No News is Not Always Good News

We are still here in Playas, Ecuador.  We were waiting for our bank cards to arrive, which they finally did today.  Now we have a care package tied up in customs so we can't go anywhere until that clears,  then it's onward to Peru.  We are paid up at this hostal until next week so look for another post around Friday or Saturday of next week.  Until then, get off the computer and get back to work!  

Mug Shots

This post is just to let everyone know what's going on.  We got notified by the financial institution that our bank card may have been compromised and they suggested we cancel it and get a new one.  So, rather than sit in some cold, wet city in the mountains we figured we should take a two week vacation from the road while waiting for our new cards to show up.  So we backtracked to Playas, on the Pacific,  to soak up some sun.  With not much to post about, I figured I would go through our photos and dig up all of the people that we have taken pictures of so far.  Some have been posted in this blog already a lot have not.  Some are cropped and enlarged so the focus may not be clear.  Captions with names and info if known, will be first, then random people along with some other stuff thrown in there.

Andre,  met him on a ferry from the Outer Banks, riding his Harley Davidson V-Rod around the US on a three month tour.  He has arrived back in NY City safe and sound.

This is  Cesar and his wife Violeta and their son Cesar Jr,  they were our wonderful hosts in Chihuahua, Mexico.  The first people we met outside of the US.  They Moto-toured all over Mexico for their honeymoon. They really helped put us at ease about travelling in their country as well as providing a real Mexico map to replace the AAA version of a map we brought along.

Guadalupe,  you can call me "Lupe". Was our gondola operator at Copper Canyon.

George is from Washington state.  He saw us along the road in the shade near Mazatlan,Mexico while we were trying to figure out our next move.  He invited us to stay in Chametla.  He then proceeded to give us the grand tour and made us feel right at home.  We were sad to leave but after three days we didn't want to wear out our welcome and down the road we went.

These two guys ran afresh oyster stand  by the river between Chametla and the ocean.  They would pull them up, cook over the grill and serve on the spot.  After eating our fill the first day we went back the next day and bought fifty to go for around $5

Fernando,  his family owns the Hotel Castillo.  He took care of all of our needs while we stayed there in Tecolutla, Mexico on the Gulf side.

              We met these two guys at a restaurant.  They own a hotel in Balacar,Mexico where they invited us to stay for a couple of days.  Ray, top photo, is from Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Fred, bottom photo, is from Ft. Collins, Colorado                                            

Marley, invited us to stay in the jungle at his house in Belize.  His friend, Rubin, below helped to make our stay relaxing and enjoyable.  They also knew a lot about the medicinal value of the plants in the jungle.

                 This was our guide through the (FSLN) Sandinista museum in El Salvador

This is Conor on left, Jay on right.  We met them in Panama City to ride together to the Stahlratte rendezvous point.  A father/son team that rode a pair of Kawasaki 650cc KLR's from Minnesota to Buenos Aires, Argentina on a seventy day tour.  We were together on the Stahlratte for five days then a few days in Cartegena, Colombia before going our separate ways.  They have completed their tour and arrived safely back in Minnesota.  They had a ride report called La Gran Adventura.  Find it here   http://jayrasmussen.smugmug.com/

This is Dave from Texas.  Another passenger we met on the Stahlratte.  He is riding a 125cc Honda that he bought in Mexico, down to Chile.  Last report, he was in Bolivia heading for Death Road, then taking a thirty day river excursion through the Amazon River Basin.  His blog is  www.texastoochile.blogspot.com

This is Tony.  We first met him at the ruins of Palenque, Mexico, then on the Stahlratte.  Destination unknown.  He's riding a Yamaha FJR. I think it's 1000cc. He's telling a strange story and posting pictures at  www.intotheblueagain.com

This is the Stahlratte, over 100 years old and still sailing strong.  We were snorkeling around the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama.   Information here   www.stahlratte.de

Harold from Austria.  We met on the Amazon River Basin excursion we took in Ecuador.  He let me download his pictures of the animals we saw since our cameras were not suitable for wildlife photos. I tried to stay in touch but his contact information isn't working, so if you're reading this Harold, email me.  I have pictures to send to you.

This cheesecake was also on the excursion.  She was an arachnophobic from NY City,  on a jungle tour?!!!

Can't forget the Shaman

        These two were guides in the jungle

        This guy was in a restaurant in Colombia, the next was in the jungles of Ecuador

It turns out he is from France and this Franklin&Marshall is a famous clothing line there, not the college in Lancaster,Pa.

This couple was from Holland.  They shipped a vehicle to Cartegena to continue their journey through North and South America

These two chipmunks climbed into a vent hole in the volcano we climbed in Guatemala

These were street performers in Guanajuato, Mexico

Other than the vendors selling stuff on the beach, this wraps up the people photos.

There are a few other things I want to put in here that may not have been posted yet

This was in El Salvador.  The guide on the mangrove boat ride said it's a Baltimore Oriole bird nest.  They used to build them in trees, but the snakes and lizards would eat their eggs, so the orioles adapted and started hanging nests from power lines so nothing could get to them.

This is what happens when you leave your bike unattended while you hike.  Three kids are climbing all over it so mom can take pictures of the Harley.  I felt like running down there and climbing all over her SUV like a monkey, see how she liked it.

             Air compressor made out of Oxy/acety tank-Mexico

 Fried fish head anyone?

                More guinea pigs to eat.

  

 This pretty much sums up riding in Colombia and Ecuador.  Hopefully Peru and Bolivia will follow suit.

      I've been meaning to post this picture ever since we've been in Ecuador

That is US dollars,The currency in Ecuador.  This is expensive gas,  we've bought super for as low as two dollars a gallon. Last but not least a little red, white and blue