When you think of backpacking you think of cheap low cost travelling, door room hostels and food from street vendors. This certainly can be true, but there are many ways to backpack and some of us even like to splurge or treat ourselves at some point in the trip. My trip to the Galápagos was just that. The word paradise is so fitting with the Galápagos Islands and the resort where I stayed might have had something to do with this :-) My hotel was beach front with a pool. A glorious king size bed just for me, and if that wasn't enough I had my own hammock I could hang in my porch out from of my room. There was a buffet breakfast each morning then three course lunches, and four course dinners each day and better yet is there was always an AMAZING seafood selections in each menu and I was sure to get my fill of all that fresh fish. A shout out to my seafood loving buddy Jeff, I ate enough for your share too HAHA ;-) Now that's how I like to enjoy my food, lots, and often! When I would retire to my casa for the night I would return to a room with lovely turndown service and chocolate on my pillow....pure heaven! The pictures are of a sample of the dining I was enjoying, but specifically they're for my foodie buddy Jason, enjoy.

I was quite surprised by the number of people staying in this resort who made no effort to speak even the easiest of Spanish. I always try to learn a few common words when I'm travelling to a foreign country, a simple hello or thank you in their native language can go a long way! Initially I assumed the other guests were Americans and not surprisingly would simply expect to be catered to and spoken to in English, and like anytime you make an assumption it's a bad idea because I met most of these guests later and they're Canadian!! I was disappointed in them, but then again it's their choice and it only made me look better :-) I have been forcing myself to speak to locals as much a possible in Spanish in efforts to improve. The Ecuadorians have been very kind in assisting my in my practice and so much so that I was rewarded small treats from the resort staff that I noticed other guests were not being granted. The Captain of our Yacht that we used to travel to the islands even privileged me to approach the "Captain area" and drive the yacht, because he was so impressed with my comprehension of Spanish. So the moral of the story is learn five words or phases before you travel that are applicable to your destination, hello, goodbye, thank you, please, and I'm hungry, feed me! Trust me, it's worth it :-)