As I relaxed after a snorkeling tour, I sipped coffee in the main square of Puerto Villamil (on Isabela island) and enjoyed the soft music playing in the backdrop. Then, all of the sudden I became aware of the lyrics. They were singing about the Galápagos! Who are the Iguanamen of Galapagos? If you hear blues music on [...]
Galapagos Culture
My first time tasting colada morada was in the Galápagos Islands. A lady dressed in a dirty apron stood outside the Municipal Market in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. She had a huge aluminum pot filled with a steaming purple soupy liquid. A ladle came out of the soup, bringing with it unidentifiable chunks, and a [...]
Do you need to learn Spanish before your Galapagos trip? Absolutely not. Galapagos tours include a bilingual English-Spanish naturalist guide. Other naturalist guides on the island are available who speak French, Italian, German, and Chinese. But, would it be fun to learn a little Spanish before your trip? Absolutely! Other than the crucial “Donde está el [...]
One of the things I enjoy about doing island-hopping tours in the Galapagos is exploring the local towns and seeing the culture of the Galapagos. Wandering around Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island I once found huge crowds of people in the main square. Asking around, I found out that it was a “Rodeo Montubio.” What [...]
Eating at Flor de Recuerdo restaurant on Isabela is a delicious culinary experience, and a glimpse into how agriculture works on the Galapagos Islands. We went there after a long hike to Sierra Negra Volcano as part of my Galapagos tour. Our tour company gave us sandwiches during the hike, but nevertheless I was gnawing at my [...]
Finding Dance Aerobics in the Galapagos Have you ever heard of bailoterapia? Literally, Bailoterapia translates to “dance-therapy.” I experienced this fun form of exercise on my Galapagos vacation. What is Bailoterapia? To Ecuadoreans, Bailoterapia means doing latin-dance inspired aerobics to the sounds of reggaeton, salsa, and cumbia. To me, bailoterapia is a fun way of getting off [...]
Ever wanted to venture off the beaten path? How about way, way off the beaten path? Feeling adventurous one afternoon during my Galapagos vacation in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, I went to the municipal fruit and vegetable market, or mercado municipal. At this market, vendors sell piles of fruit, vegetables, raw meats, fish, eggs to the locals. Other vendors [...]
One night as I was walking around Puerto Ayora I noticed a man with an enormous smile holding menus. He seemed very young, and very enthusiastic. Behind him, diners were seated in an open-air patio along the sidewalk. A large glass window into the building revealed a flurry of activity, white uniforms, and stainless steel. I [...]
There is more to a Galapagos vacation then the amazing scenery and unique animals. The people are pretty spectacular too! I enjoyed a memorable cultural experience one night in Puerto Ayora, let me tell you about it… Dancers and Enormous Skirts On a Saturday night, a tortoise rocks back and forth to the beat, the [...]
