I’m sitting on the porch at the house of Villa Salamanca. I couldn’t be more relaxed and dreamy. It is a cozy paradise here and my body and mind are luxuriating in the comfort, beauty, and peace I’m finding here. The weather is usually quite warm and humid during the day in Guayaquil but by dusk the temperature lowers just enough for it to be slightly cool and balmy. So the evenings here are delicious.
Did I mention that Ecuador uses American currency? It is their only currency since they converted to the dollar in the year 2000. It is such a pleasure to be able to use American money for transactions and not have to do any figuring. And did I mention that the electrical outlets are just like American ones? No worries about buying the right type of electrical converters. You just plug right in.
The living is easy here. And getting around is easy, too. If one is not near public transportation, as is the case staying at Villa Salamanca, one simply calls an established taxi service and negotiates the price of the ride when the taxi arrives. We’ve not paid a taxi driver more than $12 for a 45 minute ride into the city when we haven’t had use of the car.
Now let me tell you about our evening out when I and the whole Mercado family piled into their car to go to dinner in Samborondon, the adjacent city to Guayaquil. The Peruvian restaurant we dined at is located in what is called Plaza Logos (Lake) because it is situated on an inlet to the Guayas River. It is an exquisite, white-washed development of structures in a giant plaza with surrounding fountains, water pools, dessert and fresh juice cafes, and unique shops… all outdoors and lit up beautifully at night. Chairs and dining tables are set up all throughout the plaza and are serviced by seven or eight high-end restaurants each offering their own unique cuisine. Our Peruvian meal was delicious. Among the dishes we shared were octopus, ceviche, tender filet minion and beef tenderloin, fettucine, and more. A feast of a meal for sure!
What I’ve seen in Samborondon does indeed resemble, as Renatta had said, something that could be easily seen in the more expensive areas of Los Angeles and Miami. And Plaza Logos is definitely a festive, up-beat, elegant environment for a special night out!
merkasisters 