Ecuador's World Cup passion

Friday 20th June

A delayed flight back to Guayaquil in the morning.

Once we got back to the flat we rested for a little bit and then I took Dave into my place of work to show him around. We said hello to everyone who was there, looked round most of the classrooms not in use at the time and then watched the first half of Ecuador's second group round World Cup match against Honduras in the lobby area with some of my colleagues and a couple of students.

At half time we walked back to the flat. Nearly every shop we passed either had the match showing on a TV on a wall inside, or on TVs set up on the street outside the front of their shops. Ecuador ended up winning 2-1, giving them a chance still to qualify for the next round despite having lost their first match.

Tonight was Dave's last night in Ecuador so we went out for dinner at an Ecuadorian steak and grill restaurant down the road. On the way there we passed through noisy, excited, happy, colourful crowds of Ecuadorians waving flags and celebrating their win.

Once we got to the restaurant Dave wanted a photo of the rifle-holding security guard before we walked in, but the guy told him kindly that it wasn't allowed. I had a massive juicy steak and Dave had some strips of beef or lamb in a reduced red wine sauce that he said was really good.

Saturday 21st June

Dave's flight was in the late afternoon so we went to a supermarket in the morning so he could do a little bit of last-minute shopping. We had some uninspiring pizza for lunch from a place round the corner; not somewhere I'd been to before and not one I think I'll bother returning to. Then Dave packed and we took a taxi together to the airport.