For most of you, by the time you see this I'll be on my way back to Quito. Right now as I schedule this for posting, I have a full day here on Isla Isabela then catch the ferry (speedboat) back to Santa Cruz early tomorrow morning. I fly out around midday on Monday, back to Quito for a few days. I have a few things I'd like to do in that area, then I start the long move south, a journey that I expect to last for the next three months.
But I'm still here now on Isabela in the Galápagos, a place that simultaneously feels utterly ancient and frighteningly young. Ancient because of the animals, the sea, the sky — all of which probably appeared similar millions of years ago; young because the landscape's volcanic and one can easily imagine some of these places forming just a few weeks ago. Those rocks beneath my shoes are blacker than they appear; much of the rock looks as if it solidified as it flowed into the sea (which was often the case). One of the volcanoes I visited a few days ago erupted in 2005, and will certainly erupt again, probably soon.
[16 September 2011 (Ecuador), Panasonic Lumix GH1, 14–45 mm at 14 mm, ISO 200, 1/30 at f16]
All content © 2011 Pete McGregor
You're standing at the edges of both space and time.
ReplyDeleteThat brings home the savage aspects of a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteSafe journey, and don't forget the travel-sickness pills. I mean the anti travel-sickness pills.
Zhoen, that's just how the Galápagos can feel.
ReplyDeleteRR, thank you. I did remember the anti-seasickness pills and had not the slightest trace of seasickness on the rather rough rides to and from Isabela. On this morning's trip I was even able to give one to a woman who threw up in the first 20 minutes; she was fine after that.