Well, I seem to be pretty good at timing some South American National Holidays. 10/8 is Ecuador's National Independence day so this weekend, was a 3-day weekend. It would've been rude to not do some wee excursion and since everyone says the sun always shines down South - we headed to Salinas for a couple of days!

It was a great option, although the sun wasn't shining the whole time - we managed to soak up some much needed Vitamin D, which was amazing =) There was certainly enough for our fair share of relaxing on the beach, swimming (in an ocean that doesn't just want to take you for a crazy ride like in Manglaralto) and even some biscuiting!

Salinas is a coastal town, that was bigger than we thought. The main part seems to be centered just opposite the Malecon (waterfront walkway) though. It's very watersports orientated. Lots of fantastic looking yachts, sailing boats, jetskis, fishing and power boats and of course - banana boats and biscuits! The biscuits looked like so much fun and were so cheap - we just had to do it! Twice even. On our second time around, the guy was trying so hard to get us out he whipped us around so hard he had to run to the other side of his own boat to try balance it out, he still took on a fair bit of water though - he certainly looked like going over more than we did - rammed as we were in to our seats that certainly weren't designed for western hips who have been eating outrageous amonts of rice for a month!!

As everywhere was going to be this holiday weekend, Salinas was very busy! But, in contrast to Montanita - it was full of Ecuadorians rather than Backpackers and Westerns. Apparently Salinas is the holiday spot where people from Guayaquil and Cuenca go and Montanita - backpackers or crazy locals who like to party! This made a really nice change, we had to (attempt to) speak more spanish and were much more surrounded by it - I was once again reminded that I really need to try harder with my Spanish!

We spent most of our time down on the beach - it certainly was packed. It was lined with marques and little deck chairs that you could hire which we were quite happy to park ourselves on for the afternoon. You literally do not need to move from these chairs - everything comes to you! Water, ice cream, toffee apples, beer, empanadas, corn on the cob ... or if you need - clothes and sunglasses ... you could even get - lamps, CDs, DVDs and all sorts of wood craft! It's crazy.

Everywhere I go in Ecuador I like it more and more, people seem to be so real here. Anything goes - it doesn't appear to be an outwardly (perhaps the key point I don't know yet) judgemental society. It doesn't matter what you wear, do or say really ... just whatever makes you happy! I like that vibe - and it also makes for some fantastically entertainly people watching =)

We have only one week of our course left, then it is on to pre-arranged tours through Peru and Bolivia. I'm really excited and Peru and Bolivia but - I'm really not ready to leave Ecuador! I'm thinking I'm going to have to find a way to come back....