Ceviche Beach Binge

Our Route to the Beach

By order of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, schools were on holiday all last week. So we decided to make the most of this mandated vacation with a week at the beach. Justin found a wonderful house on Airbnb in a quiet little beach town called Ayampe, at 25 kilometers north of the more well-known beach town of Montanita.

We invited another couple to come with us and they brought their teenage daughter along. And of course, we brought Howard the dog. Never in my life have I lived more than an hour’s drive from the beach. I guess you can say that makes me spoiled. For this drive to the beach was a strenuous 8 ½ hours. I say “strenuous” even though Justin did all the driving, because it can be stressful being a copilot as well. I had to help with directions and lane changing, as well as supply the driver and the dog in the backseat with periodic snacks, Gatorades, and bowls of water, respectively.  

Kapoks

We departed Quito at 6 am on Monday morning. The weather was dismal – cold and drizzling rain, with a blanket of thick fog hanging in the sky and obscuring visibility at an alarming rate. What made the drive bearable, even interesting were the myriad of terrains we drove through. From the wet, foggy city of Quito, through the rain forest and around cliffs that seem to drop off into clouds where the one-lane road is bordered by waterfalls, rushing muddy streams, and hand painted signs advertising “trucha fresca” (fresh trout). Next we drove through the small city center of Santo Domingo where pig carcasses, sawn neatly in half hang on the porches of shops and restaurants, announcing “platos hornados” (roasted pork plates) for lunch. After Santo Domingo we drove west through rolling green cattle pastures, then through banana and cacao plantations. We then passed through Chone, as we neared the coastline, the landscape turned into a dry and rocky desert, complete with cacti and donkeys tied up in the shoulder of the highway to graze on the roadside grass. The next towns we passed, Puertoviejo and Jipijapa were still even closer to the coastline and it was along this part of the drive where I saw the most interesting trees. The trees were huge, with thick, curvy trunks covered almost completely with what appeared to be a thick coating of bright green fungus. The branches, which swirled out in all directions were completely leafless. Where the branches grow from the trunks are folds and wrinkles. They looked to me like feminine bodies, arched and stretching up towards the sky. I told Justin they were likely tree goddesses. It wasn’t until I got home to Google that I was able to learn the name of this tree – the Kapok tree, (or Ceibo tree) which turns out to have a pretty neat mythology if you’re so inclined to read up on it later.

La Casa Blanca

The House Didn't Suck

We finally arrived in Ayampe and checked into to La Casa Blanca, our rental home for the week. The house was absolutely beautiful. Two bedrooms and bathrooms with teak flooring, separated by a large kitchen in the middle of the house. Upstairs was a game room with big couches, ping pong and pool tables. The house had a front porch that ran the length of the house where the large dining table was located, and we ate all of our meals there. There was even a small pool and hot tub in the yard, surrounded by blooming hibiscus plants that were home to both bees and humming birds. The house was a 5 minute walk to the beach. The sand wasn’t white like in Florida, but more of a dark gray and it was scorching hot on bare feet! The shore was scattered with smooth rocks of varying shades of green, blue, and terra cotta.

The next four days were spent like this: sleep in, wake up and have scrambled eggs and coffee. Float

Ayampe's Landmark Twin Rock Islands

around in the pool. Walk to the beach. Lay in the sand. Pick up rocks. Dip in the water. Watch Justin surf. Read book. Drink beer. Jump into the swimming pool. Eat fresh ceviche made in our own kitchen by hired chef. Make and drink pina coladas. Swing in the hammock. Read book. Take nap. Walk to the tienda. Buy more beer. Buy ice cream. Read. Shower. Read. Sleep. Start over the next day. It was glorious. (If you’re wondering what I was reading in the hammock it was an Agatha Christie – I just adore Miss Marple! Followed by an Alan Bradley mystery. I’m on a bit of a murder mystery, who-dunnit kick these days.)

Having Fresh Ceviche Prepared

I love eating fresh fish, especially when at the beach. Ceviche for lunch, fried fish or grilled fish for dinner. Every day for five days. Did I get sick of eating so much fish?! Pshhaw! Poppycock! I’m only sad I couldn’t have found a way to incorporate fish into my breakfast dishes. It was delicious and fresh and so, so good and I’m already missing it.

Even Howie sampled a little ceviche and he approved. Howie had a fantastic time playing with our friends’ daughter. There were hours and hours of throwing the ball, trying to get Howie to jump in the pool, Howie eating splashes from the pool, Howie eating waves at the beach, even Howie eating a few bees and flies. I think Howie even got a bit of a sunburn on his legs.

We all had a lovely, relaxing, luxurious time. On the last day I ate four ice cream sandwiches in a row. Oh the indulgence!! We arrived back in Quito Friday night and have had a few more days’ downtime before having to return to work again tomorrow. I’m hoping we can have a beach week part 2 in April for Spring Break.