and has offered to prepare special meals for us whenever we want. There is simply no need. There is plenty to keep us fed but he is insistent every time he sees me and tells me he and the chef made a dish with us in mind. He's a keeper.

2. I love how different this trip is from other cruises. It isn't a potential eat-a-thon and there isn't 24/7 food at hand. As much as my new buddy wants to ply me with food, it isn't a constant theme.

3. The naturalists here are simply incredible. We take tours in groups of no more than ten people and each of the guides is brilliant, knowledgeable, and PASSIONATE about what they do. They are ready with answers to all of our questions and are concerned that we leave here with a better understanding of this fascinating ecosystem they call home. There is even an ecological lab aboard the ship where we have viewed various rocks, sand formations, and crystals that are native to the individual islands.

4. This trip might be a bucket list for many (it certainly was for us) but even though many of the tours are scaled for different abilities, there are some things that require a modicum of fitness level. Many of the paths are uneven and climbs to the tops of rocks or ridges require some rigorous walking. This is simply an FYI.

5. We crossed the Equator twice yesterday. They held a ceremony and gave us a goofy certificate but it was weird. Still, it was a far sight better than when Darwin did it. Check this out.

I'm A Bird Watcher

Have you ever heard of a "thing" called the "Big Year"?

Apparently, amateur birdwatchers venture out into the wilds of the planet in order to see how many different species of our avian friends they can spot in a single calendar year. They are absolutely on the honour system, they spend a shitload of money traversing the globe, and the only thing that they are permitted to shoot is a camera. Sometimes the contest is done within a single geographic area and sometimes the entire world is in play. The current record for a Big Year in North America is 839 species while the world big year record of 6,852 species was set in 2016 by Arjan Dwarshuis of the Netherlands.

The first time I was made aware of the Big Year was in a movie of the same title starring Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson. Frankly, I thought the entire escapade was ridiculous and boring as hell but guess what...

I've become one of those people.

I am officially a bird-watching fanatic. Sign me up for a membership in the Audubon Society. Take me to the wilds of the continents to discover the mating habits of the Great Blue Heron or perhaps the Baltimore Oriole. My fascination is real and deep. Today, I put an app on my phone that will help identify various species by a simple photograph and attended a lecture on the endemic and indigenous fowl of the Galápagos Islands. I am in it up to my armpits.

And nothing helps to stoke a fascination and a burgeoning hobby like an eco-vacation. I find myself looking up into the sky as often as I do onto the ground or into the water. I was truly amazed by the diving and feeding habits of the Galápagos brown pelicans that we saw today at dusk of the beaches at Rabida Island. I loved that the Galápagos flycatcher that landed on The Husband's camera lens this morning on Santiago, was so fearless that he was almost posing for the shot. The flamingos that came to feed in a tidal pool in the red sands of Rabida were so at peace with us idiot tourists that they didn't even seem to mind us photographing their evening meal. The American oystercatcher was almost proud and puffing to show off her two eggs in her nest on the black volcanic rocks of Santiago. And me...I just lapped it all up like a thirsty puppy.

The sea lions (we saw a mom nursing her pup. Bestill my heart.), fur seals, various varieties of crab, and...yes...those weird-assed iguanas and lizards are truly something to see but for me, it was the birds. Sorry, Mom. I know that you have a fascination with the reptiles but I will stick with the marine mammals and the brilliantly feathered.

A few tidbits.

1. We haven't snorkelled yet and that is my doing. The Husband is unable to breathe out of a tube and I simply didn't want to go without him. There will be other opportunities still to come, so stop nagging me, Twin Son's Better Half. 😉

2. We are incredibly impressed with Celebrity and this tour. If anybody wants to ask me questions for a future trip, private message me. My only mistake so far was not bringing water shoes. Those wet landings in bare feet are making for some interesting markings on my soles.

3. My vegetarian food choice has been very much validated and not for the reasons you might think. I am watching the food chain and natural selection happen in real-time while here and I have no illusions about eating meat, but the ecosystem is so very fragile that one alteration to even the smallest of lichen or plankton can have catastrophic consequences on the whole. I feel very strongly that the planet is in crisis and doing my small part to keep it in balance is important. We all have choices to make, and I am certainly not advocating that anyone choose to become vegetarian or vegan, but practicing some conscientious eating is something that we all should strive for.

4. If you aren't following The Husband on either Instagram or Facebook, you are missing out on the best photography on this tour. If you are reading this and don't know him, ask a friend to send you his info. A few of his masterpieces can be seen below.

There Are Stars Up Above

This is not a trip for those who tend toward the lazy. We have not stopped moving since we got on the plane in Miami. Every minute has been choreographed right down to the last minute. Sleep has been a luxury and has been grabbed in small snatches on planes, buses, and a few precious hotel hours.

We were on the move today from Quito to the Galápagos Islands. A two-hour plane ride saw us land on Baltra Island just before noon. As we disembarked onto the tarmac, the high heat was a stark change from the cool temperatures and breezes of Quito. While Ecuador's capital remains at moderate temperatures of between 10°C-20°C all year round because of its high altitude, the Galápagos are in the low to mid-30s in what they still insist is the rainy season. We shall see but honestly, I have my doubts about any cooling trend.

I am so impressed by the care taken by the Ecuadorian government with visitors to these islands. There was more cleaning for foreign organisms on luggage, shoes, and other items coming in than most of us probably do in our own homes. They even made us stay in our seats on the plane while the flight attendants sprayed something in an aerosol can on our carry-ons. This government is so worried about invasive species that no food from the outside is allowed on the islands and the transfer of seeds and pollen is taken very seriously.

The Celebrity Flora is unlike any cruise ship we have ever sailed on before. It is small, only one-hundred passengers, and yet it feels very roomy. There is no jostling for position from passengers and everybody is quite content. We were all fitted for our snorkelling gear today, complete with wetsuits and while I am still not certain how much of this activity I may partake in, the experience of the fitting is one to behold. You really haven't lived until you've seen a mid-western MAGA blowhard with a few too many cheeseburgers in his history, try to squeeze into a shorty wetsuit. There was way too much there that wasn't left to the imagination. I will say that my trying to find fins that fit my size 4 1/2s was exciting. They finally gifted me with the kids' pair.

We did a quick circumnavigation around Daphne Major and Daphne Minor this afternoon. The volcanic islands were teeming with so many species of native birds that I lost count. The mouth of the volcano on Major was gorgeous in the afternoon sun and the sea lions frolicked at its shoreline.

My favourite part of today though was our first glimpse at the stars down here. It is a startling sight, to say the least. When we were at the Equator Museum yesterday, our guide told us about the ability to see constellations from both hemispheres in perfect alignment. And so it is, that this evening we were able to view the Big Dipper, Orion, and the Southern Cross all next to each other. The Milky Way was in full view and the night sky was positively mesmerizing. We will try and get a few photos tomorrow.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam, oseh ma-aseh beresheit.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who makes the Work of Creation.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth

There are times when one thinks that they are the centre of the world and then there are days like today when one is actually at the centre of the world. I would suggest you forgo the former and sign on for the latter.

After a taxing day of travel and arrival at our hotel at an early morning hour that would make a hooker blush, we were less than ready to start our first day in Quito. I wish I could tell you that four hours of sleep, an altitude of almost 10,000ft above sea level, and a city tour on the rickety roads of Ecuador's capital made for the perfect sightseeing experience, but such hell is the price we pay for the life of a nomad. In short, we were exhausted and headachy but we refused to let a little thing like debilitating fatigue shut us down. On we ventured into the Ecuadoran unknown.

Quito is a beautiful but rather schizophrenic city. The old town, with its tiendas, fifteenth-century churches, market squares, and indigenous artisans makes for a lovely and authentic Andean experience. The new city, with its glass, bustling business district, and horrendous traffic shows an Ecuador that is ready to face the twenty-first century. We spent most of the morning in the old city wandering and puttering. After many trips and tours to many places around the world, I am still stunned by how much importance both locals and tourists alike, place on showing off their churches. We get it. We have zero involvement in this religious experience but the centrality of these spaces to the individual communities never ceases to amaze me. Not only that, the amount of money spent by the Catholic church around the world to maintain their branches is truly staggering. The baroque cathedral we toured today in the old city has its entire interior covered in gold leaf. It wouldn't surprise me that all of Quito's impoverished could be supported comfortably if the church would sell off its walls and altars. I will never understand a religion that preaches aid and comfort to the poor and maintains such grandeur and splendour for itself.

The highlight of the day was standing at 0° latitude, the true centre of the earth. I realize that it sounds incredibly hokey but the equator museum on the exact middle of the earth provided some really cool examples of science in action. Watching the water plunge straight down the drain at 0° while spinning in opposite directions just six feet south or north of the line was the ultimate example of the Coriolis Effect. Did you know that Ecuador never gets hurricanes, tornadoes, or typhoons? Our guide was even able to balance an egg on its end right on the equatorial line. I felt like I was back in high school science class.

Ecuador is a country of four climatic regions. The coastal, the volcanic, the rainforest, and the Galápagos. Quito is a city surrounded by active volcanoes. I will admit to being unnerved by the idea of living with constant tremors, earthquakes, and eruptions. Somehow, I think the islands of the Galápagos are far more suited to my DNA.

A few observations.

1. Ecuadoran chocolate is the best I have ever tasted. We bought four different flavours but I doubt any of them will see the shores of North America.

2. Our group is a nice mix of Europeans, North Americans, and Aussies. I was truly perturbed today when a MAGA guy from Cincinnati tried to convert a Quebecois gentleman over to the dark side. It was bizarre and cultlike and wholly unnecessary. I wanted to tell the boor that Quebecers dislike their president more than almost any other Canadian group but the French Canadian chap more than held his own. Unless you have travelled around a bit over the past four years, you simply cannot comprehend how odd this entire MAGA thing is. Honestly, I'm ready to lay some survival of the fittest on his ass.

3. While standing in line at customs and immigration yesterday, we met a couple from Los Angeles who are on our tour. Her name? Dawn. That NEVER happens. Of course, I am stuck with my forgotten first name in all the paperwork for this trip, so I guess she is the only Dawn on this trip.

4. Bought The Husband a Panama hat. Did you know that the original design for these hats comes from Ecuador? Check out the photo on Instagram or Facebook. He looks quite dapper.

Must sleep. Tomorrow we head for the animals. Will post some photos then.

An Eco-Adventure

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. ~Charles Darwin

It's time for an adventure and, believe me when I say, we could both use it.

And so...

We are pulling out the mega-sized Ziploc bags, loading up on anti-emetics, fretting about waterproofness, (we really don't want another fiasco like Iceland) dusting off mi español, and are heading out to yet another far-flung dot on the globe.

I am fairly certain that when Charles Darwin signed on to be the young naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835, he could barely imagine what kind of seismic convulsions he would later send through the world of scientific research. His voyage aboard Captain Robert FitzRoy's vessel forever altered not only the way that humanity viewed its own beginnings, but also how it saw its partnership with the other creatures with whom it shares the planet. His discoveries and observations of both the flora and fauna of the Galápagos Islands are still studied today with both amazement and, more importantly, through a modern scientific lens that further enhances our knowledge of endemic species and natural selection, and allows for clear-eyed thought about how to protect the earth. Darwin would probably chuckle at the modern debates about his theories clashing with some religious opinions. While never an admitted atheist, he did espouse agnosticism in his later years but he saw no conflict between his ideas of evolution and creation.

"Science has nothing to do with Christ, except insofar as the habit of scientific research makes a man cautious in admitting evidence. For myself, I do not believe that there ever has been any revelation. As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities."

Darwin's religious views changed markedly after his voyage on the Beagle. His orthodoxy was replaced by a pragmatism that could no longer be denied. His collection of specimens from the Galápagos archipelago was truly groundbreaking and stunning in its comprehensiveness. We humans all owe him a huge debt.

The Husband and I are excited to walk in the footsteps of Charles Darwin. We can't wait to see the preserved and protected wildlife that has been allowed to survive and thrive thanks to the care and caution of the Ecuadoran people. We are eager to learn more about conservation, environmental patterns, natural selection, and Darwinism. We are open to it all and ready to engage with our hosts on their terms and in their natural homes.

In the next ten days, I plan to flood this space with photographs of natural wonder and awesomeness. I hope to regale my readers with a travel anecdote or two (hopefully amusing) and I want to immerse myself in a place that I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd see. I hope that some of you come along for the ride.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”~W.B. Yeats