Boats and Dreams

La Paz’s malecon stretches for a couple of miles and is interspersed with many examples of fine bronze sculpture. A visitor may admire life-size renditions of manta rays, fishermen and the vaquita porpoise (the world’s smallest, native to the Sea of Cortez – and sadly, a species which may now be extinct). There are mermaid sculptures and more. Many people say their favorite malecon bronze is the smiling old man wearing his makeshift paper boat, gazing out across the city anchorage to the Sea of Cortez:

I like this guy.

I like him even more, now that I’ve read the poem that accompanies the statue. Please tolerate this author's poor translation from the Spanish:

El Viejo…y el Mar?                                              (The Old Man…and the Sea?)

Tengo un barco de papel…                                  (I have a boat of paper…)

Esta hecho de una pagina                                   (It’s made of one page)

En la que escribi mis ilusiones.                           (On which I wrote my hopes.)

No tiene anclas ni tiene amarras.                       (It has neither anchors nor mooring lines.)

Quiero navegar en el,                                        (I want to sail the seven seas in it;)

De los siete mares; en el octavo,                        (In the eighth,)

Donde se, encallare en el puerto anhelado.          (I know I will eagerly run aground in the port.)

…ha visto alguien brillar la luz de su faro?            (Have you seen someone shine the light of your own

                                                                             beacon?)

– Guillermo Gomez Mac. 2004

Boats and dreams, in their purest form.

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