The Galápagos: The Islands That Changed the World

Everyone has that place they have wanted to visit for as long as they can remember... that place that without a doubt is number one on their must-see before they die list... Well, for me, that was the Galápagos. The Galápagos Islands, made famous by Charles Darwin's voyage of the beagle, is located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. One of the main reasons I had signed up for the Ecuador program was because I knew there was a trip to the Galápagos, if that puts into perspective how excited I was about visiting! Just a little history before I start (some things I learned while on island): The Galápagos was first discovered by accident by a ship traveling from Peru to Panama. When the first men landed on the Galápagos they described it as "hell on earth" as they could find no fresh drinking water. The men were terrified by the foreign creatures that looked nothing like any animal they had ever encountered before (this is because it is home to about 180 endemic species or species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world). Between this time and the 1800s the islands were known for their use by pirates and buccaneers. In the 1830s, after Ecuador gained it's independence, they decided to take ownership over the islands. However, because of the lack of knowledge in respect to these islands they had a very difficult time recruiting inhabitants. In fact, the first people to settle down on the islands were of German descent (on the island of Floreana). Why they came, who came after, and what occurred is a story that is quite interesting but way too long to blog about and bore you with. However, once Ecuadorians saw potential business opportunities and realized the beauty of the islands the population boomed! Ecuador had to pass a law stating that a person could only live on the Galápagos if they were born there or if they married a native. This law is still implemented today. It's interesting to think that Ecuadorians themselves are not even allowed to live on their own territory. However, the law is completely understandable because the quaint solitude apparent on each island is ineffable. 

The Boston College group flew from Quito to Guayaquil and then to San Cristobal Island in the Galápagos. While on the plane the flight attendants are required by law to spray everything down with some solution in order to protect the environment of the Galápagos from foreign invaders. We were greeted by representatives from the cruise we were taking at the airport that looked like an outdoor market. We were all surprised enough by the fact that we would be traveling on an all inclusive cruise but we were definitely not prepared for how luxurious and accommodating this cruise line actually was. When we stepped on the cruise for the first time we were greeted with strawberry daiquiris. Every day after each activity the boat had empanadas, guacamole, cheese, coffee, tea, etc. The first thing we did was eat a huge buffet style lunch. I won't go into detail each time we ate but what I will say is that overall, the food was amazing. Breakfast: different types of eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast, hash browns, fruit, cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, homemade fruit juices, etc. Lunch was also always buffet style (They served mashed potatoes one day!!!). Dinner was full service and usually consisted of four courses. 

The first day (Friday) we went to San Cristobal island to go swimming (my first time touching Pacific Ocean). The naturalists (ours was named Ben) did not tell us what we would find when we walked through the rock tunnel on the beach... and all of a sudden dozens of sea lions without a few feet of us. The natives here treat the animals so well that they were not phased in the slightest by us being there. In fact, they were swimming right next to us at one point. 

The next day we woke up at 6:00 for a hike on Isabela Island. The boat traveled while we were asleep so we would wake up on a different island every day. On Isabela Island there were incredible views, albatross birds, iguanas, and, most importantly, the blue footed boobies! While we were almost done with our hike we saw a patch of what looked like blood in the sand. It was actually placenta from a sea lion that had just given birth earlier that day. The baby sea lion was so large... that must have hurt. After lunch we went snorkeling around the island. The views were really great and I got to see some sharks, starfish, fishies, and string rays. Unfortunately, I was too stubborn to wear a wetsuit like the rest of hte group and I began the stages of hypothermia while in the water. Later that day we traveled to the island of Floreana which I think was my favorite of the islands. It was incredibly tranquil (not that the other islands weren't). We hiked to a beautiful beach as well! The day ended with some hot tubbing and karaoke with the Ecuadorians on board. Oh, and how can I forget... one of the best dinners I have ever had. While the food was amazing it was the company that really made it spectacular. First of all, we had a great Arrupe-like toast where everyone had to say something nice about everyone at the table before we could drink... then Tim thought he was being a baller by ordering us a bottle of champagne that he thought was only 14 dollars... little did he know it was actually 46. When one of the hostesses asked us what the special occasion was we lied and said it was Pat's birthday... 20 minutes later the lights go dim and Happy Birthday begins to play as they present him with a cake. The night only got better when Toryn smashed Pat's face in the cake. (The First Picture is Isabela Island and the Second is a Sunset on Floreana)

The next day we woke up and went whale watching and then hiking on the island of Fernandina. The ground was all hardened lava with cracks everywhere which was really awesome. We also got to jump off of the boat that afternoon which was much higher than I thought it would be! That afternoon I opted out of an additional snorkeling adventure due to my hypothermia the day before and decided to relax in the sun for about two hours without any sunscreen. Jessie needs to realize that she is Italian-American not African-American. Needless to say, I acquired a pretty sweet burn. Our last night on the boat was a night I will never forget. How many people can say that they sang in front of a cruise of people in the Galápagos Islands while the sun was setting. I will check that badboy off the bucket list. Colleen played the piano, the captain of the ship played the guitar, and I sang! After dinner our group lined up beach chairs on the deck of the boat, got cozy with some blankets, and chatted under the stars. It was the perfect ending to an absolutely perfect trip. In the morning we went to the Charles Darwin research center and saw Solitary/ Lonesome George, the famous last turtle of his species who is like 150 years old. All in all, the trip was absolutely incredible and I am so happy to say that I have checked The Galápagos off my list... next difficult one to conquer... Fiji.