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Guayas Ecuador 2008

By Meredith Daniels

"Solo en Guayas" (as the Guayas Tourism Board says) is the government so excited to receive American journalists that WE give a press conference along with Prefecto Nicolas Lapentti who explains a master tourism plan that will take the region into the year 2018. "Solo en Guayas" will you watch locals sort cocoa beans near the side of the road, and then hours later sample chocolate with the premier chocolate chef in the province. And "solo en Guayas" will you go to a park at night where you will see dozens upon dozens of sleeping iguanas and pet those very same iguanas the next morning. Solo en Guayas. Located in southwestern Ecuador, the province of Guayas (pronounced GWI-as) is home to the country's largest city, Guayaquil. The port city is located on the banks of the Guayas River where it moves most of Ecuador's foreign trade. But more and more, the region is becoming known for its tourist-friendly ways. We were lucky enough to encounter the region's summer, or dry season, which usually ranges from May to December (having traveled there in the beginning of October). The temperature was comfortable most of the time and when the temperatures reached into the 80s, there was always a place to catch a bit of shade. Take note that the Ecuadoreans in Guayaquil do like their air-conditioning, so a light jacket or sweater is always a must when heading indoors. And, while you want to take advantage of the river, the beautiful architecture and lovely weather, Guayaquil is brimming with such great restaurants, you'll want to spend at least some of your time indoors to sample the delicious, local fare. It felt as if we were able to sample almost all of it just at breakfast in the hotel with its dozens of artisan breads, tasty tamales, plantains, eggs, meats, cheeses, fruit, and of course, cervices (I preferred mine as lunch and dinner).

We stayed at Hotel Oro Verde, only 10 minutes from the airport and only a 15 minute walk from some of downtown Guayquil's many parks and plazas. Just head east on Nueve de Octubre and you will hit Plaza del Centenario where you will see the Column of the Nobles which pays homage to the heroes and organizers of the local and regional emancipation. About 5 blocks east and 4 blocks south of Centenario is Parque Seminario, also known as Park of the Iguanas. And while the iguanas are definitely the main attraction, the park also has a beautiful statue of Liberator Simon Bolivar. Located right behind the park is La Cathedral. It is done in a semi gothic style and was the first Roman Catholic Parrish of Guayaquil. Other notable plazas to check out are the Plaza de la Administracion, named for its proximity to the Governor's Office, Mayor's Office and Provincial Council, La Plaza San Francisco with its many pigeons, and La Plaza Civica which is built around the monument known as The Rotunda, adorned with almost a dozen flags. The marble columns of the monument are illuminated internally and especially eye-catching at night. The city is vibrant on the weekends with vendors lining the streets, couples walking hand in hand along the Malecon 2000 (easily one of the most visited attractions of the city with its two mile boardwalk of historic monuments, museums, shopping centers, eateries including McDonald's and viewpoints of the Guayas River). We took a nightly cruise aboard the Henry Morgan, a pirate ship whose dock is located right near a little man-made pond where you can watch children race remote-controlled boats. One of the best views along the cruise is that of the port of Santa Ana, which, from the distance, looks like an attractive village upon a hill with its colorful, Spanish architecture and its quaint lighthouse at the top. Visiting the area is a must. Just make sure you wear comfortable shoes, even if you don't walk the 444 steps to the top of the hill.

We took a stroll through the residential Las Penas neighborhood, which has a trendy, urban feel with its new condo-like residences and narrow streets, and stopped at one of its many restaurants, El Galen de Artur's, where we shared plates of appetizers that included empanadas, muchines (cassava tamales with cheese), plantanos (green plantains), fried shrimp and fried meatballs. Pilsners were the drink of choice for the table. And while we didn't get to experience too much of Santa Ana's nightlife, I was intrigued by the bustling crowd I could view from outside of Diva Nicotina. A focus of any trip to Guayas must be on the extensive eco and agrotourism of the region. Guayas has a number of ecological reserves that give a glimpse of its natural plant and wildlife that thrives in the region. Among its top ecotourism sites is Cerro Blance (White Hill) Forest Reserve, which is home to more than 200 species of birds. There's also the Botanical Garden, featuring 300 botanical species. We didn't have time to visit either site, but we did get to experience many different habits in just one place when we spent the day at Parque Historico.

The park is broken into three zones - one for wildlife, one for urban architecture and one for traditions. In the wildlife zone you'll see a variety of forests, including the mangrove which is home to many species including birds, reptiles and the region's famed mangrove crab (bears a reddish/bluish color).

Among the native flora, you'll find quite a few of the thousands of orchid species that exist in Ecuador. According to the park's literature, "Many of them are actually endangered due to previous different human activities. The most common orchid genuses known in the Guayas province are the Oncidium and Epiedendrum." There was certainly an interesting variety of animals to see in the Wildlife Zone, including the odd-looking tapir and two-toed sloth, but my favorite (as an owner of two parrots) were the Red-lored Amazons and the brightly-colored and rare Great Green Macaws. In the Architectural Zone, there's a corned building, called the Julian Coronel House, that has a New Orleans feel to it with its peach coloring and ornate balconies. We didn't catch any re-enactments of the atmosphere of the Malecon in the 19th century, but we did get treated to a performance at the Hacienda House in the Traditions Zone. Our tour guide gave us a brief sypnosis of the show (since most of us didn't speak Spanish). We laughed, nonetheless, and even got to be part of the "wedding reception" at the end.

We ventured about an hour and a half outside of Guayaquil, one day, to San Rafael Hacienda in Bucay, a canton of Guayas. We had two hearty meals there that day (breakfast and lunch) that included tamales, plantains with cheese, white corn on the cob (with some of the biggest kernels I've ever eaten), kebabs and cervices. We also had the honor of sampling chocolate from one of the premier chocolate chefs in the region. The hacienda is undergoing a project that should be completed in the next year to include a country park, restaurant, a number of villas along the plantation, an area for a rodeo and a 1930s-style train that will take you around the town. Our mode of transportation was horses. The horseback riding experience was definitely an adventurous one as Camila took off quite a few times. If you are an inexperienced rider, like myself, I would suggest communicating over and over (maybe even learning some Spanish to do it) that you need an easygoing horse who follows directions well. Camila and I eventually developed a mutual understanding, but it wasn't until after quite a few unexpected gallops. Overall, though, the hacienda was a nice little getaway from our Ecuadorian getaway. You pass through the small, poor towns you would expect to represent most of Ecuador - full of friendly, hardworking people trying to sell their produce and meats at the local markets and sorting through cacao right outside their homes. One family even let us taste some of the freshly roasted beans. It was nice to taste the "fruit of their labor." Too bad the beans weren't for sale. It's nice to go to try and support the artisans of an area where you are traveling and bring back some genuine souvenirs for friends and family. We did get to a market in Guayaquil where we bought vegetable-dyed ivory bracelets for one dollar a piece (American dollars are the currency of the country of Ecuador) and handmade dolls for two dollars a piece. I suggest getting a bunch for friends and relatives as the same bracelets and dolls go for double the price at hotel gift shops and triple the price at the airport. And if you want to buy any chocolate or coffee indigenous to the region, buy it at a local supermarket. I spent about $20 and came back with bags of chocolate, fruit taffy, a couple pounds of coffee, and most importantly - these Coco Classic cookies that are actually made by Nestle, but I can't find anywhere in the states.

I may not remember much from our press conference with the Prefecto on our first full day in Guayaquil, but I won't forget the light coconut, tea biscuit flavor of those cookies that were placed on the table in front of us. I still have a few packs in my cabinet that I'm savoring, along with the memories of my wonderful trip to Guayas.