Puerto Lopez

(DAY236 : Salinas - Puerto Lopez : 85 miles)
(DAY237 - 238 : Puerto Lopez)


The potholed Ruta del Sol was mostly a demonstration of Ecuador's poverty.





People are as sweet as ever. The fish looked good as well.

Had I not heard how wonderful Montanita is, perhaps I wouldn't have been disappointed. Imagine a tsunami struck village with only the cafe-bars restored, then fill those with tourists. But hey, it's a surfer hangout, so maybe it's the waves. In any case, I didn't feel the need to turn the ignition off.


A Montanita street.


The same street seen from the other side.

Puerto Lopez continued the poverty struck coast line theme without the weird contrast of Montanita. It was ugly enough that I wanted to continue. But (luckily), Katirga was already slurping from reserve, and the town was out of gas. "Tomorrow at noon" said the pump guy. Fine, we'll stay.

Many of the hotels were full. I got myself into a small $8 room and hoped for a sunny whale watching trip the next day. Instead, I got rain watching. I did try to use it productively by editing etc, but when I went out for lunch I ran into Mark, a traveler I had met all the way back in Chugchilan. It's completely his fault that the rest of the day went by drinking and laughing our heads off to stuff I don't even remember. It took a rainy-day-turned-fun to reveal my naivete at the Museo Solar Inti Nan (see: Mitad del Mundo).


Puerto Lopez.


The prettiest building in Puerto Lopez is a juice stand.


Yet to have one sunny day in Ecuador.

The two girls trying to sell me a whale watching tour would tell me anything to make it happen. The next day I did sign up with them as they had already come down from $25 to $18, and the sun clearly wasn't interested in showing up anyway. But as I was getting ready, the receptionist lady showed up to say that I had to leave because the room was booked to a group and she had already told me that. Deja vu! This was the second time a hotel would make me commit to two days minimum, then kick me out after the second once they've hooked a large group and needed rooms. But this time I knew what was and was not said very well. When she said they would remove my belongings from the room, I almost lost it. Only then, "you have to leave" became "please help me", and that became "ok, ok".

The boat, of course, was nothing like promised and we all took a good shower while looking for the whales. But ultimately, none of it mattered. When the whales not only showed up but also started showing off, the day turned into one of the best of my trip. I had my camera housing with me, but (understandably) they wouldn't give me a snorkel kit and let me in. That, would have made it the best day hands down. These must be the most gentle creatures on earth.







The receptionist woman apologized when I checked out, but...

We got Katirga some gas and left it all behind. One day I hope to swim with the whales.