Following a beach landing (and a warm welcome from the local residents) at the delightful fishing village of Puerto Lopez, we set off for our first taste of one of Latin America's smallest nations, Ecuador. The drive to the Machalilla National Park provided visible evidence of the effects of the recent El Ni¤o, with deep gorges cut into the landscape by torrential streams and luxuriant vegetation in what in normal years is a dry zone.
At the park we took a choice of hikes, one specializing in bird identification, another emphasizing the new archaeological site that the Ni¤o rains had uncovered. Our local guides gave us a preview of the small museum that has been established in the village and it was a pleasure to see the pride the local people have in their ancestral heritage.
