Bahia de Caraquez

This is a place I could live.
Miles of beautiful beaches,deserted at this time of year, but I'm told it gets a bit crowdeduring the high season.The town is clean and the local people are very friendly and helpful.
After an earthquake in 1998, Bahia rebuilt its self as an Eco-city. They started the first city run composting station in Ecuador. Though you can get a cab at any time, most people use thelocal "tritocicleros" to get around town.For only .50 you can get anywhere, but the town is small enough that you can walk anywhere.
We took a day trip to a town called Canoa. This is a surfers village stuck in the 70's. Party central on weekends.
We took a cab ($8.00)to get there and arranged to be pick up at 4....let me re-phrase that...THOUGHT we arranged it. It took untill 5:30 to convince Doug the cab wasn't coming back. We hoped on a local bus for .50 that took us to the town of San Vincente and ten for .35 we got the local panga ferry back to Bahia......8.00 to get there....1.70 to get back...we are learning.
We stopped in at the local market to buy a notebook to keep track of all this new found wisdom and while there we met the nicest couple from California.Suzanne and Michael  had sailed into Bahia and never left.
They are a delightful couple living the kind of life we dream of.
We had planned on moving down the coast after one night, but stayed for three.
We had dinner with Michelle and made arrangements to see Suzanne and Mike the next morning for coffee.
They have a wonderful home looking at the beach that they remodeled from an old ocean front bar. We sat on there terrazo looking at the ocean and talking for a few hours.
Then off to the bus terminal to but tickets for the next days trip to Cuenca. We were quite proud of ourselves that we were able to get to the "terminal terreste",purchase the tickets, and get back to the hotel. Our usable Spanish is increasing rapidly.
We had a great dinner with Suzanne & Michael and then walked along the Malacon enjoying thier company.  I hope that we will remain friends. They are living proof us that we can have the life we want if we just get out and do it.
Next is the great bus adventure to Cuenca.