{"id":5907,"date":"2016-12-02T11:39:12","date_gmt":"2016-12-02T18:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/?p=5907"},"modified":"2016-12-01T14:32:53","modified_gmt":"2016-12-01T21:32:53","slug":"trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/","title":{"rendered":"Trip Report: Galapagos Islands Cruise: September 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Staff Member:<\/strong>\u00a0Susie Youn<br \/>\n<strong>Travel Dates:<\/strong> September 25-October 2, 2016<br \/>\n<strong>Destinations Visited:<\/strong>\u00a0Ecuador: Quito and Galapagos Islands<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.smugmug.com\/Galapagos201610SY\/n-XTqgWp\/\" target=\"_blank\">See more pictures from Ecuador \/ Galapagos Islands Cruise on the Natural Paradise &gt; &gt;&gt;<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 1 \/ September 25: Arrival in\u00a0Quito, Ecuador<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I landed at the Quito <strong>Mariscal Sucre International Airport<\/strong> shortly before midnight. \u00a0At that time of night, I found it easy to catch a cab to my hotel. \u00a0The ride was a great reintroduction to the way people drive in South America. \u00a0My cab driver used all four of the winding mountainous highway lanes (all heading in the same direction) on the drive to my hotel in the Mariscal district in the middle of Quito. \u00a0But I arrived in record time, which was great after the long day of travel from the United States.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 2 \/ September 26:\u00a0Sightseeing in Quito<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We had a private tour with an English-speaking driver for my one <a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/ecuador\/overview.php?trip=1-day-Quito-City-Tour-And-Equator\">full day of sightseeing in Quito and the equator<\/a>. \u00a0We went first to the\u00a0<strong>Telef\u00e9riQo<\/strong>, a sky tram that took us up Volc\u00e1n Pichincha, for a marvelous view of Quito below. \u00a0What a beautiful way to get my bearings in Quito as we could see all of Quito below us from north to south.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6194\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6194\" data-attachment-id=\"6194\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/img_0131\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?fit=5616%2C3744\" data-orig-size=\"5616,3744\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1474880101&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_0131\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;View of Quito from &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?fit=640%2C427\" class=\"wp-image-6194 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?resize=640%2C427\" alt=\"View of Quito from \" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?resize=1024%2C683 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?resize=768%2C512 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_0131.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6194\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View of Quito from the Telef\u00e9rico<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Travel details: \u00a0The Telef\u00e9riQo ride takes about 10 minutes to travel the 2.5 km from the base to the top (13,451\u00a0feet\/4,100 meters). \u00a0The cost for an adult is $8.50. \u00a0Optional activities: hiking to the summit of Rucu Pichincha (15,413 feet\/4,698 meters) (roughly 3 hours for very fit walkers as you are at altitude), horseback riding ($10 per hour). \u00a0If you have small children, there&#8217;s an amusement park, VulQano Park, a short walk below the\u00a0Telef\u00e9riQo base.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After getting the grand overview of Quito, I needed to visit the equator, of course, which runs through Ecuador (hence, the name). \u00a0To do that, I went to the <strong>Museo Inti Nan In Situ<\/strong>, where a friendly guide took our group of four on a tour of Ecuadorean animals and culture, and of course, some education about the equator. \u00a0The most interesting part of the tour was the fun demonstrations, including balancing an egg on a head of a nail.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Travel details: \u00a0The Museo Inti Nan In Situ costs $4 per person. \u00a0I also tipped the guide $1. \u00a0Don&#8217;t forget your passport as your guide will stamp it, showing you visited the equator.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Being in Ecuador and among so many volcanoes, we next stopped for a quick look of the volcanic caldera in the <strong>Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve<\/strong> and the only caldera where the inhabitants cultivate the land. \u00a0The Reserve has a row of native Ecuadorean handicraft shops, where we caught our first glimpse of the fine handmade clothing made from alpaca hair.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6193\" style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6193\" data-attachment-id=\"6193\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?fit=1080%2C1350\" data-orig-size=\"1080,1350\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Basilica del Voto&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?fit=640%2C800\" class=\"wp-image-6193 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?resize=240%2C300\" alt=\"Basilica del Voto\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?resize=240%2C300 240w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?resize=768%2C960 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?resize=819%2C1024 819w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14633565_10154596516848698_2024884316250650935_o.jpg?w=1080 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6193\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Basilica del Voto Nacional<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Then, for the highlight of the day for me, we visited the <strong>Basilica del Voto Nacional<\/strong>, the largest neo-Gothic cathedral in the Americas. \u00a0The Basilica was just as beautiful as any I have visited in Europe. \u00a0The distinguishing feature of the Basilica is, instead of gargoyles, the roof of the Basilica is decorated with fantastical statues of native Ecuadorean animals, like iguanas and land tortoises.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Travel details: \u00a0Entry into the Basilica costs $2. Entry to the upper floors also costs $2. \u00a0I recommend you climb the interior spiral stone staircases for the view. \u00a0For those who love heights, you can cross over the main transept of the Basilica and then climb fire escape ladders for an amazing view of Quito below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our last sightseeing stop\u00a0was <strong>El Panecillo<\/strong>, a hill to the south of Old Town Quito. \u00a0On the top of the hill was <strong>La Virgen de Quito<\/strong>, perhaps the only Madonna in the world this large with wings. \u00a0We finished off our whirlwind tour of Quito by having sushi at the number one rated TripAdvisor restaurant in Quito, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/Restaurant_Review-g294308-d4239992-Reviews-Shibumi_Sushi_Bar-Quito_Pichincha_Province.html\" target=\"_blank\">Shibumi Sushi Bar<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 3 \/ September 27:\u00a0Quito and Start of Galapagos Islands Cruise &#8211; San Cristobal Island (Kicker Rock)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"6196\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/copy-of-_mg_0307\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?fit=3721%2C2257\" data-orig-size=\"3721,2257\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 40D&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1475078078&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Natural Paradise\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?fit=640%2C388\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-6196 size-large\" title=\"Darrell Ansted\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?resize=640%2C388\" alt=\"Natural Paradise\" width=\"640\" height=\"388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?resize=1024%2C621 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?resize=300%2C182 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?resize=768%2C466 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0307.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>Today, we started our <a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/ecuador\/overview.php?trip=8-day-Galapagos-Cruise\">8-Day Galapagos cruise<\/a>!\u00a0 We took a mid-morning flight from Quito to <strong>San Cristobal Island<\/strong>. \u00a0The flight takes about 3.5 hours, with a short stop in Guayaquil. We arrived on San Cristobal Island about 12:30 pm local time, as the Galapagos Islands are a time zone behind Quito. \u00a0After collecting our bags, we were met by the boat representative right outside the airport building. \u00a0Then, our group was transported by private van, a short 10-15 minute drive, to the dock, where we took a panga (dingy) ride to our magnificent luxury cruise ship, the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/ecuador\/galapagos\/overview.php?boatid=102\">Natural Paradise<\/a><\/strong>, which was to be our home for the next five days.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6205\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6205\" data-attachment-id=\"6205\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/copy-of-img_0253\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?fit=5616%2C3744\" data-orig-size=\"5616,3744\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1474989635&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.003125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Kicker Rock\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Kicker Rock&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?fit=640%2C427\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6205\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"Kicker Rock\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?resize=768%2C512 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?resize=1024%2C683 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0253.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6205\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kicker Rock<\/p><\/div>\n<p>After lunch, we visited <strong>Kicker Rock<\/strong>, a stunning rock formation located off the western shore of San Cristobal Island. There, we jumped into the water for the first of many snorkeling excursions. \u00a0The water felt great after all the traveling to get to the Galapagos Islands!<\/p>\n<p>After dinner, where we got to know our cruise mates, we got a briefing from James, our Galapagos National Park guide. \u00a0Then, we turned in early, rocked to sleep by the waves gently lapping against the sides of the Natural Paradise.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 4 \/ September 28: North Seymour Island and Santa Fe Island<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6197\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6197\" data-attachment-id=\"6197\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/copy-of-_mg_0232\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?fit=3577%2C2496\" data-orig-size=\"3577,2496\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 40D&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1475047226&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;105&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Blue-Footed Booby Mating Dance\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Blue-Footed Booby Mating Dance&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?fit=640%2C447\" class=\"wp-image-6197 size-medium\" title=\"Darrell Ansted\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?resize=300%2C209\" alt=\"Blue-Footed Booby Mating Dance\" width=\"300\" height=\"209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?resize=300%2C209 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?resize=768%2C536 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?resize=1024%2C715 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0232.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6197\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blue-Footed Booby Mating Dance<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This morning, after breakfast, we got our first look at island life when we visited <strong>North Seymour Island<\/strong>. \u00a0James gave us the first of his informative lectures on Galapagos animals as we saw frigate birds,\u00a0blue-footed boobies, and land iguanas. \u00a0The boobies put on a show for us, lifting their feet in a mating dance, that we, of course, all had to imitate. James explained the connection between frigate birds and boobies, where the frigate birds rely on the boobies for food.<\/p>\n<p>We went on two snorkel adventures today. \u00a0We saw tons of colorful marine reef fish, as well as turtles peacefully gliding through the water.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6198\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6198\" data-attachment-id=\"6198\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n.jpg?fit=960%2C600\" data-orig-size=\"960,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Sea Lions on the Beach&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n.jpg?fit=640%2C400\" class=\"wp-image-6198 size-medium\" title=\"Darrell Ansted\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n.jpg?resize=300%2C188\" alt=\"Sea Lions on the Beach\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n.jpg?resize=300%2C188 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n.jpg?resize=768%2C480 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14523152_10154522347168698_3179796995906093964_n.jpg?w=960 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6198\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sea Lions on the Beach<\/p><\/div>\n<p>After lunch, we took a walk on <strong>Santa Fe Island<\/strong>. \u00a0We landed on a beach littered with sea lions. \u00a0They lay there calmly in the afternoon sun as we walked among them, but we always kept a safe distance between us and the sea lions to protect the animals. \u00a0 Then we walked to a tall Opuntia prickly pear cactus forest, where we saw land iguanas. \u00a0Our guide explained that the male land iguanas protect their territory, which may encompass several prickly pear cacti, which provide food and water for the iguanas.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 5 \/ September 29: Santa Cruz Island\u00a0(El Chato Ranch, Charles Darwin Research Center, and Puerto Ayora)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6199\" style=\"width: 256px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6199\" data-attachment-id=\"6199\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/copy-of-_mg_0349\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?fit=2359%2C2882\" data-orig-size=\"2359,2882\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 40D&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1475138679&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;360&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"copy-of-_mg_0349\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Giant Land Tortoise Stretching Its Two Foot Long Neck&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?fit=640%2C782\" class=\"wp-image-6199 size-medium\" title=\"Darrell Ansted\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?resize=246%2C300\" alt=\"Giant Land Tortoise Stretching Its Two Foot Long Neck\" width=\"246\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?resize=246%2C300 246w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?resize=768%2C938 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?resize=838%2C1024 838w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-_MG_0349.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 246px) 100vw, 246px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6199\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Giant Land Tortoise Stretching Its Two Foot Long Neck<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In the morning, we took a panga ride to the Puerto Ayora pier, where we got in a private van, to drive up to the Highlands of <strong>Santa Cruz Island<\/strong>. \u00a0Our destination was the <strong>El Chato Ranch<\/strong>, which serves as a refuge for giant land tortoises. During our stroll on the property, we saw about a hundred of these individuals. \u00a0They move faster than I thought! \u00a0 On our way back to the van, we walked through some large lava tunnels, which had lights and handrails to make our descent into the depths easier.<\/p>\n<p>Our van deposited us at the entrance of the <strong>Charles Darwin Research Center<\/strong>, which was in the middle of remodeling. \u00a0Much scientific research occurs here, but alas, out of sight of visitors&#8217; eyes. \u00a0We watched an interesting video highlighting research conducted at the Center, however, and saw two different kinds of land tortoises in exhibit pens.<\/p>\n<p>We had the rest of the day at our leisure. \u00a0Some of the group decided to have lunch in Puerto Ayora, while some of us went back to the Natural Paradise for more of the delicious food on board. \u00a0Most of us spent the afternoon exploring <strong>Puerto Ayora<\/strong> and\u00a0catching up on the outside world as almost all of the bars and restaurants in Puerto Ayora have WiFi connections.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 6 \/ September 30: Santiago Island (Sullivan Bay) and Bartholomew Island<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6200\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6200\" data-attachment-id=\"6200\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/copy-of-img_0326\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?fit=4977%2C3381\" data-orig-size=\"4977,3381\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1475220998&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"copy-of-img_0326\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Our Guide Explaining the Geography and Geology of the Galapagos Islands&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?fit=640%2C435\" class=\"wp-image-6200 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?resize=300%2C204\" alt=\"Our Guide Explaining the Geography and Geology of the Galapagos Islands\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?resize=300%2C204 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?resize=768%2C522 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?resize=1024%2C696 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_0326.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6200\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Our Guide Explaining the Geography and Geology of the Galapagos Islands<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This morning, we went for a truly otherworldly hike on <strong>Santiago Island<\/strong>. We took a panga ride to the edge of an immense black lava field at <strong>Sullivan Bay<\/strong>. \u00a0When we landed on the island, we had to avoid an alpha fur seal lion, who was on the pier, calling to his pups to come in the water to play. \u00a0Our hike completely absorbed us. \u00a0The photographers among us had a field day taking pictures of the lava. \u00a0I liked seeing pictures in the lava; it was like seeing pictures in the clouds, except beneath my feet!<\/p>\n<p>After visiting the lava field, we took another hike at <strong>Puerto Egas<\/strong>, which was chock full of wildlife. \u00a0We saw fur seal lions lying in and beneath the brush, land iguanas eating the cacti fruit, a couple of short-eared brown owls, and many, many birds.<\/p>\n<p>After the hike, we went snorkeling for about an hour. \u00a0During this time, we saw an abundance of marine life &#8211; fur seal lions frolicking in the water, turtles, rays, and a couple of white-tip reef sharks.<\/p>\n<p>After lunch, we took a panga ride to a soft sand beach. \u00a0Here, we went on a snorkel excursion, drifting with the current around <strong>Pinnacle Rock<\/strong>. \u00a0We saw lots of marine wildlife, including penguins on the rocky shore. \u00a0One lucky person in our group had a curious penguin tap his face mask.<\/p>\n<p>In the mid-afternoon, we went for a hike on <strong>Bartholomew Island<\/strong>. \u00a0We climbed 375 stairs up to the summit of an extinct volcano. \u00a0The views of Pinnacle Rock, with the setting sun casting the most perfect light on everyone, made this the perfect picture stop.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6201\" style=\"width: 1417px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6201\" data-attachment-id=\"6201\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?fit=1407%2C640\" data-orig-size=\"1407,640\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;View of Bartholomew Island&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?fit=640%2C291\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6201\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?resize=640%2C291\" alt=\"View of Bartholomew Island\" width=\"640\" height=\"291\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?w=1407 1407w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?resize=300%2C136 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?resize=768%2C349 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?resize=1024%2C466 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14589640_10154522992283698_5851596780583359577_o.jpg?w=1280 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6201\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View of Pinnacle Rock at Sunset<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 7 \/ October 1: South Plaza Island, End of Galapagos Islands Cruise, and Gordon Rocks Dive<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>We woke up early this morning to go on our last hike of the cruise on <strong>South Plaza Island<\/strong>. \u00a0Among other sights, we got our last glimpse of the intriguing land iguanas guarding their Opuntia cacti.<\/p>\n<p>After breakfast, we transferred off the Natural Paradise at the north end of Santa Cruz Island. \u00a0We were sad to leave the Natural Paradise, as the Natural Paradise offers 10 <a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/ecuador\/galapagos\/islands.html\" target=\"_blank\">additional days of visits to the other Galapagos islands<\/a>, but we had more of Ecuador to see! Some of us went to the Baltra airport, but four of us decided to continue on to our next adventure &#8212; <a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/ecuador\/galapagos\/diving.html\">scuba diving in the Galapagos<\/a> at <strong>Gordon Rocks<\/strong>! \u00a0Our Natural Paradise guide, who was also a dive master and scuba diving guide, arranged for a dive boat to meet us at the ferry port and we were whisked off to Gordon Rocks, which is located to the east of Santa Cruz Island. \u00a0Gordon Rocks is a premier dive site to see hammerhead sharks. \u00a0But it&#8217;s not for novices, due to the strong currents in the area. \u00a0That being said,\u00a0the dive was definitely worth the time and effort!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6269\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6269\" data-attachment-id=\"6269\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/copy-of-img_1933\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_1933.jpg?fit=4000%2C3000\" data-orig-size=\"4000,3000\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot S110&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1475329709&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"copy-of-img_1933\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Diving at Gordon Rocks &amp;#8211; Turtle Swimming&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Diving at Gordon Rocks &amp;#8211; Turtle Swimming&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_1933.jpg?fit=640%2C480\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6269\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_1933.jpg?resize=150%2C150\" alt=\"Diving at Gordon Rocks - Turtle Swimming\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_1933.jpg?resize=150%2C150 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_1933.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=150%2C150 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Copy-of-IMG_1933.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=150%2C150 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6269\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Turtle Sighting While Diving at Gordon Rocks<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Our dive day consisted of three dives: a check dive and two dives at Gordon Rocks. \u00a0Due to the current (and my excitement), I had some issues with maintaining my buoyancy. Our group also had a couple of stops where we had to kick hard to stay in place so the group could stay together, but thankfully, we did not encounter the dangerous down currents we had been warned about. \u00a0We did see some marvelous marine life, including a sunfish (mola mola), turtles, eagle rays, a Moray eel, and hammerhead sharks! \u00a0We also had the best safety stop I have ever experienced. \u00a0A curious sea lion wanted to see what all the humans were doing hanging out at 15 feet below the surface so it kept diving and swimming around us. \u00a0I have never been so entertained during any 15-minute safety stop.<\/p>\n<p>Upon returning to the ferry pier, the dive shop took us back to Puerto Ayora. \u00a0After our early exhausting day, we\u00a0explored Puerto Ayora a little bit. \u00a0One of our cruise mates recommended we check out the outdoor seafood restaurants located on <strong>Charles Binford Avenue<\/strong> for dinner. \u00a0These restaurants all seemed to have similar offerings and showcased spiny lobster, so we chose one almost at random, sat down and toasted the end of our day with a caipirinha and spiny lobster.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Day 8 \/ October 2:\u00a0Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>After all of the activities of the last week, we took it easy and relaxed in the small port town of Puerto Ayora. \u00a0We relaxed, caught up with the outside world by using the Internet available in all of the restaurants in town, and stretched our land legs by wandering the streets of Puerto Ayora.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Day 9 \/ October 3:\u00a0Return to Mainland Ecuador<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At 7 am, we took a taxi to the ferry pier at the north end of Santa Cruz Island. \u00a0There we took the ferry ($1) across and the free airport bus to Baltra Airport. \u00a0We had an extra hour to kill as our hotel recommended we leave for the airport three hours before our 10 am flight, but better safe than sorry. \u00a0Our flight back to the mainland was uneventful. \u00a0Which, when you&#8217;re traveling, is sometimes the best outcome.<\/p>\n<p>I thoroughly enjoyed my once-in-a-lifetime Galapagos Islands cruise on the Natural Paradise. \u00a0If you are interested in more information about the Natural Paradise and any of its 5, 8, 11, 12 or 15-day itineraries or the Galapagos Islands and\/or Ecuador, <a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/contactus.php\" target=\"_blank\">please contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"6202\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720\" data-orig-size=\"960,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n.jpg?fit=640%2C480\" class=\"wp-image-6202 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n.jpg?resize=640%2C480\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n.jpg?w=960 960w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14470523_10154523487328698_4833495182771704787_n.jpg?resize=768%2C576 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<h5>All photographs by Darrell Ansted. Please give credit if using any of the photographs contained in this AWR blog posting.<\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 3031px; left: 236px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Staff Member:\u00a0Susie Youn Travel Dates: September 25-October 2, 2016 Destinations Visited:\u00a0Ecuador: Quito and Galapagos Islands See more pictures from Ecuador \/ Galapagos Islands Cruise on the Natural Paradise &gt; &gt;&gt;\u00a0 Day 1 \/ September 25: Arrival in\u00a0Quito, Ecuador I landed &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/12\/02\/trip-report-galapagos-islands-cruise-natural-paradise\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Trip Report: Quito & Galapagos Islands Cruise on the Natural Paradise - Sept.-Oct. 2016. #Galapagos #Natural Paradise #cruise #Quito #Gordon Rocks #Scuba Diving","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,241,10,14,230,229],"tags":[248,290,291,292],"class_list":["post-5907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ecuador","category-family-travel","category-galapagos","category-luxury","category-trip-journals","category-trip-photos","tag-galapagos","tag-galapagos-cruise","tag-natural-paradise","tag-royal-galapagos"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Xxsg-1xh","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5907"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6320,"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5907\/revisions\/6320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}