Canoa Still Chilling- Febr 27 2018

The last of our original group at Sundown left yesterday with the Alaskans, Julia and Chris heading off to see Banos before returning to the USA.

 Safe Travels.......

We do have a few new arrivals with Mark (New Zealand), Julia(Lulia)( Russian).................she is a biker..........

Also, one of the young ladies from Ecuador who was here a couple weeks ago(on the left)

Weather has been exceptional the last few days...dry with temps hovering around 30c...nice ocean breeze. Met Andy(Calgary), a young guide working for Freedom Bike Adventures down at the Canoa Beach Hotel where he has been in a couple of times with groups...yesterday 5 from BC and a gal from California.

Canoa Chilling Febr 17 2018

Spent the last week relaxing after Carnival and sorting out getting my motorcycle into a good mechanic. Thanks, to Luis,(my Spanish Teacher) and his fathernlaw who arranged and took the moto for repairs, I have it back as of yesterday afternoon.

Last evening after dinner at the Canoa Beach Hotel with Julia,Chris,James and the hotels owner Greg and 2 patrons, John and Tony we returned to Sundown to wish Katheryn & Graham ( Scotland/England residency)  well on their travels as they were leaving in the morning....Tuesday Tom (Colorado) left for Salinas Ecuador.......this fall he is headed for Egypt with his daughter who is teaching in Korea.

 Tom

 Graham/Katheryn 

 James will depart tomorrow for the Galapagos Isl and continue his journey south to Machu Picchu where he will meet up with his son & daughter

Julia compiled a list of email addresses last night so Tom if you are reading this, I will add your name and email the list out to all.

My Spanish lessons ended last week...though I have a lot of memorizing to do and pronunciation to work on.....thanks Luis for tolerating a slow learner......  

Today we visited Isle Corazon Park, a mangrove island in the Chone River just outside of Bahia Caraques.

At one time this area was all mangrove swamp and teeming with bird and aquatic life. The mangroves have a thick root network and blocked the silt from filling the estuary of Bahia/San Vicente. The estuary was 15 metres deep with Bahia a major port centre feeding the entire region. Shrimp farmers bought up the area and cut the swamps down creating large holding pools to raise shrimp for both domestic and export. This uncontrolled use of a natures filter system led to the estuary filling in and now the average depth at high tide is 3 metres.....the shipping port was no longer, having moved south to Guayaquil. A local family manages to acquire a large Island in the estuary and replanted it with thousands of seedlings restoring some of what was loss. The Island is home to many birds that feed on a variety of  aquatic creatures. This is a lone man's attempt to restore a balance with nature and to fund his endeavor opened the Island to eco tourism with a boat and Isl tours for a small fee. 

 Mangrove Root System sprouting.......

 One of many Shrimp pools along the estuary.

 

Picked up my bike Friday afternoon....entire bottom 1/2 of engine replaced including casing/bearings etc.......after talking with Toby at Around the Block, I took his advise and it is now back to a 250cc engine.

It is unbelievable to me that parts and Labour were under $ 140.00........braking it in with 20/50 regular motorcycle oil for the 1st 100k...then switching to Synthetic Oil,

 

 

The boys (old Boys) will miss the 2 pretty Senoritas who also departed today.

The girls are Ecuadorian & Argentinian ....... sorry that we may have appeared stand offish .... just figured you would not be comfortable with the age difference.

Deseandoles lo mejor en sus viajes.   

   

CARNIVAL-Canoa-Febr 11 2018

Tom and I went into  Canoa to see what activity was happening with Carnival. We stopped at Sucki Bar for a beer sitting for a while just people watching....then moved on to the Surf Shack for another.

 As the night ticked...the crowd grew

 2 bands were playing next to one another and different style music.....you couldn't hear yourself think it was so loud

 Street food

 we met up with the rest of our crew and stopped for a late dinner around 10 pm and a round or two.....This would continue until 1:45 am when we finally decided to head for the Sundown,,,,walking in the dark along the beach.

 This reptile was inside escaping from the rain and startled my Spanish Teacher and his clients who were seated at the kitchen table...previously unaware of this visitor.

Could I have stumbled on the lost Inca Treasure.......While scouring for Inca artifacts I found this piece of Quartze that may be laden with GOLD....time will tell....could it be from a Spanish Galleon which was laden with raw material headed for Spain and sank just off shore.  

Canoa/San Vicente-Feb 5-11 2018

Rain most evenings and into the morning the past few days.....not a lot to report as I have just hung out relaxing and walking the beach. A few excursions into either Canoa or San Vicente for supplies and to see if Carnival has started.......in both pueblas they have been setting up tents for the week end event which takes place over 3 days and includes fair like rides and many vendors selling hand crafted goods and of course numerous food choices for the hungry.

I am told that on Sunday to expect up to 15000 beach goers for the fiesta which is like a pilgrimage for families to enjoy a short break from work and school.

Expect the bar scene will be very active.....

 Our core group the past couple weeks at Sundown.....right to left...Tom(Colorado), Graham and Katherine (England Scotland),Leah(Toronto),James(California),Chris(Alaska),Julia(Alaska)Sean & Leah (Toronto,Canada)moi behind the camera.

Absent, but we would meet up with Charlie & Rufus at The Surf Shack a bar on the beach. The English lads are leaving in the morning heading for Peru, Bolivia Paraguay and Brazil. Sean and Leah will depart for Quito in the morning and possibly visit Mindo before returning to Canada.

 Olvar on the right (Latvia),James and Tom 

 If you double click on the picture you may see the red beach crabs scurrying for their burrows....thousands of these along the beach..... 

 My ride resting....waiting for the mechanic to come and take her away for another likely motor rebuild after only 1400k.....making weird notices.

 Safe travels hope to see you in Muskoka.....

 street scape San Vicente

 A dollar type store

 Foodie vendor

 The bridge which replaced the Ferry

to Bahia

 likely the old Ferry Dock with Bahia across the bay

 Pork on the barbie

 homemade sweets

 a bus ride 17 k between Canoa and San Vicente is $.50 and run on average every 15 minutes.

Why is it that I have no problem reading this but struggle remembering my Spanish vocabulary