We are located at the center of the Galapagos Islands at one of the largest land extensions. About 110 years ago Santa Cruz Island was visited by the Academy of Sciences of California and the bay was named after the institution. A few years later the first people settled with the intention of establishing fishing industries due to the large quantities of fish present. Most of the goods were canned in order to preserve the product, but the long distances and difficult processes eventually discouraged people. Many years later, the highlands offered a better option to sustain an increasing population. Today the largest inhabited town of Puerto Ayora has 2,2000 persons.
Our visit began at the tortoise rearing center at the Galapagos National Park. For many of our guests this is the very first time they closely observed the small and giant tortoises. They had many questions about the unique ecology of these amazing creatures.
The temperature was increasing as we moved around Charles Darwin Avenue towards The Rock restaurant which was a great opportunity to rest. Eventually we left the town and had a chance to go biking for a few miles and visited a farm where we observed the lifestyle of the first farmers and what they did in order to coexist in this challenging environment. We learned how coffee beans are processed and sugar derivatives are obtained.
Eventually our buses moved us to the restaurant Narwhal. It is owned by Evelyna and Oswaldo who have been grilling incredible food for years. They are exceptional people who love what they do.
The final excursion included a hike to El Chato farm, an ecological reserve created with the intention of exchanging common plantations for protected land for land tortoises. This creates a sustainable tortoise habitat and their population increases. It never rained, but lightening appeared on the distant sky. It was perfect timing to interact with nature.
