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| Taking in the view of Finch Bay on the way to Las Grietas |
.We started our first full day retracing some of our steps from the previous afternoon. In my blog on June 6 I thanked Debbie for the use of her camera. We really have enjoyed it and appreciated the quality of pictures we're getting. As a way of showing our gratitude we lost her camera bag (not the camera, just the bag and some accessories). We were pretty sure that we had left it at the Charles Darwin Research Center in the area where we first saw the tortoises. I guess we got a little excited and laid it down when we pulled out the camera. To make a long story short, in spite of retracing our steps and checking every possible place it could have been turned in, it's a goner. Obviously we're going to make good on everything and we are really thankful that the camera wasn't still in the bag! We're thankful for Debbie's kindness and understanding. I doubt anyone will be loaning us anything in the future.
After the fruitless search and feeling a little bummed we headed towards town with hopes that a refreshing dip at Las Grietas might cheer us up. Las Grietas is a grotto that was formed by a volcanic eruption(s), and thousands of years of erosion. To get there it was a short walk through town to the main pier where for 80 cents each we took a water taxi across the inlet. From the landing there was a quarter mile path to the grotto. Even though we were fairly early there were still quite a few folks already enjoying the water. I'm not a fan of cold water, but I knew I wanted to get in. I opted for the complete immersion and jumped from the end of the small platform, instead of trying to gradually inch my way in. Beth followed my lead and jumped in right behind me. The brackish water was cool but not freezing and it was certainly refreshing. After swimming we took the water taxi back to town for a bite to eat before heading to the hotel for a shower and RTBT (Rest Time Best Time as NaNa would put it).
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| Las Grietas |
We had arranged through the hotel for a taxi to take us to the "highlands" section of the island for the afternoon. There were a couple of interesting stops on the agenda. First up was a stop at an area where there were two "volcanic sinkholes". There was a short trail around the holes which looked to be around 200 feet deep. Over a very long time the floors of the sinkholes have gone from barren volcanic rock to lush green. The holes are now filled with various plants and trees which are now home to numerous birds and other animals.
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| The Volcanic Sinkhole |
From there our very nice taxi driver, who spoke almost no English, drove us to the El Chato Ranch and Tortoise Reserve. This large spread of land is a working cattle ranch, but it also is a reserve where the Giant Tortoises live and roam freely. Before getting to the tortoises there was a hike through two very large and impressive lava tubes. They were both much longer than ones we had seen previously in Hawaii and the Azores. In addition to being quite wide and high the second one was also quite long. Once we emerged from the second tunnel we were in the land of the Giant Tortoises. Unlike at the Darwin Center, where they are housed in large walled in spaces, these were free to roam around the huge ranch. There was a path around part of the ranch and we were able to get to within 10 feet of these massive, docile animals. Here are a few tortoise facts you can amaze your friends with;
First, they can live to be around 150 years old (I'm not sure what they think about during all that time but I'm sure they come up with something to keep their minds occupied).
Second, the age of a tortoise can be estimated by the rings on the plates of their shell. While this may sound similar to estimating the age of trees, it's actually opposite. As they age the rings disappear. Imagine that, smoother skin as you get older!
Third, once they reach a certain size they have no natural predators (the young are sometimes preyed upon by large birds and other animals). We heard one of the paid guides who was showing a couple around that they pretty much spend their entire lives eating and resting. Beth and I talked it over for just a few seconds before reaching a consensus. If there is such a thing as reincarnation we've decided to request to come back as tortoises............eating and resting, not a bad way to spend 150 years!.
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| Inside the Lava Tube at El Chato |
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| El Chato Ranch and Tortoise Reserve |
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| Eat, Rest, Repeat |
When we were finished at the reserve our taxi driver dropped us off near the main pier. We found a bench in the shade to practice one of our favorite pastimes, sitting quietly, people watching and staring at water. As we got up to leave we noticed a rather unusual site, a Sea Lion asleep on a bench just down from where we were sitting! To the locals it was no big deal and they simply walked around him, while smiling at the rest of us who were clamoring for pictures. I didn't see it happen but he must have popped up on the water taxi dock, waddled up to the pier, found an empty bench and climbed up for a little siesta. Not something you see everyday in most places!
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| From our bench on the pier...........not a bad place to spend a little time |
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| You never know who you'll find sleeping on a bench on the pier |
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| Siesta! |
We finished off the day with a dining experience that was just the type we enjoy.
The nice folks at the hotel told us about the food kiosks that are open every night in downtown. It's actually a block long area of one of the main roads (Charles Binford Ave.). There are small food kiosks lining both sides of the street that open around 6:00PM. Fresh fish, lobsters, pizza, sushi, burgers, beef, vegetarian and more can be found at the various kiosks. We did a little Trip Advisor review and decided on K F William. The food was fantastic. I went for the Shrimp in Coconut Sauce with Rice and Beth opted for the Lobster in Coconut Sauce with Rice. There was a side order of beans for the rice as well. The two entrees and a couple of drinks set us back less than $40. Great food at a decent price in about as casual of a setting (the middle of the street) as you can get.
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| The food kiosks along Charles Binford Ave. |
A Perfect way to end the day!
