Today's entry is all about food. Even our small army of 6 (5 travelers and our guide) travels on its stomach. Sadly the key picture for this entry is fuzzy -- but I include it because it has the main message. All the Time Seafood. And that's not just at Betsy's Aloha Restaurant! There wasn't a day when I didn't have fish or shrimp or lobster or sometimes all of them. The food in Ecuador is always fresh and beautifully prepared. Simple was always best: grilled lobster, grilled fish. On Santa Cruz island, fishermen were cutting and preparing seafood for sale on the dock -- attended by sea lions and pelicans waiting for handouts. Lobster season had just opened, and I actually ate one of the lobsters shown in the picture that evening at the Garrapatta restaurant.
Accompaniments to the seafood always included plantains, sometimes fried yucca, salads and soft delicious rolls and bread.
Did I mention the juices? Everywhere we went, the first thing we were offered was a glass of press squeezed juice -- mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, naranjilla (like a citrus?), and my favorite raspberry. Raspberry canes and guava plants are invasive and crowding out the native miconia plants so Oswaldo, our guide, said we were doing a service by drinking as much raspberry juice as possible!
We were taken to farms for lunch on Santa Cruz island and Isabela, shown in the pictures. Tropical breeze, soft humid air, restaurants open to the air. These places call to mind the scenes in Apocalypse Now where the French family is hosting dinner in their villa in the middle of nowhere in Vietnam. Same soft focus, otherwordly experience. On Isabela we were covered in mud from climbing Sierra Negra and I worried they wouldn't let us in! Happily the other diners had had the same experience and we were all outside. That's a story for tomorrow.
I spoke with at least a half dozen other travel companies, looking for a Galapagos cruise that fit our schedule and budget. Some companies could manage one or the other, but Erin was the only one who could do both. She found us the perfect cruise, at a fantastic price! And she has been quick and patient with responses to my many questions. So far, Adventure Life has been a fantastic company to work with!
Sandi T
3 weeks ago
Erin was patient, thorough, responsive, knowledgeable.
Karen Bukolt
3 weeks ago
Erin was responsive, knowledgeable, helpful, and ran through a few different choices with us. She got us a fabulous price on a trip, and made everything easy to do. And QUICK!!
Tina
1 month ago
From the initial meeting and planning process with our trip planner Jess, through to the finalizing of our itinerary, trip details and questions, I was very impressed with the professionalism, thoroughness, organization and attention to details. I would highly recommend Adventure Life to anyone looking to plan a unique travelling experience, knowing that the expertise and experience provided will result in a seamless trip of a lifetime.
Lynn Farquharson
1 month ago
Excellent suggestions I line with my desires on a Galapagos very last minute cruise.
Swift and professional guidance and assistance in booking the trip. Helped me realising a substantial saving.