Find the Blue Iguana in the big city

We’ve made it to Guayacil, the largest city in Ecuador. We booked a van to make the trip from Salinas because I want to try all the means of transportation here. The van didn’t leave Salinas until 2 pm, so we waited at our hostal. While we were waiting, Phillip decided to walk to the bank to break a hundred dollar bill. The bank without the line didn’t make change, so Phillip waited in line for over an hour at the second bank. We all know what a patient person Phillip is, right? Apparently they have 2 lines, one for those with accounts which moves quickly and the other for non-clients. It barely moves at all. While he was at the bank, the hostal clerk, with whom I had been conversing in my halting Spanish, came across a guest who spoke no Spanish and needed help. The clerk asked me to come over and help! I did, and clerk thanked me. When Phillip came back, without the change as he got tired of waiting (at least he didn’t get himself arrested), Phillip told the female clerk what happened. I think either she or the male clerk did understand what he was saying, because a few minutes later, the owner of the hostal came over and did offer to change Phillip’s hundred for 5 twenties. Either they did that because I helped the clerk translate or they thought I was a travel writer because often I sat and wrote in my journal or I typed on this laptop. The clerk made sure I has several of the hostal’s business cards in my hand as we left.

Our van ride was uneventful. The van had air conditioning and I read a book. Phillip talked with another passenger, a guy from Kansas. The other passengers were let off at the airport, and the van took us to its base in Guayacil, the downtown Ramada hotel. I communicated that we needed to go to the Iguanazu Hostal (Blue Iguana) and gave the address. After consulting with his boss, our van driver said he’d take us. Unfortunately, I think the van driver was from Salinas, so he made a few wrong turns, had to stop and consult the brochure with the map a few times, but we finally made it.

This is a pretty hotel, but way out from downtown. This is my first booking mistake, I underestimated the size of Guayacil. This hostal is on the side of a hill, with the clostest restaurants near the highway at the bottom of the hill. The entrance is gated, with steps up to the hostal, so we got our exercise today just coming back up the hill and steps from dinner. It’s got a great view of the city…which stretches for miles around us. Like I said, the grounds are beautiful.

I am currently sitting at the table on the patio, shown in the picture, and there are mango trees from below that hang over the patio, loaded with green mangos… darn, wish they were ripe ones!

The owner has a very friendly dog who visited us for a backrub, laying his chin on Phillip’s leg. My batterry is getting low, so I need to get this posted… tomorrow, big lizards!