We got up this morning and said good-bye to our nice hostal in Cuenca.

We went back to the train station and for $8 quickly found ourselves on a bus back to Guayaquil.  It is normally a four hour trip.  About an hour in, high in the mountains we started noticing some odd bus noises.  After an hour and a half we found ourselves with the bus parked on the side of the road.  First just a few men got out, then after a bit seemingly all the men got out.  Then very quickly EVERYONE started getting out.  A pick-up truck had pulled over and about 6 people piled in the back.  Lucky for us our driver flagged over another bus and many of us piled on there.  GeGe and I got two of the remaining seats and settled in for the remainder of the trip. Once in Guayaquil we caught a taxi to our hotel.  At first we thought the driver was drunk but we finally decided that he was just strange and really condescending.  I am normally very tolerant but I was glad when we were away from him.  We are staying at the Hampton Inn which is posh.  We are currently watching Friends on the flat screen.  Here is GeGe looking at the room service menu.

We left the hotel so we could go to the park where many iguanas live.  I wanted to pet them but they said they would only pose with me close by.  Aren't they cute?

After sadly saying good-bye to my new iguana friends (and the abundance of men who felt the need to say things to us in the park) we left and walked to the river.

This is a huge city and pretty hot/humid today.  All in all our Ecuador adventure has been fabulous!  I love seeing new places.  I will admit that I am excited to return to Ayacucho tomorrow and catch up with my Peru friends and the kids who have certainly grown and changed since last summer. We have a 6AM flight which means we leave the hotel at 3:45...yawn.  I will keep you posted.  Love, love, love. C