Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador slideshow

Here is a slideshow of around sixty photos of our recent trip to South America covering everything except Galapagos.  Included here are some shots from Lima (not the prettiest city in the world), Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu (which was everything it is cracked up to be), the trip to Lake Titicaca and across into Bolivia, La Paz and Quito.   In summary, lots of Inca remains, mountain and lake scenery and colonial and modern city shots, which we hope you enjoy.  A great trip all round!

Galapagos Photo Gallery

We've now uploaded well over 1000 photos from our recent trip.  Especially for those of you without time to wade through eight days of blogs on the wildlife we found there, here is a selection of 36 pictures from Galapagos, covering most of our favourite species including the dolphins, penguins and blue-footed boobies. Some of the humans were nice too but they aren't indigenous to the islands so we've kept photos of them to a minimum.

Galapagos Highlights

Goodbye to Ecuador

If getting into Ecuador proved diffcult because of passport control, for a while it looked like leaving might also be problematic.  We were booked on the 1745 plane to Madrid and had all day to get to Quito airport from not very far away, visiting Cotopaxi National Park on route to see the 5,900m high volcano.  However the road out of the park was very bad due to heavy rain in recent weeks and the journey became much longer than planned.  With time to spare there seemed no need to worry until, at the end of a long cobbled country lane, we found the exit closed. There was a rally in full swing with cars screaming down the road that we wanted to use and they told us we would not be able to go through until after 4pm - too late to get the plane.

So we doubled back and found another rougher cobbled track that in half an hour brought us to...the start of the rally!  In the narrow, steep street there were lots of rally cars, drivers in helmets waiting to start their time trial - and some other people trying to get up the hill to what looked like a wedding reception.  After a few minutes of gridlock we got through and our driver/guide, Lenin, started a rally time trial of his own to get us to Quito - first to the hotel to get the rest of our luggage and then the airport.  We made it thanks to him.

So, rather more excitement than we needed at the end of a quiet few days unwinding in mainland Ecuador.  We received some wonderful hospitality from our friends in Quito.  Yolanda and Macarena each cooked us a marvelous dinner and Pippa and Rob made us very welcome at their wonderful home in the valley.  We spent a couple of nights at the very friendly Hacienda Hato Verde near volcano Cotopaxi where we had a real wood fire in the room and a herd of cows for company just outside.

While the weather allowed only fleeting glimpses of the volcano, we did see a number of interesting Ecuadorian towns which gave us more insight into how the people live.  The highlanders seem hard-working with thriving local markets run mostly by the indigenous population, like the one we visited in Saquisisi.  The "mestizo" (mixed Spanish/native) people live mostly in the bigger towns which often specialise in some form of industry.  Almost every shop in Pelileo for instance sells jeans and Lenin said there are more than 200 ice cream shops in Salcedo (population 10,000).  He may be right - I gave up counting at fifty as we drive through.

Flight of the condor

The national park was enjoyable with wild bulls and horses roaming the cold 3,800m high plane below the volcano (hidden by cloud mostly) while Lake Limpiopungo sustains a variety of bird life.  The highlight of this last day was not one but two sightings of condors circling above us with their enormous wingspans silhoutted against the sky.  This was an appropriate way to end this wildlife-filled trip and good to see the condor still breeding in the wild despite modern contamination of its habitats.  The condor was sacred to the Incas and remains a symbol of South America - a continent that we have come to love in the last few months.

Galapagos Day 8: Black Turtle Cove

We had finished our land trips and snorkeling the day before but we had one last trip out in the dinghy. We set out early towards the mangroves which line the cove and which are reminiscent of the bayous of Louisiana.  After a few minutes of seeing very little at all other than a few pelicans hurling themselves head first into the water in characteristically inelegant fashion, I began to suspect that this trip was just a ruse to get us off the boat for an hour while they prepared the beds for the next group of passengers.

However, when Daniel stopped in a quiet corner and turned the engine off all manner of things started to happen. First the tranquil sound of bird song appeared along with some herons and egrets on the surface.  Then turtle heads popped out of the water, soon to be followed by shark fins. Things were looking up. Next on show came a shoal of around 50 golden rays - huge diamond shaped fish flapping their wings as they glistened just below the surface. Daniel pointed out that these were just one of a number of ray species and right on cue some spotted eagle rays emerged into view to prove his point.

So, a fascinating end to our week here in yet another different environment. We have seen and learned so much, had some great weather and scenery, made some new friends and really relaxed. Now it's farewell to the Beagle and our new friends and back to mainland Ecuador for the last few days of this trip.

Goodbye to the team!

Galapagos Day 7: Chinese Hat & Dragon Hill

They seem insignificant compared to the rest of the wildlife but the crabs here are beautiful. And I don't mean they go really well with a fresh salad - although they quite possibly would do.

On the day of our arrival we noticed a small black crab on the rocks and then realized that there were hundreds. Since then they have been everywhere and no more so than when we disembarked on Chinese Hat island where the orangey-red Sally Light Foot crabs teem all over the black volcanic rocks in one of the poorest displays of camouflage that we've seen here.  They are, as their name suggests, light footed, hopping sideways from pool to pool. The colours on the shell are vivid and make them the most memorable of the hundred or so varieties of crab here. They shed their soft shell around three times each year, crawling out of the old shell and leaving it behind while the new one grows over a period of 3-4 days.

Sally light foot crabs mating

By contrast nearby little hermit crabs scuttle by in shells which they have found lying around - either from a snail or just the sort of sea shell one finds on the beach. It is odd to see what appears to be a snail zipping across the ground until you realise that the shell contains not a slug-like creature but a small eight-legged crustacean in a hurry.

Heading to dry land

After our final snorkeling trip, the Beagle took us back to Santa Cruz island where we walked to Dragon Hill through thick vegetation and past small lagoons where, unlike the dry climates of Chinese Hat and Bartolome, things are much more humid. Large Galapagos land iguanas frequently blocked the paths looking indifferent to our presence, while above in the trees we saw some of the typical bird life of these parts - finches, yellow warblers and mockingbirds.

Land iguana lunches on cactus

Galapagos Day 6: North Seymour & Bartolome

The day greeted us with sunshine again as we took the dinghy to the shore. Everyone had slept well as a result of the Beagle being moored for the whole night. The rocking and rolling of the boat during the previous night had left everyone behind on sleep.

By now we have become acquainted with many of the sea birds that gather on Galapagos but today was a chance to get to know two of them - the blue-footed booby and the frigate bird - more intimately.

The blue-footed is one of three types of booby here and is also the most attractive and watchable. Their daring headlong dives into the sea are amazing. Today we saw an adult male attempting to attract a female who was playing hard to get.

Blue footed boobies - mating not happening!

The mating ritual mainly consists of the male practising some dancing steps in his bright sky blue shoes. If the steps are good enough he could be in luck. It is not unlike what goes on in nightclubs in Croydon as I recall except the female booby stands still instead of dancing round her handbag. We watched for a quarter of an hour or so but the female seemed to think that she could get better dancing elsewhere.

Frigate Bird airborne

Nearby the male frigate bird has a different way of impressing the females. They inflate the piece of loose red skin below their neck into a big red balloon. We had previously seen them in the air but here he was in a bush just perfect for mating and nesting. He had the equivalent of his own place and a new red shirt to wear - but like the booby he was having no luck either. The frigate birds dominate the skies, scavenging like magpies, but when it comes to mating on the ground they face the same problems as males of all species.

We left the disappointed booby and frigate bird to try again and the Beagle took us north to Bartolome island where we snorkeled off the coast in search of Galapagos penguins. Our luck was in and we were soon swimming with a group of these miniature penguins only a foot high as they swooped down from the surface in search of fish. They are very cute, even by penguin standards and unique to this place. Having kept us waiting for a few minutes while they stood on the rocks, they then proved to be no more shy than any of the other local wildlife.

This, our penultimate snorkeling trip, was one of the best as it also featured a couple of reef sharks, octopus and a wide variety of colourful fish. On the way back to the dinghy I had to take evasive action to avoid a huge male sea lion which was traveling like a torpedo.

Bartolome is also known for it's beautiful landscape and views. Volcanic like the other islands, it is very arid, being stuck between two much larger islands which take the rain from any passing low clouds. We walked up to the summit across sparsely vegetated lava terrain to see the views down to the sandy curved beaches and beautiful bays. We paused on the way for a typical Galapagos moment when a young hawk flew down to hover over us and then sat just a few feet away posing for photos.

Galapagos Day 5: Santa Fe & South Plaza

We arose looking tired thanks to the combination of the collective downing of a bottle of Absolut vodka the night before, a lot of lost sleep due to a rough journey through the night and an early start so our crew could get back to Santa Cruz island to vote in a referendum (compulsory here).

Undeterred we boarded the dinghy to visit Santa Fe which was notable for yet another colony of sea lions but especially its own unique species of iguana. This sand-coloured, lizard-like creature has a curious symbiotic relationship with the equally unique giant cactus which grows on the island. The iguanas grow big by eating the cactus leaves that fall and the cactus growth is enhanced by the passage of its seeds through the iguana's digestive system. A good example of a local ecosystem at work.

Next up was our daily snorkel when we saw an immense shoal of fish resembling a dark grey cloud against the sandy sea floor. There must have been a thousand fish packed together in a tight circle some ten metres across. However, the highlight for the two of us was to be able to swim alongside a giant turtle. These creatures often get under a rock or swim away but we found one in shallow, clear water that seemed unbothered by our presence. We got a close look at this extraordinary beast as it swum elegantly beneath us, its green body shell shimmering in the golden sunlight.

Sea lions on the beach

We spent much of the rest of the day travelling to South Plaza where we saw more sea lions and iguanas. For once we had landed with a few other groups whereas we have had most of the islands virtually to ourselves. Fatigue had set in and it was not the most productive of our trips ashore. Even the kids took less than 500 photos today. It was also the last trip with Eli-ran and Henrik who were leaving us after four nights. Back on the boat there were photos an then they were cheered off in scenes reminiscent of a Big Brother eviction. However unlike Big Brother the dinghy soon returned with two replacements, Martin from Germany and his Australian-Zimbabwean girlfriend Briony, who live and work in Ecuador.

Galapagos Day 4: San Cristóbal

We arrived at the easternmost point of the Galapagos archipelago, Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal. We anchored near a small islet which was teeming with birds.

On the main island we saw red-footed boobies high up on the cliffs nesting in bushes but generally there was much less bird life as the threat is greater from land mammals such as goats, cats and rats which have been introduced over the years. Major extermination programmes (eg 60,000 goats on one island) have been necessary to protect the indigenous ecosystem.

On the way towards the Sleeping Lion island we had great surprise when a huge pod of dolphins suddenly appeared, jumping in and out of the water around us. There was even the occasional backflip as they followed the boat for a memorable half hour. It was amazing to see how the dolphins brought joy and excitement to all, adults and children alike.

A dolphin leaps from the water next to the Beagle

Not to be outdone our more regular marine mammal friends, the sealions, were also in good form as they joined our snorkeling expedition. The juveniles swam up and down, whizzing past and underneath us at great speed, while the imposing alpha males moved menacingly around in the background guarding their territory. Among the many tropical fish that we see each day the other highlights were seeing some stingrays and a bizarre fight between an octopus and an eel. The octopus was showing interest in some small fish when the eel bolted towards it out of nowhere at high speed. The octopus lost the end of one of its tentacles and limped off into a small cave in the rock.

Galapagos Day 3: Española

The morning was very much devoted to sea birds and soon after going ashore we became acquainted with the blue-footed booby, an impressive sea bird that cruises above the water surveying the scene for potential breakfast before nose diving vertically into the water.  It uses its keen eye to snatch its prey on the way back up, although the incredible speed of the operation means it can take five or six goes on average to be successful. Quite a contrast to the pelican which crash lands on the water surface like a human belly-flopping. On one occasion when it managed to catch a small fish the poor thing was so dazed that an agile tern was able to swoop down and nick it from its beak. If Darwin had focused on pelicans instead of finches he might have thought twice about the efficiency of natural selection and evolution.

Galapagos Hawk

Nearby the Galapagos Hawk sat serenely watching the proceedings, king of all he surveys.  But if he is the local lord of the manor, there are some bigger visiting dignitaries - the Albatross, that sign of wind that the becalmed ancient mariner would pray for. With their huge wingspan they can make trips of 10,000 miles in search of food. On the ground life is more tricky and to me they resembled rather large ducks. They can be found at this particular spot on Española because they can land near the cliffs which makes their subsequent take off easier.

A pair of albatrosses thinking about mating

In the afternoon at beautiful Gardener Bay we went snorkeling to see dark grey marine iguanas (unique to Galapagos) slide into the water to get their tea amidst the shoals of brightly coloured angel fish.

Galapagos Day 2: Floreana

Overnight the Beagle sailed four hours so that we woke up moored off Floreana. First up was a ride up a rough road to Asilo de la Paz, a site on the hill that was inhabited in the 1920s and 1930s by some Germans who, judging by the stories, were all bonkers. There was a dentist who pulled out all his teeth to avoid the need for future treatment and a nymphomaniac baroness and her entourage.  They ended up murdering each other but hey, we are here for the animals not mad people so I will leave the rest of that story. Nearby we saw some more giant tortoises who were very active and in the throes of mating.

You can tell by the smile what's on his mind...

Later we saw pink flamingos and herons feeding at a beautiful lagoon while nearby turtles swam just offshore awaiting the opportunity that darkness brings to slide onto the beach to lay their eggs out of sight of the marauding scavenger frigate birds. In the same shallow waters a male ray fish was struggling manfully to entice a female into breeding. It looked like she had the fish equivalent of a headache but after much thrashing in the sea we think he had his way with her.


Back on the boat we watched the sun go down into the deep blue water from a clear sky. Away from the lights of town and with just a sliver of a new crescent moon, real darkness fell and the stars emerged one by one.

Here on the equator our familiar friend, the constellation Orion, lies on his side instead of the upright hunting pose that we see in the northern hemisphere. The Incas saw not a hunter but a butterfly in the seven main bright stars. We saw the same Milky Way that the Incas saw too - to them a reflection of their sacred river that flows around Machu Picchu - with the southern cross emblazoned on it like a medal. The Incas had their astronomical knowledge to identify the stars and we have Rob's i-pad application that tells you exactly what you are seeing in the sky above. Accordingly we were able to locate Saturn, one of our nearest neighbours, hovering in the constellation of Virgo.

Galapagos Day 1: Santa Cruz

A 105ft yacht named after the vessel in which Charles Darwin visited these Galapagos Islands in 1835 will be our home for a week. The Beagle has space for a guide, five-man local crew and up to 14 guests. There are 13 of us and our 11 travelling companions include Michael from LA, Eliran from Israel and Henrik from Sweden. The rest, all from the UK are a honeymoon couple, Emma & Jamie, Rob and Judy with their two children, Grace & Joe, and Roger & Chris.  The itinerary takes us around the south and east of the Enchanted Islands - an adventure playground for wildlife.

The Beagle

These isolated islands were created by volcanic activity and have never been connected to the mainland. The isolation is completed by the location which is 600 miles off the Ecuadorian coast into the Pacific where the next landfall going west is another 3400 miles. The Islands have developed without man nor any other land mammal and the result is a collection of unique species that don't suffer from predators. Many of the bird and animal species have almost zero sense of self-preservation and act with complete indifference when approached by humans. You can just walk right up to them and they won't move. It's extraordinary.

The islands each have their own unique environments, flora and fauna. Our guide, Daniel is a native of these parts and shows us marine life on snorkeling trips between the island visits. We began on Santa Cruz island and spent the first afternoon on shore at the Darwin Research Station. We were soon snapping away indiscriminately at an assortment of land based iguanas, lizards and crabs.

The yellow warbler

We also saw bird life - yellow warblers, mockingbirds and three of the thirteen varieties of finch that played a part in the conclusions that Darwin described in his 1859 book on the origin of species through natural selection.  Studies have shown how from a single ancestor these finches have, through natural selection of the most successful features, developed into the thirteen different species we see today.  This was the aperitif before seeing the giant tortoises live in a reserve to protect them and give them a chance to breed. The star attraction is Lonesome George who is the last of his species. Attempts are being made to restart the dynasty by bringing him new girlfriends from species that are as close to his as possible but so far without success. No one is sure how old these huge reptiles get but there is a record of one reaching the grand old age of 176.

Welcome to Ecuador

Our flight from La Paz to Quito was with the dreaded airline TACA who had caused us to arrive in Cusco a day late earlier in our trip. We had to change planes in Lima and had only an hour connection time so we were very concerned that we might get another delay. We needed to get to Quito as from there we are heading to the Galapagos Islands. 

On hearing of the news of disruption in Bolivia due to local people protesting against price increases by blockading roads, this added to our concerns and we really thought that we might have made a mistake by deciding to travel through Bolivia.  

In the event the Bolivian protests had calmed down and TACA managed to get us to Quito pretty much on time and with our luggage. But just as we thought we were home free, Ecuadorian passport control intervened. Su had no problems but the police decided that my passport was a fake and wouldn't let me in to the country. 

Of course they were only doing their job but it was frustrating and for a while a bit worrying.  I got asked repeatedly the same questions about where I had come from and what nationality I was. I repeatedly gave the same answers and managed to stay polite. The good bit about having to answer the questions in Spanish was that l had to think more about what I was saying and therefore avoided the almost unbearable temptation to be rude to them. 

After a few minutes I had the sense to mention that I was here with my wife and pointed Su out. This proved to be a turning point and the sight of a white woman who was prepared to admit that she was married to me seemed to help them start to believe that I might have a genuine British passport.  Perhaps they had been watching the royal wedding and decided that I didn't look at all like Prince William! But after half an hour or so to our relief they decided to let me in and stamped my passport. 

So here we are in Quito which has a beautiful old colonial centre and is set in a valley at around 2800m. It seems a pretty prosperous, busy place and a million miles from the more earthy La Paz. The US influence is very striking in the layout of the new part of town and the food on offer. We took a cable car up the mountain overlooking the city where you can get a great feel for the layout of the place. 

All this high altitude takes its toll though. Symptoms of altitude sickness like minor headaches, nose-bleeds and insomnia are inevitable. We have been between 2500m and 4000m for most of the last two weeks and, while we have acclimatised well and coped with the Inca Trail, going upstairs can still have us out of breath. 

It will be nice therefore to return to sea level for the Galapagos trip as we will be on a boat for the next week.  Fortunately as Galapagos is part of Ecuador there won't be any passport control this time!