ironicaly, i don’t really like drving that much…but it is very nice to be back in the sentra. there are some obvious hassles with taking a car (like shipping it across continents)…but there are some equally obvious benefits (like the freedom it enables you). i think my favorite part of having the sentra is the personal space it provides — and the complete control over that space. most people have (and need) a small space which they can ‘own’….for most travelers that personal space is their hotel room. i’m fortunate, though, to have that space anywhere i go: so when i just want to escape from the present reality and go to a safe place which i understand, i can just step into the sentra.

today, i drove from guayaquil to puerto lopez. part of the road is called the ‘ruta del sol’, although it was quite overcast (a good thing, since the weather was nice and cool). depending on how you perceive it, puerto lopez is either a charming little fishing village turned tourist town….or a dirty, poor town on the water. having been through central america, i see it as a nice little town. the main reason people come here is to visit the national park just above the town. perhaps the highlight of the park is isla de la plata….an island that many refer to as the poor man’s galapagos. i’ll be catching a boat to the island tomorrow morning.

i also visited agua blanca…a strange little community in the national park. the community is home to a large archaeological site and about 60 families. the community is strange because it’s kinda like an independent entity within ecuador. the people living there do not pay taxes to the government, and in return the government does not give them much support. nonetheless, the residents there consider themselves ecuadorians and they can vote. i don’t really get it.

the hotel i’m staying it as on a hillside overlooking the town of puerto lopez….it’s a pretty ridiculous view for just $20. on another note, it’s really nice not having to deal with plug adapters. so far pretty much all plugs have been the same kinda we use in the good ol’ usa.

pics:
1) beautiful natural pool in agua blanca. it’s above a sulfur reservoir — according to the guide, in some places there is as much as 70% concentration of sulfur. also according to the guide, this is not only safe, but healthy. he did look pretty healthy.
2) puerto lopez from the german-run hosteria la terasa.