Post Office Bay

   Even mailing postcards from around the world provides new travel experiences.  For example, many countries did not have postcards, or if they did, then the postcards were yellowed with age.  Some countries had postcards with pictures worse than your family’s old slides.  And some countries had postcards that were beautiful but cost at least $1.00 per card!  What about stamps?  Well, most places cost about $2.00 to mail abroad per stamp, except India, which cost less than it costs in the United States to send a DOMESTIC letter.  I don’t know who was footing the bill to have that one stamp cover the costs to mail through India, across the world, and then to a doorstep but it was pretty awesome.  Sometimes, stamps had to be purchased at the post office, but normally there were touristy shops where stamps could be procured at a 20% markup.  Ice cream convenience stores in Israel sold stamps, some tobacco shops in Rome, newsstands in China if you were able to speak Chinese to the owner,  and tourist shops in Galapagos sold stamps.  But nowhere had more interesting mail than Post Office Bay in the Galapagos.

  150 years ago, when the Galapagos were even more isolated from mainland South America than they are today, there was a barrel into which your pirate mail could be placed.  Then, any passing ship would pick the mail up and bring it to a harbor nearer to your port of delivery.  Generations and eras have passed, but the barrel still sounds.  Now, tourists write postcards and place them in the box that is located on the beach at Post Office Bay.  When other ships come in, they search for postcards from passengers’ hometown and then, lest the curse of the tortoise be placed upon you, you must HAND deliver the letter to the recipient when you return home.  Sadly, our letters will likely arrive home using this free service FASTER than the cheap service from India.