back to Isabela

After returning from the cruise the others flew home and I returned to Puerto Ayora from where I took a boat to Isabela. I love those small motorboats that jump over the waves and somehow I always manage to get a seat upstairs behind the captain. Here the boat with which I returned from isabela, to show you how such a boat looks. 

Puerto Villamil, the habitated town in Isabela, has approximately 3000 inhabitants. The town itself is not special. Almost every house is either a hotel or a restaurant or both and they are building a lot. The whole town is oriented towards the turists. There seems to be much less agriculture here than in San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. When you go into the superrmarket you can hardly find any fruits or vegetables, in best case a few bananas and tomatoes.

I loved the street lights in Puerto Villamil. Aren't they cute?

I stayed there 4 days, enjoyed snorkeling (except for some medusas that got me on the first day!) , swimming, lying in the hammock and I made one beautiful tour to Volcano Sierra Negra and Volcano Chico.

Volcano Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanos in Galapagos and its last eruption was 2005 . Luckily puerto Villamil was not damaged. Sieerra Negra is 1124 m. high. The crater of this volcano has a diameter of 10 km. and is the second largest in the world. I could always get only parts of it on a picture. 

I had to go on an organized tour because you are not allowed to go alone. There were 32 persons, each paid $40 and the agency allowed for the hike of 16 km. + lunch 5 hours. That was definitely too short a time. The guide was walking so fast, that I would have had to run to keep pace with him. when they rested and I arrived where the group was I told him to slow down, but he ssaid the company did not give them more time , they wanted them to be back at 2 so people could book another tour in the afternoon. This really made me furious. And the rest of the group just walked as fast as the guide, did not have time to look to the sides, see the flowers, the birds, the scenery. It was crazy. I striked. When we came to a spot where they said we could have lunch I said- I am going on to volcano Chico by myself. The guide did not oppose. I missed his explanations but that was the part of the hike I really enjoyed. I walked all the way alone, also back arrived last but hey were not even ready to go, no idea what they made at the parking place.

Anyway, the way to volcan Chico is beautiful. First we walked along the rim of the crater for several km. and then to this second volcano, which is northeast of the crater of Sierra negra. This volcano is somewhat less high. It erupted last time in 1979. it has fascinating colors. Unfortunately I missed the explanation for the reason of theese colors (actually, I am not sure he knows). The whole scenery there is fantastic.

There were many beautiful flowers growing on the way.

there are lots of wild Guayaba trees, this is the flower of one. The birds love the guayabas, I can understand them. 

there are even lots of wild growing physalis

I am quite sure the others in the group didn't even notice them. In Isabeela there is also no water, it doesn't rain much but there is often fog on the volcano and this allows the vegetation to grow.

On the way back, the colors of the crater had changed due to the fifferent light. there should be tours going down into the crater but they are very rare, unfortunately. I would have loved to go. It is supposed to be beautiful. You can see there sulfur formations, active fumaroles, may be next time.... 22 days were much too short in a place like the Galapagos.