What is the island of Santa Cruz like?

It takes 45 minutes to travel by bus from one end of the island over the mountain in the center of the island to the city on the coast, Puerto Ayora, on the opposite side of the island. That is what we did after we landed at the airport that is on another very small island not far off the coast of Santa Cruz. That journey passes through Bella Vista which is the second largest city on the island. It is quite small. Puerto Ayora has the largest number of the approx. 22,000 people who live on the island and is largely contained in a 3 mile square. That is my guess. It is not a square however, only people who live in cities designed by Brigham Young live where all the streets are perpendicular to one another. Things grow organically in most places. A main street develops and then things spread out. There are two rocky cliffs (probably only 2-3 stories high) extending inland from the ocean that limit the city from expanding easily width wise. Growth is away from the water and up the hill. 

My perspective is very limited however because I have only been on the major road across the whole island and the places I have walked to within the city. (We also did some serious walking below the town of Bella Vista before we found the house we were looking for outside of town.) The government has created and sells a map with names of all the streets within the city but the taxi drivers and the people who live here do not know them. There are only a couple of street name signs and they are only in the tourist area down near the sea. The taxi drivers don't need to know the street names. They know the name of every business in town and probably the names of the people who live in most of the houses. People just state the barrio where they want to go and what their destination is near. It makes it very difficult for strangers to get around but it seems to work just fine for the people who live here. (It doesn't translate well on MLS - the church membership record software. Lewis is trying to improve the record keeping here in the branch and faces an uphill battle.)

It has not rained since we have arrived until today (didn't last long), except up in the mountain where it sprinkles often. It has been hot and humid. We are very happy that we have an air conditioner in the living room and one in our bedroom. We are happy that the apartment is furnished. The bed is good and the pillows will do. Our kitchen equipment is minimum. We have no oven but there is a microwave and a toaster oven. Lewis can't bake bread and we can't do cakes and cookies so we have not been doing a lot of cooking. We usually eat scrambled eggs with sauteed onions and peppers and toast for one meal of the day.  The other meal is very simple as well. We figure we don't want to buy a lot of things or stock up on food we will just have to leave behind. We do not know how long we will be here. President Torres said two or three months. We have been here for five weeks now. 

So many people in the world dream of traveling here. I want to share the experiences we have had so you can learn more about this island. I mentioned Tortuga Bay before. We went in the morning without eating anything first and I was very tired by the time we got back. We didn't realize that it is a 45 min walk to the beach, a long walk along the beach to the lagoon and then you retrace all that to return. It was well worth it but we should have been better prepared for a hike and have enough time to sit and enjoy the view before returning. Most of the island is part of a National Park that is protected and controlled. The considerations are for the animals and the people must be hardy enough to get themselves to the locations and back again. No motor vehicles are allowed. We were delighted to see tracks in the sand made by marine turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. We didn't see any turtles but we could see where they had been. They have the dunes with vegetation roped off to protect the nests. One of the member's daughter works with the rangers and she said that if one turtle lays her eggs on top of another the weight of the eggs will crush those beneath. We saw a dozen or more marine iguanas sunning themselves on the beach. We also saw a baby shark in the clear water very near the shore. Other tourists were trying to photograph it. We first met Andre there. He saw our tags and said Hello. He and his family are members of the branch. He works as a guide and is often traveling and not at church. He speaks English. Wish I could sit and ask him a million questions about all the interesting things here. 

The Charles Darwin Scientific Center where they raise the baby tortoises is a must. They collect eggs from the various islands, incubate them and hatch the babies. (Did you know that the temperature in the incubator determines the sex of the tortoise!? Females like it warmer. I'll bet that didn't surprise you.) They keep them for three to five years, until they have reached a specific size and learned to climb the rocky lava mountains that will be their home. They implant some sort of identification just under the skin in each one so that if they happen to catch it again they can keep records. They have the empty "corral" (their Spanish word) where Lonesome George lived. He died in 2012 and was the last of his specific specie. They were never able to produce offspring. So it seems his particular specie is gone, at least for this lifetime. They have three land iguanas on display and gardens of endemic plants. We hope to back and explore further.

We have been to La Playa de Los Alemanes. One has to take a water taxi for 70 cents/each and cross over to the other side of the port. From there it is a 5 min walk past rural houses and hotels to a lovely beach that also has some mangroves. We passed a couple of areas that were roped off. There were signs that said the areas were marine iguana nesting areas. We didn't see any marine iguanas there that day but we enjoyed the sun and the sand. We saw a few birds--pelicans, frigates and finches. It would be lovely to spend a vacation week there. If we were as rich in money as we are in family we could rent a couple of hotels and all come for a Galapagos Beach Week. Wouldn't that be fun?

We went to Premecias up near Santa Rosa (the third city on the island, tiny) to see the larger "wild" tortoises. We hired a taxi driver to take us up on the mountain to see the tortoises. Premecias is a place that is private property with a restaurant and a gift shop. They charge $3 each to come and walk around their property and see several tortoises. You must watch where you step. Galapagos Tortoise poop is big. It is much cooler here and very green with many mature trees up on the mountain. It rains more frequently so the vegetation is dense and there is soil and plant matter instead of just lava rock underfoot. We enjoyed walking around and saw probably five different tortoises of varying sizes. We discovered  they enjoy fruit. There are lots of citrus ? trees - different than California trees for sure, but the tortoises apparently eat the fruit as well as the grass and bushes. 

On the same trip the taxi driver took us to see a lava tunnel. We didn't have a lot of time so we didn't walk the whole way through but were very impressed with the size. When the island was formed there must have been air trapped and/or huge boulders pushed through the molten lava to create tunnels. Or the lava spread over the top of the land and the hotter part beneath melted a parallel path. I don't know but it made an impressive tunnel. I understand there are many throughout the island. The one we went to had very nice stairs built to go down to the entrance. There was a sign and a trash can but no one was there and no entrance fee. We went a couple of curves into the tunnel. It was big enough to be a subway tunnel and it had electric lights every 50 feet or so. Very cool and pleasantly cool in temperature as well. There was some water dripping from the ceiling but it was pleasant. It made me think of how nice it is to be here in Galapagos where it is safe. That could be a perfect place for bad guys to hang out but it seems that there are no bad guys here. People comment that they like living here because it is "tranquilo" and safe. No one has locks on their bikes and the other day I noticed that a brand new scooter was parked with the keys in the ignition in front of the hardware store on the "muelle". People leave their doors and windows open and we walk home at night all the time. The rest of the world could take a lesson from the island of Santa Cruz. 

One of my favorite places is the fisherman's port on Charles Darwin Street in the tourist district. There are two big cement tables and a big cement sink under a canvas to provide shade. Fisherman in small boats pull right up to the dock and bring out camping coolers full of the fish they have caught. They take them to the two women who clean and cut up the fish and pack it away into other coolers. They are surrounded by tourists with cameras, pelicans, a dark gray seagull and one huge sea lion every time I have been by.  The sea lion is right next to the lady and looks soulfully up at her begging for a handout. It often works. The last time we passed by no one was working but the sea lion was there sleeping and there were several pelicans and one seagull. They must be the regulars. 

 So much for the tourist attractions. Our best experiences have been with the missionaries and the people of the branch. We have at least two meetings a week with the missionaries and see them often. We have visited with lots of members and they have been gracious to try to help us correct the records and find information about members who have moved from the area. We have been invited to dinner and to family home evening and to lunch by kind people. The young missionaries are fed dinner (at lunchtime) every day by different families in the branch. They are faithful and come through every day. They provide the greatest part of the missionaries' diet for sure. 

We have spent time in Sunday meetings with the members as well as activities and some random training sessions . There is a branch talent show tomorrow. We may get to know people much better after that experience. There are only two 2010 handbooks here. We have copied important information to share with leaders and are trying to make it possible for them to read and review the instructions with their presidencies and answer their questions. We have met with the family history specialist and helped her see her calling more clearly. We have the Area working on a real Family History Library set up here. The approvals have been obtained. Now the task of getting the equipment and making it happen is next. Normally that would never happen in a branch but there is no stake here and these people are not able to travel without considerable expense. 

Lewis and the financial secretary have been purging old records and cleaning up the office. We collected all of the manuals and church materials and organized them. We are still working on permanent storage for everything. We have organized pictures and teaching materials and things are beginning to look a little better and hopefully will be much easier to find and use. 

The chapel here is lovely. The members are fortunate to have such a nice building. They show their appreciation and diligence by keeping it clean. Every Saturday they sweep and mop all of the floors and clean the bathrooms and keep things in order. It is a big job. I am impressed with their willingness to own their stewardship and comply with the responsibilities that go with it. 

We are enjoying our experiences here in Santa Cruz, one of the Galapagos Islands. 

What we have seen so far in Los Galapagos

I wrote this to a sister who is thinking of traveling to see the Galapagos Islands - 

We, wisely, are working more than we are sightseeing. I am spending more time with people than with nature. I would plan your trip for other than this time of year. It is the hottest part of the year. They say it should cool down a bit in May. Every island is different and no single one has all the unique animals.

There is a very beautiful beach (Tortuga Bay) right here but you must walk for about 45 min to get there. And another trip to get back. There is a lovely wooden walkway over the lava and through the cactus but it is long and it is hot. We didn't see any marine turtles but we did see the two different tracks in the sand where two came ashore to lay their eggs. We saw a dozen or so marine iguanas, and a baby shark in the crystal clear water of the inland arm of the ocean. The sand is very fine and very white. There was one area where some guys were surfing. The other area is perfect for toddlers and old people and anyone who would like to swim or kayak or snorkel or scuba dive I suppose. There is nothing for sale. There are no trash cans. There is a ranger to tell you not to hang your towels on the mangrove trees. It is pristine and beautiful but not for the frail. No vehicles can get there. We saw it and had to immediately return for a meeting. I saw only one shell. It was tiny (1/2 inch long and all white) and I lost it! I didn't see any life on the few large rocks next to the water. Only a tiny bit of seaweed was on the sand. Not many birds here either. We haven't told the missionaries about the beautiful beach they cannot go and see. 

The Charles Darwin scientific station is not far from downtown either. It is free and well worth a visit. Well, it was free for us because we just went. Everyone else came in groups from their hotels with a naturalist and they learned more I'm sure. We saw the tortoises at all stages of life and three large (yellow and orange) land iguanas. I was amazed that this huge tortoise was climbing down a very steep slope covered with large and sharp lava rocks. He slid several times and he had what looked like a puncture hole on the top of his shell. I can't imagine that he could right himself if he got turned upside down. They are fascinating. I would like to learn more. They have area of endemic plants with labels that are very interesting. There are also buildings that looked like they had exhibits but we had a meeting and not everything was open yet.

We have also gone to the Laguna Las Ninfas which is right here near the chapel. Again there is a lovely wooden walkway through the mangrove trees over the water where the inland sweet water joins the seawater. There is a sign that says "Did you know that some fish live in trees?" It is true. You can see tiny silver fishes swimming among the branches that are underwater. Twice I saw them jump out of the water in unison, like they were trying to catch a mosquito or something. They are so small and silver that it just looked like sprinkles of water splashing. Very cool. We were carrying our computers from the chapel so we need to go back and walk the whole length of the pathway unburdened.  

The "port" is very fun. The water is turquoise. The lava rock is black and there is no sand. I have seen the fisherman's area where small boats dock and the fisherman unloads a picnic cooler or two full of fish. There are two women with big cement tables and sharp knives who cut up the fish and place them in other picnic coolers. I didn't see any ice. They are surrounded by pelicans, a very large sea lion (waiting for handouts) and tourists with cameras. A little further down, the cargo port is not much wider than a big drive way and everything is unloaded by hand and placed on pickup trucks. There is a long pier where pleasure boats could dock and there are some lovely boats anchored further out. It all seems very friendly and casual. The next time I was there by the cargo dock, the space was full of kids jumping off the side, a big dog was swimming with them and some moms were watching over their kids. Everything seems to be all purpose. There are also some statues, a sign with instructions for what to do in case of a tsunami warning and a park for the kids. There are expensive stores and restaurants and a block away mom and pop stores and ladies feeding people in front of their houses. I love it because it seems like everyone is able to engage in whatever business opportunity they think might be successful and some are very successful indeed. (Olga Fisch is here. I went to her store in Quito. I can't afford to buy anything there but it is lovely and beautifully displayed. If she has a store in Guayaquil you should go and see or at least check out the website.)

I have seen three sea lions (One was at the bank on a ledge that overlooked the ocean, I would like to have an office in that bank with a window that looked out over that ledge.), marine iguanas, pelicans (way bigger than I remember seeing before), frigate birds overhead, some shore birds, lizards and finches and canaries and sparrow like birds. Foreign countries (in my limited experience) don't have seagulls like the ones in California. I did see one dark gray bird that looked like a small seagull and later I saw a list of birds that had "lava seagull" listed. I'm guessing that is what he was.

I hope we get to see more but all is well. The animals are great and the people are even better. There was a RS party to celebrate all of the women who had birthdays in the first quarter of the year. I was impressed with the turnout. Some of the women would have been very comfortable in any ward in the US (except for the language perhaps) and others were very poorly dressed and with several missing teeth. Everyone seemed genuinely interested and involved with everyone else. Nobody parties as well as Spanish speakers. They played games, they danced, they were good sports and "paid their penalties" when they lost at the games. One had to sing like she was in an opera, one had to act like a monkey. They even did karaoke with the church TV and a special microphone. They had a great time and I went home before it was over.  

Lewis is frustrated that the houses don't have numbers, no one knows the name of the streets (even the taxi drivers) and we can't clean up the records because we cannot even begin begin to find people. They only go by the name of the barrio and some verbal description of where the house is. He has figured out how to get a map that has all the street names but it is too small to read without a magnifying glass. He has a plan to record the number of the power pole that is nearest the house plus the name of the street in addition to the name of the barrio. Some branch leaders are enthused about the idea, we'll see if we can gather the information and get it in the records. At least it would get a person near the home.

We are excited about General Conference. The missionaries plan to have 30 investigators in attendance. They work so hard I'm sure they will. We passed out a lot of invitations too. Lewis has to slow down giving away the BofM's because we are running out but we have plenty of pamphlets. 

Enjoy General Conference with us.
Love, Grandma and Grandpa Pettingill  



 

Red Alert Tsunami Evacuation

This was the day of the large earthquake in Chile: Tuesday April 1 2014

We had a District Meeting at 9:30. Before that we went to President Banchon's office to ask for a more complete map. The tourist maps only show the part of the city near the water. He said we could get one at the government office inside the bus station. We went to our meeting and the elders had a couple of well planned thoughts and presentations. The presented the mission goal of 600 baptisms in the month of April. March ended with 395. WOW! The Quito mission was happy when they broke 200. We did a roll play and I was the investigator. They plan to teach about keeping the Sabbath Day holy every day this week and commit people to coming to church to participate in General Conference.  After our meeting Lewis wanted to show them how to the identify the power poles to help in locating the houses of members. We went to the home of the closest members and talked with Alexandra Velez, her 12 year old daughter and her mother. Most of the mothers family joined the church but they have all married non members and are less active now. Lewis promised that he would give the booklet, My Family, to the 12 year old when they come to church on Sunday and she was to start collecting stories of her family.

The missionaries left to go to their lunch appointments. We went to the bus terminal to get the maps. Naturally the man we needed to see left 5 min early and we had to return later. We got back to town after walking quite a ways and had lunch at the kiosks. We ate at a Chineseplace but had the usual menu del dia. We had a lentil soup that was very good. They we had a plate of rice, a big vegetable salad that featured beets and a piece of fried chicken. The chicken is always tough but tasty. Beets are not my thing but I can never eat everything anyway. It was good. We went back to the Terminal and found that we had to return to town and pay money at the government office in order to get a map. It took even longer to get a taxi this time but we got to the government office and they had a hard time figuring out what to do with our request. Finally they were able to put it into the name of the church and charged us $19 for three maps. We went back to the Terminal and they had to print out the maps. The taxi didn't want to wait. They didn't have the right sized paper so we got a smaller version and you can't read the names of the streets. Ugh! Oh well, we have three maps. We finally got another taxi after we walked back to the edge of town and went home. 

Lewis had an opportunity to get into MLS at 7:00 when President Banchon had an interview so we went to the church with our computers. I spent an hour writing an email to Nova Johnson about our experiences here on the island. I was trying to reply to President Groberg when Lewis came back into the room and said there is an Tsunami alert and we have to get to higher ground. Flor came in with her husband and said pack up your stuff, someone is coming to pick you up and take you up the mountain. It was a red alert and fortunately everyone was concerned about the missionaries. President Banchon knew where we were and asked the Pallacios to come and get us. The sisters were near and returned to their apartment to get their emergency kit and met us and hopped in the truck also. They had their two children two older couples and a dog. The Elders were already up the mountain because they had gone there after lunch. It is part of their area. Everyone was out on the streets carrying bags and children. All the cars and motorcycles were full of people. Every pickup had the back stuffed full of people. The tourists were walking out of town and uphill. We were grateful to be with the Palacios who have lived here for a long time, own a hotel and he has previously been the branch president. I felt confident that he would make good decisions and we were very grateful that we were very well taken care of. We would have been clueless because we do not listen to the TV or the radio. The Palacios were telling us that the tsunami from Japan had caused damage and this earthquake danger is about the same size but much closer. They predicted the first wave to hit about 9:00. We went up to Bella Vista and went to the home and tiny store of Rosa and her daughter Jessica who is at least 8 months pregnant. They live on a couple of acres and sell the bananas that grow there as well as convenience store items. They have a very tiny store with a walk up counter. There are lights in and on the front of the store and even though they are not in the little city they were doing very well selling water bottles and food to all who passed by.  We all crowded around the front of their store. They had a radio playing that gave updates and information. They brought all the chairs out from their home and we were comfortable and enjoying each others company. We found the elders. They were concerned about the sisters and had started to go back down to Puerto Ayora. They were on the "chiva", the only ones headed in that direction. The rest of the world was streaming up the mountain. They and the driver decided to turn around. Brother Palacio picked them up at the park in the town and they joined our little group. We were served crackers and soda from their store. It started to feel like a party. They we laughing about trying to get down the hill when everyone is rushing up the hill. They reported to the President our situation and he asked for hourly updates until the danger was clear. They kept moving the time of the first wave forward. Then they said that the first wave did not cause damage but successive waves could be stronger. They said the alert had been extended to Hawaii. Hope all is well in Honolulu. The President advised that we stay there overnight and call him in the morning. Sister Rosita served us all hot rice with tuna and onion that was surprisingly good. She apparently has another house and she really had to scrounge to feed all of us here. I hope I am prepared to serve others as graciously as she served us when we were the refugees. We chatted for a long time and went down to the house to go to the bathroom and tried to get a bit comfortable for the hours ahead. It wasn't cold but it was cool and breezy. It was near midnight and Brother Palacio returned and said he had found a five star hotel for all of us. Brother Tite of the Branch Presidency has a new building on his property that he finished this week (except for the bathroom on our floor) there in Buena Vista. It will be a government office but tonight it was empty and clean and they scrounged up three mattresses and three pillows and we were delighted. Lewis kept President Tite talking for the longest time about how everything was constructed and exactly what each thing cost. He was delighted to tell him all the details. Our situation didn't exactly fit the white missionary handbook but the six of us slept safely and were quite comfortable. The Palacio family was on the floor above us. It was a long wait to go to the bathroom in the morning at the house next door but we felt so cared for and blessed during our adventure with a "red alert tsunami evacuation" in the Galapagos. 

Lots of love from the grateful missionaries in Santa Cruz, Galapagos

Lewis and Jeri Pettingill