An old whiskey barrel on the Galapagos island of Floreana once served as a mailbox for British whalers. Travelers took the letters with them to Europe. Nowadays tourists throw in their postage-free postcards and take with them the addresses whose address is close to where they live.
The Swiss Rolf Odermann looked out the window of his house with some surprise. On a Friday afternoon, a car with a Bregenzer license plate, from which two completely unknown women emerged, suddenly parked on his property near the quiet town of St. Gallen. “Can I help you?” he asked kindly. “We are the Ecuadorian temporary post office and would like to deliver a postcard,” replied the two women from Vorarlberg.
They took the postcard from the Galapagos island of Floreana with them during their tour through Ecuador. It was in that mailbox that no postman ever empties. A wooden vessel used since the late 18th century to ensure that greetings reach their recipients – worldwide. At the time, an old whiskey barrel was used by British whalers stationed on Floreana. Travelers on their way to Europe took their letters to their loved ones with them.
Although the old whiskey barrel no longer exists and the “Post Office Bay” can only be visited with a special permit, the system has proven its worth to this day. A replica of the wooden barrel stands just a few meters from the harbour. It is very popular with tourists.
The two women from Vorarlberg took their mail to Munich (the card has now arrived), to Wernstein in Upper Austria and to Ländle. “When we looked at what cards we could supply, there were numerous from the US, but none with an Austrian address,” says Lisa Gunz from Dornbirn.
Successful delivery
The two of them took two cards with them, one of which they still have to deliver to Germany – and the one for the Odermatts. The trip to the town of Abtwil (near St. Gallen), about 35 kilometers away, ends with the two complete strangers sitting in the Swiss house. The sender of the long-traveled card, daughter Linda, is called and a successful delivery is announced.
The young Swiss woman briefly talks about her recent, short visit to the Galapagos Islands at the end of January. The women from Vorarlberg from theirs in February. Rolf and Vreni Odermatt have also been to Ecuador. “We visited our daughter, who worked on the mainland and later on the Galapagos Islands three years ago,” they say.
The highlights of the Galapagos Islands – from swimming with sea lions and penguins to snorkeling with giant tortoises – are covered in just under an hour. The Odermatts talk about their recent skiing holiday in the Bregenzerwald. “Unfortunately, we are not related to skier Marco, even though I come from the same region,” laughs Rolf Odermatt.
The residents of Vorarlberg still want to buy Easter bunnies made of Swiss chocolate. “Thank you very much for your spontaneous visit. It’s cool that you took extra time for this,” says Vreni Odermatt. And so the visit to the Ecuadorian temporary post office ends with a satisfied smile from the travelers who are always looking for new experiences and acquaintances.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
