RE: Life through the eyes of a Westerner...

The more you have, the more work you will have to maintain what you have. That is the nature of capitalism. You buy one thing and watch it grow old, you repair it and eventually have to buy another object. In Ecuador, things are made to last. In order to successfully adapt to Ecuadorian life you need to rethink the disposible paradigm of the west. In Ecuador, Door's are made of Wood, walls brick and concrete, things are solid to say the least. Moreover, if you want a imported good, you better want it because, the upkeep and cost is considerably higher than America due to the high taxes of importation. I was fortunate living in Quito Ecuador, my land lord provided me with may luxuries in my apartment. I had a analog TV, an antenna for reception, a blender, a comfortable bed, chairs, complete dishes and access to the internet. These things are simple however, life in Ecuador is a lot more manual. If you plan on moving here, you better think of scaling down. The transition is possible but, not easy. All the things, I was accustomed to in the American Capitalist system go away. The hyper consumerist life style goes by the way side in Ecuador. My life in Ecuador taught me  that a smile from a beautiful woman, an enriching conversation, a walk in a forest, a visit to an isolated beach or a desert can provide far more satisfaction that any object, you will ever purchase. If you feel the same, read on.

In this paper, I will focus on life changes living in the Republic of Ecuador, examining of everyday life, interactions with people, exposure to a natural world and coping with the exposure to western capitalism. All of these things are inextricable linked to form life in Ecuador. At times, life is tough as well as tiring but, it is the simple things that will pull you through. An example of simplicity can be found in my consumption in the current moment. While writing this blog, I have a glass of Tomate De Arbole juice, a rich cup of Ecuadorian Coffee and a large mug of liquid Fruitilla (Strawberry) yogurt. Juice, Coffee and Yogurt are everyday things in America. You don't think twice about using these daily liquids however, simple these three liquids are in America. The quality is in question, is it organic? grown by americans? and is it fresh? Tomate De Arbole grows in Ecuador, it is a rich Tomato type juice, filling and not found anywhere in the US. I bought a bag of the fruit for a dollar and in the majority is grown organically. You can make a weeks juice for a dollar. Where in the US is that possible? As simple as a juice may seem, it really is a luxury. Ecuadorian coffee is rich and smooth, or rico y suave in Spanish. For a few dollars, you can buy a bag of Coffee that lasts a few weeks. All Ecuadorian coffee is organic and picked by Ecuadorians. My liquid yogurt is another luxury or lujo in Spanish. It is sweet but, not too much, just right and soothes the stomach everytime. Mostly everything is made naturally however, I have heard there have been some sightings of Splenda as an ingrediate lately. Just look out for that trash!

RE: Los Galapagos on a budget!

Awhile back, I won't bullshit you, I set off on an adventure to score with hot chicks, get drunk, see wildlife and dance the night away. Although this adventure was motivated by my wild self, the adventure took a turn and went way beyond my expectations. On this adventure, I skipped the fancy expensive tour's and did it by land, small boats and eventually a so called "Yacht". All and all, the natural splendor of the Galapagos and kindness of the Ecuadorian people opened my eyes to something greater, a spritual realm. There are 18 islands in the Galapagos, some big, some small, each teaming with life. I wasn't able to do all the islands but, several, just enough. This blog chronicle's my trip from start to finish, welcome, the adventure awaits..

As I departed the new airport of Guayaquil. My mind was swimming in expectations of the Galapagos. I imagined animals roaming around, hot chicks scantily clad laying in wait and a dense natural world both on land and sea. Sitting in my seat, I viewed my fellow passengers. It seemed they were all white and predominantly wealthy. This was interesting, were the Galapagos part of Ecuador? Where were the locals? My mind raced, this is going to interesting. Time passed by rapidly and in roughly 45 minutes. I landed on Baltra, the only airport in the Galapagos. The airport had some Ecuadorian people, most were venders. The majority of the folks had bulky expensive cameras and expensive clothes. The airport was designed strangely too, it was an outdoor airport, open on all sides. The climate was agreeable, around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, a clear sky with a few beautiful gals milling about. I began to ask around, "where is the local bus"" Immediately, I found a bus going to Isla Santa Cruz. It was a newer bus and didn't have a great deal of people on board. I sat with a Canadian gentlemen who didn't know a lick of Spanish. I thought to myself, this is going to be interesting.

On the bus, a few miles from the airport, the bus came to a stop. In front of us, stood a canal around a mile wide. We left the bus and hopped on a boat across the body of water. This was the crossing to the Isla Santa Cruz. Kinda funny, I was charged for the boat ride too. I believe it was a dollar however, it wasn't too important to me,  it was an amazing day, the sun shown full bore on a golden brown desert scape with volcanic rocks jutting out of the azure sea. We sat  in the boat and crossed a small strait to Isla Santa Cruz. After the boat ride, we hopped on board another bus. As the drive progressed. I stuck up a conversation with the bus driver. He was convivial and gave me some background on the Isla Santa Cruz. I felt bad for the rest of the bus. He essentially gave me a Spanish tour of the island and ninety five percent of the bus could barely understand English.

As the road unfolded, on the right a mine emerged, large dump trucks full of red rock were chugging around a large hole in the earth. The driver explained to me, "they are mining iron for export". That is something you don't learn everyday. There are mines in the Galapagos. We drove farther and a desert environment with cactuses changed to a much greener lowland landscape. Then out of the blue, off to the right, there was a farmer attempting to stop a large Tortoise from eating his crops. I will never forget the face of the rancher, his lips were contorted and he was raising his hands in the air shouting spanish epithets. We quickly passed the scene and came upon a woman with a table and a sign on side of the road. The driver explained to me, "she is protesting speeding, her son was killed by speeder" and further added, "the woman had been spending her days protesting since the demise of her son". It was a sad moment but as soon as emotions could be felt. We came into a beautiful fishing village, with outdoor bars and a small pier.

As soon as we arrived in the main city of Santa Cruz. I searched for a place to stay with my Canadian friend from the bus. We found a hotel for twenty a night. I researched thoroughly for a place and twenty was the best deal found, it is the Galapagos. The hotel was the Hotel España, it was clean, quiet had cable and a airconditioner. A pregnant lady was the receptionist and dueña or boss. I put my gear in my room. The Canadian bloke put his stuff in his room. And we embarked on the road to a nice bar and had some beers. If you wonder which bar, any one along the main road is awesome. You'll see they are not hard to find..

After getting a few brews we walked up the main road to the Charles Darwin Estatción home of Lonesome George, the last indigenous Tortoise living in the Galapagos. The walk was amazing, it was ninety degrees in temperture and incredible out. A desert landscape, arid and dry with azure seas around every corner in a scene of rustic Ecuador. As fate would have it, I wore hiking boots and the Canadian wore thongs. It was hot and dusty in the park. My poor Canuck buddy. His feet were red and rashed by the time the walk was over. We saw many lizards, iguanas, birds and a large group of tortoises. It was site that will stick in my mind, a true wonder of the world.

I really liked the layout of Isla Santa Cruz. It is perfect for lazy travellers. All the hotels, park and attractions are only five minutes away for the downtown area. After returning from the park. I ditched my Canuck friend. He was boring and might have been gay.  Through his actions, he really wasn't interested in the ladies on the Island. This was strange to me, anyway, he had tattoos and wasn't a sailor. I come from a later generation. My pop always said, "only sailors have tattoos".

I had dinner after a short rest at a restaurant that was pricey (on the main strip). Later, I asked around and found a street of reasonable food just two blocks inland of the main street. While milling around I met a gal, a healthy ecuadoriana. We were going to have dinner the next day. What a great start, got some sun, had an adventure and met a woman. I had it all, after a few beers. I headed home, watched some cable and went to sleep. Life in the Galapagos, so far, so good.

In the morning, me and my Canuck buddy went on a Spanish guided tour. I made the reservation at the main dock in the down town area. It consisted of a tour of two reefs and las griegas de amor. I also took my Canuck friend along. I felt bad for him, the language barrier and all but, knew he was a tripper, he had a tattoo in the middle of his back. Who the hell scars themselve permanently for art, a weirdo, that's who.

The tour was fun, the group were predominantly Ecuadorian and extremely friendly. Our first stop was a shark reef, it was over cast and there weren't too many tiberones, the Spanish word for sharks. That was a let down but, I did manage to get some footage of me snorkeling. My bro made a movie while I was out in the water. The second stop in the tour occurred after a rough water boat ride, we came to a beautiful beach, red lava rock jutted out of the water and white sand was everywhere, a small dock emerged on the shore.

On this small dock, there were seals, and a small chasm toward the top of a trail. In the chasm, the water was a murky green, and boats became visible. It was surreal. We (the group) took some photos and started our decent up into the desert scape. Isla Santa Cruz is mostly desert with some springs which provide water and greenery. We hiked to a beach, a virgin beach, littered with iguanas, dark brown and grey, the iguanas were docile. I didn't touch one but, the thought had crossed my mind. We snapped photos of the beach and animals. There were a few blue footed boobies milling about. They bask in the sun with frigate birds.
We began walking once again, this time away from a beach, and came across the Italian embassy. You have to hand it too the Italians in the Galapagos. The built a castle right in a the most beautiful place on the Island. It was simalar to Sorrento but, free of people and far from the mainland of Italy.

We passing side of the Italian embassy and some large salt pool eventually winding through the desert landscape to a large cenote. It was amazing unlike any I have seen in the world. It was a large canyon around a fifty meters wide, with emerald glistening water. The clarity of this pool is rumored at thirty meters. This is famous la grieta del amor. Grieta is the word for crack and del amor means of love. If there is another crack of love besides a woman's vagina. This would be the place. Upon first view, I said, I got to jump in that thing.

Our guide lead us down a small trail to an area for entering the water. I took out my trusty fins, mask and snorkel and hoped into the water. I immediately noticed around thirty feet down, large blue and purple fish swimming near the edges. The water was warm, it was like returning to the womb. I did several laps. And upon returning, helped a young Peruana learn to snorkle, with my mask. He boyfriend wasn't too happy but, hey bro, that is life.

Upon returning to the small landing area, a group of wasps had started attacking our group. I too was stung a few times, no biggie, it is nature, right? We hiked back on the trail. The sun was blistering now, it was around ninety. We came across a small tienda or snack bar. Me and three of my new friends from the tour ordered some food. The hostess tried to give me a gringo price but, it didn't matter. Two people from the tour bought me sandwiches. That is Ecuador for you, great people and extremely giving. In my six months here, I have gotten used to the kind ways of Ecuador. In all due honesty, I may never move back.

After lunch we hiked back to the boat, the last leg was easier at sea, the sea was calm, we came into Isla Santa Cruz around three.  Me and the Canuck grabbed some food which was a few blocks inland, four bucks and really tasty. I came across a nice Ecuadorian guy and his wife while eating lunch. He explained, "he had lost his camera on the tour". We laughed it off and had a great lunch. After lunch, I ditched my Canuck buddy and found a pretty ecuadorian gal. Her brother owned a rescue business, she was his secretary. I arranged a date with her for the next night at seven but, it wouldn't happen. I would soon find myself popular on this little island in the Pacific.

Nights were mellow on the Isla Santa Cruz but, excelent, uncrowded bars, reasonable drinks and few good looking gals. That night, I met a classy woman walking downtown. She was around my age and ran a joya business, jewelry in English. I made a mistake and double booked myself for two dates at the same time. I decided on Jewelry lady. I am sure the healthier gal would have been easy but, having had a few bigger gals was more in the mood for thin. Someone to be seen with a night.

My second day I went out a beautiful white sand beach to surf. The day was beautiful, warm and the white sand beaches just beckoned to me. On my way to the beach, I met a few American gals. And like most idiot gringos who visit Ecuador, the two gals didn't speak a lick of Spanish. Why do people who don't know Spanish come to Ecuador? I hate to tell you, Ecuador isn't Mexico. There isn't a great deal fo tourist and so exposure to English is limited to locals.

As to the American girls, I agreed to accompany them to the beach. The beach was pristine, white sand and wide but, the waves were too frequent for surfing. I gave it a go at surfing and in frustration apted for relaxing in the white sand. I spent a few hours with those gals but, hearing English was getting annoying, especially back in the village. If you want to stand out in town, speak a language other than Spanish. That is the same throughout Ecuador, please brush up on you Spanish skills, you won't regret it, I swear.

After departing from those annoying American gals, I had almuerzos, which is a traditional Ecuadorian lunch. It consists of a soup, juice, meat, rice and a platano. On the Isla Santa Cruz, it ran about four dollars. On the mainland of Ecuador, from a dollar fifty to three depending on the offerings. I know a great place in Quito with almuerzos for two twenty five. The food on Isla Santa Cruz was delicious, especially in the local eating area a few blocks inland. During lunch, I met a really nice Ecuadorian guy and his wife, we had lunch together. My new friend explained to me, "he was a manager at Home Depot in Miami Florida". He also complained about his job. I told him, "keep your job". I had been out of work almost three years. We laughed and after a great lunch, parted ways.

After lunch, I went on a walk and visited the gal in the Jewelry store. She told me, "I finish work at eight, meet me after".  I went back to my room, watched some cable TV and took a nap. Later that night, we met and she gave me a tour of night life. We went to a nice restaurant had some cerveza nacional (Pilsener) and a snack. Isla Santa Cruz is peaceful, clean and has some nice places. Not much night life but, it is a relaxing retreat. It reminded me of a cheap Ibiza minus a plethora of hot chicks and drugs. My date went smoothly. It ended like a date in highschool. I peck on the cheek, she went to her place, I went to mine.

The next day, I took a radical departure from my agenda and booked three tours,  Floreana, Isla Isabela and a three day cruise around Santiago. I booked with a group of Israelis. I couldn't help but ask them where the Palestinians were on the trip.  They didn't get the joke. Well, I was lucky, my first few tours were Israeli free, just good old peaceful Ecuadorians and a few gringos. No matter what you think. It really matters who you travel with, Ecuadorians are similar to Europeans, in general, they are relaxed and respectful. Gringos like to party as well as Canadian but, are generally respectful. Young Israelis are another story. Read on for my great time with the future of Israel. They would really get to me on the so-called "Yacht" trip.

The trip to Floreana was a boat ride from hell, the rough seas sickened people on board and left me wondering. Did the Ecuadorian's who planned the trip  have a clue what they were doing? After leaving the harbor, the seas got rough and the few gringos on board were already vomiting over board. There were a few young Ecuadorian children using plastic bags for their effluent. I wasn't impressed by the use of plastic bags for human waste. What about the poor dolphins, who gag on the bags. A bag looks a hell of a lot like a jellyfish, one of Dolphin's main staples.

The weather was sunny on this sea but  changed rapidly, from sun to rain and back again. I would watch the horizon and see a large rock in the distance as it would become closer, it would form a monolith. We then would pass it and another land form would guide me. Around two hours into the boat ride, no more landmarks presented themselves and a bout of nausea came upon me. I heaved a little and continued to focus on the horizon. The third or fourth hour, land presented itself. I breathed a sigh of relief.

The landing at Floreana was desert like, the beach had a few red Iguanas scattered about and a outcrop of small cement houses. The beach had a dock and a cement landing. It looked like a small fishing community, boats scattered about and dogs tied to a cactus. We quickly boarded a open truck and drove into the interior of the island. It was a completely different landscape, rainforest like, high humidity and dense greenery surrounded us. It is reminescent of the entire country of Ecuador. On the coast, it is humid, green and warm. In the east, it is rainforest however, this was just an island a few miles wide, amazing.

The interior of the island, a higher elevation was cool and lush with a small settlement. According to the guide, "it was colonized in the sixties by a family of Germans". There was also zoo on the settlement, a sanctuary for Galapagos Tortoises. At the zoo, I learned all the remaining Galapagos tortoises were brought in from Europe, America and other places. Lonesome George really was the last of his species. I was unimpressed by the german settlement and zoo. In my eyes, there is no real value in colonies or man made places for animals. I prefer animals in their natural habitats and viewing homes of indigenous people, not some German transplants. However, The zoo did serve as a nice place for the Tortoises, plenty of food and a nice environment. At the farthest point of the tour (the end of the German's land), with a view of the other side of the island. There was a short visit to some Pirate caves. The caves served as housing for the blood thirsty first visitors. The caves appeared as ancient Inca ruins but, the guide stated, "they were constructed by Pirates".  Strange to come all this way to learn that. We had a quick lunch back in the desert part of the island, an uneventful snorkel (just a few fish) and it was back to the hell boat.

The ride back was another rough one, the weather went from sunny to stormy. Toward the end of the voyage, the small boat felt like a prison, it just plugged along as rain pelted its exterior and waves rocked it back and forth. I was happy to hit the shore that night. I can't even remember anyone on the ride back, it was a blur, seasickness had crept into my bones. The shore was a pleasant sight around twilight. I was tired but, managed to muster up enough energy for my date, it was an uneventful night. My classy date wasn't in the mood to put out and my libido was down due to the tour from hell. We had dinner, a few beers and she took a taxi home. Around nine, I retired to cable TV and airconditioning. I did have a real adventure planned in the morning, a booked "yacht" trip.

I like to put quotations around "Yacht" when describing my next leg of my adventure. When you think of a "Yacht", you think of a large boat, with plenty of amenities and luxury. On this so-called "Yacht", the luxuries were few and boat small.  To make matters worse, my original boat had a cancellation and so I was placed on another boat, a load boat, with a raucous group of loud Israelis. And no matter you went on board a whacked Israeli was staring at you. This was going to be a challenge. I am not a big fan of the state of Israel. Can't see logic in military occupations and feel the Palestinians deserve the land back. Being disturbed by a group of young occupiers. This was going to be fun! I know they are young and don't know any better but, nonetheless, I feel for the plight of the Palestinians. If someone took my land illegally, I wouldn't be feeling the love either.

Upon entrance to the boat, I was lead to my room. There was this sick israeli on his bunk, below me, coughing and hacking away. I saw this guy and said, "get me out of here". I was lucky, it was night and we eat shortly later. I liked eating on this boat, it was quiet, the Israelis had something in their mouths so they couldn't talk. After dinner and retreating to my cabin, I had trouble sleeping, the aforementioned sick person just kept hacking. In the morning, the Israelis went at it, singing loudly in Hebrew. At this point, I was thinking, what did I do to deserve this shit? Don't these people know they are not alone? I made an attempt at alerting the first mate, as to my violation, he did nothing. This seemed to be a recurring theme on first few days of this trip. I wanted peace and they wanted chao, the Israelis had taken over the boat and this Palestinian wasn't going to be pushed around. The second night there was a party and almost a fight. I just couldn't take being disturbed by obnoxious punks. I spoke with the first mate again and demanded to be placed on another boat, my original "Yacht". He agreed but,with the stipulation. I had to wait until morning, relieved, I slept through the night with the promise of a new boat upon day break.

After a short trip by small boat to my new boat. I immediately felt serenity. The fence had been lifted around my own personal Gaza strip. I was restored to the Guantanamere, my first boat.  Upon arrival, I just in time for breakfast and the food was better too. I enjoyed a full day exploring the Isla of Santiago for a second time. At days end, the sun shown brightly and we stated our last leg of the trip, Baltra. We had a party on board the boat that night which was more akin to my liking, a small quiet group. I retreated to my private room and awoke off Baltra.

Baltra is known for birds, despite an Airport being a rock throw away, many species of birds are unaffected by the chaos of airport traffic and breed on the island. Blue Footed Boobie, Hawks and Frigate birds are a few of the birds on this amazing place. We took a morning hike on Baltra with a guide. The hike was amazing and there were many birds breeding. I snapped some great photos of a blue Footed Boobie baby and many Frigate birds. The birds were docile, you could get right up in the faces and snap away. Please don't use a flash, it blinds birds, they have sensitive eyes.

After an hour, it was back to the Baltra airport. I had a tough time locating my flight leaving. They would announce in Spanish and it would confuse me. At one point I ran out on the runway and a customs officer escorted me back to the gate. Thank goodness, I finally had to get a person from the airlines to help me, it was much help but, got me to my plane to Guayaquil. Thank god I survived that hellish trip. If I do it again, I am going to take the National Geographic Explorer, screw having a budget, it just wasn't worth the work.

The Road to Guayaquil

I remember the day like it was yesterday. Boarding the Panamerican Express to Guayaquil Ecuador. It was a sunny morning, the mood on the public transport was somber. Almost like, something was going to happen. The bus twisted and winded up the Andean highways, I sat next to a clean cut ecuadorian gentleman. He introduced himself as Juan Carlos, a tax collector from Santo Domingo. I will get back to Santa Domingo later in the story. Juan Carlos was cordial or amable and spoke about various things, safety issues and various parts of Ecuador. Juan Carlos was quite insightful and just reiterated my current beliefs which you will learn as you follow this blog. I had the good fortune of meeting Juan Carlos because as the trip progressed. Things took a dark twist.
Santa Domingo is around four hours from Quito. On the road to Santa Domingo, I began to notice water falls on the left hand side of the bus. If you take the trip, the left hand side, or driver's side is best. These waterfalls become increasingly beautiful as the road unfolds. I had my camera handy and snapped photos out the window. This probably wasn't a good idea because, flashing wealth can increase your odds of an encounter with thief or ladrone.
The bus winded up mountains and screamed down into the valleys. My heart raced on the decents and the Xanax coursing through my veins turned out to be a god send. Around five hours into the trip, we arrived at a bus stop, a sort of a food break that is common on buses in Ecuador. Just before departing the bus, Juan Carlos offered the following advice, "take your backpack with you".  He was a kind man and as he instructed, I carried my pack along to a cafeteria on the side of the road. I had a large lunch, mote, fritada, jugos y choclo, all of which are delicacies that will drive your palate wild. Upon returning to the transport, the mood changed on the bus. An italian tourist left his pack on the bus only to return and find it gone. The bus driver made an announcement and a search went under way. The pack was stolen from under the bus. Don't ask me how this happened but, I do know one thing. He had a nice pack. I noticed it at the terminal in Quito. A word to the wise, if you have good gear keep it near you at all times. 

The last leg of the trip went relatively well. Juan Carlos departed in Santo Domingo, a small town famous for crime but, on the face, it is quite beautiful. There are numerous waterfalls, a lush green landscape and a earth colored river that runs through it. Before Juan Carlos departed, he gave me his contact information. I was impressed by him and will probably call in the future. The bus stop in Santo Domingo was unimpressive but, the landscape was a rich green and greenery was everywhere.
The road from Santo Domingo to Guayaquil is quite different from roads in the Sierras or Andes. The road is lined with Banano, Seda, Piña and the various crops grown in the south. The wind changes between Santa Domingo and Guayaquil, it starts to blow warmer around mid way. The area between Santo Domingo and Guyaquil is referred to as the "Campos" or in english, "the country". The warm wind of Guayaquil awakens the senses and soon, the environment becomes dry and the city emerges, Guayaquil.


The bus stop in Guayaquil was interesting place, it was directly across from the airport and like any bus station in any country, flat screen tvs and people waiting for their transport. I had good fortune and found a taxi to downtown Guayaquil after five minutes. This was a good luck because Guayaquil is full of thieves and criminals. If you don't believe me, watch the local news on RTU.
Once I boarded the taxi, the driver was friendly and recommended the Hotel Alexander. He gave me a ride for five US, a tad bit steep but, effective. The hotel was 15 a night, with cable and no air conditioning. Which was fine for me, I like warm air.  At the price point of 15 dollars, remember, the hotel's are cash enterprises. Don't make a stupid gringo move like I did and not have enough cash. However at this one location, The hotel was kind and sent a bellhop with me to get money out of an ATM. It was quite scarey, my first ATM wouldn't take my card but, the second one worked fine. The Bank of Guyaquil usually works but, has a two dollar service fee.
It is important to note. And a city like Guayaquil isn't too safe at night. Despite its tranquility and beauty, it can turn ugly quick. It reminds me of a saying of my father, "when I went to bed with her, she was a ten and upon waking up with her, she was a two". Use caution in the streets of Guayaquil and for chissakes have a guide. I was lucky, got my money, paid my nights fee and had dinner at the hotel restaurant.
The hotel turned out to be a good run for the money, it had Wifi a bonus but, I didn't have a computer. Anyway, a bald guy from San Francisco covered with Tattoo's had a computer. He surfed the internet the whole night. Upon talking to him, he told me, " I am heading to Burning Man". Small world, all my friends go that crazy festival. I am not a dust and smoke man. I pass but, he turned out to be good company. I went to bed early that night; the room didn't have air conditioning but, a good quality fan and a window did the trick just fine. I slept fine and upon waking up. It was off to the airport.
It isn't as easy as that but, here it is the story. I first wanted to find a travel agency. Not an easy task in central Guayaquil. I walked around ten blocks and found an agency. The prices for the Galapagos were high, around fifteen hundred for a tour, lodging and guides. I wasn't up with parting with that kind of money. Moreover, I noticed at the travel agency, my watch was missing. I left it at the hotel. It was a Swiss Army original around ten years old but, still worked. I decided to take the gamble and against all odds head back to the Hotel Alexander and see if my watch was about. I had amazing luck, after taking a taxi back. The cleaning lady at the hotel saved my watch in a bag. I had my trusty time piece once again. And talk about amazing, petty theft is common place in Ecuador and my watch was back in my hands, a true miracle. Now it was off to airport on a self organized tour of the Galapagos.

I wasn't too happy with paying for taxi and so, I asked around for the local bus, got fortunate and found one, it stopped right in front of the hotel. For a quarter, not a bad deal. The bus dropped me off in front of the airport. I walked through a parking lot and straight to the Aerogal, Air Galapagos. I purchases a ticket directly from them for three hundred and fifty dollars but, with a snag, the plane left the next day at 11:00a. I headed back to the Alexander using the bus in front of the airport, checked back in and decided to take a walk.
Guayaquil is a warm and beautiful place. I walked from my hotel to a place called the Malacon. On the way to the Malacon, I came across the Iguana Park. It is a beautiful park full of Iguanas. The mammals are content and docile. It is definitely a must see in Guayaquil. If you want to get there, just tell a taxi driver, "yo quiero visitar el Iguano parque". Everyone knows where the park is and people come from all over the view the beautiful creatures. I enjoyed chatting with member of the Guayaquileño congress, he was quite a nice guy, on lunch break with his family. He told me about the park and how just a few Iguanas many years ago propagated into the large population. I had good fortune so far in meeting people in Ecuador. The people of Ecuador are down to earth and, in general, very friendly. A short conversation with an average citizen makes it easy to forget the craziness of America.
After departing the park, a short distance later. I was at the Malacon. The Malacon is beautiful, it has statues, rustic wood walk ways, cheap food, a huge mall and lots of entertainment. I walked the mall had a few dollar beers and had lunch at the Guayaquil Yacht Club. The Yacht club is a first class establishment, it has a mariner design scheme with waiters in suits.The only people in the Yacht club on this day were a group of Orientals. They seemed to be enjoying themselves and didn't give me a look. I had ceviche, fried fish, ice cream a beer for around twenty bucks, Not bad deal for a ton of food, when I travel on a budget, at times, it is nice to splurge and live a little. If you want a taste of the high life in Guayaquil, check out the Yacht Club, you won't regret it.
I finished lunch and took a cruise up the the Rio Guayas. The cruise office is close to the Guayaquil Yacht club just a few hundred yards away. I paid ten dollars for the cruise.  It was a real bargain, I got to see the whole city from the river. On board the cruiser, I met a Argentinian man who was a Opera singer at the Guayaquil Opera House. He was a kind man, we had coffee together but, didn't have much luck getting it. The lady who worked refreshments on the boat was more interested in providing alcohol. The singer became frustrated but, managed to tell me his life story. I would discuss it but, was drinking some rum, my memory is fuzzy.
After the tour ended, he departed by this time, I met a Venezuelan software engineer and his wife. The man had some luck and his wife was hot. I stayed on board with them got drunk on rum. The cruise heated up too, I got to flirt with some hot Guayaquilenas. And as my good fortune dictates, my Venezuelan friend paid for the second tour. By the time, the cruise was over. The view of Guayaquil was spactacular, all the lights dotted the skyline. It truly is a beautiful place.
After my cruises, I was stoned drunk and feeling pretty good. I had to decide what was next. Find a disco and get some or head to bed. I choose to head to sleep. Probably a safe decision. Guayaquil is famous for being a haven of criminals. I caught a taxi this time, made it home, watched some cable TV and nooded off. Tomorrow would be a big day, the Galapagos were waiting to be explored.

RE: A Beginning in Quito..

Life in Quito will take you back to a simpler time. Upon arrival, I found people to be quite friendly. Although, I arrived late in Quito, the taxi driver was cordial and charged me five dollars (the going rate) to travel to La Mariscal.  The night watch people were warm and friendly, offering me a tea before my decent to bed. My first night at a fifty dollar hostel was quite nice. At that price level, you should expect breakfast or desayunos and a happy ending but, that never happened. Upon waking up, on my first day in Quito, I went for a walk and found many kind Ecuadorians. And before the day had ended. I was already enamoured by an Ecuadoriana. As a gringo, you will notice Ecuadorianas are hot. And if your spanish skills are up to par, you can get a date quite easily. Please brush up on your basic and advanced Spanish. I recommend going to Community College and don't buy the Rosetta Stone, that software is a crock. You will get nowhere quick. I travelled with a German guy who studied using the Rosetta Stone software. I think all he could say was "Desculpe me". Sorry won't get you too far with an Ecuadoriana; they like strong men. In summation, Ecuador has very few English speaking people so, brush up.

My first day in Quito was a tough one and my activities were limited to relaxing, reading and planning my trips. I also made a phone call to an American friend whose family owned an apartment which was ready in ten days to rent. My first night was spent at Mariscal Foch plaza. It is a modern square with fine food and drink as well as many giant televisions to watch Futbol. On this fine day, Liga De Quito played, the Sur De America champions. It was a blast. A new English friend and I drank many Jarros or Jars of Pilsener (the national beer of Ecuador). It was a real blast, Liga won the match. The atmosphere went wild, people took to the streets in excitement, honking their horns and shouting song's of celebration. I felt part of the excitement, it permeated my existence. On my way home, I stopped by a bar which featured "ladies night". At this fine establishment, women can drink for free from eight to ten every Tuesday night. If you want to shake your booty, some fine latinas are there, ripe for the taking. Just ask someone on the street. They will point you the way.

My next morning I found Fanfone, a restaurant, the owner is super friendly. Her name is Catalina. If you stop on in, tell her Stan sent you. Her Chuleta is great and have a cup of Té de Coca, it helps with altitude sickness. Catalina showed me a book of the Galapagos. Later that day, a fine Latina escorted me to a barber shop for a haircut. I had hair to my back and Ecuadorianas aren't too fond of dirty looking people. I recommend getting a haircut and staying clean shaven. Ecuadorian's are clean people and when in Rome, do as the Romans.

After a reality check of researching various hostels; I checked out of my over priced hostel. I was tired of paying fifty dollars  and after researching various hostels in La Mariscal. I soon realized fifteen to twenty dollars was more in line with the local market. I checked into the Home Hostel on my third day. It was quiet, clean, had a chef kitchen, full cable and a private clean room for 15.00 dollars a night. It actually was 17 dollars with IVA (tax) but, well worth it. The Home Hostel was quiet and came with breakfast. I stayed there two days, surfing the internet on the public computer, watching cable and visiting Fanfone.

During my stay at the Home Hostel, I took a trip to the "Anda" section pronounced, l'yay. I saw my future apartment. It was quiet nice, with decor from the 1970s. I noticed it had a analog TV with an antenna. I turned it on and noticed there were six channels and one had hot latinas dancing. At this point, I said to myself, "home sweet home".  After my quick view of my future place, I left a suitcase at my friends business which is on the premises of the apartment, headed back to my hostel. On my fifth day in Quito, I was feeling restless and having fell for a gal named Nelly. I wanted to get some some action. Noon that day, I ran into Nelly, she was on her cell phone as usual but, stopped for awhile to talk to me. She was a hot latina, with healthy breaths, deep cafe eyes and a body which gave me enough to enjoy, not too big and not skinny. It was awhile, since seeing some action . I was ready to go. During this conversation, I asked Nelly, if she would have dinner with me later. She replied, "I have to work now, lets meet later around seven?". I was stoked and returned at seven. I waited an hour and in frustration, grabbed my light pack and headed to Guayaquil and ultimately the Galapagos. I wasn't too let down by being stood up. Heck, I am Ecuador, there are hot chick everywhere. And the national beer, Pilsener flows like wine and a discotech on every corner. As my pop, once said, "watch what you ask for, you just might get it".  I took the morning bus to Guayaquil, the night bus was sold out.

Preparation, Security and Lodging.

Preparation, Security and Lodging are a few things rarely explored in depth in most travel blogs regarding Quito Ecuador.  There are a few questions you need to ask yourself before taking this trip. What type of clothes are necessary for a trip of this magnitude? What is the cheapest, comfortable and safest way to travel? How is my safety of my personal property going to be affected? These questions are important because, Ecuador is another world, it function's quite differently than America. And as I learned, the hard way, if you aren't prepared, you will feel the pain in your pocket book, an uncomfortable experience or damage to your physical person. If your downright stupid you can get kidnapped, lose organs or worse. I don't miss to frighten you but, Ecuador isn't like the US, Disneyland. If you get lost and end up in the wrong neighborhood, you can lose everything quick. Hopefully, this guide can give you a leg up on the average traveller who feels an inclination to travel to Ecuador. I don't know but, hopefully...

Clothes are an important consideration when taking a trip to the andean capital of Ecuador and the coastal region or playas. I found the topic of clothing rarely discussed regarding traveling to Ecuador. Tee-shirts and shorts aren't a good option for Quito Ecuador. A tee shirt will leave you cool at times and shorts aren't secure when dealing with pick pockets on public transportation. Please don't be one of those idiot gringos that wears a tee shirt and shorts in fifty degree weather. If you think you look stupid, Ecuadorians aren't idiots, they do too.

As far as leisurely but appropriate attire, it is cool enough in Quito to bring long sleeve shirts, sweaters, light pants and a well built pair of hiking shoes. I would carry your wallet in your front pocket and hold your travel documents if possible on crowded buses as a security measure. To deal with rain in Quito, bring a light rain jacket and some fleece. If you plan on travelling to the coast, bring a bathing suit, shorts, a few t-shirts and a light jacket. I won't go into to much more into clothing but, remember Quito is cool between 50 and 70 fahrenheit and on the coast roughly 70 and 80 fahrenheit. This should give you a good indicator as to how to dress, in all cases, use your brain.

An important thing to take into consideration and rarely published are the hidden costs of planning a trip to Ecuador. Clothes are expensive in Ecuador and if you forget something, Ecuador has a roughly 24% tax. Tack on 40 percent to a US price and that is what you will pay in Ecuador. I know this off topic but, equally important. It goes the same for computers and electronics. The prices of imported goods in Ecuador are astronomical. If you need a Laptop, buy it in the US. I came here thinking there were good deals to be had, if you think that, you are dead wrong, a six hundred dollar laptop in the US is around a 1000 here. I was confronted with problematic laptop in Quito Ecuador. After many trips shopping, due to high prices. I found myself using a broken laptop my whole first trip, was lucky it lasted four months and died back in the states.

Purchasing of your travel ticket to Ecuador requires diligence and patience due to fuel price fluctuation. I wouldn't purchase impulsively, watch the market and when gas drops, purchase. An airline ticket can run from five hundred to around two grand with taxes. Watch the taxes or impuestos, there are a lot of taxes on a flight to Ecuador. I noticed a five hundred dollar flight can have a final price tag of 727.00 at checkout. I won't get into the specifics about why taxes are so high taxes, that is beyond the scope of this blog but, view them before purchase.

Another important part of flight travel to Ecuador is comfort. Very few bloggers or writers touch on the fact, American airlines are in the dumps and if you fly with them be prepare to suffer, small seats, lousy service and no food or drinks are part of the Domestic flying experience in America today. I chose Avianca out of Los Angeles, Avian Colombia has great service, all you can drink, snacks, meals, just like the old days in America. A few more quality airlines in Ecuador are Aerogal and Tame. I have trouble recommending Tame, a friend had an experience with them that was odd. After a few weeks of buying a ticket, he noticed three other tickets charged to his credit card. I avoid Tame for that reason. However, if you book with Tame or Avianca, you will get food, snacks and complementary alcoholic beverages. We all know, a nip of whiskey or glass of red wine can make a flight a whole lot easier. That alcohol also comes in handy if you have a layover in Colombia as many flight do. Colombia is the land of hot chicks. In Colombia, god stayed a extra few hours to insure there was plenty of big tits and nice asses to go around. After a good buzz, it always makes it easier to break the ice.

Lodging is an crucial part of the planning process when visiting Quito Ecuador. There are many options from seven dollars to the hundreds. If you plan on staying on a budget, you can stay at a hostel dormitory style for around seven dollars a night or take a private room in a hostel for around fifteen. The dormitory housing is rough and spending the night with some dirty hippies is never very fun. Ask for a private room, usually a bargain, around fifteen dollars isn't going to hurt. Heck your half way around the world. As to my experience, initially, I squandered my money and stayed at a hostel for fifty dollars a night, the place included taxes, most places do not. By the way, I wasn't too impressed by the hostel, the room was small and noisy.   I personally recommend booking in Quito in person. The La Mariscal district has good security and a plethora of hospedajes. Upon arrival, tell the taxi cab driver, "La Mariscal" and don't pay more than five bucks. For those of you who are less adventurous, stay one night at one of the over priced places you can find on Google but try to avoid a hostel with a fifty dollar price tag, most are noisy, if you plan to pay between fifty and a hundred dollars, get a hotel, the Mercure is nice and clean for around seventy US. If you plan to go over a 100 dollars, there are luxury hotels in Quito, the JW Marriott, Swisshotel and the NUHouse are a few. All and all, before making any decision, remember you are in Ecuador, the country has a great deal of poverty so don't be stupid and over pay. Once you get settled, it is time hit the town and score with some chicks.