A treasure hunt through multifaceted Ecuador (2)
From Guayaquil, I travelled to the Galápagos. This volcanic archipelago has never been connected to the mainland, which has allowed its wildlife to evolve in a completely unique way. It is one of the best places in the world for wildlife spotting. This is particularly true because the animals do not see humans as natural enemies, so they do not run away when you look at them.
Galápagos cruise
A cruise gives you the chance to visit several islands and spot a greater variety of wildlife. I went on a cruise with the Endemic, a very comfortable catamaran with eight large cabins, each with its own balcony. These cruises are essentially genuine expedition cruises in the sense that you often have breakfast as early as 7 am, before setting off in motorised pangas for a walk or a spot of snorkelling. Every day, you’ll go on several excursions to discover the impressive flora and fauna of this archipelago.
Finch Bay
As part of my Heroes trip, I also spent a few days at the Finch Bay Hotel on the main island of Santa Cruz. It was here that I really got to know the islanders. For me, this really rounded off my experience of the Galápagos. When people talk about this archipelago, they often think only of the wildlife and the volcanic landscapes. They forget that there are also people who actually live here and earn a living, whilst facing certain challenges. I learnt more about this too through some surprising activities. Although I’m not going to give everything away, I’ll highlight one activity that tells this story.
“ Having wine with dinner is a must – but what can you do to stop it going to waste? A message in a bottle? Extra luggage in your bag? The way of life of the islander holds the key to offsetting the carbon footprint from your wine pairing at dinner last night. ”
At one point, I received this cryptic description.
Souvenir bottles
I was given an empty wine bottle, which I had to take with me to the activity. I hadn’t the faintest idea what I was going to do. We drove to a small suburb of Puerto Ayora, where I visited Clovis. He is an artist who has observed that millions of bottles arrive in the Galápagos every year: bottles of wine and small bottles of beer consumed by the many hotels and on cruise ships. All of this is transported from the Ecuadorian mainland to the archipelago to supply visitors to the Galápagos with drinks. However, the empty bottles do not leave the island, and this poses a problem. He has therefore started making souvenirs out of empty bottles. This way, visitors have a lovely memento of the Galápagos, whilst at the same time the bottles are returned to the mainland. After he’d told me this story, we set to work together to turn my empty bottle into a lovely souvenir too.
The inhabitants of the Galápagos
After this, I visit a few more of these initiatives and feel that I have gained a genuine insight into the lives of the Galápagos’ inhabitants. A life that, until 25–30 years ago, was the simple existence of a group of islanders in a remote archipelago. Now, they live within a national nature reserve that is regarded as one of the world’s most important wildlife destinations, attracting travellers from all corners of the globe. Tourism brings in revenue that helps to protect this unique natural area. During the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen just how vulnerable this ecosystem is when the income from tourism dries up and illegal fishing and poaching, for example, resurface. However, tourism also brings its own challenges, which are highlighted in this way.
For me, this Heroes trip has undoubtedly been the most original and impressive way to discover Ecuador and the Galápagos, one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.
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