Diane Mullahy

The Galapagos..... This summer I went to the Galapagos for a week with my 15 year old grandson and this is what he had say. "During the duration of the trip, we spent time on two islands, Isabela and Santa Cruz. Our first destination was Isabela, the largest but one of the least populated Galapagos islands. To get there, we took a small plane that could only fit 5 people with views that were out of this world. The water was emerald green and the land was a mix of crater-like surfaces, beautiful white sand, and lush green hills. While in Isabela, we stayed at the Scalesia Galapagos Lodge, where we were glamping! We stayed in a spacious and comfortable elevated tent with a bathroom in the back and a large porch in the front. The tent was surrounded by nature, we were literally in the middle of the jungle! It was quite a unique and exciting experience because we were so immersed in the environment. Perhaps the most impressive part about the lodge was its astounding food and drink. As a foodie, I was in heaven! Every single meal and snack, (and I mean every one), was incredible. The icing on the cake of our experience at the Scalesia Galapagos Lodge was the kindness and friendliness of all of the staff. They really went out of their way to make every aspect of our stay perfect for us. During the day while we were in Isabela we spent a lot of time learning and experiencing the biodiversity of the area. I love animals and I also love adventure so it was perfect! We went on long walks in the area where we saw flamingos, iguanas, and crabs. The highlight of my time in Isabela was our snorkeling expedition. If you are a snorkeler this is the place to be. While snorkeling we actually swam with sea turtles, sharks (lots and lots of sharks that were up to 7 feet!) also manta rays, and eagle rays! It was very exhilarating and thrilling for me to be that close to these sea animals! I could not believe it was real and it really was the experience of a lifetime! Crazy crazy crazy! What a day that was. After our few days on Isabela we took another small plane to Santa Cruz and let me just emphasize the flight was amazing. I thought I would be less impressed on the second flight I was even more impressed. I am a photographer, and I sure had plenty of photo ops on that ride. When we arrived in Santa Cruz, we did some island exploring. Santa Cruz is known for its unique geological formations, we visited a giant sinkhole and underground tunnels that were formed by lava many years ago. On the way to the hotel, Finch Bay, l (in the main town of Puerto Ayora) I was shocked to see that there were so many giant tortoises lining the roads and surrounding areas! They were everywhere and they were definitely not the type you could see in the zoo. There wild were giant tortoises everywhere right in front of my eyes, I couldn’t believe it! When we arrived at the hotel I did not know what to expect, but right away I could tell it was a stunning resort. The architecture and setup were beautiful and the hotel sat right on a beach so it looked out at the ocean. Our room had everything we needed and it had a great hammock in the front that I really enjoyed. Right when I thought the food couldn’t get any better I...