Galapagos, because sometimes I think I could use a little evolving.

As our plane taxied out to the runway of the airport in Quito, Ecuador for the Galapagos Islands, I glanced at the front page of my complimentary Ecuadorian newspaper to see a notice about a recent Iberia Airline flight that had overshot it's landing. The plane had rolled off the end of the runway, dropped a wing and an engine, fortunately killed no one, and presently had a cleanup crew painting over the Iberia logo off the side. Then, as I realized that the remains of the airplane sat at the end of OUR runway now, and as we sped up to take off and everyone hoped we would clear the wreckage, I thought to myself "I love you, Latin America."








Our landing in Galapagos was considerably better, and Lane and I set about doing what everyone does when they go to Galapagos: Eating endangered species! Oh shush. That's why they're endangered, they're delicious!



Okay, seriously now. I have to say, from above the water surface, the Galapagos aren't easy on the eyes, and they certainly aren't cheap. Picture volcanic rock slabs covered in weeds. Sure, there are giant land tortoises, but the real thing is under the water. Sea turtles, sea lions, land and marine iguanas, flamingos, and...PENGUINS! ON THE EQUATOR!!! I swam with penguins on the equator. Check that off the "things I have to do before I die" list.


We spent the better part of 5 days with snorkels stuffed in our mouths, watching the underwater symphony of one of the world's weirdest places. I chased sea turtles around, and despite the help of flippers, they escaped with a remarkable lack of effort. After almost a week underwater, I felt an ear infection coming on, probably some sort of bacteria used to competitively remove weak-eared gringos from the gene pool.




Not having scuba-diving certification, I felt a bit like I was skiing at Vail and couldn't get off the green circle trails...but fortunately snorkeling provided plenty to look at, and when we went to Isla Bartolomé our guide taught us how to say "There's a F$%&ING SHARK BEHIND YOU" in underwater sign language...which was comforting. Fortunately we only saw white tipped sharks, which are vegetarians, although I got to thinking that's probably something they just tell gullible gringos.

The trip took a turn for the worst when Lane began to sprout a tail, but he hides it well. At any rate, we survived Galapagos, saw lots of boobies (sorry, I had to), and my geneology lives on, for now. Our civilization is doomed.