This is my third internet cafe, to write this blog! So if you are planning on bloggin in Guayaquil, go to -victor manuel rendon y boyaca- (in the back) use this Iinternet cafe.! because the keyboards are different down here, and i´m using explorer and a PC, This entry will be a little different because i am very computer challenged.
First, I am very impressed with Guayaquil. This is one of the cleanest cities, i have been in south america. not only that, this is the only city who has 3 trash cans out, 1 for trash, 1 for plastic and one for organics. Very amazing. The river is dirty and of course trashy, the suburbs are filled with trash, but downtown is clean.
Due some last minutes adjustments, <i stayed at the hotel continetal. www.hotelcontinental.com.ec they use cfls lightbulbs, have signs posted to save energy and water. very impressed. have never seen that in any hotel south of usa. now i am experiencing my first couchsurfing adventure. the family is wonderful and very embracing, but as much as it has been a great thing, and probably less of a carbon footprint, still dont know if i am the couch surfing kinda gal!
As yet 2 wonderful things have happened. if you come to guayaquil, please visit teh parque historico. www.parquehistoricoguayaquil.com we were very fortunate to meet with a master gardener, who took us through the whole garden. they compost everything, grow all the food to feed the animals (this is a zoo as well) he went through and talked about all the medicinial plants, what they were good for (ailments) how did we get away from native plants to relieve all of our ills? We spent about 2 hours going over all the plants, medicines, dyes and more. it was wonderful.
the next thing that happened. we met this wonderful women, who along with others started a small chocolet company called Theobrioma Cacao Libertus. www.artepasionecuador.com. they also do art with cacao as well. Their ´´arriba´´ chocolate bars have a high conten t of barietal cocoa with a perfumed scent of the ecuatorian cocoa bean. They use no vegetable art or vanilla covering aroma. it is delicious. i bought 4 bars for $15.00. they are not labeled fair trade as yet, not even quite sure if they know what fair trade is, as only seem to sell locally.
There are 2 other Fair trade chocolate here, Kallari (salinas) and Yachana gourmet (quito area) haven´´t tasted them as yet,
Sounds like you had a great time, but you didnt mention abot going to the Galapagos maybe by Yacht, which is a great vacation destination, but travelling the eco friendly way.