Galapagos Revisited

We met Kenny and Anna from Taiwan on our Galapagos cruise. They were our meal companions on the ship, and we were also in the same excursion group. They were great company and we’re hoping to visit them in Taiwan early next year.





Kenny is an excellent photographer, and Anna is no slouch either. They graciously allowed us to share some of their photographs. Obviously the photographs that include Kenny were taken by Anna. The rest I believe are Kenny’s.

This was our home for eight days. I love the trick perspective in this photograph, making the ship look far closer to shore than it actually is.




Ubiquitous sea lions lounging in their watery world,






a Galapagos green marine turtle,




and a marine iguana. Does he see the ship? Does he care? I doubt it. All the animals seemed so disinterested in our presence.




In an earlier post on the Galapagos I wrote about a big wave crashing over the marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs that sent them all swooshing off the rocks and into the sea. Kenny got a couple of shots of it.






Silken sunset.




This is the one night we really wish we’d stayed longer on deck. A group of sharks came to visit.




Our guide Emil chilling on the beach. The sea lion is not in the least disturbed by Emil.




Nor is this one even remotely upset about Kenny’s presence.




The next three shots were taken in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island.








A dancing swallowtail gull,




a dancing Kenny,




and a preening pelican.




There are beautiful white sand beaches,




and distinctive surprising rock formations.




Some islands are harsh, dry and barren,




and others green and lush where Yellow Warblers hang out.




Galapagos is an extraordinary place, magical, unexpected. Out there in the middle of the Pacific Ocean close by the equator it is a tiny group of about 20 volcanic islands and a hundred or so rocks jutting out of the sea. A place where unique land and marine life flourishes. It is so remote it’s almost a mystery. And yet there it sits, a testament to the extreme abundance and diversity of life on this vast and varied planet. It’s one of the good things. I hope it stays that way.

Thank you Kenny and Anna for your wonderful photographs.


Next post: a portrait of South America.






All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2015.