The Galapagos, Ecuador and Machu Picchu – these were the places that Narooma VIEW Club Presenter, Rosemary Towers, spoke about to her fellow members at the April Lunch Meeting.
An avid train traveller, Rosemary described her trip on the Ecuadorian luxury train, the Tren Cucero. She showed pictures of some of the animal and bird life she encountered in the Galapagos Islands and explained/described how her visit to Peru culminated in the climb to the Sun-Gate at Machu Picchu.
The Tren Crucero is pulled by both a steam train and a diesel (for the steep bits!), travels for three days from the capital Quito (2850 metres above sea level), and then down to the gulf at Guayaquil. It is truly “an immersion in custom, cultures and traditions”. … and you don’t have to sleep on the train as historic haciendas provide wonderful alternative accommodation. Obviously, there were many highlights – meeting the people, seeing the costumes, watching the dances, visiting the markets, and eating the local foods.
The photos of the Galapagos animal life were a treat for VIEW Members to see, especially the different ‘Boobies’ (a word which apparently caused great hilarity for her grandchildren - think blue-footed!). She recounted the tale of Lonesome George, a male Pinta Island tortoise found in 1971 who was the last his kind. Many attempts were made to try to mate him but without success. He was the rarest animal in the world at the time and when he died on June 24, 2012, at 8:00am, the world witnessed a documented extinction.
After reassuring the members that she hadn’t eaten any guinea pig (a local delicacy), Rosemary finished her presentation with her visit to Machu Picchu. The first day in the city brought wheezing and gasping as she and her party acclimated to the altitude but on the second day they ascended to the Sun-Gate, the last leg of the Inca trail and famous for its view of the ancient city. A special moment indeed!
The Narooma VIEW Club meets on the 4th Friday of the month for lunch at Narooma Golf Club. It’s a great way to meet others, to form friendships, listen to interesting presenters and support the Smith Family’s Learning for Life Program, (which assists disadvantaged school children in the local area to reach their academic potential.)
Please contact Rosemary on 0418619725 or Kath on 0437744567
Photos: Rosemary Towers
