Near the center of Banos is a very small restaurant/bar where we met several Americans. One woman was here from Amherst, Ma. She was home schooling her son,who is 12, and they were hear for three months so he could learn Spanish. Another couple were from Canada and another man also was a transplant from Canada. The Canadians were all expats. John Buckle, was a geophysics who.gave us a lot of information on the politics of Ecuador. Texico left Ecudor ten years ago because when it came time renew their leases, the president demanded that they pay 99% of their revenue to the government. The government took over the Texico operation but does not have the expertise and sophisticated equipment needed to run an oil company. Oil use to account for 40% of the government's income but now with the price of oil is so low Ecuador has had to raise taxes and cut services causing much unrest with the Ecuadorians. On top of that Ecuador needed to borrow money from China and has put the Galapagos Islands up for collateral which now puts their fate in question.
The owner Nina was from Switzerland and couldn't be nicer. She told us of her experience on an Amazon trip. She got bitten by a spider at night. It took its time and laid eggs right under her arm pit. Two weeks later she had a giant welt that she thought was full of puss. When she went to the doctors and he lanced it dozens of alive baby spiders came out. I am glad I heard the story AFTER we did the Amazon.
When we left we gave her a two dollar bill . She was thrilled.
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