We were picked up from the hotel at 5:00 am and therefore didn't have breakfast. On the plus side leaving so early we avoided traffic to the new airport which is located quite far out of town. In 45 minutes we were there. Before getting our boarding passes, we went to the INGALA to buy our Galapagos Migration Card (Transit Control Card), which costs US$ 10.00. You should hold on to this card in case you are asked for it during your stay in the Galapagos. If not it makes a nice souvenir. Then your baggage is checked for seeds or fruit. This is a prime rule of the Galapagos - no seeds or fruits must be transported into the Galapagos or between islands. It is extremely important to protect the ecosystem of each island as they are all different.

The flight was pleasant even though we had to go through Guayaquil. Upon arriving at the airport on Baltra Island, we immediately went to present our passports and to pay our US100.00 Galapagos Park Fee. This payment must be paid in cash. Clearly, there are many organizations involved in the conservation and protection of the Galapagos Islands. The entry fee goes to help preserve the Islands for future generations.
 
Once the Park officials had completed the check-in including another baggage check, we left the immigration area and were greeted by our guide. and transferred to Puerto Ayora, to our hotel. Room assignment and lunch. As the airport is on the island of Baltra and Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz, we first took a small boat to get to the ferry where all our luggage was piled on top. There are many people taking the ferry not only foreign passengers but it is a pleasant ride. Then all the baggage was taken off the roof of the ferry and our guide indicated the taxi we would use. All the taxis on Santa Cruz are white pick-up trucks. Ours was easy to tell apart as it was missing the back door. Puerto Ayora is on the other side of the island so we drove through the low shrubs area across the island. 

We arrived at the Hotel Red Booby and then went to El Chocolate for lunch. .  
 As we walked along we passed by the fish monger who was surrounded by pelicans. There was also a sea lion under his table, happy as only a well fed animal can be. It was such a special moment. It was obvious that the fish monger had a special relationship with this sea lion. The pelicans were just out to get whatever they could.
After lunch  I thought we were walking back to the hotel but we were actually heading for Tortuga Bay. Up a hill into the Park and down a long path towards the bay. At some point I realized that it was much further than I had thought and that I wasn't going to be able to get there and back so I sent David and the guide on and waited on the path. I enjoyed watching the birds and greeting people as they came past. Had I known more about the birds, it would have been a fantastic opportunity. I finally started back to the entrance where I could buy water, an essential ingredient for survival in the heat. After a while, the guide came back and said David was going to stay a while longer at Tortuga Bay and would meet us at the hotel. So we went to pick up our snorkeling gear for the rest of our stay from the Galapagos Deep Dive Center. Then I went to the hotel. David soon arrived. His walk had been much longer than he had thought it would be as once you arrived at the bay it is another 45 minutes to the place where you can swim. He was happy to have seen a baby hammerhead shark and iguanas on the hot sand but was totally exhausted from the hike which he estimated had been about 7 km. 

As dinner was included in our package we walked to the Pelican View for dinner. Puerto Ayora is a delightful town. I especially like the lights at night. So many shops were open and there was a lively atmosphere. As for the Pelican View it was a bit hard to find but worth the search. In the photo of Puerto Ayora it is on the second floor on the building on the far left. It is right across from the fisherman's dock and has a nice covered terrace overlooking the harbor. As we were on a Zenith tour we were only allowed to eat on the terrace. Hmm. It was after all the best place to sit. There was a special menu for us which still had a lot of variety so even though we ate there several times, we could always try something new.