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| One of Ecuador's two major cities |
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| All our accommodations were nice; Left photo: Hotel Colon; Right photo: Scott Stevens |
As is typical with tours, the first “day” of the trip really amounts to not much more than getting from one place to another. We weren’t scheduled to meet with our guide ("Tour Manager" in Gate 1 speak) until the morning after arrival, but he actually greeted us at the airport when we arrived.
I must say that our guide and general jack-of-all trades, Wilson Bernardo Tituaña Sánchez, was magnificent: friendly, knowledgeable and extremely accomplished.
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| Our guide: Wilson |
Raised by his grandparents in the indigenous Kichua culture in Baños de Agua Santa, a mountainous area known as the “Gateway to the Amazon,” he provided great insight into culture, good advice for treating travel-induced maladies (Scott picked up intestinal issues, most likely a parasite, and I came down with a cold) and information on birds and animals. A certified tourist guide, he is also certified to lead technical mountain-climbing and white-water rafting trips. He really made the trip.
We were on our own the first night, so we left the hotel in search of good seafood with Jenny and Don. We ended up at El Rincón del Ceviche, just a brief (and cheap) cab ride away. Ceviche is a staple in Ecuador, but mindful of the health concerns associated with the water and raw ingredients, I opted for fried shrimp.
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| A delicious seafood dinner |
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| He said it was good! |
Ecuadorians claim that they have the best shrimp in the world (so do people from Florida's Gulf Coast!). But, I gotta say, it was pretty darn good.
Scott, who is not as cautious as I, had oyster ceviche. RAW oyster ceviche. Yeah, I know that the citrus “cooks” it, but those things looked raw.
I can’t say for sure, but this could be the beginning of illnesses that lasted through – and beyond – the trip.
The next morning really launched the tour, starting with a meeting where our small group – Tony and Elayne from New York, Sammy and Angela from California, Fran and Kathy from Pennsylvania, Jenny and Don and Scott and I – got acquainted. It was a great group of people, which made the trip all the more enjoyable.
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| A rare photo of the whole group |
Our time in Guayaquil was rather short, which was fine with me because it was the hottest and most humid spot we visited.
Sometimes noted as Ecuador’s largest city and sometimes as the second-largest, Guayaquil is the nation's main port and the capital of Guayas Province in La Costa. It is located on the west bank of the Guayas River that flows into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Guayaquil. Lots of guayas there!
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| Panorama of the Guayas River |
Guayaquil was “founded” in 1538 by Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Orellana on the site of a native village (so, what was he founding?) and given the name Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Guayaquil ('Most Noble and Most Loyal City of Santiago of Guayaquil'). Try that name in a high school cheer!
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| An early map |
As a coastal city, Guayaquil suffered multiple pirate raids, the most significant being in 1687 and 1709.
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| 1709 Pirate raid; Art: Pocketmag |
In colonial times, Guayaquil was the chief Spanish shipyard in the Pacific and a stopover in commerce between Asia and Latin America. While the city didn’t practice the type of enslavement that created the American south, they did have a form called jornal, in which enslaved persons who worked in homes or in the shipyards could gain some freedoms in exchange for paying their “owners” a daily fee (the jornal).
As I mentioned in my last post, Guayaquil gained independence, very peacefully, from Spain in 1820. In 1829, the city was invaded by Peru, which occupied it for seven months and held sway over in for decades. In 1860, the Battle of Guayaquil ended Peruvian influence over Ecuador. In 1896, large portions of the city were destroyed by a fire.
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| The fire's aftermath, 1896; Photo: Archivo Histórico del Guayas |
Guayaquil's main sources of income are trade, small- and medium-sized businesses, agriculture and aquaculture. Because it has weak soil and sits on the world’s most major fault system – the “Ring of Fire” – Guayaquil faces major earthquake and tsunami threats. Indeed, on our final day of the tour, Guayaquil suffered a 6.8-magnitude earthquake, with 14 fatalities and significant property damage.
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| 2023 earthquake; Photo: NPR |
With a tropical savanna climate, it is hot and humid with heavy rains between January and April, especially during El Niño years when it rains heavily and floods. The rest of the year, rainfall is minimal, with cloudy mornings and afternoons and evening breezes. The first night we were there was very rainy and the rest of the time was just oppressively hot. But, we didn’t pick the dates for the tour!
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| Clouds that will eventually dump rain |
Before we started out on our adventures, Wilson told us that there are issues with crime and that we should not wear any valuable jewelry. When I was packing for the trip, I had seriously thought about leaving my wedding ring behind in our safe deposit box, mainly because I was concerned that the heat and humidity would make it uncomfortable. I wish I had. I never wore it during the trip, instead locking it up with my passport in our hotel safes.
Guayaquil's Sights
Our visit to Guayaquil covered almost everything advertised in the tour brochure, but in different order.
We started out at Seminario Park, home to a large number of Green Iguanas and Turtles.
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| Seminario is also called "Iguana Park" |
These Iguanas are the same critters we saw in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Costa Rica. While they are bright green as youngsters, the grow up to be gray (and fearsome).
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| Left and top right: Adult Green Iguanas; Lower right: Red-eared Slider Turtles |
At the Park, I also got my first taste of birding "on my own" (although Wilson was as accommodating as possible) and I got my first Ecuadorian Lifers: a Pale-legged Hornero that I saw just long enough to take two photos, some Ecuadorian Ground Doves and a whole flock of Red-masked Parakeets that didn't want to be photographed at all.
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| Ecuadorian Ground Dove, Pale-legged Hornero, Red-masked Parakeet |
I also saw Pigeons (it is a city!), a Shiny Cowbird, a Social Flycatcher and, flying overhead, some Magnificent Frigatebirds.
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| CW: Dark morph Rock Pigeon, Social Flycatcher, Magnificent Frigatebird, Shiny Cowbird |
Across the street was the San Pedro Apostol Metropolitan Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Peter), often referred to as the Catedral Católica Metropolitana de Guayaquil or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil.
This building is the successor of the wooden cathedral that was Guayaquil's main church at the time of the city's founding.
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| Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil |
The original on Santa Ana Hill church was destroyed in a fire in 1892 and this one was built in a neo-Gothic style between 1924 and 1937.
The ornate white church has two clock towers, one of which depicts the tides, important in a port city, and sculptures of several saints, Ambrose, Gregory, Augustine and Jerome, who guard the entrance gate.
It features 126 stained glass windows depicting apostles and patriarchs of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Latin American saints.
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| Beautiful altar and window |
Inside is an entrance hall, sanctuaries, a burial chamber, three naves, six altars, balconies, columns, paintings, more sculptures and, at the rear, is a statue of Christ the King, blessing Guayaquil.
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| Inside and out |
Next, we walked a few blocks to Palacio Municipal, also known as the Buenos Aires Cabildo or simply as the Municipality (everything seems to have multiple names), the seat of the Municipal Council and the Mayor's Office. Built between 1921 and 1929, the building mixes neoclassical and baroque style, including an open-air walkway with a pretty glass conservatory-style ceiling.
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| Very Disney-esque; Left photo: Scott Stevens |
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| A love story started the city |
We didn't see much there, except a statue of the "founders" of Guayaquil: Chief Guayas from one side of the Guayas River and his wife, Quill, from the other side.
The story is very Romeo and Juliet, except they didn't die. Rather, they married and the child in the sculpture represents the the peace created between two warring factions.
That, my friends, is actual founding.
We passed the Torre Morisca (Moorish Tower), which was built to house a clock that was imported from England in the early 1800s.
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| A town landmark |
The clock had been in two different towers, the latter of which was built of wood and eventually was corroded so severely by waves that the entire structure had to be demolished. I thought the tower would be right on the water, but it really wasn’t. That is a testament to how high water can rise.
In its early history, the clock's chimes both depicted the hour and, when necessary, warned of pirate attack. The Moorish-style brick tower was built in 1930, reflecting popular European style rather than anything to do with Guayaquil.
Wilson told us that, twice, the tower was "sold" to unwitting foreigners who were surprised to find the provided key didn't work and the tower belonged to the city.
Santa Ana Hill
After our (very brief) City tour, we headed over to Santa Ana Hill to climb the 456 stairs (numbered!) to the top for a view of the city.
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| Looking up and down |
One of Guayaquil's two major hills, Santa Ana was the site of the city's "first" settlement in 1547.
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| Wilson guards a cannon; Photo: Scott Stevens |
360-degree visibility and fortifications facing the river provided defense against one of the most fearsome enemies of the city: pirates. Cannons and forts still remain.
The Diego Noboa central staircase traverses the brilliantly colored facades of the houses, cafes, art galleries and tiny plazas.
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| A steep walk through a (well-guarded) neighborhood; Left photo: Jenny Owen |
Because the are no streets and no vehicular travel, residents and visitors must walk to the top. Plus, all supplies are carried up the steep climb.
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| Residents have strong calf muscles |
The walk itself wasn't difficult, but it was so, so, so hot. So, so hot! And, sticky, too.
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| Had there been water, we might have jumped in the fountain |
From the top, we could see the broad (in some places, two miles wide) Guayas River and the town.
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| Views; Second right photo: Jenny Owen; Bottom right photo: Scott Stevens |
I captured photos of a few birds from the top, including Blue-and-white Swallows (birds I saw in Costa Rica, but never captured with my camera because they are so darn fast), a Blue-gray Tanager and some Tropical Kingbirds (also repeats from Costa Rica).
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| CW: Tropical Kingbird, juvenile Blue-and-white Swallow and Blue-gray Tanager |
Don and I climbed to the top of the 61.5-foot-tall lighthouse at the top (I mean, why not? We had already walked up more than 20 stories).
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| Going up for a view; Middle photo: Jenny Owen |
The view included a look at the cute little chapel of Santa Ana.
While they seem quaint, both the chapel and the lighthouse were built in 2002, atop the foundations of the 17th-century fort.
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| Not as historic as I thought |
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| At least I got a shot from the top |
From the roof, we could also see Guayaquil’s rather curious Monkey Machín statue below.
Unfortunately, we could see only the backside. We had driven by it on our way to Santa Ana, but I couldn’t get a picture as we rocketed past.
Made of 110,000 ceramic tiles, the 39-foot-tall Monkey is based on a children's story, "Owl Juan and the Monkey Machín Play in the Centenario Park."
The author, Fátima Quiroz de Kuri, better known as Aunt Popy, created a series of books and a book club to teach children about their city while encouraging them to read.
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| Why?; Photo: Encircle |
I found the statue's name curious because Quito residents often call people born in Guayaquil “monos” (monkeys) because they consider them to be coarse and uncultured.
Maybe the locals are in on the joke. Perhaps, the statue is thumbing its (huge) nose at those who look down on Guayaquileños.
I tried to find out, but still have no idea why the Monkey is called a "Machine" (the translation of "Machín"). Maybe Juan Owl was playing with a toy.
We walked down through a “back route,” that may have had fewer stairs (they weren’t numbered) and at the bottom, we saw some more birds, including another Lifer.
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| These Snowy Egrets and juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron were repeat birds for me |
Unfortunately, we could not stay long enough (our bus was waiting for us on a narrow street) for the darn Striated Heron to turn around, so all I got was the back and a hint of the head.
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| This is the Lifer: a Striated Heron |
Tucked into the same tree was a Snowy Egret nest. I could see it, but getting a good photo was tough.
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| Pretty and sweet |
And, don’t get me started on this ...
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| Another Lifer: a Fasciated Wren |
After our trek, we got on the bus and headed out of town to visit a cacao plantation northeast of town in nearby Milagro.
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| I saw Roadside Hawks in Costa Rica |
I didn’t get a single photo, but on eBird, I reported nine Snowy Egrets, six White Ibises, one Glossy Ibis, two Harris’s Hawks and a whopping 15 Roadside Hawks (they were everywhere!). In reality, the numbers were probably much higher.
Plus, Wilson said that we passed a Great Ibis, which he said is a larger version of a White Ibis that isn’t supposed to be in Ecuador (I can’t recall where it allegedly lives). I couldn’t find such a bird in eBird, finding only a Giant Ibis, which is found only in Cambodia. So, I don’t know. I certainly didn’t report or count it.
Chocolate!
I mentioned earlier that agriculture is an important economic driver for Ecuador. An important component is cacao.
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| Native cacao |
In the early 1920s, the country's cacao crops became infected with a fungus and production sagged. But, it has since recovered.
At Unocace Cacao Plantation, we learned about the history of cocoa beans and saw part of the process that begins after the beans are picked.
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| Organic, sustainable and socially conscious chocolate |
Ecuador grows some of the world’s most highly prized chocolate and is the top Latin American exporter. The hot and humid environment that made us miserable makes those beans very happy. Plus, drought in Africa, which has historically produced 70 percent of the world’s cocoa, has been a boon to Ecuador.
Pacari Chocolates, a chocolatier based in Quito, won six gold medals at the 2013 International Chocolate Awards in London. The Kallari Cooperative, which was formed to try to get a better price for the Arriba beans harvested by the native Kichua people, produces chocolate that sells for $170 an ounce in the U.S.
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| Top of the line; Photo: To'ak |
Ecuadorian-made To'ak bars are the world’s most expensive chocolate.
Each tiny square of chocolate actually comes with its own pair of disposable tweezers to prevent any chocolate from being wasted on fingers or napkins.
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| These urns had cocoa traces; Photo: Science |
Amazonians may have been the first peoples to process and consume cocoa. Archeologists discovered containers with remnants of cocoa dating back to 3300 BCE.
Originally cocoa wasn’t sweetened, making it way too bitter for Europeans. But, when they mixed it with sugar, it rapidly became a popular drink among the European upper class.
Spanish conquistadors started exporting cocoa from Ecuador in the early 17th century.
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| Buying cacao; Drawing: Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
I expected the plantation to resemble a modern farm, with rows and rows of planted trees and modern harvesting methods. But, Unocace is a cooperative of organic cacao producers that embrace the old-fashioned approach. Created in 1999, the organization comprises more than 20 family-owned farms located throughout Ecuador. The cacao trees at this facility were sprinkled around pristine jungle, growing among other plants. Our tour was, quite literally, a walk in the woods.
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| Wilson explaining cacao harvesting |
And, the jungle was full of other plants, including edible fruits and beautiful flowers, as well.
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| Viewing and tasting the bounty of the land; Right photo: Scott Stevens |
The red-colored cocoa beans grow in clusters inside football-shaped pods, which start out green and gradually turn shades of yellow and orange. After the soft, white coating is removed …
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| “Cacao” refers to the plant, while “cocoa” is the name of the bean |
… the beans are fermented in wooden bin. It looked very old, but is actually replaced every decade or so.
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| As they ferment, the beans produce heat you can feel near the bin |
When we first got off our bus, we had been met with a very peculiar smell that I finally figured out was fermenting cacao. It reminded me of vinegar and mustard with an undertone of chocolate. Very odd.
After the beans are fermented, they are then moved to a drying shed, where they are spread out on a long mesh tray and held until the moisture is evaporated.
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| Drying shed |
After that, they are sent off to be roasted and turned into chocolate.
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| Another form of Ecuadorian "gold" |
Chocolate flavors are similar to wine in that different beans produce different flavors with complex bouquets, undertones and finishes.
Ecuador's high-quality chocolate comes from the Arriba bean which produce cocoa that is fruity and spicy but not very bitter. The flavor of Arriba beans varies depending on the elevation at which it is grown.
Arriba means "up" or "above" in Spanish. The name came from a misunderstanding of locals saying that the beans came from up the river.
Some Arriba cacao plants are actually more than a hundred years old.
Most chocolate made with Arriba beans is exported. Nestlé is the largest producer in Ecuador; Mars, Hershey's and Ferrero Rocher also have a significant presence.
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| Nestle; Top: FoodNavigator; Bottom: Menu |
To address this, scientists engineered a controversial new cocoa, CCN51, that yields a much larger crop than Arriba and is highly resistant to the fungus. But, it doesn’t tase as good; some say it tastes like dirt. So, Mars and Cadbury mix it with better-tasting beans to produce their trademark milk chocolates.
Recently, Nestle spent $16 million on a line of fine chocolate made exclusively with high-quality Ecuadorian cocoa.
In-country, many small-batch manufacturers, including Unocace, produce high-quality chocolates with Ecuadorian beans, as well as working to ensure that Ecuadorian laborers receive a decent wage. Tours, such as the one we went on, provide additional employment for guides and, where meals and snacks are served, cooks and servers.
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| The local crew is many women |
Before our walk through the jungle and our visit to the fermenting and drying area, we ate a lunch cooked by locals in an outdoor pavilion built to entertain tours. We had a yummy chicken with rice and plantains (a very common meal) served with that delicious ají sauce.
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| Hot cocoa; Photo: Culinary Backstreet |
After the tour, as one would expect, we had an opportunity to taste and purchase local chocolate. It was good, but rather heavy for the steamy climate.
Interestingly, Ecuadorians don't consume much chocolate themselves, although Kichua people still eat cocoa in a traditional preparation, ground up with hot water and sugar.
Getting Ready to Move On
After our tour, we returned to the hotel for dinner and to prepare for the next morning’s trip to Galápagos.
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| Next stop: Galápagos |
Trip date: March 7 - 19, 2023
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