Galapagos Islands and Quito, Ecuador

Another bucket list item  - and what an item it was.  We flew from Miami to Quito, Ecuador where we started a 12 day tour using CNH Tours.  We spent two nights in the Boutique Hotel Mansion del Angel.  We had a day tour of Quito where we visited two churches.  They were both very beautiful ­ especially the Church of the Society of Jesus which is decorated with gold leaf.  We also took an aerial tramway up for a expansive view of Quito.

PICTURES:  some of the photos were taken by others on our tour who kindly shared them

From Quito we flew to Baltra Island in the Galapagos and boarded our home for the next 7 days – the Samba.    The Samba is a 78 foot boat with 7 passenger cabins (14 guests), plus 6 crew, and 1 naturalist guide. Our other passengers were so wonderful, along with a very attentive crew.  There was a group of 8 from Utah, a couple from Washington D.C. area, and one couple from Wisconsin. 
 

The Samba was built in Germany and was a fishing boat but was reconfigured several years ago for it's current purpose  - seeing the islands. All boats in the Galapagos must have a certified guide on board to make sure impact to the islands is kept to a minimum and to provide all kinds of details about the wildlife and plants.  Our guide was Santiago and we loved him. Our cabin had an over sized twin on the bottom and a top bunk.  Connie had the top bunk – oh what fun climbing up there.

We did the northwest itinerary. Every day brought something different.  From the male frigate birds with their huge red gular pouch which they inflate to attract the females, to sea lions,  to the blue and red footed boobies,to the really giant tortoise, to the sharks, rays, fish, and turtles – it was all awesome. 

A normal day started about 6 am, followed by breakfast at 6:30, then off for a panga (zodiac) ride for an early morning walk.  Every day we snorkeled.  Some days we kayaked.  We stayed busy all 7 days. 

After our 7 nights on the Samba, we disembarked to spend two nights in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.  We visited a tortoise reserve plus the Charles Darwin Research station where they have a tortoise breeding program.  Bob celebrated his 73rd birthday while in Puerto Ayora.  We had our tour farewell dinner on his birthday and the band played happy birthday.  The restaurant had a chocolate cake with candles for him.

The above map shows all of the volcanoes (orange circles)  that formed the islands.

After our two nights on Santa Cruz Island we flew from Baltra to Quito.  We spent one night in Quito and then flew early the next morning back to Miami.   All we can say is ‘what an experience’.  So glad we did this tour.

A wild Giant Tortoise.

Above the Sally Lightfoot crab - they were very plentiful throughout the islands.

The Famous Blue Footed Boobies

Red Footed Booby

Shark we saw while snorkeling

                                                           

Male Frigate Bird