http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/heraclio/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from heraclio en-us Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:37:08 +0000 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:37:08 +0000 Islas De Galapagos Isla Santiago19101990.It only takes a bottle of Pampas Red Wine to get me happy courtesy of Maria and Juan who kept it hidden in their backpacks untill El Momento Magico which I presume must be now sitting on top of the boat in a small bay called Buccaneer039s Cove at the west side of Isla Santiago a beautifull bright sunset adds to our mellow mood though the flamingoe http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/San-Cristobal-Island/blog-462504.html Islas de Galapagos Isla Bartolom18101990.Every waking moment of my time here touring these magnificent islands full with endemic life forms animal species totally unconcerned with the camara toting foreign humans invading their cherished home I am reminded of how the wortld would be without the presence and consequent demands of the human race the impact we have on the world around us...Si http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santiago-Island/blog-461137.html Islas de Galapagos Isla Santiago17101990.Braving the cold crisp air of early morning I peek out of the porthole a silver line at the horizon and growing fast in intensity promises me another clear day with great vistas and a sunny waether though the draft of cold air trying hard to invade the warmth under my moth eaten blanket is trying hard to convince me otherwise.Life on a small boat that http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santiago-Island/blog-458762.html Islas De Galapagos Isla Santiago16101990.Curious prehistoriclooking reptiles eye us approaching us easily and unafraid while we disembark from our dingy shoes in hands since we invade this animal kingdom by a socalled wed landing. Slowly they shuffle closer over the black lava bed with its eroded shapes and small pools that house blackcolored crabs perfect camouflage in this volcanic la http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santiago-Island/blog-457173.html Islas De Galapagos Islas Plazas15101990.Swallowtailed gulls shriek loudly at our progress up to the top of the cliff a perfect vatage point for watching the multitute of birdlife around us tropic birds shear by us at alarming proximity landing nearby on a rocky outcropping to feed its two hungry chicks. Out at sea I can see pirate birds and brown pelicans slashing it out over a scaly body http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santa-Cruz-Island/blog-455577.html Islas De Galapagos Isla San Cristobl Puerto Baquerizo Moreno 14101990.A small eatery on Puerto Baquerizo Moreno's quay with the fitting name Comedor Comida Rica tasty food in the local lingo is a perfect place for a meal and getting to know our new passengers a spanish couple in their early forties while we wait for the crew to load supplies.It takes but a few hundert human steps to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/San-Cristobal-Island/blog-454164.html Islas De Galapagoa Isla San Crirstbal Puerto Baquerizo Moreno13101990.Huge volcanic submarine eruptions take place pushing boiling hot lava out into the realm of unsuspected marine life fish getting barbequed on the spot crabs and anemones burried under the onslaught of the lava gliding across the sea bed leaving behind death and destruction teutonic plates deep inside the earth039s c http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/San-Cristobal-Island/blog-452870.html Islas De Galapagos Isla HispaolaEspaola12101990 afternoon.Reading the world famous On The Origin Of Species by Charles Darwin I can039t but wonder how much mental turmoil must have gone through this great man039s mind before throwing overboard the Genesis Concept Holy Rome039s own version of the creation of species an overnight introduction of life to an otherwise barren plan http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Espanola-Island/blog-450411.html Islas De Galapagos Isla EspaolaHispala12101990 Morning.Having an early morning swim while my fellow passengers are still recovering from their first encounter with high waves and green Galapagos vomit I039m having my first encounter with the Gapagos Islands039 fearless animals...sean lions defy me to participate in their subaqautic play their slender seallike bodies all around me http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Espanola-Island/blog-448602.html Islas De Galapagoas Isla Hispaola11101990.I spit out a big blob of red colored pleghm the taste of metalic blood foremost in my mouth while my body is trembling big spasms of muscle cramps rippling through my shivering body. I am covered with the red earth I am lying on my pinkish flesh shining through the rivers left on my skin by heavily perspiring pores...I am learning a lesson here and http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Espanola-Island/blog-446990.html Islas de Galapagos Isla Baltra 10101990Amsterdamthe ways of the Gods are incomprehensible to us humble human beings we die after a life time of struggling the perils and trails of our excistence the tribulations of moving through time and space maybe all in vain no cristian heaven or buddhist nirvana just a dark void with no spiritual answers to our fragile minds.Try to see it from a di http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/Santa-Cruz-Island/blog-445994.html Ecuador Quito09101990.Nothing can distrup my good mood this morning walking through a still foggy Quito devoid of traffic at this early hour. These Ecuadorians are definitely not early risers. I feel a bit like hiking the streets of a past era a preconquistadores time though the whitewashed and redtiled houses the many colonial churches reminding me that the times of complete seperations o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/Quilitoa/blog-444052.html Ecuador Quito 07101990I039m leaning against the entrance of the Gran Casino Hotel panting and not bothering to unleash my bulky old travel partner from my aching back its strings painfully biting into my shoulder blades. Hating taxi drivers the world over I decided to walk the six kilometers leading me through the old historic centre of Quito through the hustle and full of life cobblesto http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-442362.html Amsterdam 05101990. So you really gonna do this Hans His question seems obsolete considering the bulky backpack leaning against the wooden table the countless discussions we had these last couple of days about my upcoming trip...further away as ever before in my young life all the way to Ecuador and Las Islas de Galapagos maybe a short detour into Colombia as well...Two big pints of frot http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-441250.html Amsterdam 30092009.It is windy and a sleek rain is making life difficult for the animal life outside in the interior garden of my house here in Amsterdam. Makes me wonder if somewhere out there is a longdistance cyclist daring the elements despite his empty wallet and shtty equipment a rusty mate offering a uncomfortable and not so stable leather saddle to its tested to the max owner039s http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-440780.html Almere Haven Flevo Polder 02082001.For the last two days I have been in a haze cycling well beyond 200 kilometers a day on sandy tracks wild paths in the forest along tranquil canals and forest streams across rugged hills and gliding across the GermanDutch border pas de problem despite my vagabond appaerance despite the wild eyedlook in my face looking back at me from the mirror of a ba http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/Flevoland/Lelystad/blog-439145.html Close to Bielevelt 312072001.Despite my pot and booze addictions despite the chaotic mental state I039m in brought about by severakl weeks of living it rough despite my crppy old rusty bicycle no maps or travel guides my secondhand bicycle gear hardly any spare parts and a leaking old tent...Despite all my old stuff and bad motivation...I am avaraging close to 200 kilometers a day now http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/North-Rhine-Westphalia/Bielefeld/blog-437822.html Braunschwein 30072007.Braunschwein a fitting name considering all the wild boar I have seen these last couple of days whole brownish colored families of wild boar foraging in the leftovers of maiz harvested fields totally unperturbed while I got off my bike on numerous occasions for sketching purposes. Huge flocks of forset sparrows landing on wild pork backs searching the hairy raw hide f http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Lower-Saxony/Braunschweig/blog-437096.html Somewhere......between Magdenburg and Schweinstein29072001.It039s slowly making sense to me complete clarity and divine understanding the result not of years of dedicated Vipassana meditation while pining away in a dusty flearidden hamlet in the poor north of the Land of the holy Thais a sober life style dedicated to selfcontemplation goining into your own mind through the process o http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Lower-Saxony/Braunschweig/blog-436186.html Somewhere.....south of Berlin 28072001.I stumble and fall not in the real world maybe late at night on the way to that noname coffee shop at the end of street where the dog behind the counter always growls at me when I buy a prerolled joint already way too intoxicated to be here for a last smoke before hitting the sack necessary sleep for another day of rushing on my cycle through a t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/District-of-Berlin/Berlin/blog-435202.html