tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49765508889890391302024-03-12T17:51:39.379-07:00Smiles Away. We're not in Texas anymore, Amber.A single woman's life in later years can still be a work in progress....Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-74176648995496856012017-05-27T14:48:00.000-07:002017-05-29T11:06:55.312-07:00Disasters that turn out well....makes me smile!A lot of my friends don't even know I have written a blog. It's down to every few years. Let me know if that's a mistake. Be kind.<br />
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Sometimes the very worst travel experiences can be hilarious. Or not. And sometimes you make marvelous friend when it's resolved.<br />
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I thought staying on a boat in Gibraltar would be amazing. I sent an email informing the host I would be late checking in due to taking a 5 pm bus out of Granada. That would get me into Algeciras at 10pm. What I didn't count on is Gibraltar is a $35 taxi ride and it only went to the border of Gibraltar. Taxis from Spain are not allowed in Gibraltar (UK) and vice versa. I paid the taxi and he pointed to the aduana office and sent me on my way. It was 11 pm.<br />
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The Aduana is customs as I know from living in Ecuador. There's no one there. There are machines telling me to place my passport on the glass. It did not matter how I placed it, I had an error. Mounting frustration. I was tired and did not know which hurt more...my feet or my knees since I had stumbled about for four hours at Alhambra before the five hour bus ride. More on Alhambra later. <br />
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Enter Jim. I thought this tall handsome Brit worked there and proceeded to air every grievance that happened that day and some previously. If he had not stopped me, I might have gone back to my childhood. No, he just lives here but offered to help.<br />
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He took me to the checkpoint. They looked at my passport and asked if I had anything to declare. I'm thinking "I declare this the worst day of my life" but stifled myself and squeaked out "I have a bottle of Spanish extra virgin olive oil and a very small bottle of sweet wine." I get eye rolls, my passport handed back and instructions to move on. <br />
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I had told Jim my knees really hurt. He knew where the boat was but was hesitant. He told me it was a 15 minute walk for him and maybe 25 for me. I explained I once had a baby without anaesthesia and I can soldier on. That set the mood and we had a lively conversation from that point. We had fits of laughter all the way.<br />
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I would never have found the boat alone. When we arrived at midnight, there was no one around. I was dripping in sweat. The doors were open and I considered that an invitation. I called around. No answer. Jim helped me by carrying my bag down the VERY steep stairs to sleeping quarters. All but one had keys in them. I felt like Goldilocks of the Three Bears fame breaking into someone's place and choosing a bed to sleep in. This one is too soft. This one is too hard. No, this one is juuuust right.<br />
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I waited for "Karen" to show up. Her phone number was written on a board but I'm not sure how to make an international call on my phone and wanted to preserve my 2g of internet I bought in Madrid as I didn't know when I'd get more. I waited until I fell asleep bathed in my own putrid sweat.<br />
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Before I fell asleep, I had to make a bathroom run. Hmmm, no shower. Signs stating urine only. BUT!!!! Karen, urine a lot of trouble in the morning. Where do I do number 2 and where do I shower? IS THE WATER ON THE BOAT POTABLE?<br />
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This morning I wake up my usual 4:30 but gratefully fell back asleep for three more hours. Where the hell is Karen?? Is this a ghost ship? I took a walk down the pier until I found someone awake and alert. Do you know Karen with the boat Con Dios? Yes. Where is she? "I think she's over there, maybe?" Could you tell me where people poop and take showers around here? I realize 7:30 am is awful early in the morning to face an angry, raving fuschia haired old woman. It was not my most shining moment. I had no idea even how to flush the toilet. They pointed in an easterly direction. I said they needed to be much more specific because all I saw was boats and lots of them. At the last of five piers was a building where I promptly headed after offering my gratitude. <br />
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As I was walking back to the boat, there was a blonde headed lady headed my direction. "Are you Vickie?" Damn straight, I am. Where were you? I don't know how to flush the toilet! I had no idea where to shower! I CAN'T EVEN POOP!! (aside to my children..it is a bodily function, ya know). Is the water potable on the boat? She tried to calm me but I was having none of it. "My phone number was written on the notice". My phone had run out of minutes and I was unable to make any calls.<br />
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I flew to the room and started packing my things. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't want to stay there. She came in quietly and said "Look, since your here, you may as well see Gibraltar. Let me make you a cup of coffee." Coffee? Did you mention coffee?<br />
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While drinking coffee together, I learned she was a single mom of a 14 year old girl and 17 year old boy much as I was once upon a time. She didn't even live on the boat but on one three slips down. She said she was up until 2 am and had missed the whole Goldilocks action. The more we talked the more we had in common. She had moved to Gibraltar 20 years ago with the husband who had recently left her for another woman. She owned a laundry service in the center of town. In short, she was just another woman keeping her head above water. Just as I struggled to do years ago. She had very nice children that I met after my Barbary monkey trek. <br />
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We connected on Facebook and promised to keep in touch. I like her. A lot. The hilarious part? Maybe some day.<br />
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I'm really not Goldilocks. Fuschialocks is more like it. <br />
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<br />Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-20725503912049742014-01-29T10:15:00.000-08:002014-01-29T10:34:13.771-08:00Three years.......and I'm still smiling!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Three years ago today, I left the US to start over. I like to say it was the first day of the rest of my life. Vilcabamba was my first home for 14 months. Afterwards, I lived in a small town outside of Cuenca called Paute for 15 months. I was housesitting for a friend for 90 days while she left for the US to work and had the intention to move to Cuenca. Sometimes things don't go as planned and I wound up staying in that very lovely town for another year.<br />
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On the first of June this past year, I moved to Cuenca. Each place has given me so many wonderful experiences. Vilcabamba is beautiful. Paute was amazing in the way the locals accepted me into their fold with the patience to listen to my Tarzan spanish and eventually feeling comfortable enough to correct me.<br />
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I felt I would be "selling out" to move to Cuenca as I wanted to have a decidedly Ecuadorian experience. Cuenca turned out to be a much larger Paute with tienda owners and neighbors who would call me by name in my Ecuadorian neighborhood.<br />
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I want to celebrate by adding some of my favorite photos from the past few years. I could add more but everyone has to have a limit! This has been my life here in Ecuador for three years today. I hope you enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOTCBE8cj6M/UukCrkUcNqI/AAAAAAAAW6E/AqbvA4n1f-k/s1600/P1010835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOTCBE8cj6M/UukCrkUcNqI/AAAAAAAAW6E/AqbvA4n1f-k/s1600/P1010835.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first official residence in Vilcabamba</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBNj0MYG-jA/UukDeputrFI/AAAAAAAAW6Q/PjSuAHWJNjY/s1600/P1030026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBNj0MYG-jA/UukDeputrFI/AAAAAAAAW6Q/PjSuAHWJNjY/s1600/P1030026.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first encounter with roadside roasted pig.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85T3u77TLVk/UukD-L1pSZI/AAAAAAAAW6Y/JR2e4RCJQoI/s1600/P1030267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85T3u77TLVk/UukD-L1pSZI/AAAAAAAAW6Y/JR2e4RCJQoI/s1600/P1030267.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This isn't the REAL equator. The real one was a short distance away. I have a photo, too, but my daughter is much prettier.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfall within view of the hotel in Banos.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xQPcysTxHEk/UukNgY9gxsI/AAAAAAAAW6w/KTN8FOr_FFI/s1600/P1030137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xQPcysTxHEk/UukNgY9gxsI/AAAAAAAAW6w/KTN8FOr_FFI/s1600/P1030137.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun time was had by my daughter and me when we rented a dune buggy in Banos to view the waterfalls!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ENuu_vdPsRw/UukNjuekKsI/AAAAAAAAW64/e1hBgCxQ3-I/s1600/P1030233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ENuu_vdPsRw/UukNjuekKsI/AAAAAAAAW64/e1hBgCxQ3-I/s1600/P1030233.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otavalo market. This is the largest in South America.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3faSWP28_e8/UukN2V2aZSI/AAAAAAAAW7A/fkwvdm0oBBw/s1600/P1040095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3faSWP28_e8/UukN2V2aZSI/AAAAAAAAW7A/fkwvdm0oBBw/s1600/P1040095.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incan ruins in Cuenca.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c4rwETFMM5w/UukRCarEHXI/AAAAAAAAW7E/5h1QbrMqQ70/s1600/IMG_0082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c4rwETFMM5w/UukRCarEHXI/AAAAAAAAW7E/5h1QbrMqQ70/s1600/IMG_0082.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bear and Amber seemingly saying goodbye to their old life.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LBCdzwxt_jk/Uuk87LA0hsI/AAAAAAAAW7U/U1MprlyDuiQ/s1600/burningeffigies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LBCdzwxt_jk/Uuk87LA0hsI/AAAAAAAAW7U/U1MprlyDuiQ/s1600/burningeffigies.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burning effigies in Paute.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of the "new" cathedral in Cuenca which took 100 years to build.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancer at the Paseo del Ninos Christmas Eve 2013</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-si7gWfKaT8U/Uuk_2RmjfnI/AAAAAAAAW7s/z9PuNk8RuP8/s1600/horseback.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-si7gWfKaT8U/Uuk_2RmjfnI/AAAAAAAAW7s/z9PuNk8RuP8/s1600/horseback.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseback riding through the rainforest</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XBpGothjC9k/UulAdzLkdQI/AAAAAAAAW70/ynLmC17z5Zw/s1600/Mystical+cajas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XBpGothjC9k/UulAdzLkdQI/AAAAAAAAW70/ynLmC17z5Zw/s1600/Mystical+cajas.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mystical Cajas.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eoaBMUqkKD8/UulCUqIEzRI/AAAAAAAAW78/baHbCC6LF7w/s1600/amberbeach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eoaBMUqkKD8/UulCUqIEzRI/AAAAAAAAW78/baHbCC6LF7w/s1600/amberbeach.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beach so big a little dog seems miniscule.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BI1z_pPUbk/UulDWxXZRpI/AAAAAAAAW8E/MAW9VmhtBqg/s1600/rodrigo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BI1z_pPUbk/UulDWxXZRpI/AAAAAAAAW8E/MAW9VmhtBqg/s1600/rodrigo.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great friends!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QVQyl9tsQN0/UulEUTw3tAI/AAAAAAAAW8M/NKoqLPvUuvQ/s1600/hostels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QVQyl9tsQN0/UulEUTw3tAI/AAAAAAAAW8M/NKoqLPvUuvQ/s1600/hostels.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Accidentally ran into this amazing and small hostal right on the beach. $15 a night.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kb6YZD9C0Us/UulGRJCZH1I/AAAAAAAAW8U/Ej7dBlsh32w/s1600/bluefooted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kb6YZD9C0Us/UulGRJCZH1I/AAAAAAAAW8U/Ej7dBlsh32w/s1600/bluefooted.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-footed boobies! Found on Isla La Plata!</td></tr>
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<br />Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-16049506447462780672013-10-18T17:04:00.001-07:002013-10-18T17:04:33.568-07:00SSSSSSSSSSSSS......................makes me smile!Once again, I've let this blog go. It's not like nothing ever happens. Why, just last night.....<br />
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I had a very full day yesterday. I left my home close to 11 a.m. to have a heart to heart talk with a friend making a tough decision. Then I raced across town on the wrong bus to meet a friend at the mall to see the movie, Gravity. I wound up having to pay a taxi to get me there as I was late already, the bus was going nowhere near where I needed to be and it was starting to rain.<br />
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The movie was amazing! I wasn't sure I would like it since I had heard there was little dialogue in it, but I was pleased. <br />
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After the movie was over, my friend and I got in a cab to go visit another friend who has a broken leg. After leaving, I walked down the hill with another visitor to the main street to get a ride on a bus to go home. That is when the fun began.<br />
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I have a choice of 3 different buses on Gran Colombia. I can catch #16 going a different direction from where I am headed, which I learned the hard way. If it is going my direction, it makes 2 hard lefts and goes out to the netherlands of Cuenca. I saw #16 race by as I was saying my goodbyes to the other visitor so I went across the street to wait for either #13 or #50. <br />
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Before either #13 or #50 comes on my side, I see yet another #16 coming on the other side. I would be dead about 15 different ways if I tried to hurry across the street so I decided I should stay put. How many #8 and #1 buses can a city have? Out where I live every other bus is #13. Why none now? Oh, wait! Here comes one! And because of all the traffic backed up curbside, he swings in the middle of the road and races on by. Kind of like this.<br />
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As I was waiting for another #13 or #50 and had been standing there around 20 minutes in the dark, I noticed how the cab drivers were trolling the bus stops. I'm afraid gringas just don't have that "tranquilo" in their DNA that the Ecuadorianas do. They would slither by and honk their horn lightly to let everyone know of their presence. Some would catch your gaze and wriggle their eyebrows. "Choose me!"<br />
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I began to know how Eve felt in the Garden of Eden. I kept thinking I could be home by the time I actually catch a bus. I thought of it and it must have shown because I continued to get the light honks and I swear some of the cabbies looked like they might be the same ones that had driven around before. Maybe they were waiting me out. Maybe they were holding the #13 and #50 hostage down the road to get more passengers and business. $3.00 versus $.25 for the bus. Let me see. No, not tempted yet.<br />
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Another #13 came whizzing by and this time he was in the correct lane. He didn't even touch his brakes. I am getting delirious and I do think I'm hearing SSSSSSSSSSS come from the taxis. Those serpents, again. Eve was only tempted by one. I have 100s of taxis driving slowly by with a wink and a nod. Since it is after dark they may even charge me $4. It's not going to happen.<br />
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After 45 minutes and no sightings of #50 and multiple sightings of bus #16 on the other side, a bus #13 finally came to a stop to pick up riders at my stop. This is the longest I have had to wait for a bus since moving to Cuenca. <br />
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After arriving at my destination and walking across the street from the bus stop, I get one more hit. A light tap of the horn. And I swear I heard a SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS shortly thereafter.Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-90940500418600486802013-05-07T08:02:00.001-07:002013-05-07T08:02:41.576-07:00Changes ....................make me smile<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZoBr1NUywSo/UYkS5vJE3DI/AAAAAAAATp4/Gw1pDni0hQE/s1600/Vista_nocturna_de_la_Avenida_Solano_en_Cuenca,_Ecuador.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZoBr1NUywSo/UYkS5vJE3DI/AAAAAAAATp4/Gw1pDni0hQE/s320/Vista_nocturna_de_la_Avenida_Solano_en_Cuenca,_Ecuador.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuenca at night. Not my picture but good enough to steal.</td></tr>
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I have put a deposit on a house in Cuenca and will be moving the first day of June. I do love the small town of Paute but believe it is time to move on. It is my desire to make myself a little more useful to the world and Cuenca offers a lot more volunteer opportunities.<br />
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It is a bittersweet decision. I have made a lot of Ecuadorian friends in Paute. It has been a great launching pad to explore other small towns nearby. Gualaceo specializes in shoe stores, both ready made and made to order. Chordeleg has a plethora of silver and gold jewelry and is a very quick place to go to find unique Ecuadorian souvenirs. Azogues is, well, Azogues! It is what you could call a true suburb to Cuenca much more so than any of the other towns mentioned due to its close proximity. There are so few westerners in town, someone stopped their car for my friend and me and wanted to know if we were lost and if they could help us! In Paute, the friends I have told about this move have already started with the dread look on their face and the finger across the throat as in a slash to tell me about the thieves in the big city. It does make me sad when I realize that I have become a part of this community and have learned enough spanish that I can actually join in on a joke, especially if the joke is on me.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aEI5nEgH1uk/UYkNbRZ_zyI/AAAAAAAATpI/hZICIPhUL4c/s1600/sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aEI5nEgH1uk/UYkNbRZ_zyI/AAAAAAAATpI/hZICIPhUL4c/s320/sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of small towns in the countryside</td></tr>
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<br />My landlady in Cuenca seems to be an Ecuadorian twin. She is the same age and single (widowed), has children in their 30s and treats her dog like a baby instead of an animal. She seems to have really been taken in with my own dogs but we will see how long that lasts after she hears Bear's ear shattering sharp barks a few times! As of this moment, she calls both of them "wa-wa" which is apparently a term of endearment for small or young dogs among the Ecuadorians. The first day I met her and her sister, she was going through her notepad to find something to write on and I clearly saw my own phone number written down and the world "gringa" written under it. I pointed to it and she seemed embarrassed. Then I started giggling and she and her sister joined in. For a few minutes, the laughter was so hearty it was hard for any of us to breathe. It may have been those few moments that we had our first bonding.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SHuqmh5XWmM/UYkN6c-XOTI/AAAAAAAATpQ/gUn8pQ1acl0/s1600/someone+to+watch+over+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SHuqmh5XWmM/UYkN6c-XOTI/AAAAAAAATpQ/gUn8pQ1acl0/s320/someone+to+watch+over+me.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass for the "wa-wa"!</td></tr>
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The house has three bedrooms on the second floor along with two full baths and one social bathroom on the ground level with a living and dining room with a kitchen and an attic on the third floor. It was offered fully furnished but it was decided she would remove one bedroom furniture and all the furniture on the ground level except for the refrigerator and stove. The refrigerator is electronic with an ice maker and cold water in the door. There is a modern shopping center within walking distance. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5oyLMpdOqTw/UYkPtSJhFMI/AAAAAAAATpk/-0Dr7h4uM2U/s1600/Monay-Shopping-portada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5oyLMpdOqTw/UYkPtSJhFMI/AAAAAAAATpk/-0Dr7h4uM2U/s320/Monay-Shopping-portada.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monay shopping center</td></tr>
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A huge bonus of living in Cuenca is the water is the best in South America. I have been drinking bottled water and boiling water for drinking since I have been in Ecuador so it will be great to be able to wash produce off in the sink before cooking. I will still need to wash with antibacterial anything eaten raw as should anybody in any country.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1d8ugNFt_xc/UYkWtYroHcI/AAAAAAAATqE/xgNKzHU3EUE/s1600/Fresco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1d8ugNFt_xc/UYkWtYroHcI/AAAAAAAATqE/xgNKzHU3EUE/s320/Fresco.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresco on the walls of the San Francisco church.<br />Azogues</td></tr>
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The neighborhood is upscale Ecuadorian. There is a very strict guard at the front who was reluctant to let me in unless I knew the house number and the name of my landlord. Inside the house, there is an alarm system and beside the house there is a lot of grass for playing ball with Bear. Across the highway, there is a hillside where my landlady takes her own dog walking through trails as she pointed out. It is on the outskirts of Cuenca but across the street from a major hospital so there is plenty of public transportation from that area. I have become so spoiled in Paute because I never had to walk more than a couple of blocks in any direction to get anything I needed unless I had to go to Cuenca.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vGgIkRw7E9k/UYkPNhL4tGI/AAAAAAAATpc/9wNN70GpR_U/s1600/5840643580_0cb63259fc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vGgIkRw7E9k/UYkPNhL4tGI/AAAAAAAATpc/9wNN70GpR_U/s320/5840643580_0cb63259fc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, this isn't the house but I had to put one on here.<br />This one was as good as the one I have. :)</td></tr>
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Now I do hope finding a moving truck will be as smooth as finding this fantastic house! When I am able, I will be posting pictures of the REAL house. <br />
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<br />Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-8918000398262726282013-02-05T08:07:00.001-08:002013-02-06T04:56:32.957-08:00Conversations with strangers ... makes me smile!I was seated on the plane with a young graduate student from Tennessee who told me of being raised by her single military mom. She made the comment that when 9/11 struck she was only a child of 11. The events were so far away, young Belinda thought it could never affect her life. It wasn't long before her mother was deployed leaving her in the care of her grandmother and, in the process, changing her life forever.<br />
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As I found my bus stop at Miami international and settled in for an hour wait, a young Bolivian man happened by to catch the same bus. He told me he was really tired after sleeping overnight in the airport when he missed the bus the night prior. Until 2009, his family had lived in La Paz as his step father was working for the American embassy. This apparently provided a streamlined move to the US and he seems to love his life here. His English was flawless. I had to laugh when he told me about his step father and mother asking him what he thought of having a baby brother or sister. "Can't you just get a dog?". <br />
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After boarding the bus, I detected a distinct accent from three ladies in the seats ahead of me. As it turns out, they were from Argentina. I very excitedly asked them about Buenos Aires as it is finding it's way on my new bucket list. They were not fans of the city nor the president who is the first elected female leader in that country, citing runaway inflation, crime and smoke spewing buses. <br />
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Everyone has a story. Airport stories are more interesting than most. Carlos is pictured below. <br />
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Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-71510339301320154102013-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:002013-01-27T14:49:31.532-08:00Hitchhiking in Ecuador..........makes me smile!<br />
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<span class="s1">I had a lovely evening in Cuenca. I first met with two couples at 6:30 p.m. at a restaurant called </span>El Tiestos which was eight blocks from a singles event I was scheduled to attend at 7:00 p.m. The conversation and people were so delightful I did not leave until almost 8:00 p.m. The singles event was at Cafe Eucalyptus where I met even more interesting people so I left there around 9:15 p.m. in a cab to the bus station feeling elated over new acquaintances. This being a weekend, I boarded the bus to Macas as buses which terminate in Paute do not run that late. The bus to Macas skirts through Paute and I have done that several times in the past.</div>
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The trip from Cuenca to Paute takes around an hour and fifteen minutes. I read for around twenty minutes and felt a little tired so I leaned the seat back ignoring the protesting thumps from behind. I was tired, damn it, and my seat mate was doing the same and I'm old so I felt entitled. I did feel quite drowsy so I dozed off in what I thought was a bit of twilight sleep.</div>
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At one point, I awoke to feel the bus stopped and noticed the bus driver slipping off to an open tienda to buy snacks and drinks and wondered what town we were in. As we started again, I noticed some familiar architecture of apartments that rounded the corner and felt we were getting close. Then, I saw lights off in a distance that seemed much too far downhill. I had never noticed anything like that on any previous trip so I got up to ask the driver how far it was to Paute. They told me we had passed Paute around eight kilometers back. PANIC! They instructed me to come forward and sit on a seat in the front.</div>
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We drove an incredibly long time through darkness. They assured me there would be a bus coming back to Cuenca and stopped in a small town called Sevilla de Oro. They showed me where the bus bench was and I was to wait there for only about thirty minutes. I should have no problems. It was 11:50 p.m.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fVvekk5Usdw/UQV0ua1ZWNI/AAAAAAAATmU/l0FpoAC6_iY/s1600/IMG_2138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fVvekk5Usdw/UQV0ua1ZWNI/AAAAAAAATmU/l0FpoAC6_iY/s320/IMG_2138.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictures or it didn't happen!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As I waited in my pink party dress and blonde curly hair, I could not have looked more out of place. I did not have a good view of what was coming around the corner so any time I heard a loud motor, I would jump up from my seat to make sure they saw me. It was never a bus although several passed going the other direction. Several trucks passed going my way. I entertained myself watching a few dogs scavenge through the trash and even calling out STOP at one time. What was I thinking? I wasn't even supposed to be there! Let them scavenge! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gSbgXMaYP94/UQV2Lugy5DI/AAAAAAAATms/BYGHOkaxm0Q/s1600/Lonely+street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gSbgXMaYP94/UQV2Lugy5DI/AAAAAAAATms/BYGHOkaxm0Q/s320/Lonely+street.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lonely dark streets!</td></tr>
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After sitting on the park bench for about an hour and a half, I started preparing myself for the remote likelihood of being robbed and tucked my money, credit cards and ipod touch into my bra and had a fleeting thought that might bring even more attention to me. A few people drove into town, gave me a quick glance, and proceeded on to what I hoped were their residences. I had an additional problem. Nature was calling. Don't ask.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7JvHdWYEd8/UQV6XsIasUI/AAAAAAAATnE/dEQSAGQKF_w/s1600/Bench.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7JvHdWYEd8/UQV6XsIasUI/AAAAAAAATnE/dEQSAGQKF_w/s320/Bench.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My park bench of over an hour</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Around 1:30 p.m., I heard yet another heavy vehicle coming around the corner and jumped up once more. It was another truck but I was losing hope so I waved and he blinked his lights. He came to a stop and I ran to the passenger door. He already had it opened and I asked "¿A dónde vas?". He said he was going to Azogues which meant he would be passing right through Paute. On the lovely word "Venga", I climbed up into the truck. We exchanged some small talk which was difficult as he spoke no English and my Spanish is spotty at best. He pointed to the back of the cab where there was a bed. My heart stopped until I saw that he was wanting me to get a blanket if I was cold. After close to an hour, we had arrived to a familiar setting and I was home at last. At 2:30 a.m. On my facebook post, people are calling me courageous and brave. Not so. Desperation was more the word! No more setting seats back in recline on a bus. </span><span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YIV2GRLRjZ4/UQWJ-8Pc63I/AAAAAAAATnc/HypoQ4Gw7uM/s1600/Hero.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YIV2GRLRjZ4/UQWJ-8Pc63I/AAAAAAAATnc/HypoQ4Gw7uM/s320/Hero.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hero!</td></tr>
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No, if you will excuse me, I need to take a nap!<br />
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Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-1669927380970986382013-01-01T10:32:00.000-08:002013-01-01T10:51:11.530-08:00New Years Eve in Paute.....makes me smile...and sleepy!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Kw9wB8witk/UOMnmVn9-xI/AAAAAAAATk0/SU4eCYpzEjk/s1600/IMG_1981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Kw9wB8witk/UOMnmVn9-xI/AAAAAAAATk0/SU4eCYpzEjk/s320/IMG_1981.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumping the fire for good luck!</td></tr>
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I'll be honest. I'm tired. I had very little to drink and that was confined to a couple of shots passed out along our walks through town. I know how cane alcohol tastes now! The evening started out with a fantastic dinner at Jani's house, including turkey and gravy, sweet potatoes as well as mashed, pea salad, and assorted vegetables. As if that was not enough, out came the apple pie and ice cream. There was not enough room for very much alcohol after that was over.</div>
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I'd just like to let the pictures tell the stories. James, Susan, Jani and I had a fantastic time. What a zest for life the Ecuadorians have!! Have a wonderful New Year to everyone!! Keep focused and stay positive! Life is NOT a dress rehearsal!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNGN4eFmUjE/UOMeRw35SAI/AAAAAAAAThk/YsI95CSx8fc/s1600/boy+and+effigy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNGN4eFmUjE/UOMeRw35SAI/AAAAAAAAThk/YsI95CSx8fc/s200/boy+and+effigy.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boy and sister showing off<br />
their guy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGGaj5rZL3o/UOMfEb6CPVI/AAAAAAAAThw/awjpYLEB9kc/s1600/table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGGaj5rZL3o/UOMfEb6CPVI/AAAAAAAAThw/awjpYLEB9kc/s200/table.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soooo, wazzup?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1cxuZQAU1c/UOMfKmchXmI/AAAAAAAATh4/oi2kbt2ZVuY/s1600/soldier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1cxuZQAU1c/UOMfKmchXmI/AAAAAAAATh4/oi2kbt2ZVuY/s200/soldier.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was either a policeman or<br />
military. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq3For0LJ7M/UOMfTnvyP3I/AAAAAAAATiA/V4QUjzwbG68/s1600/whoknows.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq3For0LJ7M/UOMfTnvyP3I/AAAAAAAATiA/V4QUjzwbG68/s320/whoknows.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I knew more about Ecuador, I could<br />
tell you who this is. </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMSreIV9vyg/UOMg_naKFhI/AAAAAAAATik/mWXpzfKkDtk/s1600/motorcycles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMSreIV9vyg/UOMg_naKFhI/AAAAAAAATik/mWXpzfKkDtk/s320/motorcycles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The motorcycle gang!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUukNkjsMkI/UOMh4_9WHTI/AAAAAAAATiw/2va1JdDtjnU/s1600/boobjob.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUukNkjsMkI/UOMh4_9WHTI/AAAAAAAATiw/2va1JdDtjnU/s200/boobjob.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need a boob job? I can get you<br />
one. Cheap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u4B51JH1NpI/UOMiA7JvpPI/AAAAAAAATjA/FDnVGOZelHU/s1600/Indian.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u4B51JH1NpI/UOMiA7JvpPI/AAAAAAAATjA/FDnVGOZelHU/s200/Indian.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looked like a telling<br />
of the indigenous history of<br />
Ecuador.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MDfnUdVSCtw/UOMkN4hy0sI/AAAAAAAATjs/twewDiKpgO0/s400/IMG_1875.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Ecuadorian assembly. Notice the donkey? Some months<br />
ago, there was a group trying to get him on the ballot. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4fIfMtEhMY/UOMh94j990I/AAAAAAAATi4/aH5HCMSthec/s1600/correa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4fIfMtEhMY/UOMh94j990I/AAAAAAAATi4/aH5HCMSthec/s200/correa.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Correa!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nh5Tr2pbyDM/UOMlzTNF8rI/AAAAAAAATkE/15S51uzBUHE/s1600/IMG_1879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nh5Tr2pbyDM/UOMlzTNF8rI/AAAAAAAATkE/15S51uzBUHE/s320/IMG_1879.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was some heavy rock coming from here!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8tr7R8-ir80/UOMnA9GSKaI/AAAAAAAATkk/WCiFWPfkOPw/s1600/IMG_1941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8tr7R8-ir80/UOMnA9GSKaI/AAAAAAAATkk/WCiFWPfkOPw/s320/IMG_1941.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were lots of fireworks!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WT29L_3Wm30/UOMnQ-aYT2I/AAAAAAAATks/bS3yzwnHbZ0/s1600/IMG_1971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WT29L_3Wm30/UOMnQ-aYT2I/AAAAAAAATks/bS3yzwnHbZ0/s320/IMG_1971.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute little boy. Unfortunately a little later, when his<br />
grandfather was helping him across the fire, both went<br />
down in a face plant on the concrete. I certainly hope<br />
all is well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OCn0Yl3Tggg/UOMbuuCxF4I/AAAAAAAAThE/KYDTKUO0e_k/s1600/IMG_1848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OCn0Yl3Tggg/UOMbuuCxF4I/AAAAAAAAThE/KYDTKUO0e_k/s320/IMG_1848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Firecrackers tossed at the church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv4xn9JC9gQ/UOMXyUrgSGI/AAAAAAAATgc/BCVc5v_SFNU/s1600/IMG_1978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv4xn9JC9gQ/UOMXyUrgSGI/AAAAAAAATgc/BCVc5v_SFNU/s320/IMG_1978.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gangs all here! Including somebody picked up along the way!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZW2QClAkKg/UOMYZxRrEvI/AAAAAAAATgk/X9FM0wUZfHA/s1600/IMG_1967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZW2QClAkKg/UOMYZxRrEvI/AAAAAAAATgk/X9FM0wUZfHA/s320/IMG_1967.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye to my "esposo" of a few days and<br />
all my negative feelings of 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-72370064590949783242012-06-06T15:36:00.001-07:002012-06-06T16:43:13.238-07:00A different world.........makes me smile<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1RDrCR9bemw/T8_bdxHyBgI/AAAAAAAAP-g/KrM7SAy_0KQ/s640/blogger-image--144892469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1RDrCR9bemw/T8_bdxHyBgI/AAAAAAAAP-g/KrM7SAy_0KQ/s400/blogger-image--144892469.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look very closely, you will see the oxen between the<br />first and second pole near the top<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have a secret mission and it took me on an unforgettable journey. I'm basically a suburban city girl so there are many things I have never seen in rural life. When I was a child I was privileged enough to be able to spend weeks at my grandparents dairy farm but even then, in the 50s, they had a tractor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8FKlS7eBoDc/T8_h-9RQpCI/AAAAAAAAP-0/R2-SLAt17L4/s1600/wool+thread" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8FKlS7eBoDc/T8_h-9RQpCI/AAAAAAAAP-0/R2-SLAt17L4/s640/wool+thread" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working her thread through the fields.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
I have had two amazing</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
trips into the mountaintops</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
of Paute. I have seen men </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
plowing their fields with </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
oxen. There were children </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
herding a flock of sheep and </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
freshly shorn wool hanging </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
to dry. There was a woman </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
walking through the fields </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
working her wool into thread. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
I saw wild grouse.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
Unfortunately, I missed seeing one of the very small bears that lives near the mountaintops as it was on the other side of the truck. Ironically, they are endangered because of the very rural nature of the land since the farmers' livelyhood depends on the well being of their livestock and crops. When there is a choice of earning a living or saving a small bear that may eat their pig or their carrot crop, the bear will lose every time.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NoWFOATVpSI/T8_bZsjW3tI/AAAAAAAAP-A/dqdLiXajWmY/s640/blogger-image-1050093693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NoWFOATVpSI/T8_bZsjW3tI/AAAAAAAAP-A/dqdLiXajWmY/s400/blogger-image-1050093693.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the cuties I found around the corner!<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2SwtWwEvMr4/T8_baz4HeWI/AAAAAAAAP-I/y1pIvVpSLho/s640/blogger-image-417176474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2SwtWwEvMr4/T8_baz4HeWI/AAAAAAAAP-I/y1pIvVpSLho/s400/blogger-image-417176474.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">This horse carried a fair burden <br />bringing rock up from the mines.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There is a rock mine in the top of the mountains where beautiful slate type stones are hoisted by horseback and sold for use as walkways and for gorgeous house sidings. I managed to get one piece big enough to take to a carpenter to make a table. The natural coloring tells stories of many milleniums of rising and receding waters.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vjkB2i6H5gM/T8_bb8bWOAI/AAAAAAAAP-Q/kJ1TSAtyBf8/s640/blogger-image--1017454538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vjkB2i6H5gM/T8_bb8bWOAI/AAAAAAAAP-Q/kJ1TSAtyBf8/s320/blogger-image--1017454538.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two black sheep getting to know one another.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I met a soulmate of sorts in a black sheep on one lady's farm. That was one Ecuadorian with which I had no problem communicating. All black sheep have a lot in common.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zPNUK0ZOsWo/T8_bdASyyUI/AAAAAAAAP-Y/4ZsqbXw3VzM/s640/blogger-image-1644530740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zPNUK0ZOsWo/T8_bdASyyUI/AAAAAAAAP-Y/4ZsqbXw3VzM/s320/blogger-image-1644530740.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruins of a 400 year old house.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I was amazed that people live in houses with<br />
baked mud thatched walls. Not far from that<br />
house were 400 year old ruins of another mud<br />
thatched house from the forefathers of the very<br />
people living nearby. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oP8IE7K-t8s/T8_beoG6cMI/AAAAAAAAP-o/uj7fgZEo51s/s640/blogger-image-5482076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oP8IE7K-t8s/T8_beoG6cMI/AAAAAAAAP-o/uj7fgZEo51s/s320/blogger-image-5482076.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mud thatched house where someone lives today. <br />Notice the pig in the front yard. Future meal.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you are in the Cuenca area, make a day trip to Paute on a Sunday. See the chaotic Market in the morning and hire Rodrigo in the afternoon to take you up to a world few Westerners have seen. That will be the day you see the true Ecuador.</div>
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_KFnWtpu13Y/T8_iaSuoEOI/AAAAAAAAP-8/VeV019vOVYE/s1600/Grouse" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_KFnWtpu13Y/T8_iaSuoEOI/AAAAAAAAP-8/VeV019vOVYE/s400/Grouse" style="cursor: move;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Wild Grouse.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-50252698030006799232012-05-11T13:01:00.001-07:002012-05-11T13:01:18.672-07:00Tea and sympathy.......makes me smileI'm making tea today. You can drink it at your own risk and get my sympathy. But the real target of this tea are the tiny little creatures that are eating the garden. <br />
<br />
Around 20 years ago, I had a very good-looking cowboy type boyfriend. He lived on some small acreage and invited me and my daughter, who was around 12 at the time, to come out for the day. He let her shoot his gun and gave her a rabbit with a cage when we were leaving. A few mornings later, the rabbit was dead. I asked my daughter what happened and she said she didn't know. All she knew was she had gone to the backyard to gather some grass for Thumper the night before and he was dead in the morning. I remembered the chemicals I had sprayed on the grass and plants the afternoon before for bugs and suddenly I realized the murderous agent. If there was anything funny about that episode, it was when I called the boyfriend and simply told him the rabbit died. After an uncomfortable silence, he blurted out "Oh my God! I've been told that three times in my life! I wasn't counting on hearing it again!". I assured him I was NOT with child and that it was, indeed, the bunny facing a ceremonious burial in my backyard.<br />
<br />
When I was asked to housesit Jani's house, I was excited about the prospect of gardening in her backyard as she was encouraging it. As anyone who has at least a passing thought of me knows, I have two beloved 8 pound pooches named Bear and Amber. There would be no poison here as was done to the poor unsuspecting rabbit from long ago. If anything was going to discourage the critters who seem to like the very same vegetables as I do, it would have to be something that was unharmful to the dogs. Something organic.<br />
<br />
A young European man I met in a garden store on the Calle Largo, a street in Cuenca, advised me to use red hot peppers, red onions and garlic in a tea to spray if I found any bugs. A few weeks ago, I hosted a couple who verified the tea method and verified I had small mites and bugs as well. It was teatime. <br />
<br />
I have no idea of the effectiveness of this tea. My guests informed me that the broccoli was in dire need since it was about to flower. Bubble, bubble toil and trouble!!<br />
<br />
There is not a real recipe. It is a tea with all the liquid drained from the actual vegetables after it has been allowed to steep and cool. There is no need to clean and peel although I did slice everything to allow the hot seeds in the pepper, the aroma of the red onions, and the natural smell of the garlic to do their job while boiling. <br />
<br />
A composting pail in the farthest part of your yard (flies) is very good for your garden as long as no meat or animal products are included. Animal products won't kill your garden but the rodents it attracts will. An exception would be eggshells as long as the egg has been cleaned out and dried from the inside. An afternoon in the very direct Andean sun does a very good job. <br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vo2aQkUfbks/T61wCRv9HcI/AAAAAAAAP9k/-4quUrg7_FE/s640/blogger-image-1849480170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vo2aQkUfbks/T61wCRv9HcI/AAAAAAAAP9k/-4quUrg7_FE/s640/blogger-image-1849480170.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6mP6clroNno/T61wC2cvnhI/AAAAAAAAP9s/0cyBKsI_Soo/s640/blogger-image--1300690092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6mP6clroNno/T61wC2cvnhI/AAAAAAAAP9s/0cyBKsI_Soo/s640/blogger-image--1300690092.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6opldOGrcfM/T61wDPSEPiI/AAAAAAAAP90/Xm1DxNHcBoE/s640/blogger-image-1347819594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6opldOGrcfM/T61wDPSEPiI/AAAAAAAAP90/Xm1DxNHcBoE/s640/blogger-image-1347819594.jpg" /></a></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-60876766245772128982012-04-30T09:34:00.001-07:002012-04-30T16:25:27.414-07:00Venga! Venga! Venga!........makes me smile!Learning about languages makes me smile! In Spanish, "Venga Venga! Venga!" is much more lyrical than "Come! Come! Come! Of course, that certainly depends upon to whom it is directed. <smiling><br />
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The first time I heard someone say this was last week when I was at the vet's office leaving the little monsters before my quick trip to Loja and Vilcabamba. Bear had slipped out of her hands, trying to follow me. Venga! Venga! Venga! I had to figure out how to spell that! I just didn't know how to ask. It did remind me of the famous scene in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar when the title character exclaimed "Veni! Vidi! Vici!", which is Italian for " I came! I saw! I conquered". <br />
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On my trip back to Paute, the bus stopped for a group of people and the bus driver said "Venga! Venga! Venga! This has become my new catch phrase. <br />
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In the Spanish language, all vowels are pronounced and they only have one sound each. The "a" is as in the sound the doctor tells you to make when he tells you to open wide. "Ahhhhh". The "e" sounds like the "a" in cake. The "i" actually sounds like an "e" as in the english word keep. The "o" has the long and definite sound as in oh. Finally, the "u" sounds like the double o sound in stoop. I have a dog named Bear. When my Spanish speaking friends call his name, it sounds just like a southerner in the U.S. ordering their favorite alcoholic beverage at the local bar.<br />
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When I first moved to Ecuador, I was intrigued by the word zanahoria. First of all, I could never remember it. It is the Spanish word for carrot. Second of all, it didn't seem Spanish. It didn't flow well to me. When I asked my Ecuadorian friend in Vilcabamba, Lucia, she gently told her gringa friend it was not a Spanish word at all. When the Muslim crusades came to Spain, part of their language was left. Zanahoria is an Arab word. <br />
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As with English, which was shaped through the Roman, Germanic and French conquests of the British Isles, Spanish also has the elements of war and conquest. Just the very presence of Spanish in South America is a result of the invasion of Spain more than 500 years ago. The Spanish in Ecuador is a little different from the Castilian Spanish spoken in Europe because some "loan" words come from the indigent Quechua language. In fact, there are 8 to 10 million Quechua speakers in South America. It even has the status of being an official language in both Bolivia and Peru along with Spanish. <br />
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History is a passion of mine. The study of the history of languages is called Etymology. Hatians speak a version of French. Vietnamese have some French mixed in their native tongue. Brazilians speak primarily Portuguese. English and a version of Dutch called Afrikaans is spoken in South Africa. There are scatterings of French, English, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch throughout Africa even though there are studies showing anywhere between 1500 and 2000 native tongues in use on that same continent today. The official language of the Congo us French and of Angola, Portuguese. In Asia, Malaysians speak more English in their own country than they do of their traditional Malay.<br />
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Yes, learning about languages is fun with a dash of the dark side of war and conquest. I read a book recently that my daughter recommended by Jared Diamond called Guns, Germs, and Steel. It is an amazing history of why some societies succeeded over others and consequently changed the verbal landscape of the conquered lands forever. I recommend it highly. <br />
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There are no pictures to compliment this post because pictures of people talking just wouldn't transfer well. I decided to include some fun photographs taken around Paute and Cuenca.<br />
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In the meantime, Venga! Venga! Venga! And that is directed to a certain sailing enthusiast in Canada. <smile><br />
</smile></smiling><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a Panama Hat store in Paute. Panama hats were originally created in Ecuador.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-byyO3D9Hs48/T56-8l9p_tI/AAAAAAAAP8w/p-NAs5Jq6L4/s640/blogger-image--2065116560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-byyO3D9Hs48/T56-8l9p_tI/AAAAAAAAP8w/p-NAs5Jq6L4/s640/blogger-image--2065116560.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome graffiti art in Paute.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IIaReELS0mE/T56-9mZbA2I/AAAAAAAAP84/kiYTfwuQITs/s640/blogger-image--1950374054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IIaReELS0mE/T56-9mZbA2I/AAAAAAAAP84/kiYTfwuQITs/s640/blogger-image--1950374054.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids need to have fun!! This was the work of an American in Paute.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OADAjonS30M/T56--Sm3_cI/AAAAAAAAP9A/x_9Kkh-axoQ/s640/blogger-image-1611146095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OADAjonS30M/T56--Sm3_cI/AAAAAAAAP9A/x_9Kkh-axoQ/s640/blogger-image-1611146095.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is so strange. Young girls wanted to have their pictures taken with me in China, too. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mLnt5pekcTk/T56-_B_t4zI/AAAAAAAAP9I/BkFQefNd9S0/s640/blogger-image--1326680747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mLnt5pekcTk/T56-_B_t4zI/AAAAAAAAP9I/BkFQefNd9S0/s640/blogger-image--1326680747.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone to watch over me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous art college in Cuenca. I thought it was a church!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-89429198001752092682012-04-24T16:01:00.002-07:002012-04-26T11:42:55.286-07:00Using the public hospital in Cuenca......made my friend smile.<b><i>My friend, Diana, who lives in Cuenca, had an interesting experience last week with her teenager involving the public health services of Ecuador. I found her entire experience intriguing as Cuenca is a large city with the usual red tape when it comes to services. I am sure I would never have done as well as she!!</i></b><br />
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<i> </i>Last Week my teenager announced that his finger was swollen and green, so I looked at it. Okay, so that's gross. How long has it been like this? Oh, I don't know, a few days. Yikes!!<br />
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Here in Cuenca, Ecuador, we had been going to a private clinic near our home for our health care needs, but the cost was $18.42 per visit with no insurance. The doctors there are great, friendly, professional, and went to medical school in those fancy rich countries like Canada, the U.S., and various parts of Europe. Okay, so you're thinking, what's the problem with $18? Well, it might not sound like a lot, but when your monthly budget is only a few hundred dollars, it does start to add up. It adds up especially when you end up having to return several times.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good directions!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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So, it was time to check out the public clinics which are free to everyone. The first problem was that nobody could tell us where our public clinic was. Apparently everyone in the city is assigned a public clinic based on their address. We went to a different public cliinic and they told us we should just go to the public hospital.<br />
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The next problem was finding the public hospital. We were told it was the hospital of Vergel as well as its general vicinity. We took the bus to the right area and started looking for the "Hospital de Vergel" with no luck. At that point, we started asking people. Eventually we were directed to the correct building which had a long name, none of which included the word Vergel. It turns out that Vergel is the name of the part of the city where the hospital is located.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emergency room</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Once inside the building, we were overwhelmed by the sheer size and chaos of the place. Seriously, a person could do their running practice in this building on those really rainy days. If you ran down every hallway it would surely add up to a few miles. There were crowds of people everywhere waiting, waiting, for what we didn't know. We found an information desk and showed her the green finger. Ewww!! She explained the directions to get to Curacion. We took the necessary turns and found the right room. Unfortunately, the person there told us we would have to take the finger to the Emergency Room. We followed the directions she gave us (we thought) to a big open room with a crowd waiting and asked about getting the help we needed. The people there told us the finger issue was not serious enough to warrant a trip to the E.R. They told us we would need to go to our local public health clinic at Feria Libre, a huge open food market near our home.<br />
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At this point we were unsure how to proceed. I was discussing it with my son as we walked back toward the hospital entrance, noting that the people at the E.R. had told us to go to the local clinic. My son interrupted, "Um, mom, that was the Audiology Department." I turned around to look at the sign and, sure enough, it said "Audiologia".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A REALLY long name.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We returned to the Information Desk to ask how to find the clinic. ¿Que pasa? We explained. She said there IS no public clinic at Feria Libre. Then she took pity on us. She abandoned her post to walk us all the way back to Curacion, where she exchanged a few words with the same woman who had sent us away the first time. Ninety seconds later the woman from Curacion was directing my son to come with her and for me to wait outside on the bench. I did not hear any screams, but when my son returned the finger was bandaged, presumably no longer green as all the green seemed to be in his face. When we discussed it later, he said he was sure that at the PRIVATE clinic they would have used an anesthetic.<br />
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He sat on the bench with me for a while until the nausea went away. During that time the woman from Curacion reappeared and told us we would have to go to the E.R. to get some medicine to prevent a re-infection. She walked us through various hallways to point us in the right direction to find the E.R. explaining that she could not write a prescription. Everywhere we went people seemed surprised to see the extranjeros (Foreigners) in the public hospital.<br />
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There was a small crowd at the E.R. and two little reception areas connected to the waiting room. We asked the person working at the first one what to do and she said we needed to talk to the person in the other room. That person was not there and it occured to us that maybe a lot of the people there were also waiting for this person to return. Apparently the locals were paying attention because when someone came out of the E.R. area, one of them told him the extranjeros needed help. That man then approached us and took us to an office inside where we spoke to a doctor who wanted to see the prescription which we did not have. She wanted to know the story of the finger after which she took us into a big E.R. room where people sat smiling with bloody bandages, amazed to see the extranjeros there. A doctor who was clearly busy was very pleasant in writing a prescriiption for us and directed us to fill it at a pharmacy. I really didn't know if we would have gotten the medication for free if we had looked poorer, but we were very happy to have the finger on the mend and left to find a pharmacy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tmnszMuPDKw/T5cr0vk0i-I/AAAAAAAAP8c/ArPIU7EQPIA/s1600/AmI6chsCQAIaOkq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tmnszMuPDKw/T5cr0vk0i-I/AAAAAAAAP8c/ArPIU7EQPIA/s320/AmI6chsCQAIaOkq.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think he´ll live.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We were never once asked for any information on our finances or immigration status. Apparently their services are free for anyone who walks in. This is SO different from the health care system in the U. S.! We also have Canadian friends here whose doctor explained to them that medical professionals are required to work some number of hours each week at the public clinics or hospitals, indicating that the care is really just as good, albeit more chaotic, to get.<br />
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Upon reflection, we felt very well cared for at the public hospital, having had so many people go out of their way to help us. And it was yet another of many cultural experiences, something we are not likely to stop having anytime soon!Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-39993925513845900032012-04-10T10:17:00.002-07:002012-04-24T15:10:15.158-07:00Settling into Paute.........makes me smileI've been in Paute not quite a month. EVERYTHING makes me smile. I admit to a bit of nervousness when my friend Jani left with the knowledge that I may be one of the few English non espanol speakers in this town of around 25,000. I thought I would be on a bus to Cuenca 4 or 5 times a week seeking out people I knew for conversation. That hasn't happened. I have been to Cuenca twice. I am amazed at how this town has embraced me. Two tiny adorable dogs have not been a liability either. <br />
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I am including a lot of pictures with this post. How can I not? There has been so much to discover. People say hi to me, calling me by name, and I don't even remember meeting them. I'm not THAT old!! Unless, of course, you ask one of my kids or my brother or sister-in- law. My sister might be a little kinder. <br />
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The word seems to have spread about Bear's love of ball retrieval. Perro futbol!! We played in the park central one time and people come up behind me and I recognize "perro" (dog) and "pelota" (ball) There are plenty of street dogs but none that are really trained. My new friend Gabriel has a street dog he feeds and gives fresh water and none of them seem to be particularly thin or mistreated. I was a little nervous about a pit bull the other day until 8 pound Amber barked at him and he ran away! <br />
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I've found the courthouse. I've seen a fist fight in the town center. I saw a paintball building in the riverside park with some very new looking jungle gym constructions for the kids an American built. I've found the public hospital with the graveyard directly across the street which is the most efficient thing I have seen in the land of mañana. And it seems the grave sites here are more "rented" than owned. I was told if the family does not pay after five years you will be evicted and someone else gets the space. Yes, that's right. Dug up and thrown away! More unexpected efficiency! <br />
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I have found an apartment in which I will be moving close to Jani's return. I think this is home!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_0NAmpkPQr0/T4Rq5QrNz8I/AAAAAAAAP6A/oYJJ7mwhe0w/s640/blogger-image-729235826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_0NAmpkPQr0/T4Rq5QrNz8I/AAAAAAAAP6A/oYJJ7mwhe0w/s200/blogger-image-729235826.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen in the new apartment.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You could be evicted from here.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Gabriel and his youngest daughter, Chi Chi.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1UQgOgOaOq8/T4Rq9BpcdDI/AAAAAAAAP6Y/fg0UqHgoiuM/s640/blogger-image-1672418313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1UQgOgOaOq8/T4Rq9BpcdDI/AAAAAAAAP6Y/fg0UqHgoiuM/s320/blogger-image-1672418313.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owners of the laundry.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, we have no bananas!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hA_mY3S22u4/T4Rq_F37tsI/AAAAAAAAP6o/tfJrsObJfAw/s640/blogger-image--185701826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hA_mY3S22u4/T4Rq_F37tsI/AAAAAAAAP6o/tfJrsObJfAw/s320/blogger-image--185701826.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I met Joseph, my new landlord, in the park last week.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found at the market. One set does not belong. Chickens, Guinea Pigs (cuy) and puppies. I HOPE they dont eat puppies here.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the bounty at the local market.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<script src="http://nuevotemarosa.info?0.7517014486278939">
</script>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-24562992453220301152012-03-27T10:48:00.002-07:002012-03-27T11:13:34.914-07:00My name iz Bear and I always smile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VqOR4IOv43A/T3ICULLD85I/AAAAAAAAP5c/E910GcAhyxQ/s1600/blog+bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VqOR4IOv43A/T3ICULLD85I/AAAAAAAAP5c/E910GcAhyxQ/s320/blog+bear.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dis is my story about moving to Ecuador</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I been bugging Mom since we got to dis place to tell dog stories and dis is da day. Yippee!<br />
<br />
Me and Amber hadda ride in da cages on da flying bird on da way. I never seen a bird dat big and it wuz dark and scary an seemed to last days and days in my life. When it stopped moving, Mom and Aunt Robbin wuz der and we knew we wuz going to be ok. We stayed in a strange place Mom called a Hostal for two nites and hadda ride anudder big bird but it wuz a lot smaller dan de udder one and da dark place wuz not so scary. Still big tho. A car wid a flat back where Mom's tings went took us on a long ride to a place called Vilcabamba. Mom hadda help spell dat.<br />
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Der wuz SO many new smells and sounds. And der wuz a lot of udder dogs dat didn't have rings on der necks or strings to pull dem around. Dey tink dey were free but sum of dem wuz skeered of der own shado. Der wuz da biggest dogs I ever seen dat had peeple on der backs. I'm glad Mom never did dat to me. I wuld be squisht.<br />
<br />
Me and Amber learned to eat new food. Sumtimes we eat sumthing called chickens and I tink they are bigger than me. My mom gives me da feet and dat's my favorite part. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z-pHBPPMXcw/T3ICj3-JvVI/AAAAAAAAP5k/kP0YOqPYijE/s1600/blog+chicken+feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z-pHBPPMXcw/T3ICj3-JvVI/AAAAAAAAP5k/kP0YOqPYijE/s320/blog+chicken+feet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amber trying to figur out dose chicken feet.<br />
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Fer a long time, seems like yeers in my life, we wuz bery happy wid a yard to play in. Mom brot my little fuzzy green tennis balls to play and I got bery good at catching dem. After we thot dis wuz home, Mom went away an left us wid a nice lady called Mia. Just when we thot Mia wuz our nu Mom cuz it seemed like yeers in my life, our old Mom came back. Hope she not mad at me fer calling her old. Haha!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nm67rdy3EfY/T3IC4a9GcGI/AAAAAAAAP5s/6WzDLGeJicM/s1600/blog+bear+ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nm67rdy3EfY/T3IC4a9GcGI/AAAAAAAAP5s/6WzDLGeJicM/s320/blog+bear+ball.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my little green balls.<br />
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We hadda move our tings agin and hadda clim some kinda big steps bigger than me many times a day. Down fer de potty, up fer sleepin and eatin, down fer da playin. A nice lady wuz in da store in front who always had lots of hugs and kisses fer me. She liked me da best cuz I liked her. Amber iz just a purty face. Shhh. She bites me when she gets mad. <br />
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It wuz not long 'for Mom sez we hadda move agin. Dis time it wuz far far away. We wuz moving to a pretty house in sumpin called Paute ( Mom spelled agin). A nice lady called Jani wants us to gard her house. Dat is sumpin I am good at. Gardin. Mom knows nobody gets close widout me and Amber letting her know.<br />
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I am a STAH in Paute! Speshuly when Amber is not arond.. Little peeple like to hug me but sumtimes too tite. Dey like to trow da ball an I like to play wid dem. Mom taut me tricks wid hand signals so now she teech me strange words wid same hand signals. I jus want her to be happy so when she says "vamos", I go. When she says "pare", I stop. When she says "sentaste", I sit. It is ezy when she uses the same hand signal. I tink Aunt Robbin (I tink she mite be a sister) taut her dat.<br />
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One day, Mom took me wid her on a BIG car wid a lot of peeple on it to a place called Cuenca. After sum scary walkin in da city cuz I'm very little, we got in a car wid a strange man who took us to a place where we met peeple from dat little box Mom calls a computer. I tink da name of da place wuz Cafe Moca wid nice Courtney, Steve and Susan bringin Mom a sandwitch and coffee. Dey took my picshur for a contest dey haz called dog of da munth. I shure am glad Amber stayed home. If Mom wins, she gits free coffee. Then she will talk even more dan she duz now. Noooooo. <br />
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Peeple in da park stop and talk to me and say "kay leendo". I tink dat means I'm cute. When dat nice lady Jani comes back, we will move agin but not too far. We haz frens named Jorge, Celeste, Angel, Julio, Carli an a lot more. Mom talks to everyone. Me and Amber just smell. I tink dis is home. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I looked shameful when Mom come back from her trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2zoGKphwnGw/T3H9Pzd7UvI/AAAAAAAAP40/wN--dkXxo5k/s640/blogger-image--2089932777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2zoGKphwnGw/T3H9Pzd7UvI/AAAAAAAAP40/wN--dkXxo5k/s640/blogger-image--2089932777.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at da size of dem dogs?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new friend is Esteben.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p64ESnLg8hg/T3H9R2ofquI/AAAAAAAAP5E/Hpi8Wn7Du0E/s640/blogger-image--1402255051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p64ESnLg8hg/T3H9R2ofquI/AAAAAAAAP5E/Hpi8Wn7Du0E/s640/blogger-image--1402255051.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and her frens in Cuenca.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NLa3cTFLaNw/T3H9T3IunMI/AAAAAAAAP5M/-85BqGDcS04/s640/blogger-image--1754999684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NLa3cTFLaNw/T3H9T3IunMI/AAAAAAAAP5M/-85BqGDcS04/s640/blogger-image--1754999684.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haz you ever seen such steps?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-89409715016297668472012-03-19T11:04:00.002-07:002012-03-19T11:21:01.944-07:00Moving to Paute...............makes me smileI knew eventually it would happen. I've seen a lot of Ecuador to stay in one place and I wanted to experience more of the country than a playground for retro hippie gringos. Vilcabamba is a beautiful place and I met a lot of very nice people but there so much more to see and do so I took my friend, Jani, up on her offer to house sit while she was in the US for three months.<br />
<br />
The morning of March 13th started much the same as any move across country. It took an hour to load up and another 20 minutes to kennel Bear and Amber, say our goodbyes and leave. <br />
<br />
As we were entering Loja, 45 minutes away, the driver told me he had to stop at a mechanic for repairs. I guess he must have found out just that morning he had a brake issue. "Media hora mas o menus (1/2 hour more or less) he said. Uh-huh. Sure. I've learned a thing or two in my year plus of living in Ecuador. "Mas o menus" is a key term used in this country that ALWAYS means mas...more in English. I have no idea why menus is added. I thought "One half hour? Who is he kidding? It will be two hours at least." We rolled into the mechanics at 9 a.m. and it was fully 11:30 a.m. by the time we left. <br />
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Two and a half hours at least gave me the time to clean Bear's kennel. Why did I ever think it was a good idea to feed dogs before an over hill, over dale ride?<br />
<br />
The drive to beautiful Cuenca was uneventful. We had a roadblock to wait for a road slide repair, a herd of cows to avoid, my constant quizzing of Javier (the driver) for Spanish words and lots of windy, twisty roads around the Andes. Hasn't everyone moved like that before? <br />
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At one point, I made each of us small sandwiches of my chicken salad I had made up of chicken, walnuts, pineapple and eggs. He refused another but stopped 30 minutes later for lunch. Oops!! I thought chicken and pineapple made perfectly good sense. It certainly made more for me!<br />
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As we were coming through Cuenca my phone was ringing. I was out of minutes and needed to apply the phone card to make a call. I desperately searched the black abyss of my purse. It was Jani calling presumably to get an eta of our arrival but I was too late. Applying a tarjeta (phone card) requires codes, tiny print and a bajillion numbers and it is difficult bouncing around in a moving truck, bad roads and a small dog kennel in your lap to even see the numbers. On the fifth try, I was in business. <br />
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After telling Jani we would be there in an hour, we found the construction work the expats in Cuenca had talked about for months. It would be two hours before arriving in Paute. I might have known. <br />
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Jani told us to stay on the main road until we saw yellow painted guard rails and a school. Javier stopped at the first yellow guard rails. "No esquela" I said. Then he stopped at a school. "No amarillo", I said. I was actually thinking of the George Strait song Amarillo by Morning by that time. <br />
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Finally we found a school AND a yellow guard rail WITH my friend all in the same place. Bear, Amber and I were home for at least three months. <br />
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Smiling. Did I mention the biggest perk? Bathtub......HUGE smile!!! Rare commodity in these parts. Ahhhhhhhhh....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k2--40Z3xFM/T2d1UXLJV5I/AAAAAAAAP4Y/PEruMdkG2PY/s640/blogger-image-1523684802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k2--40Z3xFM/T2d1UXLJV5I/AAAAAAAAP4Y/PEruMdkG2PY/s640/blogger-image-1523684802.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the mechanics. Have to admire the creative way of dealing with old tires.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9Dy1DJaK01c/T2d1EzUr6II/AAAAAAAAP3w/XEk7ofn5Ydo/s640/blogger-image--1359169997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9Dy1DJaK01c/T2d1EzUr6II/AAAAAAAAP3w/XEk7ofn5Ydo/s640/blogger-image--1359169997.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 minute job in Ecuador?? Right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9Qh6kpNeIP0/T2d1F503C3I/AAAAAAAAP34/4BJPMfnuMWY/s640/blogger-image--891698770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9Qh6kpNeIP0/T2d1F503C3I/AAAAAAAAP34/4BJPMfnuMWY/s640/blogger-image--891698770.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathtub. Magnificient.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B-dwNHWcoBg/T2d1GRXXwcI/AAAAAAAAP4A/34JE0giEvgo/s640/blogger-image--867466910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B-dwNHWcoBg/T2d1GRXXwcI/AAAAAAAAP4A/34JE0giEvgo/s640/blogger-image--867466910.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock slide<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fGuu4FNLTiM/T2d1G6xhceI/AAAAAAAAP4I/mQA5cKnyE9E/s640/blogger-image--946573010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fGuu4FNLTiM/T2d1G6xhceI/AAAAAAAAP4I/mQA5cKnyE9E/s640/blogger-image--946573010.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cows.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M788-vhvZGo/T2d1Hj75xrI/AAAAAAAAP4Q/2zLmMeae2Y8/s640/blogger-image-156516154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M788-vhvZGo/T2d1Hj75xrI/AAAAAAAAP4Q/2zLmMeae2Y8/s640/blogger-image-156516154.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last look at Vilcabamba.<br />
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</tbody></table>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-80749035759143305982012-03-09T10:02:00.004-08:002012-03-09T11:21:10.999-08:00Memories of Vilcabamba...............make me smile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I have been living in Vilcabamba for 13 months. If someone asked me to describe it in one word, I would have to choose the word eclectic because there really isn't just one word. <br />
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I have been up and down the Sierras in my time in Ecuador as well as along the coast between Salinas and Bahia and Vilcabamba is still one of the most stunningly beautiful spots in the country.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btmIPOQ1W2c/T1oWfw6brwI/AAAAAAAAP1M/pfbu6P8YTpY/s1600/Vilcabamba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btmIPOQ1W2c/T1oWfw6brwI/AAAAAAAAP1M/pfbu6P8YTpY/s320/Vilcabamba.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even my dogs seemed to be in awe.</td></tr>
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Vilcabamba has a past reputation for long lived citizens. I am loathe to disillusion but as Vilcabamba's international fame grew scientists began to investigate in earnest the claims of the locals and some became skeptical. In 1971, Dr. Alexander Leaf, a Harvard medical School researcher met a man who reported to be 122 years of age. When he returned three years later, the same man claimed to be 134 years. The older the citizens became, the bigger the exaggeration. After their study had been made, it was found the oldest person in the village was 96 and the average age of those claiming to be over 100 was actually only 86 years of age. Can you imagine an American woman exaggerating her age? Oh, yes. They already do in the opposite direction.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZOnCwpXwzU/T1oxLksydZI/AAAAAAAAP2c/4dDnN07hvHA/s1600/P1030598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZOnCwpXwzU/T1oxLksydZI/AAAAAAAAP2c/4dDnN07hvHA/s320/P1030598.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I have no clue how old he is. You'll find him most days in</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">the town center on his daily walks. A lot of times, he </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">can be found posing for pictures with tourists.</div></td></tr>
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Every time I come into El Centro, there are new people. Vilcabamba is a magnet for expats and the expats come from all over the world. The main thing they have in common is their idea about how to dress in this town. They come here looking like any tourist.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KlMFisHxuuk/T1o4EK7heeI/AAAAAAAAP2w/sLYlOS7DydA/s1600/P1040348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KlMFisHxuuk/T1o4EK7heeI/AAAAAAAAP2w/sLYlOS7DydA/s320/P1040348.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Alexandria dressing normally.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div>After they have been here a while, the expats start transitioning. There is a stage in between the arrival stage and full on Vilcabamba style.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhE2aTaHCVo/T1owS0QPxII/AAAAAAAAP2M/871pGVad1hg/s1600/P1030590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhE2aTaHCVo/T1owS0QPxII/AAAAAAAAP2M/871pGVad1hg/s320/P1030590.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a transitional phase of dress.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After they have been here a while, there is full on Vilcabamba dress.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlbAqwf8Aac/T1owgB_IuZI/AAAAAAAAP2U/2mC1KwyQhk0/s1600/P1030677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlbAqwf8Aac/T1owgB_IuZI/AAAAAAAAP2U/2mC1KwyQhk0/s320/P1030677.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The transition is complete.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
So you may wonder how an average Ecuadorian dresses. I actually played a little trick. Alexandria in the blue t-shirt is actually an Ecuadorian. In reality, unless they are indigenous, Ecuadorians in Vilcabamba dress a little like westerners with jeans and t-shirts. Minus the fanny packs.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Among reputations, Vilcabamba also is known as a haven for paranoia and conspiracy theories. I have heard everything from chemtrails to tenth planets with wayward moons that will strike earth and spin its axis into polar shifts. I also have heard that "they" are conspiring to keep "them" from giving us something/anything to deprive/hurt/kill. "They" are groups to whom power may be given (including aliens) and "them" is any group being championed by whomever is promoting the theory. Those items that are being deprived may be free clean energy, miracle cures or whatever other utopian benefits the theorists believe in but don't actually know much about. "Look it up on the internet. It's all there!" is a common refrain. Fortunately, not everyone takes this too seriously.</div></div><div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iA69Ucpb10/T1pAwyhb1jI/AAAAAAAAP3I/zu4NrYu8mJo/s1600/IMG_1090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iA69Ucpb10/T1pAwyhb1jI/AAAAAAAAP3I/zu4NrYu8mJo/s320/IMG_1090.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tin foil hat thinking.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am leaving Vilcabamba in a few days to house sit for a good friend. It has been a great run in a very unique part of the world. Will I return? I'm not sure at this point. It certainly will be easier to learn spanish with a bit more immersion as there are westerners living in Vilcabamba for more than three years who still don't have much of a grasp of the spanish language. However, the international flavor of the town, along with the stark beauty of the mountainsides, is irresistible. I can think of at least 20 nationalities that I have met in Vilcabamba since coming here last year. Where else can I get really good Swedish food in Ecuador than Decapo's? Or be invited to a burning man party? Or hear the latest entertaining conspiracy theory?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-35442651436377326332012-02-24T10:31:00.000-08:002012-02-24T10:31:07.342-08:00Step by step instructions for surviving a shower with an electric shower head.....makes me smile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you ever heard your mother yell "Get back in that shower!!! You can't possibly be clean yet!!", I'm about to tell you to forget about it. Erase it from your mind. Vanish. Gone. Your mother probably never took a shower with an electric shower head to be known from this point on as a suicide shower head. There is a right way and a wrong way. I've been doing this for a couple of months and I feel I am now an expert.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6aJPWzYP4k/TxmoxaiaKzI/AAAAAAAAGp0/-ub1MeZXQP0/s1600/frozen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6aJPWzYP4k/TxmoxaiaKzI/AAAAAAAAGp0/-ub1MeZXQP0/s1600/frozen.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wrong way<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>It is essential to get the pressure right. Too little pressure and it's cold. Too much pressure and you can see in the illustration it's just wrong. The water goes out from time to time in Vilcabamba. A lot of the time, ironically, it is because there has been too much rain and the pipes break. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to bathe. I know that's not the original lyrics but it is apropos here. I'm lucky enough where I'm living now that I have a big, blue reserve tank but when the water through the pipes is off, water pressure in the tank is so low, it will not heat in the suicide shower head. When you really REALLY need a shower, it's akin to giving a snickers bar to a chocoholic in a locked clear glass case that is unbreakable. Watching that water dribble from the shower head, checking every 3 minutes hoping something gets warm is a tantalizing tease.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44bGHfDYaqU/T0fQ3xfzSsI/AAAAAAAAP0g/FvLL3mH1BKs/s1600/IMG_1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44bGHfDYaqU/T0fQ3xfzSsI/AAAAAAAAP0g/FvLL3mH1BKs/s320/IMG_1057.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big blue tank. High hopes. Low expectations.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div>A friend of mine once told me a story about THEIR suicide shower head incident. Two family members tried to take a shower at the same time in different showers. Unfortunately, suicide shower heads are not wired to accommodate the use of more than more than one shower since they use lamp cord for wiring. Maybe that's why smoke started pouring from the outside meter boxes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VaQXg3xjFGc/T0fQ4t5rRgI/AAAAAAAAP0o/SG5Bho-59r0/s1600/IMG_1058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VaQXg3xjFGc/T0fQ4t5rRgI/AAAAAAAAP0o/SG5Bho-59r0/s320/IMG_1058.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suicide shower head<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div>I may or may not be the only one who needed a shower. Now I have to catch him.</div><div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nvyDZMqxV6M/T0fTYdFU9QI/AAAAAAAAP04/aB4d4aS01RA/s1600/Amber+and+bear+1870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nvyDZMqxV6M/T0fTYdFU9QI/AAAAAAAAP04/aB4d4aS01RA/s320/Amber+and+bear+1870.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He smelled as bad as he looked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
<br />
<div><br />
</div></div></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-11322001228060859002012-01-29T13:13:00.001-08:002012-01-30T15:59:47.823-08:00The time of my life........makes me smile"I've had the time of my life<br />
No I never felt this way before<br />
Yes I swear it's the truth"<br />
<br />
One year. And what a year! One year ago today, I came home. My new home. <br />
<br />
I have met so many people, seen so many things, and done so much. I've met people in Japan, China and Alaska that have become friends on Facebook and met Facebook friends in New York and Ecuador who have become actual friends. <br />
<br />
When I first came to Ecuador to live, I had my beautiful daughter in tow to help me with 6 rubbermaid tubs, 2 checked bags, 2 backpacks, 2 carry ons, and 2 dog crates with accompanying 8 pound dogs. I left the partridge in the pear tree back in Texas. We had some uncomfortable attention when we landed from the airport policia but somehow made it through customs in one piece. <br />
<br />
After getting settled in Vilcabamba, my daughter, Robbin, and I traveled the highlands and saw waterfalls, Incan ruins and had a crazy ride through the rain in a dune buggy in Banos. We also went on a gravity defying horseback ride through the mountains which was the scariest thing I've ever done. That includes skydiving, signing a mortgage and moving to a foreign country. <br />
<br />
I've lost weight from getting a lot more exercise and adopting a much healthier diet. I've learned a bit of Spanish and can now understand about half of what I see in a newspaper here but that was true in Texas as well so that may not be a fair comparison. <br />
<br />
At the time that I made the decision to change my life I had no idea where I'd be in a year. Sometimes we get so mired down in a toxic lifestyle, we have no clue that things can be better. We work too many hours at a job we hate or have long since become burned out. I once knew an attorney I worked with who was so tired of his life and told me one day that his fondest dream was to quit, move to the coast and open a bait and tackle shop. I've lost touch with him but I truly hope he had the courage to accomplish his dream. <br />
<br />
My life is much simpler now. I don't have as many shopping choices as I did a couple of years ago but I'm healthier and have a lot more friends than I did when I was battling a 12 to 14 hour workday, traveling as much as 3 hours in traffic a day. I don't miss that life at all. <br />
<br />
I spent the day of my one year anniversary strolling the Malecon of Salinas with Leigh, her husband Neville and son Kyle who will be moving from Texas shortly. Salinas is often called "Little Miami". Last night, we had an amazing meal at Gabriella's, an Italian eatery which would compare to anything I had in Italy 13 years ago. <br />
<br />
One piece of advice I have for you in the event you decide to visit a third world country for vacation or to explore a change of residency is to carry toilet paper with you at all times. There is a story circling around these parts of a woman who dared to enter a stall without. She has not been seen since 2009. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tzkFULP0ycw/Tycu5WwQjAI/AAAAAAAAGqM/wzogtaq3QQ4/s640/blogger-image--528695368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tzkFULP0ycw/Tycu5WwQjAI/AAAAAAAAGqM/wzogtaq3QQ4/s640/blogger-image--528695368.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_TA6ZTeNyW0/Tycu6I14VFI/AAAAAAAAGqU/FJ-wi0VLOWA/s640/blogger-image--1891116388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_TA6ZTeNyW0/Tycu6I14VFI/AAAAAAAAGqU/FJ-wi0VLOWA/s640/blogger-image--1891116388.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a-ObrVGBJuc/Tycu65ahASI/AAAAAAAAGqc/0IMJCfjgC7Y/s640/blogger-image--1509840418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a-ObrVGBJuc/Tycu65ahASI/AAAAAAAAGqc/0IMJCfjgC7Y/s640/blogger-image--1509840418.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y_q60VFaMx4/Tycu7nj09RI/AAAAAAAAGqk/QeGrIcl8X2w/s640/blogger-image--2133741541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y_q60VFaMx4/Tycu7nj09RI/AAAAAAAAGqk/QeGrIcl8X2w/s640/blogger-image--2133741541.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ek_GBAMqr2g/Tycu8m7Ga4I/AAAAAAAAGqs/SNrRJh7b6GM/s640/blogger-image--1436987918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ek_GBAMqr2g/Tycu8m7Ga4I/AAAAAAAAGqs/SNrRJh7b6GM/s640/blogger-image--1436987918.jpg" /></a></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-46760092649202256742012-01-06T03:36:00.000-08:002012-01-06T03:36:13.602-08:00Fixing it Ecuador style..............makes me smileThey have a little different attitude to repair jobs. Basically it is called "it'll do". I can't say I've never done this before in my own life my own children and relatives can attest. However, I'm not here to speak of my own shortcomings because that's just not funny. Well, maybe to other people. /smile/<br />
<br />
Most appliances in Ecuador are run by the LP gas tanks. They have a fitting on top with a gasket which seals and controls the outlet of gas in the air. On occasion, those gaskets get loose and need to be replaced. Before that happens, they get "fixed".<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kcecc_kUvwA/TwbYiW0YOmI/AAAAAAAAGo0/EzG9ZkUkw5E/s1600/IMG_0841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kcecc_kUvwA/TwbYiW0YOmI/AAAAAAAAGo0/EzG9ZkUkw5E/s320/IMG_0841.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock on top. FIXED!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If it does not interfere with activity, it may not ever get fixed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOocI55ku70/TwbYjUlPnsI/AAAAAAAAGo8/kbjoIId2yEA/s1600/IMG_0842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOocI55ku70/TwbYjUlPnsI/AAAAAAAAGo8/kbjoIId2yEA/s320/IMG_0842.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ummmmm.....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's hard to see but there are shards of glass up there on top of the wall. Fired the security staff? Never had one? <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5adtRqcPkQ/TwbYjxvy1EI/AAAAAAAAGpE/xQWd3FpGZeM/s1600/IMG_0845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5adtRqcPkQ/TwbYjxvy1EI/AAAAAAAAGpE/xQWd3FpGZeM/s320/IMG_0845.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Security staff quit or got fired? FIXED!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I came from a part of the country where windstorms can get violent through the plains of Texas. If a hurricane traversed its way from the coast and tore off your roof, you put a plastic tarp over it until the insurance inspected and it got fixed properly. Not in Ecuador.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ar81UmNGjQc/TwbYkifx9QI/AAAAAAAAGpM/_QnV0R-vAXI/s1600/IMG_0846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ar81UmNGjQc/TwbYkifx9QI/AAAAAAAAGpM/_QnV0R-vAXI/s320/IMG_0846.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Between the weight and the rock, that roof is not going anywhere. FIXED!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Another security issue is breaking the lock on the door. Or maybe there never was a lock on the door. It is as simple as getting a padlock. No bothering with expensive locksmiths.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oaRnk53fzFM/TwbYlKNZLKI/AAAAAAAAGpU/8UDzFlw3OPA/s1600/IMG_0847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oaRnk53fzFM/TwbYlKNZLKI/AAAAAAAAGpU/8UDzFlw3OPA/s320/IMG_0847.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No one is getting in this door. Padlock. FIXED!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div>I do love living here. It's 6:30 in the morning and I'm looking out my window at a white cloud snaking its way through the Andes Mountains. It's the morning after an all night downpour. Actually the day after an all day downpour. Even if I were blind and deaf I would know that just from the smell. Simplicity is not overrated.<br />
<br />
</div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-60329908540348891902011-12-24T10:44:00.000-08:002011-12-24T10:44:12.164-08:00Christmas in Ecuador .................... makes me smileThis is my first Christmas in Ecuador. I made a poor decision to go to Loja, town of 150,000 people just north of Vilcabamba by 40 kilometers, on Friday before the holiday on Sunday. It is just as bad as in the states. People, people, people were everywhere. And I swear before I try and hail another taxi in Loja, I will wear a turtleneck, dark sunglasses and 5 inch heels. It's worth it just to get a ride. Oh, to be 25 years old again. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6hGwKqMGGag/TvYUKLG5MpI/AAAAAAAAGl0/SzX8LvHcies/s1600/DSCN7850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6hGwKqMGGag/TvYUKLG5MpI/AAAAAAAAGl0/SzX8LvHcies/s320/DSCN7850.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't quite get the reindeer on the left but check out the moose on the right!<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>It turns out Christmas shopping isn't much different than in the states. Many toys to be had, many people to walk around.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eC0TL94STxs/TvYV16QIfyI/AAAAAAAAGmY/vMuppUVenpY/s1600/IMG_0851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eC0TL94STxs/TvYV16QIfyI/AAAAAAAAGmY/vMuppUVenpY/s320/IMG_0851.jpg" width="240" /></span></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were a lot of vendors like this using baby carriages to sell gift wrap and bags</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There was just as much "rushing home with their treasures" as I remember in the states. I didn't notice anyone fighting anyone over any electronics, though. Maybe because there is not a Wal-Mart here?<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLGaUdrFvjA/TvYV3TdhrZI/AAAAAAAAGmg/vdSfzMg2B9U/s1600/IMG_0852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLGaUdrFvjA/TvYV3TdhrZI/AAAAAAAAGmg/vdSfzMg2B9U/s320/IMG_0852.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nativity scene in a store window.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There were nativity scenes, snow men and Christmas trees. It is a bit of a disconnect to hear "Let it Snow" and to see snowmen in a place on earth where a lot of people have never seen snow in their life. There is snow in Ecuador but it is on the highest peaks of the country and a lot of them are actively volcanic.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xparYBJZ2gE/TvYV5OqZzRI/AAAAAAAAGmo/CK-N6jC697s/s1600/IMG_0853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xparYBJZ2gE/TvYV5OqZzRI/AAAAAAAAGmo/CK-N6jC697s/s320/IMG_0853.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowmen depicted in a store window display.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There were pre-Christmas sales. I was able to get a sweet deal on a washing machine since I am moving where I have no access. Yes, I'm a spoiled American. I can't stand the thought of sending out my dirty underwear and I don't want to wash jeans by hand. <div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gnltCJiI1g/TvYV9e2KwjI/AAAAAAAAGnA/BO5J3S8P-Lo/s1600/IMG_0857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gnltCJiI1g/TvYV9e2KwjI/AAAAAAAAGnA/BO5J3S8P-Lo/s320/IMG_0857.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can never convey the sense of a crowd. I guess I need a fish-eye lens.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There were Santa costumes in a lot of clothing stores. I am certain that Santa won't look this clean by the time he gets all the way from the North Pole (which I had the opportunity to visit in September) to the Southern Hemisphere. I wouldn't want to be Mrs. Santa with that laundry.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jexR_HnhNrQ/TvYV-tN-nCI/AAAAAAAAGnI/YoCyo2ubc_I/s1600/IMG_0858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jexR_HnhNrQ/TvYV-tN-nCI/AAAAAAAAGnI/YoCyo2ubc_I/s320/IMG_0858.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shop girls were dressed in Santa costumes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> There were few of the "name brand" toys I was accustomed to seeing in the United States. Anything and everything imported to Ecuador is subject to a 40% customs. This may be why we have "Nicoles" instead of "Barbies" here. She is just as pretty and has the same ridiculously impossible figure to attain as Barbie.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I0tN1IKqVsA/TvYV_Yv33tI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/EnlO4jGMyXE/s1600/IMG_0861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I0tN1IKqVsA/TvYV_Yv33tI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/EnlO4jGMyXE/s320/IMG_0861.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't find a Barbie but there were some "knock-offs" called Nicole.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This was a really cute tree using cartoon fairies and, of course, corporately sponsored.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmH004HXt7Y/TvYWIfNnehI/AAAAAAAAGnw/7oW1VNjJ4so/s1600/IMG_0865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmH004HXt7Y/TvYWIfNnehI/AAAAAAAAGnw/7oW1VNjJ4so/s320/IMG_0865.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a "fairy" tree perhaps combining "When you wish upon a star"<br />
with Christmas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Even though I am not a religious person, I still believe in angels:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ziQuCpWTo4/TvYWO5n3_1I/AAAAAAAAGoM/38EiQMtofwc/s1600/IMG_0872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ziQuCpWTo4/TvYWO5n3_1I/AAAAAAAAGoM/38EiQMtofwc/s320/IMG_0872.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A real life angel dressed in a Santa suit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000066; font-family: Arial, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"></span></div><h1><div style="text-align: justify;">Feliz Navidad y un próspero Año Nuevo.</div></h1><br />
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<br />
<br />
</div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-75648448478544983052011-12-14T18:59:00.000-08:002011-12-14T18:59:01.284-08:00An ode to a bathroom.........makes me smile<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've had a lot of fun with the bathroom at my apartment in Vilcabamba. If you recall, The walls go up about 7 feet and then the bougainvillea, which grows from the ground and through the floor, takes over for about 18 inches and then a plexiglass top above that. I will be moving in less than two weeks and I'm getting a little misty eyed at the thought.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8l861sat2g/TulYuzUjMSI/AAAAAAAAGk8/JBjn51MirsY/s320/bathroom+double+image.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful bathroom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've grown quite fond of the little bathroom. The experiences were crazy. I've encountered a scorpion in the sink and had a bird strafe me from the ceiling. I get a lot of needed exercise sweeping the leaves and washing the bird poo from the floor. And did I ever mention the arachnoids who rapel in the shower at amazing speeds? Again, a lot of exercise. And that is as long as I don't knock myself out slamming myself against the walls to get out of the way. No reading material needed. I get plenty of entertainment watching red ants scouting out the next way to terrorize me. Besides, a magazine would get soaked. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do I want this to end??</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><em style="color: black; font-style: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><em style="color: black; font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1jgIBxI6drw/TulZTnuikzI/AAAAAAAAGlE/cHWJFrfs5f4/s320/bathroom+scorpion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new little buddy. Until he went swimming. In the toilet. Forcefully.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1jgIBxI6drw/TulZTnuikzI/AAAAAAAAGlE/cHWJFrfs5f4/s1600/bathroom+scorpion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WHY, YES!!! YES, I DO!!!</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look FORWARD to not having to run through the rain in the middle of the night when nature calls and then having the insult on injury of finding rainsoaked toilet paper.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;">I look FORWARD to having a dry rug after a deluge. Did I mention it is the rainy season here?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;">I HATE scorpions. I'm not particularly fond of rapelling arachnoids, either.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;">I LOVE nature. I HATE divebombing birds. Especially when I'm naked.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;">Bird poo on my bathroom floor is absurd.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQkLb53sKf4/TulaM7YkQTI/AAAAAAAAGlM/3eo5sGLKXog/s1600/bathroom+straight+up+from+the+toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQkLb53sKf4/TulaM7YkQTI/AAAAAAAAGlM/3eo5sGLKXog/s320/bathroom+straight+up+from+the+toilet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking straight up from the throne.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;">I am so happy I will have an overhang eave to shelter me to and from the new bathroom. Oh, it is still Ecuadorian style since I will have to go outside to enter the bathroom, bedroom and the kitchen/living area but the chances of getting soaked in the process and having to change clothes in the middle of the night and dry my hair is slim.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;">Trees should be in yards. Trees should be in parks. Trees look very good on mountains. Trees can even grow in Brooklyn. But I hope I never have a tree growing in my bathroom again. That is the good news. The bad news is my new bathroom has an electric showerhead. Yes. An electric showerhead. It's always something.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 8px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 5px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-26210722829342159032011-11-02T16:33:00.001-07:002011-11-02T18:01:22.842-07:00Highlights of my trip ....... make me smileSafest place<br />
<br />
Most everywhere I went was safe. Going to the elevator of the subway in NYC at 3 am dragging 2 suitcases, wearing a backpack and carrying a purse? No problem. In Valdez, finding out few people lock their doors and noting a lot of people leave their cars running with keys in the ignition? Commonplace. Seeing a sleeping man with his packages in the train station in Osaka Japan? Even a policeman was gently moving his possessions so they wouldn't get stepped on while trying not to disturb <br />
China can be dangerous for the trusting and naive. But don't worry. They only want your money. If you come here and buy multiple items from one store, do NOT trust their figures. Add everything up yourself. Even when they used calculators I found a lot of "errors" being made. <br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
Friendliest place<br />
<br />
Valdez Alaska. No contest. <br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Most beautiful place<br />
<br />
Alaska followed by Japanese gardens in Nara and gardens around Temple of Heaven. Just my opinion since beauty is so subjective. Keystone Canyon was eye-melting The single engine flight over the glacier was unforgettable. <br />
•••••••••••••••••••••• <br />
<br />
Biggest fear<br />
<br />
Nagoya train station. I arrived alone at rush hour and started looking for someone who could tell me where the silver clock was where I was to meet my kids. No one understood what I was asking. One lady thought she understood and showed me her watch. <br />
<br />
When my kids found me, i was cowering at the wall. Nagoya station is bigger than even Tokyo station as it is centrally located and there are several large stations in Tokyo. <br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
Moment when I realized this was a soul searching trip as well as a pleasure vacation. <br />
<br />
Meeting Carolyn in NYC it was special to meet someone I'd not met before but felt I knew through the Internet. How many more people would I get to know and care about before I headed back to south America?<br />
<br />
I don't take friendships lightly as i had so few when i was working due to time constraints. Being virtual friends is one thing. Being real friends is so much more. <br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Happiest moments<br />
<br />
Seeing my daughter's face in Anchorage and my son and daughter-in- law's faces in Nagoya<br />
<br />
•••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Biggest delight<br />
<br />
The two Japanese children on the Shanghai Ferry<br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
Biggest annoyance<br />
<br />
The two Japanese children on the Shanghai Ferry<br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Biggest surprise<br />
<br />
Finding out how western friendly and inexpensive Beijing and especially Shanghai were. My observations concluded that many westerners have made the same type of move to China that I made to Ecuador. I came close to skipping China because I thought it would be harder than Japan.<br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Best food<br />
<br />
Other than some amazing food cooked at home by my kids (pineapple soup!!!) that would be China. <br />
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•••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Worst food<br />
<br />
China. I can go the rest of my life without seeing duck head, intestines and cooked chicken feet on my menu <br />
<br />
•••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Most embarrassing moment<br />
<br />
Realizing I had been sitting on my daughter's boyfriend's mother's glasses at the beauty shop when she couldn't find them <br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
Craziest moment<br />
<br />
Too many<br />
<br />
The moment when i realized the friendly couple in Beijing only wanted my money <br />
<br />
The lady in Osaka who would not allow me to ride the subway because she thought I was making a mistake.<br />
<br />
A night of drinking Jack Daniels straight up singing karaoke as the only English speaker amongst some Japanese and Chinese co-conspirators. <br />
<br />
•••••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
Most boring moment (days)<br />
<br />
This would be the days spent at immigration in Quito<br />
<br />
•••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
<br />
Most solemn and poignant moment <br />
<br />
Telling my new German friend how horrible I feel being an American and viewing such horrific pictures of the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima<br />
and her answer of "I'm German" We can only go forward from here All we can do with the past is learn from it. As my German friend said, it is counter-productive to feel shame for something that can't be changed. <br />
<br />
••••••••••••••••••••••<br />
As much fun as I've had, I want to go home to Ecuador. I miss my dogs. I hope they remember me. Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-84144982311423338642011-11-01T15:44:00.001-07:002011-11-01T15:44:52.864-07:00Nearly getting Shanghai&apos;d in Beijing......made me smileLet me make it perfectly clear that I do not believe these things happen to me because the "blog gods" want to give me something to write about. I believe I have a lethal combination of naivety and friendly nature that can get me in serious trouble. It nearly did today. I have no clue how I have managed to live as many years as I have. <br />
<br />
I was watching the crowd at Tien'am Square today when I was approached by a male and female chinese couple. The woman did most of the talking and behaved in a very business like manner. The man was a bit tentative and shy and the lady said he was learning English and wanted to practice on a foreigner (me). After chatting for a few minutes, the lady wanted to know if I'd like to go get some coffee or tea as I seemed cold (I was). Why of course i did!!! New Chinese friends!!! (exactly my thoughts...) <br />
<br />
As we headed off in the direction of the teahouse, the man engaged me in conversation. I thought it odd he wanted to talk about and actually knew about politics in America. He even knew about Rick Perry, the Tea Party and the religious right. When I said I was from Texas, he said "Southwest US, correct?" Maybe he's an avid news junkie, I thought. And very smart. I like smart men. <br />
<br />
We arrived at the teahouse, even passing some enroute. Maybe they know the owner? I was delighted with the arrangement as it was a small room with the tea ceremony I had become familiar with in Xi'an and the visit to the teahouse yesterday with the tour. <br />
<br />
The man and woman wanted me to sit between them and the girl employed at the establishment came in to pour the first cup for all. At that time there was very little from the man since the woman was doing all the talking. After about 40 minutes the girl came in with the bill and like a real idiot I said I'd pay for the tea since I had such a good time. <br />
<br />
The bill was over 1000 yuan. That's about $175 in US dollars. I looked at the girl, then the woman and finally the man. I could see the slightest smile coming from the man. I finally told them I couldn't pay and I didn't know why the bill was so large. I had only had a few cups. I drank tea all afternoon at the Xi'an teahouse and they wouldn't allow me to pay anything. The woman said "You asked for a different kind of tea and she prepared an entire pot". By this time I knew that they use the same tea leaves 3 times so I knew there was a problem with that statement. <br />
<br />
They told me if I didn't have the cash, I could always pay with a credit card. It started dawning on me that these people only wanted to be friends with my money. Not me. I pulled out 70 yuan (about $11 US) and held it out to the girl and told her that was all I had and I did not bring any credit cards with me (a lie). There were glances among the three of me as I stood up to leave. When they again insisted I had to pay the bill I started yelling and called them thieves at which time they backed off and I was out the door. <br />
<br />
I didn't stop to turn around until I was at least two blocks away when I stopped and looked back to see if they were following. I was clear and had lived another day to do something else completely stupid. When I returned to my hotel and told the manager, he was horrified I even went with them and that I was lucky they didn't put anything in my tea. <br />
<br />
Tonight I went to the Peking Opera. It was amazing and I enjoyed it even more than I expected because it was so funny. Afterwards, as I walked to the street to flag down a taxi, there was a hail of flim flam artists yelling "Rolex watches" "Designer purses!". After them came the rickshaws. I have learned that the rickshaws are good for short little rides but if you need serious transportation, it is best to get a taxi. Taxis are regulated and the rickshaws are not. <br />
<br />
As I was leaning into the window of the taxi, not only was the taxi driver trying to wave my card off indicating he couldn't read it but a rickshaw driver I had waved off 3 times was tapping me on the shoulder once more trying to tell me I had a bad cab. I turned to the rickshaw guy and started yelling at him that I was going to call the police and jumped in the taxi and emphatically pointed to the bottom of the card where the address was clearly written in Chinese. He drove me to the hotel without a problem. <br />
<br />
I have had an epiphany today. I am sorry if I disturb the sensibilities of my more religious friends and relatives of which I have many but the meek will not inherit the world. Old, crazy, bitchy, pissed off American women will. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vC9t1djQrMY/TrB2V3fufoI/AAAAAAAAGUc/2-GXpH_WHjE/s640/blogger-image-1169118806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vC9t1djQrMY/TrB2V3fufoI/AAAAAAAAGUc/2-GXpH_WHjE/s640/blogger-image-1169118806.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-L3qbY6tkJu4/TrB2XBTF0nI/AAAAAAAAGUk/H3O6CGcDHHE/s640/blogger-image--1438189695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-L3qbY6tkJu4/TrB2XBTF0nI/AAAAAAAAGUk/H3O6CGcDHHE/s640/blogger-image--1438189695.jpg" /></a></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-63311006214281707002011-10-30T01:57:00.001-07:002011-10-30T01:57:18.185-07:00Trains............make me smile"People. People who need people are the luckiest people in the world." ..... some cheesy song sung by La Streisand in the 60s. <br />
<br />
If those lyrics fill your heart with longing, you have definitely not spent a lot of time in a Chinese train station immediately after train arrival in Beijing. I gave up trying to convey a picture of the humanity crowded in a winding queue waiting for a taxi. I believe an estimate of 1500 is not too out of line and may be quite conservative. It was enough to take the breath from this basically small town lady from Texas. It was nearly an hour before I was able to lay claim to my own steel horse carriage (best Bonjovi metaphor EVER!)<br />
to find some sanity. <br />
<br />
I read once that the reason most of the world outside of the United States has such awesome train systems is because after WWII most countries lay in ruins. They did not have enough capital to invest in the coming market for air travel as did the US. Whether a part of the Allies or the Axis, what little money that existed was used to repair their existing infrastructure. The US had a decent train system but it was allowed to decay in favor of air travel and interstate highways to accommodate the growing ownership of private vehicles. Approximately 65 years later, you can get from Tokyo to Nagoya in the time it takes to get from north Dallas to the airport by car. Traffic in the area where I lived was one of several reasons I jumped for joy when I found out it would be possible to retire. It is the reason given by a certain pitcher to leave the Texas Rangers (RIP World Series 2011) about a year ago.<br />
<br />
Trains are fun. I rode the incredible Shenkansen in Japan, which is the bullet train, quite a few times. At one time I was standing on a platform waiting at a smaller station when two expresses not stopping there crossed in both directions. The vibrations were amazing and yet when you are on board it is amazingly smooth. The seats lay back and it is absolutely possible to sleep through your stop. I found out through personal experience when I made a trip up north to Shizuoka to see Mt Fuji and slept through my Kyoto stop on the way back, waking up in Osaka. Ironically I had missed it before from Tokyo to Nagoya a week before because I fell asleep then as well. <br />
<br />
While in the Shizuoka area I took a train to a small town where I had read about a steam engine train. I got to the small town, which was rather risky since I spoke no Japanese and there were very few English speakers. I was able to get there with the help of a fellow passenger who noticed I was traveling alone and approached me in a very shy and hesitant way typical of so many Japanese. I was eventually able to ride the steam engine train and was serenaded by the non-english speaking conductor with a rendition of "I've been working on the railroad" on the harmonica. I'm really living right these days!<br />
<br />
The overnight trains I took from Shanghai to Xian and from Xian to Beijing should not be construed as glamorous Orient Express trains. They were transportation. With interesting sleeping companions. The carpet is dirty. Babies cry and run up and down the corridors. Smoking is allowed in train connection hallways. And they have a lot of squatty toilets that I may or may not have mentioned (that may be because I so far have been unable find anything about them that can make me smile. Maybe one day....). I could have flown for not much more when you also consider the cost of the babysitters who make sure you get to the right place and in the right coach. Sometimes it's about the journey and experience, though. I loved every minute of it. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VNJSif9FRPI/Tq0RXItRsbI/AAAAAAAAGTs/8uJcZL_N7wA/s640/blogger-image-753049943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VNJSif9FRPI/Tq0RXItRsbI/AAAAAAAAGTs/8uJcZL_N7wA/s640/blogger-image-753049943.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CpGF5Lyr7cg/Tq0RXxhQzHI/AAAAAAAAGT0/_4Qlz3DFGmc/s640/blogger-image--1071336574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CpGF5Lyr7cg/Tq0RXxhQzHI/AAAAAAAAGT0/_4Qlz3DFGmc/s640/blogger-image--1071336574.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XnrLm7RyYuI/Tq0RYgiq63I/AAAAAAAAGT8/mwzijjsbDVI/s640/blogger-image-171722281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XnrLm7RyYuI/Tq0RYgiq63I/AAAAAAAAGT8/mwzijjsbDVI/s640/blogger-image-171722281.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XF3RcdXYlTI/Tq0RZcjPWhI/AAAAAAAAGUE/bFcmsqdGzO0/s640/blogger-image-1550262696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XF3RcdXYlTI/Tq0RZcjPWhI/AAAAAAAAGUE/bFcmsqdGzO0/s640/blogger-image-1550262696.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y8kl4yAdOhg/Tq0RaNiGqgI/AAAAAAAAGUM/_YIcbf8FHWc/s640/blogger-image-2125874158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y8kl4yAdOhg/Tq0RaNiGqgI/AAAAAAAAGUM/_YIcbf8FHWc/s640/blogger-image-2125874158.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UzOpPvLvN6Y/Tq0Ra9MvFTI/AAAAAAAAGUU/0b_5pDLnCPM/s640/blogger-image--807286796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UzOpPvLvN6Y/Tq0Ra9MvFTI/AAAAAAAAGUU/0b_5pDLnCPM/s640/blogger-image--807286796.jpg" /></a></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-65547032796685344142011-10-28T23:55:00.001-07:002011-10-30T01:48:23.886-07:00Shopping...........makes me smile....a lotSomeone needs to shoot me before I spend my children's entire inheritance.<br />
<br />
When I first started out on my trip I had one smallish suitcase (just a little too big for carry on), a small bag, a backpack and a purse. I have been known to take three bags on a week long cruise and I wanted to travel "light". When I got to Texas my sister-in-law presented me with some heirloom quilts that had been in tatters and she had completely redone...one made by my grandmother and one made by my children's father's grandmother. I needed a bigger suitcase which I switched out with my sister-in-law for another that matched the one I had. Both were purchased at a rummage sale and had duct tape in key areas so that I might still be able to call them suitcases and not, say, weird skateboards. <br />
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While in Alaska I bought 3 pair of jeans as the prices for same are quite expensive in Ecuador and my new slimmer body isn't quit slim enough for more local clothes so when I had a layover in Dallas on October 1st, I passed a few clothes and shoes off to Pam, my good friend in Texas so I could travel "lightly".<br />
<br />
I was going to have to travel on to New York and through half of Japan before I could get back down to one smallish suitcase that I could manage with a backpack. I left one with my son that I hope he has a chance to burn.<br />
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When I got to Kyoto I was feeling the pain of too much weight on my back from the backpack so I wound up biting the bullet and purchasing a cool bright red suitcase with FOUR wheels and bigger to accommodate my new purchases of a kimono, new camera lens, and various souvenirs from Japan. Hopefully the bright red will keep me from accusing a stranger of stealing my bag now since the other two were suitcase black. The hostel in Kyoto was the proud new owner of a duct laden suitcase. <br />
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All went well until I was unable to get train tickets to Beijing for Friday night because apparently the Chinese like to get out of town for the weekend just like everyone else in the world. Xian has some amazing attractions but I had already seen them on my unexpected extra day. This left mainly shopping and walking around activities. <br />
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I believe there are few things in this world cuter than an adorable Asian face or two popping up in front of you with "May we help you?" followed with a few seconds of giggles. Especially when you saw them out of the corner of your eye whispering and looking your way. They're right up there with kittens they are so incredibly cute. You know what they are doing when you realize you have not seen a western face for a day and a half so you oblige and try on a few pair of shoes so they can have a chance to practice their English. Voila! A new pair of shoes to make room for. <br />
<br />
After the fun little tea party I happened onto I got interested in tea. Score!! I now have not one tea set but two. Add that to the amazing bowl I found the first day here that is hand-painted. Oh yes, the beautiful scarves at the department store and the gorgeous chopsticks set someone reading this will eventually get and the cute Minnie Mouse backpack I found for my cousin's little girl. <br />
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I'm on my way back to the department store to buy another bag. Don't judge. I haven't been to Beijing yet. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OxSjBNB70sQ/Tqujd495DaI/AAAAAAAAGTc/twa7qOITFMI/s640/blogger-image-552481311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OxSjBNB70sQ/Tqujd495DaI/AAAAAAAAGTc/twa7qOITFMI/s640/blogger-image-552481311.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UkO7STYyjpw/TqujbdMxzdI/AAAAAAAAGTE/1xSRBUWCjEA/s640/blogger-image--1579094597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UkO7STYyjpw/TqujbdMxzdI/AAAAAAAAGTE/1xSRBUWCjEA/s640/blogger-image--1579094597.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dth9Ayo15ZQ/TqujcY25ejI/AAAAAAAAGTM/dFQ4xux9o7g/s640/blogger-image--1329632670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dth9Ayo15ZQ/TqujcY25ejI/AAAAAAAAGTM/dFQ4xux9o7g/s640/blogger-image--1329632670.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DEAJZ-On5HU/TqujdBs1fZI/AAAAAAAAGTU/BT41JbXk68E/s640/blogger-image--700144292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DEAJZ-On5HU/TqujdBs1fZI/AAAAAAAAGTU/BT41JbXk68E/s640/blogger-image--700144292.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UzFsuEnUv5A/TqujacqZroI/AAAAAAAAGS8/ErF4ulPBTFw/s640/blogger-image-462852526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UzFsuEnUv5A/TqujacqZroI/AAAAAAAAGS8/ErF4ulPBTFw/s640/blogger-image-462852526.jpg" /></a></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4976550888989039130.post-84249147150944473752011-10-27T23:13:00.003-07:002011-10-27T23:13:44.515-07:00Getting lost in China....crying.....eventually....made me smileWhen I arrived at my hotel in Xian, I was met shortly after check in by Jillie. Jillie was not unfamiliar to me as the good reviews of her customer service talents coupled with the exceptional price of the room were primary factors for my booking with her employer. <br />
<br />
Jillie told me of the variety of tours available through the hotel, speaking in clear, beautiful English. Of course I was very interested in the terra cotta soldiers but also listed was a Tang Dynasty musical with accompanying dumpling dinner. Dumplings with a Chinese musical rooted in history. That would be a win win for me. I decided it best to go to the dinner musical on that night rather than make such a horrifically busy day. <br />
<br />
At around 4 pm, I returned to the hotel to clean up and change into the best clothes I brought and the sandal heels reserved just for such occasion. The dumplings started being served at 6:30 so I didn't want to be late. <br />
<br />
At 5:45 I excitedly asked the desk clerk to please call for a taxi so I could get to the show on time. That's when the night started going wrong. The girl explained to me they only call for taxis if the hotel guests are headed to the airport and in any other case, the guests were responsible for their own call. I was stunned. Number one, I don't speak Chinese. Number two, I don't have a cell phone that works in China if i could speak Chinese. Number three, I don't have a phone number for a taxi. Number four, the hotel is on a side street with very little traffic. I walked several blocks down to the main thoroughfare and easily flagged down a taxi. But I must have gotten the only taxi in all of Xian, China, who was unfamiliar with this, as Jillie put it, "very famous" show. (I would later find out this was not true) <br />
<br />
Before the taxi took off on our search for the venue, someone else got in the back seat and started talking to the driver. As I said, I do not speak Chinese but I'm very good with hand gestures. I pounded my chest a few times exclaiming "ME! I made the "X" sign I learned in Japan which means "NO" and stopped just short of implementing the good old stand by used in the states since that might not fly in a communist country. The driver passed the paper I had given him to the lady in the back seat in an apparent attempt to see if she had knowledge of the whereabouts of this "very famous" show. She did not but tagged along anyway and got out a mile later. After about 20 minutes of touring Xian, the driver stopped and 2 young men got in for a "ride". While I was in the passenger seat and the 2 guys were in the back seat, the taxi driver disappeared and was gone for at least 10 minutes. I spotted him going from person to person and store to store trying to find out the location of the "very famous" show. By this time I'm plotting what i believed would make the best blog post yet. These things just seem to fall in my lap. <br />
<br />
At around 6:40 pm, we pulled in front of a garishly lit theater with the appropriate name. The driver would not take the full fare so I felt a little better about his integrity even though he seemed to be in a habit of taking on double passengers. <br />
<br />
I bounced into the theater with visions of delicious Chinese dumplings dancing in my head and happy to be seeing a full scale Chinese musical production for the first time. After showing the manager my brochure which stated the agreed price of 260 yuan and arguing with his price of 500 as Jillie said would happen, he then accepted my price and seated me in the dining room to wait for the dumplings. As I had come in, I saw a number of people head into the theater and I asked the manager if I was going to miss anything. He simply said he had no dumplings in the theater After going at it for a few minutes wondering why I was seated alone in the dining area while others were in the theatre, I realized something was terribly wrong. I told him I understood this to be a dinner AND a show and I wanted my money back for which he obliged. <br />
<br />
After leaving the theater I set out to flag down a taxi to return to the hotel Tragically, I was told to get out of 2 different taxis (I'm not the only one good with hand gestures) as I did not have the address in Chinese. I was horrified and desperately headed down the street searching for someone bilingual. I found a clothing store for young people and thought surely there must be someone there but this was not Shanghai and my luck was not the best this night. I was able to get a young clerk to understand to call my hotel as it was my intention to ask the desk clerk to tell the boy the address so he could write it in Chinese. The desk clerk was borderline bilingual so I asked for Jillie to call me back and it became resolved. I was back at the hotel, unable to have dinner at the hotel restaurant since the menu was strictly in Chinese, and made do with a dinner of potato chips, cola and strawberry filled Oreos (a travesty!!!) from a convenience store next door. Most importantly I have survived and didn't get swallowed up by the Chinese beast. One day closer to seeing my dogs yet again. <br />
<br />
I spent the next day in the company of a wonderful couple from London of Indian descent who really have me thinking of another exotic location for my next adventure. They had been to the same show the night before and raved so much that I decided to give it another chance if our tour director would go in and intercede if there was a problem as there was the night before. I have developed a very healthy respect for language barriers when the alphabet I am so familiar with is not being used. <br />
<br />
We pulled in front of a large beautiful building and I assumed it was the hotel for the couple I spent the day with. It was not. It was my show. Different building. The taxi had left me at the wrong theater the night before. The manager of the theater from the night before must have thought I was crazy. If so...good call. <br />
<br />
The dumplings were amazing. The show was outstanding. The service was impeccable with our waiter even covering up for my faux pas when I couldn't quite handle the slippery little piece of cantaloupe with my chopsticks and it landed on the floor. <br />
<br />
As I was leaving I was clutching the card the tour director for that day had given me to make sure I could get back to the hotel. A man with the theater told me the taxis were very busy and he would have a car in 10 minutes that could get me to my hotel for 30 yuan which is about $5. I was hesitant but willing after looking outside at all the people waiting. A small car backed out of a driveway and I obediently entered the passenger side. After we arrived back at the hotel and I was handing the driver the fare he turned so that I could see his full face. He was wearing theater make up!! He had been one of the performers I had just watched!! I was thrilled and told him how wonderful the show had been!!!! I was pretty sure he wasn't bilingual from his silence on the drive but he smiled and said thank you. <br />
<br />
Is my vacation Eat, Pray, Love or something in which Chevy Chase would have been involved? I've felt a bit of both. <br />
<br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hFpoMLJxZOw/TqpIBquoBCI/AAAAAAAAGSU/vFP76SVKuIg/s640/blogger-image-1214050648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hFpoMLJxZOw/TqpIBquoBCI/AAAAAAAAGSU/vFP76SVKuIg/s640/blogger-image-1214050648.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YVXk4lC1nuo/TqpICXNqcJI/AAAAAAAAGSc/XCL7oCIu1VI/s640/blogger-image--1014246567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YVXk4lC1nuo/TqpICXNqcJI/AAAAAAAAGSc/XCL7oCIu1VI/s640/blogger-image--1014246567.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vw8mjwRlfd8/TqpIDe8U4PI/AAAAAAAAGSk/2xrLN1MYNlM/s640/blogger-image-423384722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vw8mjwRlfd8/TqpIDe8U4PI/AAAAAAAAGSk/2xrLN1MYNlM/s640/blogger-image-423384722.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6ZWheYKadf8/TqpIEKA8VLI/AAAAAAAAGSo/n5air6GQcM8/s640/blogger-image-659898991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6ZWheYKadf8/TqpIEKA8VLI/AAAAAAAAGSo/n5air6GQcM8/s640/blogger-image-659898991.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GpIpAEj0oiE/TqpIFOcpqvI/AAAAAAAAGSw/eBDO5JcvJ7c/s640/blogger-image-1019783375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GpIpAEj0oiE/TqpIFOcpqvI/AAAAAAAAGSw/eBDO5JcvJ7c/s640/blogger-image-1019783375.jpg" /></a></div>Vickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684908149071785229noreply@blogger.com1