“When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.” -Paulo Coelho
Manabi Province, Ecuador – Years ago when making the commuter flight from Quito in the Andes to Portoviejo on the Pacific coast, I often studied the landscape below. After marveling at the beauty of Chimborazo poking through the clouds, I wondered about the lower elevations as the plane prepared to land. A large body of water always intrigued me, and I assumed it was ‘never-never land’ – perhaps like the Darien Gap swamp between Panama and Colombia.
Or like a cypress swamp in the Southern USA….
“A man will be imprisoned in a room with a door that’s unlocked and opens inwards; as long as it does not occur to him to pull rather than push.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein
Several months ago, my friend Xiomara helped rekindled that interest when she mentioned she’d be working upriver from Portoviejo. Deciding to close the chapter of ‘Casa Loca,’ it was time to move forward, and many places held my interest. I had been combing the Province via Google maps in search of a quiet area with a good source of pure water – away from pollution and surrounded by natural forests. I did not want to make a temporary move, and I suspected that patience would be rewarded.
Scouting via Google Maps, I was disenchanted – and shocked – at the continued deforestation. Out of curiosity, I zoomed to the little hamlets where Xio would be working and was delighted to see that large body of water! We coordinated meeting when she traveled to the area, and while she was working, I scouted around, loved the extremely-peaceful vibe, and returned for a second day of exploring the area. The locals pointed me to the ‘Swiss cabanas’ which turned out to be so much more than simple structures!
Where the blacktop ends – and where the locals were happy to point me across the lake, an easy ten-minute drive.
The Caretakers are so sweet, and yes, they’ll call ‘Don Jorge’ to come greet the guest.
Walk past the caretakers’ house, then the coffee-drying area to visit one of two casas.
A few weeks later, I stayed a few days/nights at ‘Casa Poza Honda’ – though after only an hour there, I did not want to leave! The howler monkeys chimed in at dawn the next morning; I was instantly awake. “Howlers? There are howler monkeys here?” I definitely felt at home.
Howler Monkeys watched over me when I lived in Costa Rica. They were like personal watchdogs – and even taught me their basic language!
So fast forward to the present, and I am now settling into that lovely area. The waxing and full moon were polite and gave a proper welcome!
And yes, the howler monkeys announce the sun’s arrival each morning, followed by the very-early birds’ peaceful awakenings. The roosters practice their own ‘Time-out-for-Breakfast’ tunes.
The mystery bird is/was in fact the Orange-fronted Barbet, and the male and female drop by for photo sessions.
In time, I should be able to get the USB internet connection, but for now, there are few options – and those are not very dependable. Either the signal drops, or the computer declares an unsafe connection via free public Wi-fi in the park of Ayacucha.
Suffice to know that all’s really really well…
And between bird and monkey sightings, I have been working on art…
Yes, there have been many timeouts for art…
Including a quick study of a wildly-colored gecko!
Thanks for your extremely-positive feedback on the last few posts. I hope – internet permitting – to reply to the comments over Ecuador’s Independence-Holiday weekend.
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
What a lovely place. You will be very happy! (And I dearly love the Wittgenstein quote!!)
Thanks, Hugh, and yes, that quote is so true – and funny as well.
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Thank you! It’s a great new place for immersion in nature….
So pleased you are well-settled in your new home. 🙂
Thank you! So far it’s like a perpetual springtime, except I hope that the temps never dip down to freezing! Your weather – and flowers – should be waning into more brightness…
Yes, my first magnolia bloom is out!
Yippee!!!!! Photos soon?!!!!! A tour of the promise of Spring?!!!!!
Not today! The weather has reverted to winter. 😦
What an absolutely beautiful and unique forest home you have nestled among some of nature’s most divine creatures. They offer you color and diversity as you now join
their troop in the happy song freedom.
Don’t run out of paint…
Yes, you are right – it is beautiful and unique, and it offers a neutral place, far removed from the caustic noise of a city – from pollution – air, sound and light pollution! It’s very serene there.
I laughed about ‘don’t run out of paint.” Thanks, I will be sure to have a well-stocked supply! The garden has the ‘achiote’ which might be fun to experiment with – perhaps a drawing of a tree for starters. If it was good enough to paint the Indians’ faces and dye their hair, it should work for a drawing! There are also chicken feathers – hmmm, wonder what it would be like to try to paint with feathers? Probably extremely frustrating!
Hope your own Timeout is going well!
The mini break from routine blogging was a long time coming. Daily posts might become a thing of the past. Forgot what it was like not even to ‘think’ about it for a while. It was what I did every day for a long time. Change affects everything
Yes, and when one lives – even part time – where there are no phone or internet signals, there is a relaxed freedom without it being a withdrawal from the world…. One is allowed to just ‘be’ – and for me down here, to merge with the rhythms of nature…
I treasure much of today’s technology, but it’s come at a cost… through calculators, people lose their ability to do the maths; through gps, people lose an awareness of ‘which way is north,’ and even with the internet, we’re losing arts – like hand-written letters or going to a library and sitting for hours while researching a topic in hushed concentration.. ha; today’s generations don’t realize how amazing the CC or BCC functions on a computer truly are – they should be required to type a perfect carbon copy!!!!
Ah, but technology also allows us to connect with like-minded people around the globe, and to access information we might never know if we stayed in that other chapter. A balance is nice!
‘Balance’, the real question, the real answer.
I really didn’t know much about howler monkeys, but now I’m awash in details — like the news that they sleep for 12-15 hours a day, providing blessed silence to some of their jungle neighbors. I rarely saw a monkey in Liberia. A couple of species still exist, but they very wisely stay in the wilder areas where they can avoid the people who wouldn’t mind having them on the dinner table.
I always enjoyed the morning birds, including the roosters. Right now, even being up and about early isn’t so pleasant, as the heat and humidity are at standard August levels. LIberia was hot and humid, but with no concrete around, it cooled in the evening — I’m sure you enjoy the same benefit.
Enjoy the celebrations!
The climate on the coastal area seems to have gotten much warmer over the past five or so years.. or else there’s a cycle, and I first arrived during the cool cycle.. It was always pleasant in the daytime and chilly at night.. now it’s equal to the climate in Guanacaste Province/Costa Rica.
It’s always a joy to live where the monkeys seem to have an equal curiosity about the humans as the humans have about them! You make a good point about the concrete contributing to the ‘discomfort’ and holding the heat at the end of the day….
Enjoy your new “nest” and thank you so much for letting us have a taste of so much beauty nature has to offer! ❤️
Hi Teresa! You can surely identify with Life’s nudges… several of those were probably orchestrated thru our Martita, and I now am richer for knowing more of her family!!!
Love your howler monkey, wonderful moon shots, and beautiful rooster. A jungle paradise. And is that a timeout – toucan? 🙂
Oh yes, a very fun Timeout Toucan! it’s a lovely place for incubation and for inspiring creativity……
Keep up the good work! 🐦🐥🐤🐧🐓🦃
Such a beautiful place Lisa! I’m amazed how you found it!
Your past year’s journey gives you an idea of how one sometimes needs to disconnect from ‘thinking’ too much and allowing the subtle spiritual side to speak – or nudge…. It’s easier to do when there are few warring distractions from the outside world!
Very true Lisa. I crave travel so much especially to places far away from it all. It helps so much with my spirits and soul.
That’s a great picture of the howler monkey peeking with one eye through the leaves at you.
Did you know that coelho is the Portuguese cognate of Spanish conejo?
!No! I did not know that about Coelho and conejo
The monkey was foraging with others, and I started making ‘monkey’ sounds like the young ones made to me once.. and the little monkey just kept getting closer and closer out of curiosity… it’s mother got quite brava as if to say, ‘don’t trust that human!…’
As Portuguese developed, a single n or l between vowels tended to drop out. You saw that before with Spanish culebra versus Portuguese cobra.
Mother or no mother, you got the picture of the baby monkey. Good for you.
I often wonder about that ‘h’ that tricks many
– the city of ‘Bahia de Caraquez’ is often mispronounced by the expat crowd…. baaaa- HEEEEE-ah, they say….. We do wonder why the H is there… I’ve decided that it’s there to remind us to add the extra syllable…. 🙂
I believe you’ve hit it. At a time before written accent marks became standard in Spanish, the h would have kept people from thinking the i formed a diphthong with the first a. Perhaps a future spelling reform will change bahía to baía, which would put the spelling closer to the French baie from which Spanish presumably borrowed the word. In the meantime, expat Americans should be told in no uncertain terms that an h is always silent in Spanish.
You hooked me with Paulo Coelho’s quote. From The Alchemist, isn’t it? Your homing device was tuned in to this wondrous place. Good vibes all around!
Yes, the Alchemist, and yes, the homing device was working well that week. Earlier in the day I rolled into a little pueblito which seemed almost perfect for another wistful dream…. I pondered, loitered, absorbed, asked questions… could picture myself there interacting with the kind and ultra-curious locals — yet I knew there was something ‘ahead.’ That little hiccup of a town was at the end of a country road as well, and I turned around and rolled slowly back out….. If nothing else presented other options, I could always return!
What a wonderful journey – you have chosen well. I am grateful for the technology that allows me to share in the remarkable moments of your adventures. Hugs and more hugs coming your way. “We must be willing to get ride of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell
You, my dear friend, should be compiling a book of the best of the best quotes.. Yours are always on target and so comforting!
Hugs!!!!
What a wonderful new adventure. That moon is stunning, and the baby howler monkey warms my heart. I imagine that you’ll find a lot of new inspiration for your art!
Birds and art…you’re settling in nicely…the toucan looks pleased. I love the little gecko sketch on the envelope – be well, get rest, enjoy!
. I love the little gecko sketch on the envelope – be well, get rest, enjoy!