Went to see Lonesome George and other giant tortoises. George is the only one of his species of tortoise still left - I hadn't realised but the giant tortoises from different islands all look different.
I detest zoos but I suppose they're acceptable if survival of the species at stake which it is here!
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| Baby Giant Tortoises in the breeding programme all have numbers on their shells to identify them. Some of these lads (and they're tiny right now) will probably still be alive in 2200! |
Then again there was a lonely iguana there as well, just kept around so that tourists who come all the way to the Galapagos but who are too lazy to leave Santa Cruz can have a look at him in his cage. Ridiculous.
Anyway, it took him a decade or so, but George eventually mated with the two tortoises in his pen with him. These lads work slowly! Unfortunately the eggs haven't hatched the last 2 yrs so George is still all alone!
Moved on and saw a fight between a pair of tortoises! Two of them tried to bite each other. I just caught the end of it on video. Here's the loser sprinting away in disgust.
And here's the victor celebrating:
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| VICTORY!! |
No problems getting to the airport, got on the flight and turned out that we'd been bumped up to first class without being told! Nice one!
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| First class... <swishes hair>... because I'm worth it. |
Stopped in Guayaquil for half an hour to pick up more passengers, I love this shot of the city with the 2 sports stadium among the urban jungle.
Got to Quito for 4, investigated flights to Cali cos otherwise it's an 18hr bus but they were $400 one way. No thanks!
Went back to Secret Garden cos I loved the staff so much! Only joking, I travelled back with Hester, the Dutch girl, to Quito and stayed in a different hostel. Swiss-owned. Very far up its own arse, no bar, but it's grand.
Ate a delicious dinner. Watched a bit of the World Series. Shattered and off to bed. Only bus to Colombia is at 11pm tomorrow night so I'll get that.
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