The day was a very full one. After lunch, we went ashore to tour the Darwin Research Center and learn about Galapagos tortoises, iguanas and birds. Then we toured the tortoises in "the wild" - actually, it was a sort of petting zoo, minus the petting. We were able to get within a foot of the animals, but NO TOUCHING. The turtles startle easy and when they do they pull in their head, legs and tails and sit for about a half-hour. We wouldn't have time to wait around for them to relax. Photos above courtesy Walter Torres The island is covered with marine Iguanas Greeter iguana at Darwin Research Station Large male iguana; they bob their heads up and down when angry Iguana on the rocks (NOT the name of a drink in a Galapagos bar) Map of the Galapagos Islands New construction - very eclectic architecture on this campus Photo courtesy Walter Torres At the tortoise farm, second to last day in the afternoon Giant tortoises Juvenile tortoises to be reintroduced to the wild There are 11 different species of tortoise, kept separate to keep them true - any aberrations are destroyed. Information posters . . . Golden (non-swimming/diving) iguana Trunk of large cactus - looks like tree bark Only the top of the cactus is succulent Here we could get within two feet of the tortoises A rare tortoise that likes the water We had a lovely walk around the harbor area, dinner together as a group at a local restaurant (La Garrapata) at 7 p.m. and went back to the boat at 9 p.m. At the harbor there was a fur seal sleeping on a park bench! Apparently s/he walked up the gangplank used for people and picked out his bench. S/he reminded me of our dogs back home, asleep with its head hanging over the edge of the bench.

THE JOURNEY HOME BEGINS HERE