Out of the city and onto the Coast

Well Guayaquil was an adventure.

ON my Second day there I enjoyed a national treat (?!?) that consists of
fried bananas mashed up with cheese, then formed into a ball. Kinda bland,
not sweet as you would think, nor salty either but an excellent source of
energy, as I didn�t really need to eat again until 9ish rthat night, aside
from a few snacks that were more curisosity.

After i Enjoyed this cheesy Banana ball (bolones) I headed down town on the
noisy bus, this time knowing where to get off! and picked up my contact
lenses that i ordered the day before. Handy things to have if you want to
wear sunglasses and you could not fing you percription ones before
departure. Interestingly they do not sell non-coloured contacts here. so I
am now the proud owner of coloured contacts... I opted for Grey, so you
can�r really tell, but now i regret it and wish that i had gotten purple or
something weird. oh well...

Then i found a local grocery market, with meat and sausages hanging
everywhere, fabric, eggs, food, juice, you name it! All i bought was some
chocolate, afte having a good but broken conversation with the vendor, few
people really understand that asked to speak more slowly, I MEAN MUCH MORE
SLOWLY... The spanish is getting better, but the speed that people speak
makes it a challenge. I really enjoye dthe market, fewer people shoving
things in your face to sell you... busy and loud, but more �civilised�.

after that I wanderd around down town abit more, and managed to get my
camera Ripped out of my hand... I had be warmed about carrying it that way
but it was getting annoying to get it out of my bag everytime i wanted to
take a picture. So after feeling annoyed for few minuted i took advantage of
being in the shopping district and bought another camera so i could start
taking pictures again. Not quite as good as the other one, but it will do
the job. Lesson learned.

It�s hard to stay mad about it when you see the poverty here. It is a wierd
combination of poverty and consumerism. People with nothing and cell phones.
People with nice suites and very run down houses. People are poor but clean,
though there neighbourhoods are not! lots of litter...

After this exciting day at the market and wandering down town, i hopped back
on the bus to my hostal. I am very glad that i was staying in the suburbs,
even though the trip downtown is hot and loud, simply because it is quieter
and fresher. When i got back to the hostal, the cat greeted me, I headed up
the kitchen and eating area and meeting place, where i started talking with
a couple from the Ntherlands. They are coming to the end of their trip and
made some suggestions for the next legs of mine. We went for dinner and had
the Ecuadorian stapl�: chicken rice and beans... very good!

Now here is the weird coincidence... They were both Epidemiologists! We
chatted about how seldom we didn�t need to explain what that was! They both
work in occupatinoal health Epi looking at work place injuries.

After an evening of good conversation etc etc, I headed to bed, and slept
for nearing 10 hrs... after all, this is supposed to be a vacation right?

This morning AFter a good sleep in I had a great breakfast at the hostal,
they have this jam that is kind of like a cross between apple flavour and
raspberry. very good. Also this morning I enjoyed a glass of fresh
watermelon juice. Then to the bank, and to the bus station.

The bus station is a CRAZY PLACE! I am very glad that Jorge explaned which
company to go to as there were at least 60 or more of them. But It was a
fun adventure. People here were very helpful, and obviously used to speaking
at tourist pace!

While waiting for the bus i met a guy named Marco, from Switerland ( lots of
swiss here) who was also en route to montanita. and we chatted with some of
the bus staff. The bus was much too loud to talk, and we were not seated
next to each other so the conversation ended there. The bus was very full
by the time it left Guayaquil, and i was sitting near the front next to an
older woman. We did not talk much but i shared my oranges and chocolate with
her and that was all that was needed. she shook my hand and wished me good
travels when she got off the bus.

Where I am now, Montanita is a very busy but interesting place. so far I
have only checked into my hostal, and wandered down the street a bit. There
are many jewlery vendors selling handmade stuff, much of which is very
beautiful. I have already bought myself a little necklace. The Hostal is
pretty cool, wood and bamboo construction. I have a private room with a
bathroom, and my own balcony with a halmock- not ocean view, but i have a
pretty amazing veiw of the street. Though i think that i will need to use my
earplugs tonight!

Anyway i should head out on the town, and get some food.

Take care and Mucho Amor!

Erin