Maritime Missions
Painting the Galapagos in Primaries
Voyaging from Puntarenas, Costa Rica to the Galapagos Islands of
Ecuador was uneventful, save for our fabulous guests on board. As you
sailors out there know, there is no reliable wind in the Intertropical
Convergence Zone surrounding the Equator. We were propelled by power
over the calms for 600 miles. Midway through, an overnight stop at the
Cocos Island National Park (of Costa Rica) livened things up a bit. We
trekked in tropical forest mud through encroaching green growths that
nearly followed us down the trails.
S/V Eleftheria anchored in Puerto Ayora, Isla Santa Cruz, Los
Galapagos. Within days we found ourselves up to our elbows in paint
and challenging our limited Spanish skills in the child care center.
My husband, Milo, has an uncanny knack for meeting people and plunging
in where there is work to do. Not an hour had he stood on the solid
ground in this legendary archipelago and we were signed up to help
clean, re-paint and do small improvements at the "Los Pinguinos"
government-funded daycare. After three days of work and fun, we were
very sad to leave our new friends.
Maria, the director, greeted us with her brilliant smile each day when
we hopped out of the back of our truck-taxi. Day one, side by side
with several single mother/employees, we scoured the place. The rats
had found more than one route into the kitchen and evidence of their
nocturnal visits lay everywhere. Milo, the male muscles (and brains)
of the group, moved the appliances. He spent the day exercising his
electrical wiring skills and plumbing knowledge. There is truth in the
old adage that a sailor is a jack of all trades. We find these basic
skills to be valuable everywhere we go, both on land and at sea. A
doctorate isn't a prerequisite to being useful in the islands! There
is something for everyone.
Days two and three we painted the place in entirety. We coated the
buildings inside and out with generous brushes of bright primary
colors. Then we assaulted the surrounding cement walls and flowerbeds.
Milo re-built a donated playhouse. When the paint dried on the
playhouse, which didn't take long in the intense equatorial heat,
little Jose' of three years operated his hotdog stand out of it,
selling us imaginary tasty tidbits.
Each day we shared lunch with the ladies and their children. This, on
their meagre budget, usually consisted of a single tin of tuna mixed
with some garlic or a vegetable and seasoned with tomato sauce then
mixed into a generous portion of rice. The food was very basic,
however the friendships are enduring. During our relaxed lunch breaks
we each shared some of ourselves.
By the end of Easter week, Los Pinguinos had an inviting face lift.
The courtyard, flowerbeds and exterior walls were a bright rainbow of
cheer. The dining/play room was transformed into an aquarium. Painted
dolphins, octopi and schools of fish swam around the children in a
deep blue sea.
The Galapagos Islands are a fascinating place for the nature
enthusiast, geologist and biologist alike. What National Geographic
usually leaves out of their famous pictures are all the people in
these islands. Puerto Ayora is a town of 6,000 residents, most
Ecuadorian. There are at least a dozen each of hotels, restaurants and
souvenir shops.
For me, it is the people that most influence my travel experience in a
foreign land. Milo and I take steps outside the usual tourist paths,
getting to know the locals on a deeper level. We try to obtain greater
understanding of their culture and perspectives. Sharing ourselves and
our time helps us enjoy rich and memorable experiences that last a
lifetime.
Kimberly Coldren
Editor's Note;
This is what Maritime Missions is all about; bringing you, the
traveler and adventurer into closer contact and relationship with the
people in the places you want to explore. Take home more than pictures
of sunny beaches and palms. Take life-long friendships to hold in your
heart.
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