Earthquake in Ecuador!

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After our adventure leaving Peru, things returned to normal. As is our wont, we boarded a bus for the next leg of our travels. This particular bus was going to Guayaquil which happened to be where we wanted to go. Your correspondent was quite happy about this, but Ecuadorian buses are not to the same standard as Peruvian buses – a boneshaker would be an appropriate description.

It trundled along through hundreds of miles of banana plantations and every time it slowed down, vendors would jump on selling water, fruit, cakes and even such much needed items as tape measures or nail clippers. The art of clipping ones toes on a bus has not yet caught on in the UK, but I see it as a potential way of raising funds to return to South America !!

On arrival at Guayaquil bus terminal, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had arrived at an airport – apart from the fact that the airport is beside the bus terminal. It is massive on three floors with shopping plazas, announcements over the tannoy and multiple ticket offices. Your correspondent caused much confusion and hilarity by asking for seats over the wings as there was more legroom !!!

The city itself is huge. It is the biggest in Ecuador and, if truth is told, not very attractive. Certainly it is very hot, but it did not seem to have much of anything about it. A bit like Milton Keynes, but without concrete cows. Having said that, and I just did, it has one particular park, which left even me speechless. The park is officially called Simon Bolivar, but is known to the locals as the Park of Iguanas.

Your correspondent has heard claims of parks offering views of animals in the past, but they were usually a few in number and kept in cages. Not this time dear readers, there were tens of thousands of iguanas ( well a few hundred) of them just wandering around the park in a rather nonchalant manner. No cages, just five foot dinosaurs doing as they would. It was fantastic watching them until you turned round and one would be marching towards you in a fearsome manner as if to strike – thankfully in situations like this, I always carry a small puppy or kitten as a suitable replacement, so felt quite safe.

What I didn’t realise was that iguanas live in trees. I know not why they do, or why it seemed peculiar, but it was strange to see trees with many of them draping themselves over branches just watching the world go by and being ready to pounce on any unsuspecting gringos just for the hell of it.

After a pleasant walk along the riverfront and a struggle up the 444 steps of Cerro Santa Ana, we decided to leave as it was really quite a dull place.

The next stop was to be back on the Pacific coast, this time in a small fishing town called Puerto Lopez. Dear readers, trust me on this, we could have stayed there for weeks.

Our humble abode was a delightful house owned by Marianella and Mario. An Ecuadorean lady and an Italian gentleman. As you can imagine it was a calm and peaceful household. With views over the Pacific and only 15 minutes wander to the beach it was perfect. The town had several bars and restaurants (although Ecuador has a strange law about serving alcohol on Sundays and our barman was stopped by the police selling me beer – never a good move ) and had a general feel of relaxation about it until….

…. EARTHQUAKE !!!!!!

Yes dear readers, your correspondent encountered and survived an earthquake registering 5.7 on the richter measuring type thing. Okay, the epicentre was 50 miles away and neither of us realised it was an earthquake – we thought it was the kids upstairs running about – but the whole building shook and our hosts rushed out with their kids and were shouting to make sure we were all right. An experience indeed.

In fact, it made W have a tattoo the next day just to get over the shock. Do not worry, ‘twas only a henna one, but it was worth a few dollars to get it done to see people’s reaction to it on skype. Her mother almost fainted when she saw it !!!

Apart from swimming, reading and drinking at beach bars, nothing else seemed to matter. A perfect place to be.

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Comments

[Albert]

iguanas! Earthquakes!! Tattooed women!!! I hope you didn't spill your beer?