Guayaquil, Ecuador

I arrived a couple of days ago in Guayaquil, the country´s second largest city. Guayaguil is a modern and busy city situated on a river, near the south coast. I walked along their boardwalk yesterday, it was very, very pretty, but very hot and humid. I made a new friend for the walk, a guy from Chile. He is also traveling alone, but sleeping in bus stations or parks. He was a bit odd, at one point, he just dropped trow and took off his pants as we were walking (he had shorts underneath). It was quiet funny, as locals and tourists alike stoppped to watch and giggle. After that I thought it wise to make my escape. Taxi!

Before leaving Riobamba on the train ride to the Devil´s Nose the other day, I made more new friends. I was in an internet cafe and a local guy asked if he could practice his English with me. I was happy to help, and he asked if I could meet him later, with his wife so that she could practice English too. I met them later that day, along with their little boy. They drove me to a couple of stores, a rug store and a leather store to see if I wanted to buy anything (I´m sure there would have been a commission in it for them) ....uhm, no thanks...my backpack is heavy enough. Later we went for ice cream and they asked to meet up that evening to play chess. Seeing as my social calander was empty, I obliged. So, they met me at my hotel and we played chess in the dining room for a couple of hours. The guy was an ace, and won every game. It did get a little awkward at one point, they see Americans are wealthy beyond belief and asked me how much money my trip was costing.

The next morning I got on the roof of the train for the 5 hour train ride down to the Devil´s Nose. I rented a couple of cushions for $1.00 each. I sat next to a girl from England that I met when we bought out tickets the day before. She was very cool. The train ride was excellent. Very cold at the beginning. In fact we made a brief stop in a village and I bought a pair of gloves. My friends from the night before had given me a scarf, in thanks for me treating for ice cream, and I was very glad for it. The train decended through mountains and passed by rivers and villages. We had fun waving at locals and the more south we went, the hotter it became. At one point we were in a bit of a desert before the landscape become green again. At the end of the train ride, I was in a tank top and had rolled up the cuffs on my pants. The town we stopped in was very scenic. I then caught a 5 hour bus ride (uggh) here to Guayaquil. My hotel is very nice with bright, clean tiled rooms and hot showers.

I´m leavng this morning for beach town called Montanita. I think it´s about a 3-4 hour bus ride from here. It´s a surf, party town from what I´ve heard and read in the Lonely Planet guide book I have. But, there are hotels just north of the beach that are quieter, so that´s where I´ll stay...I must sleep!

That´s all for now folks, love to you all!