Day: August 21, 2015

We left the ship again in skiffs at 6:30am for a safari along a tributary to the Amazon. At the river junction, we signed in to the visitor’s book before being allowed to enter the protected space of Yacayako River. The river was glass smooth and the birds were plentiful. Fortunately, our guide was not on a hunting trip today and he is quick to notice some species we had not seen before on this adventure. With a green laser pointer, he directed our eyes to a green bird in the green jungle, which he had so expertly noticed in his quick glances across the heavy undergrowth.

Today, there were many kingfisher birds. They are hard to photograph, as they tend to take a short flight to a branch for a short rest before another short flight to another branch in some other direction. This species of kingfisher appears grey but when in flight, with wings spread, it shows a blue, brown and white body.

We saw a couple of red macaws flying high above our heads, and our guide explained, “they don’t have any lawyers in the macaw family as they keep their mate for life.” Seeing macaws in the wild is a special treat and soon we found 5 or 6 yellow and blue macaws in the one tree. Lyn S picked them out and takes all the credit available.

A surprise came out of the blue as the skiffs came together nudging the river bank. Breakfast was served. What a great job these guys have done just for us. Following breakfast we all had a go at catching a red bellied piranha – with a piece of flesh on the hook, they did not waste any time being caught. I don’t know if it was the same one each time, but who cares, a load of fun. One skiff had a very large specimen decide to join them in the skiff. Not a pleasant experience if he had ‘caught’ his mouth on someone.

The river is crystal clear as we sped along in the very efficient skiff with 2 x 60 hp Mercury outboard motors. There are four of these that do all the transporting of the passengers to various activities on the river.

On our return to the Aria Amazon, some folk got back on the skiff and found a spot to do some kayaking along the river. I chose to get back in the spa and enjoy the passing river traffic which is not busy, but constant.

Prior to lunch we had a few demonstrations by the staff from the different sections on the ship. The chef prepared a dish to share among the guests who enjoy Amazon River fish. The room service department showed us how to fold towels to form animals found in the jungle and the barman mixed a ‘pisco sour’ for those who enjoy a drink with 40% alcohol. (Not for me).

After lunch, we walked into a village and were entertained by the school children before we gave them gifts to help in their school work. Scenic do this on most tours that they provide. And it helps the village people and children get to know us a little better. Some of us took a long walk around the back of the village to experience the quietness of the jungle undergrowth. We found an ant-eater half way up a tree, before returning to the ship for some South American dancing and entertainment put on by the crew.

I’m not sure if I have mentioned that our Scenic Tour Director is from Brazil. It came as a surprise when she suggested that Mike G was to have a Brazilian.  He didn’t know what a Brazilian was. Before and after photos are required but Mike has now stipulated that $1200 is to be raised for a Peruvian charity before the operation will commence. (He doesn’t know that we already have $700. We also have a Scenic Laundry bag to place over his head to avoid us having to see the pain on his face.)

Today started off with a skiff ride to search for pink dolphins. These are a freshwater variety and very hard to photograph, as they seemed to pop up all around and by the time you aim the camera, they are gone. Maybe it was best to just ‘look’. We spent 90 minutes floating around in search of them. Our guide is very enthusiastic and you get the feeling he is not quite genuine. But we find many just the same.

If our first breakfast is a taste of things to come, we are in for a very good dining experience for each meal during the cruise. The head chef is Italian who trains the staff of the ship. Each dish of each meal is different to anything anyone else in the group has ever experienced.

After breakfast, it is a walk through the Amazon jungle to discover the benefits of many plants that can be used to help mankind’s health and well-being. Our guide stops regularly to explain how the indigenous people use the bark and leaves of certain trees to heal sickness and help those with snake and insect bites. It is hot and humid and we all fall victim to releasing lots of sweat down the back, and front, of our shirts. Fortunately, Scenic has thought of everything and organised for us all to be issued with gum boots for the walk so we don’t take any foreign soil back home to Australia on our shoes.

After lunch and a couple of hours of quiet time, we were given a talk on the conservation attempts of guide staff in preserving the fish of the river.  There 2,070 species of fish in the Amazon; 52% are saltwater fish and 48% are freshwater. The red bellied piranha is the most dangerous fish in the Amazon and is known as the ‘demon fish’; they attack anything. If you are not bleeding, it is ok to be near them, unless you are in a small lake that is drying up and doesn’t have anything in it for the piranha to feed on. We get to have a chance to catch these little beasts tomorrow.

We are in the protected area of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve which covers 2,870,000 hectares. Fish play a critical ecological role because they are seed disperses and assist in biological control. They also process organic matter. In the last 50 years, 20% of the Amazon has been destroyed. If a further 20% is destroyed, the rest of the planet will be affected in a major way. With lots of illegal logging and over fishing, things may just end up in a bigger mess than can be envisaged.

Communities along the Amazon are being educated to guard against the forces that can destroy the very region they live in. The naturalists on board the ship are involved in this and spend a good deal of time teaching the village people more beneficial ways to care for their land and ensure an even supply of fish from the river.

Following our talk, we boarded the skiffs and sped off up the river and entered a tributary where we came across a heap of birds enjoying the stillness of the late afternoon. Our guide seemed to be on the hunt for something. We kept heading towards river plants where our guide hoped to find an Anaconda. There was none around today. He almost forgot to point out to us many of the birds and their habits as his mind is definitely on something else. There are lots of cranes, bush vultures and every now and then, a kingfisher. We saw the trees moving and our guide pointed out just where the monkeys are in the tree. Fast and very hard to make out in the  camouflage of the tree, we get glimpses of them.

The four skiffs came to the one location to have some refreshments and share our ‘finds’ in the bush. Twilight passed quickly and our guides got out the spotlights to view some nocturnal animals, perhaps. We were looking for pairs of red eyes just on the surface of the water. Our guide instructed our driver to go into the water weed. He crouched and then lay on the front deck as the boat drifted towards the bank. He handed the light to Lyn S and then we heard sudden movement as he clasped on to a black caiman alligator with his bare hands and brought it up into the skiff. I managed to film the whole catch using night vision in my video camera which in itself is rather special to me. Pictures were taken and the alligator was centre stage before being released back into the river. What a scary and exciting few minutes.

In the black night we made our way back to the main ship for a great evening meal and a good sleep after a magnificent day, courtesy of Scenic and the staff on the “Aria Amazon”. It would have been my Dad’s 94th birthday today – nice day to have.

Today started rather abruptly. The phone rang at 3:45am for us to get to breakfast and onto the bus for 5:00am. Our baggage had been collected at 10:00pm for a full ‘open the case’ inspection by authorities from Galapagos at 3:00am to ensure we had no seeds or unprocessed food hidden away, for Galapagos is ‘really’ protected. You are not allowed to even sail in its waters on a private basis.

After further ‘investigating processes’ at the Quito Airport, our flight departed around 7:00am for Guayaquil and then on to Baltra Island in Galapagos. Here, we were treated as if we had arrived in another foreign country with full immigration and customs procedures. Entry and what you bring is very strict with many rules while we are in the Islands.

As Galapagos is a National Park, the authorities want to keep Galapagos in the most natural state possible. We are asked not to touch the animals even though the animals do not show any fear of humans. The animals do not have any enemies and we must stay in groups on the trails. We also need to stay at least 2 meters away and if the animals come close, we need to step away slowly and quietly. Camera flashes need to be turned off at all times. Interestingly, 60% of visitors do not follow the rule that nothing is to be taken from the islands. (Our baggage is checked on departure) We can only eat on the ship and cannot use the islands as a toilet.

Selfie sticks are banned. In the past, visitors have used them to get ‘up close and person’ to the animals and this can scare them. However, fortunately, they can be used in the water and only if they have a floatation device attached to them. I had purchased a GoPro camera and floatation stick prior to leaving Australia and the news, at first, brought me thinking that I had spent a lot of money unwisely, until it was mentioned underwater GoPro is allowed.

As I look at the map, I think I am back in the Solomon Islands. The island names include Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, and Isabela. Seems like the same adventurer visited both regions.

After departing the airport in buses, which allowed hands and bodies to be outside the bus if you wished, we boarded rubber dinghies for transfer to our ship the MV Galapagos Legend. It takes 90 passengers but this cruise is not full to capacity so we have a little more space to move.

After a lunch, we are presented with a plan for the afternoon, which includes a visit to a location on Ayora Port in the Santa Crus highlands where the giant tortoises are kept in their natural habitat. There are only two locations in the world where you find these giants; here and the Seychelles. They are huge and very slow moving but very quick to ‘pull their head in’ if danger comes their way. They can weigh between 250 and 300 kg and can live up to 150-200 years. Their principal threat has always been men. We found a few tortoises to ‘study’ and photograph that were quite willing to become stars in a way that they wouldn’t have comprehended, I’m sure. One we were watching had a yellow warbler dancing around it tough shell.

We also experienced walking through lava tubes or tunnels, which are the result of the many eruptions that have occurred in the island since its formation. The Pit Craters are seen as craters and its formation is not directly due to volcanic action. They were created as a result of the collapse or sinking of surface materials into cracks or manholes.

Our return to the ship was at sunset and we were able to enjoy ‘another tropical sunset’ before a meal and an early night.

Tomorrow, we take a study walk and try out snorkelling in these tropical waters.

Firstly, a little about the social security system of Ecuador. It sounds a little like the Australian system, but the superannuation is paid by both the employee and employer and held by the government. Contribution percentages vary depending on the length of employment with your employer. There is no unemployment benefits from the government but the previous company may pay you a small amount of funds for a few months following the termination of the contract. Medical and Dental is free but very hard to get an appointment and when you do, you wait 2-3 months to see the doctor. The country needs lots more doctors. The pay for a doctor is about $3000 per month and they are attracted by higher wages in Colombo, Chile and even USA. Medical appointments may take a month to be seen. The hospitals have good equipment but not enough people with the qualifications to use them effectively.

Education is optional and free, but school uniforms is mandatory. Most parents in the major cities take up the option of sending their children to school however, parents in the country areas give their children 2, 3 or 4 years education before keeping them at home to work the farm. Basic school used to be 6 years but now it is 9 plus an additional 3 to get into university. University is free if you can get into one. There is a lot of corruption in how you get that university degree. In general, the quality of education could be lots better. There are private schools where the student teacher ratio is very good. Some kids in public schools have to stand for their lessons as the classes are full to overflowing. Teachers wages are $700 per month so very few are attracted to the profession.

Military service is not mandatory but is optional too. It is considered a good career as once you have your degree, you have a job at graduation.

Ecuador means equator in Spanish (I heard the pronunciation Eq-u-a-tor today) and today we took a tour to the equator line and monument. We drove for about an hour to the monument before taking a guided tour around the outdoor museum/monument. Interestingly, the equator passes through 16 countries. Where it passes through Ecuador, it is at the highest altitude of any of the locations. Where it passes through other countries, the land is flat and bare.

Our guide here was very entertaining. He showed us some mocked up houses and a few of the customs that were used by the early settlers. When we came to the line of the equator, it was time for us to see some of the ‘myths’ we were told about in school; you know the direction the water flowed out of the sink in the northern hemisphere was the reverse in the southern hemisphere; the fact that eggs can stand on their small end without falling over. Well, we saw demonstrated that yes, all are fact. Some of our group trying to balance the egg succeeded, some failed. You can find it easier to balance ‘walking a line’ with eyes closed when walking the equator. As I have meniere’s disease, I thought I would give it a try to see how my balance was. With eyes open I could heel-to-toe the line quite easily, but as soon as i shut my eyes, I fell towards the side I am almost deaf on. Interesting!

I’ve just checked the photos that we took for the day and their weren’t many at all, really. I took a good amount of video so you can wait for that in the long distant future. hahah.

After the visit to the equator centre, our bus took us up some steep climbs to a quaint little restaurant at 3,400 metres. That’s higher than Mount Kosciusko in Australia. We were served partly traditional meals. We vegetarians had one of the best potato soup you could want.

The last part of the day has been free for people to stock up on any supplies they want for our coming 3 days to Galapagos Islands. I need to let you know, we will be out of range of any internet connection while at Galapagos Islands, so daily posts will be uploaded when we reach Lima. Keep watching for 3 to be uploaded on the same day.

The authorities on Galapagos have very stringent rulings on visitors not taking any seeds or such-like onto the islands so our checkin luggage will be thoroughly searched at 3:00am tomorrow morning prior to our flight at 7:00am and then locked with the authorities seal of approval. We will not see our baggage until we get to the ship in Galapagos, which could be after an afternoon land tour of part of one of the islands. We are all looking forward to our next few days on Galapagos.

Scenic Tours have been kind, and not ‘pushed’ us too much in our first few days of the tour. As we all get acclimatised to the higher altitude, we each have different reactions to the extra couple of thousand feet to what we are used to. However, higher altitude has been promised after we return to the mainland from Galapagos Islands so that will be interesting. ‘Plenty of water’ and ‘take things slowly’ is the key, they say. I’ve never drunk so much water for years and my bladder is telling me so too – I got up 6 times last night to relieve the poor old thing.

Our first appointment after breakfast was to meet our Scenic Tour Director. Her name is Roberto and comes from Brazil but lives in Australia. She comes across to South America 3 or 4 times a year to make sure everything goes well for us and that the tour providers don’t let us down. From reports from a previous Tour Director we had in Africa, she will be excellent. She speaks both fluent Spanish and Portuguese so that makes things lots easier on the group. I tried to prepare myself for this trip by taking up Spanish lessons earlier in the year but found it difficult to hear the lecturer with a strong Mexican accent, and to remember the vocabulary being taught. Age can be blamed on a lot of things in life.

Today, after another great breakfast, we took a walking tour through the ‘old’ Quito. Quito is a very narrow city running 70 km north to south and has a population of about 1.7 million. The Old Town was the first city to be protected as a Cultural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. We stopped at the Cathedral Metropolitana, which overlooks the city.  It has been damaged by earthquakes several times and the result, after a series of reconstructions, is a strange mixture of architectural styles. (Some of us are counting the number of churches and cathedrals included in the tour.)

We then had quite a long visit to the Santo Domingo Convent. Santo Domingo church and monastery represent one of the most important religious structures in Quito. Its history is characterized by fortune. It began in 1880 with the arrival of a group of Italian priests who began a modernization process that included aesthetic changes in the temple. They changed the church color, altered the baroque altarpieces and pictorial themes. On the other hand, its neoclassical reforms responded to a new cultural idea brought from Europe. In one room, converted into a place of worship, the dominant colour is red. This is unusual as the dominant colour of the Catholic Church is purple.

From here, we walked through some of the narrow streets of the city and came to a shop where spinning tops are made and sold. We had a demonstration from the maker of these tops that proved of interest to us all. He had made different shaped tops to do different tricks, for what reason, I don’t know.

The public transport system is buses and trolley buses. With such narrow streets, there are no ‘lanes’ even in the one-way streets. During the day, ‘busy traffic” is the word. The side-walks are very difficult to walk along without ‘watching your step’ as they are in real need of repair. Perhaps it’s because of the regular earth rumblings that crack up the surface of the ground and the costs of maintenance would be very high.

Our lunch was a set meal in the elegant Café Plaza Grande next to the main city square and right beside the Presidential Palace. The externals of the old style buildings have been ‘spruced up’ and renovated to accommodate the living style of the ‘now’ population.

After lunch, it was time to take a view of the city from El Panecillo. El Panecillo is a 200 metre high hill. In 1976, the Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras was commissioned by the religious order of the Oblates to build a 45-metre-tall stone monument of a madonna which was assembled on a high pedestal on the top of Panecillo. It is made of seven thousand pieces of aluminium, and is said to be the Virgin Mary, but with wings. According to a bronze placard affixed to the monument, the woman represented by the statue is the Woman of the Apocalypse written about in Revelation.

Quito is surrounded by volcanoes and we can see one from our room billowing volcanic ash into the atmosphere. On August 15, President Rafael Correa declared a state of emergency over increasing activity in the Cotopaxi volcano nearby and officials evacuated a few hundred people as a precaution. There are very few big cities of the world that can claim a backdrop of an active volcano.

Our day finished with the traditional Scenic welcome dinner where we ate at the elegant La Belle Époque. This overlooks the main city square. A special surprise came during the meal when two famous opera singers sang to us, well known pieces from opera and the stage.

Tomorrow, we have an excursion to the Equator.