Wednesday, Nov 2, 2016
My time at Randy and Dodie’s went too fast. This morning I met the woman who does reflexology massage for “spa day’ here at Casa Blanca Playa Cautivo. Her name is Sandy and she lived in Cuenca until moving to the coast this July. She was visiting Dodie here today so I asked if she would give Heidi a foot massage before we headed to Montanita. Fortunately she was able to do this and Heidi said it was great!
We asked Frank, our Libertad taxi driver, if he would drive us the one hour ride to Montanita. He was available, so when he arrived we loaded our things in his taxi and said good bye to Dodie and Randy. The ride went quick and I practiced my Spanish with Frank along the way. He also speaks English and is able to help me out when I get stuck.
We ate lunch at Shanka’s which is right next to our hostel and sits on the beach facing the ocean. We invited Frank to join us before he headed back to Libertad. The food is good but more expensive than in Montanita itself (a 10 minute walk along the beach). We ordered the tempura seafood platter as an appetizer. It was loaded with shrimp, calamari, and white fish. I thought this was really good.
Lunch at Shankra’s
Todd, Chase, and Frank
After eating we said goodbye to Frank and the four of us walked into Montanita along the beach. The beach was actually filled with people. I’ve never been in Montanita during a holiday and it looks like this place is going to bust loose tonight.
Surfer Statue Montanita
Montanita beach
Inside the town Montanita is packed too. The streets are filled with food tables and food carts; restaurants are competing with each other to call passers-by into their establishments.
Town of Montanita
We are staying at Hostel Rosa Mistica at the far end of Montanita. It is a basic hostel, but the four of us have our own room to share and it’s close to the beach. I can easily hear the roar of the ocean waves rolling onto shore.
Cloudy beach day in Montanita
Unfortunately the weather has been cold today. I’m in shorts but have my hoodie on trying to stay warm. The sky is completely overcast, everything looks grey, and there is a steady cool breeze off the ocean. Where is the coastal sun and heat?
We found Hola Ola’s, a great bar and restaurant, that also has an espresso machine. We have had cappuccino here before and I was anxious to have one now to warm up. Chase and Easton each had a Caprioska which seems to be their favorite cocktail since coming back from Brazil.
We walked along the boardwalk to the southern end of Montanita and looked at all the hostels and restaurants along the way. Turning around, we walked through the town and not along the water. This end of Montanita looks more like the place where people live here full time and not just a place made for tourists. Kids playing in the streets, old men sitting in chairs watching us walk by, and little tiendas for groceries is what we saw here.
The tide was coming in and our original exit back to the beach to walk to our hostel was blocked by water. After walking northward a few more blocks we hit dry beach and we were able to walk the whole way back to our place.
I’ve been in our room listening to, what I consider, odd music playing near us from the beach bar. It is like big band, some polka, easy listening instrumental, and “lounge songs”. It doesn’t bother me but this is not the typical Montanita music. The music played in town, screaming out of the bars and discotechs, is current rock and pop with amps and subwoofers that shake the fillings from your teeth on the bass notes.
Chase and Easton headed out to enjoy Montanita at night. Heidi and I are staying in, listening to the rolling ocean waves playing background to the lounge music from the bar.
Chau.
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