Into Ecuador

So in Pantoja, Peru we (the other tourist and I) go to get our exit stamps. They obviously don´t get much business here as we had to knock on the door for them to open. They closed very shortly after we left.

From Pantoja, Peru it is an hour boat ride to Nueva Roca Fuerte, Ecuador by motorized canoe. The driver had double duty of steering and bailing.

We passed about three navel bases. Passed the Ecuador-Peru border...

... and arrived in Nueva Roca Fuerte, Ecuador. A very small quite pleasant place. If you ever want to get away from it all, this is the place. Maybe 200 residents.

No hotels or restaurants. The one hotel, a retired army barracks, had long since closed down. Luckily we were able to stay in some empty beds at the Immigration where we got our passport stamps.

As for meals, we wandered around until we found a family that volunteered to make us a meal. They had a pet baby monkey that hung out in the rafters above the light bulb...

... it would grab bugs attracted by the light and munch on them.

When it finally came down it and the puppy would play. The monkey would ride around on the back of the puppy who was desperately trying to throw it. Once the monkey bailed, the puppy would immediately run and tackle it. It was quite a show throughout dinner.

The next morning we got up at 5:00 am to catch the Ecuadorian naval vessel up to Coca, Ecuador - the end of the Amazon and the beginning of the Andeas Mountains. Venus was rising on the horizon just ahead of the Sun. The river was very foggy. Alot of altitude gained since Manaus, Brazil.

Well the boat didn´t have guns or anything - it was a supply ship. It would be a 10 hour boat ride. I was prepared with my music, my book, and my camera.

The captain had done his basic training in San Antonio, Texas and could speak a bit of English. We talked about Texas. When we stopped along the river to eat, I was introduced to Ecua-volley. The Ecuadorians are crazy about beach volleyball but with 3 as opposed two 2 team members. There are volleyball nets to be seen everywhere.

Not much to say about Coca, Ecuador. Hot port city. No tourists. I caught the first overnight bus to Quito. There was a short stop to check all the passengers for guns, drugs, and animal smuggling. The doctor sitting beside me and I had an interesting talk about river culture.

I only spent a few hours in Quito the next morning before taking a bus on too Bahia, Ecuador on the Pacific Coast. I intended to spend a month on an Organic Farm to rest from traveling and learn what was behind the Organic movement.