Living in the Past - Jethro Tull Part I

 A strange Old Beast the memory, as one day you cannot remember where the hell you left the car keys or even your Royal Navy Ships Book Number, formally indelibly consigned to the Grey Matter. However, just a single inkling of

HATO PIÑARO

 and every second comes flooding back as clear as crytal.

we're here

Initially this trip was to have been a 10 days Guided Birding Trip with others in Colombia with Bird Finders under the watchful eye of the aptly named Steve Bird. Every day prior to take-off was filled with thoughts of such a distance for such a short period of time being a great waste so was added to allowing me to book my own dedicated guides in for a further 7 days in Venezuela before flying to Quito, Ecuador and continue overland until finding a flight to Galapagos. All very well had it been remembered that the Fat Chap in the Red Burberry and beard was about to decend a chimney near you with not a seat left on any flight south until after the holiday. My former guide David Ascanio, (the most eminent Ornathologist in the country and author of the definative Bird Guide to that of the same name) and his side kick had left me with their phone number should there be any problems which was the reason for the visit to

H P 

With more images than could fill a dozen such posts, we will restrict this session to just 3 posts over the next 2 Sunday's to give some idea as to the marvels of one of the most fabulous places ever visited.

With sidekick BRUNO at the helm.

SCARLET IBIS

and we are most surprised that the video has glued on!

the bizarre as most things are here

YELLOW-KNOBBED CURASSOW

BLUE and YELLOW

MACAW

BAR-BACKED WREN

ORIOLE BLACKBIRD

BURROWING OWL

The only Underground Owl in the World

YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA

HORNED SCREAMER

MATAMATA

TURTLE

BLUE-and-GREY TANAGER

PEARL KITE

one of the World's smallest Raptors.

ORANGE-CHINNED PARAKEET

Oh to see the BEER BAR when the exhausting day was over but

there was still the night to come when a

COMMON PAUAQUE
was easily caught but will have to get that shirt dhobied!

With the 'prize' of the whole visit only 'caught' in the headlights!
OCELOT
(more memories as having served on a Submarine of the same name)

Talking of which think it is well in order to spare a huge thought for the

Indonesian Submariners 

who perished last week, simply doing their jobs, and their loved ones.

'Run Silent - Run Deep'