Heading North

I'd be remiss if I left Salinas without a picture of the beachfront condos (Holy Carlsbad, Batman!)

and if I didn't mention that our second night in Salinas gave us our first taste of the above-excellent service you get everywhere in Ecuador. We went back to the sidewalk grill for dinner, but they didn't have a table outside and it was much too hot inside, so they went inside, grabbed a table, and plopped it on the sidewalk for us.

I'd also be remiss if I simply said that we left Salinas. Truth be told, we went around the same block at least six times before we stopped at the local police station and a kind officer drew a map for us.

Montañita

Our next stop up the coast, Montañita. This is coastal Ecuador's party town and it was truly bustling on a Friday afternoon. I took only one photo, an empty bar space sure to be hopping by day's end, because it stopped me dead in my tracks I laughed so hard...

I also learned a very important Spanish word there - batidos - smoothies! But unlike your local Jamba Juice, they don't mix fruits; you get only one. Still, batidos became a significant part of our diet while on the road.

Manta

We spent night 3 in Manta at the Hotel Maria Isabella and liked it so much we returned on night 8.

Super-hard mattress and pillows as usual, otherwise 5-star by anyone's standards. Breakfast was delicious and the coffee was fresh-brewed - yay!

We walked down to the beach for dinner and ordered lobster in seafood sauce. Truthfully, it was not the best lobster I've ever had, but the service was outstanding! I ordered a margarita but they were all out would I like something else. I said no, never mind, and the margarita soon appeared at the table. I think they bought it next door.

And when people got up to dance, nobody told them to sit down because the restaurant didn't have a cabaret license!

The Tuna Boats

Before we left Manta, we stopped to see the tuna boats under construction on the beach.

And as lucky as anyone's allowed to get, Tom said hi to a stranger who became a friend named Miguel who has degrees in marine architecture from U Rhode Island and taught for a while and is now retired and "helps with the design" of the tuna fleet.

So with broad smiles we continued north up the coast...