Let´s check out Ecuador!

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What a celebration!

We never did figure out what these models were made of, but one thing for sure no one tried to deface or destroy them and they were EVERYWHERE. The pics do not do justice to the colors.


We decided that our first "immersion" would be in Ecuador. The town of Cuenca Ecuador was ranked #1 as a possible ex-pat retierment location, very safe and very economical. We flew into Guayaquil, (Why-ah-keel), Ecuador's second largest city, where we would spend a day before taking a shuttle to Cuenca. It was 5 days before Christmas and from the moment we landed it was like a happy celebration.  Not only was it one of the most beautiful days I have ever seen in my life, it was like the whole city was just happy to be there! 


Our  hotel had arranged for a driver to pick us up at the airport. He and his helper greeted us like we were celebrities who also happened to be family!  No one in our part spoke  Spanish so we communicated with smiles and gestures while they helped us retrieve our bags then we were joyfully loaded up in a van and whisked through the city. 
Traffic in Guayaquil is nothing short of amazing. I must say I think Ecuadorians win the prize for judging distances. They only beep their horns when someone gets closer than 10 inches or so to their vehicle and that happens a lot. They do not have lane markers on the streets so everyone just seems to just choose the area they feel is appropriate and away they go! If someone gets too close, you just give them a little beep with your horn, no blasting or laying on the horn forever, no hand signs or road rage, just a little "beep" and you are on your way again. Everybody seems to know the rules and they all choose to play fair.


A view of the Macelon 

 Once we settled in we went walking down to El Macelon which is a boardwalk, park, playground, and exhibition area kind of place down by the waterfront. There is also a gigantic Ferris wheel that offers spectacular views of the city  --if you are brave enough to climb aboard, (I was not 👀). 



I think I learned 2 or 3 new life lessons just crossing this street! There may have been lights, but I don´t think so. I just followed their lead and it worked out in the end.  



We returned to the hotel and decided to explore the park across the street. I knew enough Spanish to know that "El Parque de Iguana", loosely translated as iguana park". -- What I didn't know is that it was literally the Park of the Iguanas! They were everywhere!  


This couple was so cooled out. I guess they come every day to feed the iguanas. notice the one in the grass behind to the right and one on the tree. You can just glimpse one right behind the bench also and that was not half of it! 


The next morning we were off to Cuenca, but not before we had Breakfast at our hotel. I captured the essence in a little video below:


And now Cuenca here we come!





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