Yep, that's a penguin. At the equator, in the Galapagos. We even saw some in a mangrove swamp. A bit far from Antarctica.
More Swimming Iguanas!
To stick with the marine iguana theme, here is a short clip showing their swimming action in the Galapagos (or lack thereof).
Too Much to See
This video shows the incredible diversity of marine life in the Galapagos. In the space of about 10 feet, there's a marine iguana, a sea turtle, and then another marine iguana.
Time with the Turtles
I had some quality time with many sea turtles in the Galapagos, including this relaxed fellow.
...And He was Never Seen Again
This is our Galapagos guide free diving into a massive school of fish.
Lively Sea Lions
Just took this video in the Galapagos Islands. Actually got dizzy trying to keep up with the sea lions!
Another Reason to Live in Colorado
We got three inches of snow in the foothills last night, and all of it melted off the trails right away. Here is the view first thing in the morning.
A New Record
This was Melissa’s 30th ski day of the season. She’s come close before, but never quite reached it. On the downside, the snow was not great, so that was probably it for the season.
The Airport That's Really a Mall
The New Chitose Airport is 90% shopping mall and 10% airport, and probably employs half the population of Sapporo in its retail shops. Here is Melissa posing with our favorite polar bear (we actually prefer Pepsi). Notice the sign.
Stuffed Silly in Japan
This was our final group dinner in Japan, and we could not do it - the budget was $28 each for food, and we just could not spend it all. Food is incredibly cheap there - and beer, and wine…
Rustic Lodgings - or Not?
This is what appears to be rustic lodgings at the Tomamu Ski Resort in Hokkaido, but it’s actually quite new - a little higher up, and those rough brick walls are replaced by a modern roof and ductwork.
An Ocean at a Ski Resort?
This is the Tomamu ski resort’s indoor pool - with a wave machine, of course. I think someone had an overblown idea of amenities for skier. Pretty awesome, though.
Cacktails and Sand on the Menu?
The following menu from a Japanese ski resort is worth a close read.
Twin Towers at a Ski Resort?
This is the Tomamu ski resort in Japan, which was substantially overbuilt back in the 1980s, including these twin towers stuffed with hotel rooms. And yes, it was snowing like crazy.
A Shrine for a Chairlift?
Yep. This shrine was positioned right next to the top of a chairlift in Hokkaido. No idea why.
...And Sometimes You Ski Over a Tree
Our Hokkaido guide Tay decided to take the over-the-top route to get past this fallen tree in the woods.
A Shrine to Powder Skiing
We were skiing in the trees off to one side of the Canmore Resort in Japan, and came upon this nifty temple out in the woods.
New Road Signs
The down arrow indicates the edge of the road. The road sign - who knows? And of course, look out for avalanches.
Heavy Snow Load
Some of the trees in the Hokkaido back country are overwhelmingly jammed with snow, as shown here. These snow loads can fall off in chunks, so you could be skiing along in powder and then run into a block of much denser snow.
Major Typos
Some of the Japanese-to-English signs are a bit off on the spellings. This one was posted at a national park that ran a tram up the side of the largest volcano on Hokkaido.
