We arrived in a big passenger bus that played violent Spanish dubbed films at around five on Monday and were greeted by a vastly misunderstood city. Guayaquil is the largest city in the country and is known for crime and shifty characters. We were told not to come here because of its negative reputation but after two days of celebrating, seeing sites, and meeting some really friendly locals it is easy to see that Guayaquil is definitely a hidden gem. The countries' bigger port city boasts an iguana park, mildly warm weather, and a family friendly waterfront boardwalk.
Yesterday we woke up early and ate a three dollar breakfast then went to a large park to watch the beginnings of a long military parade. The president of Ecuador gave a brief speech and ceremonial guards strided in formation while donning elegant white uniforms. After seeing parts of the concession we got lunch and checked out the multicolored houses in the las Penas district which has a lighthouse that overlooks the entire landscape. We stayed in the area for most of the day and came back later in the night to take in the nice views and inexpensive beer. There also was a bright fireworks show and a live salsa band to help begin a lively evening.
Today we all felt sluggish from a lot of celebrating last night but still managed to buy cheep Ecuador football jerseys and explore a little more of the surroundings. Earlier in the afternoon I met up with two locals for coffee and walked around a historical animal park. The two are named Maria and it was my first ever couchsurfing experience.
They have been very hospitable and want to show my friends and me more of the city later in the evening. After meeting them I want to pay it forward when I move home because it is a great way to learn about other cultures and make friends from around the world. More updates coming soon!
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