Live from Silver Origin in the Galapagos July 6th to 13th (with pre and post-voyage adventures in the Amazon and Andes)

[DavyWavey70]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

I don't know how you have had the time and patience to post these reports, but rest assured they are much appreciated by those of us who will never have the chance to visit these places.  Absolutely wonderful, thank you.

Me 5. 

[RyanJCanada]

You're all very welcome - it's been a pleasure, particularly after all the wonder advice you've given us as we've planned these trips over these past few years. It's also a great way for us to create a record of our travels for the kids.

 

As for where we find the time, we have been having some extended periods like this:

 

 

Perfect weather for a bit of writing.

[RyanJCanada]

14 hours ago, drron29 said:

Thanks again Ryan you are bringing back so many beautiful memories from our time in the Amazon. We stayed

 at the Napo lodge which must be in the same general area.

 

https://napowildlifecenter.com/

 

Only 16 guests and they hadn’t worked out what to do with us as they had a group of 7 birders, a family group of 7and us. My wife had an injury on our Galapagos cruise so wasn’t able to go on the excursions. She spent her day in a hammock being brought regular cocktails.

 

 I was put with the birders. At first they really didn’t want me there but in the end they agreed that it was a real bonus having me along as I have this ability to attract birds of the feathered variety. They saw some that weren’t even on their wish list.

 

Once again you obviously are having a great time and I am looking forward to your continued adventures.

Yes, I think the two lodges are very close to one another. Hard to estimate on Google Maps, but I'd say it could be as little as 10 - 20 kilometers.

 

Kudos to you for joining the birders - I admire their tenacity, but not their early mornings. Your wife's schedule sounds lovely too.

 

Very glad to hear that you're enjoying the updates - thanks so much for coming along.

[highplanesdrifters]

16 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

Me 5. 

6

[RyanJCanada]

Day 6

 

We’d asked for a late wake-up this morning, and slept all the way until 6:30 am. Just as well, as the rain once again poured down throughout the night and into the morning.

 

All we wanted this morning was another brief hike and a canoe ride, so it ended up making no difference to us. We simply started at 8:30 am instead of 7:30 am, which gave us more time to linger over our omelettes and eggs Benedict:

Then back out on the water in time to catch the animals emerging from shelter to dry themselves in the hot, fresh Amazon air:

More stinky turkeys…

… And a caracara

 

It wasn’t long before we parked our canoe and began a scenic loop around one of La Selva’s more dense and remote trails.

We saw a golden orb weaver:

A flatworm:

A pita bush, which can be used to make fibres for fishing lines and hammocks:

A caterpillar, which you should not pet no matter how fuzzy it looks:

And much more:

The vines of this tree can be found by their distinctive smell – and can be twisted and turned to make rope for lashing roof fronds, or binding animals

We made it back to the dock after about an hour’s hike, then back at the resort by 10:30 am. It was the perfect mini-excursion.

 

We’d hoped to follow this up with a brief kayak trip but the rain had started up again, so we finally let the kids have a splash in the hot tub. The water has a mildly brown colour to it – we were told on arrival that it’s very difficult to get the iron out of the water.

 

Kids had to be a bit careful as there are two pipes into the tub – one hot and one cold – and the hot one was too warm to touch by the end. But the tub filled quickly and was plenty warm, so they very much enjoyed the little interlude.

 

We then decided to try kayaking once more, only for the rain to start up again. We decided to press on anyway, and it wasn’t long before reception had the kayaks cleaned up and ready to go. There were kids-sized paddles and life jackets for all.

 

We only did about a 20 minute loop, but the going was quite easy – you don’t need to paddle hard to cover quite a lot of ground. The kayaks felt stable and – apart from some water dripping down the paddle – we stayed mostly dry.

Back to our stateroom for a quick shower, and then off for lunch – this time an Amazon buffet of yuca fries, rice, catfish cooked in stoneleaf, and beef stroganoff (more like a beef stir fry). Very tasty.

I then tried my hand at piranha fishing without result, though my daughter managed to pull out two more. She has the patience for it, while I do not.

 

Back to the room for a brief nap, followed by a quick round of packing (and snacking!)

 

 

We needed to get to reception for 4:30 pm for one last canoe ride – but then the skies opened up once more:

 

 

No matter. We headed up to the lounge area in the restaurant so that the kids could have their first bit of screen time since we arrived while I surreptitiously hid one of my novels amidst the resort’s library.

 

We had a nice chat with some of the new arrivals, followed by some blog writing accompanied by a spectacular pina colada made with 7 year old El Dorado.

After a few hours of reading and relaxing, it was time to head down to reception for our pre-departure briefing where we learned (booo!) that we would be waking up 20 min earlier than usual at 4:45 am tomorrow to make our 10:20 am flight out of Coca.

 

(Though the farewell drink – a chilled Canelazo cocktail – did help to make up for it.)

They also laid out the procedure for getting our bags out – just leave them out on the porch before heading to breakfast – and how to tip the guides, if we’re so inclined.

 

Tipping recommendations are included at the bar, and amount to $15 / person / day for the naturalist, $10 / person / day for the indigenous guide, and $20 / person / day for the rest of the staff. This seemed reasonable enough to us, so that’s more or less what we went with. Thankfully, we have the option of tipping either via credit card or with cash, which is handy when your supply of US cash is limited.

 

Then it was time to head upstairs for dinner, where we had a delicious traditional potato lacro soup:

Followed by a pork tomahawk in pineapple sauce, which I felt was the best meal of the trip:

Finished off with red berry cheesecake with lemongrass coulis:

It was a spectacular and fascinating meal, during which our guide Ana described what it felt like to be stung by a bullet ant – she didn’t get the full dose, but even so she could feel the pain and numbness creeping up her arm, gathering in each joint. I’m grateful that none of us have experienced the same. And a good reminder to the kids that sometimes it’s better to stay on the path than set off into the unknown. (Cue Frozen II soundtrack earworm)

 

Ana also mentioned that 8 is usually the maximum group size – typically used for larger private groups, or times when one group might be arriving and another departing – while they prefer to keep it closer to 6 or fewer. Private guides are available for a surcharge with advance notice.

 

Sadly, all good things come to an end – and it was soon time to order one last round of caipirinhas, settle up our hefty-but-deserved bar bill, and once more head to bed.

 

4:45 am will be upon us before we know it.

Edited July 3 by RyanJCanada

[jpalbny]

Safe travels onward, to the next part of the adventure! Can't wait to hear more about it!

[drron29]

The Amazon certainly is a wonderful experience. Once again your photos were excellent. I hope your Galapagos cruise is as eventful as ours was. After it my comment to our guide who in real life was a National Park ranger was that the Galapagos was one place that even david Attenborough couldn't depict what it was like when you saw it yourself.

[RyanJCanada]

20 minutes ago, drron29 said:

The Amazon certainly is a wonderful experience. Once again your photos were excellent. I hope your Galapagos cruise is as eventful as ours was. After it my comment to our guide who in real life was a National Park ranger was that the Galapagos was one place that even david Attenborough couldn't depict what it was like when you saw it yourself.

Fingers crossed… there was a couple at Jimenita that said there was less wildlife than they expected during their small-ship cruise, but I’m hopeful that Silversea will know some great spots to visit.

[drron29]

I guess the bird flu might have caused some problems the same as Antarctica. I am currently in Sapporo Japan and visited their Botanical Gardens today. They had a sign saying bird flu has been confirmed as the cause of death of many of their crows.

[highplanesdrifters]

15 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

4:45 am will be upon us before we know it.

 

Ouch!  We can sleep when we get home, right? 😃

 

Fair winds on you transition leg.

[RyanJCanada]

10 hours ago, drron29 said:

I guess the bird flu might have caused some problems the same as Antarctica. I am currently in Sapporo Japan and visited their Botanical Gardens today. They had a sign saying bird flu has been confirmed as the cause of death of many of their crows.

Yes, that’s our thought as well. More to follow once we enter the Silversea sphere of influence later today…

[RyanJCanada]

Day 7
 

As expected, 4:45 am came way too soon.
 

Particularly as my wife woke us at 4:30 am.

I groaned as I parted the mosquito curtains for the last time – and while I didn’t know it then, I would soon be grateful for every last second of those extra 15 minutes.

 

We finished packing as quickly as we could, rolling our checked bags onto the porch so that they could be loaded onto the boats and sent ahead. Then off for a quick breakfast – but not too quick. Coffee was vital this morning, as was a final ham-and-cheese omelette.

 

Back to our stateroom to brush our teeth and finish packing – only to learn that the Napo river had flooded the night before, and that the path between the motorized and non-motorized canoe docks had been washed out. So we’d have to change out our hiking shoes for our La Selva-issued rubber boots.

 

This also brought our schedule into question – we had already woken up 15 minutes early due to our earlier-than-usual flight. What kind of delays were following that kind of rushing current?

 

But it was too late to shift the schedule. We just had to get going as quickly as possible. And that meant finishing up with packing and giving the stateroom one final sweep.

 

5:25 am, and we were lined up to board the non-motorized canoe. And for once, the perpetually-late group that was departing along with us was actually on time.

 

Into the canoes and off we went for what we’d thought would be a now humdrum canoe ride. 

But now our guides were fighting against a much-heavier current:

Every time we think we understand the Amazon, it surprises us.

 

We eventually reached the dock, only to find out that it wasn’t docking much of anything anymore.

Followed by a quick tromp up the once-dry ‘path’, followed by our final bathroom stop before a 2 hour motorized canoe ride.

It was at this point that both our children fell into the river.

 

To be fair, the path looked relatively stable. But erosion had worked its magic, and some of the rocks were steadier than others. One rock gave way, then another – and before we knew it, the kids were dumping river water from their boots.

 

One of the kids ended up only needing to strip off their socks – the other changed into a pair of rain pants as they were completely soaked. It wasn’t an ideal solution, but it wasn’t going to get better before we got into Coca.

 

We always have a spare change of clothes in the carry-on suitcases – but unfortunately all luggage other than backpacks goes in separate transport from La Selva to Coca, which meant we couldn’t access them. So if you’re prone to falling into rivers, perhaps keep a spare change in your daypack…

 

With time of the essence, we boarded the motorized canoe and began to make our way upstream. The current was working against us now – and what a current it was:

But even the ticking clock in our ears couldn’t distract from the river’s intense beauty. Made all the more intense as our driver looked for shortcuts amidst the newly-enlarged channels:
 

 

 

We’d hoped that this portion of the journey would take a mere two hours, as it had on the way down. But we were nearing the two-and-a-half mark before the Capo bridge emerged from the cloud.

 

 

By then it was 9:05 am. Our flight left at 10:20 am. Quick hop out of the canoe, get in the van and head to the airport. It was tight, but we could still make it.

 

Except the dock was full.

 

For 10 minutes our guides attempted to position the motorized canoe in the narrowest of spaces, meanwhile watching the guests to ensure that no one lost a finger as the hull scraped against the other boats.

 

We just couldn’t fit. Not with the water level as high as it was. There was no place for the guests to disembark.

 

But then one of the other captains noticed the problem and thankfully hopped into his boat and sped away, and we had an opening.

 

We headed into the La Selva offices, hoping to find our carry-on bags so that the kids could change. No such luck. All of Coca had also lost power minutes before which meant that none of the lights in the washrooms were working (phone flashlights are the greatest invention ever).

 

It wasn’t clear whether our bags were ahead of us or behind, and frankly we didn’t have time to worry about that. We needed to get on the bus and head for the airport.

 

9:20 am. Boarding started in 20 minutes.

We were at the terminal in 10 minutes. Thankfully, La Selva had all of our boarding passes ready to go and kept a careful watch as we went to drop our checked bags. Then through security, and off to the bathroom so the wettest of the children could change.

5 minutes later, we were heading up the gangway to board our flight.

 

As you may have guessed, we are not fans of late arrivals at the airport. We both shuddered when one of our travel companions described her father’s travel style as, “If they aren’t calling your name, they don’t really want you on the plane.”

 

We prefer to arrive far too early, and spend an overabundance of time relaxing in the lounge. This is our method, and it’s worked well for us to date.

 

To be clear, we’re not blaming La Selva for this – it was just one of those rare times in which most of what could go wrong did go wrong.

But we made it, and that’s what matters.

 

As we began the brief flight from Coca to Quito, I had some time to reflect on our trip to La Selva. Overall, we found them to be exceptional – it’s immediately clear that they have learned a great deal in the 45 years they’ve been in business, and that they deliver a top-notch experience to their guests.

 

That said, there are limits to what’s possible in the Amazon. Those uncomfortable with insects should probably pass on this adventure. Ditto for those who can’t stand early mornings, or throwing your toilet paper in the garbage can, or sleeping without air conditioning (the ceiling fans were enough for us), or lengthy canoe-based journeys.

 

There’s a lovely spa, yoga and hammocks but the focus is most definitely on exploring the jungle by hiking and canoeing with the incredible naturalists and local guides. And there’s no way around it – you will see bugs.

But for those willing to put up with such inconveniences, it was a truly exceptional adventure. I don’t know if we’ll ever get back – but I hope we do.

 

One final caveat – La Selva welcomes children as young as 6 for regular tours, but my wife and I believe that 8 or 9 is a much better age. This depends on the interest and abilities of the child, of course – nature lovers who enjoy hiking are much more likely to be able to have fun on these tours at a younger age.

Touchdown, Quito. Time to gather our bags once more and make the journey back to Jimenita.

 

I was pleased to report that we spotted our driver right away, and that we were not stopped by police this time around. It took perhaps 15 to 20 minutes before we were watching the wooden doors of Jimenita opening for us.

 

And then, three of our most favourite words: early check in.

 

We tipped our driver, dropped our bags at the same Gran Suite as last time, and then headed off to the restaurant for an early lunch of pizza, lemonade, and ham-and-cheese sandwiches.

We dropped a million-jillion dollars worth of laundry at reception, fed the llamas, and then I went back to the Gran suite for a much-needed nap. I conked out almost immediately.

Looking for an alternative to counting sheep? Try counting llamas – you’ll be so exhausted from your Ecuadorian tours that you won’t even notice that there are only two of them

 

Back to the main building for a bit of pool with the kids, followed by another hike around the beautiful property. It’s cloudy today, showing us a different side of the Ecuadorian skyline.

And I looked for some less-photographed aspects of this beautiful property:

We also dealt with some other minor aspects of our trip, like breaking larger bills and shifting our transfer tomorrow so that we arrive right when our hotel rooms become available.

 

I did a small double take when I was given change for a twenty:

They are apparently legal tender! We debated hanging on to them because they’re so interesting but have since opted to use them for their intended purpose.

 

Back to the Gran suite to charge electronics and shift luggage around, and then it was time to head back to the main building for a pre-dinner game of pool:

Followed by another fantastic meal, including surf-and-turf with Ecuadorian prawns:

And chocolate cake:

Followed by a brief walk through Jimenita’s charming grounds before heading off to bed.

Up at 6 am tomorrow for a condor tour – but that’s practically a sleep-in after our time at La Selva.

[RyanJCanada]

Day 8

 

Up early – but bright is getting tougher to manage after a week of go-go-go. Thankfully this is our last early morning until we board the Silver Origin. Extra-thankfully, we get to see condors today. (With luck – condors are not guaranteed.)

 

Off to Jimenita’s restaurant for another delicious breakfast of coffee, fried eggs, potatoes, toast, ham, bacon, fresh fruit and yoghurt – all managed in the span of 20 minutes.

It would have been even less, but thankfully Jimenita graced us with our second favourite three words: “late check out“. So we’d be able to finish packing up after we get back from our tour.

 

Our guide Freddy was there 10 minutes early, along with Jimenita’s driver – Ivan – who had brought us in from the airport the previous day. Always nice to see a familiar face.

 

From there, we set off to the Artisana reserve – we would be heading to an ecological zone known as Páramo, which is above the treeline but below the snowline. Here we would have the best chance of spotting the condor, along with a range of other birds and wildlife.

 

Enroute, Freddy imparted a wide range of facts about the local area – I was surprised to hear that there are more than 14 volcanoes near Quito, and that Ecuador has more than 1,700 species of birds.

 

The drive out took about 75 minutes, during which we got to travel through some of the small towns surrounding Quito. Parts of the drive were smooth and scenic, but there were extended periods of rough roads. Pack your Gravol if you get car sick.

Thankfully, this was a much shorter car ride than the trip we took to Monteverde (don’t ask) so we managed to make it to our first stop – the Tambo Condor Bird Lodge – without incident.

 

Actually, that isn’t quite correct – our first stop came when we spotted a condor midway through the drive to the first stop:

This was a wonderful surprise, and really set the tone for the rest of the tour. Shortly thereafter, we found a field full of caracaras eating worms from a recently-tilled field:

The well-fed caracaras begin to take flight

 

And there was more to look at besides the birds – the scenery here is just stunning:

Anyway – on to the actual first stop. Not only did the Tambo have clean bathrooms, it also had a beautiful vantage point from which we could see a wide range of humming birds, including the shining sunbeam hummingbird, the sapphire wing hummingbird, the giant hummingbird, and the black flowerpiercer:

Shining sunbeam hummingbird

Giant hummingbird

As well as some condors on the cliff opposite us:

After, we took a brief trip down the road where we saw some condors in flight:

 

 

And also a black chested buzzard eagle, apparently a rare site at this range:

We continued higher up the mountain, getting some further photos of the condors and the stunning scenery:

As we headed into the Páramo:

Until we reached our highest point, some 13,400 feet above sea level:

From here we could see a beautiful snow-capped volacano, replete with glaciers:

As well as a white tailed deer:

A great horned owl:

And an Andean lapwing:

Ordinarily, the tour would have kept going deeper into the Artisana reserve, where a mountaintop lagoon waited. But alas, we needed to get back in time to have lunch and finish packing for our trip into Quito. As much as Silversea had reassured us that they were going to do everything they could to get us adjoining rooms, we figured the best way to make that happen was to show up immediately after check-in opened.

 

But there was still time to stop and smell the flowers:

And spot one last condor:

There are apparently only around 150 wild condors left in Ecuador, so it’s remarkable to think that we’ll have seen roughly 10% of the population during a 5 hour tour.

 

We returned to Jimenita in time for a delicious lunch of pumpkin soup and roasted chicken:

And then we settled our bill, where I was pleased to discover that our two baskets of laundry cost a mere US$180 to clean – both my wife and I had figured it would be closer to $300. This is still expensive, but what else can you do?

 

Honestly, though, the manager asked if there was anything else Jimenita could have done to make our stay better, and I couldn’t think of anything. This is a truly authentic Ecuadorian experience, and I’d highly recommend it – particularly for anyone looking to have a few days to recover after a flight to or from Quito.

 

Similarly, I’d highly recommend the condor tour at Jimenita to anyone considering it. We weren’t really sure what was involved when we first looked at it, but I have to say that Freddy and Ivan both did an absolutely stellar job of showing us some of the most rare and reclusive wildlife to be found in these highlands near the Andes. 10 out of 10, would tour again.

 

The kids played a bit more pool while we finished packing up, and then we once more joined Ivan for the drive in to Quito:

Strange seeing skyscrapers so high above us, on the edge of a cliff

 

Roughly 45 minutes later, we were pulling up outside the JW Marriott. The Silversea counter was already set up, and within 10 minutes we had our adjacent – and connecting! – rooms, along with all the paperwork and details we needed for our lone night in Quito. They even had hot towels to wipe away the ever-present travel grime.

 

Up to our rooms, where we were very pleased to discover that one of our rooms was a suite:

We dropped bags, took a moment to fill out the reams of Silversea paperwork, and then went off to explore the hotel. And we liked what we saw:

But surely no one would want to swim in this pool – not in the cool, high air of Quito?

I checked the water – sure enough, stone cold.

 

But then my wife’s engineering instincts kicked in, and she checked a different section of the pool – nice and toasty. So we took the kids for a swim.

 

We then considered the Marriott’s wide range of restaurants for dinner – the Exchange Bar offers standard bar / pub food, while Raices offers a South American take on fine dining.

 

We opted for Fogo de Chão and their Churrasco Experience – a traditional Brazilian steakhouse meal in which dish after dish of meat is brought to the table until you finally wave the white flag (or in our case, turn over the red-side of the dish).

The view from our table at Fogo de Chão

 

There were some tasty cuts on offer:

Roast beef

Lamb

Ribeye and sausage (and about ten others besides these)

 

As well as some delicious desserts, including a chocolate lava cake:

And chocolate brigadeiro:

Plus one of my wife’s all-time favourite cocktails, a strawberry hibiscus caipirinha:

Then it was time to head off to bed. We leave for Guayaquil at around 3 pm tomorrow, and we’re hoping to spend a bit of time in the Old Town before then – but we should still have time for a leisurely morning.

 

Alarms are set for a positively decadent 7:30 am. With the way our night’s headed, that should give us almost 10 hours of much-needed sleep tonight.

[highplanesdrifters]

Wow isn't enough. Holy Gobsmacking WOW! 

[RyanJCanada]

Day 9

 

 

Up at 5:30 am this morning despite my best intentions – but my 9:30 pm bedtime still gave me eight blessed hours of sleep. Plus I got to laze around in bed for an hour so that we didn’t wake the kids. Sorely needed after the past week’s mayhem.

 

Not that the future is looking mayhem-free, despite our entering Silversea’s protective bubble – we still need to take an after-dark bus trip from the airport to our hotel in Guayaquil, which is currently a ‘do not travel’ zone for the Canada, the United Kingdom, and many other countries due to increased drug crime.

 

Originally, we were due to stay in Quito for two nights – only briefing stopping in Guayaquil for fuel on our way to San Cristobel. But Quito airport is under renovation, so Silversea needed to rejig the route. I’m still not sure that a late-night trip through Guayaquil is advisable, and I will be very glad to have that portion of the trip behind us.

 

Kids woke up at around 7:30 am, and we managed to get ourselves mostly packed before heading to JW Marriot’s Botanica restaurant for a delicious breakfast buffet, which was included in Silversea pre-departure hotel stay:

Back to the room to continue packing (and weighing) our luggage. Carry-ons are limited to 17 pounds instead of the usual 20 pounds, so there was a lot of juggling and cursing as we balanced everything out.

 

Then down to the lobby for a trip to Quito’s Old Town. Silversea had wanted $75 per person for a 3 hour private guided tour – we asked our previous driver Ivan Suarez if he would do the same trip and he quoted us $50 total. Though he would only be driving and not guiding us.

 

We were mostly interested in taking in the sights at our own pace, and didn’t really care if there was anyone there to provide context. So we took Ivan up on his offer.

He showed up promptly at 9:30 am. We drove through downtown Quito…

Not the most flattering photo, but there is some truly stunning street art in Quito – and this is just a small piece of it

 

… And started off with a visit to the Basillica del Voto Nacional:

This is the largest neo-Gothic church in the Americas, and is frequently compared to St. Patrick’s Cathedral of New York and the Notre Dame in Paris. It was built from 1892 to 1924, though it wasn’t officially consecrated until 1988.

We climbed the many, many steps up to the top of the clock tower:

The clock mechanism – the original was built in 1986 but stopped in 1993. The current mechanism was put into action in 2012, by the son of the original builder. There are three clocks in each tower, each with a diameter of more than 4 metres.

The view near the top

Sadly as high as we were able to get – the route is then blocked off

But there are some lovely restaurants on the way, with seating out on the terrace – great prices and terrific views

The view along the attic walkway between the towers

Climbing the central tower is not for the faint of heart

But stunning views await

The interior is equally impressive:

This puts an end to my plans to establish the Ecuadorian Basillica Drone Society – but you know what they say, every sign is there for a reason

 

We then headed off…

Some more beautiful street art. The translation read, “For our missing people, a minute of silence means a lifetime of resistance.“

… To pay a visit to the San Francisco square, and the Independence Square:

We stopped briefly for a coffee and a croissant at the Baguette café, with a beautiful view over the square. There was one tense moment when we heard a series of bangs outside and the café was suddenly swarmed by police. But it turned out to be a coincidence – firecrackers going off outside, and the police going on break.

Just a church we happened to walk into, as we walked along the streets

There was a heavy police presence in town, as there is a protest planned for July 6^th – likely due to increased fuel prices, as was the case on July 4th. We went past the Presidential Palace on our way to Independence Square, and there was already a barricade set up around the building.

Our third destination was El Panecillo – the large hill in the middle of Quito – but we stayed longer than expected downtown so we decided to head back early instead.

 

Google Translate has proven immensely helpful during this trip – we were able to download the Spanish dictionary so it works offline, and have used it to communicate to Spanish-speaking drivers and staff when needed. Simply type your message into the app, and then click the speaker button to have it spoken aloud in Spanish.

 

(You can also use the microphone button to listen and transcribe, though thus far we’ve found it faster just to type the message instead.)

 

We also passed Moe’s Tavern (inspired by the Simpsons, presumably) along the way:

Ivan deposited us back at the hotel, and we gave him a large tip to say thanks. We’d highly recommend him as a driver should you find yourself in Quito. You can find his details here.

 

We were tempted to find a nice restaurant in Quito, but opted to have lunch at the hotel to minimize the risk of catching any gastro bugs before we embark. The lunch options are limited – we had the choice of either returning to Fogo de Chão or having the lunch buffet at Botanica. Fogo de Chão was delicious, but one Brazilian steakhouse trip is enough to last about a year.

 

The lunch buffet wasn’t quite as good as breakfast, but still tasty:

But they made up for that with an epic dessert table:

Cost was US$29 (before tax and service) for the adults, while the kids were again half price.

 

I then headed back upstairs for a quick power name, while my wife and kids headed downstairs to find a quiet spot to hang out and read before our group – blue group – departs for the airport at 3:45 pm.

 

I briefly stopped at the Meet Gourmet Café to pick up a cappuccino and some cookies. Another small peculiarity with Ecuadorian pricing – the cappuccino was $5, while the cookies were $3 for 5. Not too bad if you lump it all up together.

And there were other treats for those so inclined:

But the cookies deserve a closeup:

3:40 pm, which meant it was just about time to board the bus to the airport. We milled around the front entrance and – sure enough – blue group was called right on time. It was a good set-up, with a driver ready to slot our various carry-on bags into the cargo compartment underneath. We were on the road about 5 minutes after our group was called, which is even faster than when we were in Dublin.

 

Unfortunately, there seemed to be some sort of technical difficulties with the traffic lights, so the traffic leaving Quito was brutal. We’d hoped to get dinner before our flight left, and we started to wonder whether that would possible. Thankfully, the traffic broke up as we left the city centre – and our Google Maps timeline improved dramatically.

Our Silversea rep got onto the mic to explain some of the logistics for the next few days. We’re not to remove our luggage tags, as our bags will need them again for the second half of the trip to San Cristobel tomorrow. We’re not allowed to bring plants, seeds, or coffee beans into the Galapagos so guests would need to get rid of them before we leave Guayaquil tomorrow. Bag drop is before 8:30 am, while our group will be leaving the hotel at 10 am.

 

Apart from the mic volume being about 20 decibels too loud, it was a good presentation – we also got into some of the history of Ecuador. We learned that the country has 84 volcanoes (include 6 active ones), that the Andes are the longest mountain range in the world, that Simon Bolivar liberated 6 different countries in South America – Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Bolivia.

 

We made the airport about 70 minutes after we left the hotel, and then it was simply a matter of picking up our checked luggage and then dropping them at the LATAM desk – which took about 15 minutes after we reached the airport.

 

Then it was time to head through security, and then on to the Guacamole Grill.

Photo credit – TripAdvisor

 

We’d first spotted the grill during our flight to Coca, but we’d opted to pick up lunch from the Amazon Café instead. But – as it seemed unlikely that we would arrive at the Oro Verde Hotel much before 8:30 pm – this was the perfect time to give the airport restaurant a shot.

And… it was actually pretty good.

 

I had the burger:

While my wife had the Cuban sandwich:

Apart from a brief bit of confusion (I ordered “uno chesburguesa, solo queso” – which the server took to mean as a bun with cheese and nothing else), the meals were hot, quick and tasty. Hard to ask for anything more.

 

Shortly thereafter, they started boarding our flight. We were in the air for perhaps 40 minutes, and then we touched down in Guayaquil.

Bags were off the conveyer belts 20 minutes after we landed.

 

We were impressed by how fast the disembarkation process went – we approached a van where our checked bags were loaded, and then boarded one of two waiting buses. Soon, we were on our way to the hotel.

 

It took perhaps 10 minutes from when we collected our bags, compared to the 2 hours (!!) we waited when returning from Greenland via New York City. Perhaps Ecuador should set up an exchange teaching program…

 

Here was the part I was dreading. The drive through a city where crime had become bad enough to dub the city ‘unliveable’ and the province of Guayas to be dubbed ‘the least safe region in the world.’ It seemed normal enough as we left the airport, but the regular flash of police lights – often marking off the location of major roadblocks – suggested otherwise.

 

Thankfully, we arrived at the Oro Verde hotel without incident. Armed guards looked on as we trooped through the heavy humidity into the tired-but-luxurious lobby, accepting glasses of Ecuadorian Rose and bowls of fruity ice cream as we collected our welcome packages from Silversea.

My wife groaned in annoyance when she looked at the room assignments – our rooms were sequential, which meant that they were across the hall from each other as opposed to being adjacent. But then we got to our floor and saw that – unlike pretty much every other hotel in the world – the Oro Verde numbered their rooms sequentially along a single room. So our rooms were, in fact, adjacent to one another. Another win for Silversea.

 

And the rooms aren’t half bad, either:

 

Each welcome package also included a voucher for two drink tickets, so we cashed those in post haste – first for white wine and a welcome cocktail, and then for white wine and a local beer.

All delicious and relaxing after a long day on the road.

 

Our bags were to be delivered to our room, but we managed to find them amidst the mess of luggage that was being sorted on our floor. We soon picked ours out and distributed them as needed to our rooms – which thankfully let us get the kids to sleep quickly. (No shade against the bellhops – they were moving at lightning speed, we just needed our bags immediately.)

 

All considered, we were able to get everyone in and settled by 8:30 pm. Quite impressive given that we didn’t arrive in Guayaquil until 7:40 pm.

Plenty of time to grab another drink from El Capitan bar, which was in full swing

 

Despite the security challenges in Guayaquil, there is a very real sense that everyone is doing there best here. It’s a shame to see a beautiful country disrupted by drug crime like this. I feel for them, and part of me wishes that I wasn’t hesitant to stay in Guayaquil with my kids.

 

But I am – and I don’t know if there’s much to be done about that right now.

 

I will say that the rest of Ecuador seems eminently stable and safe, and that I would strongly recommend people visit there. This is a wonderful country full of friendly people, and I like to think that people travelling to the safer parts will help the Ecuadorians to eventually stabilize the rest of the country.

 

It’s a nice thought, at least.

 

Something to mull over as we ready ourselves for the final hop to San Cristobel, and on to Silver Origin to explore the Galapagos.

[RyanJCanada]

Day 10

 

Up at 7:15 am this morning – time enough to pack up our checked bags and drop them at the Silversea desk before having a delicious breakfast of omelettes, sausages, bacon, eggs, pineapple, and even miniature paninis.

 

It was a really good spread:

Back to the room to finish packing our carry-ons. We’re not leaving until 10 am, so we ended up having time to spare so we lounged by the pool for a bit. The pool was heated to a nice temperature, but sadly there was no time for us to take a dip. Maybe one day – after the security situation in Guayaquil has improved.

Speaking of which, it was getting on to 9:40 am which meant it was time to head down to the lobby and wait for our turn to depart.

 

There was a brief moment of uncertainty when some shirtless man started yelling at the group of passengers boarding the bus. I still have no idea what he was upset about. It seemed like he might have had an issue that was drug or mental health related. But an unsettling development in an area that’s been marked by so many security challenges.

 

We edged the kids behind one of the concrete pillars and waited for the Oro Verde guards to handle it – which they did, quickly enough. We were boarding soon afterward.

 

As you might expect, none of this has changed my view that Guayaquil isn’t a safe destination for Silversea, and that they should have changed the hotel to San Cristobel instead.

 

But we made it to the airport safe and sound, so that’s what counts.

 

We were given a pre-paid entry and exit voucher on the bus rise, and asked to check it against our passport. Everything looked good on that end.

 

Again Silversea’s logistics were spot on, and Guayaquil airport was even quicker than Quito in terms of dropping bags and getting through security. We then had about an hour to wait before we boarded the almost-two-hour flight.

 

During the flight, we had to complete a customs declaration stating that we aren’t bringing in any biological contaminants (seeds, fruit, hiking gear, etc.) and that we haven’t visited a farm in the past 72 hours.

 

Farewell Guayaquil:

Hello Galapagos!

Galapagos airport customs and back pickup was slow, but there was little Silversea could have done to make it otherwise. First we had to hand in our voucher and get our passports stamped, and then we had to go through bio-security screening. The only bathrooms are located before customs, though thankfully they let you go back to use them once you’re through, if you need to do so.

 

Our bags were coming off at record pace, but we weren’t able to pick them up yet – instead, we had to wait while each of the sealed bags was unsealed and then checked by sniffer dog. Once the bags were released, there was something of a frenzy as everyone grabbed their bags and headed for the door.

 

Thankfully, Silversea had commandeered roughly half of the local buses, so we were able to make it to the pier without much of a wait. It took maybe 10 minutes for the buses to depart, and then it was a 5 minute bus ride to the pier.

 

But not just any pier. A Galapagos pier:

 

 

The wildlife and scenery were already spectacular, but there was no time to wait – we had to get onto the Zodiac and head for the ship:

There was a heavy military presence in the harbour – I imagine this is one of the few spots in the area where they can resupply

Arrival went very smoothly. Out of the Zodiac, pick up a glass of Prosecco and a cold towelette.

Head to the check-in desk to get photos taken. Then up to the restaurant for lunch. There were a range of buffet options available, though I opted for the classic cheeseburger:

While the kids each had a pizza:

All delicious.

 

We then went for a bit of a wander, heading through the Explorer’s lounge:

And exploring above deck.

We found ourselves meandering down onto Deck 5 at this point, where we were pleasantly surprised to discover that our butler was willing to let us have a sneak peak into our rooms.

We dropped bags and slowly began to unpack. Soon thereafter, we were able to head back to the Explorer’s Lounge to pick up our keys.

 

Based on the research I’d done before the trip, I’d hoped that at least a few items of laundry would be covered each day, and that there was a guest washer / dryer that we could access throughout the cruise.

 

Unfortunately – neither of those assumptions turned out to be true.

 

Fortunately – we have free laundry.

 

I’m not sure how we managed it. I’m guessing it might have something to do with the 67 days worth of cruises we’ve booked within the span of 18 months? Either way, we’re very grateful to have it – along with $400 in unexpected stateroom credit. We’ll need to send a very appreciative e-mail to our travel agent once we get home.

 

But there wasn’t time to rest on our laundry-related laurels. There was the usual bit of admin to take care of – we needed to watch the muster drill video, and arrange for a smaller lifejacket for our daughter. But it was all relatively straightforward.

 

There was a brief moment when we thought our air conditioning might be malfunctioning, but it turned out our balcony door was partly opened. So big thanks to our butler, Jaoa, for immediately diagnosing this issue and setting it right.

 

93 guests are aboard the Silver Origin for our current voyage, out of a possible maximum of 100. This makes it a relatively full sailing, though it hasn’t felt it thus far. Service has been great, and that’s even with everyone heading to the same places all at the same times. I expect it will make the leap to excellent once everyone’s properly spaced out.

 

Off to the muster drill, which was relatively quick and painless. We’d learned last time that we’re better off just heading directly to Deck 7 in advance of the alarm. We snagged seats at the Grill, then waited for everyone else to make their way up there after the alarm was sounded.

 

Another 10 – 15 minutes until the drills were done, and we headed back down to the Explorer’s Lounge for the standard Zodiac brief and an overview of the itinerary ahead of us.

 

Spoiler alart – we’re going to be busy.

 

It’s looking like two stops and a snorkel each day, every day.

 

Having done our back-to-back expeditions the year last summer, we know what we’ve signed on for – but I’m not sure everyone else is in the same boat. To be fair, we weren’t either when we first arrived on the Cloud. “Evening briefing?” we’d said to ourselves. “Why would anyone go to that when they can watch us sail out of Dublin?”

 

(Though to be fair, sailing out of Dublin was pretty great.)

 

And I think it might be similar this time around, based on some of the comments we’ve heard from other guests. But I’m hoping that this is a pleasant surprise for them, like when you go for a walk in the woods and get lost and come across a cute baby animal. As opposed to an unpleasant surprise, when you get lost in the woods and get eaten by bears.

 

Just to be clear, this is not a knock against anyone here. Silversea sends you reams of paperwork to attest to your fitness whereas a video of what an actual Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation looks like – as well as the different levels of hikes – would be substantially more helpful.

 

And there is plenty that guests can enjoy even if they struggle to get on and off a Zodiac – lots of easy walks, and time that can be spent viewing the wildlife from the landing zone. (Besides, don’t we all need assistance getting on and off a Zodiac safely?)

 

This is more of a criticism against Silversea, who I think could do more to educate guests about the rigours of expeditions compared to classic cruises before they arrive.

 

Anyway – it isn’t my job to play cruise-matchmaker, and I shouldn’t make assumptions. The expedition staff here seems pretty great, and I think they’re going to do a wonderful job of matching people up with excursions that line up with their abilities.

 

Speaking of which – we’re headed to the remote northern island of Genovesa tomorrow, and we have two excursions on offer. The first is an ‘adventurous’ excursion called “Prince Philip’s Steps” which will see us climb roughly a mile over uneven terrain. The second is a half-mile nature walk through Darwin Bay.

 

We’re going to be anchored in the flooded caldera of the volcano that makes up Genovesa, so we should have no issue reaching either of the sites.

 

There’s also two types of snorkelling on offer tomorrow – both deep water and beach snorkelling. The kids have snorkelled before but it’s been a while, so we’re opting for beach snorkelling instead.

 

But I’m neglecting another vital aspect of the expedition brief – the drinks. So here is the drink list:

And here is a picture of my drink of choice, the Finch:

We also had a cruise-past of Kicker Rock, which was visually quite stunning:

Kicker Rock is what remains of a volcanic “tuff cone”, which are formed when volcanic magma meets seawater. The towers there are roughly 1/8^th the size of what existed on that space. It’s also home to a wide range of wildlife including sea lions, frigate birds, and a wide range of boobies.

And just like that – the sun set on the Origin

 

We also went to check out the observation lounge:

It’s small, but very elegantly laid out. I expect we’ll be spending quite a bit of time here.

After the cruise past of Kicker Rock and the expedition brief, we then went to dinner:

I had the Honges Silvestres al Ajilllo (mushrooms and toast):

And the beef tenderloin:

While my wife had the tomato soup:

And the salmon:

For some reason, they aren’t able to produce a steak that’s much below medium. (Much to the disappointment of my daughter, who prefers her cows to be led through a warm room then knocked on the head.) I think it’s something to do with the logistical challenges of working with a smaller crew, but I’m going to try to figure out exactly what’s going on.

 

Also – there seems to be very little champagne on this ship. I keep asking for it, and I keep getting prosecco instead. Another question to raise with our butler when time allows.

 

But these are minor points – really! – which shouldn’t distract from what has thus far been an otherwise exceptional cruise.

 

Sleep was beginning to beckon, but I stuck around long enough for a Chocolate Duo:

And a liquor that our waiter, Alejandro, referred to as Espiritu l’Ecuador:

It tasted like lemon verbena and joy.

 

Then it was back to our room, where we opened a bottle of prosecco, stared at the stars, and watched the sea birds match pace with the Origin, diving after the fish that were churned up in her wake.

 

 

 

 

There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

[RyanJCanada]

Tomorrow’s Chronicle:

 

 

 

 

Edited July 7 by RyanJCanada

[jpalbny]

Welcome onboard! 

 

Such a shame about Guayaquil. We flew in for embarkation in 2017 and had a half-day tour which was really fun. Hopefully things will improve in the future so that it will be possible to visit again.

 

Smooth sailing to you from here on out!

[Jim_Iain]

Wanted to thank you for your well written and photo documentary.    I just discovered it today and have been engrossed for the past hour and still only beginning page 2.  All I can say is your kids are the luckiest kids in the world.    What an adventure and you haven't even begun the Galapagos portion of your adventure.   I'm an Orphan... please adopt me... LOL

[alithecat]

Thanks from me too. I am enjoying reading about your adventures. We were on the Silver Galapagos in 2017, before the Origin, and enjoyed the trip. The wildlife was amazing and very unique. In case you don't know this, all food must be sourced from Ecuador or Galapagos. I believe that the beef is frozen. It is recommended that you stick to fish and seafood, which is wonderful, and forget the steaks.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Government regulation:  Meat coming into Galapagos must be par-cooked.  Even if they served it to you cold, it would still be medium.

[RyanJCanada]

Day 11

 

Up at 5:40 am – but there’s been a time zone shift, so that’s practically 6:40 am, right? Right?

 

It was an early start, no matter how you look at it. But at least we had this incredible view:

Early this morning, we had anchored inside the harbour of Genovese – which, practically speaking, meant that we were currently inside the flooded crater of a volcano.

 

I’m still trying to wrap my head around that.

 

We also had a delicious breakfast waiting for us:

There aren’t really any a-la-carte breakfast options, but you can place your omelette or egg order at the chef’s station and they will then bring it out to you. It’s a simple enough system, but it works quite well.

It also gave me the chance to try Ecuadorian white pineapple

 

We were done breakfast in about 20 minutes, and then back to the room to get ready for our adventurous hike on Prince Philip’s Steps.

 

I have to say, I really like the ‘base camp’ system used on the Origin – it’s a lot better than the mudroom on the Cloud – where we inevitably would end up sitting at the restaurant, waiting for our Zodiac group to be called. This way we can sit right by the loading deck, taking much of the guesswork out of the process

Before we knew it, it was time to return to a familiar feeling – the thrill of climbing into a Zodiac and pulling up to a brand-new location.

 

The wildlife here is absolutely incredible:

A Nazca boobie – just a few feet from us, immediately after we landed

 

They tell you to keep six feet back from the wildlife for a reason. We immediately saw red footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigate birds – many of which were nesting – and we hadn’t even taken off our life vests.

A red-footed boobie – also within arm’s reach from the path

We continued along the rough, volcanic path until we were walking along the far cliffside.

Lava tubes and earthquakes have left the island streaked with crevasses

 

It was at this point that our guide, Carla, managed to spot a Galapagos short-eared owl through the scope. But unfortunately, we weren’t able to get a good shot of it.

A nesting frigate bird

 

The scale of the seabirds on this island is remarkable:

 

 

And on the return trip, a true treat – a short-eared owl almost close enough to touch:

 

A Galapagos mockingbird

Then back to the Zodiac and return to the ship. It was a nice, short excursion.

 

Back to our staterooms, and we had a few minutes to relax before it was time to change into our snorkelling equipment.

 

Thankfully, my wife had thought to pick us all up ‘dive skins aka stinger suits’ – full body nylon suits that go on underneath our wetsuits – so we were going to have an extra layer of protection from both the sun and the environment. It also made it much easier to get the wetsuit on and off.

 

Silversea had provided bags for the snorkels and fins, so it was simply a matter of heading down to Base Camp to grab towels and await our Zodiac down to the beach.

 

We weren’t the only ones there, however.

But the sea lions seemed content to share.

 

Our expedition guide took us through the process of fitting and sizing our masks and straps, and then cleaning the glass with baby shampoo so as to prevent it from fogging once we were underway. We also went through a refresher on snorkelling signs – from the hand-on-head ‘okay’ symbol to the straight arm ‘come get me’, to the waved-arm ‘I’m in trouble’.

We then entered the water still in water shoes so that we could field-test our equipment before fully committing. It was a careful approach, but it worked well for all involved, including the kids.

 

Then we were off and away – free to explore, provided that we didn’t go beyond a large rock about 50 metres out from the beach.

 

There wasn’t much to see initially. How little we knew about what was to come.

 

We went back for our fins – being careful not to step on any sea lions in the process – and then got underway.

 

The sea was hazy, but we still saw a range of fish:

(Meanwhile, a sea lion tried to grab my daughter’s flipper. We think it was just having fun – though we’re not entirely sure.)

 

We were just about ready to head in when we saw a guide checking out a spot near one of the closer rocks. We went to have a look – and found ourself amidst a school of white-tipped sharks:

They look menacing, but they’re no threat to humans. As our guide pointed out, there was another sea lion just a few feet away, playing. If they weren’t a threat to the sea lion, they weren’t a threat to us.

 

All too soon, it was time to head back to the beach and get ready to return to the Origin. I’m glad that we took some time to refresh our snorkelling skills rather than head directly to the deep-sea dive – but we were also quite pleased that the guide said we should have no issues doing the deep-sea dive next time around.

 

Back aboard the Origin, we went through the bio-security protocol to rinse and hang our dive gear, and then wrapped ourselves in pre-heated robes, grabbed some mugs of hot chocolates and Canelazo, and then headed back to our staterooms to shower and hang up our stinger suits.

 

On that subject, the crowd is definitely a lot younger than it was on the Cloud. Our daughter is still the youngest on board by at least a few years, but there are a fair number of 12 to 15 year olds, as well as older teenagers and young adults. Everyone’s been well behaved thus far (even the adults).

 

Time for lunch at the Grill, where the kids each had a hamburger while I had the octopus ceviche accompanied with popcorn and plantain chips (in the Ecuadorian fashion), followed by the grilled cod with cassava fritters and profiteroles.

All of it was very good.

 

We definitely notice the limited menu here on the Origin, but I wouldn’t say that it’s affecting our enjoyment of the cruise at all (perhaps apart from the lack of rare steak, though that’s a minor complaint). The dishes are all very well done, and we’ve had plenty of fuel to see us on our excursions.

 

I then retired for a brief nap and after that headed off for the kayak briefing, which was much the same as the ones on the Cloud for British Isles and Greenland – the main difference being the lack of a drysuit being required in Galapagos.

 

However, some kind of top-cover is required if for no other reason than to prevent transferring a massive amount of sunscreen to the Silversea lifejackets.

 

They asked if anyone was a ‘solo traveler’ (which I am not, but I presumed their intent was to find ‘solo kayakers’ – which I am). I raised my hand, along with another passenger. The kayak leader essentially said that we’d need to coordinate amongst ourselves to figure out a time to go as it was too much work for expedition staff to play matchmaker. This seemed a bit strange, though thankfully – when I went to sign off the briefing attendance sheet – one of the other kayak guides said they’d figured it out on their end.

 

I’ll be interested to see how the supply and demand works out for kayaking – previously, it was done via a kind of lottery system, but here they seemed to think that they would be able to have enough room for most guests. I’ll report back – but first I’ll need to find a time slot in which I would rather kayak than take in the land-based expeditions. And that might be a tough bar to reach.

 

Then off to the observation lounge to sit and relax for a while. The kids both enjoyed a lovely hot chocolate, while I had a coffee – and an in-depth conversation.

 

You see, the onboard cruise manager on the Origin is offering a discount of 10% compared to the usual 5%. Factor in Venetian savings, and we might be able to save as much as 15% off a future cruise.

 

The downside? The offer is only valid for cruises before December 2025, and we already have a 40 day cruise booked for earlier that year.

 

Counterpoint – 10% discount.

 

Seriously, though, there’s a really good deal available on a [destination redacted by my wife so none of you poach our staterooms before we commit] expedition cruise, and we’re supremely tempted. But it would require us to completely rejig our trip planned for early 2026.

 

But that decision would have to wait until later, because it was time to head down to Base Camp for our nature walk.

 

We saw much of the same wildlife as we had during our morning walk, with the addition of a few new spottings:

You genuinely have to be careful not to accidentally get too close to a sea lion

A yellow-crowned night heron

Baby frigate bird

We were also thrilled to watch a ‘nest handover’ between a female and male Nazca boobie.

 

 

 

 

And some adorable sea lions frolicking in the tidal pools:

 

 

We then waded deeper inland along a shallow stream. With the sun poised to set, it was a truly beautiful view:

Our guide explained that the towers were there as a navigation aid dating back to the pre-GPS era, when ships’ navigators would line up the towers so they could enter the harbour safely.

 

There’s also some pre-1950s ships’ graffiti:

But it was soon time to head back to the Zodiac for a wet-water exit back to the Origin.

 

Off to the showers to rinse off our feet, and then back to the room to enjoy a small amouse-bouche of breaded shrimp and crostini with guacamole.

Again, delicious.

 

We had a bit of time, so we took care of a few mid-trip errands like putting laundry away and making our initial contribution to the crew fund.

 

We also investigated some unexpected notes that had been left into our room inquiring as to whether we would be stopping in Guayaquil or carrying on to Quito.

 

This struck us as unusual, as we thought that Silversea would be flying us back to Guayaquil and no further – so we had already gone ahead and made our own arrangements to fly back to Quito. But now it looks like Silversea might be flying us instead – which would be fine with us, as our tickets are 100% refundable.

 

To be frank, we’re not holding our collective breaths on this. There have been many different changes on this trip, and it was only recently that we found out that we would be offered another night stay at Oro Verde in Guayaquil on our way out. (Which we will be declining in favour of immediately travelling back to Quito.)

 

So maybe we get a refund on our flights, and maybe we don’t. We’ll wait and see.

We also received an update regarding the Champagne situation, in which we learned that Champagne is not, in fact, included as part of the regular wine list. It’s only available on the premium wine list.

 

I found this surprising, but on a cruise-related importance scale of 1 to 10 I’d that Champagne vs. Prosecco weighs in at about a 2, while access to free laundry weighs in at an 11. So we’re not going to make a big deal of this.

 

Even so, our butler very kindly offered to find us a top-notch bottle of French sparkling wine, so we’re going to check that out to see if we prefer it to the delicious prosecco we’ve enjoyed thus far.

 

I’d also been having issues with my key card, but learned that I’d been holding it too close to the lock. So another minor issue resolved by our well-informed butler, Jaoa.

 

Off to the Explorer’s Lounge, where expedition guide Ernesto put on a fantastic lecture on volcanic formations – apt given the origins of the Galapagos, and our presence in a volcanic crater earlier today. It was really well done – we’ve visited quite a few volcanic destinations before, from Iceland to Montserrat, but we learned a lot about the different type of volcanoes and lava flows.

 

The crew also put together some delicious drinks, including the Cerro Dragon:

And they managed to find a few extra cookies for the kids:

Then it was time for tomorrow’s briefing, where we learned that we would be sailing to North Seymour island for tomorrow morning.

 

(We’ll be passing the equator again around midnight. Fernando offered to host a midnight equator party – no takers, given the hours that we’re currently keeping.)

 

Fernando then showed a video of the trail we’d be walking tomorrow, and why it was given the grade of ‘Adventurous’. This sort of tools is immensely helpful, but as mentioned earlier I feel like it would be better if it was provided further in advance.

 

He also told us that we expect to see blue footed boobies tomorrow, as well as the Galapagos land iguana. We’d initially been planning to take the Zodiac tour instead, but how do you turn down blue footed boobies?!

 

There will be another opportunity to snorkel – deep water this time, and then we will be heading to Santiago to explore the relatively brand-new lava flow of this island.

 

Then off to dinner at the grill.

We had tuna tartar:

And the tenderloin on hot rocks:

The kids went to bed at this stage, so I swung down to the Restaurant for a quick dessert – Pavlova:

We then retired to our stateroom to enjoy some of the French sparkling wine – good, but the Prosecco is equally good – and to watch the swallow-tailed gulls match pace with the ship.

Edited July 9 by RyanJCanada

[jpalbny]

Uh-oh. Did your post have to be approved before it could be allowed? When I wrote about the plural form of those red-footed birds last month, the algorithm flagged it for review. Somehow the singular form was ok... Just something to keep in mind.

 

Glad you're enjoying the cruise so far. Did they find you some crémant? If so, which one?

[RyanJCanada]

Tomorrow’s Chronicle:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Uh-oh. Did your post have to be approved before it could be allowed? When I wrote about the plural form of those red-footed birds last month, the algorithm flagged it for review. Somehow the singular form was ok... Just something to keep in mind.

 

Glad you're enjoying the cruise so far. Did they find you some crémant? If so, which one?

No, I’m just slow today! Combination of slow internet and a busy itinerary. But I will bear that in mind in case there is a sudden radio silence.

 

Here’s our French sparkling (via Italy?) - good but I think the Prosecco is better: