HurricaneMaine

Bird tour, San Cristobal

I booked a tour to go look for the red footed boobies which can only be seen on two islands in the Galapagos. San Cristobal is one of them. It was an amazing day.

Dolphins

As we made our way to kicker rock, we spotted a pod of dolphins which swam and frolicked with our boat.

Kicker rock or sleepy lion (Leo dormido)

This is actually a formation that is part of San Cristobal and not a separate island.

Sea lion pup resting out of the water. Because of his light color, he has been out of the water for 5 hours.

Nasco boobie to the left and Blue footed boobie is on the right.

Frigate bird. They try to steal food from the boobies. The boobies are expert divers and the frigates are not. They will also try to get little sea iguanas.

Snorkeling

For the record, I did not snorkel. I had cataract surgery a few weeks ago and being in water is not allowed for 3 months. Though I did still brinh my own snorkel and mask, it is not worth the risk. I did bring my 360 camera which the naturalist took for me. For this time of year, the water was actually pretty clear and many of the must-see animals put on a show.

Punta Pitt

This is a part of San Cristobal island that you cannot get to any other way except by boat. Here you can find the red footed booby. It was a nice 2 km hike and beautiful as only so many tours can be here at a time.

Here are some interesting facts about the Nazca, Red-footed, and Blue-footed boobies:

Nazca Booby

These birds have a white body with black-tipped wings and tail with a distinctive black mask around their eyes. They feed on fish and squid caught by diving from significant heights. They have serious sibling rivalry, where usually only one chick survives. They nest on the ground in large colonies and have a courtship dance that includes bill clapping.

Red-footed Booby

They have two variations: White or brown body with brown being more common. They have bright red feet and a blue beak and face. They also feed on fish and squid in the same manner and fly fast. They nest in trees, unlike other boobies that nest on the ground. They only lay one egg. They have a courtship ritual of head shaking and giving sticks.

This juvenile red footed booby landed on our boat before we were at the beach.

Blue-footed Booby

They have bright blue feet that are part of their mating ritual. The brighter the blue shoes they are healthy and they attract more mates. They have a high stepping dance that shows off their feet. They have a brownish body and a pale blue beak. They catch sardines and anchovies by plunge-diving. They nest on the ground, and lay two or three eggs. They spread guano in a circle so the egg and the baby chicks blend in.

If you look carefully there is an egg just underneath and just in front of the wing.

Frigates

They nest in trees and are always near the boobies or circling over head to prey on the fledgling boobies.

We also saw a great blue heron.

The views of and around the island were gorgeous.

And of course the sea lions. They are so fun to watch. Expressive, curious, and playful.

San Cristobal, Galapagos

San Cristobal is one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos Archipelago. All the islands in the Galapagos were formed by volcanic activity. It is one of the easternmost islands and the closest to Ecuador mainland. It is estimated to be between 2.4 to 4 million years old.

The Galapagos Islands were discovered in 1535 by the Bishop of Panama, Fray Tomás de Berlanga. San Cristobal was named after St. Christopher, the patron saint of seafarers.

It was the first of the islands to be inhabited and served as a penal colony by the Ecuadorian government in the 1900s. Charles Darwin visited in 1835.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, San Cristobal had sugar and coffee plantations as well as fishing. Now it is the capital of the Galapagos Province.

As a tourist destination, there are strict conservation regulations to preserve its ecosystems and wildlife. When you arrive at the airport in Quito (or Guayaquil), a special visa and scanning of luggage is needed as well.

La Lobería

The name for the beach means “Place of the sea wolfs”. Lobería is shortened from lobos mariños which is what the sea lions are called in Spanish. The beach is 3 km from the town and is a nice walk there and back .

Along the shore of the port is the malecón. The walkway is beautiful with restaurants and shops.

A protest was happening as I was looking for a spot for dinner. Here in Ecuador, the protests are led by a police car as it is their right to protest peacefully.

And of course, there are more sea lions. Dinner if the sea lions have moved to other parts of the island including the port.

The fish I ate was amazing and freshly caught. It was delicious. Tomorrow is bird watching…

Relaxation in Baños de Agua Santa

The active volcano Tungurahua is near Baños and the city is situated between the Andes and the Amazon. The last major eruption was in 2006 and the healing power of the many waters here balances the destructive power from eruptiond.

There are images of goblins, gnomes, and elves throughout the city. They are mythical creatures and are considered the first protectors of the Earth.

Banos de Agua Santa is named because of the natural mineral thermal springs in the area. As in other areas, they are believed to be possess healing properties and I for one enjoy soaking in warm baths.

Today is a day for enjoying nature, relaxing, and a little pampering.

Casa de árbol

The casa de árbol is a great mirador (lookout) to view the volcano Tungurahua as well as the city. This morning was very foggy as there was much rain the night before. Giant swings, a small Zipline, and beautiful gardens are a rain to spend time here.

Pasarela diamante

This skywalk is the first glass skywalk in Latin America. It is over 1000 meters above the city of Baños.

Climbing up above the observation deck gives another interesting view.

Mano de Pachamama

The hands of Pachamama is another impressive viewpoint in Baños. This artistic work of art resembles hands emerging from nature and the heart in the middle of it all. Pachamama means mother earth and is the giver and protector of nature.

Two glass observation decks, each with a hand extending from the earth, are joined in the middle
by a connection, the heart

Afterwards, we ate at cafe de cielo (café in the sky). I ordered cevichochos which is a ceviche with chocho (lupine beans). It is the best tasting ceviche broth I have had here in Ecuador. Also, chochos are now my favorite bean to eat. Double the protein of most other beans and as much calcium as a glass of milk. I also had cheese empanadas.

We had about an hour and a half to walk around before our 6 hour spa appointment at Luna Volcan.

In the markets they are roasting Cuy, which is guinea pig. They are not pets here and are much larger.

Street performers were everywhere. This was acting as an object of art and invited contributions to the art.

This little dog, Princess, was in the apartment downstairs and would greet me through the fence. Not very friendly, but cute.

Luna Volcan is a spa high on the mountain overlooking Baños. There are package deals and the driver we hired was able to negotiate other packages.

For $122 each, we had a three hour pass to the pools and spa waters. Even though it was raining, it was great. Afterwards, we had a one hour relaxing massage followed by full body exfoliation with a chocolate scrub. The price also included dinner, with a choice of entree and either an appetizer or dessert.

A great way to spend the last night in Baños. The views are amazing here too. It is on the same property as cafe de cielo.

Road trip to Baños de Agua Santa

This weekend of the celebration of the battle of Pichincha that happened on May 24, 1822. It is the Latin American War of Independence. This battle, led by Antonio José de Sucre, allowed the South American rebels to defeat the Spanish royalists. They were able to take control of Quito the following day. The battle occurred on one of the slopes of the Pichincha volcano.

For the 3 day weekend, Susan and I drove to Baños which is about 3 hours south of Quito. On the way is a city called Ambato. We stopped to stretch our legs and look at the city from a high point. We visited the Parque Provincial de la Familia. It is a beautiful park with community sports areas, a farm, lagoons, and spaces to relax.

From there we headed to the Airbnb and found that the owner knew a guide for the waterfalls. We were also able to practice our Spanish. Ed

Agotan Waterfall

This waterfall (cascadas) is formed from the Pastaza river.

Rio Blanca Mega Adventure Park

Of course there are commercial enterprises including zip lining even in the superman position. They also have a glass suspension bridge to walk to the other side over the Pastaza river below. Since I have done this in China, I wanted to do it again here. They have a few glass panels that stimulate cracking of the glass with the actual sound effects. Much different from China where the sound came from above.

Cascada Manto de la Novia

The mantle of the bride waterfall is named for the whiteness of the water which resembles a wedding veil and dress. It flows into the Pastaza river. At this waterfall we took the Tarabita ride over the river and by the falls.

Cascada el Pailón del Diablo

This waterfall is named for the stair of the rocks under the waterfall. If you look closely, the rocks look like the devil’s face. There are two sides to see. One side has a small amount of hiking with a rickety wood bridge.

The other side of the devil’s waterfall is much more scenic and a longer walk. Getting to the waterfall is a long slope downwards with some steps as well and then a climb along the side of the waterfall. You can also duck into the caves and emerge right beside the waterfall.

Much of this longer walk is through the first which is a beautiful walk. This squirrel seemed unperturbed.

There are two sections of caves to get through. This is the entrance to the second cave. My knees did not like having to squat down so far to get through but the views were obviously worth it in the end.

Dinner at Mozafiato was very good. Pricey but a really nice meal with a corner on the third floor overlooking the nightlife below.

I love watching the dogs that have free roam of the rooftops. This one was watching dogs on the street.

View of the mountain from the restaurant.

Celebrations

I am grateful for celebrations that bring people together.

Salsa night with Melanie, center, and Natalia from Brazil.

Who could not celebrate the first time ever Reese’s is sold in Ecuador?

A group of us also gets together regularly at Susan’s house fire figure and wine.

Teacher prom is put on by my school. What fun. Dinner, drinks, she’s so much dancing. We danced for over three hours. It was exciting being at a dance where almost everyone dances and no one stops.

Not a celebration, but a friend and I going tutoring in Tumbaco.

And of course, the best celebrations are fire others and events in their life. Monica had her bridal shower and it was so much fun. Lots of games and merriment on a Friday night.

Just for fun, on many street corners people will offer entertainment for tips.

Mother’s day

For mother’s day, I ride my bike on the ciclo paseo. As I was ready to enter the Centro histórico, I heard the sound of Elvis music. An Ecuadorian Elvis street musician (in the past I have seen the Asian Elvis in Hong Kong).

It was a beautiful day.

Later I went with my friend Monica to the Botanical garden and the Vivarium (snakes and frogs). Through WhatsApp, I talked for a little bit with Becca and Ryan and Ryan

The botanical garden was peaceful.

And the orchid garden.

The vegetable garden

We visited the carnivorous plants section where they have many varieties of pitcher plants and Venus fly traps.

No pictures can be taken at the vivarium which is a pity as they had so many different frogs, boas, pit vipers, and especially an axolotl. Afterwards we walked to the Gusanita which is a kiddie train that circles the park on the roads. It was pretty fun and especially to have a friend to spend the day with.

Museums of art in Quito

Artist Camilo Egas is a painter of indigenous art. I visited the free museum in Centro Histórico. He painted many indigenous paintings as well as paintings from the depression era when he lived in New York.

In the upper floor of the museum is a room of early 20th century political cartoons that were published.

This is a picture of a mural that was commissioned for an expo and painted by the artist.

Afterwards, I saw this street parade honoring a ban teacher that has recently died. Students and older friends played in bands in the parade.

The Viva Michelangelo exhibit in Quito used artistic interpretations and some reproductions to bring Michelangelo’s work to the people here.

A reproduction of scenes from the Sistine chapel.

The head of David was used to create different themes using AI.

Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosario do Fatima

On the way from the Douro valley to Lisbon we stopped at this basilica. It is special also as today is Good Friday.

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima is an important Catholic pilgrimage site located in Fatima, Portugal. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who, according to Catholic faith, appeared to three children in Fatima in 1917. The basilica is known for its impressive architecture and the significant role it plays in Marian devotion.

Leaving the Douro. Azulejo tile are everywhere.

Many of these little altars had scenes of the live of Jesus.

The front of the basilica from the north entrance.

From the north entrance you can walk on your knees towards an altar. Walking on one’s knees as an act of devotion is a common practice in many religious traditions, including Christianity. In the context of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, people may walk on their knees as a form of penance or supplication, expressing humility and seeking spiritual grace. It is often done as a physical demonstration of devotion and a way to participate in the pilgrimage experience with sincerity and reverence. Many believers view such acts as a way to connect more deeply with their faith and to express their devotion to God and the Virgin Mary.

They walk on their knees towards the Chapel of the apparitions.

They end the walking on their knees here.

We lit candles to make wishes to Mary for the future.

A very reverent and sacred place here in Portugal. Today was Good Friday as well.

Afterwards we made it to Lisbon and our last place to stay. I enjoy Porto more, but looking forward to a tour in Lisbon on the last day.

Around Lisbon

We started the day a little late due to some heavy rains. As it was the only full day in Lisbon I had we decided that after the aquarium we would get an all day pass to the tram and funiculars.

We found the metro but had some difficulty getting 3 all day passes from the machine. Most likely our error as it seemed to be a common problem when we went to the counter.

Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara

We wanted to ride tram 28 but the wait would be two hours. Instead we boarded a city bus to meet another friend for a late lunch. Afterwards we took the closest funicular up to a viewpoint of the city.

Other pictures from some Lisbon were taken from tram 24 which had a stop 0.7 km from the VRBO we were staying at.

An early flight in the morning meant an early night. I wish I had more time in Portugal but it is back on my list of retirement options.

Lisbon Oceanarium

The Lisbon Oceanarium, is one of the largest indoor aquariums in Europe. It showcases a wide variety of marine life from different ecosystems around the world, including sharks, rays, and colorful tropical fish. What is really cool about the building is that you walk across a ganar and the aquarium is actually in the water and not on land.