7 - Amanda Explores the City

Greta’s apartment is about 30 blocks from the center of the city. I can get there either by walking or by taking La Metrovia. La Metrovia only costs 25 cents, but it gets so crowded that canned sardines would make fun of you. You’re packed so tight there’s no way a mouse could find a spot, yet somehow when you get to the next stop 20 more people squeeze their way in.
One day last week I decided to skip the claustrophobic nightmare, and make the walk to the center. I passed a lot of ferreterias (tool stores), panaderias (bread), and pet shops, and before I knew it I was smack in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a packed market. This market had everything from clothes, to shoes, to cell phones, to gold fish(?!?). I was happy to get out of the market because I felt like a sheep being herded in every direction.
Once out of the market I crossed the street to hit up the Malecón 2000. And no, that’s not the name of a vacuum cleaner. The Malecón 2000, built in the year 2000, is Guayaquil’s river promenade where people congregate to eat, shop, play, or just relax in one of the gardens. During my walk of Malecón 2000 I stopped to watch a couple shows. One of the shows consisted of men dancing on stilts, a drummer in a joker costume, woman in clown outfits, and lots of little kids shaking their booties in ways that no American mother would approve. Regardless of the R-rated movements, the way every one of those kids could swing and thrust their hips was amazing. One girl shook it so hard I swear I was watching J-Lo from behind.
The main reason I had decided to walk into the city was to find a good place to watch the Ecuador–Uruguay fútbol game (soccer). The game started at 5:00, so around 4:45 I left El Malecón and headed toward the center of town. The streets were crowded with excited Guayaquileños all sporting their yellow Ecuador jerseys, but as soon as 5:00 o’clock hit the streets were empty and all I could hear was the announcer’s voice and screams of excitement coming from apartment windows above me. I passed by several bars showing the game, but they were all dark and sketchy inside, so I continued searching. At last I stopped in front of Fundación Alberto Spencer and peaked in the window. Inside were about 20 people sitting in plastic chairs watching the game on a tiny TV screen nestled in the corner. The room was completely cement, and the walls were covered with paintings of soccer balls, trophies, and pictures of famous soccer players. I learned later that Fundación Alberto Spencer is a place for ex-soccer pro’s to hang out. One of the men inside noticed me and invited me in. He pulled up a plastic chair for me and encouraged me to sit. At first I said I was only going to stay for a couple minutes, but every time I made eye contact with someone in the room they gave me a friendly smile, so I decided to stay. I ordered a Pilsener grande (about twice the size of a normal bottle of a beer - $1.00), and gave a cheers to the man sitting next to me.
For most of the first half of the game I didn’t say much, and nobody said much to me, but once half time came around I was the center of attention. They wanted to know all about me: “Where are you from? Why are you in Guayaquil? How long will you be here? How old are you? Do you have a husband? Do you have a boyfriend? You’re so beautiful, why don’t you have a boyfriend?” Being in Ecuador is a boost to the ego because all the men tell you you´re beautiful within the first 15 minutes of meeting them. I mostly talked with a 36-year-old man named Washington, and two older women named Gloria and Carmen.
Throughout the second half of the game Gloria, Carmen, Washington and I continued talking and drinking our Pilseners. Gloria invited me to her birthday party, and Washington courted me with a romantic song. After the game the whole group was around me again asking more questions. They invited me to come back whenever I want, and I most definitely will. Two of the men helped me get a taxi, and I was on my way back to the apartment. It was a great day of exploration.