Our Container Arrives

I woke this morning at 3:00 AM, not disturbed or restless, but thoughtful.  I had a dream last night and the characters included important people in my life.  I guess we all have those dreams.  There was something profound in it though and I feel compelled to write.  I’ve been away from our blog for a while.  I think most people that read our blog want to hear something about Ecuador and Cuenca and I will get to that, but for now it’s going to be something a little more ethereal.  Rachel and I were at Gringos and Friends last night at DiBacco’s Restaurante and had supper with some special people.  I looked around the room and realized we were surrounded with special people.  Most people say I talk too much, so it’s probably true.  Last night I just listened and watched.  It wasn’t just a bunch of 60-somethings tipping their brewskies either.  There were families there with young children.   I took special care to watch the kids play.  They were little white children, gringlets.  Their blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes were an anomaly in this country, but their spirit was one with the little people of the darker condor persuasion.  They were content and happy.  Not one of them was fussing, whining, or demanding their parent’s attention.   Then I looked at the parents and discovered the why.  The parents were here to live a different life with the focus on family and all things important, not material.   They were going to educate their children in a rich life that could never be afforded at even the most expensive schools in the US.    Those young parents were also reaching out to all of us gray panthers, not because they wanted to know the best restaurants in town but because there was a common spirit that transcended our linear chronograph.   Ok, enough of the ethereal. 

Last week was a special time for Rachel and me.  Our container arrived.  Now if you live in the US and you are living vicariously through gringo blogs in Ecuador you might wonder what a container is.  If you live here in Ecuador, you already know what a container is.  A container is either a 20 or 40 foot metal box that rides on a semi truck flatbed, a rail car, or gets hoisted to an ocean vessel where it is carried over the the big water to faraway places like Ecuador.  North American expats (gringos) view these containers with equal parts joy and disdain.  Generally, you make a decision that those things you left at home in Iowa or Oklahoma were either expendable or not.  I came to Ecuador with two suitcases, but then I’m a man.  If you are a woman, your sentiments for objects of affection run a little deeper.  This all flys in the face of the nonmaterialism I speak of above, but then I think of Out of Africa and the fine china and the Edison phonograph that Meryl Streep brought from Denmark to the Masai in 1914 and I guess I think it's ok in 2010 to bring your subwoofer.   One of the first decisions of this newlywed couple was whether it would be worth it to bring those sentimental and creature comforts here to roost.  I can tell you that after seeing the warm glow in Rachel’s eyes this past week it was worth it.  Rachel’s mother’s special glass trees sit atop Rachel’s French Armoire in our living room.   Her elegant wing backed chairs nestle in a corner of our kitchen and dining area.  Her massive and luxurious queen sized bed coddles us to sleep at night.  The little clay creatures fashioned by Brooks and Bianca in their formative years are here safe and ready to express their story to anyone who will listen.  The loveseat where Rachel and I first kissed is in the man cave and welcomes Rachel and I to a repeated experience of love and comfort.  Rachel is the daughter of a hardware store owner.  Do you think her tools are important?  Well, I’m pretty sure she can do some amazing things with them and will.  

 Art is important too and things crafted by Rachel’s talented and now deceased brother are a constant reminder of his abilities and passion.  Let’s not forget the heavy cookware that helps those fresh Ecuadorian vegetables reach their culinary zenith.   Then there’s the side by side LG refrigerator that makes ice, dispenses it, and holds enough food for the Ecuadorian army.     Yes, we’re both happy with our decision to ship things here.  If you want to know a good formula for getting things here we believe we can make some recommendations.  Give us a call.

Rachel's Bike is 'Scarlet'

We all leave things behind when we come to Ecuador.  Some of those 'things' are harder to leave behind than others.  Rachel's turbo charged Miata 'Mazda Speed' (remember 'Zoom Zoom') was her most difficult possession to leave behind.  She dubbed her car 'Scarlet' for the red color it so appropriately wore and also for her heroine in 'Gone With the Wind'.   

 Rachel's new heroine 'Scarlet' rides on two wheels with disc brakes, 24 gears and has a suspension that evens the cobblestones and 'locks out' for the really rugged outings.  I don't think we're ready for rock climbs on our bikes yet, but we'll be ready when our bodies and spirits say so.  Juan at PaPikes made  special accomodations for us to buy this bike.  That's the way Juan is.  He is a good friend, a very fair, honest, and generous business man.  When you are ready to buy a bike, come and see Juan. 

Our first ride with our bikes 'Scarlet' and 'Mongo' was to visit some friends who just moved to a lovely home just off Doce De Abril.   Rachel quickly learned the technique of timing to get in the one lane tunnel under Avendidas de Americas keeping an out-of-the-shadows profile and a merging speed that allowed for safe dispatch to the other side.  Rachel and Scarlet are unscathed and happy.  Rachel's confidence is growing quickly and I have no doubt she will soon be going everywhere in town with or without me.  She still misses her Scarlet Miata but the memory is fading.    

Waiting for This Day

First a note to Rachel's mother and dad:   Rachel is alive and well.  In fact she rather embraced the ride down Doce De Abril! 

There's no bounds to what Rachel can and will accomplish here in Ecuador.  I'm so proud of her.  In this city of 500,000 there are probably only 5 women cyclists riding the streets here. Actually, I think that count is very generous, but count Rachel among that elite handful.  A while ago I shared on this blog site my first harrowing day on two wheels in Cuenca.  Gathering my wits after some close brushes with the Blue Angels of Death (buses) that day I was determined that I would one day ride comfortably and confidently in traffic here.  I am proud to say that I am doing just that but it took a lot of fortitude and single mindedness to get where I am.  Only in the wishful recesses in the back of my mind did I believe that one day Rachel would join me as well. 

We had a great time!  Our friend Juan from PaBikes was kind enough to let Rachel try out another Mongoose for a couple hours.   The 'goose' that Rachel is pictured in here is not what we've chosen however.  Rachel had the opportunity to ride my Mongoose as well and this one simply didn't measure up.  Juan was more than happy to upgrade our choice.  We ended up special ordering a smaller framed twin to my Mongo, so it is on its way from Quito.  Rachel's Mongoose will be appropriately christened Monga.  The fact that we will both have independent two wheeled mobility in this city will greatly expand our footprint and keep our bodies firm.  You can only begin to imagine how this expands our life here.  While other people are jumping on the Blue Angel buses (they are Blue Angels of Death when they are rasping and belching their diesel fumes beside me on my bicycle) we are like free birds swooping in and out of traffic diverting only when the spirit moves us to occasionally ride the sidewalks.  It is magical to surge ahead of the Blue Angels of Death and the Yellow Hornets (taxis) in traffic and laugh out loud as we eschew their fares, retain our muscle tone and feel the warmth of the breeze.   It was great to share learned strategies with Rachel about which streets, which sidewalks, which tunnels and the myriad of self imposed safety rules I’ve learned to keep yourself in one piece in this town.  I love Rachel and her safety is numero uno.  Her freedom is numero dos.  The bicycle is freedom.  Thank you Juan.

Today Rachel is with Dr. Edgar Rodas, one of the most highly esteemed doctors in all of Ecuador.  He is a former Minister of Health in the Ecuadorian cabinet.  He is the founder and leader of a nonprofit health organization that brings surgical procedures and wellness programs to the poorest of the poor and the remotest of the remote in all of Ecuador.  He is the Dean of Surgery at the University of Azuay.  He is a modest, warm, talented, unselfish and kind man.

http://cinterandes.org/


Dr. Rodas’ staff of medical volunteers shares his vision of sustained health and wellness for all of Ecuador.  For Rachel to be invited to participate in this philanthropic medical adventure is nothing short of a God Thing.  How she came to be connected with Dr. Rodas is another story best left for another time.  Suffice it to say I am enormously proud of my Rachel for her courage, grit and determination.  Keep her in your prayers.


`

Visitors from Vilcabamba

You'll have to go back several months to find Rachel's and my trip to Vilcabamba on this blog site.  It was an enchanting trip.  We weren't married yet.  We were still trying to determine whether our love for each other was enough to make us safe and viable as a couple.  We were still needing to know whether our tempos and rhythms would gel.  We had not yet been on 'the ride' together.  On that trip Rachel and I rode horses in the mountains on a gruelling and harrowing adventure.  Rachel got some kind of stomach bug on that trip also.  'The Bug' lasted for four days.  We also met and became friends with Rick and Eve Casto. Rick and Eve just follow their hearts and their hearts lead them to Ecuador and into the Valley of Longevity in Vilcabamba.  They are helping to manage a wonderful resort and spa in Vilcabamba known as Terra Madre.   Rick and Eve are missionaries.  They are the kind of missionaries that make you want to become a Christian if you're not one and if you are already a Christian, you're really proud to be one and will be inspired to be more like one. 

Yesterday Rick and Eve came to Cuenca and stayed the night with us.   They are the perfect guests and make hosting a total pleasure.  We talked about Ecuador and why we love it here.  This seems to always be a topic of conversation among gringos here.  Go figure.  We talked about matters of the heart.  We talked about our families.  We talked about food and how to prepare it here.  We even broke out a deck of cards with different pictures from Ecuador on the face of every card and played a new game for Rachel and me called 'Golf'.  It was really fun.  Rick and Eve touched our hearts and our souls and today we're better and happier people because of it.  It's kind of like that here in Ecuador.  You meet people here every day that enrich your life and make you realize that you're never alone.  You talk about things that you never dreamed of talking about anywhere else.  Whatever you were before you came here doesn't matter.  Ecuador is a new start for everyone who comes here.  You can become the person you've always wanted to be.  You might suggest that is possible anywhere....even in your own home town.  Try it.  Good luck.  When you're frustrated and had enough, send me an email.      

Mike and Patty's Birthday Party

Last month (October) Mike and Patty Grimm had a party to celebrate their mutual Libran birthdays at California Kitchen here in Cuenca.   Rachel wasn't here yet so I had to go solo, but the company was great.   Mike and Patty are wonderful people to be around and their friends are likewise.  If you've never had a meal at California Kitchen you need to allow yourself that pleasure. 

For those with an extremely robust appetite there is an hamburguesa to end all hamburguesas.

The owner/operators of California Kitchen, Carol and George and their family are welcoming, warm and dedicated to delivering a delicious and unique dining experience to your table. 

Bob LeFevre and Mike Grimm have become excellent friends.  They are both Viet Nam era Air Force pilots.  Suffice it to say they both have some great stories to tell.  James Reed, another pilot in attendance flew 747's for United.  I am merely a licensed private pilot but it struck me that four of us in attendance were pilots and love flying.  I wonder if there might be a correlation of spirit between pilots and the allure of independent living in Ecuador.  When half of the men in attendance are pilots and the ratio to pilots and non pilots in the general population is probably less than 1 in a hundred you have to wonder.  This wasn't a purposeful pilot gathering!

Bob and Freida will return to Ecuador in January to their new home on the coast.  Bob plans to build a two seat gyrocopter and will likely be able to take off right from the sandy beach in front of his house.  Does it get any better than that?  I'm pretty sure Mike and James and I will be over to help him build it.

Playing to the Beat of Independence



Rachel's independent spirit of excitement and glee is shown early in life



There's a picture of Rachel with her brothers when she was two years of age in Lawton Oklahoma. Rachel's mouth was wide open in an expression of total glee, released from all bonds that might trouble a two year old.  I love that picture.  I think we all yearn for that release of entering into our surroundings, just stopping to smell the roses, picking up the symbols and playing to the beat of the band.  I guess that's why I married Rachel.  She smells the roses and plays the symbols. 



Rachel seizes the moment and symbols the beat of independence



November 3 was Cuenca Independence Day.  Bands played, Presidente Correa was in town to celebrate with us, vendors and artisans from all over the country were here to add color and nuance to an historic and significant event.  For those of us who live here now it is difficult to believe that Cuenca or Ecuador for that matter was ever anything but independent.  There's a spirit that goes with an independent country and an independent people.  Mark my word, the Ecuadorian spirit is alive and well and the people love their independence just like the American patriot from the US.

It strikes me about the similarities between our countries, the US and Ecuador.  Many people would cite the differences which are obviously apparent at every level, socio-economic, cultural, demographic, climatic, etc.   But let's look at core spirit and independent thinking. When the Ecuadorian people have had enough of the direction their leadership takes, they are heard.  They are heard in large numbers with an open voice.   Changes are made.   A couple years ago the American cousins of the North decided they didn't like their country's direction and voted in a massive change of political leadership and representation.  Two years later, expectations weren't met, and again the voice of the people was heard with a resulting change to the US House of Representatives.  It doesn't matter which side of the isle you sit on.  Democracy and independence is alive and well in the US and Ecuador.  Congratulations on your independence Ecuador!      

We're Home!

It seems like it's been a long dry spell without posting.  So much has happened in the last few weeks but I just felt like we had to be in the 'zone' of tending to business and our prearranged assignments of tasks while in the US.  It is all a little unfortunate in a way because I'm not sure we were totally ourselves and we were certainly stressed while travelling about the US, shipping household goods to Cuenca from Denton Texas, meeting with family in Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma, getting married in Tennessee, going on a honeymoon in Missouri, going to the Ecuadorian consulate in Texas, taking care of business matters in Oklahoma, clearing out Rachel's house, having two household sales, and in general burning candles at both ends.  Color us exhausted.  Color us unwinding.  Color us relieved and happy to settle into this new home of ours in Cuenca.  We're home!

I'm hoping that Rachel will add a few words at some point to describe her feelings and emotions as she takes in her new surroundings.  I was in the states for almost a month so my first couple days back in Ecuador were a juxtaposition of dreamlike surrealism and giddy joy.  The 'giddiness' was certainly due in no small part to having the love of my life right here with me.   Its one thing to marvel at your surroundings but when there's no one to share it with it's like the proverbial falling tree in the forest with no one to hear it.  There's no sound.  My experience in Ecuador is at last a shared experience.  If you are a US expatriate you can identify with what I'm saying.  If you go back to the states and tell people about why you keep coming back here they just look at you like you are certainly a Martian.  At least to Rachel, I'm no longer a Martian.

Every time you engage in a conversation with a local here it is a virtual treasure trove of Ecuador culture and the heart of the people.  Today Rachel and I were blessed to meet Dr. Rodrigo Crespo Toral.  If you live in Ecuador, especially in Cuenca, you know the name Crespo.  There are statues and streets named for Rodrigo’s father and his great uncle Remigio in Cuenca.  They are a family of physicians, healers.    Rodrigo was a professor of pediatric medicine at Georgetown University.  At 86, he is still handsome and regal and is obviously proud of his beautiful wife of 62 years.  This day he had two granddaughters, their mother, and his lovely wife at his side.  We ate ice cream together at a wonderful heladoria on Parque Calderon.    It was important to Rodrigo that his granddaughters knew about the city that fostered his development.  The building where we ate our helados once housed the high school where Rodrigo learned Latin and the disciplines of biology and physiology.  I felt so humbled and privileged to be with him this day.  Rachel talked with him about being a specialty neo natal nurse in the US.  “You aren’t retiring are you?” he admonished.  I had the feeling Rodrigo wasn’t long out of the practice of medicine.  His passion was still in his eyes and his steady voice.  We had just brushed with the heart of Ecuador and her heart is well.