The last couple of days we have been preparing to leave Windarra while we do some traveling. We topped off the fuel and the water on board and removed stuff from on deck such as the head sails, jack lines, preventer lines, the smaller solar panels, life ring, stern reel, cockpit cushions, barbeque, etc and stowed it all below. We also put the dingy on the davits and the outboard on the stern rail and locked them as well as the lazarettes. We took our forward sunshade and put it over the dodger and Bimini to help protect the canvas. It was a big job.
This morning, Chuck of SV Jacaranda ferried us to the dock with our duffel bags and we got a taxi to the bus station, which is up river from Puerto Amistad. We arrived shortly after 9:00 am and bought tickets for the 9:30 am bus to Guayaquil, 2 tickets for $14. We used small wire ties to 'lock' our bags. I had hoped to carry our backpacks onto the bus but no joy, so the backpacks and duffel bags were checked into the baggage compartment and we boarded the bus and had seats in the front row on the opposite from the driver. This is good and bad. You get to see more than just your side window, but you also see the oncoming traffic as the bus driver passes on turns and no passing zones, etc. there were a few close calls. The bus stopped for diesel and then at the bus stations of Portoviejo and Jipajapa. It also made a few stops along the road to let off a passenger or two. At one town, a fellow go on the bus with a tray of something. They were like corn meal tamales with cheese inside. Not bad but a little dry.
We passed fields of corn and rice along with orchards of mangos and plantains. At the beginning the villages were few and far between, small rustic shacks on stilts mostly of bamboo. As we went along, red brick or cinder block was the material of choice but most were raised so that the living area was on the second floor and underneath was storage and a shady locate to hang hammocks. The dogs looked like the dogs of Mexico of 10-12 years ago. It is a crude measurement of the poverty level.
The bus station in Guayaquil is huge. As buses are the main mode of transportation, the station was similar to a train station in a major metropolitan city in the US. The difference is there are many bus companies in the same station providing travel throughout Ecuador and other parts of South America.
Our taxi to the Hotel Continental in the downtown area cost $4 for. 15 minute trip. Across the street is the Parque Bolivar. Guayaquil is the only city in the world that had land iguanas, some over 3 feet long and they hang out in this park. On the other side of the park is the cathedral, originally built in 1547 of wood but was destroyed by fire and rebuild of stone in 1948.
Restored government building lit at night
Tonight we are meeting Emma, Reg and Phoebe's daughter who lives here in Guayaquil. Looking forward to learning more about the city and Ecuador.
No comments:
Post a Comment