Capturing the Moment

  One of my favorite views from my explorations of Guayaquil. This is the view as you enter Parque Seminario, with the Metropolitan Cathedral behind it. Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest port city, is often referred to as the 'gateway to the Galapagos.' In fact, it is for that reason that I am here. But that is tomorrow. Today, David and I spent the day exploring the back streets, and main streets of Guayaquil. It is a city rich in history, architecture, and parks, mixed with a thriving pulse of the 3 million people that live here. After 12,000 steps, and covering a good portion of the waterfront and historic district of Guayaquil, I feel like I got a good taste of what the city has to offer. One of my favorite sights was the Parque Seminario, aka Iguana Park. The beautiful Metropolitan Cathedral towers behind the iguana-filled park. Fig trees gave a natural frame to the entrance gate to the park. It was such a zone of calm, compared to the hectic marketplaces along the streets ...

  Iguana posing in front of a fountain on the river walk. Guayaquil is known to most travelers as the 'jumping off point for trips to the Galapagos Islands.' This is the reason that I came here. I had a night at the Wyndham Santa Ana before catching my flight to the Galapagos Islands to board my expedition cruise ship, La Pinta. However, I knew that Guayaquil probably had its own charms and sights which I didn't want to miss. So after getting settled I took to the streets to get a better feel for the city. I started on the famous Malecon, or riverfront walk of Guayaquil. It is a bit touristy, with lots of seafood restaurants and coffee shops. The river is huge, and filled with sediment. There was a bit of trash in it and I did see one dead cow floating by, so not too inviting. But it is nice not to be surrounded by buildings on all sides. At the end of the Malecon, the city started to really gain some character. The road became narrow and paved with cobblestones. The buildi...