The border crossing goes less smoothly than anticipated because we have to join the queue of the truck drivers and one of the agents has to clear around 20 trucks which takes time. Apart from that, we only meet helpful and friendly officials. After the tires of the tsjolbak and our shoe soles have been disinfected we are allowed to enter Ecuador. As foreigners, we do not have to take car insurance because the state intervenes in an accident, apparently they are aware of how recklessly their inhabitants drive. At the first roundabout, we try to find out who has priority because this varies from country to country. After 15 km we have the first check point, men in camouflage suit want to see if we have the right papers and wish us a good stay in their country. It is half past five and it gets dark at half past six, we drive to a nearby nature park to spend the night there. The place is incredibly quiet, three km from the main road and the rangers are over-friendly. All facilities are available and can be used free of charge. In the evening we see mountain dogs close to the camper, they are very similar to foxes, and the diversity of birds during the day is enormous. The assortment of trees with colourful trunks also attracts attention. A ranger tells us that the previous president, who is married to a Belgian, has given the country a boost but was confronted with a lot of opposition from the established rich elite. Because we had not foreseen to visit Ecuador we move without plan for the next two days and drive past many places of interest. We realize that good planning is necessary. In Salinas, Knokke of Ecuador, we camp on the courtyard of a restaurant that is two blocks from the beach. We are alone there from four in the afternoon until half past seven in the morning. It feels like we are living there. During the day we visit the crowded beach and in the evening we stroll on the dike. That is how we celebrate Michael’s birthday. The westernmost point of Ecuador lies in a military domain and is worth a visit because of the panoramic views. Sea lions are lazing around on a rocky island. A little further there is la Chocolatera, where the waves crash on the rocks and create foam reminiscent of a swirling chocolate mass. The next stop at Hosteria Farallon Dillon is a hit. The hotel is located high on the cliff, we can camp in the large parking site and use the swimming pool. The view is grandiose. We see the French couple, Dominique and Denise again. Together with them we drive after two days to Camping Canoa in Parque Nacional Machalilla and find a campsite on the beach, fifty meters from the accessible, warm sea. There is no closure and yet we feel safe. Frigate birds and pelicans fly by. We celebrate New Year’s Eve there with champagne, lobsters on the grill and a salad prepared by Denise. In the weeks leading up to New Year, we saw masses of monstrous colourful figures on display. These are monigotes made from papier-mâché, copies of television heroes. They are burned after midnight to banish all evil from the previous year. We buy a Micky Mouse and a Batman which are thrown in the fire, and hope that 2020 will go poblemless! Baby turtles run on the beach that night, hopefully the new year will be the start of a long life for them. During the eight-day stay at the campsite we make a day trip to Isla de la Plata (the so-called Galapagos for the poor) where we see blue-legged boobies at all stages of their development. They are very photogenic and their white-legged young are extremely cute. Sea turtles also swim around. A snorkeling session above a coral formation is disappointing, the visibility is bad. Next to the campsite is the beach Los Frailes, which is considered being the most beautiful in Ecuador. Michel borrows the canoe from the owner and succeeds after a few unsuccessful attempts to get through the surf and to paddle. Agua Blanca is also an attraction within the park, a local community has built a museum here where beautiful ceramics from the Manteno civilization are displayed. During the educational walk through the plantations we eat the juiciest mangoes ever. The tour leads to a small lagoon where we take a sulfur bath, then we get a massage with black mud, which should be very beneficial for the skin.
We leave camping Canoa on 6 January and continue our journey to the North along the coast. From our friends, Sigi and Peter, we heard that a lady from Oudenaarde runs a camping /hostel near the city of Manta. We go there, but she is visiting her family in Belgium. There is a nice view of the sea from the cliff, but the sea is difficult to access. Further north we find a better place on a wide beach. The sea is warm and during the day it gets as warm as 34°C. Our air conditioning is working all day long. The equator is very close!
Recente reacties