We arrived in Guayaquil in the afternoon and had to stay the night before continuing to Nicaragua. We had a terrible taxi driver from the airport (luckily it’s a very short drive), and he dropped us off about a block from where we were staying (Re bed and breakfast). We had a little trouble finding it, since it was located in a normal apartment building, but when we got up we were very pleased. We had been upgraded to a large room with 3 beds and a private balcony, and a lot of space (especially compared to our cabin on the boat).
We had a walk on the Malecon, a wide pedestrian area along the river. We hardly saw any tourists, but lots of local families were enjoying the play grounds, Tivoli rides, christmas decorations and concerts. In Las Peñas (where the city was founded) most of the city’s colonial buildings are found. This was a peaceful and beautiful area, with renovated and colorful buildings (most of them built in wood), and in the background Santa Ana and El Carmen hills, with more colorful houses and a lighthouse at the top.
We tried to find a micro brewery or at least a pub selling something more interesting than industrial pilsners, but most bars and restaurants were closed. After dinner we went back to Re, where they had craft beer in the fridge and stable internet. Just what we needed. We had decided on where to go next on the flight, and booked a hostel in León. When we left for the airport at 6 am, we found breakfast bags waiting for us in the reception. Nice touch!