Suá and One Year Engagement

This past Saturday, September 1st, marked one year since getting engaged, so we decided to celebrate by going to the beach.  It's the first time we've been to the ocean since arriving in Ecuador.  The closest beach from Quito is to the north about 5 hours away.  Specifically we chose Suá, because the description sounded calmer and like less of a party beach than nearby Atacames.  To maximize our time there, we took an overnight bus Friday night.  When we bought our bus tickets, we were suprised to hear they were twice as much as we expected to pay.  Normally, the fare is about 1 dollar per hour of driving.  We were not thrilled with paying 10 dollars each for a 5 hour bus ride, but I'm sure it is more expensive because there is a higher demand to go to the beach.  Ecuador's prices reflect the best or worst of capitalism.  Very few prices are fixed, and if there is the slight hint of a demand the prices will rise.  Another example, any store near an expensive hotel will charge more for the exact same things offered elsewhere, just because they know the people staying at the hotel will pay for it.  Anyway, we arrived in Atacames about a hour before daylight, and waited in the station until it got brighter to find the local bus to Suá.  After being dropped off in Suá, we proceeded to wander to the beach.  Once it got a bit later in the morning, we chose to get breakfast at restaurant which was really just some tables and a covering.  They served us fried fish, rice, coffee, and a bolón with cheese.  It was good, but when we asked how much we owed after we ate, she said 7 dollars.  We broke a cardinal rule.  Always ask the price before buying.  This type of breakfast is normally about $1.50 to $2.50, but $3.50 is unheard of.  I regret not arguing with her, because I´m certain we only paid that much because she thought she could get away with it.  It's fairly common, especially for touristy looking people (white people) for vendors to say a higher price, knowing that you either don't know the real price, or you won't argue with them about out.  I generally reject over priced things here, even by as little as 5 cents, on principle.  It happens less in areas that don't see many tourists.

Place we ate breakfast

                                 
After breakfast, we just bummed around town and then went back to the beach.  The tide was going out, which gave us a chance to walk along the rocky coast line on the north and south of the main beach area.  This part of the beach was really pretty and the rocks were fun to climb on.  It also wasn't as full of trash and broken glass like the sandy, popular section.  There was a beautiful rock island off in the distance, so we walked along the other end of the beach to get a better view.  We clambered on the rocks as far as we were comfortable, but we knew if we went too far and the tide came back in, we would have been really screwed.      

One goal of mine while at the beach was to eat a coconut.  I've been waiting until we go to the beach to get one, because in Quito, they are usually about a dollar each.  I had this fantasy that they would be dirt cheap closer to where they grow.   Nope.  The first guy I asked wanted 2 dollars for one.  Same with everyone else.  I finally found a guy that would give me one for a dollar, only to find it wasn't ripe.  So all I got was the coconut water but no meat inside.  We finally just bought a large glass of coconut juice made by blending coconut with its milk and adding sugar. It was amazing.

Coconut with no meat

That's better

  The rest of the day was spent sitting on the beach just watching the waves and drinking a bottle of wine I got for a birthday present.  Originally, we planned on spending the night, but since things were becoming a lot more expensive than planned, we decided just to take another overnight bus back to Quito.  We didn't even want to find out how much rooms were a night.   Before heading back, I had to try a local dish called an encocado.  It's like a stew with curry and coconut and whichever type of seafood you want.  We went to an empty restaurant and I ordered the encocado for $5, and Amber asked how much an almuerzo (fixed lunch) was.  The lady said 3 dollars.  Oddly, on the menu it said the price was for an almuerzo was only $2.50.   Yet one more example of someone trying to get away with asking for more because they can.  We finished our meals (the encocado was delicious) and when a different person came to take our plates, we gave her exactly $7.50 and left quickly.  Back in Atacames, we bought our tickets back to Quito, and then spent a little bit of time wandering around near the station.  There was a bridge that kids were fishing off of, so I bought a Coke (for its normal price) and Amber and I sat and watched them fish.  For only having a line, hook, and sinker, they caught quite a few.  We arrived in Quito around 4:30 in the morning, slept in the bus station for a couple of hours until it got light out, and then walked home.

  
Interesting Simpsons Fact:  After work everyday, we watch Los Simpsons from 6 - 7.   Fortunately, they rerun the episodes from the first 9 seasons, so I basically have them all memorized, which then helps me with my Spanish.  Most of the characters have kept their orginal names but some have been changed to be easier for a Spanish speaking audience.  Homer is Homero.  Barney Gumble is changed to Barney Gomez.  Kearney, the bald one of the bullies, is now Enrique, and Itchy and Scratchy are Tomy and Daly for some reason.  The strangest difference of all however is they dub over the Bumble Bee guy's voice.  He only speaks Spanish in the English version. Why do they need to change his voice? Sometimes they even change what he says from one Spanish phrase to another.  It's already in Spanish!! There's no point in changing it.