Tamera's Take: Strange Trees, Cats and Rose Colored Glasses

Tamera's Take is about being here.
Are you ready?  I am.

The ancient Maya of South America believed that a great Ceiba tree stood at the center of the earth, connecting the terrestrial world to the spirit-world above.  The long thick vines hanging down from its spreading limbs provided a connection to the heavens for the souls that ascended them.

The Ceiba tree’s branches were believed by Mayans to act as a seat from which the gods watched the people walking below.

Humans are not separate from nature.

Ceiba Tree facts:
During the dry season the symmetrical flowers can be rather small and inconspicuous at less than 3 cm (1 inch), to showy at more than 12 cm (5 inches); and are usually white, pinkish-white or red, with leathery petals.  This tree has a largely branchless trunk which grows to 60-70 metres (200-230 feet) and buttress roots that can be taller than a grown person.  The deep roots mean it is often one of the few trees left standing after a hurricane.

Borrowed photo. We were riding a bus. 

Thanks to the following websites for the above information:

http://www.fauna-flora.org

http://www.ceiba.org




As I write this, we are currently at the end of the dry season.  There is a bus route from our town of Crucita directly to the city of Portoviejo, about 30 km (18 miles) away.  The buses are scheduled about every 10 minutes, cost $1.10 to ride, and you hail them like a cab.  Equally, when you want to get off, you simply stand up and go to the front of the bus. The bus driver will immediately stop and let you off.

Groceries from Portoviejo

We needed to go to Portoviejo to do some grocery shopping.  We do not have a car, scooter, motorcycle or even a bicycle - yet. There are two options.  A cab or a bus.  A bus it is.

The bus makes a circle around Crucita, on Calle Malecon (coastal road) and Calle Portoviejo.  We are told by our friend Tamy to get on the bus at Calle Malecon, because it will be less crowded.  We are not sure why it will be less crowded, but any advice Tamy gives us is good advice.



It is about 50 yards (45 metres) from our gate to Calle Malecon.

As a side note, during the writing of Tamera's Take, I decide to login and listen to Pandora Internet Radio, only to receive the following message:

Zahi is not amused.

Dear Pandora Visitor,
We are deeply, deeply sorry to say that due to licensing constraints, we can no longer allow access to Pandora for listeners located outside of the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. We will continue to work diligently to realize the vision of a truly global Pandora, but for the time being we are required to restrict its use. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.

This frustrates me, but only for a moment.

Three countries does not sound very global.

I go to the back up plan and play some of our music saved to the laptop.




After all, I am in Crucita.  The sun is shining, the wind is blowing and the waves are crashing on the shore.   This was not the case yesterday.  It was raining on Friday.  Bus Ride Friday.  Black Friday for everyone in the U.S.

[listening to Under the Milky Way by The Church]

Back to Calle Malecon.

Calle Malecon

We are not sure what side of the Calle to catch the bus, but we know that there are no bus stops to search for, no increasingly confusing time schedules to decipher, no bus transfers to make.

Unlike the bus systems in the U.S. and probably many other countries, when we see the bus, just hail it like a cab.  Simple enough.

This is going to be easy.


After standing on the Malecon for about 3 minutes we see a bus heading our way.  Great.  This is going to be easy.  Our arms go up.  The bus stops.  "Este el Autobus a Portoviejo?" I say to the man who opens the bus door (not the driver).  "Portoviejo? Otro... (something something something and I have no idea what)."  Says the man who opens the bus door (not the driver).  However I did catch the word "otro" which means "other".  The man is smiling and pointing to the other side of the street.  Like I said, this is going to be easy.

Views from the bus on the way to Portoviejo 

We cross the street.  Well that was simple anyway.  Wait for it.  Yes.  Here it comes.  Another bus. My husband says, "you put up your arm this time, I did it last time".  I reply, "I held my arm up too". We both laugh and both put up our arms.  Better safe than sorry right?   It worked last time.  It worked this time too.

I should say at this point that "CRUCITA" is painted on the side of the buses.  In the front window is a sign that reads "Portoviejo".

[listening to Yer So Bad by Tom Petty]

The man (not the driver) opens the door.  Portoviejo?  Si.  Good, this is going to be easy.  Then there are those very steep steps.  Only two of them.  But very very steep.  My husband Jason and I are taller than most people here.

Did I mention the bus had really steep steps?

Views from the bus - house for sale

After climbing the steps, the very steep ones, I try to give the man (not the driver) money.  He does not take it.  There is no meter to drop money into.  No place to slide your Metrocard.  Confused for just a moment I keep walking up the aisle looking for two seats together.  Before I know it I am in the back of the bus and I get a look at the passengers for the first time.   All children and teenagers in school uniforms.  For the most part they are sitting in the window seat.  No one in the aisle seats.

Views from the bus - Rice Fields!

Confusion sets back in as I look towards the front of the bus, which is moving. Instinct sets in and we both choose an aisle seat. Did we get on the wrong bus? Did I say this was going to be easy?

The bus stops again and the new passengers are not school children. Feeling a little better by the addition of passengers, who are obviously not coming home from school, I relax.  It is 12:20pm.

We are on our way to Portoviejo.  Us, the school children, the other passengers who are not school children, the man (not the driver), and the driver.  We round the corner and a few more passengers get on the bus.

A man (not the other man or the driver) is walking up the aisle carrying a basket.  What is in the basket?   He is selling something to the passengers.  Fresh baked bread.  Rolls to be exact.  They smell wonderful.  I think about buying one, but decide not to.  I just want to observe for this bus ride.  There are two teenagers sitting behind me.  They are sitting very close together.  The teenage boy buys two rolls, one for himself and one for his girl-friend.

The man (not the driver).  Very nice man. 

The bus stops to let people on and let people off, as buses do.  The school children are quiet or talking very softly.  The other passengers talk socially to each other.  The man (not the driver) walks towards the back of the bus to collect the fare from each passenger.  The children pay a very small fare.  I can not see exactly how much they give him, but it seems to be a few small coins.  Jason and I each give him $1.10, he counts the money and smiles at us and nods.  We got the fare right.

This is nothing like any other bus ride I have taken.  I am actually enjoying it.  I knew it would be easy.

I hear the teenage boy behind me say, "Americanos.  No comprendo."  Of course he meant us.  He was right.

Am I wearing Rose Colored Glasses?  Who can say?!

Maybe I am, maybe not.  I will let you know.

Last Stop

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