San Antonio Resort Manta

... was possible for one to climb up to the top of the bell tower and gain a nice view of the city; a leisurely Sunday stroll followed by a few flights of stairs, we imagined. Not quite.
As an aside: one thing thatīs both great and really annoying about the good olī USA is the obsession with safety and liability. In the States, a big establishment like this, particularly one that is (I think?) at least partly government-owned, would make sure that safety ...

... more rubbish to eat. By this time it was 5.30, and it gets dark round about 6.45. We knew we couldn't make it to Portoviejo so we stocked up on even more pop and cakes and took off down the road hoping to find a camping spot. We had about 10 minutes of light left when I spotted a school (only 2 classrooms but with a walled playground) so having had a conversation with the woman next door, we went to find la Professor to ask permission to stay the ...

Ecuador is known for the avenue of the volcanoes which runs south from Quito.

While we could have done a number of traditional treks up a few volcanoes we instead opted for a 3 day mountain biking trip which saw us riding down the two largest volcanoes. Our tour company, the Biking Dutchman, ensured we had an incredible 3 days:

DAY 1: Quito – Cotopaxi National Park

It was a spectacular drive from Quito to ...

... table runner and matching napkins we decided to call it a day. As we began the walk back to our hostel the sky opened up and people began scrambling to get umbrellas and to the the wool under cover. I felt so bad for them! Such a big day that so many people probably anticipate and need to make their living; I hope the rain stopped for them later. I would guess with so many people busing in from Quito just for the market they ...

... hair, and Sam a pan flute. I got tired of hearing Ryan complain about how he needs to blend in more, so we got him a poncho for $10 and a leather hat (Indiana Jones type) for $25. He definitely blends in now.

San Antonio de Ibarra is famous for itīs handcarved wood crafts. It was hard not to buy everything in site. I told Ryan that I would have a hard time not collecting knick knacks if we lived here.

Otavalo, Ecuador donnadowell

... and resembled Broad Street on a Friday night. I admit now after resolutely vowing to stick to vegetarianism before leaving I have already given up and turned to the dark side. I enjoyed a nice juicy steak, with a certain amount of guilt, but without it I just wonīt get enough protein, and Iīm already pretty thin. Excuses I know... it did taste very good (sorry veggies! and animals!). Yesterday morning we set out early for Otovalo. The bus journey was ...

... equator; hence Ecuador is Spanish for equator. Our trip into Monticristi was interesting as it is the place where Panama Hats are made. Some of the hats are very expensive. The price is according to how much labor went into the making. We did purchase a couple hats one for Francene and one for Phil. Since it was Sunday, the traffic wasn't too bad and the horn blowing wasn't as ...

... it was only $1.00 for two people to ride to Montichristi. When I say $1 that was the real price as Ecuador uses the American Dollar as its currency. It has different coins but the paper money is American. Traveling to Montichristi was as good as seeing Panama Hats being made and the wonderful church on the hill overlooking the town. It is easy to find the town from Manta as it is at the base of the tallest mountain (but not a large mountain) in the area ...

... for $5. We thought it was a long ride and figured $5 was a good deal. Turns out it was only 15 minutes and the bus would have only been $0.35 but we had been traveling for 2 days by then so I think it was a worthwhile splurge! Arrived in Canoa to find the hostel we had heard was great was all full. But, the one next door was slightly cheaper and seemed very nice. So, we are staying at Olmito, right on the ocean. I can hear the waves crashing from my bed! So wonderful!

... it and throw a cow on the camp fire. Soup will be served with every meal and the juice would be a weird dark green colour; no-one being able to accurately guess its contents. There would be a general consensus that the rice had become boring, and the girl with the dread locks will question her veganess. A commercial for KFC will be scowled at, and then the television shut down because the vegetarian meals are not producing a sufficient level of potent human waste to power the ...