this morning i went to isla de la plata. a small island (3 x 6km) a 1hr boat ride away from puerto lopez. according to the guide, the island was so named from the legend where the pirate sir francis drake hid gold/silver in the water around the island. as one of the irish tourists noted, it’s funny that here drake is a pirate, but back in the uk, he’s an explorer. anyway, the island is like a smaller version of the galapagos, with many birds. it’s very very cool to be able to walk up to the birds without them caring. we even walked right by some parent/baby blue-footed boobies, and they didn’t budge (they were in the path). very very unique and cool experience. the island itself is also quite beautiful. on the boat ride there, we also stopped for a bit to watch some humpback whales.

now a word about the 1hr boat ride over there. the waves were not too high (6ft max…averaging about 3ft)…but the captain gunned the boat the whole time. so much so, that the boat would often get air…and then belly flop into the water. everytime the boat landed, there was a loud crash, as if the boat were being dropped onto cement. it’s the first time in my life that i’ve been glad to be wearing a life vest. that said, the boat ride is quite fun….but not for the faint of heart.

afterwards, i had dinner with an aussie…and should have stayed in puerto lopez with my new friend, but instead wanted to check out hosteria alandaluz….an eco-resort which lonely planet bills as eco-friendly and low-impact. i should have stayed in puerto lopez with my friend. well, lemme preface by saying that its dark, so i cant appreciate the natural beauty (it’s right on the beach). however, it’s way overpriced….and more disappointingly, it seems to be a farce. how so? well, for starters, the majority of the lights here are incandescent! isn’t that the first thing you should change? that, plus they’re blasting music, don’t have motion-activated lights, etc. etc. i wouldn’t be so mad if they called it what it was…a nice hotel by the beach — that i believe, and am willing to pay more for. but i don’t like it when they lie. i assume that most of the people here think that they’re paying more, but are helping the environment….i think they’re just getting screwed. also, i’m the only person camping here. i’m quite certain that some of the hotels i’ve stayed at have been lower-impact than this one. and much cheaper too. (note: rooms here go for $25-80, but i’m camping for 7…still overpriced)