Back on the Ecuadorian mainland we enjoyed a night in Guayaquil. The Dreamkapture hostel had a couple of tiny (Tamarind?) monkeys in residence as part of a breeding program, good breakfast and a friendly vibe. I picked up Goerge Best´s autobiography, we wandered the sanitsed Malecon waterfront, and climbed the steps to enjoy the view from bar village, Las Penas. Then we hot footed it to Puerto Lopez on the coast.
On arrival we were distinctly unimpressed (and we were imagining the looks on the Mullers faces when they would have arrived a few days earlier in the hope of sand, surf and sun) as Puerto Lopez came on like Belize city. It turned out that the town was being totally redeveloped. But rather than go street by street, all the streets were up and it was a total mess. Luckily we are well balanced enough to see through such trifles (unlike one couple in Columbia who gave the place a total slagging) and we enjoyed it. We were there, like everyone else, because Puerto Lopez is the main breeding ground for Humpback Whales, where they spend 4 months courting, mating, playing and birthing before doing one back to the Antarctic. We got on a boat and within half an hour we were seeing whales´ tails smack the water. We were just too late in the season to see all the males really put on a show, but we saw some breeching (out of thev water) and followed a family with a pup- it was well worth doing.
We then pushed on to Cuenca, world heritage city, from where I write this. We ate in Turkish splendour last night and we are staying in an artsit´s remodelled home - it is cold but cool. And we just spent sunday in the local market, pettng the bunnies, feeling sorry for the guinea pigs that are due to be dinner, and stocking up on juice drinks and prawns for dinner - as all the restaurants closed. Last night we drank in the German owned, Wunderbar, and tomorrow we will stay in a German owned place in Vilcabamba which I dare not try to spell. By next week ve vill be vearing ze lederhosen and suporting Bayern... probably.
One thing frustrated me about our Galapagos cruise. Being as I was the only mug on the boat to have a guitar, I was hassled to perform, but my constant state of seasick nasuea prohibited this (sickness usually comes to me band mates of course). So I feel like I owe the Mullers a show - I was also trying to impart guitar playing advice to Matthias and Sofie, who are both learning, but I was making a terrible hash of it - so here are my top tips:
- Don´t get a good teacher - get a great teacher. Changing teachers is good.
- Watch live Jimi Hendrix videos
- Practice standing up
- Devote at least one third of practice time to posing, hyjinx and gimmicks (studying Phil Lynott, Beck, Pete Townsend, Paul Weller, Funkadelic is good for this)
- Learn to improvise
- Listen
- Find somewhere to play really loud
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Part two of what I learnt
Scientists had recently challenged Darwin´s theories of evolution (remember those Finches) because they postulated that the lifetime of the Galapagos islands as we know them (at 4 million years old) was not long enough to allow the birds to develop their distinctive traits. However, geologists then discovered that, even though the youngest of the Galapagos islands is under 4 million years old, there are a number of submerged islands that would have once been above water that are over 10 million years old. This has convinced the scientists that Darwin was right after all.
In the past I have often hypothesised on the origins of man (dons jazz beard, white coat, packs pipe, buys first slippers and continues...), in patricular about the existence of ancient, partially aquatic humans, whose existence has been hidden from anthropologists because the evidence is buried under ocean beds and under water. Thanks to seeing the unspoilt Galapagos and direct evidence of evolution and how it has befuddled the scientific community, I am more convinced than ever that my own syndactyly (webbed fingers at birth, since split by surgery) is an evolutionary inheritance from, as yet undiscovered and unresearched, ancient partially aquatic races.
I am also equally certain that my gappy front teeth, as Wayne has frequently pointed out, are an evolutionary inheritance that; much as the Large Tree Finch is enabled to eat, presumably, large trees; enable me to eat an apple through a tennis racket.
In the past I have often hypothesised on the origins of man (dons jazz beard, white coat, packs pipe, buys first slippers and continues...), in patricular about the existence of ancient, partially aquatic humans, whose existence has been hidden from anthropologists because the evidence is buried under ocean beds and under water. Thanks to seeing the unspoilt Galapagos and direct evidence of evolution and how it has befuddled the scientific community, I am more convinced than ever that my own syndactyly (webbed fingers at birth, since split by surgery) is an evolutionary inheritance from, as yet undiscovered and unresearched, ancient partially aquatic races.
I am also equally certain that my gappy front teeth, as Wayne has frequently pointed out, are an evolutionary inheritance that; much as the Large Tree Finch is enabled to eat, presumably, large trees; enable me to eat an apple through a tennis racket.
Just another day on the islands
We were very sad to leave to Encantada. This time 4 nights was enough but we learnt some tips we can pass on. Small boat is good; July is a great time to go as weather is brighter, it is still off season, sea is calmer, water is warmer, big aquatic stuff (sharks etc.) are around; some week itineries waste a day in the middle picking up people from home port - avoid these and do a week that goes to Isabella, the big island with active volcano, penguins and more; and most of all book with the boat direct. Our agent was very sweet and nothing went wrong - but we didnt get veggie food on the plane, or at the welcome dinner, the wet suit sizing emails were a red herring, and they got our flight time wrong. Next time, once we know which boat, we will make the calls to find the boat owners (probably one of the agents) and book with them so that everyone saves/makes money and no one takes a whopper for doing bugger all. Yes, we will go back sometime, and we would recommend Galapagos to anyone - it can be as extreme or sedate as you want and, it is not priced that differently from an expensive week or two in Europe or North Anerica- the cruises are expensive but Ecuador and the islands themselves are not.
After the cruise we spent a couple of days exploring Puerto Ayora and the island of Santa Cruz. We bused to the interior, cloaked in mist, and walked miles to find the El Primicias tortoise sanctuary, where we got up close and personal with dozens of leaf loving gigantic reptiles. And then we played ping pong. Back in Puerto Ayora we walked to the majestic Bahia Tortuga, a stunning stretch of sand hiding a secret lagoon. On our last day we went the volcanic fissure of Las Grietas with ze German couple. Matthias and Jule were still around enjoying 5 days of diving - and they were desperate to take their ten thousandth under water photo! Half of our photos from the Galapagos seem to have Matthias posing somewhere in the distance - we are sure he has what it takes to become America´s Next Top Model - for sure for sure yah.
We had our last night night with them at the Angermeyer Point bar just in front of Puero Ayora´s harbour, just a short water taxi ride away. We watched the tourist boats ni the harbour enviously, wishing we could get on board and go for another cruise. As we had walked up the path to the bar a gorgeous baby sea lion had trotted up the path in front of us and was keen to get passed us. We let him go on his way and we were mesmorised as his flipping ate up the tarmac. At our table we were momentarily disturbed when a three legged, blue sea iguana shuffled through the restaurant - I forgot to mention that sea iguanas are everywhere in the Galapagos - and they are tricky to spot sometimes against the black of the volcanic rock (probably on purpose according to a certain Mr Darwin) and sometimes you have to watch your feet. And we carried on enjoying our wonderful cocktails and tapas (it was our last night after all) as big pelicans dive bombed in the sea beside us and then we looked up from our table and saw a family a eagle rays, flapping just the surface, wandering below us. It was just another casual moment on the islands.
Just another Galapagos beach
Some boobies
An important environmental statement
They might be giants
After the cruise we spent a couple of days exploring Puerto Ayora and the island of Santa Cruz. We bused to the interior, cloaked in mist, and walked miles to find the El Primicias tortoise sanctuary, where we got up close and personal with dozens of leaf loving gigantic reptiles. And then we played ping pong. Back in Puerto Ayora we walked to the majestic Bahia Tortuga, a stunning stretch of sand hiding a secret lagoon. On our last day we went the volcanic fissure of Las Grietas with ze German couple. Matthias and Jule were still around enjoying 5 days of diving - and they were desperate to take their ten thousandth under water photo! Half of our photos from the Galapagos seem to have Matthias posing somewhere in the distance - we are sure he has what it takes to become America´s Next Top Model - for sure for sure yah.
We had our last night night with them at the Angermeyer Point bar just in front of Puero Ayora´s harbour, just a short water taxi ride away. We watched the tourist boats ni the harbour enviously, wishing we could get on board and go for another cruise. As we had walked up the path to the bar a gorgeous baby sea lion had trotted up the path in front of us and was keen to get passed us. We let him go on his way and we were mesmorised as his flipping ate up the tarmac. At our table we were momentarily disturbed when a three legged, blue sea iguana shuffled through the restaurant - I forgot to mention that sea iguanas are everywhere in the Galapagos - and they are tricky to spot sometimes against the black of the volcanic rock (probably on purpose according to a certain Mr Darwin) and sometimes you have to watch your feet. And we carried on enjoying our wonderful cocktails and tapas (it was our last night after all) as big pelicans dive bombed in the sea beside us and then we looked up from our table and saw a family a eagle rays, flapping just the surface, wandering below us. It was just another casual moment on the islands.
Just another Galapagos beach
Some boobies
An important environmental statement
They might be giants
Das Boot
After Salinas we had a forced night at Guaranda, where our night was punctuated by a family party in the room downstairs from ours. After nearly putting my fist through a window they got the message and we got to sleep. We then had a night in Guayaquil, Ecuador´s second city, before the airport and the plane to the Galapagos. At the airport I spotted a family confused by the system (baggage screen, tax payment and then check-in) and I helped them in the right direction. This turned out to be the Mullers from Regensberg in fairytale Bavaria and we were soon to be enjoying more of their company when it transpired we were on the same boat trip.
Yes, for sure, ve vere on ze Deutsche von boot - vis a total of 8 of ze Germans - for us to fight over the sun deck cushions with!
We started the cruise with a trip on land to the Darwin turtle centre and saw some big ones. It is such a coincidence that they are called Giant Tortoises when they are so large. And after lunch we met the rest of the passengers and got on the Encantada, our red motor sailer. As well as the five Mullers, including Thomas, Susan und die kinder (not strictly fair as Matthias, Sofie and Lena are 13,17 and 22), we had another Matthias and Jule from the fairytale Black Forest, Katja from Suiss-Germany, Loija from Italy and Erin from tiny Shepperton near Melbourne.
We were well looked after on the boat - the food was good and there were always snacks ready for us. Meal times were hectic - as everyone was so hungry even though we were eating breakfast and two three-course meals a day as well as snacks - and because there was a constant flow of tri-lingual nonsense (German, English and Spanish) including endless ´das-von-hosen-van-der-hoffen´ piss taking from yours truly. Poor Loija was very confused the whole time. Whenever we tried our French or Italian with her it was a total mess - luckily everyone was easy going - and most importantly we had a boss bilingual guide, Juanito; another one of these superhuman dive master types who has probably arm wrestled with Neptune himself.
A typical day involved two or three shore excursions with walks to see wome of the fauna, and one or two snorkelling sessions. We were ferried to and from the boat in the outboard by one of the crew who I swear was a dead-ringer for the ferryman of the dead. All he needed was a cape, sickel and some loose change to go with his steely glaze, squat deportment and uncanny lack of neck. I took to calling him Danny after the nickname of one of our school teachers, who also had a head closer to his shoulders than is sensible in a modern world where you might have need to wear a scarf... or have an adam´s apple. In fact, thinking about it he never did speak.
Before I get back to the all important animalia of the islands, I should tell you about part one of what I learnt from seeing evolution first hand. You see Darwin came to the Galapagos, rode and ate turtles, and studied Finches. By noticing that 13different Finches´ bills had developed to cope with various environments and feed habits, he began to forulate his theories on evolution. Now I am convinced that our boatman, Danny, can trace his family lineage back to the aristocracy of the French revolution and his cervical spine has developed to ensure that he, or his offspring, will never suffer under the executioner´s blade.
We took in the islands of Santa Cruz (home port), Floreana, Espaneola, San Christobal, Santa Fe, North Seymour and Baltra. The sea was rough because of the time of year and on the second day I surprised Erin, a policewoman, with a flight of vomit as she made the mistake of getting downwind at the side of the boat. One snorkelling session on the first day was interrupted by some sickness (I got back on the dinghy to throw up) but I soon got back in the water as I wasn´t going to miss the family of rays that the group had found.
The blue footed boobies (daft looking birds, totaly uninhibited by human presence), red footed boobies, frigates, albatrosses and flamingoes were lovely. And the volcanic landscape was stunning. But the real surprise were the awesome beaches. And the real treat was in the water. What they don´t tell you about the Galapagos islands is that they belong to the sea lions. They are every where. In the towns, at the fish stall, on the paths to the bars, on the walking oaths on the islands, on every rock, and covering every beach. And we were there during the rearing season so we saw untold pups. And, on land the sea lions are very dozy, sometimes inquisitive, but generally very lazy. The eral fun is in the water. When they are away from their beach territorial squabbles they are very playful in the water. We ony had a couple of occaisions when we were able to swim with them and they started to mirror your moves and stare as if to say ´come on then, play more, is that the best you can do?´ but they were the highlights for me. On a few of the snorkels we came across a lot of turtles. They are also amazing underwater, being so huge and graceful, but they are just doing their thing and they don´t interract. We also saw a few white tipped sharks, plenty of rays, including the spotted eagle rays, and untold fish.
The most memorable snorkel was at the Devil´s Crown, a natural outcrop of volcanic rock that looks like its moniker. Outside the crown there was a lot of life but inside was like an aquarium, complete with sharks and rays.
Back on the boat, Juanito would give us a clear briefing every night, and everything was very punctual. We drank hot chocolate, watched the stars, got up with the dawn, listened to salsa and just about put up with the the faint nausea from the rough sea crossings, which were usually 4-5 hours a day. On the fourth day on our way to Santa Fe we were sat on the sun deck with all out eyes on the horizon on the look out for big fish. After missing dolphins in places like Baja we had started to think they would always avoid us. But Galapagos delivered. Jule and Anna spotted some antics in the distance and before we knew it there were dozens playing around the boat in the wake and more off ploughing through shallow waves of the rough sea. Just when we thought we had lost them the show started again a few hundred metres in front of the boat. The burning image I have is of two of them arched in symmetry way out of the water ahead of us in a patring shot.
Excuse us... and the Encantada in the background
The crew and the healing hand
Ze dinah vis ze Germans... yah!
Sunrise on the Encantada
Yes, for sure, ve vere on ze Deutsche von boot - vis a total of 8 of ze Germans - for us to fight over the sun deck cushions with!
We started the cruise with a trip on land to the Darwin turtle centre and saw some big ones. It is such a coincidence that they are called Giant Tortoises when they are so large. And after lunch we met the rest of the passengers and got on the Encantada, our red motor sailer. As well as the five Mullers, including Thomas, Susan und die kinder (not strictly fair as Matthias, Sofie and Lena are 13,17 and 22), we had another Matthias and Jule from the fairytale Black Forest, Katja from Suiss-Germany, Loija from Italy and Erin from tiny Shepperton near Melbourne.
We were well looked after on the boat - the food was good and there were always snacks ready for us. Meal times were hectic - as everyone was so hungry even though we were eating breakfast and two three-course meals a day as well as snacks - and because there was a constant flow of tri-lingual nonsense (German, English and Spanish) including endless ´das-von-hosen-van-der-hoffen´ piss taking from yours truly. Poor Loija was very confused the whole time. Whenever we tried our French or Italian with her it was a total mess - luckily everyone was easy going - and most importantly we had a boss bilingual guide, Juanito; another one of these superhuman dive master types who has probably arm wrestled with Neptune himself.
A typical day involved two or three shore excursions with walks to see wome of the fauna, and one or two snorkelling sessions. We were ferried to and from the boat in the outboard by one of the crew who I swear was a dead-ringer for the ferryman of the dead. All he needed was a cape, sickel and some loose change to go with his steely glaze, squat deportment and uncanny lack of neck. I took to calling him Danny after the nickname of one of our school teachers, who also had a head closer to his shoulders than is sensible in a modern world where you might have need to wear a scarf... or have an adam´s apple. In fact, thinking about it he never did speak.
Before I get back to the all important animalia of the islands, I should tell you about part one of what I learnt from seeing evolution first hand. You see Darwin came to the Galapagos, rode and ate turtles, and studied Finches. By noticing that 13different Finches´ bills had developed to cope with various environments and feed habits, he began to forulate his theories on evolution. Now I am convinced that our boatman, Danny, can trace his family lineage back to the aristocracy of the French revolution and his cervical spine has developed to ensure that he, or his offspring, will never suffer under the executioner´s blade.
We took in the islands of Santa Cruz (home port), Floreana, Espaneola, San Christobal, Santa Fe, North Seymour and Baltra. The sea was rough because of the time of year and on the second day I surprised Erin, a policewoman, with a flight of vomit as she made the mistake of getting downwind at the side of the boat. One snorkelling session on the first day was interrupted by some sickness (I got back on the dinghy to throw up) but I soon got back in the water as I wasn´t going to miss the family of rays that the group had found.
The blue footed boobies (daft looking birds, totaly uninhibited by human presence), red footed boobies, frigates, albatrosses and flamingoes were lovely. And the volcanic landscape was stunning. But the real surprise were the awesome beaches. And the real treat was in the water. What they don´t tell you about the Galapagos islands is that they belong to the sea lions. They are every where. In the towns, at the fish stall, on the paths to the bars, on the walking oaths on the islands, on every rock, and covering every beach. And we were there during the rearing season so we saw untold pups. And, on land the sea lions are very dozy, sometimes inquisitive, but generally very lazy. The eral fun is in the water. When they are away from their beach territorial squabbles they are very playful in the water. We ony had a couple of occaisions when we were able to swim with them and they started to mirror your moves and stare as if to say ´come on then, play more, is that the best you can do?´ but they were the highlights for me. On a few of the snorkels we came across a lot of turtles. They are also amazing underwater, being so huge and graceful, but they are just doing their thing and they don´t interract. We also saw a few white tipped sharks, plenty of rays, including the spotted eagle rays, and untold fish.
The most memorable snorkel was at the Devil´s Crown, a natural outcrop of volcanic rock that looks like its moniker. Outside the crown there was a lot of life but inside was like an aquarium, complete with sharks and rays.
Back on the boat, Juanito would give us a clear briefing every night, and everything was very punctual. We drank hot chocolate, watched the stars, got up with the dawn, listened to salsa and just about put up with the the faint nausea from the rough sea crossings, which were usually 4-5 hours a day. On the fourth day on our way to Santa Fe we were sat on the sun deck with all out eyes on the horizon on the look out for big fish. After missing dolphins in places like Baja we had started to think they would always avoid us. But Galapagos delivered. Jule and Anna spotted some antics in the distance and before we knew it there were dozens playing around the boat in the wake and more off ploughing through shallow waves of the rough sea. Just when we thought we had lost them the show started again a few hundred metres in front of the boat. The burning image I have is of two of them arched in symmetry way out of the water ahead of us in a patring shot.
Excuse us... and the Encantada in the background
The crew and the healing hand
Ze dinah vis ze Germans... yah!
Sunrise on the Encantada
Chocolate City
Salinas, altitude 3500m, not to be confused with Salinas on the coast, is rightly known as the cheese and chocolate capital of Ecuador. The village is perched beneath rugged cliffs at the end of the picturesque, rolling valley at the confluence of two rivers. There are only about 700 residents. We were the only tourists. But there were 3 other gringos in town. By a stroke of diving coincidence the only other foreigners in the village were Mika, Timo and Jaakko; three young Finns on a long term project to educate the entrepreneurs of Salinas. A village with 80% of foreigners; Finns, a pizza restaurant, cheese, chocolate and... a football factory. Factory is a big word for the one room where the three staff inflated, spun, glued and painted the knock-off footballs that are seen in every sports shop in Ecuador and on every street.
We stayed at the cold (12 degrees inside) hostel of Senor Victor, the Samilagua. We had 7 very heavy blankets to control during a night´s sleep, and the living room fire couldn´t manage to remotely our room. But it was ace. Breakfasts on the square were lovely. Salinas is also known for its coffee, weaving and other dairy produce and crafts and we enjoyed it all, in patricular the lovely views down the valley. I played footy with the youth in the square, we played some great backgammon, and then the unthinkable happened.
The Finns´ weekly session with the local hoteliers, cheese makers (blessed they are too!), chocalatiers, football fabricators and other budding business people, was scheduled to be on marketing. I joined a million-making guest speaker from Guayaquil in lecturing to the throng in the freezing village hall. It was so remarkable because, probably for the first time I was naked; with no PowerPoint! Unthinkable indeed. Mika tranlasted line for line (something we could consider later for the Finnish market!!! - just kidding there) and I regailed about the joys of effective simple and singular messaging, and on my fave topic; marketing disciplnes, as well as a little on relevant cost-freer marketing techniques. The chaps were happy, and I had managed to make some parallels with the big brand world with relevance for some of our budding entrepreneurs. Of course, fans of my presentations will be pleased to know that I went on far too long and forgot to dwell on one of my key points - even 3continents away nothing new there!
Salinas was very hard to leave. It is a well known for being a success story, as its produce is even exported abroad, but it was so friendly and was so familiar-feeling that, even though it was bloody cold, it was one of our favourite places.
Local street life
He is really making a new net out of tape
Pay attention at the back!
We stayed at the cold (12 degrees inside) hostel of Senor Victor, the Samilagua. We had 7 very heavy blankets to control during a night´s sleep, and the living room fire couldn´t manage to remotely our room. But it was ace. Breakfasts on the square were lovely. Salinas is also known for its coffee, weaving and other dairy produce and crafts and we enjoyed it all, in patricular the lovely views down the valley. I played footy with the youth in the square, we played some great backgammon, and then the unthinkable happened.
The Finns´ weekly session with the local hoteliers, cheese makers (blessed they are too!), chocalatiers, football fabricators and other budding business people, was scheduled to be on marketing. I joined a million-making guest speaker from Guayaquil in lecturing to the throng in the freezing village hall. It was so remarkable because, probably for the first time I was naked; with no PowerPoint! Unthinkable indeed. Mika tranlasted line for line (something we could consider later for the Finnish market!!! - just kidding there) and I regailed about the joys of effective simple and singular messaging, and on my fave topic; marketing disciplnes, as well as a little on relevant cost-freer marketing techniques. The chaps were happy, and I had managed to make some parallels with the big brand world with relevance for some of our budding entrepreneurs. Of course, fans of my presentations will be pleased to know that I went on far too long and forgot to dwell on one of my key points - even 3continents away nothing new there!
Salinas was very hard to leave. It is a well known for being a success story, as its produce is even exported abroad, but it was so friendly and was so familiar-feeling that, even though it was bloody cold, it was one of our favourite places.
Local street life
He is really making a new net out of tape
Pay attention at the back!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)