Galapagos On Line

Location
Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

Communication Company Types:
Internet Company

By Christopher Minster

Maybe it’s the great location. Maybe it’s the sign outside, which has a hip, google-ish look (see photo). Maybe there are hot young employees. I don’t really know why this place is packed every day with random gringos checking their email. The only thing I do know is that it isn’t the computers or internet connection here, which brought me not-so-fondly back to the long gone days of 1997, when downloading a single photo took about the same amount of time as roasting a turkey. I’m no computer whiz, but I suspect the hard drive is actually a souped-up Tandy pocket calculator some tourist left behind in 1986, and I further suspect that this one calculator is being used to power all 15 computers in the joint.

I’m not saying not to go there, especially if I’m right about attractive employees. I’m just saying you should pack a lunch, you know, maybe bring a book, a nice, thick 500 page paperback. Pick up some postcards on your way in and write them. Or bring a guitar and teach yourself to play “Purple Haze.” Whatever. Just don’t plan on doing much surfing.

Getting There: On Avenida Charles Darwin across from the Navy base.