Our first stop in Ecuador was a brief stay over in Guayaquil, the second biggest city in the country. Our bus got in late in the evening, so we decided to spend the night and head out the next morning for Puerto Lopez. While we were in the city, we decided that rather than just holing up in our hotel room we would at least stop by the plaza. We had a heard a lot of rumors that Guayaquil wasn't particularly safe or a particularly nice city. So, we decided to take a cab to the plaza even though it was only 7 blocks away. Although the city itself wasn't super exciting (at least the parts we saw) the plaza was definitely worth the $1.50 cab ride.
As we were asking for directions to the plaza, the concierge referred to as "Plaza de las Iguanas." I didn't understand what he meant until we got there...
As we were asking for directions to the plaza, the concierge referred to as "Plaza de las Iguanas." I didn't understand what he meant until we got there...
Here are some photos from our brief time. (in reverse order, sorry).
The biggest bus terminal I have ever been it. It was three stories tall, complete with shopping mall, grocery store, several banks, as well as ticket offices. When we first pulling in the night before, I was in awe. It was right next door to the airport, and I'm pretty sure the bus terminal was bigger than the airport, I'm not kidding. Apparently they just rebuilt it a few years ago; before it was rebuilt and they had new security and everything, supposedly it was really dangerous, but now it's okay. You didn't even have to pay to go to the bathroom...and it was clean!
One of the, literally, hundred iguanas wandering around the square. They were all different shapes and sizes and colors. When we first got to the plaza, I was looking at the church and Maya came up me and told me "I just saw an iguana in the square!" I thought that as pretty cool, so I went over to try and see the iguana she had seen, only for both of us to realize that the ENTIRE plaza was filled with iguanas roaming around.
In addition to iguanas wandering around, there were turtles and fish swimming in the pond and pigeons eating out of peoples hands (I personally would never let a pigeon that close to me). It was kind of like an outdoor mini-zoo or something.
The main cathedral (and a statue of someone who I can't remember, most like the person who helped Ecuador get there freedom, they usually get a statue in the main plaza). The church was really beautiful both inside and out.
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