Tamera's Take: Scarves, Cats & Nomads

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

Before I begin, I need to say that it was a compliment that my husband borrowed my signature tag line, "are you ready", in his last post.

So we move forward.  Now I have borrowed his.

Las Grietas, Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos

It is 9:30 am Ecuador time.  That's UTC-5:00 for you international readers.  In Jacksonville Florida it is 10:30 am.  When Daylight Savings Time comes around on Sunday, November 6, 2016 at 2:00 am, Crucita and Jacksonville will be on the same time.

It makes me feel a little closer to my loved ones back home.

What does "trouble maker" mean?

As you have read in my husband's recent blogs, some of our loved ones visited us in August. During their 10 day visit, we were treated to a trip to the Galapagos Islands for four days. Aside from a few minor stomach issues and some clouds, our time in the Galapagos was amazing. Upon returning to our house in Crucita we were greeted by our four cats and a not so fantastic story from our neighbor who was caring for them while we were gone.  Apparently one of the little darlings decided to hide in one of the guest bedrooms (upstairs) while we were loading our luggage into the truck at 3:30 am. At 4:00 am, the upstairs rooms were closed and locked.  Our cats (minus one) were downstairs, along with their food & water bowls, and beds. Our neighbor had been given a set of keys, cat food and instructions (in Spanish), the day before. We were off for Guayaquil airport.

I will make the long and excruciating story short by saying, our neighbor Maria was worried after a day went by and she only saw three of our four cats.  I only gave her keys to the downstairs and the exterior gates. Luckily she knows our landlord. The house was opened. The wayward monster kitty was scared but okay...after making a mess that cannot be described.

In the future, I will never ignore my instincts - which told me to check the entire house for a "cat count" before we left.

One cool bag, one strange hat

On Pandora Radio, I am listening to: Madonna "Just Like a Prayer", which was released spring 1989. 

I do not even have to look up the year this song was released. I know the year because forever in my memory is my four year old daughter dancing and twirling around the house, with her hair brush microphone singing that very song.  She may not have known all the words.  She certainly did not know the MTV video that caused so much controversy.  All she knew was that she loved to sing and dance.  Especially when momma sang and danced with her.  Her momma loved that too.

People close to me know I love wearing scarves.  They are my favorite accessory.  I know every way to wrap, twist and tie them.  They seem to work for me.  In any season.  Any time of day.  What is not to love?! If it is raining - cover your head.  If it is cold - wrap around your shoulders.  Having a bad hair day or the wind is blowing - twist and tie around your hair. If you need a bit of color on a drab day - just pick one and go.  My daughter likes scarves too.  Although I think she is more of a hat person. She wears them well.

I do not see a many Ecuadorians wearing scarves in Crucita. No matter.  It is my thing. I do not feel the need to change that about myself.  Although I will say that I am now recognized by my fishing hat more than my scarves around here.  It is a simple tan cotton fishing hat. I have had it for nearly 15 years.  I wear it a lot.  I brought 6 scarves with me when we moved here.  I brought the hat at the last minute.

Two weeks ago I received all the confirmation I needed; in Crucita, I am recognized by that darn fishing hat.

The only ATM in Crucita

So here is what happened.

We needed cash to pay our utility bills and buy a few things from Frema's tienda.  Jason offered to walk to the ATM machine.  The ONLY ATM machine in Crucita. I do not try to use that machine any more.  It hates me. When I say it hates me, I mean that I cannot get it to work.  Jason has no problem with it.

The issue is that the machine "requires" your card (tarjeta) to have a chip in it.  Our Visa debit cards do not have chips.  Our bank and many others in the U.S. do not feel the need to put chips in their cards. I am sure it has something (everything) to do with the cost associated with updating software, and replacing machines.

When we first arrived in Crucita, we were told there was an ATM machine in our little fishing village. It is located at the COACMES building, which is a 10 minute walk from our house. The first time we tried to use it we realized that chip technology is alive and well in Ecuador. Good for banks and security. Bad for us. In order for us to use an ATM machine, we had to go to Portoviejo - 18 miles away.  There are ATM machines that will accept cards with or without a chip.

Bus ride to Portoviejo for cash.

We did this for 5 months.  Right up until April 15, 2016.  The day before the 7.8 Terremoto (earthquake) hit Ecuador.

Two weeks post earthquake, we were really in a difficult situation. No buses to Portoviejo. Even if there were buses running, it would not have mattered.  Most bank machines were not working. Most of the buildings that had ATM's were destroyed.  Portable ATM machines were set up, along with lines of people waiting hours to use them.

We mentioned our ATM predicament to a few of our friends and acquaintances here in Crucita and asked them what they thought we should do.  First they offered us money and asked if we needed food or water.  If we have not made this clear before, that is what it is like to be here in Crucita, Ecuador. People help each other. Not just in times of catastrophe - all the time.   No "once a year slogan" required.  A slogan that lost its true meaning so long ago, that everyone forgot.  I will let that one sit.  You will either get it or you won't.

We declined the kind offers of money and food.  We were not at that point yet.

We were told by two Ecuadorians and one Canadian friend that if you "keep trying", your chip-less card will eventually work in the Crucita ATM machine.

What?!

Stunned and with some amount of disbelief, we grabbed our cards and made the trek to COACMES (co-a-may). The Cooperativa building where the ATM machine is located.  Deep breath. Google Translate App open and ready on our cell phone.  The card slides into the machine.  It speaks to us in Spanish, telling us basically that the card will not work, and "please remove your card".   We remove the unacceptable card and slide it in again.  The machine speaks to us again. Please remove your unacceptable card.  We do.  But we try again; and again; and again.  After 15 or so tries, we see a different screen appear.  Press here for Espanol. Press here for English.  Woo Hoo!  English!!!  Please enter your PIN.  Those words never looked so good.  Please select Withdraw, Inquiry, Deposit.  Withdraw Withdraw Withdraw!!!!  Please select, Savings, Checking,....blah blah, whatever came after those selections I have no idea.  Savings please!!!  Enter the amount.  We enter 200.  We receive $200, in $10's and $20's.

Jason - Las Grietas, Galapagos Ecuador

Okay.  Back to my hat story.

As I said, two weeks ago Jason walked to COACMES, to withdraw cash.  He was gone a long time.  I knew this was not a good sign.  He returned about 45 minutes later with a look on his face that meant only one thing. The attempted transaction was not successful.  Two hundred tries not successful.

I asked him for my little blue zippered wallet that contained the bank card. He looked in his recently acquired bag from the Galapagos.  All Ecuadorian men carry these by the way.

No blue wallet.  He looked in his pockets.  No blue wallet.

My "wifey" panic sets in.  His calm standard response, "I know I have it; it's here somewhere".

Obviously NOT here somewhere, as my heart sinks, we make the trek together towards COACMES. We are now looking on both sides of the street, in the ditches, trash cans, etc.

I have already envisioned what must have happened.

On Pandora Radio: Adele "Set Fire to the Rain"

Sea Lions like the benches

After the absolute frustration of 200 attempts to make that card work in the ATM machine, Jason puts the near useless card into the little blue wallet belonging to his wife.  He then puts the wallet into his black bag that reads "Galapagos" on one side and "Ecuador" on the other. Walking away from the ATM machine, knowing that he and his wife will soon be on a bus to Portoviejo.

What really happened was he put the card into the blue wallet.  Then looking away he goes through the motion of putting the wallet into his bag and misses the bag completely.  The wallet falls to the ground in front of the ATM machine.  He walks home.

Fast forward.

We are nearing COACMES at break-neck speed.  I am wearing my tan fishing hat. I look up at a young man walking towards us. I recognize him.  He works at COACMES.  I know he recognizes me by that silly hat of mine.  Instead of the usual "buenos dias, or hola", he says, "tarjeta y bolsa azul". At the same time he is making the shape of a square with his hands.  He has just told us that they have our card at COACMES.

A bus ride to Portoviejo.

It would be the last bus ride with that debit card.  It expired September 1, 2016.  Where is my new card?  At my daughter's house in Jacksonville, Florida.  We are still working out the logistics of getting that card mailed to us from the United States.  That story to be continued in another blog.

La Ruta del Sol 

We have since retrieved our back-up card from our friend Tamy. She lives just outside of Portoviejo.  That card does not expire for another year.  We may only have one card, but at least we have a working card.

It is times like these that I feel more like a vagabond than an adventurer.  Maybe there really is not a difference. Its a good thing I have a lot of scarves and an awesome hat.

It seems to be the standard, basic apparel for backpackers, travelers and Europeans. We see a lot travelers who fit that description in Ecuador. Especially when we take trip on La Ruta del Sol (The Route of the Sun).  While we were in the Galapagos last month, I saw many more.  I fit right in. Minus the backpack.

Our move to Ecuador was my first real introduction to Hostels. They are everywhere. I knew what they were, but had never actually seen one.  In my ignorance, I assumed they only existed in Europe and used by teens and twenty-somethings who were trying to find themselves. I could not be more wrong. I cannot speak for other countries, but here, they are cheap, clean and a great way to save money on lodging while on your adventures. Regardless of your age.

I must admit that until a year ago, I owned a Frommer's Guide to Paris on $3 a day.

It was bought probably 30 years ago.  After time became dog eared, torn and revered with all the hope of a girl who thought she would get the chance to experience adventures.....one day.

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Travel is Fatal - Beware the Beasties

Mark Twain well Samuel L. Clemens actually, said it.  It is true.  Truer words have probably been spoken.  Maybe.  People have been talking to each other for a long time.  These words however, ring very true to me.  Especially true.  Thank you to an old friend for sharing it.  The entire quote is this:

It is also true that Clemens had rare insight and understanding of human behavior.  Especially rare was his talent for making the regular Joe understand what he was thinking.  You read him and say "yeah, I knew that." and you probably really did.  You just can't quantify it like he could.

You may not agree with any or all of this.  It is one person's opinion.  You may love it.  Make up your own mind.  Figure it out for yourself.

School of Surf

My wife wrote a bit about technology earlier.  We are not using a lot right now. Not because we do not have it but because what we are doing takes time. We do not have the time to watch TV, movies, or sporting events as much as we may want to.  So we keep up with friends family and news using Facebook and "smart" phones mostly.  We can use it anywhere so why not?  It is actually a primary tool for us now.  A connection in real time.  Facebook in the morning, in the evening, when we can really.

This blog is another tool.  We can get in depth here.  Family, friends, and total strangers can follow along, perhaps gaining some insight into who my wife and I really are.  Maybe just seeing we are okay.  Some may hope to find we are not okay in a secret chamber in their heart; whether they know it or not.  Whether they admit it to themselves or not.  It is human nature and that is okay. Most do not really mean it but the thoughts creep in which brings me to my point.

The School of Surf is needed for this.

Since I now read from and post to Facebook every day, I see a lot more of what makes people who they are than I used to.  It probably sounds weird but there is a rhythm to your Facebook posts. Many times I can tell when a person is posting from work.  People are more active when working, that is for sure. Mondays people start early.  Posts are different with our moods.  People disappear for days at a time and then post in flurries.  Rhythm there too.


It is also a little strange seeing posts from my unique vantage point.  I'm connected but not.  Not above it.  With it.  Hovering in the peripheral.

There is a lot of fear.  Fear of Government, fear of terrorism, fear of religion, fear of losing faith, fear of not belonging.  Fear of others.  Yep.  Fear of other people.  That is what it clearly (to me anyway) boils down to.  Mistrust and denial are big.  There are people spending vast amounts of money to make us buy what they want us to buy, make us believe what they want us to believe, to manipulate us.  To spread that fear.  Yeah, I think you know it.  And you probably really do.  Deep down in your heart of hearts.  It is very scary.

There is good news.  You can protect yourself.  It is not hard to do.  I actually have the answer and it is not 42.  Ready?  Learn.  Not what you were expecting I know.  Okay.  I will break it down further.  Listen.  Still not what you were expecting?  Me either but it works.  It really does. Sometimes it is not easy.  It is hard.  Harder still when you KNOW you are right about something. When you believe something. When you believe IN something.  Sometimes, most times it is worth it to put that aside for a minute and try to see things differently.

Local art on Calle Malecon.

"Get your facts first and then you can distort them as much as you please." - Samuel L. Clemens

I see quotes attributed on Facebook that simply are not true.  I see statements from politicians in the news that just are not true.  People see these things and all of the sudden it IS the truth.  I have done it.  You have done it.  Some post that stuff on purpose to further their own ends.  Politicians do, corporations do.  We should be afraid.  Part of human nature is to believe and there are people paid to take advantage of that. As the late Sir Terry Pratchett alluded to in his book Going Postal; if the beginning sounds right and the end sounds right, the stuff in the middle, the blurry stuff, gets filled in by us. Especially if it plays to a strong fear or strongly held belief.  I have shared things on Facebook adding that they were not true and people just do not see that. They only see what they want to see.  We want to believe.  We have to go beyond that. It is what makes us people.

So who can we trust.  Simple answer here.  Each other.  Arm yourself.  Many Americans do so with guns. It is our right.  I do not really have anything against that though I must confess; I do not understand why one needs an assault weapon to hunt.  So do that if you believe in it.  If you truly believe in being prepared and well armed, do not stop there.  Learn.  Learn if what you hear, what you believe, is true.  Take nothing you read or hear especially on the internet, at face value.  Find out for yourselves.  See if what you were taught all your life is true.  It may not be, at least for you.  Not anymore.  Keep an open mind.   Do not let the infamous "them" control you.  Think for yourself.

True Panama hats are not made in Panama.  They are made in Ecuador.

"As long as I learn I will make mistakes." - Beastie Boys

Clemens said travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.  I can tell you unequivocally, it is true.  Learning. Continuous learning is another bullet for your survival stockpile.  Experience is key. Make mistakes. It is how we learn, how we grow.


My wife and I have traveled to many places.  We ended up here, at least for now.  Being here has changed our perceptions.  A little distance changes everything and change is necessary.  The world is smaller.  We can travel without leaving our couch.  We can research sans library.  Travel and learning are synonymous and people seem happiest when traveling for pleasure. When learning for themselves.  A small amount of effort can make us so powerful.  So fearless.  If we only try.  Adios.

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International Traveler - Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington

!Bienvenidos Venezuela!

Or London, Madrid, Athens, Berlin, Rome, Paris, Dhaka, Tokyo, Beijing, Sydney, Cape town, Olso, Moscow, or Warsaw, take your pick.  Travel to or from any of them and the actual trip can be the best experience, mediocre experience, or most horrible experience you can imagine.  Many of you are experienced travelers.  Many are not.  Tamera and I are,  We have traveled internationally although we are not in my opinion, world travelers.  When we travel to Europe or Japan and back then yes,

Before I go on, many of the photographs are stock.  Taken from the internet and not in person.  We were too busy.  Apologies.  That is not generally the case for us.  We'll do better as we learn. Now-

Gray's Papaya. Now I want two,  Red onion sauce baby.  

We have visited numerous cities and sites. on two continents.  All have been American in one form or another.  North America, Central America (not a continent), South America.  You get the picture.  With the exception of the occasional Caribbean Island and Texas (just kidding uncle!) that is it.  We both love to travel.  We like seeing the stuff no one else wants to see.  My wife went to New York City and spent a lot of time in Queens.  I went to New York City and did not see the Statue of Liberty, the Cloisters, or the Brooklyn Bridge. By choice.  I went to Ray's Pizza (both the good one and the bad) and Gray's Papaya.  I went to Han Bat.  Excellent, non-Americanized Korean food.  We went to Salt Lake City.

We like the people.  We don't mind putting ourselves out there a little bit.  We want our experiences on a personal level.  With the locals and not all the other tourists.  If you do that, you make friends and you get to see things no one else gets let in on.  Like a roadside stand made of rough logs that sells fruit salad. So, it should come as no surprise that when we decided to move, we chose a small fishing village as our destination.  Getting here, now that is a different animal altogether.

MIA. and American Airlines.  Great service!

Right off, we moved here directly.  No scouting trips, no visits.  I don't recommend it.  I mentioned before we sold or gave away everything.  We came with our clothes, towels (the towels in Ecuador just aren't big or fluffy) and pets (who are big and fluffy).  Our travel experience was like few others.  The obstacles in our path were unusual.  We almost did not seek the treasure because of those obstacles.

The pets were one obstacle.  If you have pets and are seriously considering the move here (or anywhere really) you need to read that post.  Four cats and rules we didn't find on the internet caused us some issues.


Required VISA paperwork in the form of FBI background checks was another obstacle.  We finally had to leave without them and are still awaiting their delivery.

We had to change airline reservations to the tune of $400 in fees.  Yet another obstacle.

On to the trip.  To begin with, a car rental company called Avis, that does not know its own policies and considers that your problem, was another obstacle.  I am going to say this one time and then let it be.  I have used Avis before.  Quite a bit actually and for business mostly.  Good experiences all until I needed them most.  We made our reservation weeks in advance.  They made a mistake.  They even admitted it but they penalized us for it anyway.  This was just 14 hours before we had to drive to Miami.  It almost cost us everything.  They could not have cared less.  They apologized.  No more.  They did not refund our money immediately though they said they would.  We had no car.  We had to dispute it with our credit card company, Capital One.  They were great.  We were able to get another car at the eleventh hour with help from family, through Enterprise.  They stayed on so we could get the car.  We later sent Avis a detailed e-mail. They responded they were sorry.  It came from customer service rather than a manager. Appalling.  There is more to it.  A lot more but I am done with it and them.  That was our last experience with Avis.  You however, need to make your own decisions.

Luggage is bayud, hmmmkaaay?

Me, my wife, four cats, two hundred pounds of check in luggage and four carry on bags (two containing cats) are driving down I-95 in a rental car.  No, this is not the beginning of a joke though I am currently working something up.  We have calming treats/spray and a portable litter box for our cats.  We have a Little Caesars pizza.  We have hopes, dreams and each other. It will have to be enough because -

We are driving to Miami from Jacksonville, Florida. This is a 349 mile trip by car.  Five hours drive.  A friend told us it is not five hours.  Try six hours.  He travels there frequently. Okay.  We tack on two hours drive time just to be sure.  We arrive at MIA (Miami International Airport) almost two hours later than planned.  Stress levels are high.  If we miss our flight we are done for. We make it to the departure zone.  I unload our entire lives onto the sidewalk and sprint back to the car with a quick kiss for my wife.  She stays behind.  As she dwindles in the rear view I feel horrible about leaving her there alone.  It is a mad house and she has too much to look after.  I must turn in the car. Thank the heavens I got the right amount of gas.  The gauge is just a smidgen over a half tank just like we picked it up.

Where do I turn it in?  There are signs.  I follow.  There is my wife.  There are signs.  I follow. There is my wife.  Stress.  There are signs.  I do not follow.  There is the rental drop off.  Whew.  I pull in.  There is standstill traffic.  A charter bus has gone the wrong way.  He cannot go forward or the bus will be a convertible.  There are men in the road, stopping traffic and trying to help the clearly inexperienced bus driver.  Ten minutes, twenty, horns blaring, people screaming.  I am sooooo not relaxed.  "Don't Panic"!  Clock still blinking- he is out!  I move forward.  Progress.  The Enterprise drop off is the last drop off, furthest away from well, anywhere.  I am a mile or more from my wife.  I scan for signs. No indication of how to get back to the airport is visible.  The Enterprise agent wants to know if they provided excellent customer service.  I want to get back to my wife. It has been almost 45 minutes since I left her.

Yes I will say I received excellent customer service if you will tell me how to get the airport.  They do.  I DID receive excellent customer service.

You take a train from the rental car garage to the airport.  It is a very long run to that train.  It is there when I get there.  I had to traverse two floors and a rather large parking garage to get there but it is there.  I'm on.  For a fleeting second I wonder if I got on the right train.  I know I did.  I call my wife.  "Almost there!" I yell over the noise.  People look at me, disgusted with my rudeness. I do not really care.  It is important my wife hears me and knows I am coming.  She does not, not really.  Off the train now.  I am, where am I?  Ah yes.  Of course.  There is the American Airlines departures sign.  I am at the far end of the airport.  The opposite end from my wife.  It is packed. I run.  10 minutes later I'm standing with my wife who has been trying to get a skycap for an hour. I am off again.  Trying to find a skycap.  I return with no skycap.  My wife has found one.  Time to get moving again.

Now I must tell you something important.  My wife is disabled.  She is not able to walk long distances without experiencing excruciating pain.  To sit down for long periods of time causes excruciating pain.  She cannot carry anything heavy.  Even something light is an issue.  She does not take pain medication.  She uses a cane.  This means once this skycap is gone, I am on my own.  The skycap sees her discomfort and takes us to the front of a very long line.  We feel bad for the others but we are already late.  No time for heroics here.  We have a job to do and this helps.

Queens, New York City

We get called to the check in counter. We present our passports, animal documentation, and payment for the animal transport.  We wait.  There are no benches.  My wife sits on the luggage. The luggage is weighed.  The first bag is too heavy.  I take my coat out of the bag and put it on though it is hot and I am sweating.  That does it.  Bags checked. There are issues with the animals. Really, the ticket agent just is not sure how to handle it.  Seeing my wife is in discomfort, she doesn't mess around too long.  She gets a supervisor, all the while explaining that we (my wife and I along with the cats) WILL be on that plane.  She will make sure of it.  Don't worry.  Stress level HIGH! Supervisor is here now.  All is good.  Boarding passes, paperwork.  My wife is done helping a woman figure out what international phone number she needs to call to inquire about flights to Chile.  My wife knows this number because as I mentioned before, she takes copious notes.  To security!

Not quite.  We get there.  An American Airlines employee sees my wife and I are having a hard time with the carry on.  There are no carts.  The security checkpoint is a long way off.  He grabs some bags and helps us.  Thank you American Airlines.  Initial checkpoint. TSA (Transportation Security Administration) says we cannot board our cats.  We only have 2 "passes" and there are four pets. We explain that there are two carriers, one pass for each.  That's what American Airlines allows. Doesn't matter.  No boarding for you.  My wife is beside herself.  I tell her "sit right here".  The American Airlines attendant stays with her, comforting her.  Thank you American Airlines.  I grab the cats and run back to the ticket agent.  She says TSA cannot do that.  Another manager.  She says "follow me".  I do, cats in tow.  The manager tells TSA they will let us board.  Furthermore, they will put us at the front of the line.  They do. Thank you American Airlines.  Thank you TSA.  To the plane!

TSA in action!

Not quite.  TSA has a problem here. "These are not the cats you are looking for." I say waving my hand at the squad leader.  The force is not strong in me. We have four freaked out cats.  I mean freaked out man.  There are dogs.  TSA does not want their own dogs freaked out right?  The cats must come out of the carriers for inspection.  Here I am going to stop.  TSA has an important, hard, and virtually thankless job to do.  Their job necessarily inconveniences passengers. They do not like it, we do not like it, but it keeps us safe.  All I will say is they helped us. They were courteous, respectful, and mindful of our situation, including my wife's pain.  They did not circumvent process or put anyone at risk.  Their process is not mine to discuss.  We made it through.  I am grateful they are there to protect us.

Now to the gate.  About 11 light years away.  Where are Han and Chewie when you need them, huh? What the heck is wrong with my hyper drive?  R2-D2 is gone again.  We might have 30 minutes. Ask for directions.  Train.  Arrive at gate.  Fully booked flight.  No seats.  No benches.  My wife is in agony.  We made it though.  Only boarding to go.

View from our plane after take off.  Goodbye USA!

Not quite.  Gate change.  Really?  Okay only four gates away.  Still no seats.  We wait.  For an hour.  I look up.  The information at the desk has just changed. It reads "Nicaragua".  I go to the desk. "Gate E34" the agent tells me.  A different concourse. Far, far away,  I tell my wife very quietly.  If I can get there before everyone else she will have a seat.  She tells me go.  Run, TJ, run.  I run like the wind.  Okay.  Not so much.  I have a cart on which I carry four cats, a laptop, a suitcase and every document we must have to make it through Customs.  I run.  Like a slug.  I beat everyone.  I get seats.  The gate says boarding starts in 5 minutes.  "?".  There is no one to speak to.  Again.  "?".  Where is my wife? Where are the agents?  Where is the plane?  Where is the rational universe?  At least I have my towel.  "Don't Panic!"  "?".

"Ever feel like you're living in an airport?"

My wife arrives behind everyone else.  I fight for her seat.  She flops down and off I go to find her a drink.  Soda of course.  Liquor is what we need but-

Two of these.

Not quite.  We are on the plane now.  It is an hour later.  We are in our seats.  The pilot is furious with the tower.  I am not sure I want a mad pilot.  He assures us he is going to cut corners to because he wants to get home too.  I grip my towel a bit tighter.  We are off.  Off the ground.  The cats are scared.  I can tell.  I am elated.  We are home free now. We made it.  They bring us food. They bring me complimentary Jack Daniels'. They bring my wife complimentary Bloody Marys'.  Can I get an amen?

And two of these.

Not quite.  Over Cuba we fly, over Jamaica.  Over Panama.  Pleasantly buzzed, we land 3 and a half hours later and boy are my arms tired.  Because of the cats, Okay?  Carrying the cats. Down a very long hallway we go.  My wife is waning.  It has been seventeen hours of traveling so far.  I am waning.  We have to clear Customs now.  We have been told it can take up to 2 hours with the animals.  I am braced.  We are told (all in Spanish) we must fill out some forms. Done.  We must get in this line.  Done. Passports please.  State your business.  Sleep is my business I almost say.  Business is definitely not good I also don't say. Off we go.  Get our luggage.  Find a cart.  Another form is handed to us by a child. We must fill it out.  Done.  Get in this line.  Done.  The man standing there says hello.  Are we traveling together?  How do I know what he is saying?  I just do.  Auto pilot says so.  My wife says so.  I cannot feel my arms now.  It is about time.  He presses a button.  A light turns green. Welcome to Ecuador.  Stunned, we walk past him.  My wife stops.  "We have to wait." she says. "He said go!" says I.  We go.  Fast.

That's good advice!

The next thing I know I am surrounded by the people of Ecuador.  They are waiting on their loved ones returning for summer break.  They are laughing and pointing at me, asking me questions I don't understand.  At first I am nonplussed.  I hear "Gatos!" and I know what that means.  They are laughing because this harried, long haired gringo has just gotten off the plane and does he have luggage?  No.  The luggage is on a cart I must go back and get.  He has cats.  Four cats. Now, I too am laughing. We made it!

Not quite.  Now we have to find our driver if he is here at all.  We are 2 hours late.  We had no way to call anyone.  No way to confirm our arrival. There's a sign!  "National Geographic Expedition". Not us.  Another sign in a sea of signs.  Jason and Tamera- that's us!  Our driver Oswando, gets a skycap.  They carry everything to his wonderful nine passenger van.  We tip the skycap $.50 cents per bag.  It is a good tip here and we are assured by Oswando, appropriate.  There are CD's.  There is air conditioning,  There is ice in my glass, so to speak.  He reclines the seats.  He tells us to sleep.  No worries.  He's got this.  Yeah, I can sleep.  Not one wink.  It is midnight.  We have a four and a half hour drive before we are home.

It is a comfortable ride.  My wife is a bit confused when the cats are meowing in their sleep.  Then a kitten mews.  It is our driver having some fun with us.  He is an animal person too.  He has a cat, two dogs, and two birds.  He sounds just like a kitten.  Despite the pain and stress, my wife is laughing for the first time in days.

We arrive at our new home and meet our friend Tamy; in person for the first time.  It is 4:30 AM. Her husband is also there and helps with the bags, cats and my wife.  They have cleaned the house. They have stocked it with groceries.  They give us the tour and then, leave so we can rest. Tamy assures us she will be back the next day to take us shopping for real.  We thank her.  We eat.  We walk down to the Pacific Ocean for the first time in our lives.  The sun is rising.  We are home.

Quite. Adios!

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Quick Links - Links Relevant to Ecuador or Mentioned in Our Blog

Government Agencies:

USDA - United States Department of Agricultre's APHIS site.

USPS - United States Postal Service.

US Passports and International Travel - The US Government site containing all information, costs, and forms required to apply for your passport.

CDC - US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility - The Ecuadorian government website containing all current costs, forms, requirements and information for Consulates, Embassies, Immigration, Visas, Passports, Divorce, Marriage, Birth Registration, Wills, Death Certificates, Apostilles, Legalization, Wills, etc.

Shopping and Finance:

Tiendeo.com - Supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, malls, and any other resource you might need for  Ecuador of course.  Maps and links included.  Invaluable resource for both the visitor or newly relocated.  Set up for Portoviejo Ecuador but other cities and countries are available.

SuperMaxi - Grocery stores.

Aki - Another line of grocery stores.

Petco - Dog and Cat one stop shop for travel from the USA.  Sherpa pet carriers, herbal calming treats, harnesses and leashes.

Sturdi Products - Waterproof and yes sturdy, containers for travel including collapsible litter boxes for plane and train.


Conservation and Ecology Research:

Fauna and Flora International - International conservation and information.

Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation - All about tropical conservation in Ecuador.  Courses, workshops, volunteering, conservation, and research material.

National Geographic - The one and only.


Travel Plans:

American Airlines - Affordable non-stop Flight from Miami to Ecuador.

Delta Airlines - Flights to Ecuador.

Travelocity - All in one Flight, hotel and vehicle rentals.

Interactive Map of Ecuador - by Google.

Real Estate:

Ecuador Beachfront Property - Real Estate.  Moving out of the rental arena but a good place to start.  This site has some very good information about Ecuador in general.

Culture and History:

Ecuador - Art, dance, cuisine, drink, history, folklore, education, events, photos, and more.

Laylita  - Common traditional recipes including beverages.

South America  - A website dedicated to common cuisine found throughout South America.

Wikipedia - Collective research on Ecuador.

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Familia y Los Amigos - They Love You. Always and Forever

Jimmie and Michele

My wife and I have dreamed of living abroad for a long time now.  We visited Mexico some time ago along with our friends, Jimmie and Michele.  That trip only fanned our flames of that dream.  We did not hotel in Cancun.  We are not the Cancun type (this may surprise you in a moment). We chose to rent a beach house called Casa del Cielo south of there; near a tiny fishing village called Puerto Morelos. It was the best vacation we ever took. We spent quite a lot of time in Puerto Morelos, met the locals, ate the fish, enjoyed life, fell in love with it.  Fast forward.

Puerto Morelos has been found by others. Many, many others.  What would have been affordable to us then is so for out of our stratosphere now that it is staggering.  We searched and hunted, determined to find something, anything there.  It became evident that it was not going to happen.  It also became evident that it might not be safe there anymore.

He do what he do.

We watched a lot of HHI (House Hunters International) trying to get ahead of the curve, looking for new ideas.  As it turns out, there are quite a few Americans looking for something different.  All have their own reasons but the romantic in me believes it boils down to one immutable fact.  We are at heart, explorers. Adventurers of the world.  We have our reasons.  As few or as many as we need, but we want to wander.  We have the traveling bone.  The two hundred and seventh bone in our bodies thank you very much.

We saw an episode featuring a couple moving to Quito.

It piqued our interest even though Quito is almost as far from the las playas or beaches if you prefer, as you can get in Ecuador.  They spoke of the climate.  The spoke of the affordability.  They spoke of the wonderful people.  We saw opportunity.  Fast forward.

We are in Crucita now.  As you already know, we faced quite a few surprises.  There are many to come.  One of the biggest surprises in the whole process was the reactions of our family and friends. Looking back I am more than a bit surprised by our actions as well.

Daughter and Mother.  Lovely.

Surprise #1:  Family - What do you mean you are moving to Ecuador?  Half a world away!  A third world country at that!

We have a great family.  Hard workers, loving, and caring all.  Almost all immediate family live in Jax (Jacksonville) from whence we came.  It is a large family.  A daughter, a brother, and a father live further away but again, most are in Jax.  Most everyone knew we were moving to Ecuador. They knew of our dreams.  When we pulled the trigger why were they not all just so happy for us? Happy we were following our dreams?

Jesse and Loca painted by Tamera.

First off, dreams are just that; dreams. You can talk of your dreams all you want. No one ever knows what is really in your head but you.  Your family is not involved your decision making process.  They don't know where your head is.  They are not there for all the hard work like researching, checking, Skyping, calling *cringe* Government offices/financial institutions, paperwork, and organizing it all. No one really expects you to risk everything and follow dreams.  I mean, who does that?

No one wants to see you go either.  We are leaving our children (now adults) behind.  We are going to be far, far away.  It did not help that we moved our timetable up by almost a year.  When we started trying to organize with our family (who gets what valuables and heirlooms, visiting schedules, etc.) we might as well have poked them in the eye with a sharp stick. Repeatedly.  No really one expected we would move to Ecuador.  Another country.  A different continent.  A different hemisphere.  Not that fast anyway.

Show off!

We received mixed reactions.  Some vehement, others not. There was anger, there was bewilderment, there was sadness. There was also understanding, pride, and hope.  Sometimes in the same sentence from the same person.  Sometimes not. Being there, going through it all was harder than you can imagine.  For all of us.  I don't think anyone can see the other's side when you are in it.  It takes a little distance to get a lot of perspective.

Surprise #2:  Art - What are you willing to give up?

We are accomplished artists my wife and I.  My wife paints extremely well.  Oil is her preferred medium but she is equally talented with watercolor and drawing.  Photography is something else in which she excels   She loves capturing architecture on film and then painting the same.  Surrealism is where she lives.  She also writes occasionally. She is a natural lyricist. She is adept at capturing her dreams in all these mediums and I am always impressed. You see, she does it all on her own. No help, no net. Just her and her talent.

Scott and I rockin' it!

My art is practiced almost exclusively with others.  I am a musician.  Bajos or bass guitar is my thing.  Rock for the most part.  I write lyrics and compose.  Have done since my Father bought me my first guitar when I was 13.  I do a fair job as a recording engineer too though you won't catch anyone hiring me to engineer and produce their stuff.  I learned by ear, like I am learning Spanish, by diving in with those who already spoke the language and learning on the fly.  By age fifteen I had my first paying gig.  In 1996 I was in Nashville recording my first professionally engineered CD.  I work my art with the benefit of help from others.  A collective process.  I love the stage.  I have been in a working band my whole life until that is, about a month ago.  The last one was the one of the best I've ever been in.  "Ozonebaby You're Amazing!"

My wife left all of her art behind.  She sold all of her production equipment.  I quit a great band.  I sold all my equipment including my git fiddles.  Too much equipment, too heavy to ship, too costly.  We have both done this all our lives.  It is like we quit breathing, sleeping, or eating.  We are both going a little nuts with the loss right now.  We could only bring so much and will have to ferry things back when we visit.  We will buy mostly new equipment here.

Fun with family and my friend, Rob.

Surprise #3:  Friends - What the -?

My wife lived in Jax all her life.  She grew up with Anastasia Island, springs, and bogs.  I was born in Virginia.  A life of mountains and life on the water in summer a la the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth.  By age nine I was living in Florida.  My point is we both have lifelong friends in Jax.  From school, from work, from our art.  They are family too.  There was an added family for me in the form of the band.  The concept of band is hard for a lot of people to understand.  Being in one is like having extended family.  You love the good and tolerate the bad if you want to be successful.  You can not keep one together.  You can keep the name and the idea together.  Like Legos, band members are interchangeable.  The idea of the band, the music, the theme, stays the same.  The spirit is there and with the right guys, the energy is there too.

We do what we do.

Our friend's reactions varied just like our family's.  I can only believe everyone experiences the same range of emotions.

Surprise #4: Us vs. Them - Wha, Wha, Whaaaaat?!

Now for the hardest one.  The one where we have to look at ourselves and come to grips with our own mistakes,  Please remember I (TJ) am writing this.

My wife and I are partners, lovers, and friends.

We do not necessarily share the same view ALL the time.  On this we may differ a bit.  On all of it we may differ, but only a bit.

We could have done a better job communicating.  We should have done.  We got defensive.  We never thought in a million years anyone would be unhappy with the choice.  We were not prepared for ANY negativity at all.  We got hurt but never truly understood how we might be hurting others. It is family, close friends.  We are realizing our dream, going to live in paradise after all. They MUST BE HAPPY FOR US!

Jessica's graduation.  With Jesse, Honey, and family.

No they must not.  In this we were all a bit selfish, a bit close minded.  There is a lot of stress involved for those moving away.  There is a lot of stress involved for those who aren't.  We wanted no, craved support.  We sometimes felt we were not getting it.  We felt we were being second guessed, that we were making a mistake, that people thought we were crazy.  We were told that.  People react strangely when someone they love, someone they have know all their lives, leaves. Especially as suddenly as we did.  We did not give them much time to process it.  It was a necessary evil.  The reality is, there was no us vs. them.  There was fear of change and loss.  There was misunderstanding.

Wedding guests?  Family!

Surprise #5: Strangers - Wow!  That is amazing!  Tell us all about it!  You are so lucky!

Ahhh.  Sweet validation.  Bittersweet.  For all the worry over family there is nothing but curiosity and well wishes from those you don't know.  On the surface anyway.  You meet a lot of people when getting your paperwork ready.  You have to tell them what you are doing no matter what.  They all have a million questions no matter who else is waiting behind you. Some are genuinely interested.  Their eyes eat up their face as they lean in and partake of the story, your courageous exploits.  Adventure in South America!  Yay!

Then there are those whose eyes flicker.  Their face slackens just a bit and their smiles do not reach their eyes.  Feigned interest.  Doubt.  You know the words coming out of their mouths are not what they're thinking. Body language is the great equalizer.  You tell them just the same.

It can feel good.  You will trick yourself into believing they are all "with" you.  It's not true and never will be.

For Nana.

I hope this helps you prepare.  Your family and friends will come around. They may not agree with you or your thinking. They may try and talk you out of it, and why not?  They love you and have a genuine concern for you well being. First and foremost remember who they are. They love you.  Take pause. Remember it again.  They love you.  In the end that is all that matters. Ever. Adios!

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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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