Today’s stop was a unique experience. We stopped at Puerto Eden, a village that at one time had a population of roughly 300, that is now down to just 70 inhabitants who are mostly native to the area. There are no cars, no sidewalks, no roads…. Just wooden boardwalks/footpaths that leads from the dock through town. The total walk took about 30 minutes.
Many buildings & shacks have been abandoned as the population dwindled, and it was hard to determine whether some were still occupied or not. Here is Puerto Eden:
A few of the folks on our cruise mentioned that they felt bad walking through town and seeing the poor conditions. One of the guides on the ship said we should not feel bad as they are an extremely proud people and are happy to have visitors see their village and way of life. They further explained that it is a win-win situation for the villagers and the cruise line. Hurtigruten pays a stipend to the village. The village has income, Hurtigruten has a unique landing experience for cruisers. Win-win!
See you tomorrow.