We headed to the Darwin Research Lab in the morning (This was going to be the highlight for me, it is the main thing I wanted to see in the Galápagos!) and on the way stopped to take a few photos of an actual working windmill that was sort of right in the middle of town and of the turtle statue guarding it. I don’t actually know what time it was but you can tell by the closed shop/garage doors that it was before 10:00. (Although, the fish market was open for business and the fishermen were busy cleaning and selling their catch.)

As you get closer to the Darwin Lab there are many shops selling Darwin type merchandise, mostly the usual touristy type items such as t-shirts and coffee mugs.  It was a hike to get there and it was not advertised but the actual tourist buildings were closed for remolding – I was a little bummed about that but we still hiked all the trails and got to see the huge turtles and giant lizards.

Before leaving the airport visitors have to pay a $100 park fee and this gives you free access to all beaches and of course the Foundation for as long as you are on the islands.

The turtles were huge and the giant lizard was 4-feet long.

The trails were cool and a few of them lead out to the ocean where we had an excellent view of the harbor and watched several marine iguanas which are found only on the Galápagos Islands. I had to look it up later because I could not understand what the white tops on the lizard or iguana heads were all about, but marine iguanas often wear distinctive white “wigs” of salt expelled from glands near their noses. Tod has some video footage of the lizards swimming and if I get them cropped enough I will post some.

After hiking all over the Darwin trails we headed back to our hotel and then on to the Ocean. The road to the ocean really was uphill almost all the way. Once we got to the park entrance it was at least a 30 minute hike (uphill) to the beach. The beach was so beautiful / magnificent / wonderful – I cannot think of a word to describe how I felt to be back at an ocean beach. I forgot just how much I loved swimming in the ocean, jumping the waves and having the big rollers crash into you trying to push you back into shore and shortly after the undertow trying to pull you back out to sea. Tasting the salt on your lips and feeling the sand changing beneath your toes as the waves roll in and out. I love the ocean and really hope it is not as long until I can experience it again.

There were some very big waves when we were there but I only saw one surfer catch a wave. The rest of the surfers were just body surfing.

Must have been seeing the fishermen and spending time in the ocean but that night Tod needed a lobster dinner. Lobster dinners range from $18.00 – $28.00 but a steak costs $40.00 (My veggie dinner was $4.00).

At the end of the day Tod said, “How many miles do you think we walked?” I had no idea but my feet were a little tired. Turns out it was a 10 mile day and neither of us had even noticed how far we walked. There is so darn much oxygen at sea level compared to 9000 feet above sea level it felt like a cake walk!

It was a long, fun filled day in the Galápagos Islands and I have so much more to share with you about this trip! Until the next post, be well and God Bless!