Because, you know, why have just one waterfront when you can have two?
The city of Guayaquil, Ecuador is wedged between a bay and a navigable river. On one side lies a malécon (boardwalk) that is wonderful to explore during the daytime. On the other side of the cityis another malécon that is completely different in character. It’s far better to visit Malécon del Salado at night.
The area has live theater, many live music venues, a fountain with a music and light show and a host of other attractions.
Malecon del Salado
The fountain is an inspired work of genius.
The river which runs past Malécon del Salado was once extremely polluted. It was so bad that the smell caused residents to abandon their homes and move away. Property values plummeted.
During the building of the malécon, the river was cleaned up. Without a base of vegetation, it was necessary to inject oxygen into the water just like you would in an aquarium. So the mechanism for doing so was devised as a large fountain that pulls water from the river, oxygenates it, then puts the oxygen-rich water right back again. In the process, it was a simple matter to add a few LED lights and play some music.
The end result?
A beautiful light and sound show that is a central attraction at the same time as it’s revitalizing the river.
