Eight Days of Ecuador…Day 2

Ecuador truly stands out as one of the world’s most diverse travel destinations. As we embarked on day 2 of our eight days of Ecuador travels, we learned more about this interesting country. It boasts everything from lush rainforests and stunning beaches to 27 volcanoes, the famed Galapagos Islands, the mysterious Amazon Jungle (La Selva Amazónica), and the majestic Andes Mountains. Be sure to visit day 1 of our travels!

Its culinary scene is equally varied, offering delicious seafood, fresh fruit, exquisite chocolate, and, for the more adventurous, roasted guinea pig, or even monkey, snake, turtle, and tree slugs in the Amazon region. I was excited about the fresh seafood and the beautiful beaches. No jungle critters for me!

Day 2 – Saturday, April 21: Immersion in Ecuadorian Culture and Photography

On Saturday morning, after a quick breakfast at the hotel, we headed to the L.EX.A. Institute, an art college specializing in photography. Our incredible host, Chantal Fontaine, a promoter, artistic advisor, and board member at the Institute, welcomed us. Chantal’s passion for photography began in childhood, inspired by her father. With over 35 years of experience, she has specialized in photography seminars and workshops across Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, and Ecuador. She’s also an image consultant for TV, the founder and director of ASOFOCREA, and the promoter and director of the Sathya Sai Human Values Institute for Ecuador.

Chantal and her team spent half the day educating us on the rich culture and history of Ecuador. We gained invaluable insights from locals about the country’s incredible diversity. We also had the chance to view compelling photographs from projects that the college’s photography instructors were involved in, including their work with minority indigenous groups living deep in the Amazon. It’s truly astonishing to consider that in this modern age, there are still tribal communities living in the jungle so close to contemporary civilization.

We soon met Mathew Wijatyk, a freelance videographer and teacher at the college. Mathew joined our crew, serving as both a translator and a teacher, all while expertly documenting our entire trip with video footage. We also had the pleasure of meeting Norby Lopez, the General Manager of Biotropica Expeditions, who would be our dedicated tour guide.

After receiving a fascinating historical overview of Ecuador and admiring the impressive work of the college’s photography instructors, we felt incredibly welcomed by the students and faculty. We then had the opportunity to share some of our own work with them before heading out for our first day of exciting exploration. Our destination: the vibrant city of Guayaquil, where we delved into its historic district and explored the bustling boardwalk area.

Discovering Iguana Park: Parque Seminario

Our first stop was Parque Seminario, a park established in the 19th century, specifically in 1868. It’s famously known as Iguana Park due to the dozens of iguanas that freely roam its ornate gardens. Beyond its unique reptilian residents, the park also features several beautiful sculptures and an impressive octagonal pavilion.

Around the outer edges of the park, there were street shoe shine booths as well as food, water, and newspaper vendors. It was interesting to see how these people earned a living selling their services near the park. Mathew caught some video as we were making our tour.

Exploring Las Peñas and Planning Our Lighthouse Climb

From the historic district, we made our way down to the vibrant boardwalk area. Here, we immersed ourselves in a charming scene of century-old, uneven cobblestone streets, brightly painted houses, bustling restaurants, bars, and unique shops. This lively area winds its way along the beachfront, eventually leading to a dramatic, 444-step staircase culminating at the Las Peñas Lighthouse, originally built in 1841. Given our need to grab lunch and depart for our next destination before dark, we decided to save the journey up to the lighthouse for our final day of travel.

Onward to Montañita: Surf, Spiders, and Sunsets

After a quick lunch, we were off on our 110-mile bus journey to Montañita, one of Ecuador’s prime surfing towns. Once we arrived, we checked into the charming Hotel Rosa Mística, a quaint and colorful spot just a block from the beach. It immediately caught our eye with its vibrant hammocks strung outside each room, inviting relaxation. We all quickly got cleaned up to head out for an evening of fun – but not before a few students needed a dramatic rescue from a spider cleverly hidden behind a bathroom mirror!

Montañita’s Magical Night: Bioluminescence and Vibrant Streets

By the time we made it to the beach, the sun had already set. We regrouped at a beachfront restaurant, trying to decide our next move. As we watched a few students stroll along the shore, we suddenly saw something incredible. A blue, sparkling glow in the surf! We were witnessing the unusual and breathtaking phenomenon of bioluminescent phytoplankton.

This natural light show occurs in tropical surface waters as waves crest, caused by a light-producing chemical reaction called chemiluminescence. Essentially, certain chemicals mix, creating energy that “excites” other vibrating particles, generating the light that makes the water glow. It was something we weren’t prepared for and incredibly difficult to capture without the right camera gear, so we simply watched in amazement. A local even told us they hadn’t seen it happen in three years!

After this magical display, we walked down the beach and onto the brick-covered streets in search of some seafood for dinner. The streets felt almost like a movie set, bursting with vibrant blues, pinks, and yellows. Many buildings were constructed from stiff guadua cane (what we call bamboo) with traditional palm-leaf thatch roofing. Happy people were everywhere, laughing, talking, and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

The surf town became busier later in the evening, and the street vendors all appeared laid back as they enjoyed the visitors roaming the stores. Their spaces offered grilled food on sticks, frozen drinks, alcoholic beverages, clothes, jewelry, travel trinkets, and hammocks. The students enjoyed the corn grilled right in front of them on a street corner, topped with what appeared to be a special buttery seasoning.

Music, Tattoos, and Local Libations

The clubs in Montañita blasted loud dance music, and the streets were packed with joyful people, creating a truly fantastic beach party vibe. Later that night, one of my students decided to get a tattoo, a $50 lizard, or rather, an iguana. While I was a little unsure how to react as his teacher, he was old enough to make his own choices. So, half the group headed back to the hotel, while the rest of us got to experience the town’s lively nightlife while waiting for Eric’s tattoo session to finish. We passed the time sampling local libations, served in 1-liter bottles for just $2, and the people-watching was absolutely epic.

As our group started to wind down, the streets were thinning out, but the beach crowd was growing, with music blasting even louder as 1 AM approached. It became clear that the atmosphere had shifted, with the people appearing drunker and more aggressive. We decided to head back to Hotel Rosa Mística for the night, and I was utterly exhausted.

I opted for the bunk bed, pulling it away from the wall, rather than the bed closest to the bathroom. Why? Because I’d spotted a large roach in there, though it disappeared before I could grab my shoe. Sleep didn’t come easily. The AC wasn’t working, the window wouldn’t open, and there was no fan. I kept my phone right next to me on the top bunk, just in case I needed a light to check for anything crawling on me in the middle of the night.

Stay tuned for more! Please check back in a few days. Things are just getting started!

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