Guayaquil

I was married on September 2,2005 in Guayaquil with a beautiful Ecuadorian named Mercedes. I have been there 3 times last year, each time for 5 or 6 weeks for a total of about 4 months. I love it down there and want to spend about 1/2 of the time there returning with my wife. To explore Ecuador by bus is very easy and inexpensive. A 6 hour bus trip will cost about $6 (or about $1 for each hour for longer or shorter trips). Ecuador uses US money. One thing I will warn you about is very, very few people speak english down there. Families will walk along the Malecon (waterfront) until midnite and the weather is warm to hot most of the time. Guayaquil has 3 million population and the traffic is crazy but buses and taxis pass by every couple minutes or so. A 45 minute taxi ride into downtown will cost about $3. I know you will enjoy Guayaquil.

out of all the times i visited… it always gets better

It was not until I was 18 that I got the opportunity to visit the country my parents once called home. Heard tons of stories over the years but nothing could have prepared me for the impact it had on me. The beauty of Guayaquil and the people there is indescribable.

A few things to know…
- An “almuerzo” usually consists of some sort of soup followed by an entree served with rice and cost about $2. (Speak spanish if possible… if you can pass off as a local they won’t overcharge you)

- Cab fare should not exceed $2 if you stay within city limits.

- Food is awesome! Dishes that must be tried: Guatita, Ceviche de Camaron, Ceviche de Concha, Sango, encebollado and Sopa de Salchicha… YUM!

Nice place. Visited en-route to Chile. Sadly didn’t get chance to explore too much.

lived here for a year, planning to definitely visit again if not live in guayaquil again teaching or something… it’s a nice city, i love the temperatures, but then, i enjoy heat and a certain level of humidity, so that helps : )

visis the malecon 2000 and bahia nearby. also the iguana park, and the historical park are nice for tourists. in the municipal museum you can see san biritute, which i did a study on, and other artifacts from the area’s history… taking a trip to salinas or ballanita is a great way to spend a few days if you are in guayaquil

Cool… very cool. Hot, but cool =)