Our cruise ship made two stops in Ecuador, first in Manta and then in Guayaquil, the following day. Manta is a small city, but an important centre for Ecuador’s fishing industry. The main catch is tuna and we were told that Starkist Tuna comes from there. Anyone remember Charlie the Tuna? We arrived early in the morning and I was able to capture a few shots of the harbour as our ship was berthed.
This first photo shows the part of the fleet in Manta Harbour in the early morning. After docking we left on our tour of the area and returned in late afternoon to see some ships unloading their catches on the side of the wharf opposite our ship.
This is one of many netfuls of tuna we observed being offloaded onto waiting trucks on the wharf. The fish are frozen on board ship and then transported by truck for further processing and canning. I also got some shots of some fisherman at work unloading the ship. They were more than happy to pose for me and they were quite proud of their catch. Look at the faces!
Our ship left port in the early evening and we were bid goodbye by a beautiful sunset. A great way to end the day.
The morning after departing Manta, we arrived in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest port and second largest city after Quito. Guayaquil is a city of extreme contrasts. Our drive into the city was through some of the most desperate slums I have ever seen. Poverty is widespread in South America and never better exemplified than in Guayaquil. It seemed odd that our guide spoke glowingly about how the city fathers had successfully undertaken urban renewal and he was genuinely proud of his city. It was not until we reached the city centre that we could see the results of the urban renewal project. It left me wondering, however why nothing had been done where it was most sorely needed.
Following is a series of pictures showing Simon Bolivar Park along the river and a high rent district called Las Penas.
Our day ended with another departure, as our ship left the Port of Guayaquil, destined for the Peruvian Port of Salaverry, the last stop before Lima. Not to be outdone by Manta, Guayaquil sent us off with a gorgeous sunset.