28,29,30/3/2013 Puerto Lopez, Semana Santa
Time here was relaxing to say the least. An all day excursion was taken to Isla de la Plata. Here we swam and walked. It was quite a thrill to see the Tropical Bird. A white sea bird with a long twin tasseled tail. Blue Footed Boobys were everywhere on the rock cliffs.
My favourite, the Frigates were there in their thousands, about 8000 to be somewhat accurate. ( information from our guide).They were just loving the thermals and updrafts. Some were effortlessly circling in a small thermal some 1000ft above the island. They feed early morning only eating surface fish.
Up to their tricks, they also force Blue Footed Boobys to regurgitate fish on their return to the island after having feed at sea.
Harassment, where the harasser often wins, possibly the Boobys, like the fisherman allow for some form of symbiotic relationship. No fish for the Figates, and life just becomes a big nightmare.
The island was not created from volcanic activity, unlike the Galapagos, the rock was crumbly.
An enjoyable swim with some fairly tame fish in the bay on the island was also enjoyed.
Eating fish at the beach market early in the morning was a treat, as was good early morning walks along the length of the bay. The northern end of the beach has a small river entering the ocean. It was carrying so much silt, the ocean around the mouth was ochre in colour.
At night the beach bars were all churning out their own music with video relayed to screens on the beach.
We had a few drinks here one night, though talking was a yelling affair.
Not doing too much, the need for food was not great, so snacking was done for the evening meal.
The town is very laid back without tourists overrunning it.
Good Friday was marked with a fairly modest procession enacting Jesus’ walk with the cross, many town folk followed the procession.
Saturday was a clear hot day, the sun rather rapid in its ability to burn unprotected skin. The early afternoon was spent on the beach with people from the hostel
It was a nice place to spend Easter off the road.
The owners daughter here was preparing a traditional fish soup, she gave me the recipe.
Sancocho de Pescado
Ajo, crushed cloves of garlic, plenty of it
Comino, (cumin) powder
Yuca, cut into big pieces, substitute with potato
Platano verde, maybe green bananas might do here
Pescado, Bonito in big pieces, use a fish that doesn't fall to pieces
Mani, peanuts ground, kind of a paste, a fair bit of this
Cilantro, heaps
Capsicum, cut small pieces
Cebolla roja, red onion cut into small pieces
Ava white beans, optional
Aqua.
Put the mani in last and just cook it all very slowly before hand. This soup gets better the second day.
Time here was relaxing to say the least. An all day excursion was taken to Isla de la Plata. Here we swam and walked. It was quite a thrill to see the Tropical Bird. A white sea bird with a long twin tasseled tail. Blue Footed Boobys were everywhere on the rock cliffs.
My favourite, the Frigates were there in their thousands, about 8000 to be somewhat accurate. ( information from our guide).They were just loving the thermals and updrafts. Some were effortlessly circling in a small thermal some 1000ft above the island. They feed early morning only eating surface fish.
Up to their tricks, they also force Blue Footed Boobys to regurgitate fish on their return to the island after having feed at sea.
Harassment, where the harasser often wins, possibly the Boobys, like the fisherman allow for some form of symbiotic relationship. No fish for the Figates, and life just becomes a big nightmare.
The island was not created from volcanic activity, unlike the Galapagos, the rock was crumbly.
An enjoyable swim with some fairly tame fish in the bay on the island was also enjoyed.
Eating fish at the beach market early in the morning was a treat, as was good early morning walks along the length of the bay. The northern end of the beach has a small river entering the ocean. It was carrying so much silt, the ocean around the mouth was ochre in colour.
At night the beach bars were all churning out their own music with video relayed to screens on the beach.
We had a few drinks here one night, though talking was a yelling affair.
Not doing too much, the need for food was not great, so snacking was done for the evening meal.
The town is very laid back without tourists overrunning it.
Good Friday was marked with a fairly modest procession enacting Jesus’ walk with the cross, many town folk followed the procession.
Saturday was a clear hot day, the sun rather rapid in its ability to burn unprotected skin. The early afternoon was spent on the beach with people from the hostel
It was a nice place to spend Easter off the road.
The owners daughter here was preparing a traditional fish soup, she gave me the recipe.
Sancocho de Pescado
Ajo, crushed cloves of garlic, plenty of it
Comino, (cumin) powder
Yuca, cut into big pieces, substitute with potato
Platano verde, maybe green bananas might do here
Pescado, Bonito in big pieces, use a fish that doesn't fall to pieces
Mani, peanuts ground, kind of a paste, a fair bit of this
Cilantro, heaps
Capsicum, cut small pieces
Cebolla roja, red onion cut into small pieces
Ava white beans, optional
Aqua.
Put the mani in last and just cook it all very slowly before hand. This soup gets better the second day.
Rays, bound for Peru, where they enjoy eating them.
Kids being kids. Puerto Lopez Bay
Isla de la Plata looking south
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Blue footed booby, Isla de la Plata
Looking south back to town
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