Day 9 Morning - By Zach and Denis

 This morning, we all woke up to a traditional Ecuadorian-styled breakfast: scrambled eggs, granola with yogurt, croissants (somewhat French), fried dough buns, and refreshing iced juice (guanabana or tomate de arbol flavor).

         After a much-needed breakfast, we rushed to the docks to catch our ferry, running late and sweating. The ferry ride was only slightly longer than the previous day’s, but on this one, we greeted some thunderstorm clouds. Getting drenched in warm water rain and galloping on the high tide waves, our naps were interrupted as we gazed upon Isabella Island, the largest of all the Galapagoan islands. The chaperones refer to the following photos as the Joy of Dramamine.  

 Docking and walking upon the pier, we caught glimpses of penguins, flying fish, and sea lions, who were chilling upon the stairs and the island, living life without a care.

         

 After greeting our tour guides, Pedro and Roberto, and devouring some fantastic Ecuadorian ice cream (Coquiero), we were taken to a historical site: The Wall of Tears in these awesome oprn buses...

  Active from 1946-1959, this wall was the only remaining piece of evidence of a prison camp for post-World War 2 offenders on the Isabella Colony. The wall, made entirely out of climbable rocks, was incredibly tall and had lichens growing all over it. While climbing it certainly appeared feasible, it did act as a barrier for prisoners at the time. In fact, when many tried to escape by climbing, they were engulfed by the surrounding rocks and left to die under these circumstances.  Walking around the area, we were able to see the beautiful nature, such as surfer butterflies, canaries, tortoises, and carpenter bees, the main pollinators of the island. We even got to see a cactus finch, thanks to Pedro, who pointed out its long, straight beak (throwback to Biology, anyone?). Finally, we got to climb up a long flight of steps to a balcony from which we could see the nature in all directions. While the sights were very beautiful, there was still an unsettling feeling within the group, knowing the horrors that took place within that very spot.

        

 Afterwards, we were taken to the Flamingo Station, where we got to see flamingos (SURPRISE!). They were standing in the water, chilling out and enjoying their food (small shrimp). We learned that these flamingos were not indigenous to the Galapagos; that they flew over from the Caribbean islands and settled. Pedro explained to us that the common myth that the knees of flamingoes bend backwards is actually just their foot protruding slightly from their legs. He also told us that they could fly between 80-90 km/h, which had many of us shocked and excited. Even Wolfie decided to cry out, “I love fluorescent flamingoes!!”

         Then, our group was taken to the tortoise breeding center, where we got to learn much about the species, their life cycle, and their near extinction. The goal of the breeding center was to take care of the organisms while mimicking natural conditions so they could eventually release them into the wild. We learned how to differentiate male from female (males have longer tails and a more concave bottom shell) and how they take care of their eggs. After incubation, Roberto explained that the breeding center deprives the babies of food and water to make sure the process is as natural as can be, since when the baby tortoises hatch, they are left on their own. Learning about how they could live to the age of 200, the group experienced emotions of shock, surprise, and envy. Unfortunately, over the years, these bad boys were hunted by pirates and introduced to animals who altered their habitat. They were close to extinction, but the breeding center was working hard to prevent it.

         Finally, we got to have lunch in a nice semi-outdoor area where we socialized, rested, and ate. We were served vegetable soup, chicken or fish, rice, French fries, salad, and for dessert, Ecuadorian jello.