José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is one of the best airports in Southamerica. It was formerly known as Simón Bolívar International Airport. Guayaquil airport has international flights to North American and Europe and also services local/domestic destinations like Esmeraldes, Quito, Manta and Loja.

Centennial Park follows the traditional layout of Sacred Forests of Classical Greece, which has areas dedicated to the 4 elements: Fire, Earth, Water and Air. It is one of the largest in the city and located between the streets of Garaycoa Lorenzo, Velez, Pedro Moncayo and Victor Manuel Rendon. Parque Centenario Guayaquil was inaugurated in October 9, 1920 and completed in 1937.

In Guayaquil we visited the Ship Guayas of the Ecuador Navy (Guayas Ship School) which is moored at the dock located at the Navy Yacht Club on the Malecon 2000. Guayas is the name of the province where Guayaquil is located. You just have to visit it because the crew is very friendly and admission is free and the ship itself is beatiful.

I am posting several images of Buque Escuela Guayas in Guayaquil, Ecuador taken in October 2011.

Guayaquil, the capital of the province of Guayas, is the largest and most populous city in Ecuador. Located on the Pacific coast, it has a tropical climate and is known as the Pearl of the Pacific. It is the main port of Ecuador. We stayed in Guayaquil for two days on our way to Cuenca and one night on way back. All first day we devoted to Malecon 2000, but on the second day we ventured to the city's downtown.

Just across the street from Unipark Hotel in Parque Seminario or Parque de Las Iguanas (Iguana Park), is the residence to some of Guayaquil's most unique residents - large iguanas sprawled everywhere throughout this park. The green space of the park also includes a pond filled with colorful tilapia. Park well cared for, lush, and has a nice statue of the city's liberator, Simón Bolívar.

In Guayaquil we stayed in Unipark Hotel - it's not cheap, but very conveniently located only three blocks from Malecon 2000 and just across the street from beautiful Catedral de Guayaquil. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil is officially known as San Pedro Cathedral. It has beautiful towers built in semi-Gothic style and is considered one of the most important religious symbols of the city. It was built in 1937 and is one of the most visited attractions of Guayaquil.

Guayaquil, Ecuador's coastal city offers visitors a boardwalk "Malecon 2000", one of the new magnets of the city that attracts thousands of people, especially on weekends. It is divided into sectors, each with a different design.

Guayaquil, Ecuador's coastal city offers visitors a vast and seemingly endless boardwalk "Malecon 2000", much more impressive then our Toronto waterfront. Honestly the only thing that I recommend to visit in Guayaquil is the Malecón 2000, favorite tourist attraction, and the best thing we saw during our stay in that city.

We spent the most of our time in Ecuador staying in Cuenca. This colonial city has much to offer, with colonial architecture, beautiful churches and many different indigenous markets. We also visited Cajas National Park with more than 275 Andean lakes and scenic hiking trails. This national park is close to Cuenca, and makes for a pleasant day trip.

I am posting here more images of flowers and plants taken in Ecuador mostly by my wife:

On our recent Ecuador trip in October/November 2011 we stayed for two full days in Guayaquil, the nation's largest city and the capital of Guayas Province. In Guayaquil, an excellent place to visit is the Malecon 2000, which is very well patrolled and quite safe. Guayaquil features a tropical savanna climate, so many flowers we encountered were brightly colored and beautiful.

The city of Cuenca has four main river watersheds: Machángara, Tarqui, Yanuncay and Tomebamba. Later on they unite forming Paute river that will end in the Amazons river, the mightiest river in the world. Tomebamba crosses the city practically in the center, giving place to beautiful landscapes. It is very beautiful with grassy banks, flowers and trees along the edges, and several historic bridges spanning it.

Separating the colonial section from the modern residential areas of the town of Cuenca, Ecuador this river features scenic walking paths along its north bank and several Inca ruins. It is very beautiful with grassy banks, flowers and trees along the edges, and several historic bridges spanning it.