GALAPAGOS!!

Hola! How are you? I know this post is a little overdue, but it's getting to be midterm time, and I suddenly have homework and stuff. We did a lot in the Galapagos, so this is going to be a very brief summary. I have lots more pictures, so if you want to see them, give me a ring when I get back. This is the view from San Cristobal, the island we landed on. The water was super pretty.

There are many lobos marinos (Sea Lions) on San Cristobal. They aren't very afraid of humans, and they are pretty much everywhere. Here is one.



















After San Cristobal we went snorkeling near Isla Floreana. I'd never been before, so it was pretty cool to see all the fish. The sea lions would swim right by us. They were probably only a foot away at times. I got stung by something, probably a jellyfish, but it didn't hurt too much. And it definitely didn't ruin the rest of the snorkeling. The water was pretty chilly because right now it is the cold/dry season on the islands.















We went to eat on Floreana, and the marine iguanas were just hanging around, sunning themselves. Here we are with one of them.



















Next we went to Isabela, another island that is very gorgeous. The island itself is shaped almost exactly like a seahorse. Kind of cool. I thought this sign was funny. It says "Iguana Crossing, Reduce Speed." There I am, pretending to be an iguana.















We also went to visit a crater on Isabela. Sierra Negra, the crater, is the second largest in the world, with a diameter of about 8 miles. Pretty much everyone got burnt this day, but it was worth it. It was pretty sweet.















The islands are relatively young, and there is volcanic activity on the newer ones. They were formed like the Hawaii chain, as the earth moved over a hotspot that is under the ocean. This means theres some other cool formations, such as a tunnel that used to be where the lava flowed. We walked through it, which was pretty neat, but there were some tight spots, such as here, where you had to crawl. At the end of the tunnel we saw an owl.















Of course, we also visited the giant tortoises. They can weigh up to 500 pounds and live for about 150-175 years. Something I found interesting is that they only lay 4-6 eggs twice a year in their nests. That is much less than sea turtles lay. Like I said, there's much more, but these are some highlights.



















Galapagos was definitely cool, but a little different than I expected. Our professor reminded us that Galapagos is important not for the number of different species that live there, but for the amazing number of species that live ONLY there, that can't be found anywhere else in the world. The island has never been connected to the continent, so any species found there had to arrive there in some fashion--swimming, flying, blowing in the wind, attached to floating debris on the water. In order to survive of course there had to be two of them. And over time they evolved to be completely unique from any other organisms. Pretty fascinating. But, anyway, enough with the science lesson. Hope you enjoy the pics!!

Coming soon: The cloud forest; adventures in Mindo.