American Consequences - July 2017

Accidental Discoveries in the Galapagos

By Gray Zurbruegg

D rifting off course during a voyage from Panama to Peru in 1535, Spanish sailors discovered an archipelago about 900 miles from the Ecuadorian coast. As these trailblazers explored what’s now Santa Cruz Island, they quickly stumbled upon its most famous inhabitants. In a letter to Charles VI of Spain, the expedition’s leader, Bishop Tomás de Berlanga, informed His Majesty of what he’d seen: ... muchos lobos marinos, tortugas, higuanas, galapagos ... Translated, that’s many sea lions, turtles, iguanas, tortoises ... And that’s exactly what we saw on our recent visit to the “Island of Tortoises.” We began our 10-day adventure in Quito, Ecuador – the world’s highest capital city. We didn’t feel the altitude until our 3,000- foot gondola ride to the city’s highest point, a towering 14,000 feet.

One of the effects of high altitude is drowsiness... Your body is simply exhausted from working harder to circulate blood and oxygen. Fortunately, Casa Gangotena provided a perfect place to rest our heads. The three-story Renaissance-inspired structure, originally built as a home in 1534, combines classical elements with a modern touch. Located in Quito’s Old Town, the hotel is a peaceful hideaway for international travelers. Then as folks acclimatized, we took off for the “Home of Evolution.” It requires a two-hour plane flight, a ferry ride, and a 40-minute drive to reach the Pikaia Lodge. Yes, it’s a tiring process. But the trek also serves as a visual introduction to the islands’ Martian landscape... The Galapagos are far more than lushly vegetated, tropical islands. They’re otherworldly... an equal mixture of African plains, equatorial forests, and igneous rock formations.

70 | July 2017

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