Buses and boats

     On Friday after Spanish lessons we hopped the Green Bus to Puerto Lopez for the weekend. The bus was packed full and we all had to stand for the first bit. We finally all got seats, Cael next to the driver, me in the jump seat next to the door, and Steph and Lumia in real seats as people got off. It looked like it was Friday rush hour. The bus driver drove faster that I would have. Though the low coastal towns were less startling then up through the steep hills that took up over a third of the trip - I was a bit white knuckled. It was much wetter up the coast from us and looked much more like a jungle. 

     We made it to Puerto Lopez which is a much bigger town that Olon. Its port is full of larger fishing boats and touring boats. Our hotel is at the north end of the beach and tucked into a little tropical oasis. It is called Hotel Mandala and is run by an Italian and Schweitzerdeutsch couple. After being sternly talked to for arriving two hours late we have been treated splendidly. Our room is half a cabin amongst tropical vegetation. We were quickly startled by two big green iguanas that fell in to our roof then down into the vegetation. We had a great dinner. I have a cold. 

     Saturday or Sábado (my favorite Spanish word so far) we took a tour boat to Isle la Plata or the poor man's Galapagoes. We were in one of these boats with 5 American college girls, an Ecuadorian family, a couple others, captain, first mate, and two tour guides (not my photo, I wish I took one of the guys trying to fix the engine).

All was going well in our hour and a half boat ride. We were zipping along after about an hour when one of the engines blew. By now we were out past the calm cove. So we bobbed along on one half power engine making no apparent progress for close to another hour before a boat came from the island to pick us up. Two of the college girls were heaving over the sides to 'feed the fish' as our tour guide described it. We finally made it to the island. We had an abbreviated hike to see the Blue Footed Boobies. We saw a group of 5 of them including one baby in a nest. Go see our pictures. Back down at the boat we saw a bunch of big ocean green turtles. We also got to briefly snorkel. I saw a Dori fish and one of these (not my photo). 

     Then we headed back to town. This was in a different boat with stronger engines. It was also choppier. Either way it was rough. We seemed to jump a couple of waves, hover over our seats and crash down. It appears fun and was a bit like a roller coaster but I found it bone jarring. 

     That night we all slept hard. I down loaded a bunch of new pictures. Don't forget to check them out.