Las Islas Encantadas

Puerto Villamil is still relatively new to the tourism that plagues the rest of the archipelago. Historically, in order to visit the Galapagos Islands, you had to buy a berth on one of the many cruise ships offering voyages anywhere from 5-14 day itineraries. The boats ranged with capacities from 16-100 people, with the prices reflecting the quality of the service and experience. This kind of tourism used to represent pretty much 100% of everything coming to the Galapagos. However, a 2010 report published by the chamber of tourism showed that cruise ship based tourism had fallen to 36.8% and had mostly been replaced by land-based tourists (40.8%). The shift had come, and it had happened fast. People were coming to the islands, booked in to a hotel and decided on local day trips once arrived.

Just a couple years ago, the first cruise ships started coming to Puerto Villamil, Isabela island (where we are living), usually just staying a day before leaving for Isabela’s uninhabited, remote and only by water accessible natural sites (because only 3% of every island is inhabited, the rest constitutes national park). Before, there was no real need for these ships to be coming to Villamil, spending most of their nights around the other islands and taking overnight journeys to get to Fernandina and other bird watching islands on the western edge of the archipelago. The PNG (parque national Galapagos) is the administrative body that regulates these cruise ships and their numbers. One of their main priorities is to prevent site saturation and ensure the best possible experience for visiting tourists. This entails giving each tourist the most personable and intimate experience with the unique wildlife that has come to symbolize the Galapagos. Upon landing on an uninhabited island, the last thing a Belgian tourist would want to see is a fellow European in safari clothes with a big sunhat taking pictures of a blue-footed booby with the newest Canon power zoom lens. Cruise ships are kept on strict itineraries, down to the hour, to prevent exactly this from happening. After a certain amount of time at a site, the National Park Guide will start to usher his group on, knowing that the next herd of antsy tourists from another ship is already on its way.

Most of you will agree that there is actually nothing wrong with this. The PNG is simply ensuring that everybody gets what they have flown across the world for. Where it gets weird is the fact that Puerto Villamil has now been included as a stop in the itineraries of many of the cruise ships. The problem is that the inhabitants of Villamil do NOT want it. The 50 or so boats that pass through in the high season are a huge eye sore in the tiny bay in front of town. The cruise ships are essentially parasitic feeders. Enjoying and using the beautiful environment around Villamil without giving anything back. The ships offer accommodation (of course), lunches, guides and any other amenities their little rich and retired hearts might desire. The boatloads of tourists visiting the Galapagos this way do not bring any cash flow into the local island economies, no benefits to the local hotel owners, restaurants, shopkeepers nor fishermen offering snorkel/bay tours. According to many who we interviewed for our political ecology project (more on that later), the cruise ships are very greedy and unwilling to let anybody else benefit from their clients. Besides one or two, most boats refuse to include a night on land in Villamil. In some sense, rightfully so. I mean they ARE offering everything and taking the burden of all the costs. It’s just hard for the inhabitants here to see all this tourism finally reaching their island but it being consistently out of reach. Besides the lack of participation in the local economy, the yacht-based tourists also leave a lot of trash on land, congest the local visiting sites and town and the yachts dump their bilge water into the bay.

Since January 2011, the municipality of Puerto Villamil has been actively campaigning against this cruise ship invasion. One of their biggest and boldest moves was hiring Raquel Molina, recently fired from the position as tourism minister for the National Park due to her difficult position on the cruise ship industry. She took a stance against the expansion and further development of this sector within the Galapagos archipelago and as such was removed. Her position did not favor the vested economic interests of those politically well-connected economic oligarchs on the Ecuadorian mainland that own and control a large proportion of this industry. These rich and well connected investors have their vested economic interests pretty well protected from any kind of legislature that would limit their ability to continue to reap economic benefits from the exploitation of this amazing archipelago and UNESCO world heritage site... The municipality has held several town meetings to try and mediate discussion between the park and local inhabitants, whose interests are currently being overlooked and totally ignored. At several of these meetings, in order to placate an unsettled audience, the Isabela park director has been recorded as promising to completely eliminate the presence of cruise ships coming here. A year later nothing has changed and is not even moving in the right direction.

One of the park’s founding pillars of its charter is the part that states all decisions will be made in conjunction and consultation with the communities they affect. The park is clearly acting and deciding in the interest of the most lucrative sector that operates within the archipelago, the cruise ships. Within our first two weeks here, we quickly figured out that there was a lot of resentment amongst local fishermen towards the national park. These fishermen, once actively fishing lobster, sea cucumber and ‘pesca blanca’ (tuna, wahoo, cod and pelagic fish), were now finding themselves increasingly restricted in their fishing activities. Due to increasing restrictions by the park in regards to quotas and open/closed seasons in an attempt to sustainably manage fish stocks, fishing as a livelihood is becoming increasingly less sustainable. Most of these fishermen who have or are in the process of transitioning over to some sort of tourism activity, are not benefitting at all from cruise ships which come cruising through. Only a small five years ago, the first land-based tourists came to Isabela and were approaching many of the idle fishermen to take them out for a tour of the bay. Little work was required on the part of the fishermen and they got $10 cash in hand at the end. Not a bad deal considering the higher profit margins and little effort required on their part as compared to fishing. And considering how difficult it has become to live life as a fishermen, constantly having to work around the many restrictions and limitations imposed top down by the PNG.

With this and the cruise ship issue, the PNG doesn’t have the highest popularity ratings at the moment. With six cruise ships littering the bay right now I’m not sure what is exactly being done, maybe the PNG is simply hoping for it all to blow over and people to forget about the whole issue by acclimatizing to the presence of these shiny white floating pests. I hope the Municipio is successful in their stance against the park and for its people. There needs to be a mindshift in the way that people conceive and perceive the Galapagos. Away from this single-minded focus on only its unique flora and fauna and more on the people who constitute its inhabitants. On those that have worked tirelessly to carve out a living from this volcanic product. The people is what makes this place so special, so unique and so much fun.

I was at the bar the other night with some of our local surfer friends. It was a relatively quiet night. This meaning that of our 15 students, only two of us were out because of the 5 30 am boat we were taking the next morning to Santa Cruz. With 13 gringo girls staying at home to sleep, about 70% of the surfer boy population decided to either go home early or not come out at all. There we were, sitting at this table at Iguana point, beer after beer, when I decided to ask how bad of a drug problem there existed here. Even though its such a small and relatively isolated island, these kinds of places are not exempt from modern day problems and so I wanted to find out more. (To satisfy my curiosity, not my insatiable appetite for drugs)

Being in South America, and well connected to the Ecuadorian mainland, I was expecting the standard demand for cocaine and marijuana. What surprised me way beyond anything I could have expected was finding out that heroine is also found here. Apparently, drug smugglers travelling up or down the coast of South America pass close by the Galapagos archipelago in order to avoid ships patrolling close to the continental shores. Drug shipments are thrown overboard when smugglers sense danger or are on the verge of being caught. Or, when caught in bad swell, packages sometimes get washed overboard as well. With the Peru oceanic current running from the southern tip of South America northwest towards this archipelago, many of these floating packages are swept right into the open arms of some of its beautiful beaches.

Now, as this story goes, there are people here on Isabela and the other islands who find these washed up packages and resell them, either back to the mainland or here on the islands. Whether mostly to local inhabitants or back to the owners on the mainland I’m not sure, but some of it certainly stays on the island. One of my friends Christian, told me he had been taking it for three months at one point last year. I almost didn’t believe him until I saw how serious he was. This is one of the most low-key, laid back yet hardworking people I’ve met here. He has set himself up a good working relationship with an American mountain biking outfitting group that works with him to send tour groups to Isabela to do adventure bike tours around the island. The pride with which he describes his brand new 22 mountain bikes as being ‘the best on the island’ demonstrate how invested he is in it. To hear that he was actually caught on something as serious and stupid as heroin was something I was not expecting. Had I not been studying here for three months and gotten the chance to befriend the people who live here, I would never have gotten that ‘behind the scenes’ insight into this fascinating island community. As a tourist, that is one of the most crucial elements you miss out on when visiting a new country or place. You only get to see the most artificial and materialistic elements of wherever you are without fully comprehending the dynamics of the people and place around you. Without that connection to the locals you can only ever experience something through your own perceptions and concepts.

Another interesting part of the story is that they actually believe the bartender working at bar de betos is an undercover policewoman posted here to gain more insight and knowledge into the drug scene here in the Galapagos. Being 28, with great English, Spanish, some Dutch and German, and pretty intelligent, I guess I can see why they think that. Though it could also have arisen due to some jealousy, resentment and general gossip. There are plenty of people here brought over from the mainland, (large proportion from Guayaquil) to work on short-term contracts in some sector on the island. So I personally don’t think she is undercover, but it does make for an interesting story.

Irregardless, I found it fascinating to learn more about this little community. That’s really the only reason I wanted to write about this. These little stories and gossip is what this place constitutes of. It definitely has helped me realize that I’ll never get the full extent of this place. You can’t come here hoping to understand everything in a measly three months.

At the Playa del amor, with the receding tide, the rocky lava shore holds natural pockets of water trapped in the low tide. These tide pools are the ideal nurseries for young damselfish, with bigger predatory fish physically constrained from being here. These younguns have little to worry about, except a place to catch your breath and rest easy. I’m not sure if they are extremely territorial or just always in a bad mood. The concentration of damselfish to livable space is quite high, so these guys have to constantly be on high alert for anyone looking to take their spot. They are of varrying sizes, from about 2 cm to not much larger than 8 cm. It seems as if at all times, about 60% have their territory, rock, ledge or hole, and the other 40% are homeless, roaming, looking for a poorly defended entrance. A breach in the defensive guard that is quickly taken advantage of. The tricky part though, is that when an aggressive damselfish decides to meet his challenger face on and chase him across the pool, by the time he has made it back to his original spot, some other sneaky fish has already moved in. It then has to chase off this imposter, who was just about to get comfortable. As such, watching this tide pool of sub surface action gives the impression of watching bumper cars from a bird’s eye view. Incessantly going from one side to the other, facing new challengers with every turn. Some really try to drive the point home to these unwanted visitors, pursuing them halfway across the pool and nipping at their heels. Others who happen to fall into its trajectory get chased too, even though they have done nothing to merit this aggressive attitude. If you have ever snorkeled or dived too close to any variety of damselfish you know what I’m talking about. I’ve had them bite at my mask, fingers or toes to push me away. Shows how bold these little fish are, taking on humans who dwarf them more than 100:1.
The less bold ones are bigger pushovers, allowing invaders to intrude further onto their little plot before finally reluctantly coming out from their hiding space to lay stake to their claim. Though they never stray too far from their home, knowing that the second they do, the opportunity will be seized by a roaming compatriot.
Some seem to have struck up alliances or temporary truces with their neighbors. A couple of the really territorial damselfish seemed to allow a couple of others to graze on the same patch of algae. Perhaps neighbors too tired of the incessant bickering. Much happier with a mutually agreed upon borderline. Or maybe more realistically, just some sexy females who are always a welcome presence to the territorial macho males.
I wonder how they sleep? Does the sunset signal the end of the days work and everyone just settles in for a night’s sleep where they ended up? Only to start all over the second the sun comes up. Or do these territorial battles continue all night long? Regardless, they sure are funny fish to watch. Its like my private little soap opera, full of drama and suspense.

after a long day of lectures and field work today, ryan and I went for a run along the beach
you can basically just run along the beach until you reach the rocks at the far end, then turn back, probably like 30 minutes in total
when we got to the end of the beach, just as we were turning around we say the tiniest little fin, fighting against the incoming surf
it was a very young blacktip shark, probably 40 cm long, swimming around in the high tide shallows about 2 meters from the beach
We watched it for as long as we could, until it dissappeared in the crashing sandy surf.
As we were running back towards Villamil, we also got to watch a fur seal body surfing the incoming tide. It was clearly just playing around and enjoying it just as much as we do when we go out to the surf beach to body surf
this place is INCREDIBLE

I have been trying to figure out how to convey a sense of what Puerto Villamil is like to all those of you who are following my blog or interested in knowing what my new home is like (not a permanent home… I think). I will try and combine my descriptive flow with pictures because personal interpretations could produce a whole different picture of what I am trying to bring across. One of the most striking aspects of this little coastal town of ~2400 inhabitants is that it only has one paved road. That is the one going from the edge of town into the highlands towards the still active Volcano Sierra Negre. The rest of the town is connected by a grid like network of sandy little roads all marked by moguls that rattle your brain every time you go over them on your bike or car. The main street parallel to the beach goes from one end of town to the other, a distance spanning probably no more than 500 meters. Aside from a few restaurants, shops and hotels, IOI (isabela oceanographic institute), our home base for the next 3 months in all things academic, is located here.

Driving around with my host dad in his truck I can't help but notice how he seems to recognize almost everyone. The average speed that the few pickups around town drive is probably no more than 10 km/hour. I have come to the conclusion that this is so as not to miss out on greeting all your friends and acquaintances who you pass. When you enter a room, you must greet everyone individually or it is taken as an insult. Men a horizontal high five followed by a pound and women a kiss on the cheek. Driving through town my host dad would periodically honk and greet someone he knew, either sitting outside their house conversing with friends or walking through the streets

The ‘beach boulevard’, if I may call it that, separates the three little bars with assorted wooden pieces as seats/tables from the beautiful white sands of Puerto Villamil’s main playground. As it is summer vacation until April, the beach is a major source of entertainment for all the kids in town. The ‘built up from lava rock’ pier, with the popular Iguana Point bar at the end is also a popular diving spot, from which kids jump off of to avoid being tagged by their playmates. Their nimble little feet accustomed to dodging the sharp little edges of lava rock that we gringos seem to stub our toes on so often. You have two types of lava rock, Pahoehoe and A’ A’, the latter of which is incredibly jagged and merciless to tourists with tender baby feet such as ours. It’s pretty unique to watch about 25 different kids playing around this little area, with the occasional Fur seals passing through without much notice. They seem to be given the same amount of attention as Parisians give pigeons; after a while they just blend in.

When you head inland a little bit, towards the outer edges of town, the first thing you notice is the chunks of solidified (obviously) black lava rock scattered around randomly. Whenever I see these magma formations in-between the houses, I can’t help but think back to the day it all happened. One, big, explosive day. Where globs of glowing magma the size of houses and small buildings were expelled hundreds of meters into the sky from Sierre Negra. Each coming down on an unsuspecting plot of land, sizzling poor lava lizards or marine iguanas who happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. The landscape and flora down here on the coast is pretty barren. The intense heat and lava substrate isn't exactly friendly to lush tropical vegetation so cacti, palm trees and a random assortment of others is what one commonly sees riding around.

Kids here are almost always seen walking around on their own. Maybe here there is a not culture of smothering your kids by over-anxious parents. Parents for whom it is never too early to start prepping their children to have the perfect CV for university applications. Parents who don't trust their children alone or outside for fear of them being abducted. This is of course a small island community, one that was used as a penal colony up until the mid 50's as its barren landscape formed natural barriers to escape. Children here are given free reign to roam as they please, with young kids given responsibility over their younger siblings or family members really early. My host brother Justin, who is 11, is already perfectly adept at handling a young baby who is cared for by my host mom while her real mom goes out to work everyday. Justin knows exactly how to hold and soothe her when she starts crying, something most western kids are not trusted with until they are 'mature'. There is mutual trust by everyone in the community around them to look after one another. I couldn't imagine a greater place to grow up in, with the beautiful, relatively undeveloped (the national park owns 97% of the land, and is keeping it that way) Isabela island as your playground. Having said that though, I can imagine the adolescent generations dreaming of life beyond the island, of everything they read, watch tv and hear about.

I'm working on a bit about my host family, so as to give you all an idea about who has to deal with me for the next 9 weeks.

This was our Yoga morning. We found out yesterday that christine is a huge yoga fanatic and does it several times a week. Willing to share her passion she agreed to lead who ever was interested through a ~40 minute session. When I arrived at the beach at the arranged time (6 30) we quickly found out that Christine had actually already been there for an hour or so, running along the beach and enjoying the sunrise. Rest assured, she is not crazy, her clock was simply an hour off, but this fact seemed to faze her no less than we were fazed by our newest member of the group. On the walk over from her house Sarah had been followed by an extremely friendly, playfull, flea free ( I think…) and attention seeking dog. Only fitting to call him yogi right?
There is no way I could get myself to wake up at 6 am to do Yoga or go running in Miami (actually the only thing that can really get me out of bed before 6 is the promise of scuba diving). I guess a really extraordinary place like this brings out the best in people. Even the laziest of the lazy will feel as if they are missing out. With only 3 months here you need to really appreciate every second you can get. This is extremely cliche but it doesn't matter. If you have been in a similar situation or place of the same calibre, you know exactly what I am talking about. Before you know it you only have one week left and you regret all those times you kept putting off doing certain things because "we have SO much time left".
There is just something so nice about that moment in the morning, when the town has not woken yet. There are no noises from the restaurants, no scooters, bikes (main mode of transport) or people. Aside from two other active people on the beach running, there is no one around. Almost as if the whole place is yours, for the short 40 minutes that it lasts. By the time we end our session there is a distinct difference in the air. The sun has risen to a 30 degree angle, so you really start to feel the heat on your sweaty bare skin. People have started to stir and get ready for another day in the life on Galapaguenos. The local naval base (don't be mistaken, this is no larger than an average apartment) is awake and already attending to their daily chores/activities. There is already a small group playing at the Cancha di Playa (cage footbal court located by the beach). That feeling right there, in that EXACT moment just cannot be beat. There is no better way to start your day than with some strenuous and demanding physical activity. I am telling you, by the 20th minute, every new stance Christine was leading us through had my arms and legs shaking with exhaustion and begging me to let myself sink into the sand. I like to think I am fairly in shape, but this yoga session has humbled me. After what seemed like two and a half hours Christine said "Ok you guys are doing great, we only have a few repetitions left". All I could think was: "A FEW...!!!!" I wasn't even sure I would make it through the next five seconds without collapsing. Another few repetitions, certain to last at least ten minutes, would be like torture to my 'still in vacation mode' body. Right before the last stance she told us : ok now we are going to do one of the more advanced moves. (to me it seemed like she took us through the double black belt routine right from the start!). Tom, Sarah and I all looked at each other with big eyes and in that look of desperation I knew we all felt the same level of useless desperation. WIth extremely red faces we couldn;t help but laugh. Needless to say we all made it through ok, though not without MUCH difficulty and a couple of tumbles into the sand from my part. Yogi was no longer with us, having taken refuge under the wooden playhouse from the hot sun which had now come out to say hello and beat at us with its stronger than usual rays(due to the close proximity of the Galapagos to the sun). Probably a smart move considering he had followed Sarah over here just to watch us struggle and sweat.
The only (and best) way to cool off after such a workout is to go right into the sea, basically the front porch to all of Isabela. The furthest end of town is still only 500 m away from the ocean and thus everybody's playground. Including the fur seals, which can be found almost everywhere around Villamil. Just as we entered the very fresh water we noticed a mama seal playing with a nice fat 30 cm snapper she had just caught. A younger seal was with her and so we could only assume she was trying to show her some little tricks and skills for hunting. she kept throwing the fish through the air, very similar to the way orca's would play with any seals they had caught before eating them, on some national geographic videos we used to have. very amazing to see so early in the day. especially as this was all happening about 5 meters away from us, with the two seals taking no notice of the 4 white people watching it with childish expressions.
You can;t help but walk away from a morning session like this one with a huge smile on your face. It is these moments that make you RE-realize that we are actually in the Galapagos. something you tend to forget when you get caught up in the daily flow of things like class, socail projects, interviews and afternoon beers on the point watching the sunset. It helps to have these experiences, to help ground you and kind of re-situate yourself in the moment. bringing yourself BACK to the present, something Meltzoff has been preaching to us since we first arrived. Maybe thats why so many people fall in love with these islands, because there are so many of these opportunities which bring you back from this mindless roaming.
I love everything about it so far
Have seen a little plot of land for sale on the beach.... have already contacted the number... (GRAPJE MAMA!)

Soon I'll write about my host family and this little town of Puerto Villamil

After our first couple of days here on Isla Santa Cruz getting shown around by Professor Meltzoff and the legendary Rene, there are a couple of things that become apparent about Las Islas Encantadas (The Enchanted islands). First off, and this is probably the most heavily advertised aspect, the wildlife is so totally unfased by the presence of pasty white and intrusive tourists. On our first day eeryone in the group was able to get within a meter of whitetip sharsk, sea turtles, fur seals and marine iguanas. The sharks calmly and coolly cruised back and forth along the drop off by Seymour Norte as I free-dived to swim alongside them. It was if they knew that my presence amongst them at 6 meter depth was limited to the tiny breath my lungs would hold. That evolution had crafted their supreme traits millions of years ago while we still struggle to survive above water. it simply isn't fair that we use modern medicine and technology to continuously defy evolutionary pressures and at the same time use those tools to gradually and systematically empty our oceans of the most advanced and adapted predator it has ever seen. Jealousy perhaps????
The fur seals seeed to enjoy our presence, wether as a subject of curiosity or mocking I'm not sure. The younger fur seals around Santa Fe (who maybe had not come into contact with snorkeling tourists before) were totally unafraid to come into our proximity. Darting in and out of reach, with extreme agility and speed, they seemed to revel in the realization that they were by far better swimmer than me. As I'd seen Rene do earlier, as soon as a young fur seal came close I dove underwater and twisted and turned in a desperate attempt to imitate their graceful movements. He/She seemed to take the bait and actually came within cm's of my face, only to dart away when I'd return t the surface to gulp for air. When I would quickly dive back down again it would be back, staring at me with those big inquisitive and innocent eyes. it was as if I had to fully immerse myself in its realm before it would grant me an audience. remaining at the surface breathing comfortably through your snorkel just didn't cut it. Maybe my black wetsuit and find fooled it into believing I was really one of them. Also entirely possible is that they saw straight through my disguise and merely saw me as a source of amusement. I looked like a fool, and they loved the prospect of demonstrating that to me. The large male of the group would also occasionally pass right beneath me, as a reminder of how he dwarfed me and who's territory it really was.
The marine iguanas are probably some of the most relaxed and harmless reptiles I have ever encountered. They are most commonly spotted blending in with the volcanic shorelines as they lie spread-eagle, trying to absorb as much solar heat as possible. They would occasionally turn their leathery and bumpy heads to look at me as I swim close. Mostly however, they seem to be enjoying the picturesque scenery, the company of fellow iguanas and their moments out of the cold Pacific waters. When I spotted one eating underwater (which I was told was pretty lucky) I couldn't help but notice how completely out of place they seem. using their long tails to propel themselves through the water similar to alligators, they latch on to the chosen spot and begin to feed. This all while we are using all our energy to stay attent, trying to avoid being smashed up against the barnacle covered shore by the strong surge. Their individual nails each acting as an anchor against the swell.
Rene, the innovative, adventure seeking, womanizing and extremely comedic guide who has provided us with such a great insight into his islands, playground and paradise. A longtime friend of our professor Sarah Meltzoff since she first came here 10 years ago, he is also the son in law of some of the earliest colonizers of these unforgiving islands. Families who were recruited by the government to form colonies on the mainland and bring them to the islands to prevent the United States from extending their greedy arms. Having lived in the Galapagos for over 30 years, he has seen the transgression from a community of independent, autonomous, hardworking, tough people to one which runs almost entirely off tourism. Despite watching the real spirit of the islands disappear amongst all the foreign people and ideas, he takes everything with the right attitude. Taking our group out for our snorkel and boat tour was a chance to visit some of his favorite spots and enjoy life underwater. While hitting all the popular sites wheres the many tourist yachts anchor, he also took us to those places where you can see micro fauna which isn't on every poster, billboard or postcard about the Galapagos. Sharks and fur seals are some of the most impressive animals to see underwater but you can't forget to appreciate the little things in life. Like the damselfish, massive schools of fish which make the seafloor like like a shimmering moving carpet. His phrase "slowly lowly" seems to encompass everything about the aright approach to spending time in the Galapagos. It isn't about speeding from one site to the next in a new boat with 3 200 HP 4 stroke engines to swim with as many sharks and fur seals as possible. It is about watching the life around you move and interact in its natural way. Staying still by the little crevices and pockets in the hardened lava rock until the damselfish are no longer scared into hiding by your looming shadow. Then they will come out and actually try and push you off their little bit of territory by biting at your mask and fingers.
trekking through the highlands where Rene's extended family has three cabins, it is especially important to go and BE "slowly lowly". He is truly the manifestation of this self made expression. Wether he came up with it consciously or simply through faulty english I'm not sure, but the meaning is there. What is most impressive is how adaptable he is. He is as comfortable with seals as he is with horses. Meltzoff calls him the horse whisperer. Having spent a lot of time in the andes before his time in the Galapagos, he formed the close and intimate understanding of horses which one can only get from mutual relationships. One of his horses had recently escaped and was later found tied up along the roadside with no food nor water and clear signs of abuse. Getting such a horse to trust in man again is something only its owner, and closest friend (Rene) can do. Unfortunately (or maybe in clear conscience) he forgot to tell me that it hadn't been ridden since he found it tied up along the road (only two weeks ago...). While saddling it, he first allowed the horse to smell each individual piece of leather and cloth which went on its back. Each followed by reassuring words from Rene, explaining the the purpose of it and to make him as comfortable as possible. Only 5 minutes into my ride, and after a few unsuccessful attempts to throw me off, this nervous and untrusting horse managed to send me flying into the lava gravel. Aside from a few cuts and some bruises on my thighs from trying to hold on so tightly I was totally fine. What was amazing was to see how Rene handled the situation. He soothed the horse back into a manageable state, with his presence words and expert horsemanship. He treats the horse like the character that he is. Asking him why he would throw off his friend like that, why he wouldn;t trust me even though Rene was alongside him the whole time. Confiding in him how this embarassed him in front of his longtime friend Meltzoff and how we were good people and those who had abused him were far away. I think these kind of relationships with flora and fauna can only be built in a place like the Galapagos, where the survival of man has depended on mutually beneficial relationships. Horses and dogs are used for hunting, but only once the bond between them and their partner (I don't really want to use owner because of what it implies) is so strong.
Unfortunately, like Rene said, life on the islands isn't the same as it was even 30 years ago. Back then ships would come MAYBE once every six months with things like cement, rice, sugar and other basic necessities and tools. Galapaguenos are losing the fine balance between man and nature which has defined these islands for so long. It still exists in people like Rene and his mother in law Dona Anita (who I will write about in the next blog) and needs to be preserved through the following generations, not as a necessity for survival, but merely to enrich the cultural heritage. Going to the remote Isabela I hope to find more of that, but I guess I'll know soon enough.
I will post pictures and my next blog soon enough

Things will probably be more concise in the future, there was just so much to take in and appreciate in these first couple of days that it was almost impossible to stay on track

comment as you like!