Canoa Beach

We spent a lazy day getting manicures and pedicures (both for only $5.00) and then we took a water taxi across the bay to San Vicente. From there we took a bus (cost thirty cents) to Canoa. It’s rather dirty and run down but when we got to the beach our eyes went wide. Huge tent city of open air tents which stretched for a good mile along the beach. There were a lot of surfers and we had been told that this is a world class area for surfing. The beach was crawling with people. Enjoyed watching some kids riding ponies along the surf. Spectacular views, huge overhanging cliffs in the distance. Water was warm.

Then we went to the Bambu Bar for a late lunch/early supper and just relaxed under palm trees and enjoyed one of the few truly sunny days since we’ve been to Ecuador. The nice thing about the slight overcast has been that we have tanned without sunburn. Even my legs have been getting brown which doesn’t happen often these years!

We met some interesting people here, quite a few Americans. I’ll write more about that later but do want to say one thing. Aliens.

On that note I leave you in suspense. I’ll update you later!

Isla de Corazon

Sunday Jan 30/11 Isla de Corazon

Yesterday we did the 4 hour canoe trip of the mangroves. It’s name Isla de Corazon comes from its heart shape. I recognized the name right away from Romancing the Stone. There are over 700 species of birds living harmoniously in the mangroves but I cannot say I saw that many species though definitely thousands of birds. I got some wonderful pictures of the majestic Great Egret and saw all kinds of herons, frigates, kingfishers, egrets and the brown pelican (remember they were featured in The Pelican Brief with Juia Roberts?) We saw lots of bright red crabs, all sizes. Our guide Francisco was quite funny. Every time a crab went back into its hole he would moan “lunch” and shake his head.

Francisco was very spiritual during the tour, explaining things about the island and its symbiosis with the spirit world and earth. All of this was in Spanish of course so you can imagine how much we had to infer. We got to drop some sprigs of mangrove seedings (the red ones) off the outlook so that we shared in its preservation.

Sailing in the canoe through the “tunnel” of mangroves was such a tranquil experience. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. The air was clean and refreshing, the views were spectacular, including seeing the mangroves from the outlook, a Bird’s eye view.

One of my best days in Ecuador.

The Great Egret

Uptown Girl

Saturday Jan 29, 2011 Uptown Girl

In case you haven’t noticed by now I am more of an “indoor girl” to quote Jack from Titanic fame. Everyone knows that camping is not my thing and my recent experiences with bugs and such has definitely defined me as an Uptown Girl! Sitting here on the hotel balcony overlooking the bay here in Bahia I have a sense of Hollywood Boulevard and all things civilized. (in proportion of course, this is after all Ecuador).

I love my netbook and the miracles of electronics. I’m sitting here on this balcony Skyping with my sister, just as though we were having our regular Saturday telephone conversation. Only she has her coffee and I am panting for mine. Not for another hour at least.

We had dinner at the Yacht Club last night, very good food. However there was a graduation party going on so we sat at these barstools and tiny little cocktail table. Quite the experience. But nice to see the young girls in their lovely gowns. They were very quiet, not at all like the teens back home!

And everywhere we go, if we hear English spoken we are approached by these other expats and get into quite the conversations. It is nice to get that interaction once in a while, plus we learn about more places to visit here in sunny, warm, humid Ecuador!

Off on my canoe trip in an other hour or so. Will write all about it tomorrow.

Chow (apparently Ecuadorians use this farewell more than Adios)

Friday Jan 28/11 Do You Know the Way to San Jose

Happy Birthday little sister!

I was going to write about our trip (see below) however the events of last night are worthy of mention. It was a case of Invasion of the Beetles. We have had bug problems from the beginning but basically they have been confined to the kitchen downstairs. They seem to come ot of the ravine directly in fr ont of the house after dark, when our lights are turned on. Last night it was on the cool side so we decided to eat indoors and close up all windows and doors. Worked like a charm.

Later in the evening we looked out the back door window and we saw dozens of beetles sitting on the back stoop, just waiting to get in. Interesting, weird and creepy all at once.

Bedtime and suddenly I heard a screech from one of the other girls. Beetles were all over her room, including the bed. She had kept her window open and when the lights went on the beetles flew (who knew they flew?) directly up from the back stoop to her room. And since this is an Ecuadorian designed home, the walls to the ceiling do not go to the ceiling, in other words, the beetles flew over her wall into my room. I slept with the sheet over my head and prayed I would not asphyxiate overnight. I had visions of beetles covering the bed in the morning. At one point I decided to try opening the window to see if they would fly back out. Didn’t happen.

Miraculous we survived the night. My 2 companions slept together in the netted bed so they are still sleeping. Me, I had to verify that there were no bugs sleeping with me so I was up at the crack of dawn shaking out the sheets. Mercifully I didn’t hear any thunks go to the floor. I think I am cleaning but I’m going to go take a shower now!

Part 2

Off for a fun filled long weekend, so don’t expect any posts while I am away. We are going canoeing in the mangroves, eating at the Yacht Club and salsa dancing on the beach so I won’t have time to attend to my writing duties! This is a vacation from my vacation! All things are possible in Ecuador.

All things, that is, but punctuality. Like other South American (read Spanish decent) countries are famous for manyana. Tomorrow, and tomorrow and the day after that.

So now you can wait for my next exciting post and I hope to have some awesome nature photos to include. (quite a challenge to upload but I will make the attempt. Let’s hope the power is on when we return to San Jose!)

Merador San Jose

The name of this resortis Merardor San Jose. The word for beach in Spanish is palaya. We’ve figured out how to mention palaya as part of our request for travel in the taxi! Yesterday we had our first successful taxi consultation, $20 to San Jose. This is not to say it was without incident. As we were talking with the driver three women approached us and one lady, Anna, asked me where I was from in English! Turns out she is from Toronto and would like us to visit her while we are both here on vacation. She’s visiting her 2 sisters. Anna was a sweetheart in assisting us with firming up our deal with the driver. He was an older gentleman and seemed very nice. We had to make a pitstop for cigarettes and then we were off. Imagine my dismay when I, who was sitting at the front with him, blessed himself 3 times before turning the corner!

All sorts of theories ran through my head. He was a bad driver. There was something going on up ahead. He was going to bump us off at one of the handy canyons up ahead. You get the picture. The usual weird scenarios!

All ended successfully although 2 of us were ready to jump out of the car when he was turning the car around at our casa (house). Just outside the house, at our very narrow road, is a steep ravine (to be back filled later this spring). It was very sketchy!

Today the furniture should arrive and tomorrow we are going for 3 days to Bahia!

This church is in the little village we drive through to get to Montecrisiti. Lovely.