Well, I´m on my own for this blog entry and you´ll have to forgive my note forms and missing names. We have met soooo many wonderful people everyday. Bev does an excellent job keeping track of everyone and I don´t have her note, so I will be editing soon. We have done sooo much and are rarely finding enough time to reflect. I want to get this out there so we don´t fall behind...
Ok, I know that Bev has covered Salinas but I wanted to add some pics... So starting with
Gustavo´s place in Copas, outside of Salinas - Stunning is an understatement!!
Rodrigo and Isabel Bustamante´s Oceanfront property in Olón - Again, WOOOOOW!! It was a wonderful, relaxing backyard gathering of friends and great food.
First time hitting the South American Pacific and Bev went all in!
Oh man, did I mention the food!?!? Best meal EVER!! Started with great wine, cheese, and pantaconés (sp?) with salt. Also had cerviché (sp?) for the first time here!! Tonnes of large shrimp and you add popcorn - that we didn´t know ahead of time when Ben made some for us at home.....Yummy!
Ok, now that wasn´t even dinner..Dinner was bean salad with shrimp & octopus, an incredible seafood piea (sp?) - pasta, baked octopus - Kathleen tried, baked white fish with parmesean, and a cheese casserole.
K, and now for my favourite.....DESERT!! Homemade passionfruit pie and lemon pie. This is supposed to be like lemon meringue back home...waaaaaaaaay better here. The pies were freasher, creamier and had a ripe exotic flavor to them........I must have those recipes before I go home or I´ll never be able to eat lemon meringue again.
What a wonderful time we had at the Bustamante´s, they were soooooo welcoming. I love them. Was invited back anytime, I may take them up on that ;)
Just down the road on the way home, we stopped at the top of the cliffs where the statue of Mary has been reported to be one of the apperances of Rosa Mistica - crying tears of blood. Mary of Olón. Very cool.
Learned a new phrase today...."La Buena Vida".....yeah, it is!
YIKES, just realized that is just one day.....I'll try and go briefer....Sat May 2nd:
Captain,
Our deck friends......gonna hook up with Daniela and Alfonzo in Manta later. We make fast friends on this trip
Jumped in and swam for at least an hour.
Then dinner was on Bev!! Only dinner we've had on our own. We walked to the beach town and shopped at the small vendors on the way back. Even managed to find an ice-cream store that did 'Coldstone Creamery' style - yum. Thanks Bev!
Sun May 3rd
Packed up, ready to head "home" to Guayaquil......or so we thought.....
Gustavo took us to the WATERSLIDES!!!!!
We had to do EVERY one of them! Fun. There was a big blue one there......it's not like anything they have in North America. It starts in a steep dark tube and you end up in a large funnel....you kindof 'circle the drain' and then get dumped into a pool!! Absolutely freaky! I made Gustavo go first - ha ha ha. So much fun!! Bev had never been on waterslides before....she did Big Blue 2wice - ha ha, Way to go!
Then, lunch with Pedro and Araceli Medina (they are the girls' hosts back in Guyaquil). They own a beachfront property further up the road.......this beach goes for MILES and MILES. It is the future site of their "vacation home".
We all bodysurfed in the ocean. You could hit some pretty huge waves. I managed to catch a few waves (if only the suit would come with me!), Ben was better, and Gustavo kicked! - he said he used to be a fish in a previous life.
So we hung out in paradise for the rest of the afternoon. Drinking wine,
Playing in the sand,
Swinging in hammocks, and
Watching the sunset.
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