Guayaquil

In Ecuador's largest city for two days before flying to the Galapagos Islands. Touched down at 3am but had to wait at airport until 8am before could check in - 5 hours of boredom.

Took a taxi to hotel. Driver locked the doors the moment we left the airport compound (very reassuring) and proceeded to speed manically through the morning traffic, utilizing all four 'lanes' on offer. You know you've got a problem when the driver is using his horn more than his indicators. Did only charge the three of us $6 US in fairness.

Spent the day wandering the waterfront (pics attached). Good food is as rare as good drivers here - mostly deep-fried or sweets, with few vegetables on offer. Questionable hygiene standards as well - food does sometimes come out colder than it should, despite an insistence it be served 'caliente' (hot).

The one business booming here seems to be private security . A key indicator a chasm exists between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' is when the haves begin to essentially raise private armies to protect their property. Every store here has erected barbed wire and employs a security guard, sporting a Kevlar vest and twirling his half-metre baton. Nothing like a bit of muscle to assure you that everything's well under control...

Pics: 1) The Malecon district waterfront (where all the haves live)
2) Southern Guayaquil, yet to be gentrified (the nots reside in those shanties beyond the white (or is it ivory?) tower).Read more