Everywhere in the country you can see these colorful signs. You don't have to write where you are.
Back in civilization, back in Guayaquil. Before the Galapagos, I only had one night here for a stopover, now I have a few days to discover the city. I was already warned that Guayaquil is hot, dangerous and not very beautiful and that you always have to watch out for yourself. The usual in a big city. Plus, it was carnival week. And I thought this would be a good place to celebrate carnival. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The city was empty and everyone traveled to the nearby beaches along the 'Ruta del Sol' over the holidays. So I had the city almost to myself.
Panorama of Malecón 2000 in Guayaquil from the Guayas River. On the right you can see Cerro Santa Ana. And here a bit closer.
View from above from Cerro Santa Ana upstream before Daule and Babahayo flow together and form the Guayas River. On the other side, view of the river, the Malecón and the city. Lighthouse in the colors of the city. La Rotonda. Monument with Bolívar and San Martín for the independence of Guayaquil and South America. This is what the Ecuadorian sailing training ship looks like. It makes a better impression than the Gorch Fock, but it is not seaworthy either. 😉
Torre de Reloj and Municipio.
In recent years, the city has improved significantly. Above all, the Boulevard 'Malecón 2000' directly on the banks of the mighty Guayas River. Thousands of locals and tourists stroll along there every day. There are cafes, bars, rides, statues, excursion boats and much more to discover. And always a good view of the mighty river. It seems to change its direction during high tide. Then all the vegetation floats upstream.
The other highlights of the city are the Cerró Santa Ana, the Park of the Iguanas, a classic city tour, a boat trip and the Parque Histórico on the Samborondón peninsula. It was always scorching hot, interrupted only by heavy tropical rain showers.
Then I start my tour in an open-top double-decker bus.The streets were eerily empty. Everyone had flown away. From above, I had a good view again. Snack in between. A kind of currywurst with lentils.
The Parque de los Iguana lives up to its name. Of course, it is also called Simón Bolivar. These specimens are allegedly endemic here, so they can only be found here. I did not verify if this is really true. However, they do look different from the species in the Galapagos. From a distance, a different picture emerges. Pigeons and iguanas mixed everywhere. But some have found a quiet spot. Of course, iguanas are actually called 'Leguane', but here they are called iguanas everywhere. Parque Centenario. It was really huge. El Telégrafo. Symbol of one of the largest newspapers in the country. Of course, the clock doesn't work! On the way to Loja, I had another half-day stay in Guayaquil. I used it to visit the Parque Histórico. In addition to all the historical charm,...... there is also a zoo With tropical forest. And many colorful parrots. Or red blue yellow. There is something for every taste. And here another lizard is hiding.
When the locals slowly returned after the holidays, I left the city and followed the Ruta del Sol north towards the coast. First to the most famous hotel, beach and holiday destination in Salinas. It is also the westernmost point of the Ecuadorian mainland.
Salinas. First stop along the coast on the Ruta del Sol. Here at the easternmost point of the mainland. No idea why something like this is always emphasized. The fact that it is dangerous to swim there was only mentioned in passing. Visit to the whale museum. You could sit on a whale jaw. Here you have an unobstructed view. Many skeletons and skulls are exhibited there. But the explanations of the Dutch researcher who has been living here for over 30 years were the most interesting. Whole young whales found dead are also preserved for demonstration. No words.
After that, I had enough of the heat for now. After 'my summer' in Colombia, the Galapagos Islands and the coast of Ecuador, I headed to the moderate climate of Loja.
