Sorry I haven't posted in forever, but this will be a good one. So the Galapagos is my favorite place in the world (even tho I haven't been to many places yet) the islands are so beautiful and there are so many cool plants and animals; I want to live there! Our first day we spent at Santa Cruz (also the next morning). We all tried on our snorkeling gear and headed to las grietas (cliffs) where there was water inbetween them and we practiced our snorkeling. We also had the chance to jump off the cliffs into the water, which of course seems easy since I went bungee jumping, right? Well, it was WAYYYY scarier because I wasn't attached to a rope and jumping into water, I closed my eyes the whole time and got a huge bruise on my pompous after. But worth it of course. The next day we went to go see the Galapagos- what the famous giant tortoises are called and we explored the lava tubes. (how the islands were created) We broke BCA history by seeing two Galapagos mating, which only occurs 3 times a year, we are pretty lucky! Then we took a 2 hr boat ride to Isabella where we spent the rest of our 6 days.
I don't think I've seen more cool animals in my life besides the zoo (which doesn't count). Sea lions are as plentiful as squirrels in Michigan (and PA too) they will come right up and play with you when you're in the water! There were iguanas everywhere, the one part of the island we were on you couldn't take a step without stepping on one. PENGUINS!! The second smallest species of penguins in the world, they are so darn cute too! When we went snorkeling we saw a bunch of sea turtles and there were always blue-footed boobies on the rocks! (note the blue feet on the boobie to the left)
We went snorkeling to 4 different places and on the way to one Sarah and I got to ride on the front of our boat and soak up the rays. On the way to snorkeling we rode around Isla Tortuga which has really cool rock formations and a ton of sea lions, iguanas, and other cool birds. We also got to go to the turtle breading site and see the giant tortoises when they are babies, which is still pretty huge! (very important to the islands because that is the only place where they are found) Then we went to the lake where the flamingos are: something I learned: flamingos are white when they are young and get the pink coloring when they get older. The same day we went to the wall of tears which was a prison on the island. The best place for a prison is the Galapagos because the prisoners can't escape, or if they did they wouldn't get far. The guards at the prison made the prisoners make a wall of bricks as punishment. We hiked up near it and then up into the boonies of the Galapagos, there were some stretches of the hike that I thought I was going to fall off down the mountain. But the view was beautiful!!
We also hiked up Volcano Sierra Negra which is about a 6 hour hike to the top, and it rained almost the whole time we hiked up! It was a lot better than getting burned tho because all of us were so burned from snorkeling the last couple of days. And when you get burned in the middle of the world, it really hurts, and peals for days, and weeks. The volcano was really cool tho, it is still active and we could see the steam rising out of it! We all tried to stay dry for awhile, but it was so muddy and slippery we just ended up jumping in the mud puddles!
So many other things to talk about, but the most important thing was we were there during Carnival. Basically just a huge party on the beach, but people have spray creme stuff (kinda like silly string but foamier) and they just come up and spray you with it! Also they have paint and flour that they douse you in. On Isabella there was a horse-riding relay race to start off the festivities. Also there were contests at night of the best woman and man on the island and they had to walk up and down a run way model style. Other contests occurred like water balloon toss and soccer games, which a couple of my friends won and the prize was a case of Pilsner (only the best beer ever!) Also its really easy to get guys to buy drinks for you- if you are a girl of course- so we didn't spend any money on alcohol except for the first night when Sarah and I split a bottle of cana (which is like a tiny bottle) literally sugar cane, and a thing of cheap boxed wine. Did the trick.
Saving the best story for last- when I got married. Ok family, don't worry not for real, but this guy was obsessed with me. Well at first he was obsessed with my friend Katie and he wanted me to talk to her for him, well that turned into us talking and then he went up to all of my friends (after 20 mins of us talking mind you) and he told my friends that they are all pretty but that I am beautiful and have the biggest heart in the world and blah blah blah and someone asked if he would want to marry me.. and of course he says yes. And we are all just dying laughing having a good time while this guy goes on and on about how I am the smartest woman ever and just using every trick in the book. Well, one of the Galapegeanos (ppl from Galapagos) that had been hanging out with us the other nights said that he would perform a ceremony. My girlfriends held their beer bottles as bouquets and the guy even bought a cheap silver ring that didn't fit me. Then we celebrated and they bought us two more cases of beer. (Pilsner of course!) Finally he wouldn't leave me alone that my friends had to tell him that I had a boyfriend in the states and I was drunk (which was not true) he was heartbroken. But we all still had a great time dancing!
Overall, best 6 days of my life, making friends with sea lions, getting to beach it, staying out late partying on the beach, watching huge tortoises mating, seeing penguins, getting married, and hiking 6 hours in the pouring rain. And the best part is, the only way you can move there is if you marry a Galapageano, which I already have checked off my list. (note: pictures don't really correspond with what they are next to)
We went snorkeling to 4 different places and on the way to one Sarah and I got to ride on the front of our boat and soak up the rays. On the way to snorkeling we rode around Isla Tortuga which has really cool rock formations and a ton of sea lions, iguanas, and other cool birds. We also got to go to the turtle breading site and see the giant tortoises when they are babies, which is still pretty huge! (very important to the islands because that is the only place where they are found) Then we went to the lake where the flamingos are: something I learned: flamingos are white when they are young and get the pink coloring when they get older. The same day we went to the wall of tears which was a prison on the island. The best place for a prison is the Galapagos because the prisoners can't escape, or if they did they wouldn't get far. The guards at the prison made the prisoners make a wall of bricks as punishment. We hiked up near it and then up into the boonies of the Galapagos, there were some stretches of the hike that I thought I was going to fall off down the mountain. But the view was beautiful!!
Saving the best story for last- when I got married. Ok family, don't worry not for real, but this guy was obsessed with me. Well at first he was obsessed with my friend Katie and he wanted me to talk to her for him, well that turned into us talking and then he went up to all of my friends (after 20 mins of us talking mind you) and he told my friends that they are all pretty but that I am beautiful and have the biggest heart in the world and blah blah blah and someone asked if he would want to marry me.. and of course he says yes. And we are all just dying laughing having a good time while this guy goes on and on about how I am the smartest woman ever and just using every trick in the book. Well, one of the Galapegeanos (ppl from Galapagos) that had been hanging out with us the other nights said that he would perform a ceremony. My girlfriends held their beer bottles as bouquets and the guy even bought a cheap silver ring that didn't fit me. Then we celebrated and they bought us two more cases of beer. (Pilsner of course!) Finally he wouldn't leave me alone that my friends had to tell him that I had a boyfriend in the states and I was drunk (which was not true) he was heartbroken. But we all still had a great time dancing!
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