San Clemente, Ecuador

Reluctantly, it is time to leave the warm and beautiful beaches of San Clemente.  We have two choice for travelling on to Quito/Otavalo: bus or airplane.  The bus takes about ten hours to Quito and costs $10 per person.  The airplane takes about 30 minutes and costs $50 per person.  We opted for the airplane but, of course it wasn't so simple. The nearest airport to San Clemente is almost an hour away in Manta.  We have no car so we must take a taxi. So we pile into a beat up taxi and ride at breakneck speeds on the hot day over sometimes bumpy, potholed roads, passing slower trucks and buses in the middle "no-man's-land" part of the road. Basically, most roads here are two lanes but if opposing vehicles both drive close to their respective edges, a third middle lane is sort of created. It's common here but unnerving to our United States' habits of painted lane markings and drivers actually adhering to them. Driving seems to be a sport here and is best left to locals and taxi drivers.

Manta Airport does not have fancy jet bridges.  You board the old-fashioned way by walking across the tarmac and up the stairs on your own power.

They do use a unique approach in advertising on the seat backs though.

 

A short 30 minutes later we are about to land in Quito for the two hour drive to Otovalo - our final destination of the trip.  One of the best $100 I ever spent.

San Clemente, Ecuador

Just inland from the Palmazul resort is a development of condos.  Visible behind them to the right there is a simple path straight up this little mountain.  It's accessible a few streets south so we decided to hike up for the view.

Here are the hikers: Joe, Buzz (Ray's son), Ray, and Wayne, after successfully climbing what turned out to be a path that a mountain goat would fear to tread.  Okay it wasn't really that bad but, except for Buzz, none of us is exactly a spring chicken.

Looking south, San Clemente and the next village San Jacinto.

Looking north, San Clemente. Notice the green undeveloped oceanfront land.  Amy and I would take either one with very little coaxing.

The village ends at the big mountain.  I never plan to hike up it.

Looking straight down at our hotel Palmazul in the center of the picture. The blue-roofed house upper left belongs to an American couple who got a great deal on it. What is that old saying about "location, location, location?"

And here's one of the fancy panorama shots from the top........

San Clemente, Ecuador

Here's a look at some random properties in case you're interested in buying what might be a future Riviera, Costa del Sol, Miami Beach, La Jolla..........  The following shots show the range of beachfront properties available in this undeveloped village where zoning regulations probably don't exist yet.

 Some land still completely without structures.



And one of my favorites is this funky little cottage on a cove where 17 fishing boats call home.  The "se vende" written on the wall means it's for sale.

 And after all that walking it's time for a "cervesa grande" at a beachfront restaurant we grew fond of : Viviana's. It's a bamboo structure with a split bamboo floor - be careful where you put your chair legs because there are holes in the floor.  Cervesa $1.25.

And another day much like all the other 364 days draws to a close.

Water temp and air temp are both in the roughly 75-85 degree range today and apparently every day of the year.  Yep, I could get used to this.

San Clemente, Ecuador

Here's one of the most common sights in Ecuador these days - Amy with her camera. 



Strolling the San Clemente beach as the tide goes out.



Sorting the catch on the beach.

 Low tide is a good opportunity to look at real estate opportunities. This beautiful spot was recently purchased by a California couple who are fixing it up for part-year living.



 This compound with two houses is for sale.

 This is probably a tear down but it's still ocean front.

I really lked this all bamboo house.  No windows or doors - all bamboo structure including frame and support elements - but they have electricity and Direct TV!  Not sure about WiFi. And speaking about WiFi, sometimes we had trouble getting a good signal in our room so we were forced to email and blog at the location below:

Someone had to do it...........

San Clemente, Ecuador

In the daily morning ritual, the fishermen begin pulling in the nets.  There is another line of people just like the one above about 500 yards or so to the right.  Each group pulls in their respective line creating an ever-decreasing arc formed by the net.  After an hour or two of pulling, the net reaches the beach with the catch.

 In anticipation of the food to come, the flocks of great frigate birds and pelicans swarm nearby waiting to dive on the small fish left by the fishermen.

 They are big birds and they are not bashful. (Note to self: don't wear a black t-shirt next time in order to avoid  lots of white spots on it again.)

 The nets are emptied into bags, carried to the truck, and then off to market and restaurants. A perk of the occupation was evidenced by many of the men as they tucked a particularly nice fish into their pocket to take home for lunch or dinner - all you see is the tail sticking out the top of the pants pocket.

But work is not done for the fishermen - they must then spend time repairing the nets and getting ready for the next outing.

Here's where a picture would go of a beautiful fish lunch but, since we're vegans in a fishing village we make do otherwise - here's a typical lunch for Amy and me: rice, lentils and potatoes, salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli in a lime juice dressing, and grilled plantains. It's a meal that tastes as good as any food on the planet.  Most of the cooks at these hole-in-the-wall restaurants are happy to oblige once they get over the oddness of gringos that don't eat fish, chicken, or any other animals.  Total lunch: $3.

And after lunch - rest time at  Palmazul.

San Clemente, Ecuador

I lived in San Clemente California, for a half-dozen years back in the 1980's. It is quite a treat now in the 2010's to visit another San Clemente - this one in Ecuador.  That's about where the similarities end.  San Clemente Ecuador is an undeveloped village where the residents for generations have taken to the sea in their small wooden boats to bring back the day's catch.  San Clemente California may have the glitz and the glamour, but San Clemente Ecuador has a beach that's wide and flat, people that are smiling and friendly, water that's warm as a bath, and an air temperature that rarely changes. I would bet that in some distant future this area, like much of the beautiful Ecuadoran coast, will see lots of growth.  There is already a gringo condo development half completed here.   And yes - that is corn lying out in the street, drying under the noon sun for some later meal either in a restaurant or family home.

  This is our beachfront hotel, Palmazul, an extraordinarily beautiful location, facility, and people.  What started as a two-day stay keeps stretching into another and another and another.........maybe we should just move in!

This is the view from our room.  It got so cold one night with the glass doors open, the surf thundering,  and the ocean breeze blowing that I almost had to put a sheet over me to sleep - but on second thought I didn't bother - maybe tomorrow night .............

Here's the beach from our hotel looking north.  Word has it that the two-house compound pictured is for sale.  Rumor is they want $170K total - pretty high prices in these parts.

At midday the boats are waiting above the high tide line for the next outing while the fishermen repair their nets in the shade.

Amy walking north during low tide.  I was surprised to see a 6 foot (2 meter) tidal variation.  Somehow I thought variation at the equator was much less. 

Happy gringa in paradise.

And after all that walking and sun and heat, the gringa must get her rest!  Hasta luego!

San Clemente, California, USA

A town of uncommon delight in coastal southern California: San Clemente is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego and has a quaint downtown, spanish styled whitewashed buildings, and beautiful surf and sun beaches - and don't forget that nearly perfect weather.