Guayaquil

After 8 hours on a night-bus, graciously blaring bad Cumbia the entire ride, we arrived at the Guayaquil bus station. We didn’t really have much energy to leave the massive, poured-cement structure. That was too bad, as Ecuador’s largest city looked to be much more than the crime-ridden streets that the travel books chalked it up as.

A port city with lots of industry and commerce, Guayaquil is said to be the liberal counterbalance to the more conservative Quito (think labor strikes and uprisings.) We met a few people from the city on holiday in Montañita. They were lively, more likely to have piercings than Quiteños, and could dance some intense salsa. No wonder, Ecuador’s largest salsateca is in Guayaquil. El Jardín de la Salsa (capacity 6,000) is conveniently located between the airport and the bus station.

The outskirts of Guayaquil, and crossing El Rio Guayas, via bus.

Two million people have to live somewhere. ...................Graffiti in Guayaquil.

The blocky, utilitarian bus station.