Galápagos

We are back from ten days in the Galápagos Islands with our children and grandchildren.  It was an ideal trip that captivated the interest of all of us, particularly the grandchildren.  We snorkeled, we hiked, we cruised on zodiak boats, and we canoed.  We were busy every minute and never bored.  Combining the fact that our family likes to be together with all the interesting experiences, it was an ideal trip.

A few impressions:  The non-inhabited islands are pristine.  We never saw as much as a scrap of paper. The beaches were clear of any footprints when we landed.  The Ecuadorian government is doing an excellent job of preserving the islands.  They put our National Park system to shame.

Like Antarctica, humans never inhabited these islands.  The animals have no fear of them.  Lizards, sea lions, birds, every living thing ignores us.  This came home when a dozen of us were looking at a male land iguana from about 6 feet away.  He ignored us.  Then he suddenly bristled and made threatening noises when he saw another male iguana approaching about 30 feet away.

You can view my nature photos here.