It is nearly impossible to come up with a favourite animal from the Galapagos Islands, but the Land Iguana was definitely one of my favourites.
Their sometimes bright yellow colour was pretty cool, as was watching them eat. Their main source of food is the prickly-pear cactus and I saw some land iguanas fighting over this favourite food at South Plaza Island. It was kind of amusing watch them engage in a tug-of-war battle over a cactus pod.
Sure, they’re not exactly cute and cuddly like baby seals, but with their wrinkly skin, big claws and bumpy-scaly heads I think they have their own charm.
If you have heard of Pamukkale, Turkey you’ve likely heard of it because of the famous white terraces found there.
The white calcium pools are an honourable attraction, as is the natural hot springs swimming area. But if you take time to spend a whole day here, the nearby Hierapolis ruins are just as rewarding.
From columned walkways to ancient tombs, the ruins are spread over a large area. To me, the most impressive of all was the Hierapolis Theatre. Standing a top this theatre you can envision what it was like when great events wee once held here. The views of the surrounding landscape are amazing, putting the setting of our modern day theatres and stadiums to shame.
The Hierapolis Roman Theatre near Pamukkale, Turkey
I’ll admit I avoided visiting the Grand Canyon on a number of occasions.
Something so big and so constantly revered as an iconic landscape was sure to disappoint, right? I finally gave in on a road trip from Phoenix this year and will admit the landscape was colourful, imposing and impressive all at once. The views were great to make this my third favourite National Park in the US.
However, what made my Grand Canyon trip most enjoyable was visiting at the end of April. Why? No crowds! Even the staff working there said this was the best time of year to go. The shuttle bus rides I took were often empty, the trails I hiked were quiet, even the walkway along the south rim Crater seemed deserted at times.
This couple were two of only a handful of people I came across one morning. I can’t imagine visiting during the mid-summer crowds – I know I wouldn’t have enjoyed it nearly as much.
Orang-utan is a word that is actually composed of two Malay language words orang (person) and hutan (forest). This is where their nickname of ‘Man of the Forest’ originates from.
96.4% genetically human, these are the only great apes of Asia and they are only found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
The Bornean Orangutan is listed as endangered, as habitat destruction has had a devastating impact on their numbers in the wild. I saw three of them near the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Borneo but they were all very far away. The most accessible and reliable way to see Orangutans in Borneo is by visiting the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilition Centre.
The first photo below is of a rehab Orangutan at Sepilok, the second is a wild Orangutan near the Kinabatangan River.
Young Orangutan eating a banana at Sepilok
A Wild Orangutan in a distant tree, about 100m from the Kinabatangan River
The Galapagos Islands are one of the world’s most fascinating destinations for wildlife lovers, largely because of the endemic and unique wildlife.
Even the birds are different here. Booby birds might be fun and whimsical, but I thought the Swallow-tailed gull was pretty cool too. Considering how relatively dull the seagulls are at home around Toronto, the head and eye colouring of these guys stood out for me. This photo I enjoyed the most, capturing one just as it was taking flight at South Plaza Island in the Galapagos.
They breed almost exclusively in the Galapagos Islands and can also be found along the coast of Peru and Ecuador when it isn’t breeding season.
Swallow-Tailed Gull taking flight in the Galapagos Islands
