Thursday Thoughts -Falling in Love…

9 februari, 20179 februari, 2017 / Leya / 19 kommentarer

Last week I went visiting my daughter up north, in Umeå. But I also took the chance to visit the 412 year old market in Jokkmokk – a meeting place for Sami people from Norway, Sweden and Finland, as well as people from all over the world. A colourful experience! More about this old market in posts coming.

I think I fell in love again…Finnish Lapphund is a dog breed, and traditionally it has been used for herding reindeer. This is a hardy, easy going, medium-size breed of Spitz type. At the market there were two shining beauties exposing themselves on reindeer skins.

Finnish Lapphund has a normal lifespan of 12-14 years, and is known to be faithful and friendly, as well as being calm, keen and corageous.

This breed comes in black, white, wolf-sable, red, sable and brown. About 50cm in height and normal weight 15-24 kg.

Totally wonderful dogs!

CFFC: Crawling or Flying

7 februari, 201715 februari, 2017 / Leya / 24 kommentarer

Back to wonderful Galapagos for Cee’s challenge! A colourful Marine iguana most certainly crawls to reach the water. And the mating of the Swallow-tailed gulls includes flying attacks.

See more crawlers and flyers here.

CFFC: Good and Bad

24 januari, 2017 / Leya / 5 kommentarer

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Good and Bad

This is a game played by men and bulls in Terceira, Azores. The bad thing is that it seems to be man versus beast – but the good thing is, that the bull is running through the streets on a rope, pulled to a stop when he gets to wild. Mostly young men try to run as close as possible, but never hurt the bull. They let loose about five bulls – one at a time – and take them in to rest when they are tired. Nobody gets hurt. It is a matter of showing courage, impressing ladies and other young guys – bull and man trying to outsmart each other.

No politics…but I could have used the white hat and the black hat in this challenge as well – reversed though. A matter of opinion.

Camouflage – Survival or Not

23 januari, 201723 januari, 2017 / Leya / 7 kommentarer

In the header, a beautiful Land Iguana – maybe my favourite animal on the Galápagos Islands. And below is my special companion – the Mockingbird.

”Blending in experts” are the birds – and other animals – on the Galápagos Islands. To me this is a magnificent treat to the eye.

Many of these animals are endemic, only to be found here. And many only on their own specific island. Darwin´s 13 species of finch are hard to tell apart, but they all have different bills related to where they live and what and how they eat.

Lava Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Blue-footed Booby

Galápagos Dove

Medium Ground Finch

Almost every island has its own Lava Lizard. Often difficult to find if you do not know what you are looking for… This is the pretty Galápagos Lava Lizard.

The Iguanas are everywhere, and some of them blend in so well that you easily can trip on one of them…

This Marine Iguana, you could say, does the trick totally in his own, special way…

Thursday Thoughts – Why Galápagos is a Paradise

13 januari, 201713 januari, 2017 / Leya / 38 kommentarer

For many reasons of course. When I think of these wonderful islands, my dream was, and is, that animals can live together without fear, and that they tolerate us humans – they are not afraid of us, but rather curious instead…

I made friends with many animals – but we were not allowed to go closer than 2 metres from any animal. Except from trying to pass them on the paths of course…The wonderful thing is that they approached us instead – and that, is true magic.

This mockingbird was really communicative – jumping up and down on the tree trunk, hiding, but still keeping an inquisitive eye on me. I know I lost a bit of my heart there…

The birds here are yellow warbler and mockingbird, then iguanas and sealions.

Nature is fantastic. Everything to me. This time I was really living my dream.

Wordless Wednesday

11 januari, 201711 januari, 2017 / Leya / 12 kommentarer

CFFC: Old and New

10 januari, 201710 januari, 2017 / Leya / 17 kommentarer

Thank you for being featured, Cee! Always an honour.

This week’s challenge of Old and New made me think of a snapshot taken with my phone as I passed by these youngsters trying out a new shell (!)- of a 250 year-old tortoise. Not a great shot, but – fun!

For more of Old and New, click here.

Travel theme: Quiet

9 januari, 20179 januari, 2017 / Leya / 23 kommentarer

Travel theme: Quiet

My good life depends on how much quietness and contemplation I can find time for. Ailsa’s theme this week – and every week… – breathes of Life.

My choice today is also for a belated Happy Birthday to you, Ailsa, and wishes for a Happy New Year! Thank you for hosting the Travel theme – always a great joy to read and participate when I can.

Feel the quiet prescence of this lovely young sealion, standing on the warm beach – just in front of me – with her eyes closed…living in, and enjoying, the moment. No fears, Mindfulness, the sealion way.

Thursday Thoughts – The Winner Takes It All…

5 januari, 20175 januari, 2017 / Leya / 23 kommentarer

Islas Plazas and their beautiful land iguanas were spectacular. The yellowish males are highly territorial and engage in head-butting battles to get rid of intruders. We saw two fights and the winners…took it all.

Land iguanas eat cactus fruit and other parts of the cactus, but in general they cannot climb it …instead they choose a cactus plant as their own, lie down under it and wait for a fruit to fall into their mouths…

This brave iguana had managed the impossible though…and its friends on the ground were eagerly waiting for it to drop something tasty to them…

After watching it for a while, we noticed something happening on the ground below…

…on the tasty lunch…

…but then a big yellow male turned up – and chased away all the others who were patiently waiting…

…and the 100 cm long winner took it all – at least he took their place in waiting!

Partytime – At the Fishmarket!

4 januari, 20174 januari, 2017 / Leya / 16 kommentarer

Before sailing with our ship, Cachalote, we went to the fishmarket in Puerto Ayora. On our way, we were constantly reminded of Darwin and his famous finches, and how repulsed he was by the marine iguanas, famously referring to them in his journal as “imps of darkness.” Personally I must say I love them both! I also love their surroundings and the way they exquisitely blend in…More than once I almost trod on them. Juan, our naturalist guide, was constantly warning us not to touch any animals here.

Marine iguana

Darwin recognized that the differrences in their beaks depends on their different food sources

When we finally reached the fishmarket, we got a full blown show the next half hour!

The fish (and bird…)market in Puerto Ayora

On the roof, waiting for the right moment…

Something fell under that box…let me…

The left brown pelican has lost his upper beak – I wonder how he managed…

The Great Frigate birds are tough guys who always steal their dinners…

If or When you finally get your hands on a piece of fish – run!

Always aware of the importance of their precious islands – do not catch the wrong fish!

Keep the Galápagos Islands the way they are – serene and unpolluted. 200 000 tourists a year visit them. Maybe Ecuador has to slow down a bit to save this treasure for the future?