ZECO TRAVEL TALK

We had a wonderful trip to the Galápagos… I am still dreaming of the many places we saw. Spending time with Jack (Grove) and Pauli in this rarified environment was such a treat, and being with Greg Estes, our veteran naturalist guide, in his own territory really added to the experience. The most amazing aspect of being on these islands is that there is a total absence of fear. There are no weapons and no predators. We went ashore one morning on the pristine island of Genovesa, and basically just slowly moved around at the mouth of a tidal basin that ended in mangroves, where we observed the birds—mostly red-foot boobies, their fledglings, some Galápagos doves, and a lava heron or two. It was probably one of the most peaceful moments of the trip. I was reminded of that when we got back to the mainland and I spotted a bird I wanted to observe more closely. As I moved closer, of course it flew away. I had forgotten I was no longer in paradise, where you can walk between and around nesting albatross and lovemaking frigatebirds and nobody seems to notice you are big and somewhat out of place. M. & H. Smit

Our visits this past week to Rano Island, Vanuatu, and Utupua and Santa Ana in the Solomon Islands were truly memorable, both for the incredible array of colorful sights, and for the warmth of our welcome by the villagers. Here are some brief excerpts from emails we’ve received from our staff aboard the recently-refurbished Clipper Odyssey on our Faces of Melanesia voyage:

…One thing that stands out—and everyone has commented about it—is just how amazing it is that each island is still so different. The dances are different, many of the flowers and plants are different, the people look different, and their clothes (or sometimes lack thereof) are different. But the warmth of the welcome is always the same! We are all loving coming to these remote places… when the Zodiacs hit the sand the entire village is there, often with flower leis or palm necklaces to greet us. They have huge smiles and are eager to shake our hands and welcome us. In many of the villages the little kids run up and hold our hand and escort us through the village… It’s very special and touching each time. The music has also been fabulous. My favorite new instruments are the pipe drums that are either made out of bamboo or PVC pipe and they’re played most commonly with a flip flop! It makes the most wonderful sound…you can’t help but sway your hips, tap your feet, clap your hands and smile!!

Rano – At dawn the Clipper Odyssey pulled into a lovely inlet surrounded by islands with white sandy beaches and fringed with palm trees. As we boarded Zodiacs, welcoming music by the local band echoed from shore, and when we stepped onto the island we were overwhelmed with color! The path along the white sandy beach was lined with birds of paradise, heliconias, hibiscus, and red ginger flowers. The women and children wore bright muu-muu dresses, the men had on Hawaiian-style shirts, and as we walked into the village a market of local goods was spread before us: sarongs of every color in the rainbow, dyed and dried palm baskets, and lovely purple and pink shell necklaces. Read more

With the recent return of our first Galápagos trip of the year, we thought we’d post an advance notice of a momentous occasion: February 12, 2009 will mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and has been designated “Darwin Day – An International Celebration of Science and Humanity.” Events will include symposia, seminars, stage productions, and exhibits held at universities, museums, and theaters around the world. UNESCO will also be associated with the celebrations that honor the man credited with the first measured study of biological evolution through the process of natural selection. The anniversary also marks 150 years since the publication of Origin of the Species and 50 years since the establishment of the Galápagos National Park. The Charles Darwin Foundation commemorates its 50th anniversary in 2009 with the launch of a new Darwin Galápagos Education Center. Zegrahm’s Galápagos voyages visit the Foundation on Santa Cruz Island. For more information, and for regular event updates, visit the website: www.darwinday.org.

After our relaxing day at sea, we were ready to hit the Vanuatu island of Ambrym running! The two incredible volcanoes were what first drew Captain Cook to its shores and our warm welcome was probably much the same. Our visit to the village started off with the traditional pig slaughter and a gift exchange ceremony with Little John, the Captain, and the local leader. We were then treated to the amazing Rom Dance—the performers, covered from the neck down in volumes of dried banana leaves, wear huge elaborate masks and stomp in rhythm to chanting and drum-beating. It’s such a hypnotic experience, and the opportunities for photography were fantastic.

We were able to really experience the local flavor of island life when we walked down the little dirt path “Main Street,” and visited the local school and looked inside local houses. We also tasted the traditional baked coconut “bread.” In the afternoon, the birders set out to look for the elusive megapode—which they didn’t find, but did get to see several nests. Many of us went snorkeling or diving in the 83-degree water and the color of the coral against the black sand was other-wordly!

We had a phenomenal last day in the Canaries… Lanzarote ended up being the favorite island for many of us, including the birders! It felt so laid back, clean, gorgeous and quiet. When we reached Agadir, Morocco, we set off inland to the wonderful village of Taroudaunt which is often nicknamed “Little Marrakech.” The sights, sounds, and smells of the local market were so inviting—and worthy of a thousand photographs: yellow saffron, red curry, brown cinnamon and green mint… the heaping piles of dates that look like mountain peaks; the baskets and bushels of fresh fruits and vegetables; bouquets of flowers; the array of exotic jewelry; and, of course, the gaudy, sequined, and leopard print tops and skirts! Tomorrow, Casablanca!

As we drove along the mountain roads to the Roman ruins site of Djémila, the views of the countryside, gorges, and farmlands were simply breathtaking. Along the way we were treated to mint tea and homemade cookies. When we arrived at Djémila—a World Heritage Site with some of the best preserved Roman ruins in North Africa—we ended up having a very special, and serendipitous, experience. A group of college girls from Bejaia—some in veils, some without… some with hoop earrings and jeans, others in traditional dress—heard us speaking English and approached us. We managed to exchange bits of conversation—in broken English, French, and Arabic—laughing all the while, taking photographs of each other, and all of us completely enjoying this lovely chance interaction. Everyone in our groups commented on how really amazing it is to visit a place where tourism has hardly touched the local people. What a wonderful memory for all of us…

So far our Petra to the Pyramids journey through Jordan and now Egypt has been one highlight after another. In Aqaba, we boarded our private sailing ship, The Aladdin, for the hour and a half sailing to Egypt. We had beautiful weather and sailed south through the gulf with Israel and Egypt visible on our starboard side and the coasts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia off the port side — four countries in an hour and a half! We disembarked in Taba at a tiny dock and quickly proceeded through customs as the officials checked us into Egypt. From Taba it was an impressive drive through the Sinai Peninsula desert to our hotel conveniently located just a half mile from the 6th century Byzantine Monastery of St. Catherine, at the base of Mount Sinai. We arrived as the sun was setting and made our way to the restaurant for a cocktail party with a very special guest. One of the monks, Father Justin, had been corresponding with our accompanying lecturer, Hector Williams of the Archaeological Institute of America, by email for the past few months. When Hector learned that we would be staying overnight near the Monastery he invited Father Justin to “come down from the hill” and join us for dinner. Not only did he join us, but Father Justin also gave a very interesting talk about his work to preserve ALL of the manuscripts in the extensive library at St. Catherine. He even invited us to stop by the library for a private tour the next day! Read more

So far, Terceira is a highlight on our Azores trip! The island has the perfect combination of “island feel” with its colorful pink, red, blue, and bright yellow buildings, and “Euro feel” because of the quaint, cobblestone pedestrian streets and outdoor cafes with umbrellas and wicker chairs—charming! We were able to come alongside which gave everyone the freedom to come and go as they pleased from the ship. We all enjoyed the walking tour and our guides very thoughtfully brought along local maps for everyone. Half the group explored the cultural sights and the rest of us went hiking to an overlook. We then drove to one of the island’s natural wonders—a cave, which is actually a hollow volcano with 227 steps down to its floor.

On a scenic drive it became clear that there were more cows than people on the island; the guides joked that the ratio was two to one! This evening 33 folk performers came on board—a record number—and the lounge was packed. Everyone loved it, and the Captain’s welcome cocktail and dinner was the perfect follow-up act, and a delightful end to a wonderful day.