Back in the flats, the lowlands and the rainforest -a completely different scene. The heat and the humidity is ok by me for now.
We had been riding through some pretty poor villages occupied by Afro- Ecuadorians - it is even rare to spot a latino around here.
When it was time to stop for the night I first thought this village has no name, but we stopped and ask to spend the night and were welcomed like we had been waited for. Those people are not only tall, but also BIG in every direction and as big as they are is how friendly there are as well. A room was prepared for us. The none functioning shower filled with buckets of clean water, soap and a clean towel. Obviously this building had been used as a hotel at some point or just not quit yet. Pretty run down - the house and rooms appeared half finished, but already failing. The bed boards in one corner had failed so we laid diagonal to sleep. There was no shower curtain or door to the bathroom down the hall and we used our liner sheet to get some privacy from the beautiful and curious brown eyes of the many children watching our every step. The ceiling fan made a noise when we turned the switch but never turned it's blades.....
Dinner across the street was exceptional. Fresh squeezed lime juice and a plate with rice, platano and chicken, but what made it special was the sauce the chicken pieces were served in...some kind of sauce made that whole meal a new experience. You've got to taste it in order to understand it. In other words: I can't describe it.
You dream diagonal if you sleep diagonal? In any case the night was peaceful!
In the morning we were greeted by almost the whole village - chubby kids with brown eyed curious faces examining our bicycles and us. Breakfast - lot's of rice, eggs, salad and the most amazing sweet chocolate/coffee/cinnamon hot milk drink I have ever had in my life accompanied by a fresh pineapple juice. Our host and restaurant owner shook our hands and smiled his sun-shiniest smile on this overcast rainy hot morning and ask if we slept well and when we said we did his smile could have lit up the whole world. His wife - it could also have been his sister or other relative...I never figured it out and it doesn't matter...was the chef cook in this joint and once she saw us enjoy what she had to offer her grin competed with the smile of the man on her side.
In short: The place, the village with it's pretty little name Yalaré was a dump from all angles available, but what made the scene right were the people, these heartwarming people we found on the side of a dirty, wet road last night.
