We take a small plane to our next island- Isabela- the largest island. We head into town for lunch at a local restaurant- Richard orders for us. It is customary to start with soup- with popcorn in it. Next is my first encounter with octopus- it tastes good, but I can't quite get over the texture- a little too chewy, but the shrimp are excellent.
We take a small boat out and see penguins- I forgot they could live at the equator! We get out at a bay and cross the lava rock, closely watching my step on the sharp rocks- I suddenly realize a 40 pound marine iguana is waddling in from the water two feet from where I stand. I hold still as the iguana continues to walk by- within inches- without giving me a second thought. We put on our snorkeling gear and after Richard tells us where to go- we see a dozen sea turtles hanging out. We head back to town and get our bikes. We head to the Wall of Tears and learn about the history of the island as a penal colony. Of course we see random tortoises as we walk around. We head back to the hotel for dinner and a stroll on the beach after. A beach bar opens out on a pier- the lights are inviting, the pina coladas and mojitos make a perfect ending to the day.
