Twenty years ago, when I was ten years old, Puerto Ayora was a quiet, little town; very different than it is today. Colorful, introduced flowers were not as plentiful in the highlands and there were few houses, shops and other constructions along the coast. As more people have come to and established themselves in the islands, an ever increasing number of cargo ships bringing in food and supplies for the local community of Puerto Ayora has also begun to arrive. In addition, there are more and more tourist boats working in the islands every year.
In the past, the arrival of a cargo ship, which occurred once every six months or once a year, was a big event. A ship's appearance was reason for a celebration! But the times have changed and now there are three cargo ships that work the islands and they come two or three times a month. Their entrance into port no longer has the significance that it once had, and perhaps this is a little bit sad. The simple lifestyle and very basic diet that I grew up with, are gone. There are now so many more people living in Puerto Ayora, that it is necessary to import a lot food and building material from mainland Ecuador.
Certainly, the bustle of activity which surrounds the unloading of cargo on the main municipal dock is something rudimentary, but at the same time, it always attracts the attention of visitors to Galapagos. This is just another unusual detail that adds to the full enjoyment of a visit to my beautiful hometown
