Giron

This week's Sunday outing was to Giron, from where we planned to hike up to the waterfalls (that hike will be the topic of the next post). We took the bus at Feria Libre, though apparently you can take any bus heading down to Machala, at the Terminal Terrestre, and get off at Giron. The fare was one dollar. The town was laid out in the typical manner and we made our way to the central plaza, which was small and modest but had this beautiful fountain in the middle and some gorgeous flowering trees around the perimeter.

We found the main Sunday event a couple of blocks from the plaza, where the local soccer teams were playing. The field was surrounded by spectators and a couple of food stands. We sat and watched for a while but then we heard the sounds of a marching band and followed it to the church.

They had just finished playing and people were streaming in--we never did find out why a marching band was leading people into the church. We did see a few little girls wearing fancy white dresses so maybe it was a confirmation ceremony?

We then stopped by an hornado restaurant (roast pig) for an early lunch before we set out on our climb to the waterfall. After lunch, and on our way to the road leading to the waterfall, we passed a few businesses which had clearly not been refurbished since the 1950s. It was like stepping back in time and reminded me of pictures I've seen of Havana--just lovely. Here's a barbershop, with the original chairs and fittings.

And here's a general store. Everything but the floors and walls was painted in the same shade of blue--a shade that had been so popular in the 40s and 50s. It was as though time had literally stood still in this little town.