Timeout for Art: Both Sides Of The Line

Tags

Drawing Negative Space, Learning how to see, Pencil Drawings, Timeout for Art

“Draw on both sides of the line, not just what you’re enclosing.  The shape you’re making on the outside is as important as the one you’re making on the inside.”  (Leon Polk Smith)

From Quito Ecuador -

Tonight I’m taking a timeout from art for a timeout for art!  A full day of painting leaves me tired, yet when I switch to pencil, I quickly float away in a meditative trance!  It’s as if I am asleep with my eyes wide open!  I could draw all night!

Rough sketch of center area

This pencil study is in Alastair’s behalf;  last month he tackled a complex design, which challenged me to break part of it down in an analytical method.

Walking Ambassadors

Tags

Expat life in Ecuador, I can do this painting projects, Outdoor Murals for Patios, Sarah Dettman Ecuador, Sunflower Paintings, The Ugly American

Day One -”Life Birds” – Sarah, Eloy and I worked past sunset!

Quito, Ecuador –   While the northern hemisphere approaches the longest day of the year, and the southern approaches the shortest, the sun consistently peers over the horizon around 6 in the morning and sets around 6 in the evening on the equator.   I often try to squeeze a bit more from each day, as the above photo illustrates!

Day Two: Attention to detail strengthens the painting.

Day Three: A Late-Afternoon Painting Party!

Before I resumed painting this morning,

The Equator – A Lateral Journey

Tags

Mindo Ecuador, Quito Ecuador, Trekking Ecuador, Tropica flowers

Mindo landscape – Photo: Juliet Gionfriddo

The Middle of the World!

(Ecuador)   The past two weeks have caught me hopscotching back and forth across the line of the equator!  From tour groups to post-painting competitions to restaurant makeovers in the Jama (sea level) area, I traveled last week to Quito’s high altitude of 9,350 feet (2,800 meters) before retreating to Mindo’s cloud forest at 5,006 feet (1525 meters).

Rather than confuse you with who, what, when, where and why, I present this eclectic assortment of images from the past week.

Honoring Fathers

Tags

Father's Day Images, Father's Day Quotes, Fathers and Daughters, Fathers and Sons

Father & Son – Quito Ecuador

“You will find that if you really try to be a father, your child will meet you halfway.” - Robert Brault

Father & Son – Ecuador

“A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. ” Unknown

Father & Son – Nicaragua

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” — Ruth E. Renkel

Gonzalo y Natalia – Manta Ecuador

”My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” – Jim Valvano

Father & Daughter – Jama Ecuador

“There’s something like a line of gold thread running through a man’s words when he talks to his daughter.” – John Gregory Brown

Pancho and Juan – Jama Ecuador

“One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.”
- George Herbert

Happy Father’s Day!

Z

Jama´s anniversary

Reblogged from monoaullador.:

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Today my hometown Jama is celebrating its 15 years as official town from Ecuador. The biggest activity is a huge parade where participate all the educative centers, social organizations, and more. one day before there is a small parade with children from locals daycare and kindergarten, all children have to wear costumes. I wanna share some pictures I took in one of my favorite part of this celebration......... 

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From the breakfast table in Mindo, I am pleased to lob you to Silvana's report of the children's parade in Jama! Z

Timeout for Art: Concentration

“Unfortunately when I start to talk or when someone watches over my shoulders, my pencil either stops or I draw meaningless lines.”  (E. J. Hughes)

Quietly working!

From Quito

Hi friends!

In the Andean city of Quito, I am using a friends computer (with Spanish keyboard) and unable to transfer images from the cameras memory chip.   Tomorrow night from the cloudforest of Mindo, I will most likely be online with access to this weeks images!

While painting at Restaurant Exclusivo last week, I often lost my concentration when others were standing nearby and talking, lauging, critiquing the painting in progress.  I noted that my lines wavered in the direction of the bystanders and the direction my minds eye wandered.

My friends are accustomed to a “No Talking Zone” sign that I often display when I am seriously working.  It helps remind them that noises pull my attention away from my painting!

Brian tunes out the world by using earphones and music!

Signing off for the day and will most likely see you Thursday night!

Z

 

Can The Sisters Cook?

Exclusivo quick lunch break (I suggested something quick like canned tuna and a tomato!) What a treat – a tuna/potato/carrot salad AND grilled fish and plantains for a touch of sweetness!

Ecuador -

While Barbara and I were working on the magic carpet in April, Silvana wrote, “I would love to help with something I’m not a painter but I know cook .” (See BODEGA FLOOR IMPROVES)  She chuckled and told us if one can easily chop an onion, they should be able to paint! By witnessing how she and Vania were naturals at painting, I would put them against anyone in an onion-chopping competition!  So the gals can paint, and they can chop onions,  but can they cook?

W is for “What? No Spanish Words Start With W?”

Tags

Frizztext Tagged W, Jama Canton June Fiesta 2013, Richard Shindell Cancion Sencilla, Spanish words that start with W

What? Does this mean you can skip W and dash to X? (Photo taken last week during a dress-rehearsal parade!)

Aside from adopting words from other languages, Spanish doesn’t have words that begin with the letter W!  Wifi, Whisky, Wafle (Waffle) illustrate a few of the escapes that took root in the Spanish language.

Here’s a beautiful song by Richard Shindell that my friend Michelle shared with me years ago.  It doesn’t start with W, but it compliments the theme of learning Spanish.

An impromptu parade distracted us from painting last week;  in preparation for Jama’s (Canton)15-year celebration, the town treated us to a dress rehearsal for a much larger parade set for later this week!  Since I have no Spanish words to illustrate the letter W, here’s a sneak peek of the upcoming parade!

Chevere!! The word most pronounced in our second working day!

Reblogged from monoaullador.:

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What means chevere? as our popular Ecuadorian Spanish dictionary  chevere means great, cool, cute, pretty, well on our second day of work chevere has been the most mentioned word by people who have walked around our workspace and God!!! there have been many I would say that too much the point of causing  hassle and deconcentration!

I must admit it has been inevitable since the restaurant was open for lunch, has not been easy to stay in different activities at the same time, attending a restaurant, painting, cooking, engage in worpress, take pictures to share (this also has its hard side).

Read more… 379 more words

With a smirk from my perch at the riverhouse, I bask in the memories of working with Silvana and Vania this past week. Not only is Silvana a quick understudy in creating art, but she is also a great writer, who entertains us with posts about the latest art project! Chevere! Buen Trabajo! Good work, Silvana! You are a master of many trades, and you are intelligent and funny as well! Lisa/Z

Timeout for Art – When Inspiration Strikes

Tags

painting by lisa brunetti, painting of cat and flowers, painting on walls, Restaurant Exclusivo Jama Ecuador, Timeout for Art, where to eat in jama ecuador

Timeout for drawing… Inspired by a photo…

The past ten days have filled my life with power outages, a broken water line, private tours,  a painting competition, watercolor lessons by candlelight, a dress-rehearsal parade, and the challenge of transforming a restaurant dining area.  I’ve sharpened my pencils countless times, though I have had little time online.

While waiting on lunch, I added more background to bring the snowy egret into focus.

Precision requires a sharp point!  One more session will complete the above drawing.   Instead of finishing the egret drawing yesterday, I focused on the cat for part of the restaurant’s new ‘artsy’ look!

Enjoy the evolution of a fun impromptu painting that was prompted by the suggestion, ‘What about a window with a cat – painted in the same style of the tables? Simple lines and basic colors.”

I veered a little off course!

Timeout for Art: Drawing Comes First!

Tags

jama painting concurso, painting on glass, Pencil drawing, postes con colores, restaurant decor, Timeout for Art: Drawing comes first, urban art

Two snowy egrets: shading the background took much more time than drawing the birds, but the dark background makes the egret ‘pop.’

“Drawing is the basis of art.  A bad painter cannot draw.  But one who draws well can always paint.”  (Arshile Gorky)

Jama Ecuador – 05/June/2013

The past week found me totally immersed in art projects and in society! The post-painting competition stretched from Saturday until Monday evening, and several of the most dedicated artists continued painting after sunset!  Tapping into the pre-Columbian designs of the Jama Coaque Indians, the street artists displayed strong drawing skills.

Brian, this year’s winner, worked for three days and into each night and kept this focus the entire time!

Coastal Tours and Painting the Town!

Tags

jama ecuador, Jonathan Hall, Painting Competition Jama, Sarah Dettman Tours

Hammocking at La Division

Life remains at an easy forward motion here in Ecuador’s Manabi Province!  The above image reflects the tranquil attitude of Sarah Dettman’s group that toured the area on Friday.  After a picnic and a little practice at the art of hammocking, we met the other half of the group at Canoa Beach Hotel – an hour’s drive down the coast.

Canoa Beach Hotel

Early that morning Jonathan Hall and his part of the Ecuador Expat Journey group flew from Quito to Manta and drove to Canoa, while Sarah brought her new friends by land to Pedernales, over the line of the equator and to the Jama area.  

V is for Valdivia!

Tags

Lisa Brunetti art, Sarah Dettman Tours, Spanish words that start with V, Tagged V, Valdivia Mujeres, Valdivia Potter, Valdivia Women, Venus Valdivias, Vivir Sin Aire English translation, Watercolors of pottery

Senorita Valdivia – stages of watercolor

Ecuador’s archaeological museums showcase the many cultures that thrived before the European conquest of the Americas.   The Valdivia culture is often described as the oldest urban settlement in the Americas and dates back to 3,500 or 4,000 B.C.    Some suggest that the Valdivia culture came from Japan, and why it vanished is a mystery as well.

Valdivia Museum – Valdivia Women – Mujeres – Merci Waits

When I visit the Ecuadorian museums, I linger at the Valdivia section in search of my favorite Venus ladies.

Valdivia Women – Guayaquil MAAC Museum

There are many great Spanish words that begin with the letter V for Frizztext’s Alphabet Challenge.   Enjoy this random sampler:

Timeout for Art: Through A Child’s Eyes

Tags

art therapy, Botanical drawings in pencil, Pencil drawing, Timeout For Art: Through A Child's Eyes, Warm ups for Art

(Ecuador)

What I do when a page won’t load or an email won’t open! Bienvenidos to Casa Loca!

“When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work.  I told her I worked at the college – that my job was to teach people how to draw.  She stared back and me, incredulous, and said, “You mean they forget?”  (Howard Ikemoto)

WordPress folks, YOU ROCK!  You quickly steered the once-a week drawing theme into an amazing community project!  

Bootleg Barbies, an Inauguration, a March Against Monsanto and the Coolest Floor in the World - RTW Week #18

Reblogged from piran café:

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Quito, Ecuador – If there’s been one constant on my extended jaunt around the world, it’s been this: I’m finding myself easily distracted. As travel goes, that’s hardly a terrible thing. My curiosity is pulling me in various directions, tossing me into a multitude of tangents. I’m rekindling old passions that thankfully were only temporarily lost while discovering entirely new ones.

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People have often questioned, "Why Ecuador?" Bob shares some of the good, some of the bad, some of the beautiful, but I think you'll understand why I love the area where I have settled. Perhaps his reports of the not so pretty will reach the eyes of someone who can help make positive changes. Thanks, Bob; you have captured the essence of the area where I live, and I am honored that your road less traveled brought you here! Buen viaje! Z

Timeout for Art: Pencils

Tags

Drawing lessons, Drawing tips, Lisa Brunetti, Pencil drawing, Secrets to drawing well

My friend the pencil! (Drawn with dominant/right hand)

“A pencil is quiet, clean, odorless, inexpensive, and lightweight.  I can slip it in my pocket and take it with me everywhere – my secret friend.”  (Sherry Camby)

Years ago I taught art to elementary school students, and I reminded them that they were ‘safe’ from ridicule from their peers. All that I expected from them was that they try their best, and they were not to laugh at anyone’s attempts. How rewarding it was to witness the improvement from all levels! Awkward with their early drawings, some students worked on mastering their pencils, which were foreign in their hands. Other “naturally-talented” students had many more hours of drawing than the others and had found solace in their pencils and crayons. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

The most important ingredient in being a good artist is practice! Practice, practice, practice! I was reminded of this last week, when Ruth, with her dominant hand in a cast, said that she’d try drawing with her left hand! I volunteered to include an additional sketch with my left hand each week in her honor. It was much more difficult than I realized! Although I draw well with my dominant hand, I am again at beginner status with the other!

U is for Urracas!

Tags

Frizztext Story Challenge U, Large blue birds in Costa Rica, Loud birds in Costa Rica, Magpie Jays, Spanish words that start with U, Urracas

“Sunday Picnic” Urracas – 24″ x 48″

Frizztext’s alphabet challenge has reached V, and I”m tardy with U!   Today’s internet was too slow to make progress on the web.  Alas, I need my sleep, so now that it’s working fast enough to load pages, I hurriedly introduce you to the raucous, gregarious urracas that color the landscape in Costa Rica.

Urracas often raid the tables at open-air restaurants!  This acrylic, Sunday Picnic, was painted on site in my backyard, though I relied on photos to capture the essence of these beautiful birds.   The urracas love bananas, and those particular plants provided enough for the urracas and me!

Urraca also means chatterbox!

“Sunday Picnic” – detail

That’s it – short and sweet for this week’s Spanish post!

Now for that sleep session…

ZZZZZZZZZZ

Nature Bites Back; Nature Speaks

Tags

Controlling river water, Destruction of Mangroves, Mangroves, Nature Strikes Back, Preventing erosion on rivers

Before: Mangroves on both sides of the house…

Ecuador

Once upon a time in 2008, magnificent mangroves cocooned the Casa Blanca (aka ‘Riverhouse’ and sometimes ‘Casa Loca”) on the last bend of Rio Jama… The few old photos of that house are not very good, but they show the essence of the area in 2008.   Note the trees on the both sides of the house.

Mangroves before…

Some of you are aware of last year’s loss of those mangroves that stood proud and tall downriver from the house.  An excavator arrived and began shoving the mangroves into the river.  Dump trucks stockpiled huge boulders to replace the trees and strong arm the river into submission, which distressed one artist, and to her dismay, no one else!

After- (After pushing down trees; after extinguishing power!)

Stockpile of boulders – a cluster of three mangroves was left…

Please save those three trees, I pleaded.

After the rainy season and after the excavator…

How delighted I was when nature bit back and said, ‘That’s enough!”

March Against Monsanto in Quito - Notebook and 22 Photos

Reblogged from piran café:

Here are some images from this morning and early afternoon's March Against Monsanto action in Quito, Ecuador, one of 436 cities in 52 countries where demonstrations were held against GMO/biotech giant Monsanto today.

Monsanto, the company that brought the world Agent Orange five decades ago (see a post of my October 2010 visit with Vietnam's third generation of victims…

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Although I am on the Pacific coast, part of me was in Quito and wondering how the march went. I wasn't surprised that Bob did his homework and presented a great report. Follow his prompt and see the Agent Orange Golden Anniversary story, but be prepared for a heart wrenching story. We need more stories and photos like this to help everyone WAKE UP. Thanks, Bob. Z

In The Background – A Behind-the-Scenes Second Story

Tags

Images of reflections, moto taxi ride ecuador, museum portoviejo, WordPress Challenge In the Background

Background, middleground and foreground; how can one not smile when everyone is having a great moment?!

This week’s WordPress challenge asks us to:  “Take a picture of yourself or someone else as a shadow, a reflection, or a lesser part of a scene, making the background, or — as in the example above — the foreground, the center of attention.”

Silvana (of Monoaullador), Bob (of Pirancafe) and I traveled this week to the community of Al Mocora where time seemed frozen in sweet acceptance of a basic-yet-rewarding long-ago lifestyle.  The camera often captured not only the primary subject but a secondary one as well!

Happy Independence Day, Lovely Ecuador!

Tags

Ecuador Independence Day, GMO Monsanta March 2013, May 24 Ecuador, Photos of Ecuador

Ecuador Flag – Flying High Over Guayaquil!

May 24, 2013 – Quito Ecuador

Today Ecuador celebrated its history of independence (1822) from Spain.   A bonus on this full-moon day, crowds gathered to witness the swearing in of Rafael Correa for his third-term as president.  My friends Silvana of tinasca.wordpress.com and Bob of www.pirancafe.com are both in the city of Quito for an event-filled weekend!

Quito at Night

Tomorrow their attention will wean to a March Against Monsanto.    How great it is that the entire world is collectively standing up against the big M and saying, “Go Home! Your genetically-modified seeds are not welcome here!”   

In honor of Ecuador’s independence, I’ll leave you with images of some of my favorite places in Ecuador.  Enjoy!

Word Turtle Day!

Tags

Bob Ramsak, Galapagos Turtle, Miguelito Galapagos Turtle Bahia Ecuador, Piran Cafe, Things to do in Bahia Ecuador, World Turtle Day

Bob “PiranCafe” and Miguelito/Galapagos Turtle/Ecuador

Russel Ray Photos called my attention to World Turtle Day, and then Bob of www.pirancafe.com posted an image of Miguelito, a Galapagos turtle, in honor of the day, so I am posting a photo of Bob taking a photo of Miguelito!  See Bob’s post about Miguelito HERE!

Z

Timeout for Art: Drawing & Paying Attention

Tags

Drawing, Drawing from Life, Drawing from Nature, Pencil drawing, Quotes about Drawing, Quotes about Observing, Timeout, Tree Drawings

(Palo de Agua) – Detail of pencil drawing

“The very act of drawing an object, however badly, swiftly takes the drawer from a wooly sense of what the object looks like to a precise awareness of its component parts and particularities.”  (Alain de Bottom)

'Around the World', at 120 Days

Reblogged from piran café:

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Today, 21 May 2013, marks 120 days since I began this Around The World Trip, exactly four months to the day, and the first day of the 18th week. It's been an amazing ride. And in many ways, it's only just begun.

To mark the occasion I put together this quick slide show featuring one or two pics taken each day, set chronologically.

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Hey Amigos! This slideshow is pretty amazing, and guess what? I'm about to be honored with a several-day visit with Bob, who will arrive in Jama this afternoon! I'm about to leave for Bahia de Caraquez to be his official Welcome Wagon! We'll cross Rio Chone via boat taxi! (Boat taxi? I didn't warn him about the boat taxi!) It's going to be fun to see the area through his eyes! Enjoy this amazing slideshow and wish him 'Buen viaje! - Happy trails!" Signing off until tonight, Z

Timeout for Art – YOU CAN DO THIS!

Tags

About Art, Art, Finding Faith in Oneself, I Can Do This, Inspiration to Create Art, Lisa Brunetti art, Paintings, Pencil drawing, You Can Do This

“My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue.” (Carole King)

Recently we’ve joked about the magic carpet on the bodega floor, though our lives are all intricately woven like tapestries.  With each move – and I’ve made many, I’ve met new people that have enriched my life.  Sometimes we exchange ideas and move on, grateful that Life presented us a special gift.  Other times a chance meeting opens the door to a lasting friendship.   Some friendships from long ago remain strong through long-distance communications.  Many of my artist friends fit into that latter category.

“An everlasting vision of the ever changing view – A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold -A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold”  Carole King - Tapestry

This past month several artists have written touching and soul-bearing letters.  

Helping Hands

Tags

Acrylic Painting, Creative Group Projects, Daily Post, Daily Prompt: Helping Hands, i can do this painting workshops, Images of Hands, Lisa Brunetti art

Today’s Daily Prompt states:  
Tell us about the most surprising helping hand you’ve ever received.
Photographers, show us HANDS.

Hands?  Do I ever have an assortment of images of hands!

Enjoy!

T is for Tramite!

Tags

Frizztext Story Challenge T, Spanish words with T, what is a tramite?, Words in Spanish that start with T

paperwork paperwork, tramites, tramites!

Tramite? (Tra-me-tee)

I had never heard the word tramite until I began the process for a ‘company’ visa here in Ecuador. Tramite means steps with paperwork and often refers to legal paperwork. My particular visa has taken years of tramites, tramites, and more tramites! Gallivanta called my attention to a great video which captures the frustrations of dealing with the formal process of tramites:

My most recent hurdle was to get four sets of black and white copies of a 30-page color catalog of my work that had been presented to the Superintendent of Companies over six months ago!  Each page had to be notarized!

Manners Matter

Reblogged from Implicado:

I remember my mother once told me... be polite and nice to others.

Well this is an example of why manners matter:

At a Coffe shop:

"Being educated, makes the difference"

One coffe: $40

One coffe please: $30

Good Morning, one coffe please: $20

What's your pick?

Yes, manners matter! May this brighten your day and be a reminder to be polite! Z

Escape to the Beach!

Tags

Beautiful Beaches, Playa San Miguel Costa Rica, Wild Weekly Photo Challenge - The Beach, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge Escape

Leaving the house before sunrise often rewards me with an amazing show of color!  Rarely am I disappointed;  instead all of my senses awaken as I rejoice in total immersion in nature.

Pre Sunrise – Playa San Miguel, Costa Rica

Do you agree that Playa San Miguel is surely one of the loveliest beaches in Costa Rica?   I escaped from my slumber and trekked down the beach in anticipation of dawn.

This post is for  two challenges:  Let’s Be Wild’s The Beach as well as WordPress’s Escape.

Timeout: Leonardo

Tags

Art Quotes, Bamboo Art, Drawing, Drawing Quotes, Pencil Drawings

Lapiz – Pencil Punta- Point

Sharpening my Ebony pencil, I present the first of a series of drawings paired with quotes pertaining to  the importance of drawing and art.   This will discipline me to take a timeout each week for the joy of drawing and share those drawings with you!    Here’s the first quote of the series:

Sandy Beaches of Latin America

Tags

Cruzita Ecuador, manta ecuador beaches, Playa Rosada Nicaragua, Playa San Miguel Costa Rica

Playa San Miguel, Costa Rica

Playa San Miguel in Guanacaste Province/Costa Rica is often described as one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches. Very little new construction has been allowed there, so the essence of its spirit remains intact.  You’ll find no intrusive towering condos or gated communities,  though the property owners and the municipality continue with years of dysfunction.  The rules continue to change, and recently most of the (few) restaurants, hostals and hospitality-related businesses have been closed and/or ordered to be torn down because they were too close to the line or were not given permission for construction or did not have the correct concession.  Unless one visits during the holiday season, they will experience the beauty of solitude.

S is for Sonrisa! (Smile!)

Tags

costa rica, Ecuador, happy people, madres, mothers day, Panama, Smiles, sonrisas

Break time from kitchen duty! Doesn’t she have a genuine smile?

There are many great words that start with S in Spanish.  After I typed an assortment of words in the “New Post” page, I pondered the many photo options for those words.

Most people don’t particularly care for images of snakes; the word for a poisonous snake is serpiente. (Otherwise it’s culebra – correct me, Spanish speakers, if I’m wrong!)

I usually sign my emails and notes with the word siempre, which means always.

Sandia – watermelon would make a fun pictorial, as would sapo – toad.  (A frog is called a rana.)

Other helpful words are Sabor-Taste,   Sed-Thirsty, Salud-Health, Salud-Cheers, and Salud-Bless You! Last year I was walking down a quiet sidewalk in Cruzita, and two men were walking on the other side of the street.  One sneezed, and I automatically stated, “Salud!” and kept walking.  They looked over at me, were shocked to see an ‘outsider,’  and they chuckled – as did I!

Shunning all of the above, I present to you an assortment of sonrisas in honor of Mother’s Day! (The photos were taken in Ecuador unless otherwise noted.)  Enjoy!

Cherishing Our Beaches & Marine Life

Tags

Declining Sea Turtles, Marine Conservation. Pretoma, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Playa San Miguel Costa Rica, Where's My Backpack Beaches, Why are sea turtles dying

Dawn – Playa San Miguel Costa Rica

Ailsa’s theme for this week is beaches, and I am blessed to have spent a large part of the past dozen years along the beaches of Central and South America.   This post reflects the rewards of visiting the beach in the magical hours at the beginning and end of each day.

Dawn reveals the history of the night; many locals still raid turtle nests along the Pacific Coast.  (Playa San Miguel Costa Rica)

Playa Rosada Nicaragua – Thieves raided this turtle nest as well.

The ocean often tosses more than driftwood on the beaches.

“Pelagic Sea Snake”

Turtles die from boats trawling too close to shore with illegal shrimp nets. This is wrong.

During one rainy season at Playa San Miguel Costa Rica, the resident marine biologist flagged me down about an hour before sunset, “Lisa! There’s a turtle nesting!”  

New Friends, New Memories – Part 02

Tags

Boat Taxis in Ecuador, Crash Course Ecuador Tours, Creative Ways to Learning Spanish, Ecuador Tours, Jonathan Hall, Sarah Dettman, What to do in Bahia de Caraquez

Life presents us with unique people if we slow down long enough to notice!

Bahia de Caraquez – A picturesque little green city!

Manabi Province – Ecuador  (May 2013)

(This post follows New Friends, New Memories – Part 01 posted yesterday)

After the Ecuador Crash Course group left Canoa Beach Hotel,  Susana stepped into her job as Spanish teacher and prompted us to count heads in Spanish as the bus took us the half-hour ride to San Vicente!    Learning a new language is often difficult for many, but Susana’s infectious spirit reminded us to embrace the new words and cherish the adventure!

New Friends, New Memories – Part 01

Tags

Canoa Beach Hotel, Ecuador Expat Journeys, Hand=Painted Concrete Floors, jama ecuador, Jonathan Hall, Sarah Dettman, The Magic Carpet Bodega Floor, What to do in Manabi Ecuador, Where to stay in Canoa Ecuador

“What’s cooking, Ramon?”

May 2013 – Manabi Ecuador

Last Friday I traveled up the coast and met Sarah Dettman and her Ecuador Expat Journeys group in the coastal town of Pedernales.   Driving south, we crossed the line of the equator and kept rolling until we reached the petite beach community of La Division, about a mile from where I live.  In addition to having a picnic, we learned why almendros are so expensive!  A lot of work goes into retrieving the nuts!