Ecwador a Galapagos Ar y Lein

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-It's true!

-Water goes straight down

-the plug hole on the equator!

-I'm in Ecuador

-and I'm on the equator.

-Welcome to Ar y Lein!

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-I'm following another line

-around the world.

-It's brought me

-to an elevated place...

-..Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

-Quito is 2,850 metres

-above sea level.

-It's three times higher

-than the summit of Snowdon.

-And yes, it is difficult to walk

-and breathe at the same time.

-I'm following the equator westwards.

-After starting my journey

-in South America...

-..I'll be heading for the

-Indonesian islands and Africa.

-After sweating conkers on

-the Amazon, I've reached Ecuador...

-..a country named after the equator.

-I'll also be visiting

-the Galapagos Islands...

-..but my first stop is Quito.

-Quito is a huge city

-which stretches along this valley.

-In reality, it's two cities.

-The modern new town with its

-trendy eateries and skyscrapers...

-..and the rather different

-old town...

-..where narrow streets

-wind past grand churches...

-..and ancient monasteries.

-It's a beautiful place...

-..and one

-of UNESCO's World Heritage Centres.

-Only 25% of the population

-are pure Amerindians.

-Most Ecuadorians are Mestizos...

-..a mixture of the native population

-and 17th century Spanish immigrants.

-Quito is an ancient city.

-The Incas were here until

-the Spaniards arrived in 1526.

-Instead of allowing the Spaniards

-to take over their city...

-..the Incas decided to demolish it.

-These buildings have been built

-on the ruins of the ancient city.

-Today, exactly 472 years

-since the Spaniards...

-..started rebuilding Quito...

-..they're having

-a humdinger of a celebration.

-This is a very noisy festival.

-People travel on the back

-of lorries, or chivas.

-And they drink

-as if there's no tomorrow!

-This is canelazo which is packed

-with cinnamon, sugar and alcohol.

-My head was spinning straightaway.

-You have to be drunk

-to cope with all the noise.

-Or am I getting old?

-Then the heavens opened

-but that didn't dampen spirits.

-The crowd had brought

-their raincoats just in case.

-They'd feel at home in Wales!

-The day is drawing to a close...

-..but the party will continue

-into the early hours.

-Unfortunately, it's bedtime for me.

-I'll be up at dawn tomorrow.

-Most of last night's partygoers

-are asleep or nursing a hangover.

-But I'm up.

-We need to allow time...

-..to travel

-along Ecuador's winding roads.

-The Andes split Ecuador

-into three parts.

-The Amazonian jungle to the east,

-the coastal lowlands to the west...

-..and these wonderful highlands

-in the middle.

-This is Mitad del Mondo,

-the middle of the world.

-This building marks the point

-where the equator passes through.

-Ecuador have a better claim

-on the line than anyone else.

-The country shares its name

-with the equator...

-..and this is where

-they first discovered the line.

-Here's another tourist attraction -

-an interesting museo...

-..which confirms

-theories about the equator.

-Is it all a con?

-The plug had to be pulled slowly

-for the water to go straight down.

-But at least it was fun.

-My favourite was the egg on a nail!

-On the equator,

-many curious things happen.

-This egg is meant to balance

-on top of this nail...

-..through the power of gravity

-and magnetism.

-When we're on the equator, the

-pressure is equal on both sides.

-This is supposed to be easy

-but I can't do it!

-I did succeed when the camera

-had been switched off. Honestly!

-I'm on my way to Otavalo, an hour's

-journey north of the equator.

-The Pan-American Highway...

-..which connects South America

-to Alaska, is 30,000 miles long.

-I've always been fascinated

-by small villages.

-Life is far more relaxed.

-It's far easier to meet people

-and learn about their way of life.

-I stopped in San Juan de Iluman

-on the way.

-I've been invited

-to the local primary school.

-I love school uniform

-that's the same for boys and girls.

-All the children have long hair...

-..so you have to focus

-on their faces.

-That's a girl -

-she runs like a girl!

-These are also girls - apart

-from the one brandishing a gun!

-That's a boy. So is that one.

-And those.

-It's nice to see traditional games

-played instead of Playstations.

-SHE SPEAKS SPANISH

-I asked how many languages

-they could speak.

-Spanish, naturally,

-and Quichua, the native language.

-I asked them to say hello

-in Quichua.

-THEY SAY HELLO IN QUICHUA

-SHE EXPLAINS

-HOW TO SAY HELLO IN WELSH

-Su'mai? Su'mai?

-SHE EXPLAINS HOW TO REPLY

-Su'mai?

-Su'mai?

-

-Da iawn!

-I wanted to know

-how to ask a person's name.

-Yes, they have long names

-in Ecuador.

-The next question -

-how many spoke Quichua at home?

-It appears that Quichua is in the

-same position as Welsh used to be.

-On the streets and in the home,

-they speak Quichua.

-In school, they speak Spanish.

-There are textbooks in Quichua

-but there aren't any here.

-It's not an official language

-but I like it.

-The children of Ecuador taught me

-more than I could ever teach them.

-Here's another aspect

-of the area's traditions.

-The Quichua Indians

-from Otavalo were weaving...

-..before the arrival of the Incas.

-There's over 500 years

-of history here.

-This husband and wife partnership

-weave in the traditional way.

-Most weavers now use machines.

-It's hard for these two to compete.

-But it's worth paying

-for a product that's handmade.

-A lot of hard work

-goes into making these items.

-It takes four days for these two

-to make a small mat.

-They also use traditional methods

-to dye the wool.

-They work hard but at least

-they're independent now.

-At one time, they had to weave

-for next to nothing.

-People have been buying and selling

-at Otavalo market for centuries.

-It's renowned around the world.

-If you visit Ecuador,

-you must visit this market.

-People from Otavalo

-are called Otavalinos.

-They are renowned

-for being the wealthiest...

-..native population in Ecuador.

-HE SPEAKS SPANISH

-They're hard workers...

-HE SPEAKS SPANISH

-Un moment, por favor.

-They talk a lot and they work hard!

-They are also creative and strong.

-I'm going to buy a few cushions

-from this gentleman.

-SHE SPEAKS SPANISH

-That was the end of the buying

-and selling for today.

-They'll all be back

-at the break of dawn.

-I said they were strong!

-That night, I stayed

-in a lovely hotel - a hacienda...

-..or old-fashioned farmhouse.

-A local band entertained the guests.

-The haciendas are popular

-with tourists.

-Forget your 5-star hotels

-packed with mod cons.

-Give me atmosphere and heritage

-any day of the week.

-These two were from Wales.

-Who needs central heating

-when you have a fire like this?

-I was tired but I was more

-than happy to update my diary.

-I couldn't stay up too late...

-..because we had to head for the

-Galapagos Islands in the morning.

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-I've left the mainland

-and flown 650 miles west.

-These are the Galapagos Islands.

-In this stunning location...

-..Charles Darwin

-first started to ponder...

-..about the evolution of life

-on earth.

-I'd always thought that

-only animals and birds lived here.

-I wasn't expecting to see

-many people...

-..since only a few

-visited the islands...

-..to allow the wildlife

-to live in peace.

-That's not the case at all.

-There are 24 islands in all...

-..with five of them

-inhabited by people.

-This is Puerto Ayora.

-In 1973, only 60 people lived here.

-Today, there are over 30,000.

-Half aren't supposed to be here!

-Every year, the islands

-welcome 100,000 visitors.

-They fly here and then split up

-to visit the 24 islands...

-..but they're not allowed

-to visit all areas.

-The National Park

-has strict control of the islands.

-A lot of research

-is carried out here...

-..all in the name of the Galapagos's

-most famous visitor, Charles Darwin.

-The Charles Darwin Foundation

-and the National Park...

-..were established in 1959,

-100 years after the publication...

-..of Darwin's Origin of Species.

-The publication

-angered religious people...

-..since it challenged

-the story of Adam and Eve...

-..claiming

-that every species had evolved.

-Most of his research

-was carried out here...

-..when he was only 26 years old.

-Nowadays, the centre has over

-100 scientists and students...

-..keeping an eye on the wildlife.

-Their projects include...

-..rare species of tortoise,

-both living and extinct.

-Three species of the Galapagos

-tortoises have become extinct.

-When Lonesome George dies,

-a fourth species will disappear.

-When they found George

-on Isla Pinta in 1971...

-..they didn't find another like him.

-He now lives here, with some

-similar female tortoises...

-..in the hope that they will mate.

-Even though George

-is still sexually active...

-..no eggs have been laid.

-George is now at least 80 years old,

-if not 90...

-..it's hard to determine

-the true age of a tortoise...

-..but he'll have to carry on trying!

-There are a number of different

-species of finches on the islands.

-In 1835, Darwin noticed that

-finches in the dry, desert areas...

-..differed from those

-in the wet, forested regions.

-They must have evolved.

-When Darwin published his theories

-in Origin of Species in 1859...

-..he upset many people.

-People didn't want to believe...

-..that the stories in Genesis

-weren't true.

-Some remain sceptical today but

-I doubt this one cares that much.

-Alison is a researcher here.

-She mostly works with the tortoises.

-THEY SPEAK SPANISH

-Part of her work

-is to gather information...

-..to help the National Park care for

-the various species of tortoises.

-Particularly the rarest species.

-With her co-workers, she monitors

-the tortoises, counts the numbers...

-..determines whether

-the numbers are falling...

-..and if they are,

-does what she can to prevent this.

-It sounds like interesting work.

-I told her that I'd noticed...

-..that a few tortoises

-had different shells.

-Alison said it was a step further

-in the evolution process.

-Tortoises living in wet areas

-with plenty of undergrowth...

-..have developed shells

-that are shaped like a bowl.

-Tortoises living in drier areas that

-have to work harder to find food...

-..have shells which look like

-a horse's saddle.

-This allows them to reach the leaves

-on the trees.

-They have also developed

-longer necks.

-I told her it wasn't

-very dry here any more!

-It was raining quite heavily.

-It's time for me to see more

-of the wildlife...

-..that's made the islands so famous.

-Fernando is originally from Ecuador.

-He owns a scuba and snorkelling

-business here.

-He's seen great changes

-on the islands over the years.

-Darwin wasn't the first

-to discover the Galapagos.

-Some people think the Incas

-landed here in the 15th century.

-The first man to officially

-discover the islands in 1535...

-..was Fray Tomas de Berlanga,

-the fourth Bishop of Panama.

-He was lost so his men landed

-on the island to find fresh water.

-When he returned to Spain,

-he told the King that the islands...

-..had an abundance of wildlife

-and giant galapagoses - tortoises.

-All the animals here are docile.

-You can get very close

-to the seals...

-..birds and penguins.

-I hadn't expected

-to find penguins on the equator.

-According to Fernando, the penguins

-were originally from Antarctica.

-They followed

-the Humboldt current...

-..along the west coast of South

-America before settling here.

-Hopefully, I can swim with one

-of them. Look, he wants to play!

-Oh, maybe not.

-You won't find any penguins

-further north than this.

-Only Galapagos penguins

-can live on the equator...

-..because the water is so cold here.

-It's warm on land

-but the water is cold.

-That's why I'm wearing a wetsuit.

-The last time I saw penguins

-was in Antarctica.

-If I'd gone swimming with those,

-I wouldn't be here now.

-I'm going to look for more penguins.

-You can see all sorts

-of underwater creatures here.

-Here are some of them.

-I didn't see any turtles

-but there were plenty of fish.

-I didn't see any rays and I'd

-have done anything to see these.

-Hammerhead sharks.

-I saw a shark behind the cameraman

-and I started pointing frantically.

-He thought I was overacting!

-This is what you'll see

-when you return to dry land.

-The Galapagos Islands

-were created...

-..by millions of years

-of volcanic eruptions.

-The wildlife here has never

-acquired a fear of humans.

-The islands are far

-from the mainland.

-The plants and animals took time

-to establish themselves here.

-These were the first plants

-on the islands.

-The seeds were blown across from

-the mainland or carried by birds.

-Insects then ate the plants.

-Later, smaller reptiles

-such as this lava lizard...

-..started eating the insects.

-Hey, presto! A food chain.

-Right, time for a geography lesson.

-The world is covered with tectonic

-plates - check the dictionary!

-Here, you have some going one way...

-..and others

-going in opposite directions.

-When the plates move away

-from each other...

-..volcanoes form and lava rises.

-This is how these islands

-were created.

-The islands are moving east since

-they're attached to the plates.

-Slowly, everything you see here

-is moving that way.

-If you're looking

-for fresh volcanoes, travel west.

-I wanted to see fresh lava,

-so I travelled to Isla Isabela...

-..the largest

-of the Galapagos Islands.

-The island is right on the equator.

-It's on a weak spot between plates

-and still erupts every now and then.

-This is something

-I'd never done before...

-..galloping up a volcano.

-I had a small horse

-but it didn't hold back.

-And don't you dare mention

-sports bras!

-This is the Sierra Negro volcano.

-The summit is just under

-1,500 metres above sea level.

-It erupted in October 2005 sending

-plumes of smoke 20kms into the sky.

-It left this void, or caldera,

-in its wake.

-HE SPEAKS SPANISH

-This is Xavier,

-my guide for the day.

-He regularly leads people

-up to the summit.

-The caldera is nine kilometres wide.

-This is the largest caldera

-on the Galapagos Islands...

-..and the second largest

-in the world.

-This is the most active

-volcanic area in the world...

-..but he assured me

-that an eruption was unlikely today.

-The horses could go no further.

-The terrain was too rough

-so we had to walk.

-We reached areas of the volcano

-which had been active recently.

-Yes, this is all lava.

-Xavier drew my attention

-to the various colours of lava.

-Red lava is fresher

-than black lava...

-..because it still

-contains minerals.

-I've never seen

-such a stunning landscape.

-I wouldn't say it was beautiful

-but I'll never forget it.

-Neither will my legs!

-I have a problem now,

-apart from the obvious.

-I've enjoyed my time here.

-So would you. You'd love it here.

-If I say that,

-thousands of you may want to visit.

-You might spoil the islands.

-But there are strict rules here.

-If you visited a country

-with no rules...

-..you might end up spoiling it

-more than you would here!

-It's complicated.

-I want the Galapagos Islands

-to remain as they are.

-They are estupendo!

-Next week, I'll be in Borneo

-participating in strange rituals...

-..and getting rather close

-to crocodiles and orang-utans.

-S4/C subtitles by Simian 04

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