Ecuadorian history and food were part of Monday's highlights. Antonio, our Spanish-native naturalist, gave us a wonderful lecture on the culture, art and traditions of this marvelous country; most of the Polaris crew and staff are Ecuadorian.
Erasmo organized a superb lunch with representative dishes from the Andes and the coast. Ceviche was the starter, and "dulce de tres leches" the dessert, a sweet that makes you touch the sky with your fingertips.
The day itself was spent on an island rich in natural history, as well as in human history. Dolphins bow riding, manta ray swimming with the snorkelers, baby sea lions chasing sharks, flamingos and boobies, they all recreated our exciting day.
But we were also aware of those humans who made history on Floreana. Pirates who lived in highland caves and whalers that established the first post office barrel. We saw the remains of the Norwegian buildings, left over from a fishing company of the 1920's. The house of the famous Baroness Eloise Von Wagner de Bousquet, which she wanted to transform into a five-star hotel, was visible from the pangas early in the morning.
But what does it all have to do with today's picture? Well, this is the photo of one lichen that is also very closely related to the human history of the islands. Some of Floreana's very first settlers used the lichen to produce ink. This was one of the sources for color in the 1800's. The lichen was mistakenly known with the common name of "dyed moss". It grows as an epiphyte on the holy trees of Floreana, plants that are also very important to people in the Galapagos. However that is part of a different story I may tell you some other time.
