Jeannie and I were startled and unimpressed to have Jorgen knocking at our door at 5:07 hurrying us along. 

We rechecked into our hotel there, where we’ll stay for just one night before heading back to the mainland.

Luigi followed us in the support truck and carried all our gear, extra water, and an extra bicycle in case of a breakdown. It’s quite disconcerting having someone driving behind you at bicycle speed. The ride was beautiful, once we got up out of the muggy hot town area. We headed for a viewpoint 500m up, through farmland with a few hotels along the way. We passed cows and some horses, and more giant tortoises. 

After lunch, we drove up to a convenient place from where we could coast all the way to the beach. Turns out we’re a troop of speedy speedies; we stopped only to take pictures and once, to take a baggie of mysterious white powder away from a tortoise on the side of the road. (!) Luigi tasted a bit and said it was salt. Hopefully he was telling the truth. (!) We had about an hour to relax on the beach, which Jeannie and I spent trying to copy an impressive beach yogi, and then we met Luigi again, to get a lift to a nearby farm where they grow coffee and sugar and cocoa.

Not only does his crew grow the sugarcane and coffee and cacao, but they also make liquor, and he gave us an enthusiastic tour of the fermentation process and the still. We sampled the 45% moonshine straight, infused with anise flavour, mixed with cane juice and also mixed with a combination of cane juice and lime. It’s pretty potent stuff. His tips for a long and healthy life include: drink coffee, eat homemade sugar and chocolate, dance when you drink, add oil to your glass of moonshine if you don’t want to get sick, to enjoy all jokes, and to laugh loudest at your own. He was pretty smitten with Jeannie, informing her that here, once you’re married to a galapagos resident for ten years, you get citizenship! And who wouldn’t want to live here?!? I think we were all pretty smitten.

There was lots going on. There were several different locations with live music, a craft tent for kids set up in the street, karaoke, endless souvenir shopping… It was 10:20 when we finally thought of finding some supper.

F