Saturday November 24, 2012

Saturday November 24/12  update #295

Last night Bella told me that Raoul suggested we come to a security meeting at 8pm at the local community center and that he would help translate so we went.   However Raoul was nowhere to be seen so I called him and he said something unexpected had arisen and he couldn’t make it.  We stayed through most of the meeting and tried to garner as much information as we could with our rudimentary Spanish.  It sounds like the Governments and Etapa are going to install a Panic system in the whole neighborhood via underground fiber optic cables and that the cost should be about $200 for installation but that it will only cost everyone a pittance.  Time will tell.  Hopefully Raoul will get the story from some of the other locals and relay it to us.

I keep crossing my fingers that my temporary fix for my computer problem keeps holding off the nuisance “hang times”.  When it is working, my computer is now as fast as when it was new.  So far, so good.  

I had intended to work on the many photos from our trip and to process them in a decent way today but I was just too exhausted.   I got up, washed clothes, did my chores then collapsed into bed until lunchtime.   After lunch I went right back to bed. 

On my way to Joe’s I stopped to watch Jorge Beltran play volleyball but he wasn’t there yet.  One of the fellows phoned him and he came down rather quickly.   We had a good chat while the others played and I got a chance to try some more Spanish.  Somehow we manage to understand each other.

Joe’s was having a shrimp fricasee dish tonight so Bella is staying away.  We met another Canadian tonight named Louise Lewis who lives on a boat in the Toronto Harbour.  There were four at our table and most of the conversation centered on American politics so I stayed out of most of it.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.    Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Friday November 23, 2012

Friday November 23/12  update #294

WooHoo!   I think I have mastered my computer problem by myself with a simple click on an instruction in the processes menu!   It doesn’t seem like a permanent fix but it is allowing me more confidence to try some of the many things I need to accomplish.   So much for all the so-called experts who have said I would have to reformat my hard drive.

Bella and I discussed our proposed excursion to Africa next year.  Bella has worked all the numbers and figured it would cost about $15,000 for under 3 weeks and it would set back one year from being debt free.  It doesn’t seem like a good trade at the moment but we will continue to think on it.   We would need to do something like this when we can be reasonably assured of being in good health so that is the main reason to do it right away.  I just have trouble justifying all that expense for so short a time.

I have downloaded a couple of movies I took in Mindo.   The first one shows the family where we had supper the first night and the kids practicing some dancing.   http://youtu.be/pHjADkiObkU

The second one is a combo of 2 videos from 2 different spots at Sachatamia just to show you the incredible abundance and variety of hummingbirds here.   http://youtu.be/o7x3XVudpPk   Be sure to watch this.

Bella went off already to play bridge with her cronies in the afternoon.   It is good that we each have our hobbies.

I slipped out for a badly needed haircut and decided to get a manicure too, totaling $5.  I made the mistake of stopping at our old video store and one of the first movies I saw was “The Gods Must Be Crazy” and my eyes lit up.  I picked up “Earthquake” *the original, “Skyfall”, “The Last Detail”, “Tin Cup” and 3 more for $10.

That was today’s excitement.    Hugs to all.   

Late update:   Just got these photos from Jason Gordon, a really nice young Australian we met from Melbourne who joined us to see the hummers the first day in Mindo.  I guess this is how we want to visualize our retirement.....

 

Thursday November 22, 2012

Thursday November 22/12 update  # 293

The fellow at the Quito B+B was very kind and drove Mavis to the airport at 4am.  We were very thankful that he gave her that feeling of security.   I had been up since 1:20am working on my photos and blogs so I was able to say our goodbyes.  

We had a leisurely small breakfast then caught a cab to the airport ourselves at 10am.   Bella’s concern that I didn’t have my passport was for naught as I got along with no problem with my copy of my Cedula.  I didn’t expect that they would ask for a passport since it was only a domestic flight.

It was very cloudy and I was seated at the window right in the front row but my hopes of seeing the high volcanoes peeking through the clouds were dashed.  I was hoping to see Cotapaxi adjoining Quito or perhaps Chimborazo or Tungurahua to the south, but no such luck.

The flight was right on time and the flying time of 35 minutes is pretty easy to take in comparison to a 9-hour drive!   We were very happy to get home and see the Boys who had been looked after so well by Gertie in our absence.

Then there was just enough time to change clothes and bus over to Joe’s Secret Garden for a scrumptious Thanksgiving deep-fried turkey dinner with all the trimming followed by 3 desserts.   Life is so tough here!!

I really got busy tonight and my laptop did yeoman’s work getting all caught up on our Blogs.  A big feeling of relief on my part.

Now I need to find someone who can solve my computer problem with an overworking svchost in the processes.  I really don’t want to have to reformat everything.   Any ideas?

That was today’s excitement.  Hugs to all.    Enjoy the pics at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com

Wednesday November 21, 2012

Wednesday November 21/12 update  # 293

There were many more activities we could have done today including rafting, horseback riding, canyoning, ziplining, etc,  but we decided to go back to see Mr. Santa Pants at Sachatamia again   I wanted to get more, and better, shots of our adopted friend.  I also managed to catch a couple of hummers washing themselves in a tiny waterfall.  You will love these as much as the earlier uploads.

We couldn’t dally too long because we needed to catch the 1:45 bus to Quito but we did hand around for over 2 hours.  When we went to buy our tickets a mechanic was under the bus making some adjustments so we crossed our fingers and off we went. 

I sawed a few logs on the journey and we made it to this lovely family B+B we had been referred to, close to the airport, where Bella and Mavis has stayed on heir way in 3 weeks ago.  The family is delightful in spite of their worry over the 89 year-old matriarch’s very recent stroke and hospitalization.   They managed to get us onto their wi-fi and we all did our necessary chores on that before retiring early.

That was today’s excitement.  Hugs to all.    Enjoy the pics at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com

Tuesday November 20, 2012

Tuesday November 20/12 update  # 292

There were many activities we could have done today and we started to go to one hummingbird preserve which boasted 10 varieties but our new adopted cabby from down the street suggested a cheaper alternative that purportedly had 35 varieties.   So off we went and we certainly did not regret this decision once we got amongst the feeders.   You will love these selected photos, as long as Google doesn’t give me too much more grief on this slow laptop.   The hummers did not mind us being 3’ away as they swooped in and out right by our ears.   They are very territorial and try to chase away other birds once they have a favorite feeding station.   They are the fastest things on earth and such a delight to watch.

We quickly developed our favorite, a racquet tail hummingbird.  Bella quickly nicknamed him Mr. Santa Pants because of the amazing white fur (feathers) around his tiny legs.  He is mostly green and sports a long swallowtail that ends in 2 heart-shaped racquets of blue, so he is a very Handsome Dan.  The others are all very pretty in their own ways with a large variety of sizes, colours, beaks, and tails.   We even managed to get some shots of a few other local birds as well.

In the afternoon Mavis and I went to the Butterfly preserve and saw some very pretty specimens, some of whom hitched a ride on my back and on my hat.  

Then the girls went on a chocolate factory tour and got to work to make their own samples.   They sure enjoyed that!   I amused myself with a little of the local colour before we had delightful trout and tilapia meals, followed by a huge elephant ear for dessert.

That was today’s excitement.  Hugs to all.    Enjoy the pics at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com

Monday November 19, 2012

Monday November 19/12 update  # 291

We were up early for a leisurely breakfast on the terrace of the Hostal Chimenea and were treated to some lovely sequential pencil drawing instruction.  Gosh I wish I had that talent.

We caught the same cab as the night before to the bus station for a 9:30 departure to Quito with a connection to Mindo.  What was supposedly a 2 hour ride was really 3 ½ hours, stopping at every town and for every person that stuck their arm out.  

This bus ride was not a happy one because Mavis noted that her cel phone was missing upon arrival in Quito.   She had put her purse under her seat during the trip and admitted that she did feel it move at some point but had just yanked it forward.  I asked her to quickly check further and she was horrified to see that all her cash was gone too.  That was a very costly lesson the keep your valuables close in any foreign country.  Luckily her passport and credit cards and documents were untouched, so at least she was able to get some replacement cash at a bank machine.  The connecting bus to Mindo was within 20 minutes of our asking so we had to rush.  It was another very picturesque ride and almost twice as long as quoted.  We were left on the highway with 10 kms to go but there were vehicles waiting to assist.  They directed us to the crewcab pickup n the lead and started loading our luggage in the back.  However when we looked in the cab we saw there was only room for one more person!  I asked him what gives, and Bella suggested they expected us to ride in the box.   I just shook my head NO, and right away the two Ecuadorian men were asked to occupy the box with our luggage, which they did without argument.  We found out that everyone was very accommodating because we were sharing the $3 cab fare.

We were taken to our lodgings at the Casa Cecilia which is right next to a rushing river.  The chalets were built by someone not very professional and were a hodgepodge of rooms and bathrooms.  My bathroom had the sink facing the side of the toilet so it was most awkward to do anything.  The room had no electricity except outside the door and security was non-existent.  Anyone could have come through any door or window within 3 seconds, however we noted the whole town was like this, no grates or security bars and many homes were wide open, no windows or doors!  Very different!

Mindo is a town of ecological wonders, plants and birds to whet anyone’s appetite for adventure, as well as waterfalls, canopy tours, rafting, butterflies, etc, etc.

Since it was late we wandered down a couple of blocks and saw a family cooking all manner of local food which was being frequented by the locals (always a good sign) so we sat down.  The pork chop was monstrous and the beer delicious as we devoured this great food.  The family was very close and colourful.  It still amuses us how the local children and teens interact with their parents and play happily with their siblings.  Think back to the 50’s for any such possibility at home….   The daughter and son were playing at a combination dance and playful kick-boxing.   When I took a video of them the whole fam damily came down to watch and laugh.  Gotta love the Ecuadorians.

That was today’s excitement.  Hugs to all.    Enjoy the pics at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com

Sunday November 18, 2012

Sunday November 18/12 update  # 290

We were up bright and early to be picked up by Orlando to be driven in a comfortable Toyota Camry to the town of Banos-Ambato, which is in the shadow of the recently active volcano Tungurahua.  Banos is a hot springs visited by almost every Ecuadorian and visitor alike.  It is a 6 ½ hour drive through the Andes and very scenic.  Banos itself is a tourist town with all the usual tourist related sales.

We stayed at the very convenient Hostal Chimenea which was only a block from the hot springs, fed by a lovely bridal veil-style waterfall.

Other residents suggested we wait until evening to tackle the hot springs as the afternoon is still loaded with weekenders and kids.   We took their advice and did a little shopping and had a nice supper.   While there we noted a brochure to go to the Café Del Cielo which promised a spectacular view of Tungurahua while you sip their tea.  It is a $5 cab ride both ways but we decided to do this quickly before sunset so we would hopefully get the best of both worlds, if it was active at all.  We actually got a great view of the mountain on the drive up which made up for the disappointing view at the restaurant, which really should advertise their view of Banos which is spectacular.  Sadly the volcano was not even puffing or glowing so it looks pretty ordinary, although it has a slight snow cap.  When it was erupting in mid-August they had to evacuate Banos.  When I tried to see it in late August we were not allowed in Banos and sadly the mountain was covered with a rain cloud for a week.  Our taxi driver indicated the trepidation with which they live in the shadow of this dangerous giant.

Upon our return we grabbed our swimsuits and headed for the hot springs.  Well it actually seemed busier at night because they were refilling one pool so only two big pools were available and they were wall-to-wall with people of all ages.   It was tremendously relaxing, especially after rinsing off in an outflow of the waterfall above which is very noisy and helped us sleep at night.

That was today’s excitement.  Hugs to all.    Enjoy the pics at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com