Sand and Sun: Ecuador’s Salinas

Guayaquil, where I live, lies along the Duale River and not too far from Ecuador's Pacific Coast. When things get hot, the locals head to either Salinas or Playas. Salinas is more upscale, Playas more for those looking for a closer and cheaper getaway, but in any case there is some great sun and sand experiences in store. I'll talk about Salinas first, and look at Playas in another post.

Salinas is a small city on the south-central coast of Ecuador, and it's a tourist hot-spot for lots of reasons.  

The main attractions in Salinas are the beaches. There are several excellent stretches of gorgeous white sand beaches all along the city's coastlines and there are many high-rise condos and resorts right along with them. You can stay right on the beach in style, to hit the sand every day you're there. Some of the hotels are pricey but you should be able to find some beach-front accommodations to fit most budgets.

Actually, Salinas kind of reminds me of Cartegena, beach-wise, minus the prostitutes and uber-aggressive street vendors. It has long stretches of high-rise condos backed up right to the sand, making a stay an almost religious experience in sun-kissed, drunken debauchery. Okay, that's an exaggeration, since lots of families come here too.

If sunbathing isn't your thing, you can get active at the beaches instead. The surfing is excellent in and around Salinas, and people come from all over to ride the waves. One of the beaches just south of the city, Punta Carnero is especially famous for its waves and many competitions are held there. Add in loads of deep sea fishing, whale watching excursions along with the usual rounds of para-sailing and paragliding

But if you want to stay within the city, check out San Lorenzo Beach. It's the largest one in Salinas and right in the middle of the city. Farther out on the peninsula, you can find Playa del Mar Bravo and Playa de Chipipe. Walk along the busy streets or the beach boardwalks and see the life of Salinas bustling around you. I love to go on some long, slow runs in the morning.

And while I mentioned it before, I'll emphasize it again, there is also some excellent whale-watching outside of Salinas. We are talking world class whale watching in Salinas, since many breeds like Humpback Whales and others migrate right past Salinas twice each year. Several tour groups will offer boat charters to get you out on the water and on the lookout for the next pod of whales to crest the surface. If you stay closer to shore, you can take in some snorkeling or scuba diving. The water is just buzzing with activity - and yes, it is warm water!

By the way, when I go to Salinas I practically live at the Cevecheria. This is an area about two blocks in back of San Lorenzo Beach with two solid square blocks of restaurants all selling ceviche in all of its forms: my wife loves shrimp, but I love Ceviche Mixto - a dish filled with fish, shrimp, squid, and about every other sea creature they can find that day. It is normally served with popcorn or patacones (fried plantains) or plantain chips. Drink with a glass of Pilsener or Club, two of the local beers, and you'll be feeling good.

The Museum of the Great Peninsula is one of the larger attractions in Salinas (after the beaches of course). It's also called the Siglo XXI Museum (21st Century Museum), though it does hold a lot of ancient artifacts, not just contemporary exhibits.

When you're finished with all the sights and activities in Salinas, you can set out on a road-trip up the coast along the famous Ruta del Sol that goes up to Manta from Salinas. Lots of small villages and beaches along the way, as well as the Machalilla National Park. Along the way is the tiny seaside village of Montanita - which has become an Australian surfer hangout because of the waves there. The beaches tend to be stoney here, but with consistently great waves. After playing in the water there are thatch-roofed dives like the Wipe Out to eat ceviche, drink beer, and share the events of the day.

It's easy enough to get to Salinas if you want to add this city to your travel plans. There are major roads coming from Guayaquil, and the General Ulpiano Paez Airport is right in Salinas if you prefer to fly in although commercial service is extremely limited. Most people do drive, and the scenery between the cities is stunning.

Review: Tocumen International Airport in Panama City

Both Lisa and I have traveled separately through Panama City the last couple of months. Price-wise, Copa Air is quickly becoming an important low cost airline between North and South America. That means their hub airport in Panama City, Tocumen International Airport, is seeing more of us Gringos heading down to Latin America and back. Here are our impressions, and a few tips, on getting around Tocumen.

First of all. it is located in the north-east outskirts of Panama City about 15 miles (24 Km) out of town, and it is identified by the international symbol PTY. Copa Airlines operates the most flights in and out of Tocumen with connections throughout South America, but KLM, Iberia, Delta, Air Panama, Avianca and American Airlines all have some service to Tocumen Airport as well. Seasonal flights from Canada on Air Transat are also now available.

The airport was last renovated in 2006/2007 with some major expansions and modernizations, and it now has two runways and an updated passenger terminal. All the standard services can be found: ATM machines, several shopping outlets and places to buy a little food if you are waiting for your flight. Prices are considered high by both every day Panamanian and Americans standards, particularly the food, lthough less compared to many major US airports like LAX, O'Hara or others. Prices are mostly listed in the Balboa, but the shops do take US dollars.

High-end shops like La Riviera, Lascoste and Tommy Hilfiger will give you interesting places to browse while you're killing time on your layover. Some of the shops seem a little impractical for most Americans at an airport, such as one store selling large electronics. But a lot of South Americans pass through here, and they are going back home where electronics are harder to get and much more expensive. In any case, browsing does help the time pass when you have a longer layover. There are also duty-free options if you prefer to shop for some luxury items without the added taxes.

The big tip I'll throw out is how to find the food. At Tocumen the food court areas are all on the 2nd floor, which may not be that clear if you don't know to look. There are signs, but they are all a bit small. Many people complain that there is no food, when in fact there is an entire floor of it that they've missed.

Even with the expansions, the terminals are a little small. During busy times, it can get pretty crowded and you'll find long lines at food services and other shops. The waiting areas at the gates tend to the small side too and one big problem both Lisa and I noticed were flights from Panama City to the US require extra security screenings. The Panamanian security staff do these extra screenings at the gate waiting area. First they clear out the whole area, then set up a security checkpoint. Passengers can go back into the area after they and their baggage have gone through the extra screening. So if you are heading back to the States and have a few hours to wait, don't get too comfortable at the gate. Most likely you will have to move you and all of yours out for screening as the time for boarding approaches.

Another downside to the Tocumen Airport is the lack of smoking areas. Those who have to have a smoke after being on a plane for 8 hours. You actually have to go through immigration and customs to get off the premises to smoke. Then go through both areas again to return. Not an ideal arrangement to put it mildly.

Some of the staff speak a little English but you would do better if you spoke enough Spanish to do some basic communication. Additional perks like free wireless Internet are a nice touch as well.

If you are going to be spending any time in Panama, because of a longer layover or simply because that's your destination, you will need either a taxi or a shuttle bus to get to the rest of the city. There really aren't any public bus options.

Don't expect a 5-star resort when you travel to Tocumen Airport, but you can expect a clean airport that is easy to get around with decent services at hand. It should make your trip through Panama a convenient one.

Steaming on Snowden

So here I am in Ecuador, an American Expat, and now I find myself as an object of intense debate and curiosity. The Expat chat rooms are crackling with opinions on Edward Snowden and what it all means to us Americans living here in Ecuador. Meanwhile almost everyday an Ecuadorian asks me what I think. I've stayed out of it. But today I read a statement that simply makes me want to scream. So here it is. I am Steaming on Snowden.

For those for you who just  returned from your three month vacation on Mars, Edward Snowden is the ex-CIA worker cum NSA contractor who  filched several laptops worth of classified documents. Since then we have had a wild party of embarrassing newspaper leaks, Snowden on the run, being helped by WikiLeaks and their cornered head Jullian Assange, and the young man ending up in a no man's land at an airport in Moscow. Originally a whole raft of countries, headed by Russia and Ecuador, trumpeted Snowden and the embarrassment he has caused the US government, but as the initial ha ha has given way Snowden found himself with no visa, and no country seems to want him, except of course the United States which is waiting with a pair of handcuffs.

And I have been, well not ambivalent, but torn on the issue. On the one hand I am an ex-military guy. I take things like being sworn to secrets seriously. Especially since there are news reports from Hong Kong that quoted young Snowden as having applied to his secret job with the express purpose of stealing secrets. That makes my blood burn. On the other hand, I am also not at all happy with the recent policies of the Bush and Obama administrations. Their records on civil rights and privacy have also made my blood to boil.

So with my blood boiling and burning I kept my mouth shut, because to condemn one might seem like condoning the other. I was in no mood to condone anything. Until now. I still do not really condone, but I have some heartfelt condemnation to ladle out.

This afternoon I ran across a news item on CNBC.com. You can see the entire news report HERE.

The key items were two quotes. These are reportedly made by Snowden and presented by representatives of WikiLeaks:

First of all, the report says that Snowden criticises the US Government for pressuring other governments to deny his asylum petitions.

Quote #1

"This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me,"

Quote #2

"Although I am convicted of nothing, it [U.S. government] has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody, a right to asylum."

My first thought is this kid needs to go back to high school.

Deception from a world leader??? Really? It looks to be pretty plain here. The US is angry and wants Snowden back. Can anyone anywhere in the world think that the US is deceiving people and really does not want Snowden back??? 

The extralegal penalty of exile - Eh - you went into exile, dear Edward. If I went merely by your actions I would have had to say you were wanted for raping and killing a girl or you stole state secrets. Oh! It was state secrets. Well, either way it was your choice to go. You cannot in any way blame the US Government for your own ineptitude. They do enough stupid things without you blaming them for what you did.

These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me, Well, duh.

Let me tell you who my heroes are: George Washington, John Adams, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi. What did they have in common? They were willing to sacrifice themselves for a cause they believed in.

George Washington and John Adams joined the Colonials in their war against Britain knowing full well that if they were caught or unsuccessful that they would be shot, maybe hanged and if King Geaorge was really feeling put upon they might have been drawn and quartered. They did it anyway, believing it was the right thing to do.

Martin Luther King Jr was thrown in jail several times for his activities in fighting against segregation and  discrimination. By the way I think everybody in this wretched fiasco should be required to sit in a corner and be required to read twice over King's Letter from Birmingham Jail.

Mandela and Gandhi were both thrown in jail and repeatedly beaten for their fight for justice. They did it anyway, accepting their punishment as a cost of change.

Why do I have a slow burn against Assange and Snowden? Because they have a hypocritical, bankrupt view of struggle for freedom. They think the only thing that should be required.is that they unilaterally decide they are innocent of all crimes. It was a policy that first came from a guy by the name of Lenin: "The ends justify the means." It is the same crime they charge against Obama and the US government. It is a bankrupt idea, morally empty. The end can never the the justification of the means.That way leads to the harsh mockery of the Iranian courts. I wonder what Snowden would think his fate would be if he had done this as an Iranian citizen against the Iranian govenrment? The end truly justifies the means there. Is that the society Snowden wants?

Washington, Adams, King, Mandela and Gandhi broke the unjust laws, true, but then they stood and were willing to take the punishment. They showed their moral courage, sure in their expectations that history would prove them right.What do you have if there is no punishment for committing crimes? What if the person who commits the crime simply needs to say they committed their crime for freedom or liberty and so all of society must stop and not give them any punishment? If that is all a person needs to do then freedom and liberty and laws and justice are nothing but a farce.

Yes the laws are there. Yes the US government is trying to capture Snowden. To tell you the truth they should. Laws should be followed, unless they are unrighteous  then they should be changed. They must not become a mockery if anyone can ignore the law simply on a whim. There are lots of societies in this world where there are people who do not have to follow the laws of their own country. Of course, these countries are blindingly corrupt and shot through with inequalities and economic, political and social discrimination. Why should Snowden be allowed to break the law, simply because he assures us that he is doing it merely as a patriotic action? That we should take his word that all the scheming and lying he did to get into that classified position was for freedom?

If Snowden and Assange really are patriots and heroes then things will change and history will show them to be heroes. But not everybody can be a hero. You have to sacrifice to be a hero. Snowden and Assange want to be heroes without sacrifice. And that is why the two of them are laughable, pale caricatures of heroes like Mandela, King, Gandhi, Washington and Adams.
.
Unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person - Duh. The passport is not a right, it is something that is granted by a government. In fact, a passport is not owned by the individual. By international law and treaty a passport is owned and controlled by the government who issued it. In my passport, the one I have open in front of me, IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR PASSPORT. it reads the following 

US GOVERNMENT PROPERTY this passport is the property of the United States (Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 51.9). It must be  surrendered upon demand made by an authorized individual of the United States Government.

Of course it was unilaterally taken. Snowden violated an oath, stole documents and property, committed multiple felonies, knew he was committing multiple felonies ( the briefings you get about it when you get such a clearance are extremely detailed). Of course the United States government unilaterally revoked the passport and his security clearance too. It is not something the government would simply say:

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL : Sorry, we cannot let you travel, so can we have our passport back?

SNOWDEN : No. I am going to leave and find a nice warm beach somewhere..

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL : Oh, come on! Be a nice guy. Please let me have your passport puhlease?

Sorry, I can't see that happening.And this is such an empty, whining, clueless little fart. It's as bad as some of the worst ridiculousness that North Korea was blathering a few months ago. Please, just shut up.

And finally:

Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody, a right to asylum. Sorry, you just failed your social studies exam. There is no right to asylum. Asylum is a status GRANTED by a government. Every year thousands of people apply to the United States apply for asylum. Some receive it, most do not. It is the same way all over this world and always has been.

And frankly it is this last part which just turned my stomach and left me disgusted with the Snowden/Assange/WikiLeaks side. Theirs is a morally empty, juvenile arrogance in which they are hoping that by doing the most screaming and pointing of fingers  people will be blind to the unwholesome ridiculousness of their empty arguments. They seek to be heroes without sacrifice. They seek the anarchy of destruction without a vision of a better world. They know they are smarter than everybody else and as long as they keep talking then no one will see that they have done nothing admirable.Shut up, shut up, please, just shut up. 

The Bush and Obama governments still make my blood boil.

But Snowden has me steaming.

Ticket Change Fees Driving Airline Profits

Airlines are getting more income from ticket change fees and it is going straight to profits. At least, that is what some new information from the US Department of Transportation shows in reporting Change Reservation Revenue for the first quarter of 2013. Make a reservation and then need to change your flight? It  is costing more:

Change Reservation Revenue in 1 Q

Rank	Airline	1Q (in millions)
1	Delta	$198.5
2	United	$176.9
3	American	$132.0
4	US Airways	$83.5
5	JetBlue	$36.7
6	Alaska	$21.8
7	Southwest	$9.2
8	Spirit	$7.9
9	Virgin America	$7.7
10	Hawaiian	$4.6
11	Frontier	$3.0
12	Allegiant	$2.2
13	Sun Country	$.46
	All	$685.176

Source: U.S. Department Of Transportation

Charges are becoming more common because domestic airlines have been reducing flights so that planes are fuller. This is a good thing for airlines since they are getting more revenue from their seats. However fewer seats in the air means it is tougher for passengers to find a seat, tickets for those seats are getting pricier. But now it is also getting pricier and more common for travelers to pay fees when they have to change their tickets.

Of course, the big money maker for airlines still are those horrible bag fees. The same report stated airlines captured $2 billion off those fees.

Anyway, the lesson here: when you travel, make sure you are getting the right ticket. Changing circumstances or just changing your mind will cost you in more airline fees.

I Hate Baggage Fees

Coming back home from a short holiday back in the United States I boarded a plane to take me from Las Vegas to Panama City. Copa Airlines weighed all of the passenger carry-on baggage to make sure they were within baggage restrictions. Yes, it is true, the insane baggage fees and regulations are stretching their ridiculous tendrils into Latin American travel.

It's getting to the point where isn't almost tempting to travel empty handed and just buy new clothes at your destination. Well, it's not quite that bad yet, but it's getting there. If you are planning a flight to South America, make sure you know what to expect with baggage fees and regulations.

Of course, with the long list of potential international and specifically South American airlines in business these days, I can't be too specific and list off all the current fees and regulations for them all. That fact alone is a bit of a shame in itself. Travel shouldn't be so complicated.

Many large airlines will now only allow you to check one single piece of luggage for free (you usually still get a little carry-on as well). American Airlines are one good example, though they will allow 2 free checked bags if you are heading to Brazil or Peru. I'm not sure why the specific destinations makes a difference. Delta and JetBlue are the same, only allowing a single bag for free.

More generous airlines let you take on 2 bags before they start to tally up extra costs for you. British Airways, Taca and LAN Airlines allow for 2 checked bags. Copa Airlines is pretty unique. Even though they took the time to weigh and measure all of my bags, at least I was able to take on as many as I needed. They don't have limits on the number of checked baggage items, only on the weights and sizes.

These limits are all based on the standard economy class available with each airline. If you want to pay the big bucks to travel first- or business-class, then you will likely be allowed an extra bag or two.

HINT: Sometimes last minute flights with openings in 1st Class will allow a cheap upgrade. a couple of years ago US Air let me upgrade from economy to 1st class for only $50, which allowed me two extra bags. Ask at the check in desk.

You can sometimes find a bit of a loophole if you are travelling with children. In many cases, airlines allow for 1 piece of luggage for each child under 2. Depending on how much you need to carry for child, this may allow you a bit of extra space for your own stuff.

DANGER! - Since we live in Ecuador, but frequently travel to the States - we run into the problem that domestic US baggage policies are ore restrictive than international. For example, right now my wife flew from Guayaquil to Las Vegas. Later she has to go from Las Vegas to Orlando, then after attending a conference, she goes home (my wife has such a tough life). Well, the flights to and from Guayaquil fall under international rules - ie more and heavier bags and cheaper fees. But that Vegas to Orlando link is considered domestic. That's right, even though it is all the same booking the rules change. 

It depends on where you start and stop that day's trip. If either part is international, then you go by the international rules. However if both ends for the day are all in the States - then you pay more.

What makes it worse is that the fees for your next bag aren't cheap either. They used to be token costs but the price tag is getting serious. You can easily pay over $50 just to check one bag beyond your limit. In many cases, that just means your second suitcase. Similar fees are enforced if your bags (including any free bags) are over-sized or overweight. So, if you had 2 bags and you managed to have them both slightly too heavy, you could be charged $50 just for having a 2nd bag and then $50 each for both being overweight. that's an additional $150 that your flight is costing you.

Before any trip, always consult your airlines website to find out the current regulations. There is always some page hidden amongst the website pages where it lists out the rules in painful detail. These rules change all the time. So do not assume simply because you've flown one on one airline that you know all of the rules. Best to check each time.

And never just guess about the size or weight of your checked luggage or carry-ons. They likely will be weighed or measured and it will be a bit of a shock if you realize your baggage gets disallowed, or costs you a hundred dollars to take with you. Close isn't good enough, keep everything under the limits. My wife picked up a little hand-held weight scale and it always travels where ever we are about.

Quito Tababela Airport - Not Much of an Improvement

Quito now has a modern international airport, with the new Tababela replacing the old and cramped Mariscal Sucre. True, Tababela is new, modern and gorgeous to look at. I have to say that there is a lot more bad then good. Flying into and out of Quito is now a lot tougher.

The main hassle is just getting to the airport in the first place. They planned for future expansions of Quito, which was probably a smart move, except that it means the airport is more than an hour outside of the city if you're getting there by taxi. In fact, you'd be wise to plan on a 2-hour trip to be on the safe side. That can mean a price tag of nearly $30 on top of your wasted time.

You might wonder about all this when you realize that the Tababela airport is really just 14km away from Quito.  How can that mean so much extra travel time? You have to understand that the traffic between the airport and the city is extremely busy, the roads are not very direct and there is a particularly nasty bottle-neck at a narrow 30-year old bridge along the way. 

There are plans for a cheaper shuttle that will take travelers between Quito and the new Mariscal Sucre International Airport, which can save you a little money but won't help the waste of time on the roads. In fact, it will probably take longer than a regular taxi would.

Now, this isn't just a problem for the usual international traveller who is coming to Quito. It is starting to effect domestic travel around the city as well. Considering how far it is to drive to the new airport, people are choosing to just drive to their destinations instead of taking any short domestic flights. The Guayaquil Airport is becoming a more convenient arrival point for some routes and people are just avoiding Quito completely. Apparently, there has been a 30% drop in domestic travel through Mariscal Sucre International Airport, and it's only been in operation for less than a year. Not a good sign.

The location for the new Tababela Airport has led to other problems besides transportation. The low-lying site is prone to foggy weather, and you can imagine what that does to a major international airport. Delays are becoming more and more common, though this is usually only an impact during the December to May time frame. It might be a good idea to avoid this time of the year if you like knowing when your plane is going to land. At least plan with lots of extra time in hand in case of delays.

And even though this airport handles a large majority of all international flights to Ecuador, they decided to make the terminal smaller with the new airport. Not only is it smaller and has fewer seats for waiting passengers, there are fewer check-in counters too. I can't figure out the sense of actually shrinking an airport when dealing with such an international scale, but that seems to have been the case. Major airlines like KLM, Delta Air, United Airlines and Iberia all serve the new Tababela airport so you can imagine the crowds.

To be fair, they are trying to fix the transportation problems by improving the roadways between Quito and the airport, and construction is already underway to add new seats within the terminal. Perhaps in a little more time, the new Mariscal Sucre International Airport will actually live up to its potential. Until then, expect more than a few snags when travelling through Quito and plan for some extra transit time.