Guayaquil is city of 2 million people and is the main port of Ecuador and its largest city. It is the world's leading exporter of bananas and second leading exporter of shrimp. Only 156 miles from the equator, temperatures average near 90°F and the rainy season is December through May.
My first night in Ecuador was spent at a friend's house, where I slept under a mosquito net. Walter drives a 1970 Volkswagen and keeps a fire extinguisher in the front seat. He is our chauffeur and will take us north to the beautiful beaches and scenery along the coast.
Our first stop that morning was at the Malecon, where we saw a statue that commemorates José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar. It was at the Malecon where the two dictators were asked to join a revolt against Spanish rule in South America. They held a secret meeting to see who would claim credit for liberating Peru. Ecuador had already been liberated in 1820. Bolívar became Peru's great liberator and has been called the "George Washington of South America." San Martín exiled himself to Europe and never returned. It was never known what was said at this meeting.
Then we went to a modern mall and enjoyed dinner at one of many restaurants there.
It was late in the afternoon when we left for Puerto Lopez. The distance is about 60 miles, but due to numerous stops along the way, it took 4 hours and was dark when we got to our destination.
En route, there are many roadside vendors where you can purchase honey, bananas, and corn on the cob. Walter had to stop his car every so often to let it cool down and each time we would stop at the roadside stands. Once a vendor came running to the car and tossed some freshly roasted ears of corn into our hands while we were still inside the car. At another stop, we got out and I bought a jar of honey and drank coconut milk through a straw. The drive took us through an unusual dry forest where we saw the weirdly bottle-shaped trees and beautiful mountains. The tropical dry forest used to stretch along the Pacific coast of Central and South America, but has now almost entirely disappeared. Finally by nightfall, we reached our destination and prepared to walk the beach the next day.