There is a documentary from 2014, “The Galápagos Affair, Satan Comes to Eden,” about several Europeans who decided back in the 1930s to leave their lives behind, and move to an island off the coast of Ecuador in search of solitude and an alternative way of living. It is a crazy story that ends up as a murder mystery, one that fascinated me to no end. Apparently it fascinated the director Ron Howard too, as the story was his inspiration for last year’s film, “Eden”. (You can see the full documentary here, it’s an entertaining watch.)
This story is what lingered in my mind last month as I traveled to the Galápagos Islands at the invitation of INCA adventures, on my first-ever cruise. It was on a ship with only 14 of us passengers, not the monstrous ships one envisions when one thinks of cruising. Throughout my nine days at sea, I often wondered what went through those people’s minds to embark on such an experience. There was no human life on the island of Floreana when they arrived! Yet today, as we are bombarded with news of another war and its consequences, I can begin to understand their motives. (These German adventurers left in the years leading up to World War II.) Sometimes you just want to escape from civilization. Especially to a destination like this, islands so beautiful and nature so abundant and untouched, much of it seemed other-worldly.
As a bona fide city girl, I admit I was apprehensive about going this deep into nature, but found what this trip required most was curiosity and an open mind. Fortunately we also had Pati, an excellent, knowledgeable guide throughout the whole trip, who educated us thoroughly with facts and engaging storytelling about the Galápagos’ history, its indigenous animals, its flora and fauna, and so much more.
