We started our day today at the Hotel Bambu, just down the mercado from our hotel. There is a very nice open air cafe on the corner of the street, where you can see the ocean and watch the local traffic all at the same time. In addition, they have wonderful cafe americano, that Mike was really craving. Mike ordered something called a Bolón, which is a ball of fried plantain with egg and cheese in the centre. I had a crepe with chocolate and banana and a cafe latte. Both dishes were delicious and filling.
This cafe also has outlets all along the half wall that separates it from the street. It is a popular place for visitors to get out their laptops, or other electronic devices while enjoying coffee or tea. After breakfast, I pulled out the laptop to try and get caught up on my writing. In the meantime, Mike noticed that a local artist, Hector Mateo, was working on a plaster relief art piece on one of the walls of the cafe. This particular piece is of a waiter holding a tray (see photo below). Also while we were sitting at the cafe, we saw a local vendor bringing 4 fresh (live) chickens to the restaurant. We also watched workers who are reconstructing a pedestrian bridge that was damaged in the earthquake.
After breakfast we changed to our beach gear and headed out for swim and a long walk on the beach before the sun got too hot. We walked for about 4 km to the south of our hotel, almost to Boca de Buceño, and we could have walked another 10-20 km with no end to the beach. We met a couple who were walking with their dogs towards the town. She was from Ecuador and he was from the Netherlands. They told us about the house they own in Canoa, as well as a lot they have for sale. We talked about the possibility that we would be moving to Ecuador in the future. After our long walk we went for another swim in the surf to cool off.
Later we walked around town and saw a beautiful park with a plaque dedicated to all of the lives lost in the earthquake last April. We saw many styles of homes, numerous small stores and restaurants, pharmacies and a police station. For lunch we returned to Brisas Del Mar. I had pasta with shrimp, while Mike ordered an enormous plate of rice mixed with shrimp, conch and fish. Surprisingly, he was unable to finish it!
After lunch, we went back to the hotel for a siesta, and to get out of the hot sun. Unfortunately, despite having used sunscreen and wearing a hat, I still got a sunburn on my arms. This may have been partly due to the antibiotic I am taking causing increased sun sensitivity. Sigh! We waited until about 5 pm to venture out into the ocean again. The surf was the highest we have seen so far on our trip, with waves 4-5 feet in height. We stayed out for about 45 minutes leaping over the waves and riding them.
After a quick shower, we went to Costa Azul for a small supper. Mike had ceviche, and noted some differences from the same dish in Same. I had a simple omelet. Both dishes were good, but the cleanliness of this restaurant was not as good as some others. After supper, we walked around the town again. There were many locals out and music was playing on every corner. Several stores remained open, and I was able to replace my small notebook that was lost earlier in the trip. We enjoyed an ice cream treat before heading back to our hotel to relax on the balcony. We spotted a huge ocean freighter on the horizon as well as four large fishing boats that were closer to the coast than is typical.
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| Hector Mateo and his artwork in progress |
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| View of the huts that line the beach |
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| Pepis, our adorable Hotel dog |
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| View from the top of the street looking down towards to sea |
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