Ten days that stood still

Christmas Family with our favorite cocktail man - Pasqual

The Point

Ten days on the beach, ten days of beach life, ten days of doing nothing!  I arrived in Montanita on the 23rd with my Christmas family - Nicky, Ish, Ben and Jesse.  Beautiful clean beaches welcomed us and we were happy.  When I first got there I had big plans, one of which was learn to surf.  Well, the days passed, and no surfing!  The days were spent getting up around 10, eating breakfest, heading to the beach, sitting on the beach and waiting for food to walk by, go in the water, sit on the beach, ohh beer time!  and more sitting on the beach waiting for sunset.  Busy, I know!  One day I walked to the point in the morning, big day!

Los Frailles

Blue Fotted Boobies

Five days of Montanita was making us very tired, so we decided to take a break away from the madness.  We ended up in Puerto Lopez, about an hour north up the coast.  Puerto Lopez was a complete change from Montanita.  Montanita is crazy party town full of tourists.  Puerto Lopez is a lazy fishing village with alot to offer, and minimal tourists!  The first day we went to Isla de La Plata, the poor man´s Galapagos.  We had an hour hike across the island and saw lots of  Blue Footed Boobies. Then spent some time snorkeling, I was impressed by the variety of fish and the reef itself.  A good day of actually doing something!!  The second day we went to a preserve located along he coast - Los Frailles - AMAZING!!   Beautiful beaches and nobody there!!  It was a two hour hike and the vistas were amazing.  We gathered on the beach, had a picnic and took a nap, I know tough life!!  After that, a walk on the beach and off to the sulfur mud baths.  My skin is silky smooth, although there is a little smell, no biggie considering!!

New Year´s Sunset

The Sunrise

The next day, back to Montanita for New Year´s.  And was it all that and more!!  It started with a sunset....of course!  Then it was off to Pasqual´s for a cocktail, or three.  Then dinner and off to the beach and a fire.  The New Year´s tradition in Montanita is that the surfers all go surfing at midnight.  They all get together, huddle up and run into the water together.  Then the fireworks start, and the next tradition takes place.  Ecudorians burn paper mache effigies of bad things that happened to them in the past year, to rid them of the evil spirits.  It could be a boat that sank or just a life size figure of their boss!  The beach was ablaze, then the surfers came out and ran around the burning piles with their boards.  The beach was a mass of folks dancing, singing and drinking.  This went on until day break, and then the town slept, and slept some more until it was time for sunset.

So here I sit, after ten days when time stood still waiting for an overnight bus to Quito.  I have left my holiday family, we have all gone our seperate ways.  I will miss all of you!  Nicky go slow and I will catch you, Ish have fun planting trees you will be missed and Ben and Jesse, see you in Peru!!

Merry New Year everyone and stay safe!!