Guayaquil - photos 1

Guayaquil:

Guayaquil is situated in the south west of Ecuador and is the most populous city in the country with around 3.3million within the metropolitan area (for comparison, Quito 2.1million within the metropolitan area). It is also the commercial centre of Ecuador with 40% of the income coming from the town.

Founded during the 16th Century by the Spanish Pizarro, it was destroyed by a fire at the end of the 19th century so only a few colonial buildings remain in the city. Guayaquil was run-down and similar to cities in the 60's-70's but its new bus and airport terminal was like the Metrocentre in Newcastle: 3 levels with at the top, the bus terminal with more than 120gates!!! Absolutely massive! The "malecon" or "sea front" has been also restored and was very "high tech" and nice to walk along. Unfortunately for us, due to the very suffocating climate, we used the air conditioning and caught very bad cold, sore throat and bronchitis!

- Parque del Centenario or Centenary Park, the central park of the city,
- Centre of the Simon Bolivar Park, known to be the home of about a hundred iguanas, icons of Guayaquil. In the background, the Metropolitan Catedral,
- San Francisco church, situated on the main commercial street "9th of October". You can see in the background, the big "Panasonic" advertisement , another example of old and modern side by side!,
- "Torre Morisca del Reloj "or "arabic clock tower" situated on the Malecon (or seafront) Simon Bolivar,
- Typical street of Guayaquil. Seventies type buildings.