Welcome to Ecuador... country #74

Writing this from our hotel room in Manta, Ecuador.

So lets get you caught up on the last couple of days! We were busy with Lindsey and family on Monday, and then a travel day to Ecuador on Tuesday.

This Valentine's Day, Find the Everyday Expression of "Love" at Walmart

Valentine's Day doesn't always need grand vows. Sometimes, it's the thoughtful gestures woven into the fabric of daily life that truly touch the heart. At Walmart, you can find gifts that are both considerate and practical—using simple acts of "remembering" and "understanding" to show you care.

We are off to Mexico City... and then Ecuador

Sunday was our last full day with Lindsey and family in Valle de Brave. We still have one more day with them in Mexico City today, then Tuesday morning they head north to Canada, and we head south to Ecuador.

We had a pretty full day yesterday!

Old Navy’s Limited-Time Event: Comfortable Activewear for the Whole Family

Some Clothes Aren’t Made to Look Good in Photos—They’re Made to Take You Further

At dawn, the campsite is still wrapped in cool air. Coffee simmers quietly on the stove, steam curling upward as children spill out of the tent, already running free across the open ground. As you bend to pack your gear and stretch your body awake, one truth becomes unmistakably clear:Comfort matters more than appearance.

Well that was a good day!

Our friends Pepe and Maricruz have a house here at the marina, and they knew that we would be here with Lindsey and family. Pepe's sister has two daughters about the same age as Sadie, and they are learning English, so we all figured it was a good idea to get together.

Coincidentally, it was also my birthday.

The Salto de Chihuahua Waterfall, and millions of daddy long legs!

We relaxed around the house for the morning, and Cameron did some more fishing... very successfully! In fact, he caught dinner for all of us!

And after lunch, we drove about an hour north west of here to a beautiful waterfall. 

January Expenses

We've been busy, so I never got to this at the beginning of the month. But we all decided yesterday was a day of rest, so we just hung around here for the day, although Lindsey and family did walk into El Arco.

Anyhow, January was a fairly expensive month, but we expected it to be. We spent $4,525 CAD, ($3,314 USD).

An unexpectedly great day!

We set off around 10:30am and drove over to the big parking lot at the Chedraui grocery store where we planned on leaving Igor while we hiked up to the paragliding liftoff point in Monte Alto State Park.

Back to the butterflies

The weather hasn't been the best for the monarch butterfly viewing. We were really lucky when we went with my sister Alison in December, but this week has been cooler and more cloudy in the afternoon.

But we don't have any control over the weather, and yesterday looked like it was going to be the best day. So we set off up to the Piedra Herrada Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.

Cameron is quite the fisherman!

Cameron has been out fishing a lot. The one time with our friends Paco and Oti in their boat, but otherwise just off the dock in front of our house.

There are often some locals who come down and fish off the same dock, and Cameron isn't shy about getting along with other people, even when there are language challenges.