The remaining land is used as huge pools for camarones (prawns) called camaroneras. This activity seems to be responsible of the disappearance of manglares.
The coast is also far more dangerous, or at least this is the impression, as nothing bad happened to us at all. Machala is the main port in Ecuador, and as all portcities is has that mixture of cosmpolitanism, wealth and insecurity.
It´s nice to be back in the coast, after a month in the highlands. Especially because I was absolutely fed up with having rice for breakfast, dinner and supper. Food in the coast has a well-deserved fame. Lots of fresh fish and shellfish, tropical fruits, milkshakes... I think food deserves a post for its own.
