Galápagos Islands (a poem)

Bleak and Ugly

When Charles Darwin arrived in the Galápagos Islands, it was a penal colony for criminals who worked on plantations. Criminal exile to remote islands was a common practice in centuries past. In fact, not only criminals, but the mentally ill, and anyone that the ruling class wanted to get rid of were transported far away and out of sight. These islands are not only some of the most remote in the world but, as Darwin said, are “bleak and ugly”. He spent five weeks on these “frying hot” islands.

Stupid and Sluggish

Even though the Galápagos Islands are nothing more than pieces of volcanic rock sticking out of the Pacific Ocean and used as prisons because they are so ugly, not one tree on some of them, and lonely and godforsaken. And even though Darwin himself described the marine iguana as “hideous-looking creatures of a dirty black color; stupid and sluggish in their movements”; and the terrestrial iguana as “small, ugly animals with a singularly stupid appearance and lazy half-torpid movements.” Even though Darwin said that tortoise meat tasted “particularly good when roasted in its shell,” even after all of this, over 150,000 tourists visit every year to see the tasty legendary tortoise and the equally famous hideous, stupid iguanas.

The Galápagos: Tourist Mecca

Indeed. People pay a lot of money to experience this bucket list destination. As one gentleman in Maureen’s group told me before they took off, “They say that you are never spiritually the same after seeing the Galápagos.” He frowned and looked mournful as if to underline the profound nature of this pilgrimage they were about to embark on. I said nothing. Later, I thought that he didn’t travel much. Because if he was used to traveling, he would know that what you imagine a place to be like is always better than the reality when you get there. I hope he wasn’t too disappointed.

Who are “They”?

Now is a good time to ask, who are they?” They are, of course, all the people selling the Galápagos. You can take a “Galápagos Dream Cruise” for an “unforgettable experience” or “hike, kayak, and snorkel with baby sea lions.” “The adventure is sure to be unique and wonderful.” And don’t forget, you will never be the same again, spiritually. Meanwhile, these islands are slowly overrun, and this delicate balance of life found nowhere else in the world will gradually disappear. In the 1960s, there were 2,000 people on the islands. There are 25,000 permanent residents today, and the number continues to grow.