Carnival Part Two - Not the Carnival Anyone Expected

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What says fiesta better than fantastic fireworks every night?

What exactly is Carnival?  Well, in Ecuador it is celebrated in February or March during the week before Lent.  Lent is forty days of pentinence and abstenation leading up to Christ's crucifixion.  It is a time to suffer as Jesus did.  So what do we do before that?  Well, we celebrate.  It is done all over the world in all different cultures in all different ways.  New Orleans in the USA, Venice in Italy, Rio de Janerio in Brazil, Quebec in Canada, Colongne in Germany, Nice in France, Panaji in India, and the list goes on.

Are we compensating ourselves for the abstinence practiced during Lent?  Maybe.  Maybe we are celebrating our belief in Lent and Christ.  It is not for me to say.  I suppose it is a matter of personal choice.  So, we celebrate and in Ecuador we do it very, very well.

Both Malecon and la playa are filled to capacity by revelers.

So which is it?  Carnival?  That's what I see on many websites and blogs about Ecuador.  Carnivale as it is in Brazil and as I see on other sites?  Carnaval as it says on the spray foam cans and other paraphernalia sold here?  Just like many other words and phrases used in Ecuador it probably depends greatly from which province you hail.  Does it really matter? Not really. Everyone knows exactly what you mean.  We may not all spell it the same way but regardless, it means only one thing.  Fiesta!

The Malecon is gearing up.  This is just side street parking.

I am sure part one of this two part article was not what you expected.  Part two may not be either.  It was not what I expected.  Expect the unexpected right?  It is true.  I was excited for Carnival.  There was a lot of anticipation. What were we going to see?  How loco would it get?  Well, it was loco in a way. Just not they way I expected.  We took a lot of pictures.  Well, my wife took a lot of pictures.  I took some.  OK, a few.  I will bet if you try, you can tell the difference.

She has the "eye" as I believe the industry calls it.  I'll say talent.  No kick butt camera.  Just a cheap phone.  Really cheap.  She's good.

Our first ever Cumbia concert.  Reggae with a Latino back beat.

We got rain.  Rain every day.  You might think we should have expected this.  We live in Ecuador after all and it is the rainy season.  You might be right if you were talking about some place twenty or thirty kilometers inland but not Crucita.  In Crucita this sort of rain doesn't generally happen. You see, Crucita has a desert climate.  February boasts the lowest rainfall average of the year at less than five total millimeters.

Rain, rain, go away.  Come again next week!

                                                        Four days of the month you might see rain and then only very little each of those four days. Really, each night.  Okay, early morning, say 03:00.  We have cloudy days.  It rains almost every day thirty kilometers inland but here you will not even know it happened.  Not unless you were sitting out on your terrace watching the moon set over the Pacific early in the morning. There will be no puddles.  There will be no washouts.  You will not know it rained at all.

Except-

There is this weather "event" called El Nino.  It is in full effect.  For the second time since we arrived here it rained four days straight.  It rained all day.  It rained all night.  Maybe a break where there was only mist.  Just like Forrest Gump in Vietnam said, "We been through every kind of rain there is.  Little bitty stinging rain and big old fat rain, rain that flew in sideways and sometimes, the rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath."  At one point my wife looked at me and said, "I gonna lean up against you, you just lean right back against me. This way we don't have to sleep with our heads in the mud."  She was mostly joking.

Beer and cocktails for sale on the street.

The rain started on Friday and it rained every day of the Carnival holiday.  Tuesday it began clearing up. That is the travel day.  The day when everyone leaves.  Add to that the ultra high tides (normal for this year) and what you have is one whole hell of a lot of wet.  On the north end of Crucita there was major damage.  The Malecon is right on the beach and the tide took it.  It is as well protected as the central or south ends but the tides took some boulders, then some road, then a building or two.  Man could not stop it though they tried mightily.  Water always wins.  It is the truth and it is a truth best not forgotten.  Still, no one was hurt or killed. That is a pretty amazing thing.  I don't mean because someone should have been with the damage from the surf.  I mean that I think there there were probably twenty-five thousand people here. These people were all drinking, partying on the beach, and attending open air beachfront concerts in the rain, every day and night for four days.  That, plus the damage and no one was killed or severely injured.  None reported anyway.  Not that I can find.

I know there were minor injuries because I saw some happen.  I saw a few fights.  They would last for about 10 seconds.  Then came the policia.  Lots of them.  On motorcycles, on four wheelers, in trucks and cars, and on foot.  There were at least four officers stationed at every street accessing the Malecon.  If you were being malicious, you were being busted.  Not jail necessarily.  Corralled, given a stern talking to and sent on your way.  I never saw anyone get arrested.  I never saw any reason why they should.  That is not to say no one actually got arrested.  Just that there certainly were not many.

Street performers doing their thing and doing it well.

The festival was on, day and night, rain or shine.  Street vendors with so many great things to eat, so many hand made wares. Even tattoo artists.  Street performers were about.  Beer was available on the street, on the beach, and at the concert venue.  Walking and enjoying a beer or cocktail was no issue.  Water blasters and super soakers, spray foam, and colored powder were also available.  Lots of them, everywhere.  You had to have them.

Well, we had foam. I think the water guns were moot this year due to Mother Nature's contribution.

Lalo's.  The best hot dog I ever ate, hands down.

You could get hit at any time from any direction.  Tamera got foamed by a three year old.  I got foamed in the ear and never saw my attacker.  Water was sprayed from the balconies.  Even water balloons were thrown. Had the sun been out it would have been welcome.  Since it was raining it was largely unnoticed. There was actually a point when taking shelter from a particularly drenching rain shower that a woman looked at me and said "frio!" or cold!

She said this with her arms wrapped about her and while shivering.  I was thinking it felt great.  It was probably 27 C (around 80 F).  With the ocean breeze it felt like 22 C (around 70 F).  Nice, unless you are a local.

Espuma de Carnival.  Required gear!

The powder was something else.  A few of our local friends said it was a new thing.  I guess it is usually water and then bags of flour.  This year it was red, blue, or black powder.  I think black was the most popular color.  We were never hit.  It seemed to be something the teenagers were doing to each other.  Since we were not hit by the colored powder I cannot say how easy it was to clean.

The foam was surprisingly environmentally friendly, clean and fun.  It stained nothing, had no aroma, and seemed to actually have some lotion in it.  Just rub it into your skin,  Hit back of course!

Carnival ammunition could be bought day and night all along the Malecon, at the concerts, and from any street vendor.  Ecuador might have a law in place that says business owners have to sell the stuff.  It was always used in good fun.

We went out day and night.  We ate the street food, we drank a few cocktails or beers, we attended concerts.  We even got front row at one show.  The musical styles varied but all were good.  Our friends Jared and Tamy invited us to a small private party for the main event concert.  Tamera bought a beautiful Ecuadorian style dress during Carnival for the party.  Wilfrido Vargas, famous Merengue singer was the headliner.  The amazing show kicked off at midnight, right after a beautiful fireworks spectacular that lasted at least a half an hour.  I should have mentioned, there were fireworks every night at midnight.

From left to right, Jared, Willie, Tamy, Tamera.  Merengue!

Yes, it was even raining for this.  We were glad for the invitation to the party as it was on the rooftop of the condominium next to the venue.  We had a great view of the stage.  We also had a great view of the ocean and the Malecon.  As I said before, the concert was beach front. Since we had learned how to dance the Merengue from YouTube videos, we danced.  We weren't the only ones. Picture thousands of people dancing Salsa or Merengue at the same time.  Beautiful.


We met new friends and yes, had a few cocktails.  I ate Lalo's.  The Ecuadorian hot dog.  The ONLY hot dog.  We really just had a whole lot of fun.

The woman I love.  So happy!

After the show was over, it was time to walk home.  I don't mind telling you I was tired and hungry.   Tamy suggested we stop for one last cocktail and some food on our walk home.  We stopped at Rimini, the local Tiki Bar and restaurant. A blog about Rimini and their food is forthcoming but I will say they know how to cook fish and make some really great cocktails. We had a mixta of fried fish and shrimp and it was delicious.  

We even ran into our friend David and his wife Denise, the owners of Restaurante Motumbo there.  They were taking in some well deserved R&R.  Shop and restaurant owners are open from early morning until 03:00 during Carnival.  That leaves them only a few hours of sleep and prep time for the following day.  If we thought we were tired just think of the one to two hours of sleep these people are getting.  I believe some of them forgo sleep altogether, at least for awhile.  They need to cut loose a bit too.  They should.  A lot of hard work goes into this celebration.

A partial view of the concert crowd from our rooftop vantage point.

So we got home from the concert at about 04:00 on Tuesday.  When we woke up there was sunshine.  The Malecon was not empty.  There were still street vendors and the like.  People were on the beach.  Just not thousands.  Closer to a normal day by about half.  I ate Lalo's. Yes, again!  Available in Portoviejo every day.  Tamera bought fresh vegetables from a local street vendor. Crews were almost done with the final clean up rounds which were constant during Carnival and I mean constant.

Men and women in white jump suits with dust masks walking behind a garbage truck.  The went up and down the Malecon day and night while the workers emptied every trash container and picked up every little piece of trash from the street and beach.  We found the damage to the north end of the Malecon.

Tamy and Jared.  Artist and Musician.  Husband and Wife.  Great friends.

We have since learned from shop and restaurant owners there should have been more people.  That the rain took its toll in more ways than one.  Next year perhaps we will see the full effect of Carnival in the sun.  More people, more fun.  For now, we will rest ourselves.  Enjoy the peace, quiet, and tranquility that is Crucita. What will we do when we are rested? What then?  Well, then we travel someplace we have never been before.  Chao!

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Carnival Part One - The Key to any Successful Endeavor is Preparation

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New signage set in the sidewalks.

Well, it has been quite awhile since the last post, welcome posts to new readers from around the world notwithstanding. Needless to say we have been busy.  Busy buying our supplies and making sure we did not run out of anything.  Busy making new friends while exploring and enjoying Carnival.  It was our first ever Carnival celebration and like Ano Nuevos, there are a lot of people coming into our small parish.

Unlike Ano Nuevos there does not seem to be a whole lot of tradition involved.  There is a whole lot of preparation involved though. I know everyone always wants the juicy stuff first but it would be very unfair to forget or gloss over the things Ecuador does to make Carnival possible.

One month prior to Carnival kick off, my wife and I were enjoying a bowl of ceviche on the Malecon.  Pretty normal stuff really.  Then we notice an entourage coming down the street.



You know, the "suits" just as seen all over the world.  You do not see that a lot in Crucita and they might as well have had "POLITICIAN" written on there foreheads. They scurried about taking photographs, scribbling notes in their notebooks, talking loudly and importantly on their cell phones.  All except one.  He was clearly in charge.  His entourage obviously.  The one hombre pointing and telling everyone else what to take photographs of, what to scribble in their notebooks, who to speak with on their cellphones.

Curbs and storm grates are painted.

"That," says the proprietor of Restaurante Motumbo "is the Mayor of Portoviejo."  As he says it the entourage is passing in front of us, snapping pictures of a portion of missing sidewalk claimed by the Pacific.  The Mayor looks up and waves at us. We wave back of course.  "He is here to make sure Crucita is ready for Carnival.  To fix things."

Seems fitting.  For one thing this time of year, December through March (summer), brings the highest tides.  The tides get so high the sea covers the Malecon.  Business owners on the strip clean up the sand and debris every morning but the Pacific does more damage.

Sections of road and sidewalk can disappear overnight.  Large boulders, protecting the Malecon roll out to sea.  The surf is so big it sounds like thunder throughout the night.  Fisherman move their boats across the roads and tie them to buildings to keep them safe.

Paint is naturally sandblasted away.  The salt spray devours metal.The Mayor has his hands full.

A section of road and sidewalk the Pacific ate is repaired.

The next day, work crews start rolling in, CNEL is the power provider here and they do not mess around.  New lines and light poles start going up and their trucks are everywhere.  The Government workers are painting curbs, storm drains, and light poles.  There are also hundreds of volunteers.  Businesses are painting, cleaning up sand, and getting ready in general.  This is a daily occurrence but now their efforts are redoubled.


Over the next few weeks the police presence escalates.  Fire and rescue too.  Life guards are training on the beach.  Medical tents are erected.  Safety is clearly the priority.

A new look for a beachfront nightclub.  Karaoke here! 

Delivery trucks are everywhere.  The tiendas ensuring they have plenty of stock.  Front end loaders run through the streets moving shipped in materials about for repairs.  They also go down every side street, leveling and clearing them.  Any lingering trash or construction debris is removed.

On the north end of the beach a huge stage is erected along with high definition video boards and light shows.  Concerts will be held nightly.

Stage gear.  Could it be?  Yes!  Concert time!

It is becoming obvious this holiday is much bigger than Ano Nuevos.  It is also obvious that Portoviejo knows what they are doing when readying the Parish of Crucita. It seems undeniable that Crucita is the Carnival city of choice for all other parishes of Portoviejo.  The people here know it and they are ready.  The houses are filling up.  The hotels are filling up.  The restaurants, the Malecon, la playa, the bars; all filling up.  The revelers are streaming in.  The music is booming. Four days of Carnival in a place where the bars don't close until 03:00, allegedly.



We are finally here.  The workers have stopped.  It is Friday night and the time has come,  Time to find out what Carnival has in store for us.  Chao!

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Benvenuto Italia! Noi speriamo vi piaccia!

Welcome Italy!  We certainly hope you enjoy!

Benvenuto Italia!  Noi speriamo vi paiccia!

Bienvenue France! Nous espérons que vous apprécierez!

Welcome France!  We certainly hope you enjoy!

Bienvenue France! Nous espérons que vous apprécierez!

Money, "It's a Gas" - What to Bring, When to Tip, How it Works

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The Ecuadorian money train!

Money.  The thing on everyone's mind all of the time when traveling.  Transportation, accommodations, sightseeing, excursions, culinary indulgences, communication, souvenirs - you get the picture.  There are some that say that it is the root of all evil.  Not necessarily.

Here in Ecuador, it is not how much you have, it is how you spend it.  Having money is required, just not as much as what you may be used to at many other destinations.

Ecuador is on the U.S. Dollar.  For citizens of the U.S. that means no exchange rate, which is very convenient for me.  As you know I am a U.S. citizen.  For other countries it means you need only follow the U.S. exchange rate.  I do not know if that is a good thing for you, but it is what it is.  In Ecuador money is important but not so important as to count the pennies.


As a matter of fact, pennies seem to be worthless here.  To the other extreme, unless you are spending a lot of money on something (for example, real estate, automobiles, furniture) $50 and $100 dollar bills are almost never accepted.

Street vendors can't generally change that $20.

If you come here to visit do not bring bills larger than $20's.  Bring a lot of $10's, $5's and $1's. More $1's and $5's than anything.  Even at the malls you will sometimes have issues changing a $20 bill. Do not expect to break out your credit card unless you are at a mall, high end hotel, or a restaurant in a larger city.  Even travelers checks are (allegedly) practically useless.

There are a very few restaurants and hotels that take credit cards in the smaller villages along the coast.  You might find a place or two, but do not count on it. Even some ATM or check cards will not work, depending on where you visit.  If you are a U.S. citizen, you generally need to find ATM's that do not require the new "chip" technology.  They do exist, but you may have to travel to a mall or large shopping district to find one that accepts your ATM/Credit Card.

As I have said before cash is king.  In Quito, Cuenca, Guayaquil, Manta and other larger cities you may be fine.

There are major banks that will change large bills and allow cash advance withdrawals from your credit card.  If you want to venture out and get the real experience, without frustration, carry small bills.

Why a mall or supermarket?  It gets no better than the farmer's market!

Street vendors cannot and sometimes will not even change a $20.  A cab ride in Portoviejo might cost $2.  Try and give them a $20 and you will end up paying exactly that for a $2 trip.  The tiendas might change a $20 if you spend at least $10 or more.  Just be prepared. Things are not expensive here. Food, shopping, and public transportation are all very affordable. Well, the malls are the exception when it comes to clothes and shoes.

The good news?  You do not have to go to the malls.

I am talking about what I know from experience, not from what I have heard.  Credit cards are for high end stuff which is really irrelevant here.  Why?  Because the real experience is outside of the credit card world.  My advice?  Keep your credit cards for extreme emergencies, and just bring cash. Get a money belt if you are worried. In larger cities I am told theft and muggings can be a problem just as in any large city, in any country.  Just watch yourself as you would anywhere.  You will be okay.  Do not advertise your wealth (i.e., expensive watches, jewelry, clothing, flashing your wad of cash).  Just be careful.

Well, if you prefer a mall-

When you get change expect coins.  The U.S. Liberty dollar coins are prevalent.  You will also get back $0.50 pieces (Ecuadorian), $0.25, $0.10, and $0.05 coins (Ecuadorian and U.S.) but no pennies. No pennies unless you are at the malls which also generally means big supermarkets.  You see, Ecuadorian store owners and street vendors tend to round down to avoid pennies.  We tried to spend pennies on the bus.  NOT happening!

Cab fares are a little different.  Discuss fare up front with the driver.  Most taxis will not "meter" if you decide on price up front.  For those of you visiting Crucita, a cab ride to Portoviejo should be no more that $12. Same going back. Manta?  $20.  No tip required.  If they say it is more, say no.  The price will come down.  If it does not take the next cab.  If you do not speak Spanish (or much Spanish) here is what you say to the driver.

"Cuanto cuesta a Portoviejo (or Crucita, or Manta, etc)."  How much to Portoviejo.....


In street markets you should haggle.  It is not impolite.  It is expected.  You may get a resounding no.  Sometimes they will not come down in price. Do not be embarrassed, say "gracias" and walk away.  They may call you back.  They may not.  It is a safe assumption that there is a vendor 10 feet away selling the same thing.  They might deal especially if they were paying attention.  Trust me, they were.

Anything you need in El Centro, Portoviejo.

Case in point, I was trying to purchase fresh tuna (atun).  Beautiful, fresh fish. The vendor said "ocho! ($8)".  I said "ocho? ummm...". He said, "Siete." ($7).  I just shook my head.  "Seis ($6)!  Seis!"  He said.  "Si, bueno." I said.  A 10 pound tuna, filleted in front of me for $6.  

Now, a handshake, sort of.  He puts out a fist, I grab his arm just below the elbow and shake.  No fish hands!  This is how it is done.

Notice there was no $6.14?  They round down.  It is easier and you don't have to carry around those pesky pennies.  More important, THEY do not have to.  At the same time my wife bought 70 limes (limons) for a $1 from a different vendor.  Going to outdoor markets and vendors is better for another reason.  No tax.  If you are not Ecuadorian you pay more for everything taxable in a supermarket. Not so on the street.

You might want to take one home.  Credit cards not accepted.

You can have quite a day in the Manabi province for under $20, meals and all. You can have quite a day for under $10 if you are so inclined.

Tipping is a bit tricky.  U.S. citizens are used to tipping for all kinds of services. Taxis, skycaps, waiters and waitresses, stylists, parking attendants, bag boys, gas station attendants.  Okay, not gas station attendants.  They went the way of the dodo in the U.S. No so here.  Full service.

So what should you tip for these services here?  Believe me when I say you will want to tip too much. It is ingrained.  Do not do it.  To begin with it may be considered insulting.  You also contribute to driving up the economy.  That will not help the people of Ecuador in the long run.  Respect the economy.  If someone sees you giving a big tip you could become a target for a pickpockets or muggers.  It does not endear you to anyone.  You are just being flashy and uncouth.

Coco vendors.  No credit.  Cash only!

These rules of thumb have been confirmed by our local Ecuadorian friends and work for us very well:

Taxis - No tip is required or expected. If they help you with bags or something $0.50 to $1.00 is considered generous.  If they tried to make you pay more than you should have and you had to haggle, no tip at all.

Skycaps - $0.25 per bag. Let them load or unload everything.

Wait staff - No tip is required or expected.  There is no gratuity percentage.  If you receive great service it is OK.  Give it directly to the server. No more than $1.00.  $2.00 if you received exceptional service.

Stylists, Barbers, manicure/pedicurists - It depends. Manicure/pedicurist will come to you for $10.  I should think no more than $1.00.

Parking attendants - No tip.

Bag boys - $0.25 per cart.  Let them load and unload everything.

Private drivers - They are available here and very convenient.  We used one for about twelve hours when we first arrived.  He drove to Guayaquil from Crucita to pick us up and bring us back to Crucita.  He waited for over two hours at the airport for us because our flight was delayed three times.  Our cost was $150.  We tipped him $25 and were told it was appropriate.

$15 for new feet on the street!  Kick it!

Pretty easy after all right?  It is hard.  Do not give in to the temptation.  You are not helping by giving any more.  I think most other Ex Pats would agree, not to put words in anyone else's mouths.

One last thing.  I spoke about muggers and pickpockets. It is no different than travelling anywhere else or even being careful in your own town.  Do just that. Be careful and protect yourself as if you were home.

There is nothing to be scared of here.  The country and its people are wonderful and amazing. Tonight marks the beginning of a four day long holiday. Carnival.  We are looking forward to a very wonderful and crazy time.  Do not worry.  You will be part of it too.  Stay tuned. Chao!

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Fáilte Ireland ! Tá súil againn go mbainfidh tú taitneamh as cinnte!

Welcome Ireland!  We certainly hope you enjoy!

Fáilte Ireland ! Tá súil againn go mbainfidh tú taitneamh as cinnte!

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Help us share our adventure by sharing with your friends!  Gracias y chao!

Witaj Polsko! My oczywiście nadzieję, że cieszyć.

Welcome Poland!  We certainly hope you enjoy!

Witaj Polsko! My oczywiście nadzieję, że cieszyć.

Bienvenido México! Por cierto, esperamos que disfrute.

Welcome Mexico!  We certainly hope you enjoy.

Bienvenido México!  Por cierto, esperamos que disfrute.

Where to Eat - Restaurante Motumbo!

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We have now been here more than two months.  Before we left many asked us a very difficult question. What will you miss the most?  I will not restate the obvious things but there were other things, things I thought would be obvious.  These things were based largely on food.  Through internet research it seemed I would not be able to get certain items here.  Pizza, BBQ, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Greek, German, etc.  Even what I consider just plain old U.S. food which is mostly a myriad of international cuisines that have been fused with pure U.S fare. Will Ferrell lampooned our idea of cuisine in Talladega Nights.

Pure deliciousness produced by packs of wild dogs!

I know what you are thinking and I am not saying it is a bad thing.  Really, I am not. It is a great thing. In the United States you can probably get some form of any type of food you would ever want to try. All cuisine everywhere is based on what is produced locally and is at some point, fused with what is available through trade.  Tea, coffee, spices, fruits, vegetables, cheeses and meats.  We love food, and what is not to love?

As a U.S. citizen I also fell in love with everything easy.  I want hot, now and *cough* affordable. Okay in reality heat lamp warm, almost now and the illusion of affordable.

(Insert fast food restaurant name here), the next time you make a product that actually looks like one you advertise on television, let me know.  There is your next marketing campaign Fast Food conglomerates.  "Product on the television is actually larger and fresher than it appears."  But I digress.

David prepares someone's bill.

Good news.  The television is good for other things.  Food Network comes to mind.  HGTV, PBS, and the Travel Channel (No Reservations. My favorite!) also have great cuisine based shows.  The BBC does a great job with their culinary lineup.  There are even decent cooking shows on good old U.S. network television.  Why is that?  Because a growing number of people all around the world realize "heat lamp warm and almost now and the illusion of affordable" are all really just a big crock of old fryer oil out back.

It does not matter.  People get it.  You can go to your local Farmer's or even Flea Market and buy locally grown produce. This supports your local economy and you can get a week's worth of fresh vegetables for the cost of a number one combo. The vegetables even have smell and taste.  They have not been stored and "preserved" to death.  No dyes either. Just good food.

Even good, healthy, packaged food.  Not rice cakes!

Good, healthy (mostly healthy anyway) food. Yep.  People are falling in love with good food again. I am lucky enough to be in good food mecca.  They take their food very seriously in Ecuador.  It is not at all hard to find.  You can find it on the bus.  Yes, on the bus.  On the weekends it can be bought while sunbathing on la playa, delivered to your beach towel, parasol, or tent (carpa).  There is street food.  Very good street food.  Then there are the restaurants.  Italian, Japanese, BBQ, Steak Houses, Indian, etc.  We mustn't forget the Ecuadorian restaurants.  They demand respect. They stand tall with the rest of the world.  They are pure bliss.

Sometimes you just need something really, really bad for you.

I guess what I am saying is that I thought I would miss food and convenience the most, even that fast food stuff.  I guess I did miss it enough because I was a bad boy last week.  I broke.  I got mushroom and Swiss burger, large onion rings, and Coca Cola from Carl's Jr. in the mall.  It cost more than a full dinner at many Crucita restaurants.  The point is I am not missing anything because it is all here. There are however better or maybe just different foods around.  Definitely less expensive foods. 

Before I begin in earnest there are one or two important things to know.

First, the peanut (mani) figures prominently in certain sopas (soups).  If you have an allergy stay away from soup called "viche".  There is a possibility peanut allergies are moot here.  There is some question as to whether the way peanuts are grown/processed in the U.S. could be responsible for the allergy.  Should you decide to test that theory please make sure you have your up to date epinephrine with you.

Cerdo con Arroz, Platanos, y Ensalada. Look it up.  This plate? $7

If you are not feeling brave (or stupid depending on how you look at it) you may want to ask about any dish just to be on the safe side.  Have your epinephrine with you just to be on the safest side.  Second, most of the restaurants here serve their own version of the same things.  I know it might sound boring on the face but it is all done just a bit differently. Remember, people from all of South America live here.  People from all over the world live here.  All of our foods live with us in perfect symmetry.

Our friend Tamy told us it is impossible to say things like "this is the best ceviche around" because the next restaurant's will be just a bit different. Not necessarily better (though I think you will soon have a favorite) just different techniques, slight variations in ingredients, or perhaps both.  The result is a diverse dining experience no matter where you eat.  It reminds my wife and I of back home.  Every family has their secret recipe.  Aunt Sharon's Million Dollar Pie, Dottie's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Joyce's Beef Supreme, Nana's...well ANYTHING that Nana made!

Restaurante Motumbo on Calle Malecon.  Delicioso!

I think a very good place to start is the first place my wife and I ate ceviche. We chose a nice restaurant here in Crucita right off the bat; Restaurante Motumbo. I'd say we got lucky but in truth, we have not eaten at any place we would not go back to yet.  Restaurante Motumbo is a five minute walk from our front door.  There are literally ten other restaurants between our door and there.  That is only in the southern direction.  They are on every block in all directions.  We will try to get to all in due course.

It is an impossible dream but very convenient to my mind.

We chose Motumbo for it's beautiful hardwood rattan tables set out for alfresco dining on the Malecon, overlooking the Pacific.  We had nothing else to go on.  

The name Motumbo is also used by some as a "comedic" character.  The "stories" were further perpetuated by a 1990's Argentine rock band named Los Piojos.  There is a video and no, I will not link it.  This video has NOTHING to do with Restaurante Motumbo.  Investigate at your peril.  It is beyond R rated.  I say this to you for one reason.  If you search only for Motumbo you will most likely come across only the "comedic" information.  There is no Restaurante Motumbo website, though there there is an "unofficial" Facebook page. 

David and Denise supporting EMELEC!

Suffice it to say the owners David and Denise opened their restaurant after David spent many years working for a corporation in Quito.  He left the corporate business and opened his own successful soybean processing plant.  His products were instrumental in the creation of healthy school lunches.  In the process he invented revolutionary production equipment.  One thing lead to another and it was decided he would try his hand opening his own restaurant in Crucita.  Live the dream.  He met his wife Denise and the two started off on their new adventure together.  They were not sure they would succeed but being no strangers to risk, they took a chance.  They did succeed however, and the restaurant has grown.  I dare say they are more than happy with the result.  I know we are.

The name sticks as well it should.  You do not mess with success.  

On the wall behind the bar hangs the last neck tie David ever wore.  A reminder of why he is here. He will never wear another.  His favorite band is also represented in the form of a clock.  Pink Floyd, The Wall.  He saw Sir Paul McCartney's concert in Quito in 2014.  There is a collection of David's hats in the corner of the bar.  He admits that he loses hats constantly, but never, ever loses sunglasses. David is bi-lingual, friendly, courteous, and willing to talk.  His good nature is infectious and his staff follows his lead.  He and Denise work the restaurant together expertly.  A lot of gringos (not a derogatory term here) frequent Restaurante Motumbo because of these things.  A lot of Ecuadorians eat there as well.  It is authentic fare.

Busy Night at Restaurante Motumbo

Restaurante Motumbo is located directly on the Malecon.  The street (calle) is the only thing between you and the Pacific.  You may dine alfresco, inside the beautiful bamboo restaurant, or sit at the bar. Wherever you sit, the ocean breeze and the sound of waves crashing on the beach are with you.  It is open every day from 11:00 to 23:00.  The menu is bi-lingual and even has a glossary of terms so you can understand everything you're ordering.  As a bonus, his menu contains information on local and nearby activities, such as paragliding, bird watching tours, hiking trails, whale watching expeditions, and much more.  

There is good wine (not easy to find in Crucita, at least not yet) as well as a full bar.  Drinks such as a Pina Colada, an Electric Lemonade, or a Bloody Mary are not only beautiful but skillfully made. The bonus is they are made to order with fresh ingredients.  If you are at the bar they are made right in front of you. David will talk you through the ingredients of whatever he is making, even if it is not for you.  Sometimes you will be lucky enough to get a sample if there is a bit left over in the blender.  There are a number of non-alcoholic drinks and jugos (juices) available that are simply delicious.  Even milk shakes are on the menu.

Electric Lemonade!

The restaurant routinely serves seafood fare as do most restaurants on the coast.  Here you will find large portions of excellent ceviches and viches made with fish, shrimp, shellfish, or mixtas meaning a mix of two or more seafoods. Breaded and fried, pan fried, or baked fish and shrimp, pastas (award winning I might add), as well as chicken or pork dishes are always available.  Arroz (rice) comes with everything as do plantanos (plantains slow cooked, breaded, and fried).  Bolones are delicious. The ingredients are fresh.  The seafood and produce vendors come to him, as they do with all the restaurants, and on some days you will see the fish and vegetables you are about to eat purchased before your eyes.  

The entire staff can cook. The entire staff.  If David is not there another will cook.  It will be the same fresh and robust taste no matter what.  David has taught his staff to cook to taste.  OK. Maybe they learned from each other.  Maybe from their own family.  Remember I said they take their food seriously in Ecuador.  Nothing comes out of that kitchen unless it has been tasted and found acceptable.  The fry oil is always fresh.  The batter is delicious.  As with the drinks, David will share how things are made.  He has no secrets. You will find out things you never knew.  The man is well traveled, educated, and has four degrees. You are in good company.

Ceviche Pescado

As with most restaurants credit cards are not accepted here.  Cash is king in Crucita so come prepared.  The most expensive single meal on the menu is $14.  There is a seafood meal for two available.  The least expensive is $3 (a personal pizza w/drink).  Most dinners and ceviches run between $7 and $8.  A party of two can easily enjoy an excellent meal with appetizer and cocktails for $30 at most. The tip should generally be $1-$3 depending on service.  That $30 will buy a very big meal.


Bring your appetite!  Incidentally, that is also very good tip. 

Service is how you want it and this has generally been true everywhere we have eaten.  You can enjoy a leisurely meal and take as long as you like.  You can be in and out quickly.  It depends on you.  If you are in a hurry when you order, order everything at once. Remember, everything is cooked to order and may take a bit of time.

The Wall on well, the wall.

If you want something else, you must let the staff know.  They leave you alone to eat and drink.  They do not refill your water or drink unless you ask.  They do not hover.  It is not bad service.  It is polite.  A check will not be delivered to your table unless you request it but in reality, you should go to the bar and pay.  The bill will be tallied in front of you.  Give the tip at time of payment.  Do not leave it on the table.  At Restaurante Motumbo it will be shared among the entire staff and rightfully so.  They all had a hand in preparing the meal you just enjoyed.  

David tells us he and Denise are embarking on a new adventure.  They recently broke ground on a new hostel on the Crucita Malecon next door to their restaurant.   I know the word "hostel" makes us (or at least me) think "shared" amenities.  Sometimes even sleeping quarters are shared. David has cleared this up.  In Ecuador the term hostel also means small hotel and this is what they are building.

It will feature private rooms with air conditioning as well as private bathrooms.
They hope to have it open by July.  If they put as much love into this enterprise as they do in their food and I have no doubt they will; it will be a huge success.  Chao!

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Tamera's Take: Everything's Eventual, Cats & Cell Phone Communication

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

Before any "constant readers" start plotting my death (and you know who you are), yes "Everything's Eventual" is the title of a book by SK.  Just as SK uses songs, life events and literary quotes to punctuate his stories, I am using his book title to punctuate my story.  How do I know he does this? Because I have been a constant reader for over 30 years.  I read my first SK novel while I was pregnant with my daughter.  The book terrified me.  I loved it.  I still read his books.

The rainy season has begun.

Anyway, I thought about using "The Cell", but that was too obvious.  Are we okay now? Good. Then I will continue.

Last week in "Octopus's Garden, Cats & Water Always Wins", I wrote about not having enough time to blog because of everything that has happened to us in the past couple of weeks. Eventually though you have to just suck it up, quit whining and write (or paint, or clean your house, or whatever it is that you need to do).

Stephen King said it.  He is right.
Eerily always right.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” 
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Roof Top Terrace

At this moment I need to move from the rooftop terrace that I love so much, and get out of the sun before Senor Sol burns a hole in my retinas.  It may only be 8:30 am but the sun is serious around here.  Downstairs I go.

That is better - sort of.  I have lost my view, the ocean breeze and the sound of tropical birds, but my eyesight is thankful that I relocated to the shade of the first floor patio.

The view from the roof was especially beautiful today.

Our Beige and Sage Colored Mountains

When we arrived in Crucita late November, we were told that the rainy season starts in December and continues through February or March.  November is the end of the dry season. That was evident. Everything was dusty and dry. There are mountains along the coast of Crucita. They were beige with tinges of sage green here and there.

We looked forward to the rainy season so our mountains would turn green. December came and went. Where was all that rain we heard about?  

Beautiful Rocafuerte

A few miles inland everything was green. We know this because we visited a number of towns in the Manabi province during the past two months.

Portoviejo, Charapoto, Rocafuerte, El Pueblito, La Boca, San Jacinto, San Clemente, Bahia, San Vicente, Chone, and Manta.  

There was rain.  It just never made it to the coast.

That all changed about seven days ago.

We have been able to call our friends and family back home using a Skype phone account.  This is a little different than the Skype you can use for free on your computer (or smart device).  Free Skype does not work on every computer (or smart device).  Also, our bank is not going to "Skype" when they need to contact us.  We pay $13.50 each month for Skype phone subscription to receive a U.S. VoIP phone number and unlimited use of that number.  We can call anyone in the U.S., and anyone who has our number can call us.  It costs them nothing to call us.

We use the cheap LG smartphone that we brought with us.  It is not an "unlocked" phone, and does not have an active cell phone plan. But that does not matter.  As long as we have access to WiFi, we can use this cell phone for calls to/from the U.S.

What is the downside?  There are only two downsides. First, we have to have access to WiFi. Second, we cannot use it to call anyone with an Ecuador phone number, and vice versa.

We have WiFi set up at our house and free WiFi is available at many restaurants, hotels, malls, and even some buses.  This is not a problem unless our electricity is out, or we are nowhere near a free WiFi hotspot.

San Vicente.  Across the bay from Bahia.

We have only lost electricity a few times and never for more than an hour.

That all changed five days ago.

We need to be able to make phone calls to people and businesses in Ecuador.  Skype Phone was not the solution to that problem.

If you are only going to be here for a short period of time, you can use a U.S. cell phone plan (Verizon, AT&T, etc) with an international calling feature. You may have read other blogs advising travelers to bring an unlocked cell phone, so they can use one of the local cellular carriers.

Why go to the trouble of bringing an unlocked cell phone? Because cell phones are supposed to be very, very, very expensive in Ecuador.

At least this is what we read and heard.

We agonized over this dilemma.
We are not short-timers.
We did not have an unlocked cell phone.
We waited until the first week of 2016 to get our Ecuadorian cell phone/number.  There was no reason to wait.  It was much easier than we ever could have imagined.  Lesson learned.

You can shop for just about anything in El Centro.

There are various options for obtaining local cellular service in Ecuador, but for us it made the most sense to buy a smartphone and use a prepaid (prepago) chip.

There are a number of cell service carriers in Ecuador.  The two main service providers are Movistar and Claro. We chose Claro, and bought a new Samsung Galaxy.  It came with an Amigo Chip that gives us 2 for 1 on every dollar we spend to recharge (recarga) data/talk/text.

In addition we have unlimited "Whatsapp", that allows us to talk and text for free with anyone else who has Whatsapp.  Total cost for the device, sim cards, amigo chip and promtional plan, was less than $140 USD.  We will probably spend no more than $10 per month to recharge data/talk/text (megas/voz/mensaje).

You can get a basic cell phone for less than $20 USD. You can get a basic smartphone for less than $50 USD.  If basic is not your style, no problem.  You can get the brand, style and features you want in a price range that meets your needs.

Blah Blah Blah

Good luck with getting "unlocked" cell phones in the U.S. anyway without paying a fortune.  I do not know why, but the cell phone carriers in the U.S. are the only ones that lock their devices so that they cannot be used with other carriers.

If you want to bring your cell phone, there are technicians in Ecuador that can repair and unlock most cell phones for a fee.  If you are in Portoviejo, go to El Centro shopping district.  Keep in mind that once unlocked it may or may not work on other networks.  

Note:  At the time of our arrival in 2015, Ecuador Customs allowed each traveler to bring only ONE cell phone.  There are also customs restrictions on other electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets, digital equipment.

Check the Customs Regulations before you travel.

By now you may be wondering, "is she ever going to finish the story about the rain, green mountains, blah blah blah?".

Yes.

Everything's eventual.

Then it started to rain.

Rain. Finally.

I cannot express how happy I was when it finally started to rain.  Not just drizzly little droplets that look more like mist and disappear instantly when the sun comes out.  Or worse, appear in the middle of the night when you are not even sure that it rained.

This was big rain.  This was soaking rain.  This was last Saturday.

So what if we miss a beach day.  There will be plenty more. Besides, all this rain is going help turn our mountain green. Sunday.  Still raining.  No problem.  Bring it on.

We have not lost power.  Our WiFi is a little wobbly but still doing what WiFi is supposed to do.

Midnight on Sunday night, or Monday morning depending on how you look at it, everything stops. No electricity.

No electricity means no WiFi.  No WiFi means no Skype Phone.

Everything is going to be okay. Our laptop was fully charged.  Our Claro cell phone was fully charged.  The power is never out for very long.  I did all of our laundry two days ago.  I had already packed our necessary documents into the laptop bag for our morning meeting on Monday.  Manta Monday.  Manta Monday with our Attorney at the Immigration Office.

Waiting on the Malecon for our attorney to pick us up.

At 7:00 am on Monday, the electricity was still out.  Our attorney was picking us up at 9:00 am. One more thing that does not work without electricity - the water pump.  We have bottled water for drinking and cooking.  The water for the rest of the house comes from our cistern.

The electric pump in the laundry room brings the water from the cistern to the kitchen and bathrooms.

Not today.  No electricity.  No showers.

My husband and I are resourceful people.  We have been camping many times.  We have been through our share of Hurricanes in Florida.  We have a gas stove and five gallon bottles of water! Camping showers done.  Stove top coffee made.  We are ready on time.

Still raining.  Still no electricity.

I felt like "Rainman" taking these pictures from the car.

My first trip to Manta and I saw almost nothing, except flashes of green things as I looked through the windows of the car. I assume we drove past farms, trees and mountains.  It was hard to tell through the rain and fogged up windows.  I also saw the ocean and big boats.  They were the gray things floating in the gray water, that I saw through the fogged up windows of the car that was driving in the rain.

Tamera was very tired and just a bit cranky from having had no sleep the night before.

Very cool whale sculpture at San Clemente beach.

I was also under a bit of pressure.  I was the designated translator between the four of us (who were in Manta that day to apply for 12-IX Visas) and our attorney.   Our attorney does not speak English.  I speak the most Spanish out of the three Americans and one Canadian.  Our attorney was there to speak to the immigration officials on our behalf and file the necessary documents.  But we still needed to speak with him.  There were questions to be asked and answers needed.  Anyway, I was the designated translator.

I will not go into any more details about our experience at the immigration office, except to say that the staff were all very efficient and courteous.  Our attorney was very skilled, very efficient and very nice.

The day was a success.  We should have our new tourist visas by Monday or Tuesday.

I gave the attorney our new Ecuadorian cell phone number.  He is supposed to call me when our Visas are ready.

The view from the rooftop terrace is especially beautiful today.

It is green.  Very green.

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