Article: Where the exotic is commonplace: Cruise the Galapagos where Darwin conceived theories that shook the religious and scientific worlds.(Features)(Travel)

It looked like the sad remains of my 1978 Volkswagen Beetle - a round, dented dome of rusted steel abandoned in the bush.

Until, that is, it got up and walked.

The animated tourists in our group froze as four legs appeared under the massive carapace. First, two legs from under the "hood," then two under the "bonnet," and the giant tortoise rose like my VW on a garage lift. Then a neck - long and arched with a headlight-sized skull - turned in our direction, as he gave one of those slow, ET blinks with his limpid, black eyes.

Less impressed by our presence than we with his, he slowly lumbered off deeper into the bush to a staccato of camera ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!