Puerto Lopez y Amampe

North of Ayampe sits Puerto Lopez, a decent sized fishing town mixed with a slice of tourism.  Quite the scene to watch all the boats unloading their catch of the day.  A strong back is a definate requirement for belonging to the fishing industry in Puerto Lopez.  The fish are taken from the boats in tubs, carried on a shoulder to sorting, cleaning, packing tables.  Box trucks, full with tubs packed with fish and ice, head inland to distribute the fresh catch.  

As with all other locations visited, the sunsets in Puerto Lopez are amazing.

The Party Goes On

Although Santa Marianita has a typically arid climate, it is still subject to unusual weather like every other location in the world.  The day before one of the countries biggest celebrations of the year, ¨"Carnival" they received torrential rains which washed out huge sections of the beach and road, taking several down several power poles as well. 

 But the Ecuadorians are resiliant and were not about to let a little rain spoil their party on the beach.  They packed the beach for 4 days straight, and it was quite the sight.  Everyone there had a smile on, and were happy to be able to spend the time with family and friends.  I can say with all honesty that for the entirety of Carnival I never witnessed one single conflict, which is something considering all the beer consumed.  A great time was had by all, and I would highly recommend a visit during this time.

Properties for sale

Here is the view from a hilltop lot

Some undeveloped terraced beach lots

Terraced development in the works

After looking at several different land, housing options, and talking with the local expat community here in Santa Marianita have come to a couple of conclusions.  As a result of being so close to all the amenities of Manta, the price of raw land here is quite high now, driven by expats willing to spend excess amounts.  It appears that the good deals were done about 4-5 years ago. They sell it by the square meter now ($35 for hilltop to $100 for right on the beach).   Will be interesting to find out how far you have to get from Manta before the prices start to decline.  With regards to the cost of living here, it can be done on a very small budget.  A good seafood meal will cost you between $3-5 and all the local fruits and vegetables are very inexpensive.  Anything imported, packaged, processed will cost you as much or more than at home.

Land shopping - Santa Marianita

Have been here in Santa Marianita now for about a week, and really do enjoy the vibe.  Definately an older, more mature, family oriented crowd here versus the backpackers in Canoa.  During the week you can often claim huge sections of the beautiful beach as your own.  The weekends are a little busier, but still very relaxed in comparison.  The city of Manta,which has all the amenities, is a quick 15 minute drive away, and really gives you the feeling that while here anything you need is at your fingertips.  For these reasons I thought I would do a little property shopping.