Chillaxin' in Bahia

I've been a bit of a lazy blogger here in Bahia. That's kinda the proper attitude at the beach though, right? Since this is our last full day before returning to Cuenca let me take a few minutes to post what's been going on before I get back to doing not much of anything again.

Tuesday was actually quite eventful. In the morning we visited Isla Corazon, the largest sanctuary for frigate birds in the entire south Pacific. We went by motor boat to the island,



then transferred to a canoe to paddle through incredibly dense mangrove forests.



When we emerged on the other side the sky was so filled with these large birds that it seriously looked like special effects of a battle sequence in a Star Wars movie. We were amazed.



For anyone who visits Bahia this excursion should be on the "must do" list.

Upon our return to the city we went straight to the Bahia Museum.




An excellent bilingual guide took us on an informative hour-long tour through the history of the area, describing artifacts of the various periods






and also showing us an impressive art gallery with paintings donated by outstanding Ecuadorian artists.



After all this activity we were famished, and fortunately Puerto Amistad, an attractive restaurant right on the water, was just up the street.






Friends, this place has absolutely THE best American-style hamburger we've tasted in all of Ecuador. That alone makes a trip to Bahia worthwhile! Plus the grande Pilseners there are a measly $1.50. Wow!



Wednesday afternoon we visited Chirije,




an ecolodge owned by the CasaGrande folks located on an active archaeological site several miles south of Bahia. It's right on the beach, with lovely rooms



and killer views.





There are outdoor meeting facilities and a small museum with artifacts collected all around the lodge.



You can and will find some yourself if you look around a bit. We enjoyed an excellent cerviche



before driving all the way back to Bahia on the beach. What a fun adventure!

The rest of the week we've pretty much been getting our re-lax on and enjoying meals at nearby restaurants.



I've been body surfing as much as possible, whacking my head on the sand once while riding a particularly ferocious wave.



This place is laid back beyond description, with no big nightclubs and no traffic at all. We've had a marvelous time and will most definitely come back often. Here are some final photos to enjoy.