GUAYAQUIL | MANTA
It was great to revisit Ecuador as we cruised the West Coast of South America northbound for Miami with Oceania Cruises on our 110-day voyage.
Last October, we were blessed with the opportunity to visit Manta, Puerto Bolivar, Machala and Guayaquil as we sailed southbound on the coast of Ecuador on our North to South Pole cruise.
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Ecuador's incredibly kind and friendly people have continued to capture our hearts. We are grateful we had the opportunity to revisit Guayaquil within the last six months.
We are smitten with this magical country, an undiscovered gem in Latin America. Docking in this morning, we were surrounded by the greenest mangroves on the edge of a large city, encapsulating 3.2 million Ecuadorians. It could easily have been the Capital City, which I believe was in the running initially with Quito.
We couldn't miss the opportunity of being surrounded by the locals again; the energy they share with the world around them is infectious, so we were on an early shuttle bus (complimentary from the port) to a central location in the city, which is our favourite park scattered with Iguanas overlooking a gorgeous church.
We enjoyed capturing some snaps of the Notre Dame-style cathedral in the city's heart and the park, which you could nearly mistake for a zoo. It was full of Iguanas roaming around, turtles and fish populating the pond. It was wonderful.
Following this, we had a mission to find a hair salon to look presentable once again, and across from the park, we spotted one and were soon at their mercy with clippers in their hands to bring us back to looking sharp again! The ladies at Peluqueria Unibella were all lovely, and we had some fun conversing in our broken Spanish. For a total of USD 14 each, you can't go wrong!
We strolled the city, discovering parks and squares, where we were in awe of the gracious architecture; the buildings were stunning. As we walked, we greeted all the lovely locals and scattered police officers who were only too happy to have us exploring their incredible city. The local police on bikes and standing on corners is not due to safety concerns, but rather a hospitable approach welcoming us to their city.
During our last visit to Guayaquil, we found a quaint coffee shop (another of their primary exports). As we walked into Puertofino Cafe, we were greeted with a huge hug and kiss from the lovely cafe owner; she was so excited we returned after six months; it was extraordinary! We hoped to catch up again with our friendly young policeman, but he has been reposted to another location, so we missed him this time.
Guayaquil is incredibly safe and is steeped in history, magnificent architecture, a beautiful beachside esplanade, museums, and an old and colourful Spanish town, which made you instantly feel like you were back in Europe; the bright, colourful buildings and vibe were inspiring.
Ecuador is a hidden gem; you are guaranteed to leave a piece of yourself in this beautiful, warm and gentle part of the world.
