Carlitos was our guide today across San Cristobal. The first of five stops was the small village of El Progreso. Here we climbed into the largest in diameter ceiba (kapok) tree. If you wanted, you could even pay to sleep overnight in the loft bed. I crawled down into the tree to see old, old photos of the area in the hey day of sugar that was sent to the USA and Panama. 22,000 beer bottles were used to build the nearby cafe. There was not much left of the sugar villa.
El Junco Lagoon was 700 meters up a stair-stepped trail. It is one of the few sources of fresh water on the island. Frigate birds and finches fly all around.
In the distance on the right are three wind turbines that Carlitos said provided 50% of the island's electricity.
Galapaguera was the tortoise stop. First we saw adults then we saw the one month olds, the year olds, the three year olds, the five year olds. The tortoises are then released into their natural habitat. Finally we saw the nesting sites where 10 eggs are laid, of which only four usually survive.
Don't you just love the tortoises? Here we are walking another 700 meters along a boardwalk to Puerto Chino, a small beach with one sea lion, waves for beginning surfers, and four other people. It is dry and hot and the water feels wonderful.
Our last stop by choice and recommendation was the Etoy Restaurant which has an amazing daily view of the garden and the ocean. The row of red in the background are poinsettia trees. The Galapagos Islands can be most enchanting.
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