A Trip Back in Time...Galapagos

We finally made it to the islands!  I had planned to sail there in 2019.  Didn't happen, voyaged to Mexico instead.   We had planned the trip with friends for 2020.  Nope, covid.  Finally made and it was a trip to savoir.  We flew from Ecuador to the islands and jumped on Evolution (an old whaling ship turned into a beautiful passenger yacht).  With 31 passengers and 20 some crew, we were off an an adventure of a lifetime.  November is a perfect time to visit.  Daytime temps rarely hit the mid 70's.  The ship was outfitted well with zodiacs ready to take us to the islands for hiking and snorkeling.  We took 8 friends with us and we were all friends of 30+ years.  We spent our days with our guides who were well versed in the flora and the fauna of this storied archipelago.   The beauty of the islands is that for most of the creatures, there are no predators so the animals are not afraid of you.  We saw many species of birds including the blue footed boobies.  The snorkeling was magnificent as we are in the middle of nowhere (about 650 miles off the coast).  Sharks, sea turtles, millions of fish,  iguanas and seals everywhere.  On our last day we headed up into the hills and visited the giant tortoises.  120 years old and 500 pounds some of them.  We spent a week on the water and visited about 5 islands.  Everyone in our group had a splendid time and we would highly recommend this group for a tour.  https://www.quasarex.com/galapagos/mv-evolution

Click any pic for a better view:

Burning Delight

 

An amazing Burning Man exhibit. If you look closely, you can see some Burners in the reflections.  My three voyages to the playa have been life enhancing!  We had an amazing set up of tents and screens to keep a good portion of the dust to a minimum.  Inside we had seating for 30 at several long tables, a kitchen, and an area to relax with couches for a comfy vibe.  The piece de la resistance was the Bioluminescent Slug, our art car!    We had a flatbed truck turned into a 2 floor disco with a kick ass DJ system.  The design was brilliant.  PVC pipe supported a fabric skin that along with the lighting and sound made this art car a head turner.  Comfortably we could accommodate 30 people on the two floors.  We had as many as forty five!  Our gift to the playa was free rides on the slug.  We also did a wedding in an outdoor chapel and drove the bridal party to a dance tent after the nuptials.  Some of the creative exhibits were mindblowing.  And some were so simple.  One guy who came thru our camp sat down with a bag of coconuts and commenced to break them open so we could drink the milk.  Another guy brought a half pound of cocaine which he shared with who ever wanted some.  No wonder the parties went all night!  The first time you enter the playa at night, your whole concept of life will change.  It is amazing to say the least.  Thank-you Burning Man and a big hug to my camp mates at High Maintenance.

Skinny Dipper Almost Sinks

 

Galapagos Adventure

Bridget and I are off the Ecuador for a week long trip to the islands of Darwin fame.   We are taking 4 other couples along for the ride.  Be looking for some pics after the 20th of this month.  Bon voyage!