Friends

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10 Year Anniversary

Wow! I can’t believe it has been a whole year since I’ve written a blog AND I can’t believe it has been 10 years since I moved to Ecuador! In some ways I feel like I’ve lived here forever and in other ways, it seems like I just moved here yesterday.

Today I had a special party, where I invited 30+ of my closest friends to celebrate with me (I so could have included more, but we were out of room). “Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.” I literally had people that I’ve known for 10 years, some I just met a few months ago, and everything in between. (I’ve known the lady that owns the restaurant from early on – in fact you might recognize her dog Socks, who I’m pictured with, from this blog.)

Here are a few pictures of the gathering, as well as the testimony “toast” I gave.

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A Way To Help

Hello Friends – I know these are difficult times for everyone around the world right now, but living in a third-world country among some of the poorest makes the reality of the situation a lot more front and center.  The majority of people here are day wage earners that barely support their families, even during normal times.  Most of them have now been without work for a month, due to the heavy restrictions imposed by the government in order to attempt to squelch the COVID-19 virus.  I have helped several families as I’ve been able.  But obviously the needs are great.

A few of my very good friends have started a relief effort to help the poorest of the poor among the locals here.  I can personally vouch for the integrity of these women, as well as the others they are coordinating with to see that the food and supplies goes to the people who really need it the most.  Since so many of you were generous in helping my friend Sigrid and me raise funds for our friend Edwin following the 2016 earthquake, I wanted to offer you that opportunity again.  Sigrid is one of the ladies coordinating the campaign and donations can be made directly to her PayPal account (we are doing it that way to avoid the fees and complications of GoFundMe).  This is purely a relief effort, not a 501c3 tax write off.  But if you are interested in helping, I can promise you it’s a very worthy cause because 100% of the funds are going to the people that need it.  Below are the details.  If you’d like to contribute, please reach out to me personally, and I’m happy to provide the PayPal information (if you need to make a bank transfer, there is that option too).

CAYO CARES RELIEF PROJECT

There are many people who are suffering as a result of the COVID-19 community shut-down in Puerto Cayo, La Boca, and surrounding areas.

The Cayo Cares Relief Project is your opportunity to help support less fortunate individuals, particularly single parent families and the elderly.  There is an on-going need among these families for specific staple foods, sanitary items, children’s supplies and medicine.

The organizers of the Cayo Cares Relief Project are working with trustworthy local leaders to distribute critical supplies ONLY to those most in need. This program hopes to continue throughout this time of difficulty for so many.

THIS WEEK we plan to:
1. Identify the initial recipients,
2. Purchase the needed items,
3. RAISE THE NECESSARY FUNDS

Your on-going contribution to this worthy community project will make a BIG DIFFERENCE.  Contributions can be made in cash, bank transfers and by Paypal. No amount is too small.

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Starting Well – Part 3

Well Friends, sorry it has taken me so long to wrap up my recap of adventures with Debbie.  But this is the last installment in the series…

DAY 13: This day we made a 7:00 a.m. taxi departure from my house, to begin our all day journey to Cuenca.  Those who follow my blog know that this is my favorite get-away place and somewhere I always want to take my guests if they give me enough time.  Our two-leg bus journey was perfectly timed and uneventful.  We arrived at my favorite hostel late afternoon, got ourselves settled in and headed for dinner.  The city of Cuenca is a gastronomic delight and my list of restaurants to visit is always longer than I have time for.  But we started out the sampling at one of my favorites, that offers Thai bowls and other delights.  Debbie ordered one and I got a chicken pesto sandwich and we shared with each other.  Their food is always plentiful and truly a work of art!

DAY 14:  After a scrumptious and filling breakfast at one of my favorite spots, we hopped on the 9:30 city bus tour.  It lasts a few hours and gives a great overview of the old and new areas of the city, including a picturesque overlook.  Debbie caught some great photos:

After the tour, we matched up for lunch with my friend Claire, who lives there in Cuenca.  Then we wandered around looking for another place to have dessert and ended up here:

After our decadent indulgence, Claire headed back home and Debbie and I stayed in the same area.  This is the main spot for buying Ecuadorian handicrafts, specifically from the Otavalo area.  Debbie bought some alpaca blankets, as well as a woven bag to carry home all her extras (she had brought a separate suitcase full of things I’d ordered from the states, but she’d already filled it up and needed more room 😂).  After the shopping excursion, we walked to one end of the historic area and sat in the beautiful park there (one of my favorites). Then we headed for dinner at a Colombian restaurant, where we each had one of their meals that included a hearty cazuela, grilled chicken and arepa – for $4.50!

DAY 15: Our second day, we had another delicious breakfast at a different place, then headed back to the main park to take the guided walking tour.  The biggest highlight of this for me was that I was reunited with my sweet pet sitters, Rick & Sue, that stayed with Charcoal when I visited the states for a month two years ago!  I had told them how much I loved Cuenca and really encouraged them to go, however they had limited time between my and their next house sit and really wanted to see the Galápagos Islands, so they opted to go there instead.  When they saw the chance to do a January one month sit in Cuenca, they asked me to write them a reference, which I happily did, and they got the sit!  So they matched up with Debbie and me for the walking tour, and then we all had lunch at a Mexican food place afterwards.  The weather was so stunning on our visit, with no rain whatsoever.  It was even warm enough that we never really needed our jackets, even at night!

After lunch, we parted ways with my friends and did some more wandering on our own.  We walked to the park on the opposite end of town, where we went into a little cafe/hostel and shared a scrumptious dessert with coffee.  Then we wandered a little more down by the river and ended up at a little tea shop, where we each had an herbal tea and people watched out the window.  By then, we were way too full for dinner, so we headed back to our hostel and called it a night.

DAY 16: This day was another first adventure for me to do something I’d always wanted to, but never had a chance.  Since Debbie was going to be here so many days, I sent her the excursion information ahead of time to see if she’d be interested in doing it.  She was, so I added a third day to our Cuenca itinerary so we could do the all day tour.  We were picked up at 7:30 a.m. for a 3 hour van ride to the town of Alausi.  I could hardly believe how absolutely stunning the drive was!  I’ve been in many beautiful spots in Ecuador, but this took the cake!  I lost track of how many times I said, “Wow!” as we wound through the mountains and past the villages.  Photos truly cannot do it justice, but Debbie did get some good ones:

Our first destination was the town of Alausi to ride the famous “Devil’s Nose Train.”  There is quite a history behind President Eloy Alfaro and his construction of the first railroad in Ecuador at the beginning of the nineteenth century.  This railroad connected Quito in the Andes mountains to Guayaquil on the coast.  The biggest challenge of this route was the navigation of Condor Mountain, now known as the Devil’s Nose.  Still considered one of the most amazing feats of railroad engineering history, the mountain was navigated by a series of long, curving switchbacks carved directly into the face of the rock.  The train gradually ascends or descends the Devil’s Nose by slowly moving backwards and forwards along the steep switchbacks.  The 45 minute ride was stunning and once at the depot in Simbabe, we were treated to some indigenous dances from local villagers, as well as a small museum exhibition of their history, and some offerings of foods.

Once back in Alausi, we ate a pre-arranged lunch at a local restaurant as part of our tour.  There was only one other nice couple on the tour with us, and we had a wonderfully informative bilingual guide for the whole day.

After lunch, we headed back towards Cuenca, stopping halfway to see the Incapirca ruins.  These are the oldest Inca ruins in Ecuador and are known as “little Machu Picchu.”  However, in some ways they are even more significant than the more famous ruins.  Mainly because this is the only site where the Incas actually built on top of and in conjunction with another tribe.  Other places the Incas went, they completely conquered the people and destroyed the existing structures.  But here the Incas encountered the indigenous Andean people named Cañari and had difficulties in conquering them. The leader of the Incas eventually married a Cañari princess and the two tribes decided to live together peacefully.  Therefore, the ruins are actually a mixture of both Inca and Cañari architecture.  Our guide actually grew up in this area, so having him take us through the site was an extra treat.

We made it back to Cuenca around 7:30 p.m. – a long, but fulfilling excursion. We grabed a light dinner at a French Bistro style restaurant (think La Madeline), walked the short distance back to our hostel and hit the hay.

DAY 17: Today we woke up very early and got ourselves to the bus terminal to return to Guayaquil in time for another excursion first.  Debbie is a member of the Young Living essential oils family and she learned that they had a farm and distillery outside of Guayaquil that could be toured.  So we reserved the 1:00 p.m. time slot, and I scheduled a local taxi friend to pick us up at the bus terminal, drive us to the location, wait for us to take the tour, and then return us to our hotel.  As it turned out, we got a private tour of the farm and spa facilities and were quite impressed with the whole process.  The farm was HUGE and I believe they said they grow 10 different plants for making the oils, the most prolific being Yland Ylang.

Once back in Guayaquil, we checked into our hotel.  Debbie’s flight was scheduled to leave around 1:30 a.m., and she graciously offered to use her points to book us into the Hilton – arguably the nicest hotel in Guayaquil!  It wasn’t until we pulled up to the entrance that it confirmed to me it was also the hotel that Robert was staying in when I met him in Guayaquil for that “special lunch.” ☺️

We dropped our bags and headed out for Debbie to do some last minute shopping! 😂 Yes, she finally decided she wanted to buy a hammock after we left the coast.  So I took her to the artesian market there, that is arguably the largest one in Ecuador outside of Otavalo.  She bought two hammocks and got a really amazing price.

Afterwards we went for dinner.  But this was not just any dinner.  While driving back from the farm, I noticed a restaurant along the way and was shocked!  I asked my cab driver how long they had been in Guayaquil – several years apparently, but not anywhere that I had seen.  They actually have several locations and he told us of one in a mall not far from our hotel.  So this Texas girl was in hog heaven because she got to have dinner at….

I proudly told the staff that I was from Dallas and that I even had a date in high school at the original Chili’s.  They were in awe and we were treated like royalty the rest of the night.

Debbie’s flight was the return of the one that she flew in on, which was 2 hours late getting in when she arrived.  So true to form for AA, she started checking and getting notices that her flight was delayed.  Eventually we realized we were looking at a 3 hour departure delay.  This gave us a great chance to make use of the spa facilities and pool at the hotel!  We first used the indoor steam and dry sauna, then went to the beautiful outdoor swimming pool area, where we had the whole pool to ourselves!

Originally Debbie hadn’t really planned to use the hotel room herself, but with all the extra time delay, we were able to grab a few hours of sleep before getting the free shuttle to the airport.  And it was in the drugstore there that Debbie was able to buy her last souvenir – a package of Ecuadorian chocolate to take home. ☺️

I was back at the hotel by 4:00 a.m.  At Debbie’s suggestion, I took advantage of her elite status and asked for a late checkout.  I enjoyed sleeping in, having my in room coffee, a wonderful shower and leisurely morning, before I headed to the bus terminal and back home to Puerto Cayo.

So that wraps up my latest guest adventures.  Who’s going to come visit me next and try to top this one? 😉

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Starting Well – Part 2

My apologies for leaving you hanging in sharing the remainder of my adventures with Debbie.  But I’ve been off on more adventures, which I’ll blog about at a later time.  So to pick up where I left off in my last post, here is more recap of our fun:

DAY 7: This day is another repeat of tours I’ve done with other past visitors.  I had warned Debbie in advance that this was going to be one of our “full on” excursions.  We had to be out waiting for the bus at 6:30 a.m.! 😮 Our first stop was in Manta at my favorite French bakery.  After we were well fueled with strong cappuccinos and “pan de chocolate con almendras,” we boarded the city bus that took us through town for me to give Debbie the “Manta highlights” tour.  This took us to the opposite side of town, where we got off at the relatively new bus terminal.  After a brief walk-through tour of the terminal mall area, we grabbed a taxi and headed to the nearby town of Montecristi.

We started up at the museum area, which is actually 4 museums in one.  The first gives a brief history of the liberation of Ecuador, as well as highlights one of Ecuador’s most famous and influential presidents from around 1900, Eloy Alfaro (I like to call him the Abraham Lincoln of Ecuador). The second area is actually a huge memorial mausoleum, that depicts in incredible sculptured images, the legacy of his efforts.  There is also a train replica, which commmorates one of his greatest accomplishments – finishing the train that connects Quito and the Andes mountains to Guayaquil and the coast.   The last museum displays various handcrafts made throughout the different regions of Ecuador.

After we finished at the museum area, I called my local taxi friend, who fetched us and brought us down into the town for a peek at the beautiful church, followed by a light lunch at one of my favorite cafe restaurants.  We then strolled down the shopping street, where they have many of the indigenous handmade items available in Ecuador.  Again, Debbie did a wonderful job supporting the local economy! 😂 She even bought an authentic Monticristi Panama hat.

After we were through shopping, our same taxi took us the short 15 minute ride back to the Manta bus terminal, and we repeated our route on the city bus, stopping off at the new mall.  Debbie enjoyed seeing where I do my weekly shopping and was able to pick up a few items, including some Ecuadorian herbal tea to take home.

Afterwards, we headed to my favorite chosen dinner spot for guests. The Poseidon Hotel is definitely one of the best places to eat in Manta, but the view can’t be beat!  After dinner, my taxi friend JoLynn picked us up for the ride home.

DAY 8: After our very long touring day the day before, and having already been here a full week, I gave Debbie this whole day for REST!   I told her she didn’t even have to talk to me if she didn’t want to, and she only needed to tell me when she was hungry. 😂 She spent a lot of time up on my deck, enjoying time listening to music and worshipping our God.  She also took a short beach walk.  I spent the day replenishing our prepared food supplies and catching up on a few things around the house.  I also introduced Debbie to the series “The Chosen,” and we began watching a different episode each night.  We made it all the way through season one (8 episodes) and really enjoyed reflecting together on the incredible depth that comes out of this fresh re-telling of the “old, old story.”  (If you haven’t yet heard of or watched the series, I highly recommend you follow this link and check it out.)

Debbie enjoying her chillin’ day

DAY 9: Today began another first.  There is a village about 1.5 hours south of me that I’d always heard of, but had only recently had a chance to explore.  The name is Olon and it is even smaller than my village, but for many reasons has a growing ex-pat community.  Just like every little village along the coast, Olon has its own distinct “flavor,” and a big part of that is food!  It neighbors a much larger and well known tourist town (aka trap) called Montanita.  Montanita is known for being a party town and the entire atmosphere of it caters to the tourist crowd.  But even though it’s not far from Montanita, Olon has been able to retain it’s “innocence.”  Although it is welcoming to tourists, it’s still just a sleepy little beach town with a gorgeous, flat beach nestled in a cove, which provides safe swimming and perfect waves for surfers.  In addition, it has a respectable smattering of good restaurants and cafes that offer something other than the typical coastal Ecuadorian menu.  I’d only had a chance to briefly check out the town by spending a day there with my friend Teresa back in December.  So I thought it would be fun for Debbie and I to go for an overnight.

We caught a usual morning bus around 8:30 and made it to Olon in less than 2 hours.  The first order of the day was breakfast, and we went to a place that is a local ex-pat hang out and I’d read offered bottomless refills on coffee (which is very unusual in Ecuador).  We ordered an omelette and some pancakes and shared each.  Both were tasty and satisfying and we felt well fueled for further explorations.  We checked into our hostel, left our gear and headed for the beach.

Once on the beach, we quickly decided to rent one of the many pairs of beach chairs and an umbrella set up for lounging.  We picked our spot and paid our $5 for the day.  Our “landlord” even offered to bring us fresh, cold coconut waters for an additional $2 each.  We then spent the next 5 hours relaxing, talking and watching families, surfers, and various vendors pass by.  Debbie again supported the local economy by buying several jewelry items from one of the passing vendors. 😉

Finally about 4:00 p.m., our stomachs got the best of us, and we decided to relinquish our spot and go for an early dinner.  We started out by sharing a pizza at an Italian place we’d spotted along the way.  It was thin crust and delicious, but left us room for more.  We wandered along and found another restaurant that Teresa and I had enjoyed a delicious lunch at in December.  Here we ordered a burger and fries to share.  The burger wasn’t large in circumference, but so tall we couldn’t even squish it enough to get it in our mouths!  It was seasoned and flavored very uniquely and we both enjoyed it.  We still had just enough room left to saunter next door to a dessert place and share a delicious tiramisu.  We were through with our progressive dinner by about 6:30, just as it was getting dark.  After such an action packed day, we waddled back to our hostel and called it a night. 😂

DAY 10: We both awoke early this day and decided to throw on some clothes and go for a sunrise beach walk.  We walked all the way down to the cove/cliffs at the end of the beach and back, and Debbie amassed quite the collection of small butterfly shells and sand dollars.  We found way more than the two of us could carry, but managed quite the haul for her to take back to friends and family.

Once back at the room, our stomachs were rumbling, so we got ourselves ready and headed for breakfast.  It just so happened my friend Elaine had organized a group overnight friends outing to Olon over the same two days that we were there.  We only saw the gang briefly in our wanderings, but my friend Sigrid, who was part of the group that went, came and met us for breakfast.  I was thankful for the chance for her and Debbie to meet, and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and visit at the same place we’d had dessert the night before.  In fact, after Sigrid left, Debbie and I then decided we had room for a post-breakfast shared dessert and cappuccinos! 😮

We were then off to check out of our hostel and head back to the beach to rent another spot.  By 2:00 p.m. we were ready to venture back into town for a late lunch/early dinner before our return bus ride.  We enjoyed sharing a pasta dish and onion rings at yet another restaurant – and then moseyed back over to the dessert place for one more indulgence. 🙈 We were fortunate enough to catch the bus that would take us right to my development, and we made it home before 6:00 p.m. Having patronized 5 different restaurants, a hostel and a few beach vendors, we really felt good about our efforts to support the economy of Olon. 🤣

DAY 11: Our main attraction today, and another of the firsts, is that Debbie was the first of any of my visitors to be here for our monthly ladies lunch!  Long story short, 5 years ago this past December, six of us ladies got together for lunch on the beach and a chance to get to know each other better.  Although I wasn’t the one who put it together, a few months later someone suggested I organize another one.  I decided to send out some emails inviting a few more friends, and the monthly Puerto Cayo Ex-pat Ladies Lunch was born.  Eventually our group became too large to just show up and surprise a restaurant, so I had to start coordinating ahead and choosing menu options (three), sending an email in advance and taking orders.  So I’ve been doing that now for 5 years, and we’ve only had one month in that timeframe that we cancelled (last October during the transportation strike).  The number of attendees varies depending on the time of year, but in peak season (when many of our Canadian friends are wintering here in their homes in the nearby development) it can really swell.  The fewest people I’ve ever had was 3 and the most was 27.  But January was a rather average month, with 14 of us in attendance.  The location is a short distance from me, so Debbie and I walked in on the beach.  This restaurant gives us a nice salad sampler lunch and dessert.  The food is always good, but the view is stunning:

Debbie and me at the scenic Concoco restaurant. (Those who are very observant will remember another photo of Robert and me taken at almost the same spot ☺️)

DAY 12: This day was totally another rest and regroup day, to prepare for the next leg of our adventures.  Stay tuned for the grand finale!

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Starting Well – Part 1

I titled my final blog post from last year “Ending Well” for many reasons.  So as I pondered a name for this post, “Starting Well” just seemed to be the perfect fit.

As I’ve said many times before, the highlight of my year is when someone from my “former life” chooses to pay me a visit.  God has blessed me with guest(s) nearly every year since I’ve moved here, the last being Gail just this past January.  So I was thrilled to have something to look forward to nearly all of 2019, when back last March my friend Debbie told me that she’d like to plan a visit.  We knew there was a lot of time ahead of us and that sometimes life has a way of getting in the way of plans.  But still, we put it on the calendar and prayed it would come to pass.  She then booked her flight in August using frequent flyer miles, and we again held our breath and said our prayers in anticipation.  The most exciting part was that when we discussed and nailed down her travel itinerary, she was coming for a full 17 DAYS!  The most time I’ve had with anyone prior was 10 days, so I was thrilled to get to add in more things for us to experience together.

DAY 1:  There were many firsts for me on this visit, and the first one was having someone here for a holiday!  Debbie was able to secure a spot on a brand new DIRECT flight from Dallas to Guayaquil!  This meant no long layover (or risk of missing connection) in Miami – hooray!  However, most flights arrive here at night and this one was no exception.  Not only that, but it was late, (American Airlines surprise 😂) so even though she was quickly off the plane and through immigration and getting luggage, we still didn’t leave the airport until 2:00 a.m. for our 3 hour taxi ride (with my friend JoLynn) – arrival en casa was 5:00 a.m. 😴

However, this wasn’t just any day – it was arguably the biggest holiday in Ecuador – New Year’s Eve!  So yes, Debbie got baptized by fire (almost literally) into Latin America culture.  That evening, we joined my usual group of friends (plus others) for an early dinner in town at a newly re-opened restaurant owned by my local expat friends, Rick & Veronica.  After a scrumptious and filling dinner, our group wandered the streets to visit friends and stop at the big band/dance area in town for a short, but loud cultural immersion. 😂 Then we wandered back to our friends’ restaurant to burn our effigies in the street and shoot off and watch other fireworks.  Finally, we were given a lift home and after only 3 hours of sleep the night before, were in bed by around 1:00 a.m.

DAY 2: New Year’s Day is most definitely the quietest day in Ecuador.  It’s the only day of the year that buses don’t even run! 😂  So we enjoyed the peace by sleeping in, resting and visiting.  Of course, we ate a scrumptious breakfast both these days and plenty of other goodies throughout the day.  Debbie enjoyed my rooftop deck/hammocks and God treated us to one of many amazing sunsets:

Our sunsets here this time of year are truly spectacular

DAY 3: We again slept in and had a leisurely morning, then got ourselves ready for our “Cayo day.”  We met up with my friend Teresa for lunch on the beach, then wandered around on our newly completed malecón (boardwalk along the beach) and eventually walked on the beach the short distance back to Teresa’s house, where Debbie got the tour and we saw the latest of Terry’s house renovations/expansion. Then I called my local taxi driver, Olimpio, to take us back home – because everyone who visits me has to have a ride and photo op with him. 😂

DAY 4: This was our first official “touring day.”  Those who have followed all my other guest visit blogs will recognize this excursion.  We were out fairly early to catch the bus a little after 8:00 a.m., heading to my favorite hang out town of Puerto Lopez.  We started at one end of the “malecon” (boardwalk/road along the beach) and walked all the way down to the pier on the opposite end.

I showed Debbie a few of the hostels and local iconic places, and we then stopped for breakfast at Hostel Victor Hugo.  I take my guests here so they can sample a traditional Ecuadorian breakfast item called “bolon de queso,” which is a ball made out of mashed plantains, cheese and spices that is lightly fried.  We shared one breakfast special which also included scrambled eggs, juice and coffee.  We then wandered our way along, stopping in my favorite local specialty items shops.  This is where Debbie began doing her best to support the local economy. 😂 She bought a handcrafted purse, as well as several items in the Palo Santo store.  (I hope to one day get a laundry list of everything she purchased during her time here, because it ended up being the most well rounded sampling of “everything Ecuador” that anyone who has visited me has ever bought.)  Eventually we made our way to the pier, where we enjoyed the beautiful view and sound of the water.

Finally, we retraced our steps part way back to my favorite place for ceviche, Cabaña D’Chuky. The owner, Diego, and his wife make absolutely the best ceviche in Ecuador and arguably the whole world.  It was Debbie’s first time for having ceviche and I think she was duly impressed.

After lunch, we found a taxi and went for an afternoon in Agua Blanca. This is another spot I’ve taken nearly all my guests.  It’s part of Machalilla National Park and has an ongoing archeological dig, but is also the home of an indigenous community of people that have lived here for centuries.  We toured the small but impressive museum of local artifacts, then shopped at the local ladies who make beautiful handcrafted jewelry.  Afterwards, we were guided through a nature walk tour and eventually ended up at the therapeutic spring fed sulfur pond, where we indulged in the natural mud skin treatment.  It’s amazing how relaxed and refreshed you feel when you get out of that water!  We then walked back to the main area, where we met up with our taxi, who brought us all the way back to my house.

DAY 5: This day we accomplished another first.  Debbie was really wanting plenty of relaxing beach time on this trip, and I aimed to please.  I finally had enough time to take one of my guests to what most consider to be the most beautiful beach in Ecuador.  Los Frailes beach is only 20 minutes from me (right across the road from Agua Blanca and before you reach Puerto Lopez).  It’s also part of Machalilla National Park and is a cove that boasts calm waters, pristine soft sand, and untainted nature.  I’m embarrassed to say it wasn’t until this past year that I finally made a brief, spontaneous visit there with my friend Sigrid, when we were on our way to Puerto Lopez and she learned I’d never been.

After a hearty breakfast, Debbie and I caught a mid-morning bus the short distance and rented a large, sturdy beach umbrella for $4.  It was quite crowded, being the last weekend of the holiday week.  But just a short walk from the main entrance provided enough space away from the majority of the visitors to still feel like we had some privacy.  We sat in the sand under our umbrella and talked for about 4 hours, enjoying the bright blue water, sound of the waves and gentle breeze.  When we finally decided to depart, we stopped at the gift shop outside the gate, where we again offered our support. 😉

Panorama photo of our 4 hour view at Los Frailes beach

As we were riding the bus home, my hunger kicked in and I suggested that once back in Cayo, we head to the beach restaurants for an early dinner.  After a very satisfying meal, we decided to take advantage of a late afternoon cloud cover and walk the full distance back to my house.  Our gentle stroll and rock/shell picking took us nearly 1.5 hours and got us home just as the sun was setting.

DAY 6: We started this day with a sunrise worship service on my deck and God didn’t disappoint!  We had a beautiful sunrise over the mountains and reveled in praising Him with a 360 degree view.

Sunday sunrise

Later we caught a morning bus the short 10 minute ride to the Canadian development where my good friends Bill & Elaine, and my goddog Tag live.  After a few hours of visiting with them in their home, we strolled through their community to the restaurant I love to frequent there, South of Zero Cafe, owned by Tom & Karen, more friends of ours.  We enjoyed meeting up with several other friends and having lunch.  Then we all headed over to the community pool and spent the rest of the afternoon floating and visiting.  Finally late afternoon, I gave a call to Olimpio, who picked Debbie and me up and brought us back home.

So that sums up the first week of our adventures.  Stay tuned for more recaps…

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Amazing Stuff!!!

Almost two months ago, I woke up on a Saturday morning to a message from my good friend, Dana, who shared with me a 48-hour link to watch something that I later learned she had been an “investor” in.  It’s called “The Chosen,” and it has taken it’s place as the largest crowd-funded media project ever.  The idea behind the creation of this project started with a short film the director made to show at his church for Christmas.  Through quite a “providential process,” that film became the impetus for the goal of a long-running drama series based on the Bible.  The principle idea is that there have been many movies and mini-series made, but up until this point never a multi-season show about the life of Jesus, and also nothing that really delves into the “back stories” of the people who met Him and whose lives were subsequently transformed.

I shared the link Dana sent me with 3 other friends, and all of them had the same response as me – at the end of the 4 episodes we were all simultaneously bawling and saying “WOW!!!”  It is true that out of all the many Bible shows and movies I’ve seen, I’ve never seen anything like this!

For my Bible loving friends, I want to be clear (as the director is), that this is a dramatization.  They have taken care to be faithful to scripture where scripture speaks.  But they have used the facts we are given in scripture, along with carefully investigated historical and cultural information, to craft some plausible “what might have been” back stories of some of the people who encountered Jesus.  They are not trying to “add to or change scripture” (and believe me, I’m a stickler for that kind of stuff).  What they are trying to do is use the tools now available to us in this time and place, and give us a chance to view these people as REAL people, just like us, and not just stories in a book.  They use both imagery and story telling (something Jesus Himself did in His ministry quite often) along with modern media, to explore the “old, old story” in a fresh, new way.

The original Christmas short video that started it all is called “The Shepherd” – and you can view it here:

Then I encourage you to head over to www.theChosen.tv and watch the first episode for free.  I challenge you to not be powerfully moved by the end.

Although I was initially able to watch all of the first 4 episodes for free that weekend, I ended up purchasing them when they later became available, because I wanted to support the project and be able to view them again and again.  The next 4 episodes are set to begin filming in July (coincidentally in/around my hometown of Dallas, TX).  They should be available for viewing before the end of this year, and that will round out Season 1 of “The Chosen.”

For my non-believing friends, I hope you will at least watch the first free episode.  Because as dramatic and powerful as the portrayal of the healing and deliverance of Mary Magdalene was, it is the same for me and all those who have truly encountered Jesus.  To steal a line said by her character in the second episode, ”I was one way, and now I am completely different – and the thing that happened in between was HIM.”  This is the Jesus I have come to know and love.  He is my very best friend, and I sincerely hope He will become yours too! 🙂

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Gail’s Guest Perspective

I’ve asked all my previous guests to write their reflections of their visit and my life here.  Both Deanna and Dana graciously obliged me, and now here is Gail’s guest perspective on her trip:

After five years, I was returning to Ecuador to visit my dear friend Mary.  When I left, her Spanish was limited and now WOW!  I was impressed with how well she speaks with all the locals.

She has built a very nice home with a great beach and mountain view from her roof-top patio. You can enjoy your morning coffee while lying in one of her roof-top hammocks.  Where else can you share a just out of the oven (built on a bicycle) “pan de yucca” while exploring downtown Puerto Cayo.  When Mary lived in the states, she did not cook very much and now she serves you gourmet meals.

She shares her daily Ecuador life along with meeting her very nice circle of ex-pat and Ecuadorian friends.  Buses, taxis and of course walking are her modes of transportation, and a couple of times you will find yourself a little out of your normal comfort zone.  But rest assure it is safe and fun.

Mary and I have always shared a love of coffee and food.  So needless to say we sampled and ate our way through the cities we visited.  She gives you, as she calls it, “A taste of Ecuador,” and does a fabulous job.  Mary is a great tour guide and knows the history of her new country.  What a great way to sitesee Ecuador – my own personal tour guide!  I had an adventure of all the senses – sight, sound, smell, touch and most especially, taste.  Mary shows you both the coastal and mountain regions of Ecuador.  I went 14,000 feet above sea level through the Caja National Park.  I left with a better understanding of why she loves her new country.

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Repeat Performance – Part 2

This is a continuation of my previous post about the visit from my friend, Gail:

DAY 6:  This day was set aside to rest and re-pack.  We again started out on the deck having coffee in my hammocks.  Afterwards, I served Gail another scrumptious breakfast.  She really took the “rest” assignment of this day very seriously. 😂

DAY 7:  Another day that started very early – our taxi picked us up at 6:45 a.m. 😮  He drove us the 30 minutes to Jipijapa, where we bought tickets and waited about 30 minutes for a bus to Guayaquil.  That trip was 2.5 hours.  Once at the terminal, we made a “bee-line” for the bathroom (pun intended – although our friendship goes back 25 years, you know Gail is now a co-worker “bee girl” too).  Then I bought tickets for the next leg of our trip.  Again, just about a 30 minute turn around and we were back on a bus and headed on our 4 hour journey that would take us through the Caja National Park and to Cuenca.  I had packed a sack breakfast/lunch for the trip.  But just after we had both pretty much eaten our fill, the bus driver stopped to let a food vendor on (one of the great things about bus travel in Ecuador is, depending on the route you are traveling, you can sample a plethora of goodies along the way).  As I heard the vendor calling out what he had to offer, my mind said no until I heard one item.  It was a large, thick slice of sweet plantain, battered and deep-fried.  I immediately called him over and bought one for us to share for $1.  I told Gail, “Welcome to the Ecuadorian version of the Texas State Fair!” 😂 (For those who aren’t familiar, our state fair has developed a long-standing tradition of coming up with some of the strangest deep-fried food items you cold ever imagine – for a past list of some of them, click here.)  Gail just thought she wasn’t hungry any more – she almost had me flag him down to buy another one before he got off the bus!  Needless to say the “cola” (which means “tail”) was a hit. 😋

The drive through the National Park was foggy and rainy most of the way, but that was OK, because due to our early departure and the altitude change (you climb to 14,000 feet in less than an hour!), Gail couldn’t keep her eyes open.  We eventually descended to our 8,000 feet altitude and the beautiful city of Cuenca.  By the time we taxied the short distance to our hostel, it was right at 9 hours from when we’d left home.  We briefly settled in to our lovely, spacious loft room at Hostal Latina, in the heart of the historic district (where I’d stayed the last time I was there).  We then headed out a short walk for an early dinner at a predetermined restaurant, where we made a meal of sharing and sampling several local food items.  Afterwards, we stopped briefly to buy bottled water for our stay and made it back to our hostel before dark.

DAY 8:  In the morning, we wandered a short ways until we found a suitable breakfast spot.  After our “inclusive” breakfast (which usually consists of an egg item, bread item, juice and coffee), we both decided we needed more caffeine (in Ecuador, you don’t get refills on coffee).  Since the first coffee was just OK, we wandered a little farther to a proper coffee shop for a cappuccino.  Once we were well fueled, we headed to the main park/square to catch the city bus tour.

They had now made the bus tour a “hop on/hop off” tour (previously it had only been a driving narration with one stop at the scenic overlook).  So we took advantage and got off at the first stop, a park and church area I wanted to show Gail.  We wandered around a bit and bought a bag of one of our local fruits that I wanted Gail to try from a street vendor lady.  We then waited for the next bus on the brochure schedule – that didn’t come. ☹️  We wandered around some more in the shops in the little area, still hanging around close for the next bus – that also didn’t come. ☹️  I know Ecuador, and if they didn’t sell any tickets to the tour, it would be like them not to run the bus, regardless of the fact that other people might have gotten off and waited for the next one to come.  Fortunately we had only gotten off at the first stop, so we just walked back to the main square, where we explained to the attendant selling the tickets what happened.  She then informed me that although the bus driver had told me we could only board a red bus, we could also board a yellow bus (we did see one yellow bus go by).  At that point, we just decided to get back on at the beginning and ride the tour all the way around.  It was a beautiful day and we got some great photos:

We got off the bus at the next to the last stop, the shopping mall in the modern section of Cuenca.  I had been by it before, but never inside, and wanted to see what they had in comparison to our mall.  We shared a light lunch, then briskly walked around all of both levels.  Afterwards, we grabbed a taxi and headed back to the historic area, to explore a few more places I wanted to show Gail.  One was the Sombrero Museum.  Cuenca also makes straw hats using the same palm material harvested in our province of Manabi.  But their method isn’t quite the same, and Montecristi generally produces a finer quality weave and more traditionally made Panama hat.  However, the hats in Cuenca are quite beautiful.

I also wanted to show Gail one of the largest markets in Cuenca.  This is the real deal of open air stalls (rows and rows of them) for buying produce, meat and whatever else you might need.  And we also saw something I’d never seen before – an area where all the little old “medicine women” were practicing their art.  Various people from the very young to old were receiving treatments of being “beaten” with herbs, having ointments rubbed on them, etc.  I’d heard about these people, but had never actually seen it practiced in person.  It was quite a site for a “first-world” person to take in.

At the end of our wandering, we matched up with Chris & Kelly (mentioned in my holiday post), the volunteers at my development for December.  In January, they traveled to the Galápagos Islands for two weeks and then Cuenca for two weeks (but are now back at my development for the month of February).  We got to see the lovely Airbnb they were staying in, then all went for a Thai food dinner at one of my favorite “bucket-list” restaurants.  We had a lovely meal and visit, and walked back to our hostel a little after dark (feeling quite safe in the well-lit and still bustling historic area).

DAY 9:  We started out at another breakfast place and then again had our second coffee in a different cafe.  Afterwards, we met up with Chris & Kelly again for a walking tour of the historic part of Cuenca.  This tour is relatively new, and it was the first opportunity I’ve had to take it.  It’s offered free (with hope of gratuity).  When we first arrived at the meeting spot shortly before the designated time, we thought it might just be a handful of us.  But as our guide arrived, the crowd suddenly gathered, and our group swelled to at least 30 people!  Our guide did a wonderful job giving the tour in both Spanish and English.  Ironically, the tour pretty much covered a walk through the streets and areas that I’d taken Gail on the previous day. 😂  But with it were additional stops and so much added information I did not know.  I learned a lot about the history and culture of Cuenca.  In summary:

  • Cuenca is the 3rd largest city in Ecuador and is currently around 500,000 people;
  • It was colonized by the Spanish in 1557 – the man who founded it was born in Cuenca, Spain.  In the same year, the original cathedral was built in the adobe colonial style (it is now a museum);
  • Prior to it’s colonization, there were two indigenous people groups living in harmony in the area – the pre-Columbian Cañari people, who worshiped the moon, and the Incas, who worshiped the sun.  Eventually the Spaniards forced the local people to become Catholic, so that is the religion of most people today;
  • In 1739, the first French colonists arrived. These combinations are what contribute to the mix of adobe construction and Spanish/French colonial architecture (much of which has survived and is continuing to be restored);
  • The republic of the city started in 1880 and this was the year the “new” cathedral began construction.  It took 100 years to complete and holds 10,000 people standing;
  • Most of the wealth of the city during this time frame came from the export of the Panama hats, as well as other food exports (like chocolate).  There were also a lot of imported building materials brought from France.

The tour lasted approximately 2.5 hours and unknowingly, but fortunately, ended right near the spot I had pre-arranged to meet two other friends for lunch.  Although the tour was longer than I’d anticipated, we were only 5 minutes late for our meet-up time.  Lunch was at another one of my bucket-list restaurants, the Sunrise Cafe.  Originally opened by an Australian couple, but now owned by an Ecuadorian man (who wisely kept the food and formula the same), this place is loved by local ex-pats and visitors.  It has a huge menu with a plethora of “comfort food” items that are always tasty and generous.  They also have a wonderful and long-standing staff that the customers have all grown to love.  Everyone I’ve sent there always comes away loving it and my friends, Claire and Lynne, who both live in/around Cuenca, had no hesitancy about meeting up there.  I was grateful Gail had another chance to meet some of my precious friends.

After lunch, Gail and I spent the afternoon doing our final wanderings (my favorite pastime in Cuenca).  We weren’t super hungry for dinner, so decided to just wander around and eat whatever we wanted, wherever we wanted.  We stopped first at a little place that I had discovered on my last trip, but this time was closed.  However, my friends Lynne and Claire informed me it had only moved to a new location and expanded.  As fortune would have it, the new location was on the opposite end of town from where it used to be, and now literally right around the corner from my hostel! 😃  So we tracked down the Altisimo Chocolate Shop & Cafe and spent quite a few moments just drooling. 😋  We then decided to share one of their carrot cake desserts.  Afterwards we wandered on.  Later, we ended up inside another little courtyard that we’d gone through on our walking tour.  It was just off the main city park, right next to the cathedral.  Inside were several shops and restaurants, and we decided to have our next meal at a little French bistro.  We shared a traditional French hot gruyere cheese and mushroom sandwich, and then an apple tart with ice cream for dessert. 😮  By the end of all that, we were ready to wander on back to our hostel and revel in our subsequent carb and sugar comas. 😂  Below are a few more photos taken during our final afternoon of wandering:

DAY 10:  The fabulous menu and wonderful ambiance of Altísimo didn’t leave our thoughts.  So we decided to alter our original morning plans for an early departure, in order to go back for a leisurely, full and scrumptious breakfast (and the coffee was so good, we even had our second cup there. ☺️)  After splitting their shrimp, spinach and cheese omelette and an order of French toast (made with their own housemade bread), we were well fueled for our 4 hour bus journey back to Guayaquil (and each with a scone to-go).  We bid farewell to our lovely host, Jorge, and taxied to the bus terminal, where we caught the next (frequently leaving) bus.  The drive through the Caja National Park was more clear and Gail was more alert, so she really got to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

Once in Guayaquil, we took a taxi to check in to our pre-reserved room at Hotel Livingston (the only place I’ve ever stayed there and it never disappoints).  We then walked the short distance to the Mall del Sol.  The only things worth seeing/doing in Guayaquil are only if you are stuck there and need something to do.  It’s really just a very big, commercial city.  So Gail really didn’t miss doing anything exciting by our delayed departure.  The mall was a good place for walking and stretching our legs after sitting half the day (and we even indulged in a 4 minute chair massage for $2 each).  It also provided a plethora of choices for dinner, and most importantly in Guayaquil, being in air conditioning!  We enjoyed a tasty, healthy wrap sandwich for supper, followed by some McDonald’s french fries. 😂  We then walked the short distance back to our hotel, to be back before dark and an early-to-bed night.

DAY 11: This morning was a 3:30 a.m. wake-up alarm and 4:00 a.m. taxi to the airport. 😮  I accompanied Gail the short ride and helped her get checked in.  We then stayed out in the unsecured area and had a bite to eat and coffee until time for her flight to board.  Airport security in Guayaquil is easy-breezy, and the walk to the gate very short.  So at just 45 minutes before her flight, we gave our final hugs goodbye, and I watched her disappear through security, until the next time we see each other again.  I then grabbed a taxi, headed to the bus terminal and bought my ticket.  And poignantly, my bus pulled out at precisely the time of her flight departure – 6:32 a.m.

DAY 12:  Rest and reflect on priceless shared memories forever! ☺️

So that’s the full summary of our awesome time together, but stay tuned in the next post to read Gail’s guest perspective of her visit here.  Convinced yet of the fabulous time you will have if you come see me?  So the touring reservation calendar is wide open – what are you waiting for?! 😉

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Repeat Performance – Part 1

In my last blog post, I alluded to the fact that I had an upcoming adventure I’d be reporting about.  No doubt the highlight of any year for me is when someone from “back home” comes for a visit.  On my first birthday after moving to Ecuador, my good friend Deanna and her friend Kristy, blessed me with a visit for just 3 days, so I would have some “home folks” to celebrate with me.  The following year, my long-time and dearest friends, Amy and Melanie, left behind their families and comfort zones, to come for 5 days and get a taste of my life here.  Then a few years later, my good friends, Dana and Mike, decided to visit me for a full 10 days.  But this year, I had my first repeat guest!  Well, sort of…

Most of you know the story of my friends, Gail & Jefferson, who flew with me when I first moved here, to help with the travel and transition.  Their presence was an invaluable blessing to me!  But I was in such a state of shock and overload, not to mention experiencing everything the first time myself, that I had nothing to offer in the way of showing them around.  So I was THRILLED when Gail decided to save up her airline points to come back for a chance to get to see and experience the life I’ve made here.  (Her husband, Milton, decided to stay behind to hold down the fort and tend to the cats, but we hope he’ll join us for the next visit!)  When we began planning the dates, I told her she had to give me at least 10 full days, (not counting travel) to get the full overview tour.  I’ve actually gotten rather good at guest visit itinerary planning, so it wasn’t hard to work out a good, balanced schedule for us:

DAY 1:  All flights in from the usual travel route come later at night, and then it’s a 3 hour car ride from the airport.  Gail’s flight was even later than expected and due to that, as well as a few other “technical difficulties” (aka taxi flat tire), we didn’t get home until around 2:00 a.m.  So the first day is always planned as a “rest and recover” day.  This included fixing her a scrumptious and filling breakfast, followed by a pedicure “en casa” (courtesy my regular pedicure lady, Monica).  Then shortly afterwards, a brief and easy stroll up the beach to a special spot, for a scheduled hour-long massage to work out all the travel kinks, while listening to the ocean waves. ☺️

DAY 2: After our rest up day, this day was one of our “full on” excursions.  We were outside waiting for the bus at 6:30 a.m.! 😮  But this was strategically timed to arrive in Manta at my favorite French bakery just before they opened.  We practically had our noses pressed to the glass when the owner showed up with all his pastries to open the shop. 😂

Following breakfast, we boarded the city bus that took us the perfect route through town for me to narrate the “Manta highlights” tour.  We exited on the opposite end of town from where we got on, at the relatively new bus terminal.  Here, I showed Gail just how far we’ve come from the terminal I bused to my first four years (although she never got to see the original to really appreciate the contrast).  After a brief walk through of the mall area, we grabbed a taxi and headed to the nearby town of Montecristi.

I love this town for several reasons, and have taken every previous visitor there to experience it (so view those blogs listed above for more details).  We had a great English speaking guide for a visit to the museum area, and I learned even more about some of the specific history and culture of Ecuador (Montecristi is the birth and now burial place of one of Ecuador’s most famous and influential presidents).  We then went down into the town for a light lunch at one of my favorite cafe restaurants, followed by a stroll through the shopping area for purchasing all the wonderful handmade, indigenous items available in Ecuador.  Most specifically, Gail wanted to buy Milton an authentic Panama hat.  The name Panama hat is a misnomer, because the original and authentic Panama hats (worn by the workers on the Panama Canal) are painstakingly handmade right here in Montecristi.  We received a good orientation about the history and quality of this incredible wearable art, and Gail found the perfect hat for Milton’s head.

After shopping, we returned by taxi the short 15 minute ride to the Manta bus terminal, and then repeated our route on the city bus, stopping off at our new mall.  I again wanted to show Gail the incredible progress that’s been made since I first arrived (although as I said, she didn’t get to come to Manta on her first trip).  It was also the perfect place for her to buy some Ecuadorian chocolate and tea to take home.

After our mall excursion, we grabbed a taxi and headed to our chosen dinner spot.  Gail at first questioned why I was taking her to a hotel for dinner.  That is, until she saw the view and tasted the food!  The Poseidon Hotel is no doubt one of the best places for food in Manta, but the view is second to none!

After dinner, my friend Edwin and his lovely wife Mercy, picked us up for taxi service home.  You might remember that we helped Edwin purchase a new vehicle following the earthquake, so he could continue his business and support his family.  Since then, a mechanic friend of his wanted to take on the challenge of restoring his crushed vehicle.  Edwin told him to “knock himself out” and in his spare time over many months, this man fully brought Edwin’s car back to life!  He still has and uses both vehicles, but we rode home in the original car that was damaged, which is now good as new!  (I’m so sorry we didn’t get a photo for you. 😔)

Believe it or not, we asked Edwin to stop (because it was right on our way) back at the French bakery, for us to pick up some desserts to take home.  He was more than happy to oblige.  So not only did the owner get to see us first thing in the morning, but also last thing before he closed. 😂

DAY 3: We slept until whenever and then had coffee up on my deck in my hammocks, spending a leisurely morning just chatting and visiting.  Around noon, I called a taxi to take us in to Puerto Cayo for lunch at one of my favorite beach restaurants.  Then we strolled back into the town and met up with my friend Teresa for introductions and a visit.  We ended up walking around just a bit and then sitting in the covered sport court area of the town square.  Positioned here, we got to observe the local “day-to-day life” activities all around us, and much to my delight, a never before seen vendor of “pan de yucca” (bread made from yucca/cassava root flour) came up with his little portable oven cart.  This is always one of the bucket list food items I want people to try while they are here, and we got some giant, yummy rolls hot out of the oven (4 for $1).

Eventually we walked the old route I used to travel back to my rental property, stopping briefly at Teresa’s front gate to drop her off.  Her husband, Terry, arrived home from fishing just as we were saying goodbye, and Gail got to meet him as well.  We then walked a short distance down to the home of my friend Sam, who lives just across from the house I first rented when I moved here.  Gail had met Sam back then, and it was neat that they got to see each other again 5 years later.  We took a walk through his gardens and up the hill behind his home, for easily one of the most breathtaking views in Puerto Cayo.

Afterwards, we walked back down the road past various friends’ houses (including my second rental), and cut over from there onto the beach, where we strolled the rest of the way back to my house, catching a sunset view just as we arrived.

DAY 4: We were again out fairly early to catch the bus a little after 8:00 a.m.  This time we were headed the opposite direction (south) to my favorite hang out town of Puerto Lopez.  We had actually been taken there during Gail’s first visit, and I was surprised how much of it she remembered and was able to recognize the progress and improvements.  We started at one end of the “malecon” (boardwalk/road along the beach) and walked all the way down to the pier on the opposite end, taking in the sites and food along the way.

We started viewing the sites around the beautiful hostel at one end of the malecon called Mandala.  It has cabins nestled inside exquisite gardens, and is quite a peaceful spot.  We then made our way to our next destination, breakfast at Hostel Victor Hugo.  We wanted to eat light, so shared a traditional breakfast of scrambled egg and “bolon de queso,” which is a ball made out of mashed plantains, cheese and spices that is lightly fried.  We then wandered our way along, stopping in my favorite local specialty items shops, and eventually got to the pier, where we enjoyed the peace of watching the boats and hearing the water – and not much else.

Finally, we retraced our steps not quite halfway, to my favorite place for ceviche, Cabaña D’Chuky.  The owner, Diego, and his wife make absolutely the best ceviche in Ecuador and arguably the whole world (Gail definitely agreed).

After a quick stop into town to pay my internet bill, we grabbed a taxi and were headed for our afternoon outing to Agua Blanca.  This is another spot I love and like to take my guests for various reasons – it’s now a preserved national park and ongoing archeological excavation, but is also the home of an indigenous community of people that have lived here for centuries.  After the museum, archeological and nature walk tour, we indulged in the natural mud skin treatment and therapeutic spring fed sulfur pond – it’s really quite a refreshing way to spend an afternoon!  Afterwards, we met our taxi, who then brought us all the way back to my house.

DAY 5: Today was another take it easy and visiting day.  We tried to catch a bus, but he intentionally passed us right by. 😤  Oh well, I needed for Gail to be able to enjoy the obligatory back of the truck ride with my favorite taxi guy, Olimpio (it’s a guest right of passage).  He came for us in a flash and a short 10 minute ride later, we were at the home of my good friends Bill & Elaine, and my goddog Tag.  Gail had met them both her last time as well, because just a few weeks before I arrived they had rented the upstairs unit where I first rented downstairs.  She knew immediately when she met them back then that she was leaving me in good hands. ☺️ It was great for her to get to see them again, as well as their completed (at least stage one) home, and meet Tag as well.

After a few hours of visiting, we strolled through their community to the restaurant I love to frequent there, South of Zero Cafe, owned by Tom & Karen, more friends of ours.  We enjoyed meeting up with more friends and having lunch.  Then we all moseyed over to the small pool in our friend Rick’s area, where we joined even more friends, and spent the rest of the afternoon floating and visiting (and in Gail’s case, napping as well).  Around 5:00 p.m., one of our friends kindly offered to drive Gail and me back home, so we didn’t have to call a cab (see, there is a reason that bus passed us by – Gail HAD to have a chance to ride with Olimpio!)

Great photo of Gail with Olimpio in the road by Bill & Elaine’s house. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any other photos of the day. ☹️

So that sums up the first half of Gail’s visit.  But stay tuned for my next post with lots more of our fun adventures to come!

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Post-Holiday Post

As I’m sure is the case for many of you, my holidays are kind of a blur at this point. I wanted to write something before now, but several things precluded me from doing so. However, I wanted to at least do a brief recap of my holidays before much more time goes by.

Christmas Eve, my best friend here, Elaine, hosted her 3rd annual “come one, come all” pool party out at their development. Our local ex-pat community is no longer the small little group we once were, so this is her answer to hosting all who want to, to gather in one spot for Christmas. She sets up tables and decorations, and everyone brings an appetizer to share. And of course, we are just at the beginning of our summer season, so we swim – just because we can! 😜 It was a good turnout this year and a good time was had by all:

Click on any image to bring up the slide show with captions

Christmas Day, Elaine and I had roped our friend Rick into hosting us at his house. We had said we’d cover all the cooking, but Rick wanted to make his first turkey. And of course since it was at his house, he extended the invitation out to several more of his friends (which are friends of ours too). But then the power went out at midnight Christmas morning at their development! So true to life in Ecuador, Rick came up with Plan B and put the turkey in his neighbor’s gas barbecue grill (good thing he’d invited the neighbor to the party 😂). Then an hour later, the power back came on. He proceeded to transfer it (rather precariously) into the oven. Then an hour later, the power went back off, so he again put it back in the barbecue. I rode out there with our friends Rick (another one) and Veronica. Rick #2 is a professional chef, and they are soon to open a restaurant here (we are all very excited!). At first he wasn’t so sure about this barbecue turkey idea, but when he saw it and later carved and tasted it, he (and we) all agreed it was one of the best turkeys we’d eaten! So despite no power all day until just about the time we were finished eating dinner, it made no difference to our group of around 14 people. For roughly 6 hours we visited, laughed, swam and ate a lot of fabulous food (everyone brought at least one dish). Plus it was a real “coming of age” time for Rick – hosting his first Christmas gathering, cooking his first turkey, and after two years of living here, not coming unglued by a power outage (did I happen to mention his entire working career in Canada was for the power company? 😂).

New Year’s Eve we again followed our tradition of going into town for the village festivities. We started with dinner on the beach, followed by our “friend crawl” of walking through town and stopping at the homes of some of our friends to visit. We then went to the big dance area, to enjoy a little pre-midnight salsa. And finally, we burned our purchased effigy/viejo dolls in the street, along with all the rest of the local families. Our taxi retrieved us at 1:00 a.m., with all the rest of the village just getting going. New Year’s is one of the biggest holidays in Ecuador and the party lasts until around 5:00 a.m.!

Unfortunately, the week in between these two holidays ended up being rather intense. Very long story short, my dear friend, Fatima, (mentioned recently in this post and many others), suffered what we later learned was a ruptured brain aneurysm on Christmas Day (although none of us knew it at the time). They were preparing to come to our gathering when it happened. Her husband took her to the hospital, but she was misdiagnosed and sent home. It wasn’t until the next day that she fell unconscious and was taken back to the hospital.  By the time they diagnosed her and did surgery, it was nearly 48 hours from the event. It was a very rough and scary week for all of us who love her. Not until we finally got word the day before New Year’s Eve that she was awake and talking, could we give a collective exhale and hallelujah! She is still in the hospital recovering and it will be a while before she is back to “business as usual,” but thanks to a LOT of prayers, at this point she’s doing amazingly well. She, her family and I would very much appreciate your continued prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.

So that’s a wrap up of my holidays – but stay tuned for a report of my next adventures. 😉