The Last Days of Ecuador: Guayaquil

After we departed Cuenca, it was off on the long haul to Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador. Its history is actually a story of redemption and not one of the standard Latin American variety. Largely a shipping port, the city is crossed by two rivers that allow access to the ocean. Almost twenty years ago, it was a mad house. A place where it was not only expected, but perhaps guaranteed that as a tourist, you would get a knife poking your back and your wallet was being emptied.

The city began a turnaround project roughly 16 years ago and the structure of the project is now being copied all over Latin American cities because it was so successful. The secret to the success? Make the city expensive to live in. Make it look like Miami. Make petty crime hurt the criminals by enlisting a police force that has augmented powers of perpetrator handling. In essence, be like New York. Here is a picture taken on the river coast, shooting directly toward the city's central square where if you look close enough, you can see your friend and mine, in the bronze, Simon Bolivar.


And like Guliani's New York, Guayaquil became the epicenter of commercial activity in Ecuador. The youngest people live in Guayaquil because it's coastal and has a nightlife that, frankly, rocked my face off. It was a pity that we were incredibly tired by the time we reached the coast after out venture, we could have gathered more. Unfortunately, it would seem, our hotel beds were more alluring than the city lights on a couple of occasions.

I miss Ecuador. I miss the wonderful people and the freshness of the place. It will always be there, I hope. But for now, I move Eastward, after this delightful detour back to my side of the world.