Isabella

We spent two nights on Isabella Island. From the port, we headed straight to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre to learn more about the many different species of tortoises found here in the Galapagos.

Kids were so happy to see Patricio again. And even happier to be able to ride in the back of this truck!

Meeting the residents.

Dome shapped tortoise found in the highlands.

A smashed shell tortoise 

Lunch time. 

Our walk took us past a small lagoons and there we saw a few beautiful orangey pink flamingos. 

Tall and graceful, these birds are wonderful to watch. 

Finding food is busy work. 

One of the many beautiful birds we came across.

Time for our lunch... Hungry, and happy, boys with their chaulafan special (fried rice Equadorian style).

Next stop was Tintoreras Islet, which means white tip shark islet. The landscape here was strikingly different from where we'd just come from.  

Volcanic rocks 

One happy family. 

Egret out hunting. These birds eat baby iguanas and fish. 

And these are the guys this place is named after. White tip sharks resting in the warm water of the islet's thin gorge.

Soon we were back into the water again. Thank goodness the water around Isabella was slightly warmer, or maybe it was because we had discarded the half wetsuits and were now wearing full wetsuits instead! 

Fully suited

A beautiful pair of dancing eagle rays

A lone stingray

Lazy sea lions dozing in the sun on the beach

These guys are everywhere!

Isabella is definitely what Shad and I had envisaged Galapagos would be like. A more village-y environment, rustic hotels, small open air restaurants. We love it here.