Home Sweet Home

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010.  Arrival into the United States after 11 months in Ecuador. Maybe you can imagine where we went immediately to spend our lay over time in the Miami airport...the Brewery. We were anxious to have something other than a pilsener, but I almost fell off my chair backwards when Ben told me the pints were $8 each. Something we noticed immediately about being back in the states was that without any effort we could understand every conversation going on around us-- and its very noticeable in an airport. We dared each other to stand up in the bar stool and say "shhh....". First, we spent a few days in Tennessee with Sara's family.

Sara, her sister Maggie and our nieces Alex and Hensley

Alex with Uncle Ben

We arrived back in our home state of Washington a few days later, all our bags stuffed with souvenirs arrived safely, and we couldn't be happier. Ben's sister Whitney and her husband Craig organized a Homecoming Party for us. As usual, they went "all out" -- home smoked pork, a keg of our favorite microbrew and their band set up to play for us. More than 40 family and friends welcomed us back. It was amazing and I (Sara) noticed chillbumps on several occassions. Thank goodness for family and good dependable friendships!!! Finally, the 9th of August, we took the beautiful drive over the Cascade Mountains and arrived at our home in Ellensburg, WA. We were extremely pleased to find our house in good condition, the renters hardly left a blemish. Not an easy task for a family of 3, including an 11 year old boy. Next, we headed to our dear friends to reunite with our dog, Elsie. She didn't recognize us at first sight, but we could see it slowly coming back to her as she sniffed us carefully and sat staring up at us. By the time she arrived back at her old home an hour later, she knew right where she was (as evidenced by her direct route to the back door as soon as she exited the car).

In our backyard with our dog Elsie

From there ensued several days of readjusting to home including unpacking, tracking down furniture, starting our internet, getting the cars running and road legal etc. Everything went very smooth and we hardly hit a hiccup except for the sticker shock everywhere we went. We heard ourselves repeating, "can you believe what this costs!" We were excited about exploring our local Farmers Market which takes up about a block and tomatoes cost $1 each. What a difference from the markets in Loja!

Our local Farmer's Market

Now we have come full circle. All the furniture is back in its place, the dog feels at home and we are falling back into the routine we were so desperately looking to get away from a year ago. Sara is back at work as the School Psychologist in the Wahluke School District, and Ben is working at getting his shop back up and running. For now it feels comfortable and homey, but we expect to be really missing Ecuador when the cold short days of January and February roll around and the work feels like it's never done.

It's hard to sum up such an experience. One year is both long and short. Today, it already feels a bit like a dream from last night-- short, sweet and a little strange. But, if we focus for a moment, the experiences are still all laid out in our heads like a book. As the years pass, they will most likely see those pages whiddle down to more of a highlight  reel. We both learned a lot personally, professionally and culturally and we're sure to see those lessons played out in the years to come. "Culture shock" may be a bit strong to describe our experiences in recalibrating to life in the US, but we certainly associate some stress with the change. More details about those experiences to come...

Make no bones about it, we are happy to be home!

Our Last Travels

                     
As soon as our school days came to an end (literally... catching a night bus on the last day of school), we met up with our friends Justin and Renee for some more travel in Ecuador. After reuniting in Quito ( it felt really good to see friends from home after 10 months), we headed out to Mindo, a quaint little town located in what is known as the cloudforest. The climate is rather tropical, and it´s known for birdwatching. We were extremely lucky to view 3 different types of Toucans and a lesser known but more rare Guan. We were also mesmerized by the variety of hummingbirds that allowed us within a  foot or less of the feeders.

Hiking in the cloudforest

A booted racket tail hummingbird

At the butterfly gardens in Mindo

  After Mindo, we made our second trip out to the Secret Garden Cotopaxi, the lodge is located at about 11,000 feet so we switched from tanktops to sweaters.  Once again, we had good fortune -- sunny, clear skies for amazing views of the surrounding mountains. The addition of a hot tub with  a view of snowcapped Cotopaxi which glowed in the moonlight was a plus!

An early morning view of Cotopaxi (19, 388 feet) 

After Cotopaxi, we decided to head back to  lower a elevation and warmer weather. So, we headed toward the Orient, or jungle region of Ecuador. In Puyo, we took a cool rainforest walk in Parque Omaere with an American expat biologist who educated us about the medicinal plants of the area and the local indigenous tribes, played with some monkeys at a local monkey refuge, and entertained ourselves in the evening at an outdoor heavy metal/punk rock concert (lucky again because Justin is a fan of metal). After Puyo, we headed down to Cuenca where we parted ways.

 At the monkey refuge in Puyo

With only a week left now in S.A., we were determined to make it down to Peru. Our goal was altered slightly by the fact that we were seeking a quiet beach experience before coming home, but we found ourselves on the beaches of Peru during the largest holiday of the year, Peruvian Independence Day. Nonetheless, it has been quiet, for the most part, and relaxing, without a doubt. Being rather early risers compared to the late night party crowd, we have been able to take quiet, almost solitary walks on the beach in the morning.  Our bungalow at Kon Tiki is perched on the hillside overlooking the ocean with our own  private space for sitting, reading, sleeping in the hammock. Although Ben contracted some stomach bug after our first night´s seafood dinner, it hasn't damaged the experience too much because we have done alot of nothing...perfect for relaxing and reflecting before our homecoming.

A view from our bungalow in Mancora, Peru

Our Despedida

The school year is finally drawing to a close down here in Loja, and it's not a moment too soon. We can feel the waning energy of both teachers and students. All are ready for a break. So, in the last couple of weeks, we've been making an effort to wrap things up, give the students final exams and assist them in performing their year end presentations, or "sabatinas",  for their parents. We spent seven straight hours one day last week, coaching the kids through staged demonstrations of their English and Math skills. It was tiring, to say the least, but rewarding at the same time. Our kids did fantastic, and the parents walked away happy (or so it appeared).

One of six groups celebrating their completion of the parent presentation

In all of the madness and mayhem that comes with end of the year activities in Ecuador (primarily because advance planning and preparation is not their strong suit), the teachers and students still found the time to throw us a despedida, or "going away party.". This wasn't your average punch and cookies event, but rather it was a full-on-performance. We sat like celebreties in a crowd of students for an hour watching students  sing, dance and cheer ~ all in our honor. We are the first foreigners to work for a full year at SEI, so they really wanted to show their appreciation. Despite the hot sun, it was an inspiring event and made us feel very appreciated.

We were the celebrities with front row seats alongside the school directors.

Students performing a traditional style dance

After school, the teachers gathered to send us off in a more adult-style affair, complete with shots of rum, tamales and humitas (the traditional food of Ecuador). The directors all gave touching toasts and then the teachers presented us with parting gifts. Then it was our turn to practice our Spanish by giving a little toast of our own. Short but sweet (Ben's more of the former and Sara's the latter) but enough to tell them how much we appreciated their friendship and support. It was very touching to feel such appreciation. The party left us feeling like the year was a success on many levels and that we will be leaving behind some good friends down here in Ecuador. It's a bittersweet ending. One more week and then a little vacation before we head back to the USA.

Posing with our Ecuadorian hand-made parting gifts

Learning Spanish: Poco a poco.

Now that we are down to our final month here in South America, we have been forced to recon with the progression of our Spanish skills. It has been quite humbling learning a new language. It can be so frustrating when you want to express yourself but don't have the words to do it.

That said, we have made a great deal of progress since we first arrived. We have been taking lessons with a private instructor for about 4 hours per week, 2 hours at a time. Our teacher, Marcia, is actually a full time English teacher at a local Colegio (high school), and she has taken this task on,in addition to getting her masters degree. She is truly a busy woman so we have been thankful to have her undivided attention.

Marcia , our Spanish teacher. She's actually not nearly as serious as she looks. 

So how much have we learned? If you measure from where we started to where we have gotten, it's impressive. If you consider where we are and where we would like to be in order to be fluent speakers, it's humbling. Ordering food is no problem, the bank is a breeze, and casual encounters are usually ok as well. And, of course, we have most of the travel lingo down pat (transportation, hotel rooms, shopping). Well, CNN is a bit too technical to understand, depending on the topic. Radio is difficult to keep up with. Phone calls in Spanish can be a bit tricky, even with people we know. The most difficulties arise in discussing details and technical points, especially in tenses other than the present, past or future. Spanish has way too many verb tenses!!!   And, how easily we can converse largely depends on who we are speaking with. For example, many native Lojano's speak very clearly, but when we encounter people from the coast or people that speak rapidly, it can be challenging to comprehend everything. At least we now get the gist! Certainly, one more year and we are confident that we would be speaking fluently.

So, we have been stocking up on children's books, and we have a stockpile of bootleg movies to continue our studies when we get back. We have heard that language is one thing that fades fast if you don't keep practicing. Use it or lose it! So we'll do our best.

Celebrating In Ecuador

Well, the Fourth of July just isn't the same down here in Ecuador, but we are doing our best to bring a little bit of USA into our dinner tonight with some hamburgers and french fries. We did, however, have the opportunity to celebrate yesterday after Spain's victory in the World Cup.

We decided last minute to go watch the game at our "favorite restaurant" which is a quaint little place run by a Spanish fellow and his Ecuadorian wife. The main reason it's our favorite restaurant is that they actually made an effort to give it some ambiance. As far as food goes here in Loja, we don't have a "favorite" place. This restaurant is unique is pub-style decor and good lighting. Most restaurants hang a bulb in the middle of the room and call it good. Not even a lamp shade. They actually have small lamps on each table. Well, the main reason we headed there yesterday was because we knew that they would have the game on and be rooting full tilt boogie for España.

The owner and her kids.

So we arrived at about 1:30 to find the entire family including their 18 month old son, wearing Spain jerseys, and the restaurant draped in Spanish flags. David was playing the Spanish fight song through his ridiculously loud stereo and blowing on some type of noise maker. We ate our always surprisingly cheap and filling $2 almuerzo (3 courses plus a drink) and watched the game from our table.

After the game. The picture is blurry for obvious reasons.

At half-time a group of Spain fans showed up and started buying beers. Then the game started getting crazy, and the owners started pouring drinks. Everytime something good happened David turned the fight song on so the whole neighborhood could hear. After Spain won, the dancing and flag waving began. We all downed shots of ouzo and chanted the fight song. Then, everytime we tried to leave, the fans at the other table would set another beer in front of us and make us toast. It was great fun and an excellent way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Hoop it up!

In the past week, I played in my first “official” basketball games since college intramurals. The school Athletic Director organized a Mami/ Papi Sports Tournament. The Mamis played basketball and the Papis played indoor soccer. The women Docentes (teachers) were invited to put together a basketball team. There aren’t enough men working in the school, so Ben was off the hook. Fortunately our team consisted of about 15 teachers, so no one had to run up and down the court too much. Just like back in middle school, my face was beet red after about 15 minutes in the game. I expected to be in better shape since Ben and I run regularly, but it didn’t prepare me for sprinting up and down a basketball court.

Maybe to your surprise, I wasn’t even the shortest woman on the team. While my basketball career ended quickly in the United States when most others outgrew me in middle school, the possibilities are better here for a girl my size. Ecuadorians are small in stature, so maybe I am considered “average” here in Ecuador. It was nice looking my opponent directly in the eyes. In each game, I only got about 10 minutes or less of playtime in order to share the time with my 15 player team. In the first game, I put up 2 points. We won the first game 25-4. The following games were closer matches, but we ended up losing in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, I scored no further points in the game, but I certainly scored some points with my fellow teachers who were surprised when I joined the team.

                                                         Our Cheering Section- My Students!

      

                                                                        

Are you ready for some Fútbol!

As many of you know, the US lags behind the rest of the world in it's appreciation for futbol or as it is known in the states, soccer. In Ecuador, futbol is second only to Catholicism in popularity and even that might be a stretch. Everywhere we have been we have seen futbol being played. We have seen "balls" of all sizes and shapes (including plactic bottles), players of all ages (no joke) and fields of all sizes and surfaces. If you go to the big park in Loja on Sunday you are likely to see futbol games in all directions with overlapping fields and goals made of whatever is handy. We once counted about eight different games from one sitting position in one section of the park.

So in an attempt to be culturally sensitive, we have decided to embrace this aspect of Ecuadorian culture wholeheartedy (perhaps Ben more than Sara). This is best recognized in our regular attendence at the local professional matches which take place every other Friday at the stadium in town. Loja's team is in the "B" league which is sort of considered the minor leagues here. Every year the winning team moves to the upper division and the losing upper division team moves down.

Lucky for us, Liga de Loja is quite good this year, so the games have been really fun to watch. So far we have been to about 5 of them. One ticket in the preferred section (there is an awning over the stands) costs $5, the 20 oz. beers $1.25 and (if you're so inclined) you can buy a knock off t-shirt for another $5. You could be an instant fan for less than $12. That would barely get you a Coke at a Sounders game. The only downside is that the seats are just concrete stairs and, if you're not careful, you could sit in gum like Ben did last week.

Yes the picture is crappy but so is the photographer.

Our only disappointment is that we can't understand all of the insults and profanity that the fans shout at the refs. For them, this is a big part of the game. Last week, when Liga was losing 0-3, the game turned into a one upsmanship of insults since the fans were getting bored with being the losing team. It went on for a good 20 minutes. We could tell when someone said something funny because the entire crowd would laugh, including our friend Eduardo. Ben has a list of bad words that he has been studying in an effort to contribute more. When in Rome.....

Its a boy!

We have been living in the same apartment for about 5 months now, and the Ecuadorian family who owns and lives in the building have been very kind to us. We have been on a couple day trips together, including family Sunday at their weekend home in Malacatos. However, it was still a complete surprise when they invited us for dinner and formally asked us to be their 11-year old son’s Godparents (padrinos as they call them in Spanish). Now, for sure, your mouth is gaping open at the moment, but we want to reassure you by saying “We are not his only Godparents.” There are many religious celebrations in the life of Catholics here and godparents are selected for practically every religious ceremony including baptism, First Communion, and marriage. For the occasion (La Primera Comunión), we borrowed some formal clothes from friends for the ceremony. The ceremony was held at the church on Saturday morning. The children had been rehearsing for the event all week, as well as having formal pictures made and programs with their photos prepared. There were approximately 60 children participating, and the church was packed. We filed in line with our godson, José Antonio, and tried to follow along in the prayers and taking of communion like good Catholics, a noticeable irony for a half Jew and a Methodist. We pulled it off quite well. José Antonio is rather shy, so little words were exchanged throughout the ceremony and evening. Slowly, perhaps he is warming up to us, and we communicate in Spanglish. 

The morning ceremony was followed much later by a formal evening dinner. During the afternoon, the family worked quite hard preparing flower displays, appetizers and wrapping gifts for all the guests. We were invited to help alittle. Dinner was served at a nice hotel in Loja for about 20 people, mostly family and a few friends. Again, we just did as we were told. We were seated at the “head” table with José Antonio and his parents. Although the event was to begin at 7pm, as is typical in Ecuador, guests showed up about 1 hour late, plus or minus, so it was a late night. His father made a speech, and we just hope we didn’t miss any special customs that we were supposed to follow as his new godparents.

The proud Padrinos

The family posing before the formal dinner

The next day, Sunday, we went with the family to visit El Cisne. It’s a small pueblo (community) within an hour drive of Loja. This community is perched high in the mountains, and it is a long, windy drive there. Not only were we a bit motion sick from the drive, but also took on dull headaches due to the bus exhaust we followed all the way up the mountain. Thank goodness for emissions testing in the US!!!! El Cisne is well known for its cathedral as well as the main attraction which is the effigy of the Virgin Del Cisne. She is well regarded in Ecuador for performing many miracles and thus has a loyal following throughout the country, but particularly in the Loja province. You can see her placed at the head of the altar inside the church.

Before we reached the town, you could see the blue steeples towering above the little community. The cathedral was well-kept and adorned with a substantial amount of hand-made floral garlands (as you can see in the photos). We chose not to get our pictures on the llama with a small monkey-size saddle strapped on the back or purchase plastic rosary beads, candles or toenail clippers with the Virgin’s picture on them. However, we did indulge in some peanut butter “bocaditos” (sweets) that sent Ben running to the hills on the drive home. Guess you aren’t supposed to eat three at one time. It certainly gave the family a good laugh, especially the kids. Thank God they keep a roll of t.p. in the car.

Out And About Near Cuenca

Another Ecuadorian holiday blessed us with our last opportunity for a three day weekend excursion. Monday, May 24 is a holiday to recognize the famous Batailla de Pichincha in Ecuador's colorful military history. We decided to celebrate by checking off a few more sites from our long list of "hope to see" places.  It's about a 5 hour bus ride to Cuenca. On these long bus rides, we usually catch up on our This American Life podcasts, play a few games of Solitaire or Yahtzee on the IPod and, of course, get some extra sleep. Our hostal, Hostal Monarco, was a smashing deal at just $14 per night for a double. The shared bathroom smelled a bit funky, but by all other measures it was satisfactory. Conveniently located in the center of the city, we easily walked everywhere. The "Wunderbar" known as a place for German beers disappointed us in terms of beer selection, but the friendly bartender provided some Spanish practice.

On Saturday morning, we caught an early bus northwest to Parque Nacional Cajas, which is well known for its spectacular high mountain vistas at around 11,000 feet and over 200 lakes. On our bus ride, the fog started to break and the sun came out, which was a great relief since we had been warned to expect cold, wet temperatures. Unfortunately, we spent the sunny part of the day in the bus- sitting at the park entrance due to road construction. The park ranger station provided us with a detailed map, and we were surprised that the trails were well marked. The surrounding mountain views were amazing, but it didn't take long for those looming clouds to catch up with us. About 40 minutes into our hike, we found ourselves huddled under a rock outcropping waiting out a hail storm. The rest of our hike was pretty wet, but we managed to spot a lone hummingbird, a few ducks and some fish swimming in the crystal clear lakes. It appeared to be a flyfisherman's heaven. Unfortunately due to the dreary weather, we moved fairly quickly through our hike. We were glad to get back to a warm cup of black coffee at the park entrance.

Sara entering the Hobbit-like Quinua trees some of which are at least 200 years old.

Ben at one of the lakes minutes before we put on our rain gear for the storm in the distance.

Hiking in the rain.

On Sunday morning, we hopped a bus for Ingapirca, Ecuador's most impressive Incan ruins. The 2-hour bus ride, in each direction, was well worth the visit due to the scenery. The ruins are perched at the top of a very picturesque hilltop. Although the indigenous Canari people were the first to build on the site, they were later uprooted, to some extent, by the Incas. However, the Incans and Canari did manage to coexist in a peaceful fashion, where both cultures could worship their respective gods. The Incan Temple of the Sun and the Canari's Temple of the Moon are both on site. According to our guide, this site has the only circular structure know to have been built by the Incans in their entire former empire. It is suggested that this reflects the influence of the Canari people, who traditionally built circular structures. Certainly one has to use his/her imagination to truly appreciate the experience of walking among the ruins.

Ingapirca site and the Temple of the Sun in the distance.

Sara examining the fine stone masonry of the Incans

Ahh....Monday, we were able to laze around the city of Cuenca. It's the 3rd largest city of Ecuador, and its known for its colonial architecture, well-maintained cobble stone streets and art museums. We had some fun in the Panama Hat Museum. There were probably over 200 hats to try on, and try on we did! Here is Sara modeling a couple. Maybe you know, they are only "Panama" hats by name. The traditional Panama hats were originally made by Ecuadorians and popularized during the construction of the Panama Canal.

Mind the gap.

When we first moved to Loja, we quickly learned that a stroll around town can be treacherous if you're not careful. Not because of crooks, criminals or even crazy drivers (which there are plenty of), but because if you don't watch your step, you're could easly break your ankle, be swallowed alive by a hole or shredded by barbed wire lining the sidewalk.

In nearly every part of town and all across Ecuador we have come across stunningly dangerous obstacles that would be screaming "lawsuit" in the US. While we understand that this is probably a common predicament in developing countries, it is sometimes so blatently dangerous that we can't help but laugh.... or cry. Each of us has turned an ankle or nearly bit the dust on more than one occasion because we weren't watching where we were going. One day Ben took a step backward to avoid an oncoming bus and ended up standing in a ditch at about waist level with the sidewalk. We wear flip folps with extreme caution and always try to be vigilant with one eye on the ground in front of us. Here are a few of our local favorites....

Watch out! This thing could swallow you alive. It's a hole we dodge everyday on our way to the park.

This ankle breaker is right in front of our apartment. It goes so deep we can't even see the bottom.

This is a common site around town. A triple threat on a main sidewalk in town. How the women wear their fashionable stilletos around town (and so many of them do) without breaking an ankle is unbelievable.

"I know. Let's line the sidewalk with barbed wire. That way if someone falls, they can cut themselves too!" 

By the way. If you happened to be a victim of any of these traps, I think you would just be out of luck. After all, it's your fault because you weren't watching where you were going.... dummy! It puts personal responsibility at a higher level than we're used to in the states.

Eating Fresh

One thing we truly enjoy about living in Loja is the low cost of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many prepackaged and processed foods in the stores are about equivalent to US prices, but the fresh foods are a BARGAIN! Take, for example, this healthy heap of fresh fruits and vegetables we just purchased at the market this morning. In total, we spent $ 13.50, and we will eat fresh cooked meals and drink fresh juice everyday this week. Here are some specific examples of the bargains: 20 oranges- $1, 1 lb. of strawberries - $1, 3 lbs of tomatoes - $1, 2 pineapples- $1, 5 avocadoes- $1, 5 red peppers- 50 cents.

the day's bounty

So, most Sundays, after our leisurely coffee, we head out to the weekly market which fills the street for about 4 blocks. The vendors line up side by side in all directions and the real estate is so competitive that some vendors can be found the night before sleeping in the sidewalks in order to protect their coveted positions in the market. The vendors range from well worn, sun hardened seniors to aspiring, young children. Some vendors stand calling your attention to their produce “Veinty naranjas un dollar” while others sit quietly peeling beans and shucking corn.

A young man counting the days profits.

While we are accustomed to examining the produce ourselves, picking out the best looking avocadoes, they generally prefer to pick them out for you quickly and move on. As we can figure, this morning Sara spent too much time examining the avocadoes that the woman rattled off something in Spanish and took the avocadoes back from our basket. And, purchasing just one lime or one bulb of garlic, don’t even think about it. They look at you as if you are loco! But 15 limes for 50 cents - How come we haven’t made more margaritas!

Mixed up among all the vegetables and fruit, you can also pick up a wool hat, socks, a new remote for your T.V. or even some fresh new underwear. In fact, one day, we noticed one vendor wearing underwear on his head to create some shade from the hot sun. Unfortunately we left the camera at home that day.

A woman getting the corn ready to sell.

Sara making some careful selections.

We can imagine the shock we will experience when returning to the US and going grocery shopping. And, certainly, it will seem rather dull to be purchasing our fresh fruit and vegetables under the fluorescent lights of a giant grocery store. And perhaps we’ll look at those little stickers that say “Grown in Ecuador” with a bit of nostalgia and think, “Ah, if only we were there right now.”

"I Gotta Go!"

Occasionally in the states one will have the unfortunate occasion to pass by someone relieving themselves in public. That is to say...we have all done it, either out of necessity or inebriation but, at some point, duty calls and there is nowhere to go but in a dark alley or behind a large stand of bushes. In Ecuador, however, there seems to be a large portion of the population that feels ANY tree, corner or inanimate object is open for interpretation as a public bathroom. Obviously not all of the citizens of this country see things in this light, but the audacity of some people has not ceased to amaze us.

One time we were going for our afternoon jog on one of the main streets in town. A woman in front of us, probably in her 70’s, simply slipped between a couple of hibiscus plants, hiked up her skirt and without looking, dropped trow.

At the football game the other night, one well dressed and somewhat older man was not satisfied waiting in line and so decided to pee in the corner of the hallway leading to the bathroom. Oddly enough a teenage boy took note and decided he would do the same.

In front of our apartment on the busiest street in town, we regularly see people peeing into the river from the edge of the sidewalk (as shown in this picture from our balcony). Upon further inspection we noticed that every one of the large trees on the the boulevard has a permanent stain on it.

On the same street about 3 blocks away, the taxistas have decided their pee spot is the slow lane. They simply pull over, open the driver’s side door and act as if they have stepped into a public bathroom.

These are just some of the more mundane and regular sightings we encounter and obviously it gets much worse at night when people are walking around drunk. We won’t go there.

This seems to be a country-wide phenomena that is as ubiquitous as litter. It’s one thing that has been very hard for us to understand.

Iguanas, frigates and boobies, oh my!

In Ecuador, nearly the entire country celebrates “Semana Santa” or the Holy Week. Essentially it is a weeklong celebration of the Easter season which includes many traditions pertaining to the church, eating and family gatherings. However, if you are not Catholic, it means you get a week off from school and for us it meant a chance to indulge in the vacation of a lifetime.

So Friday March 26 we hopped aboard a night busfrom Loja to Quito (this one took 13 hrs!) and arrived Saturday morning to meet Kathy and Jamie (Sara’s parents) who had arrived the night before. We spent a day touring Quito and seeing a few sites including the Teleferico which is a cable car that goes up 1600’ to a magnificent view above Quito. Most importantly, we also visited the tourist agency and nailed down the final details of our trip to the Galapagos.

Sunday morning we headed out to the airport and by 2 pm we were on San Cristobal Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The weather was gorgeous, balmy with a breeze and it truly felt like a warm tropical welcome. After navigating through the park entry and paying our $100 fee, we traveled by taxi to our hotel Hostal Galapagos. We had booked an extra night on the island before the boat tour so that we could have a little extra time to enjoy the beaches. As it turned out, the hotel was totally uninhabited (with exception of a small population of lava lizards) and Sara had to make a call back to Quito to have someone come and let us into our rooms. The accommodations were lackluster and a little overpriced but the water was hot and there was AC. The best part is we were just a stone’s throw from the water and a short walk to town. We spent that afternoon enjoying a nearby beach and getting our first swim in the clear Pacific waters that surround the islands.

The next day, we met up with our cruise boat and the rest of the passengers at the dock in town. We had booked a 5 day / 4 night cruise on a 70’ boat called Estrella Del Mar. There were 16 passengers total and 8 crew including the guide. The boat accommodations were cozy, and we felt lucky to be small people because our below deck cabin was a little tight.

We were surprised to find out that the fun would begin right away when our guide Estefan told us we would be going snorkeling and hiking after lunch. We motored a little ways out of the port and went on a short walk. Within the first 15 minutes of our walk, we saw Sea Lions, Sea Iguanas, Blue Footed Boobies, Frigate birds and the well known Sally Lightfoot crabs. And all within a 5 foot distance or less. We witnessed the mating dance of the Blue Footed Boobies and as well as the Frigate Birds luring their mate with their big red throat pouches. The male Frigate bird cleaned an area, prepared a nest and then sat with his red throat in full display to lure his mate. What a man! We could tell the Galapagos was just as amazing as everyone had told us. Back on board the boat we got fitted for snorkeling gear and headed out for about 45 minutes of snorkeling in a small bay. We swam with the sea turtles, sting rays, playful seals, a few sharks, some penguins and innumerable colorful fish. And on it went for three more full days.

Boobies!

A male Frigate bird on display.

Sara making friends on Española.

In the following pictures you will get a taste of what we saw. The typical day included breakfast at 7, on shore by 8 a short walk and snorkel, back on the boat for lunch and a couple hours to rest, then back out to hike and snorkel again. The boat motored at night, and we certainly felt the motion of the ocean, making it difficult to walk straight at dinner and throughout the evening. Thank goodness we all avoided sea sickness. Sleeping at night was generally no problem given our busy daily schedule. We were exhausted each night. It was such a great experience as you will see…..

The pristine beaches were amazing.

We got to see the first of the Waved Albatross returning to Isla Española from their migration. We were told that in a few weeks the cliff sides would be covered with Albatross mating and nesting.

Yet another beautiful beach, Isla Española.

Just so you understand, the zoom on our camera is NOT very good. This Galapagos Hawk was literally posing for us about 2 yards away.

Flamingos!

A few Sea Iguanas enjoying the hot lava rocks on Isla Isabela.

It´s crazy seeing these guys swimming in the ocean waves.

And of course, Lonesome George.

And of course the sunrises and sunsets were amazing from the rooftop of the boat.