Las Grietas
didn't sleep that well, it is really HOT in my room, and the fan only blows around the hot air. i have to remember to keep the curtains closed during the day.
internet isn't working, it doesn't even show up on the 'network' list ...i doubt i'll have internet while i'm here .... :(
what to do today .......i walked through town ... went to the only 'super' market, then stopped to ask about cruises and rent some snorkel fins.
i was thinking about getting a taxi into the Highlands today. but as i was going into the hostel, Katharina and her daughter were just leaving to go to Las Grietas. they invited me to join them. yes, thank you!
i ran to my room, packed my stuff and met them at Hernan for an ice cream before we took off.
Las Grietas is a gorge filled with a body of brackish water (combination of salt and fresh water). ....you take a very short $.60 water taxi ride across the bay, ....
then it's a 20min hike to get there, through arid terrain .....
with several lagoons ....
which aren't very pretty looking, but they provide a home for many little creatures ... although not sure who would/could live in this ....
eventually you get to the gorge and crawl down the rocks .....
to swim/snorkel ....
or you can jump off the cliffs into the water .... when i was younger i would have done this.... why do you loose your 'guts' when you get older :)
it was cool water that was refreshing and felt really great after that hot walk ...
and it was deep .... and the clearest water i've seen yet .... but other than these few large fishes .... this isn't the 'snorkeling site' as i had hoped it would be ... :(
there doesn't appear to be an outlet .... so i guess these poor fishes are trapped in here ... they said they are ParrotFish; but only this one looked like an Adult Blue-Chin ParrotFish to me ....
after an hour or so, we were ready to go. these cactus have trunks on them as large as trees .... and such a beautiful carmel colored bark ...
couldn't help but hear this Galapagos Mockingbird along the trail ... they are really loud ...
interesting trail and scenery .....
we stopped at the beach we passed along the trail ... a small pretty beach, with mangroves on either side .... it is in front of Finch Bay Resort ... a really nice place with pool and bar, where friends Jim and Ann, stayed this fall ....
saw a Marine Iguana swimming, and grabbed snorkel again and went into the water, hopeful ... but i couldn't see beyond 2 feet in front of me .... this is quite un-nerving ..... but i persisted through it and found some less murky water out a little deeper .... but not seeing the Iguana, actually not seeing much ... did see this Diamond Stingray .....
and several small Tiger Snake Eels, and one larger one, searching under the sand and rocks for food ....
and a couple BullsEye Puffer Fish ...
i like these guys coz they don't hide from me :) ...
again, not the 'snorkel site' i was hoping for :(
out of the water i walked through Finch Bay, .... and to a Land Iguana nesting site .... not much other info ...but i assume these holes are/were nests ...
then sat on the beach with Katharina and her daughter. this was their last day here, and a nice way to spend it. i wanted to get back, but it was comfortable under the shade of the small tree and nice breeze, and i could imagine how hot it was going to be back in town ... we left shortly thereafter.
i stopped at a few places to ask about a cruise, diving ... and now that i'm disillusioned about the near-by snorkeling .... snorkel tours .... she asked me to come back in an hour or so after she had done some research.
i walked into the oven-of-a-room, that i now call 'home' .... the hallway outside my room is much cooler ... i left the door open and got the fan going, trying to draw the cooler air from outside the window, hopefully pushing the hot air out the door ... while i did my un-snorkeling chores
i went back to see what they had for me on a cruise, but i wasn't interested in the one she showed me and she asked me to come back Monday ... then i headed for the 'fish market' for my fresh fish dinner .... last night he told me to come as early as 4pm, which was my plan; but it was now 6pm and they were crowded .... but still frying fish, so i waited ...
along with this Sea Lion ... who got booted out shortly after this photo ... they really are like dogs ! ....
ok, the fish looked bigger and better than it was ... i needed salt and some lemon/lime ... so i pick the meat off the bones and walked my plate back to my room to finish eating .... this time i tried to draw the cool air from the hallway into the room while i ate ... i want to try this again, i heard that some nights they have filets ....
then back to a restaurant to order a milkshake so i could use their WiFi .... i was there for 2hrs ... ordering a coke as well to relieve my 'guilt' ....
home to a little bit cooler room ... slept pretty well ...
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