Cuzco To Lima, Peru To Guayaquil, Ecuador

  Lima and Guayaquil, Peru
Thursday, September 21, 2006

As we checked out at 6am, we complained to the hotel staff about the cold water & lack of heat.  They had witnessed the cold water and no radiator, but gave us only a discount equal to what we paid 3 nights earlier.  We complained about that and then got an incredible $12 discount.  Hmmm.  Didn't seem right, especially since Ben's in the hotel business and knows how to handle customer complaints.  The general manager showed up; Ben introduced himself, etc.  We ended up with a sincere apology and a 50% discount off our already discounted rate.  By that time, we had to rush to the airport, so we called it good.

The hotel there is quite new.  2 months old.  They are still finishing the place.  We endured the delightful smell of fresh paint on both nights there. Hopefully, everything's in tip-top shape there now.  Otherwise, it looks beautiful.  Casa Andina Private Collection Hotel in Cuzco (http://www.casa-andina.com/peru_hotels/cusco_hotels-2-3.phtm).


Anyway, off to the airport to fly to Lima, Peru and then to Guayaquil, Ecuador (Sit on the right side to Lima to see Salcantay Peak, 18,800').  Our Lima layover was 2 hours.  Lima was cloudy and smoggy; they have 9 million residents. 

Ben thought Guayaquil would be industrial and dirty; I suspected the opposite and was right.  The Guayaquil airport was brand new (2 months new!).  The roads are smoothly paved.  Clean city.  Lots of new construction everywhere.  2.3 million residents.  Guayaquil is located on the coast in an isthmus/bay, so very tropical.  84 degrees and humid.  We're at sea level now (first time in 2 weeks) so I'm giddy with oxygen.

Our hotel, Grand Hotel Guayaquil, is located right next to the huge cathedral downtown (one exterior wall of the cathedral covered in vines forms the backdrop for the hotel's pool).  The hotel is older but charming.  The décor is 1980s with hunter green and pastels everywhere.  Our suite is about 670 square feet and has a full kitchen (frig, 4-burner stove and oven, sink), dining table and banquette seating, living room, balcony, and huge bedroom with walk-in closet.  No need to provide a web link for the hotel; it wasn't all that.

  At night, we walked along the Rio Guayas (the river/bay) at the Malecon 2000 board walk area (1 mile long redeveloped area) that looks like a park and a boardwalk.  Trees, fountains, ponds, foot bridges, restaurants, shops, playground, views of the bay, etc.  Well lit at night with security men all around.  This becomes lovers' lane at night, as there is a couple at every park bench!

We went out looking for food and walked down to the Las Penas neighborhood (old part of town that goes up a hill).  There are 400 steps up the hill, each step conveniently numbered.  We made it up 250 steps and decided to go back to a corner bar at the bottom.

A lady next table over kept smiling at me.  She then approached Ben and touched him and invited herself to our table.  As we looked at the tiny menu, she asked him what he liked.  They spoke Spanish and I couldn't understand any of it.  She kept touching his arm and hands.  I got a feeling that she was a hooker looking for easy prey (rich American tourists).  Ben bought her a beer (he later told me she was already drunk).  They kept talking in Spanish.  Ben told her where we were staying - I kicked him!  Was she a hooker?  Magdalena was her name; she is 35.  Talk, talk, talk.  Then out of the blue, Magdalena's friend shows up and sits down next to me!  She is wearing lots of perfume and is admittedly pretty.  I thought she said she was 50!  Couldn't be true.  My Spanish is not so good.  She asked what we do for a living.  When I said real estate, she said, big surprise, "Oh, me too.  I sell real estate!  I love it."  Sure.
Magdalena kept touching Ben.  I was getting very nervous.  Spanish words were flying around my head.  Ben said "how much?" at one point and I really got nervous!  When he told the gals we had to leave to get some sleep, I swear they said they'd make sure we slept good, as they giggled.  Help!!

We made a pleasant exit, thank goodness.  I was a mess.  I was sure they were hookers.  Ben told me no.  Magdalena worked for an oil company and has 2 kids.  The other gal was her cousin.  He said Magdalena was drunk and talking so fast he couldn't keep up.
As we walked up to the hotel entrance, me being very suspicious of the gals, Ben stops and says, "Oh, my. There they are!"   My heart jumped!
He was joking!
I made sure to chain the door and bolt the lock anyway.

That's enough excitement for one day.