Today we traveled to my home island of Santa Cruz and visited the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. It’s amazing to see how little these tortoises are as hatchlings, and how big they get through the years! The success of this species is due, in part, to one of the most fruitful programs run by the Galapagos National Park - the restoration of the iconic Galapagos giant tortoise.  After our visit we wandered the local town, then headed to the highlands. Our first stop here was at a lava tunnel followed by a local farm known as “El Trapiche”.  The afternoon was spent at the Giant Tortoise Natural Reserve, an incredible place housing many of these gentle giants in lush green vegetation.  We’ve had a wonderful time, and as a final touch we ended the day with a fun presentation from a local group of musicians.