Río Babahoyo

For our second day in Guayaquil, the plan was to take the shuttle back to the city center to explore further what yesterday was a new-to-us port. Today, we had the advantage of knowing the logistics of getting where we wanted to go.

We were again on the first shuttle out — at 8:30a — joined by our friend, Sonia … and far more passengers than yesterday morning. Traffic flowed smoothly and a little before 9:00a, we were getting off the bus at Parque Seminario.

Our destination was Cerro Santa Ana/Las Peñas … which required climbing up 444 steps to get to the top. We wanted to do this before the day got hot. So, to save time, we called an Uber (USD $1.99 for the ride), which arrived minutes later. Turns out that we did not have to worry about the weather as much today. Yes, it was still hot — 86F by mid-day — but the humidity was much lower, the sun was in hiding the entire day, and the few sprinkles we got were refreshing.

Before beginning the climb, we walked uphill a bit in the opposite direction … to the concern of the police and locals alike. You see, about 50 feet away is one of the many other stairs that lead up into the hillside village. The problem is that these stairs are not recommended for tourists as the area is generally crime-ridden. In fact, a local woman who was driving by, stopped to tell us to turn back. We told her that we were just going to take a quick photo of the painted steps from the bottom. At the realization that we weren’t crazy enough to attempt the stairs themselves, she told us to put all of our valuables out of sight, and drove alongside us until we got to the stairs, took our photos, and turned back towards the Diego Noboa y Arteta stairs … aka the “numbered stairs.”

Why do I refer to them as the numbered stairs? Because each step is numbered to prove you are climbing 444 of them to reach the summit at 197 feet above sea level. We actually did more steps than that since what goes up must come down. Signs along the way identified the area as a “secure zone.” Police presence was noticeable in an unobtrusive sort of way. We certainly felt at ease as we enjoyed the slow climb.

On one website, I had read not to expect much once you get to the top. I beg to differ. There was plenty to enjoy, including panoramic views of the city. We wandered around the Honor Terrace … with cannons that were once used to protect Guayaquil from pirates; visited the small chapel … with beautiful stained glass windows depicting the Stations of the Cross; and climbed to the top of the faro … aka Santa Ana Hill Lighthouse.

Once back at the base of the hill, we asked the policewomen standing nearby for directions to Numa Pompilio Llona … a photogenic, cobblestone street lined with colorful colonial architecture. They pointed us to the left of the numbered stairs and told us to walk past the barrier across the road to get where we wanted to go. I later realized that this is a gated community of sorts where only those with passes are allowed to drive in. The cobblestone street continued past the colorful houses. We were told it was a more or less commercial area with restaurants and such. Not yet ready for lunch, we turned back and retraced our steps.

Our next stop was the MAAC — Museo Antropologica y Arte Contemporaneo. Depending on the direction from which you are coming to Malecón 2000, it’s either at the head of it or at the end of it … the former for us.

I had read that the place was air conditioned and that they weren’t shy about using it. Alas, the A/C was not on today. Sonia and Mui gave up almost immediately and went outside where it was cooler. I persevered and did a quick wander around the interconnected galleries. The art was just a bit too contemporary for my taste, but I did find some pieces that garnered my attention, giving me a reason to exercise my shutter finger.

The odd thing is that I never did find anything that I’d associate with either archaeology or anthropology at the museum. On my way to meet Sonia and Mui, I saw another door with a few pieces of pottery in an exhibit case, but when I asked if this was the anthropology section of the museum, I was directed to the staircase that led downstairs to the art museum. Perhaps that section of the museum is closed.

By the time I rejoined Sonia and Mui, it was nearing noon. Time for lunch. We went to Calle Panama again … this time to a different side street where we found a place by the name of Sol de Manta. The reviews were good. The photos of the food looked appetizing. We sat indoor where the air condition offered a cool haven.

Mui and Sonia each had ceviche … he a mix of pulpo [octopus] and camaron [shrimp]; she just pulpo. I ordered something called corviche. I had to look it up on the internet to find out what it was because our server did not speak more than a word or two of English. Turns out that it is a dish made by mashing green plantains, forming it into a ball (mine was shaped more like an American football), and filling it with albacore tuna. The ball is then deep fried so that it has a crunchy shell and a soft interior … served on a bed of mashed avocado … and topped with peanut sauce. It was delicious, but the size was big and it was incredibly filling. I very much appreciated a Club cerveza [beer] to wash down my food.

After lunch, we re-entered the Malecón to walk back to the gate near City Hall. From there, we cut through Administration Plaza and went to the shuttle stop to get on the 1:30p bus. We were back on Insignia a little after 2:00p. Time to relax.

To get to the commercial port that services Guayaquil, yesterday we followed an estuary inland for about 4-5 hours. It was the wee hours of the morning when we made that transit. For the return trip out to the Pacific, we had daylight part of the way. When Insignia pulled away from its berth a few minutes before 5:00p, Mui and I made ourselves comfortable on the veranda with a glass of wine and enjoyed the slow sail down the waterway lined with mangroves.

Tomorrow we get to relax at sea. In the meantime … we’re going to go up to the Terrace Café to see what tonight’s theme of “Shades of Dosa” is all about. Executive Chef Farid and his culinary team are once again showing off their cooking skills on the open deck.Read more