“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” – Henri Matisse
Casa Loca – Wildflowers – Rio Jama/
“Happiness, not in another place but this place… not for another hour, but this hour.” – Walt Whitman
Andrea – Playa El Matal – Ecuador
“Today: Soak in what’s real and what’s real is unhurried. The ground. The air. The exhale. The planted seed. The shift. The season.” – Victoria Erickson
Manabi Ecuador – “Poco a poco” – little by little, I have been weaning away from Casa Loca. Last year’s earthquake altered the lives of many, and my choices and opportunities have been more abundant than many of the locals’ options. With no sense of urgency, I allowed my own internal GPS system to guide me to a new place to call home.
About a month ago, after first scouting an area via Google Maps, I drove along various country roads, exploring with an artist’s curiosity. Great impromptu moments greeted me at each stop, and though I cherished the moments, I knew there was a jewel of a place waiting to be discovered.
This tiny community met almost every “wished for”criteria onmy list. but Life nudged me forward…
Yes, I am in the process of moving, poco a poco, and I will spend most of this week moving the more difficult-to-transport items. I will not be online often, but will be writing offline to share more information about the new area I will call “Home.” I look forward to sharing the stories!
A pure and abundance source of water was part of that criteria…
Enjoy the random images taken in the past month. I should be back online tonight. Continue reading →
“…Sweepin’ the floors, open up the doors Yeah – turn on the lights, getting ready for the night …” – Rodeo Clowns by Jack Johnson
Fernando Cevallos – juggling tasks for opening night.
Jama Ecuador – Grand re-opening of Kahlua Discoteque – July 15, 2017
Heartwarming; it was absolutely heartwarming to witness so many people helping Fernando Cevallos Sabando prepare for the grand opening of Kahlua K 7.8. Equally heartwarming was seeing those same workers dashing home to clean up, change into evening attire and return to celebrate the many months of hard work. Everyone hoped that the community would be equally thrilled to stop by and show off their dancing skills!
Fernando asked if I would take some photos to help record this happy event; hopefully the following pictorial will transport you to Kahlua via the magic of cyberspace. Pick up a paintbrush or help carry the heavy items upstairs, and your cover charge is free! Pack your work clothes and your party clothes and prepare for a festive evening!
Don’t be bashful; step inside and join us! It’s ladies’ night – no cover for you gals who like to dance! Continue reading →
The owners of the cabanas probably think I am sleeping, but in fact, I’m following the above advice to write today’s Timeout Post. After selecting, “Publish” I’ll return to the project.
Project? What project?
Ladies and Gentlemen; step inside!
Fernando Cevallos Sabando and his assistant Gatito work on the upstairs DJ section of Kahlua 7.8.
Jama Ecuador — “Leeee-sah!” Fernando quietly called from outside my cabana door. “Do you have the key?”
Approaching the 8 A.M. work hour, Fernando needed the key to open the gates to Kahlua 7.8, a discotheque he is bringing out of hibernation. The disco was always called, “Kahlua,” but the 7.8 links all comrades who experienced last year’s earthquake.
I opened the door, smiled and replied, “It’s hanging on the hot-water spigot on the water machine.’
“Oh!” He chuckled; the first person in the outdoor kitchen usually turns on the hot water option for tea or coffee… With his always-present smile, he added, “Excuse me – now go back to sleep!”
Fernando at work at Kahlua 7.8…
Five hours earlier under a stunning Carl-Sagan sky, I drove into the hostal parking lot just before the roosters announced the approaching dawn. Before retreating to my cabana, I pondered the best place to leave the key.
I had last seen Fernando the night before at his brother’s Palo Santo Cafe. We failed to discuss that detail when he handed me the key and said, “We are finished for the night. The lights are set up for you. Paint as long as you’d like.”
Perhaps the locals need a vibrant social spot for jazzing them out of their phone daze!
With a mischievous grin I replied, “You’re giving me the keys? And I have all night to paint? Oh my, you might be in for a shock when you show up for work in the morning!”Continue reading →
Jama Ecuador – Each week oversees the repair or slow destruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in the area. A few buildings worthy of saving now have stronger spines and will preside over the newbies. Some city blocks are almost empty, and one adjusts to seeing open skies where two-story buildings once stood. Some might see an empty lot, but many ‘ghost buildings’ still reside in the memories of many.
Before the earthquake: Once upon a time sun-loving plants welcomed visitors to the central park.
The old park in the center of town was razed, and a new ‘historic’ one will replace it. Less than two blocks away, a second much-larger park will have areas for strolling, sitting, exercise, skateboards, as well as providing public bathrooms and a little sandwich shop. Progress throughout town is slow, and the incoming and outgoing streets serve as dump sites for construction materials like gravel or sand or are littered with debris waiting to be hauled to a landfill.
One friend pointed to a well-built two-story house that appeared to have few structural problems. “See that little house in the back?” She pointed and then added, “They live there because they are too scared to live in the big house.” Continue reading →
Jama Ecuador – “Lee-sah,” my friend Nieve said when I stepped out of my cabana, “We were calling you and thought you were gone!”
With a bit of a shell-shocked gaze, I laughed and said I could hear nothing over the sound of the construction.
Just behind my cabana, workers have been working day and night on one of many ‘relief-house’ projects for those who are still living in tents. Ground shaking machines prepare the new areas before portable concrete mixers belt out their own source of background music. Workers tackle each house with amazing skill and seem to work in harmony, even if the noise level tested my patience.
Whenever I found myself getting frustrated about the noise, I reminded myself, “These sounds are like music to those who will wean from a tent to one of these houses.” Yes, if I had been living in a tent for over a year, those sounds would represent an upgrade in my life. Continue reading →
Playa El Matal, Jama Ecuador — 7:00 PM 16/April/2017 – Locals gathered at Playa El Matal just past sunset to release hand-made lanterns on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake. For half an hour, I enjoyed the low-light show before saying a quick goodbye and driving to attend the mass at the Catholic church in Jama.
Please take my seat and join the locals of El Matal via the photos below!
Please join the sparrows in one minute of reflection…
“The earthquake was presaged by a magnitude 4.8 foreshock eleven minutes before the main quake struck,[19] and followed by over fifty-five aftershocks in the first twenty-four hours.[20]” –Wilkipedia
Jama/Manabi/Ecuador — This post is scheduled to be published on the one-year anniversary of the 4.8 earthquake that preceded the historic one that hit 11 minutes later. Imagine what it must have been like to wonder, “Did we just have an earthquake?”as the twilight faded into the night, and then be jolted into a nightmare that shattered the coastline.
El Matal – April 2015- destructive waves
April 2015 – end of day El Matal
This year, at 6:58 pm, the people of El Matal and Jama will release hand-made lanterns at the time the earthquake hit a year ago. I will witness the lantern release at El Matal and then attend the mass that follows in Jama.
Please join the sparrows in a moment of reflection, not only for those who are opening tender year-long wounds, but also in support for closing those wounds. May this also extend to all who are suffering worldwide, as love for our fellow man is greatly needed.
Below are images taken yesterday and last night at various events in honor of those affected in the Canton of Jama.
JAMA – MANABI – ECUADOR– Young Valentina sits in the doorway while her Aunt Marie and Uncle Edgar show cracks in what I thought was their temporary home. Marie and Edgar, I discovered, live elsewhere.
“When we feel weak, we drop our heads on the shoulders of others. Don’t get mad when someone does that. Be honored. For that person trusted you enough to, even if subtly, ask you for help.”
― Lori Goodwin
Ecuador – There seems to be a running clock/calendar that keeps track of the days and months since the earthquake destroyed much of Ecuador’s central and northern coast. Each month when the calendar approaches ’16,’ I note the time and remember the 7.8 earthquake that hit just after 7 pm on April 16th. Does anyone ever get past that feeling of premonition – or wondering if it might hit again?
Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve. – Earl Grollman
Jama Ecuador – There was something in his eyes, or perhaps in his voice when Marcos spoke to me on the busy street corner. He had never asked me for anything except for an exchange of smiles during the many years I’ve known him. I knew little about his personal life; he was the smiling person who helped in his sister’s store, who sold colas and ice cream at the corner, and who made New Year effigies to sell during the final week of each year.
Marcos Cevallos crossing the street – From once upon a time years before the earthquake…
I knew he had lost famiy in the earthquake, but I knew few details. When he spoke to me in the street, he was worried about his 12-year old son and mentioned a lack of money for food. Planning to be out of town for a few days, I promised to return on Saturday. Over those next few days, I often reflected on his somber tone; I thought of Phil Colin’s song, Another Day in Paradise. How difficult it must be for someone like Marcos to ask, ‘Sir, Can you help me?’I’m glad he found the faith and comfort to approach me.
When I returned on Saturday, finding Marcos was no easy task on the weekend of Ecuador’s Presidential elections; I was determined to follow through with my promise and found him one day after the elections when the mass of people had gone home. A friend tended the ice-cream box while Marcos shared the story of losing his wife and three children during the earthquake. See: The End of the World.
He invited me to go to the cemetery the next morning.. Continue reading →
Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles. — Alex Karras
Jama Ecuador – Taking a timeout from the earthquake-recovery zone. I watched my friends harvest a shrimp pond about a kilometer from town. It seemed surreal to be surrounded by stunning landscapes under the influence of a pristine sunny morning while the nearby town provided little aesthetic beauty.
8 am Harvest Underway…
This Snowy Egret swallowed this entire fish in a few gulps!
The landscape frames haunting beauty in one view and a devastated community in another.
After harvest, my friends and I enjoyed a hearty brunch, said our “Goodbyes,” and I stopped to check the progress on the ‘kit’ house. Continue reading →
The human capacity for burden is like bamboo- far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance. – Jodi Picoult
Jama Ecuador – Every so often, void of pomp and circumstance, a large truck backs onto the eastern end of a small vacant block and unloads organized piles of boards, bamboo and roofing materials. The truck then drives away.
In December I witnessed this for the first time and noticed random clusters of people loading the materials into smaller trucks. One of the people watching over this process was one of Chana’s sons. I approached him, gave my condolences regarding his mother’s death (See Angels Watching over Us) and asked about the mystery event. He told me that a church from another area was the benefactor of these ‘kit houses’ – donated to those in the campo/country who were receiving no help. Feeling a bit like an intruder, I refrained from sticking my camera into the lives of strangers. With patience, I hoped to learn more when a more-appropriate time presented itself.
We are stronger than we think. We have emotional, spiritual and even physical resources at our disposal. We may get knocked down, but we don’t have to stay down.” – Steve Goodier
This month, my first time back since the December visit, I was again walking past when a truck unloaded another cluster of kit houses. I felt stronger, more ‘entitled’ to learn more in order to share this story with a larger audience. I took a few photos from the far side of the block then cautiously approached from a corner tangent.
“Leeee-SAH!” someone called from a mototaxi that was parked near one of the stacks of supplies. I waved, aimed my camera in that direction and wondered who was greeting me with obvious affection… I looked at the lady standing near a stack and thought, “I’ve never seen this lady before..” I smiled, asked her name, permission to take her photo and closed the gap between the taxi and me.
Her name is Iliana, and she lives about 10 kilometers ‘up the coastline.
“Leeeee-SAH!” exclaimed a second person, one with an armload of boards. He stretched one of his long spindly arms with a heartfelt greeting. Ah.. the puzzle pieces were falling in place. His brother and father and I have many ties through various people. I think that the brother Carlos was in the room long ago when a mouse ran in my direction, and I screamed and flat jumped high onto a chair! They later commented, ‘You screamed like a girl.”
After a heart-warming reunion with the cluster of happy people, I was invited to go to the site where the house would be built. Yes, Giddyup! Let’s finish loading this truck and roll forward! Continue reading →
Jama Ecuador – Little-dog Candy barked and barked and barked at the Gringita, to the family’s amusement….
“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
How well do you know your neighbors; your neighborhood? If you live in a petite town, you probably know them on a personal level. Hopefully they are ‘good neighbors,’ ones who make you smile, and if they are lucky, your presence makes them smile as well! Once when visiting a friend in a larger city (in Mississippi) I asked about the next-door neighbors. He shrugged and said he didn’t know them. In disbelief I made some general exclamation but kept my stonger reaction in check. Just because a neighbor doesn’t extend the first token gesture — doesn’t mean that you cannot!
After meeting this gentleman, I was invited to the back of the house, where water was stored in a bucket; they cooked on an old tree stump Even though the earthquake stripped them of their belongings, it did not rob them of their dignity and strong spirit. He showed me this snake skin, and we discussed a little snake locally called, ‘.___-bejuco’ becuase it looks like a litte bejuco/vine.
Challenging neighbors have sometimes dotted my past, but I eventually realized they had extreme personal burdens or wounds, which had nothing to do with me. By being neutral, many times I witnessed the softer side emerge. We as humans often don’t take time to consider how uncomfortable the other person’s shoes might be.
After visiting the family with the dog, and the family that cooked on the tree stump, I saw this person across the street. With a pinch of guilt, I ‘only’ waved, but plan to go visit this person soon.
There are many people still in recovery mode on Ecuador’s earthquake-ravaged coastline. I’ve had time to walk slowly through neighborhoods and talk with friends, talk with strangers, and to marvel (and laugh) at children’s natural gift of inner joy. I realized that in good times we often don’t stop to exchange greetings with strangers, and in bad times, we’re so busy trying to survive, that we also forget that others are doing the same. In good times or in bad, we sometimes forget to take time to listen – truly listen… Continue reading →
“I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” ― Abraham H. Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being
Even the tin roof and nails came with the donated house!
Jama Ecuador – Lots of stories and images are in queue here on the Pacific coast. There’s a very special bird sighting – awaiting confirmation on its identity, and there are encouraging stories of those moving forward, poco a poco now ten months after the earthquake. The rains have been heavy, and many streets are more dirt than gravel, so mud boots are almost mandatory in some towns!
What follows is a ditty that will explain why future correspondence might be brief! Continue reading →
Quito- Ready-made effigies for sale for the New Year’s Eve tradition.
As people around the world honor customs to welcome the new year, I now realize how easy it is to get caught up in festivities while forgetting those who are recovering from somber challenges. Those people are surely anxious to say “Farewell” to the old year and embrace the new one with hopes for better times.
The word ‘resilient’ has popped up several times in the past week, and I know of no others more resilient than those on Ecuador’s coast who are still recovering from the April 16 earthquake.
Dec. 2016 – End-of-day break along the cleared banks of Rio Jama. Across the river, a collectivo taxi truck transports people to nearby El Matal.
The following footage is from a security camera at a cyber cafe in Canoa, Ecuador on April 16, at the moment the earthquake shocked the people of the area and blanketed the coastal-struck zone in darkness. Canoa is one of many towns between Bahia de Caraquezand Pedernales that received extensive damage from the terremoto. (Jama is located about midway between the two areas.) Continue reading →
Christmas Tree Decorations — Entrance to Hostal Palo Santo (Jama Ecuador)
“Suffering is part of our training program for becoming wise.” Ram Dass
(Jama Ecuador) After traveling for 5 or more hours, I recently reached Jama in the late afternoon. Palo Santo Cafe was closed, but someone was inside – preparing for the night. I knocked on the door and asked if I could use the internet – to send a smoke signal that I’d reached my destination for the day. “Of course,” lovely Karen smiled as she opened the door and invited me inside. “Stay as long as you’d like…”
Luchy’s girlfriend, Karen…
I sat at a table and quickly vanished into cyberworld while they worked in the kitchen. Just as I was packing my things to leave, young Jesus – Luchy’s nephew, motioned for me to stay. He pointed to three coffee cups on the counter and whispered, “Shhhhh…” Smiling, I unpacked the computer and played my role in the coffee break surprise.. Yet ten minutes later, the cups of not-so steaming coffee were still sitting there, and I thought perhaps I misunderstood. About that time Luchy and Karen emerged from the kitchen with hot ham and cheese sandwiches for everyone!
Jesus, Luchy’s nephew, often helps (with a huge heart and grand smile) at the restaurant. He prepared the cafe con leche, garnished with an artful swirl on the surface!
These palms line the front of Palo Santo…
I camped at their hostal this past trip and enjoyed more quality time not only with the family, but with many of the locals as well. One night when I was walking from their restaurant to the hostal (2 blocks) someone called my name. It was a friend I’d not seen in over a year. She and her four precious children are living in one of the tent communities. She looked great and seemed happy, and we both enjoyed the 10-pm exchange on the almost-deserted street.
Photo from better times – before the earthquake
“When someone feels particularly isolated or in pain, we don’t need a great deal of information in order to come to his or her aid.” Ram Dass
Tent Community between Jama and Playa El Matal (Ecuador)
Another day when I was buying ‘takeout’ encebollado for breakfast, someone on the street called, “Lisa!” Many times as they share their stories, they release a bit of their noble and very private pain. It is true that tears are the escape valve for the heart.
“Wherever there are birds, there is hope.”
― Mehmet Murat ildan
Jama, Ecuador – Arriving in Jama just before dark, I was happy to see Luchy Cevallos unloading items from his car at Palo Santo Cafe. “Lisa!!”he smiled, “Come in and have a cafe!” I accepted on the condition that I share the tasks before they opened at 7. He also prepared a pizza that we shared, and then he dashed to the cabanas to prepare #3 for me to spend the night. Yay!
Business was brisk, and I suspected that each dime would help with repairs on his hostal. When I left at ten, people were still visiting while enjoying good food at a very fair price.
I also took photos to compare before and after, so here’s an ‘after’ photo taken in front of Palo Santo…
Jama – in front of Palo Santo Cafe – Nov 2016 What’s missing?
Compare the photo above with one taken a few years earlier:
Jama Before –
More before/after comparasons:
Jama before – (Wear White for Peace)
Jama after earthquake – Luchy’s brother’s house is gone (to the right) as is a two-story house to the left…
Turning back time to 2008: How well I remember walking the lazy streets of Jama as if I’d stepped into a time warp from my childhood. Cowboys nudged their cattle along the streets at the end of the day. The town slowly changed over the past seven years, but the April 16th earthquake turned Jama and neighboring areas upside down.
Many have shared their stories.
“…It began like the usual earthquakes – starting slowly, and we became aware – Earthquake – and assumed it would be finished in a few seconds. But it didn’t, and the slow subtle start sort of tricked us… I was in the street outside my house when it happened… first it wasn’t scary – it was like a normal earthquake and then it got stronger. One house fell and then another and another… and I looked at our house and thought, “Please don’t fall…” – and it didn’t…. A few more minutes, and I think the house would have fallen down.” Continue reading →
“Manos Arrrrriba!” Esperanza – Hope. Without hope, people’s souls would atrophy. My friends and I witnessed esperanza in most every place we stopped.
Jama-El Matal (Manabi Province) Ecuador
Having just returned from a visit to the coast (Jama) where the earthquake turned my friends’ worlds upside down then slammed them to the ground, I would like to share what burns strongest in my mind and soul. Yes, some friends cried when they shared their stories, but their tears also released a bit of grief. More than tears, I saw smiles. Proud brave smiles that burned as bright and strong as the brilliant sunlight on their altered landscape.
Esperanza – Hope. Without hope, people’s souls would atrophy. My friends and I witnessed esperanza in most every place we stopped.
A buzz of activity kept the center of town in perpetual motion. A steady stream of people puchased ten-cent servings of fresh rolls at the open-air panaderia, relocated only a slight distance from its original place on the block. The vegetable vendor location shadowed the panaderia, just like it did before the earthquake, and a second one held its usual spot on the other side of the one-way street. There was comfort in walking up to the glass-fronted bakery counter and requesting caramel-colored cubes of banana bread for my travel companions and me – and oh yes, delicate rolls of chocolate bread and — ‘look at those fresh orbs of bread that are still cooling – we’ll take some of those too.’ Continue reading →
“We warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how.” Paulo Coelho- The Alchemist
Manabi Province/Jama Ecuador
Friends Cynthia, Luis and Pedro agreed to make a very-fast trip with me to the coast on Tuesday to check on Casa Loca, to visit with friends who are enduring difficult times in the Jama area, and to listen to what’s in their minds and hearts. We hoped to return to Mindo with a better idea of what was needed and share that information with others who might be able to help. Leaving before sunrise, I reached my first road block only a few minutes after leaving the property!
(Pardon me, but who has the right-of-way when cattle are still sleeping?)
Five or six cows were sleeping in the road; several reluctantly moved out of the way after I rolled closer and closer while blowing the horn. Others played ‘possum and remained in place. After five or more minutes, I got out of the truck and found a remnant of a tree limb. I whacked several of the stubborn cows on their rumps and demanded, ‘Get up!’
Some were compliant and eventually ambled to the side.
They obeyed!
My friends were ready when I reached Mindo, and our first stop was about an hour later near the town of San Vicente Maldonado. Peter had recently attended a 2-week appreticeship at Cenba, a bamboo processing center that produces an alternative to using lumber from trees. The stop was an eye-opener for Cynthia and me!
Thank you, everyone, for your concern not only for those affected by the earthquake, but also for my friend Julie, who is fighting cancer. I am watching over their property here in Ecuador’s cloud forest until it sells.
I hope to visit Jama soon, which will be heart wrenching yet necessary to move forward. It will help to see the damage, visit with loved ones who continue to endure the stress, find out what people need most – and how to help – plus learn what hotels, restaurants might be open. One friend shared details about the community of Jama:
“You will not recognize Jama. Almost every building is marked as being necessary to be torn down. Doctors Without Borders have donated what looked like hundreds of tents in Matal. However still many people live under makeshift plastic.”
She mentioned other groups/businesses that are helping, but I will wait to share those details after learning more and having photos to pair with the stories. There are surely many beautiful untold stories worthy of a larger audience.
Idyllic Jama – from 2012
The soundtrack in my head this week is Jack Johnson’s song, “The News.” He sings, “Why don’t the newscasters cry when they sing about people who die. The least they can be decent enough to put just a tear in their eye…”
Linda from The Task at Hand provided a slice of humor between her words of concern last week. In her comment about last week’s strong earthquakes, she added, “What amazes me is that I hadn’t heard one word about this on the “news.” Everything here was related to the loss of the Egyptair plane, or the interminable, ghastly, insufferable presidential campaign. (Hmmmm… I think my opinions are showing. Remember when we used to worry if our slips were showing?)”Continue reading →
Jama Ecuador
Inspired by Jewel’s song, “Hands,” the video at the bottom of this post honors the beautiful spirit of the people of Jama, El Matal and La Division Ecuador. Read the lyrics and then experience the essence of the people of the Jama area via the video.
Ximena Cevallos Diago checks figures during a night shrimp harvest… (Ximena’s husband Carlos is wearing the white sombrero in the GoFundMe photo. He is the one who made the drive-through-Jama video, now linked on that site.)
HANDS
If I could tell the world just one thing It would be that we’re all ok And not to worry because worry is wasteful And useless in times like these I will not be made useless I won’t be idled with despair I will gather myself around my faith For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know, But they’re not yours they are my own But they’re not yours they are my own And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes But it didn’t steal your laughter And heartache came to visit me But I knew it wasn’t ever after
We will fight, not out of spite For someone must stand up for what’s right Cause where there’s a man who has no voice There ours shall go singing
My hands are small, I know, But they’re not yours they are my own But they’re not yours they are my own And I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees and I will pray I will get down on my knees and I will pray I will get down on my knees and I will pray
My hands are small, I know, But they’re not yours they are my own But they’re not yours they are my own And I am never broken
My hands are small, I know, But they’re not yours they are my own But they’re not yours they are my own And I am never broken We are never broken
We are God’s eyes God’s hands God’s mind We are God’s eyes God’s hands God’s heart We are God’s eyes God’s hands God’s eyes God’s hands We are God’s hands God’s hands We are God’s hands
Songwriters: Jewel Kilcher, Patrick Leonard
Some say that the newscasters have already moved to newer stories, but I am greatly touched by your continued support and empathy for the people of Ecuador.
The internet keeps dropping offline and staying off, so I’m hitting “Publish” while possible. Until the end of the week, Thank you again! Lisa
The Cuadrado family couldn’t hold back the ocean, but they sent workers to help friends at Playa El Matal.
Jama Ecuador – When Hurricane Katrina slammed into Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, I was living in a remote area of Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province. A slow internet connection allowed me to watch the eye’s path, although no one can predict the temperamental whims of a hurricane and it’s final choice for landfall. As with the earthquake in Ecuador on April 16th, gathering information was painfully slow via internet news stories of Katrina’s destruction. The first time I saw live television coverage of Katrina’s wrath, I watched for about thirty seconds before bursting into tears. For that story, see:Ode to 668 East Beach
Christmas Eve in Jama 2012 – The little cowboy didn’t like his pony!
As the days and now weeks go by after the earthquake ripped through a section of “my” beloved Ecuador, I am often reminded of Katrina. I wonder when it will be possible to return, to see the destruction, to visit the many loved ones, hear their stories, give them comfort as they salvage what’s left and bravely move forward. I also have my own personal inventory to face – of all of the items in Casa Loca, most people inquire about ‘the floor.’ Who knows how that Magic Carpet endured the stress of the earthquake and its aftershocks. When I am able to return, I will share those stories. I assume that the exhibition scheduled to open at Museo Bahia de Caraquez in two weeks will be postponed until much later in the year.
If wishes were magic carpets, we would fly to help those in the earthquake-damaged areas.
Most likely every single person that experienced this earthquake can recall minute details of the moment the earth began to grumble. As each day comes to an end, I take a fast inventory in my mind, “Where’s the flashlight? My basic essentials? -Contact lenses, saline, hair brush, tooth brush, passport, camera, laptop, chargers…” and I wonder if everyone else anticipates that 7:00 PM hour of remembrance. Continue reading →
Mother and Daughter, Helene y Lise – I Can Do This! in Costa Rica – 2012
Heart-warming news arrives as through angel couriers, and today two messages arrived from Helene, a dear friend from France. She wears big shoes at CNES (France’s equal to NASA) and shared some info that touched me greatly. Continue reading →
Short and sweet, this post spotlights some of my favorite ‘red’ images as I extend my best wishes to all of you for a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your support for my drawings, paintings, whimsical art and for my epistles, stories and serious writings as well.
For those who have time to venture back to old posts, here’s how my Ecuadorian friends observe Christmas in the town of Jama. (Manabi Province/Ecuador)
Last month a large landslide blocked the normal route between Quito and the hub city of Santo Domingo. The bus detour adds about three hours to the ‘normal’ 7-hour ride between Quito and Jama where I live. After an overnight stop in Santo Domingo, I reached the Pacific Coast late yesterday and happily checked in to Hostal Ciragan. I all but collapsed with ‘bus fatigue.’
The Crazy Hubbub of Santo Domingo de los Colorados
The Jama streets held puddles (lagoons?) of water at every corner, and I was pleased to know that I did not have to race home to water a thirsty garden. Tapping into a healthy internet system was a second bonus for spending the evening in town. I remembered what my Colorado friends had mentioned; its nice to get caught in a rain shower and not get cold! After a few hours’ rest, I tipped out on the almost-deserted streets and enjoyed a quiet visit with my friends at Palo Santo Cafe. No, I did not get cold; in fact, I jogged there and back and did not get sweaty either! (My cough is much better!) Continue reading →
Who’s that guy looking down from the Basilica? It’s Bob Ramsak of Piran Cafe!!!!
Silvana of Monoaulladorand I were delighted to say “WELCOME BACK!” to our WordPress pal, Bob Ramsak (Piran Cafe) today in Quito. Bob’s trail brought him through the Jama area two years ago as he traveled (overland) from Argentina to Chile, Bolivia, Peru and on to Ecuador on his way through the Americas. The following post summarized WEEK 18 as he finished the Ecuador leg of his journey: BOOTLEg BARBIES, AN INAUGURATION, A MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO, AND THE COOLEST FLOOR IN THE WORLD.
So who is Bob? His “About Page” offers a great summary: “I’ve visited 54 countries and roam often as a writer, editor and translator, but Piran Café is not a travel blog. It’s evolved into a notebook, a collection of experiences and moments, long and short, connected and propelled by my primary passions: travel, art, culture and justice. When they and I cross paths, you’ll find some of the results here.”
The true gift is to visit with Bob in person, where he taps into his thought-provoking reservoir of knowledge and shares stories that range from world-class sporting events to the dangers of street photography. SURVIVING A STREET ASSAULT IN POTOSI or THE DANGERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY The posts are great, but the stories in person are even better! Continue reading →
(Ecuador – Jan. 31, 2015) Today’s Daily Prompt arrived as I traveled the 7-plus hours between Jama and Guayaquil. Michelle suggested, “Tell us how your week went by putting together a playlist of five songs that represent it.”
Ha! The week delivered disappointments as well as grand moments, but I managed to keep my sense of humor. On Monday/Lunas, I painted until noon, put away my paints and brushes, changed and waited for a driver to take me an hour up the coast to Pedernales. Rolando and I had talked on Saturday, and I told him about the floor project and the most important item needed was a non-yellowing varnish for floors. I said that I would be painting all day on Sunday and again on Monday morning and would be ready to go by “…1 or 2 o’clock…” He didn’t show up! Welcome to Ecuador! (Perhaps I absently said, “Martes/Tuesday” instead of “Lunas?”)
I shrugged; it wasn’t important, and I switched back to painting while watching the birds come home to roost. On Martes, I waited again, and at 2, decided to walk to town (5K) and glare at Rolando with the ‘truck taxi’ and watch his mouth drop when he remembered that he’d forgotten!
Maybe he feared he’d have to help carry heavy items from Playamart!
I enjoy the walks to town, and I inspect the birds along the road, in the al-garrobo (mesquite family) trees and in the shrimp ponds. This week I spotted the Peruvian Meadowlark, a species that’s been absent for months. About twenty minutes into my trek, a friend drove along at high speed, braked, backed up and gave me a ride to to town! As he resumed top speed on the gravel road, I didn’t tell him of my two-day wait for the driver! Instead I smiled after we all but broke the sound barrier and said, “Muchicimas Gracias!”
(Image from 2013) Some people think that third-word countries are dangerous; thankfully there are sweet angels who enhance the quality of my days! Thanks, Doc Castro!)
Instead of seeing Rolando, I spotted one of his brothers (they have a fleet of pickup truck-taxis.) He chuckled when I told him the story; we discussed the fare to Pedernales, my list of things to do there, judged the time, and he said if we left immediately we could be back before dark. I hopped in the co-pilot seat and said, “VAMOS!”
Squinting at the laptop, I worked on photos for National Geographic’s “Your Shot,” while peering out the window and occasionally snapping photos.
Harvest in progress of a balsa tree farm near Camarones Ecuador.
We returned just before dark, and he helped carry the items from the road to Casa Loca. I slept well and started Wednesday in painting mode.
My friends harvested a shrimp pond near the house, but I was very focused on adding details to the floor. I emerged from my painting fog around dark, looked out and noted that the pond was drained, and the trucks and workers were gone! Only the birds remained as they foraged the muddy bottom for shrimp.
I painted on Thursday morning as well; my high-energy painting sessions often correlate with strong rain, so I was not surprised when the sound of rain pelted the roof. The rains strengthened, and I noted one slow drip-drip-drip from the tin roof; I moved the potted ceibo tree beneath the drip and continued painting for another hour. That lovely one-plus inch of rain saturated the ground, but it also extinguished the electricity in this 7-house circuit!
The skies cleared slightly, and I painted until almost dark and photographed the details for Timeout for Art. With an opportunity to try out my new green mud boots, I retrieved my rain coat (just in case of more rain!) and walked to town in the late afternoon. Continue reading →
Jama Ecuador (Manabi Province)
Only one street back from the center of town, Hostal Ciragan provides a quiet respite – unless there’s an all-night fiesta nearby!
Mid-morning on Saturday, I walked down the quiet street near Ciragan and pondered my good fortune to have my health, happiness, and many talents to keep me happy; I also felt lucky to have a large support system of people who care about me. I noted wild tobacco in bloom near the sidewalk, and then I noted always-smiling Ramon painting the sign to the hostal! Continue reading →
Could this March 12 sunset have been an omen for an unusual upcoming day?
March 13 began with an early-morning walk to town… I spotted the first Peruvian Meadowlark for the year, then stopped and admired a smooth-billed ani. The black and white stilts, herons, ibis and egrets are perennial bonuses!
Some days the walk is muddy; other days it’s dry and dusty. There are always interesting fora and fauna waiting to be discovered!
Grabbing a drink and banana bread on the run, I hopped in a collectivo pickup bound for El Matal….
After a brief check at El Matal, where Project Sandbag is underway, I returned to Jama for lunch and Timout for Art post then home to resume work on the painting…
But wait! The sound of a helicopter veered me off course, and to the airstrip I went! Continue reading →
Anyone who knows Jama will surely smile at this photo! (More below)
Jama Ecuador
Losing a friend sometimes reminds us to embrace those that are still with us. This past week’s blog feedback regarding my friend’s death touched my heart, and your observations abut Jama’s Lovely Women filled that same heart with joy. Thank you; I am blessed. I hope to acknowledge your comments by the end of the week.
Internet options at my house remain poor, so I am only online when in town – usually in short doses while having lunch or dinner at Restaurant Exclusivo. (Thanks again, Sivana!)
Silvana wears many hats! Our appreciation for her tripled when she acknowledged the cluster of extranjeros that participated in the Wear White for Peace March. (2013)
Silvana and her father have visited El Matal to show support and concern for the vanishing beach.
And she can paint!
Silvana, btw, is preparing for another internship/cultural immersion in the USA; she leaves on April 1st and will be there about six months. She will surely share those details with everyone soon.
Silvana and her family took a rare afternoon off from their Restaurant Exclusivo. These gals juggle university studies with restaurant responsibilities!
Tapping into photos from the past year, I present some of the hard-working women from the Jama (Ecuador) area.
Nelly took a rare break from her restaurant for Mother’s Day 2013.
Most of these women touch my life on a weekly basis, if only through a smile as we pass on the street.
I always pause to speak to the ladies who keep our streets free of litter!
Sometimes they are quite weary at the end of the day. But they can usually reach down and find an honest smile.
Sorting through these images made me wistful for those syrupy long-ago days in the Mississippi Delta. We did not need trendy gadgets or sleek modes of transportation. We delighted in tending the vegetable garden and shelling peas and beans in the cool shade of the mid-day sun. Life in Manabi Province in Ecuador reminds me of those days. Continue reading →
It’s not fair to keep you in suspense, though the suspense for me will be wondering how long it will take to compose this post on slow internet!
So where did we stop on the last post? Oh yes, with the recipe!
200 Sections of Bamboo
200 meters of fabric
70 pounds of Nails
12 Gallons of Paint
80 Spray Cans of Paint
One Air Compressor
3 Pistols of Silicon
Rycardo Alcivar and 6 Volunteers…
7 weeks of work and counting…
Jama/Manabi/Ecuador – Yesterday’s post hinted at a new project that’s underway in this cowboy town: “Jama DOES have one amazing work of art under construction. Thankfully it won’t be burned, but this project in progress deserves its own post.”
No, those cross sections of bamboo are not for a giant tic-tac-toe board!
Unless you passed over the bridge in Jama, you might be totally baffled.
Gallivantareplied, “I am looking forward to that work of art :)”
The hands of the artist Rycardo Alcivar
The highly-talented artist/sculptor Rycardo Alcivaroften undertakes an end-of-year bamboo sculpture near the Jama River bridge on the outskirts of Jama.
RECIPE: Take 200 large sections of bamboo, 200 meters of fabric and 200 sticks for a hot-glue gun…
Eggs are not the only items that stand on end on the equator! (La Division, Manabi-Ecuador)
This week’s PHOTO CHALLENGE is One Shot, Two Ways. I immediately thought of bingo night at the nearby beach village of La Division. Cheri states, “For this challenge, capture two images — a horizontal and a vertical version — of the same scene or subject. ”
Of course, a zeebra has to find a creative approach to playing bingo while practicing Spanish!
Bingo, anyone?
Thanks, Cheri, for the opportunity to share these Bingo images!
(Ecuador) Life on the river often times distracts me from my daily goals. It’s hard to leave scenes like this and focus on my work! – But wait! Part of my work is observing nature! Sigh; it’s a hard job, but someone has to be part of nature’s buddy system!
I enjoy living a tiny slice back from the ocean where the tranquil river mirrors the landscape – or would that be a waterscape?! At high tide, many birds perch in the mangroves and others guard the boulders near the house. At low tide, the pelicans flop flop their wings in the water while the ibis, egrets and herons forage in the shallows.
My neighbors the birds
My neighbors the birds!
Several hours down the coast is the petite community of San Clemente. My friends John and Mary emailed two nights ago with breaking news, “They’re hatching!!!!” The Buddy System is alive and well in that community where the locals gave a rare nest of baby turtles a magical bon voyage party!
How’s this for a wake-up setting?! Serene Canoe Morning – Rio Jama /Ecuador August 01, 2013
The true purpose of this post is to call attention to a friend’s family in southern Mississippi and activate the Buddy System. Please read Joylene’s post and spread the word; I’m hoping there are some groups out there that might help through fundraisers.
Many farm houses have living quarters on the second floor and an open area at ground level.
Manabi Ecuador
Last week after the coffee-picking trek, my friends and I stopped by a farmhouse on the way back to Jama. Enjoy the photos while listening to Frizztext’s updated version of “Calling Mississippi.”
Unless you passed over the bridge in Jama, you might be totally baffled.
