Reflections and reunions, November 2018

As I sit here looking out my wide dining room window at my favorite Pacific Dogwood, its autumn leaves now fading to dull pink from flaming red, above, I'm thinking of the folks who've lost everything in the Camp Fire conflagration.  This horrific fire is burning about 50 miles northwest of our house in Nevada City, as the crow flies.  The latest stats are:

• Location: Butte County
• 135,000 acres burned
• 35 percent contained
• 51 fatalities confirmed, 3 firefighters injured
• 8,817 structures destroyed, 7,600 of them homes

With 7,600 homes destroyed, that's a lot of displaced people.  Like most everyone with TV and Internet, I've seen the videos and photos of harrowing escapes.  The burned-out devastation is heartbreaking to see.  So many fatalities.  And the tragedy goes on.  Many of us around the state (which has other hellish wildfires to fight at the same time) are pitching in to do what we can, rounding up supplies and gift cards to distribute to those in need.  Anyone in the world can give -- there are plenty of organizations that are collecting for people who suddenly have nothing but the clothes they were wearing as they fled the flames.

And then, I have to count my blessings.  November is America's Thanksgiving month.  Jimmy and I realize we have much to be thankful for in our lives.  We have a comfortable home, food to eat and clothes to warm us, families who love us, and friends who care.  We have our health, though we're not young by any stretch of the imagination, and we can travel.  We are grateful.

Randy and Sharon

Speaking of travel, most of our international trips have been with Road Scholar, a tour company that combines learning with adventure.  We've never been disappointed with/by them.  Aside from the obvious benefit of seeing new places and faces and cultures, one of the best perks of traveling is making new friends.  In that, we've also been blessed.  This fall, three separate Road Scholar trip friends have visited us.  Last May, Randy and Sharon (from Georgia) were in our awesome Macchu Pichu/Galapagos trip.  In September, they traveled to NorCal and asked to meet up and maybe go hiking.  With pleasure!

On Sept 29th, we met at the Sagehen trailhead.  Jimmy and me, Randy and Sharon, and their friend, Robert, from Montana, enjoyed a beautiful afternoon on the trail, followed by early dinner (or late lunch) at Moody's in Truckee.  It was a lovely day and we all had a great time.  Thanks for coming to California!

Fantastic tree color and wonderfully clear that day in the high country.

On October 18th, we got together with Garrett at Awful Annie's in Auburn for an early lunch.  We three were in the same amazing Australia/New Zealand trip back in Nov/Dec 2016.  Garrett lives in Washington and flew to NorCal to visit a relative.  We appreciated that he wanted to pay us a visit.  Nice playing catch-up, and thanks for lunch, Garrett!

Today, Denise who lives in Massachusetts, came to our place with her sister, Heidi (who lives locally).  We'd planned on going to Lefty's for lunch, but it was much too smoky to go out.  So, we made the best of a last minute lunch of sandwiches and chips and condiments, and mandarin oranges from Newcastle (yummy, thanks, Denise).  Plus, I'd made an apple crisp the night before and a lemon icebox pie this morning for Jimmy's birthday.  You can see we did all right!

A year ago, we "did" a three-week Road Scholar trip to India with Denise and formed a fast friendship.  She is a fun person to be around, with a neat sense of humor.  Who knows why we were laughing, above, but we had a happy day.  We'll stay in touch ....  Meeting Heidi was a plus.  As a group we sang Happy Birthday to Jimmy, then he blew out four candles placed in the meringue on the lemon icebox pie.  Four seemed like a nice round number, never mind how many should really be atop his dessert.  

As I said earlier, we are grateful.

To: Napo, Saturday, 4/28/18

When we left you (last week), Jimmy and I had said our goodbyes to the Galapagos, hopped on a LAM jet, and landed at Quito's Mariscal Sucre Internat'l Airport.  Our Quito Road Scholar rep, Patricia, met us and took care of formalities.  Then, baggage in hand, we boarded our bus for the Hotel Rincon de Puembo -- the same hotel we over-nighted in last week -- not too far from the airport.  It's a lovely property, with exotic plants and flowers and fountains and a toasty warm pool.  I would've loved a dip, but, alas, so little time.  I wished we'd had more time to explore the grounds, but everyone had packing and repacking to do, and etc.  

Friday night's farewell dinner at the hotel's restaurant was delicious.  Here's the gang -- 16 of us -- each one sorry to see this fabulous Road Scholar trip end.  Most were flying straight home, others, like us, were staying behind to go elsewhere or to see more of Ecuador.  This being our fourth Road Scholar trip, we were pleased that, again, we were part of a great group.  Thanks, you guys!

Mmmm, swordfish!

We returned to the airport mid-morning on Saturday, to await our 1:00 pm flight on TAME to the jungle town of Coca, located southeast of Quito, in Ecuador, to begin the next phase of our trip, on our own -- a four-day journey into the rain forest. 

The flight was only a half hour over the Eastern Andes, and I doubt the pilot had to climb much since Quito's 9,000+' elevation meant he already had a head start on altitude!  Coca's elevation is 1,000' -- we'd be dropping out of the sky!  Pedro (spelled Perdo) met Jimmy and me and several others (not part of our RS trip) for the boat ride to the Napo Wildlife Lodge, which was not around the corner!

To get there, we left Coca for a two-hour (approx) journey down the Napo River in a long and narrow 40-seater boat powered by two 75 hp outboard engines. During the trip we were given a lunch bag with lots of goodies inside, as well as bottled water. A solid roof kept the sun off, and plastic side curtains could be pulled down to keep us dry if it was raining (obviously it wasn't!). We sat back like we'd been advised, and enjoyed the fresh breeze and the views along the mighty Napo.

This handsome bridge spans the Napo River at Coca.  After leaving this town, the only transportation is by boat on the Napo, and it didn't take us long to reach the conclusion that this river IS heavily traveled.

We enjoyed our bag lunch.

 Rio Napo -- flat and wide, like the Amazon, which it joins further downstream.

Today we heard that Ecuador's Number One industry/export is OIL  Not far downriver from this gas flare, we dropped off a couple of workers.  As I said, once past Coca, no roads exist ... the river is the sole means of transportation.

Kapok tree -- a giant in the rainforests.

I thought it was mighty nice of the "captain" of the boat to "zigzag" across the river to give both starboard and port passengers a chance to see the sights by getting close to the land.  I later learned that these maneuvers had nothing to do with being mighty nice!  These river guys knew the pattern of sandbars and snags -- where and when to dodge them. 

Native houses like these were seen along the river.

Barge traffic heading upriver.

After roughly two hours, the boat pulled into Napo Wildlife Center landing port, entry point to the Añangu territory and Yasuní National Park.  We got out to stretch our legs and use the facilities, and bid our big boat goodbye. The group was directed to one of the smaller paddle boats (motorized transport isn't allowed within the Añangu Reserve) that will take us up Añangu Creek to the main lodge.  Big boat is on right, small boat next to it.

Our location.

In the months before we left the states, we knew we wanted to spend more time in Ecuador after the Road Scholar portion of our trip was finished, so I started researching online.  While looking at things to do in and around Quito, the rainforest popped up and Napo Wildlife Center was front and center.  It looked intriguing.  Jimmy and I discussed it, agreed that it would add to our "trip of a lifetime" experience, and booked the four-day package.  The animal on their logo is a Golden-mantled Tamarin monkey ... and, by gollies, that critter was one of the first we saw as we moved up the black-water creek.

I'd call the Napo a tan-colored silty river.  Now we were on narrow Añangu creek with two paddlers, one fore and one aft, paddling us upstream four miles (!!) through water that looked like weak black tea, and under the shaded canopy of the rainforest.  It's called black water because it begins as rain and drains a swamp --  and not to be confused with the black water in an RV!  For a while all we heard was the splash of the paddles.

Our guide, Pedro, and the paddlers were amazing.  They could spot a monkey high on a branch, a coiled Boa Constrictor in a bush (above), an Anhinga that the rest of us missed, butterfly on a leaf, even a spider!  The creek had a lively current, but they could and did slow down, paddle backwards, stick the nose into vegetation, so we could see what they saw.

And here is the Golden-mantled Tamarin Monkey.

It appears big, but it's tiny, with a long soft tail!

Not easy to see something this small high in a treetop, but the guys did.  This little fella is a Squirrel Monkey, also small, eating berries.  

Then we came upon a passel (troop) of White-fronted Capuchin monkeys.  I'm not sure if we spooked them, or if they just wanted to be in trees on the other side of the creek, but we watched them, high overhead, jump from tree to tree across the creek.  Top left is a mama with a baby on her back as she prepared to leap.

The creek turns into a false mangrove swamp, with trees (probably a ficus, above) whose roots look like a tangle of jungle-y growth, with clinging epiphytes (bromeliads, etc.).  Along the way we heard tropical bird calls and monkey "hoots" and cicadas buzzing.  Jimmy and I sat pretty much mesmerized.  Pedro gave us info on what we were seeing, but didn't feel the need to chatter, thank goodness.

Spanning nearly 2.5 million acres of lush Amazonian rainforest, Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve ... and a fascinating place!  Napo Wildlife Center is the only facility of its kind located within the vibrant heart of one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet. [lifted from Napo's website]

As we neared the wildlife center, the creek gradually widened into the calm, serene waters of Añangu Lake, completely surrounded by green growth.  It was beautiful.  Finally we saw the lodge on the opposite side of the lake.

The lodge (center) at sunset.  Wow!

At last, we are "home" overlooking the lake.  This is our first time using mosquito netting ... also a first for staying under a thatched roof!  We settled in, happy with our choice.  When we returned from dinner at the lodge (which was very good), our porch light was on and the netting was down.  We wasted no time nestling into that big bed, with the ceiling fan keeping us cool and netting to keep any nasty insects out, and falling fast asleep.

Time to wrap it up -- Friday, 4/27/18

Once again, our journey began at the airport on Baltra Island (and it will end there in a few hours). On our Galapagos tour, we visited Santa Cruz, Genovese (far northeast), tiny Plaza Sur, Santa Fe, San Cristobal, Floreana, and Española Islands -- all considered Eastern Islands. We covered a lot of ground (and sea!) in just a week.

Our yacht, the TipTop III, was fairly comfortable for the week.  One of our favorite things in our cabin was the big window ... we liked being able to see out.  We were on the other side from this photo (starboard side), upper deck in Stateroom 10.  Built in 2001 and remodeled in 2008, she's due to be refurbished in the fall to bring her up to state-of-the-art.  But what makes a good trip are a great crew and great fellow passengers.  We had both.  Oh, and good food; fortunately, we had that, too!

The hotel manager loved to keep us entertained by his creations!

Steve and Debbie, Mary Ellen, Kari, Pauline, Sharon and Randy, Linda, Wendell and Ellen, Caroline, Mary D, and our naturalist guide, Lulu.  Yoko and Don didn't join us on this hike.  Me and Jimmy makes 16, plus Lulu.  You see us above, doing what we loved -- exploring the Galapagos.  You guys were awesome fellow travelers.  We had a lot of fun -- especially carrying filled coffee cups from the dining room up the steps to the outdoor lounge ... without spilling, remember?  

Arturo, in the dining room, server -- top notch fellow!

Friday morning's coffee off Baltra Island.

From the yacht to the panga to waiting buses to the airport, a reverse of last week.  Road Scholar provided vouchers for us to get lunch at the airport, at a semi-fast-food place called Bartolome's.  I think it took all 16 of us to get the orders straight due to the language barrier!  The chicken sandwich I ordered came with lettuce and tomato, which I forgot to remove, and I paid a price for that omission later. As usual, the hungry finches were not shy!  BTW, this is called Seymour Airport, and the airfield was used by the US Army Airforce during WW II from 1942 to 1945.  Now there's a sparkling new terminal, made from recycled steel tubes taken from oil drilling operations in the Amazon!

Time to go.  What a grand trip -- thanks Road Scholar
The Best of the Galápagos and Peru: From Enchanted Islands to Machu Picchu.

* * * * *

After dinner one evening, Lulu's presentation dealt with the islands' weather/makeup.  I took pictures (below) from the slides projected onto a screen.  I'm including these so you can plan your own trip to the islands!

We felt like our timing was perfect.  The islands were still green from the rains and the ocean was temperate enough to swim in without a wet suit.  We didn't get rained on, a plus.  Sure, the temperatures were hot some days, depending on where we were.  But it is, after all, right on the Equator, and it's hot throughout the year.  If you pick a time "on the cusp," like we did in April, I think you get the best of both seasons.  Go, you'll love it.  

Notice the labels on the blog's left-hand column?  If you want to look at a particular site, say Machu Picchu, you'll find that label there, or Peru, or Galapagos.  I've labeled this entire trip under Road Scholar 2018 and South America 2018.  Feel free to peruse to your heart's content.  Leave me a comment while you're at it.  Enjoy!

Now I'm going to take a short break from blogging.
Whew!

Puerto Ayora, Part 2, Thurs 4/26/18

Did I mention in my previous post that it was hot on Santa Cruz Island this morning?  Yes, well, it was.  Today, after returning to town from the highlands, a visit to the famous Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora was offered.  The catch?  We'd have to walk a mile-and-a-half from the bus stop to the Station and then a mile-and-a-half return to the bus stop.  While everyone in the group wished to visit the CDRS, it was simply too hot to walk.  Yes, you heard me.  Our guide, Lulu, made it clear SHE didn't think much of the idea!  Our group had the added benefit of visiting La Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve on Monday, witnessing their ongoing efforts at tortoise conservation.  But, sadly, we missed seeing this important facility today.

I can tell you a bit about it -- inaugurated in 1964, CDRS began to reverse some of the damage that had been done in previous years from introduced pests and plants (feral goats, cats, etc).  In 1965, the research station began a program of collecting tortoise eggs and bringing them to the research station where they'd be hatched and raised to an age where they had a reasonable chance to survive.  Then they'd be returned to their native islands.  This occurred just in time to save the Española species of tortoise from extinction (only 11 females and two males remained of the Española race). Don't you love reading about that save?  It was a beginning, and they've worked hard since then on conservation, restoration and sustainable development projects, ensuring that the archipelago is well-managed. 

Problems remain in the Galapagos, though.  Only four islands are inhabited by humans:  Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana, and the number of Ecuadorians living on these islands is increasing steadily, straining scarce resources.  Dogs, cats, and rats are still threatening native wild life.  Though their numbers have been reduced, thousands of goats remain on Santiago Island, and everybody knows a goat will eat anything ... and everything.

Even so, for me and for Jimmy, these islands will always be a double-thumbs-up, four-star, ten-out-of ten, trip-of-a-lifetime!  I wouldn't mind returning, possibly traveling to the other, newer islands -- Isabella, Fernandina, and so on.  Being here, experiencing the incredible wildlife, birding, endemic plants, all of it rolled into one, was everything I hoped it would be ... and more.

We didn't go to the Charles Darwin Research Station.  Instead we walked about the town.  BTW, Puerto Ayora, here on Santa Cruz Island, is the largest town in the archipelago with a total of 12,000 residents.  When the bus dropped us off, we walked (aiming for shade!) to the Santa Cruz Fish Pier, where fishermen unloaded their catches to sell, and Pelicans and Frigatebirds vied for scraps or a whole danged fish!  This was fun to watch.  These birds were relentless and clever.  They knew if they waited long enough ....  

Nice-looking fish displayed.

Off the pier was a short boardwalk that led out over the water.

Amid the Mangroves, it felt cooler.

If I hold still, they can't see me.

We walked right past this Lava Heron, and it didn't move.

It was a short boardwalk, so then we walked into the town, browsing through a couple of tourist shops.  I bought a T-shirt for Everly Rose, and Jimmy bought one for himself.  We tried to keep to the shady side of the streets, but if you weren't into shopping, there wasn't much to do.  We found the sign above quite amusing.  Is there a letter missing?

Across from the waterfront, we spied the lovely Santa Marianita Church.  The doors were open, so we went in.  The upper windows were open as well, and it looked as if they were left open ... after all, the breeze flowing through the church would cool parishioners and tourists alike.  I admired the Giant Tortoise painting on the left.  Inside, island-themed stained glass windows graced the lower windows, and they were beautiful.  My camera did them no justice.  We sat quietly for a few minutes, imbued as always by the beauty and serenity of our surroundings.

A simple church, but perhaps solace for some ....

Well, we strolled toward the boat dock, thinking we could find a bench in the shade and sit till the panga came to pick us up.  Not always easy to find a bench in the shade.  That critter above, which Jimmy is "offering to feed," looks like a Waved Albatross.

Me without my visor -- I'm blinded by the sun.

We watched this little guy begging for food, flapping his wings:

Mom!  I'm starving, feed me!

Hmmm, can't sit on this bench!

Plus, there's one underneath!

Ahh, the panga arrived and we can hop aboard, once we hop over this sea lion, who was not interested in moving.  Jimmy and I were ready to return to the ship.  The heat had "done us in."

Aboard the TipTop III, we saw this fantastic sailboat nearby, with two of the tallest masts we've ever seen.  It's a real beauty.  We wondered where she was from ...

... so I got a close up of the sailboat's flag:  Union Jack with a three-legged man hails from The Isle of Man.  Never saw this flag before.  Very cool.

This evening the crew had a farewell toast for the passengers.  Everyone from the Captain on down stood before us and toasted.  We've really enjoyed our week aboard the TipTop III, the outstanding crew, and our fellow congenial passengers, and most especially the Islas Encantadas!  Tomorrow, we fly to Quito on the mainland.