Greek Islands tour Sept. 21 - Oct. 1, 2016

Testing....about to board AA tomorrow morning, with Bonnie Everett, for a twelve day excursion, with Vantage Tours for a cruise through the Aegean Sea stopping at the Greek Islands and staying in Athens overnight at each end of the trip.  If I had a bucket list, this would be one of the done deal items on October 1 (our return date). We will spend a day in Athens and then board a small 40 passenger ship with 20 crew members.  Doing a trail post...just to get started.....more tomorrow and as internet is available throughout the trip.

Our homeward bound trip started on Wednesday, Feb. 24th,  it would be a two day journey from the Galapagos in the Pacific Ocean on the Coral I to Guayiquil and the airport by bus, to Quito by plane,  and the San Jose Garden Hotel, by van on Wed.   Thursday would take us by van to the Quito airport with our first plane to Miami and our last (and 8th plane of the trip) to BWI.

Our Wednesday 7 a.m. wake up call, found us packed and ready for breakfast.  The Coral I's staff is superb, and once again we enjoyed exotic (for us) juices, fruits, granola, eggs, breads, and breakfast entrees.   It also made us realize that soon we would be back home....with no one to say breakfast, lunch, or dinner is served, please join us in the dining room.  But, in truth, we all enjoyed the journey and were ready to be home - even if the temperature is 50 degrees lower than in the islands. 

Our trip to the airport included a circumnavigation of Daphne Island,  Note the indentation in the center of the picture of the island.  That is the volcano's crater, which is not active (thank goodness!)  We went to the top  deck for the ride to the mainland and were joined by numerous birds, especially gulls and Frigates that followed the boat and almost seemed to pose for the cameras. 

One final dingy ride took us to the dock for the bus to Guayiquil, where we waited for awhile with others from our cruise.  Photo of Don, Ellen, Dorothy, and Jane from CA, included.   Ruth was looking at the local restaurant across the street from the dock and the quite large iguana, who apparently is well fed by the customers.  

A bus arrived and transported us to the airport, where we had 30 minutes to shop.....the tours make certain there are opportunities to shop...and the shops are waiting.   Some of us made purchases, while the tour company saw to it that our luggage was on the plane.  They took care of everything, we received boarding passes and were soon off on our 40 minute plane ride to Quito.   We forgot about the altitude change, and once again the altitude change was immediately felt.   But not quite as badly as the first time around.  

We collected our luggage and as promised, the Garden Hotel staff member was waiting with a "Mary Lu Poll" sign; collected our luggage and we were off to our last evening at the hotel.  It was sort of like coming home.....Rose, Ruth and I had the same cottage and the staff was very welcoming.  Ruth later discovered that the hotel raises goats and chickens, and has a garden......organic, home grown food at its best.  We had to wait for the restaurant to open, but they rustled up coffee and tea for us. As there was an internet connection, we didn't mind waiting for dinner and used the time to connect with family and friends,   Our last dinner in Ecuador, was enjoyed by the blazing fire and recapping our journey. About eight, we retired to rearrange suitcases and try to get in a good night's sleep before our 4:30 a.m. wake-up call. 

The call came, and in Ecuador, it was not a robo call....an actual person called with a pleasant greeting.  By five they had carried our luggage to the front of the hotel and had breakfast - complete with the unforgettable local coffee - waiting for us.  We were in the van by 5:30 and on our way to the airport.  We were well taken care of, the hotel staffer transferred our luggage to the airport porter, who accompanied us to the AA counter, helped check our luggage and stayed with us to make certain we were headed in the direction of the right gate once we had our boarding passes.  Once again there was time to shop, and I discovered, with a small purchase, that bargaining is acceptable even in the airport. 

We  were in line waiting for our group to board when Mary Lu Pool was asked  to come to the counter and suddenly we saw her being led through the glass doors to another area of the airport.  We had no idea where she went.  On inquiry I was told she had been picked by the Quito police for a random luggage check.   Later she described it as being taken captive by a foreign government!   It was not a pleasant experience.  The plane was almost ready to leave when she appeared saying she would never return to Ecuador ever again.....and that she needed time to calm down.  Her luggage had been thoroughly searched, she had been through a total of three security screenings, when she thought she would be permitted to board, but was made to go through security for a fourth time.   She was not a happy camper, but relieved to be on the plane and heading home.  She does realize that it was random and it always happens to someone...but it was an invasive and unnerving experience. 

The plane ride to Miami was smooth sailing.  It also gave Mary Lu time to reflex, watch a funny movie, and relax after her trials in Quito.   The peace would not last for long.   We arrived in Miami, made our way through the U.S. citizens automated entry; picked up our luggage (briefly thought Rose's had been lost); re-checked it through AA's simplified re-checking system and were on our way to the gate for our next flight.  

The news was it was delayed.  The other news was we were to go through security again with our carry -on luggage.   I was briefly delayed, because Quito let us carry water on to the plane, the bottle was not empty and it was confiscated.   Martha and I were in TSA pre-checked.  The others were in the regular security line....and for some reason...unbeknownst to anyone -  Mary Lu lit up the security sensors!  In at least seven spots.  They could not figure out why...she was THOROUGHLY WANDED AND SEARCHED (fortunately it didn't reach the strip search point)  but she was once again outraged.  Maybe her irritation at the first search lit up the sensor....the answer will never be known.  At this point, we all agree she has stories for life....and now all we all needed was a cup of exquisite/yummy Cafe Cubano. 

We had time for several cups and learned that our flight was delayed twice.    So we have no idea when we will leave Miami, but the last photo is of Martha, Ruth, Mary Lu, and Rose patiently waiting for an announcement that AA flight 194 is boarding for BWI.  We will be home before midnight....and in a day or so, I'll add some of Mary Lu's and Martha's photo to round out the trip. 

Finally, let me say that if anyone is interested in a small personalized trip to Ecuador and/or a larger one to the Galapagos, please let me know, will be happy to send you info on the logistics of our trip.  It was a Restorative Journey...now all we need to do is reach home and rest up from our restorations.

Tuesday, Feb. 23,  dawned. After having traveled for six hours during the night, we were in sight of Espanola Island -  our destination for the day.  In the morning, there was no need to wear shoes.  We would be spending the first part of the day, on a beautiful, picturesque, perfect white sandy beach.   So off we went to swim, sun, snorkel, and stroll.  The dingies took us close to shore, and we waded onto the beach.  Hernand gathered us into a group for a brief talk about the beach.   The startling piece and somehow a bit humorous piece of information was that the Espanola beach, as well as every white sandy beach in the world, has the same composition.  When on any white beach, we are standing in pure white processed, purified, sea animal poop.  (The grandkids will love this fact!) 

Small sea creatures eat shells and coral and digest it, and then they are eaten and their poop is eaten by other sea creatures, and so on, including the sting rays,  who process and digest and poop, until it becomes refined into what we call white sand.  So, there's the story....some beaches are simply sand -- but not all....gives a new perspective to the beauty of white sandy beaches....and the intricacy of the ecological chain.   Those sea creatures continue their work, never realizing what delight they are giving the tourist of the world, and most beach lovers have no clue as to the composition of the beautiful sand.  

We also got to see part of a young whale skeleton, Hernand is shown holding one vertebrae with both arms inside it to shown the size of the animals spinal cord compared to a human spinal cord. 

Sea lions, iguanas, crabs, and birds were in abundance.  The sea lions slept and yawned periodically. Except once one of our boats group got close to a nursing mother and was fiercely barked at by another by what appeared to be the alpha male.  Keeping distance was important, unless the animals chose to move closer to us, which did happen at times. 

The weather was perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing.  We all enjoyed the free time on the island.  After about 2.5 hours, we headed back to the boat and lunch.  The first part of the afternoon was R and R time, in preparation for afternoon walks on the rocky, very rocky side of Espanola and visits to the sea lion nursery, and Nazca Booby hatchery, where hundreds of Boobies live on the cliffs above the ocean.    

There were three options for the afternoon: s 2.5 hour difficult strenuous walk across the very rocky, hilly terrain;  a one hour slow walk (with walking sticks - thank goodness for walking sticks) across part of the rocky and hilly terrain; or and afternoon on the sun deck enjoying the sun and the lulling rock of the boat on calmer waters.    

We left the strenuous walk for the more experience (and in better shape) hikers, Rose, Mary Lu, and I opted for the 1 hour walk, and Martha and Ruth enjoyed an afternoon in the sun.  All of us were content with our choice of activities.  The close ups of the wildlife are from the afternoon walk and include one photo of one of the mockingbirds in the Galapagos.  This bird differs from Island to island, and some of them never leave the island on which they are born. 

We landed near the sea lion nursery. One baby sea lion, seemed a bit scrawny and was struggling (see photo) Lola, assured us that it was healthy, just newly born and still adapting to its new life.  Hundreds, maybe thousands of Nazca Boobies nest on the island. Look closely, one photo is of a mother with newly born, tiny Booby. The baby Nazca Boobies are soo fluffy that they truly look like stuffed birds that almost everyone would want to cuddle.  However, we had been warned - do not try to take the Boobies off the island.  The guides shared stories of the devious ways people coming to the Galapagos try to smuggle out living inhabitants - from insects to Boobies -- and baby penguins and sea lions.  

On return to the ship we were greeted with Ice cream as our afternoon snack!   Could have been Turkey Hill Experience ice cream, as it tasted just like home - even had chocolate sauce, walnuts and sprinkles for it.   Treat time was followed by showers, a last yummy dinner (photo of Mary Lu, Martha, and Alice a teacher from Hungary living in Switzerland) and a talk with plans for the next day and disembarking for the airport in Guayiquil - the first leg of our journey home. 

We have been without internet since we left Quito for the Galapagos. We arrived in Quito this afternoon and I've posted  the blogs of the days we were internet and electronic free!  Will post yesterdays and today's once they are finished.   On our way home tomorrow.      

Monday, Feb. 22nd, started with a 7 a.m. wake up call; followed by a buffet breakfast that offered a wide variety of fruits, cereals, meats, cheeses, breads, juice, yogurt and on and on.  We would certainly not be hungry before lunch. The Coral I is a small vessel - 26 passengers on board - but it lives up to the cruise ship reputation of delicious and plentiful food. 

To start the day, we climbed into one of the dingys and  headed for Floreana Island and the Galapagos post office.   The postal barrel  there was first used in the 1700's, when sea going persons left messages to be picked up by someone passing through; taken to an actual post office and mailed.  It has existed for hundreds of years,  Passengers on the Coral i were invited to fill out a post card and leave it in the barrel for someone to pick up and mail for us.   We were also given an opportunity to look through the post cards, find one or more in our home vicinity and take them home to mail   I have one to mail to Chads Ford, PA.  Mary Lu taught for years in Sparks Elementary (MD) and found  one left by a man she thinks is very possibly one of her students, who is still (from the address) living in the Sparks area. 

Floreana was a somewhat settled Island at one time. There is a novel, The Galapagos Affair, by John Treherne, that tells the story of The Galapagos Affair, and a woman who had a series of lovers. Their lives intertwined and one by one her lovers disappeared.   According to Hernand, the book doesn't tell the complete story.  On his death bed, one of the persons intricately involved with her, confessed to his son that she had killed her lovers and he had helped her to eat them.   -- And that is supposedly the true end of the story. 

After hearing  that tale and more about the history of the islands, we took a group photo.  Our guide Lola taught us all a lesson on staying cool in the intense heat. (see photo).  I altered my dress somewhat and it is true, lightweight long sleeved tops and hats really do make hot weather more tolerable.  

Snorkeling was the major activity of the morning.  However, we soon discovered that the full moon of the night before, coupled with the alignment of two planets, which I think were  Jupiter and Saturn, made for very rough surf and no visibility.   So we gave up and simply enjoyed the surf.  Later in the day, after lunch and a rest, the strong swimmers went deep sea snorkeling and everyone else enjoyed a dingy ride circumnavigating Champion Island  searching for Blue Footed Boobies and Sea Lions.  Then we hiked the island and photographed sea lions, red crabs and found the  Galapagos flamingos.  

It is true, that the wildlife on the island have no fear of humans.  It is strongly stressed that we are not to get too close and to never touch anything....plant or animal.  Obviously these rules are honored and we are as much a part of the scenery as anything else.  The sea lions glanced at us casually and went right back to sleep. They are nocturnal....so were enjoying their dreams and not at all concerned about all the cameras pointed in their direction.  Birds didn't fly away as we walked the beach and the iguanas moseyed along without a passing glance at us.

When we returned to the ship, the crew was waiting to wash sand off our feet and out of our shoes....and had set out refreshing juice and healthy snacks. Dinner was a bar-b-que on the top deck of the ship.  There are only three decks, but on a small ship, the rocking and rolling caused by the waves had everyone off balance and wishing they had developed their sea legs.    Once the sun set, we went inside for a briefing on Tuesday morning's activities.....and were all off to bed. - hours of waking (largely uphill) in the heat made for a long and restful night.   The ship travels at night, and the increased movement of the waves has a rocking effect that has most of us sleeping very well.