On Friday, we got up at 6, which is not unusual, had breakfast, packed up and walked down our road to the gas station for the last time. We were sorry to leave our apartment in Canoa but after beach bumming for over 1 1/2 months, it was time to move on. We were hoping to catch a Coactur bus to Jipijapa and then a Manglaralto bus to Montanita. There are many different bus companies in Ecuador on many routes. Some buses are comfortable and air conditioned while others are hot, dirty and have broken seats.
We let one bus go by but were persuaded to get on the 2nd bus which we were told was going to Jipijapa. As soon as we got on, we realized we didn't want to travel several hours on that bus, for the reasons mentioned above. We paid $1 to go to San Vicente, where we got off to find a better bus. The San Vicente bus terminal is actually a dirt parking lot behind a big market. The driver and flight attendant of our original bus convinced us to stay so we left our packs in the storage compartment underneath while we waited to leave again. Just as we were about to go, an air conditioned Coactur bus pulled in and they told us they were going to Jipijapa. I ran for our bags while our original bus was backing up. No-one would help me because they knew we were going to a rival company. I managed to get the compartment open, our bags out and the compartment closed again. However, I got pretty dirty since it had rained during the night and everything was covered in mud.
We paid $5 each for the Coactur bus which took us for several hours to Portoviejo. When I asked if we were going on to Jipijapa, as promised, they told us to grab our bags and took us to a crappy bus which apparently would go directly to Montanita.
We had been in the middle of eating our packed lunch so it was quite a scene but once again we were on the move for another $5 each. It took a long hot afternoon to get to Montanita but finally we arrived. We walked down to the Malecon and to the Tabuba Hotel where we thought we had a reservation although when we booked we had received no confirmation. That's not unusual here. Luckily, everything was in order. We have a nice ocean view "matrimonial room" right on the little Malecon, about 7 metres from the breakwater with walkway on top and about 12 metres from the ocean at high tide. Great location. For $50 US per night, we have a fridge, air conditioning and get a breakfast of coffee, tea, juice, scrambled eggs, toast and fruit. The Internet here is spotty but that's not unusual.
Montanita is never boring. Yesterday morning while we looked out our window before breakfast we saw a man and a woman in a long dress stumble out into the surf laughing and kissing, obviously still drunk from the night before. Shortly after that we saw a school of about 8 or 10 dolphins swim by just beyond the surf. This morning we saw a drunk start walking out to sea. His friends had to go after him and literally carry him away. The surf is so loud we don't hear much of the partying that goes on at night, especially Saturday night. However, last night we could hear the bass and drums of a live band playing in a little bar nearby. They quit at 6 am.
Yesterday morning we walked about 1 km to the point where the best waves come in. There was a surfing competition so we watched that for awhile. Great surfers. It reminded us of all the whitewater kayaking competitions we attended over the years when Zack, Dylan and Annie were competing.
About a week ago in Canoa, while we were walking on the beach, a wasp or something on the sand stung Anita's middle toe on her left foot. It was sore and swollen for a few days but was finally healing yesterday. Unfortunately, yesterday morning a wasp or something on the sand stung the bottom of her right foot. Now her right foot is red, swollen and painful to walk on. Rotten luck!
This morning while Anita recuperated in our room, I walked back up to the point to see today's surfing competition. I watched some longboard surfers doing tricks like walking up to the very front tip of their board ("hanging five" or "hanging ten"). One guy stood straight up for a few seconds with his arms outstretched and all ten toes gripping the front of his board, before he had to retreat to stay on the wave. Some of these competitive surfers are really good.
I have attached some pictures of moto-taxis (or tuk-tuks as they're called in southeast Asia), our friend and trivia partner Elizabeth who owns the Coco Loco hostel in Canoa,truck buses, the San Vicente bus station and food vendors, and the San Vicente bus station washroom. Anita said the women's was okay but the men's would need a flame thrower to sanitize it. We also have some pictures from our room.
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