Houses in the gated community…

Posted by worldwide-admin on November 4, 2023 with 0 Comment

This is a Travelers Palm (Ravenala madagascariensis). We encountered a few of these in Mirador San Jose.

Yesterday, when we drove to the little store, we drove around the neighborhood looking for photo ops. Other than the flat-roofed houses and dry vegetation of unsold lots, there weren’t many photo ops. Eventually, the balance of the lots will be sold, but it could be a long time when this location is far from shopping and entertainment.

Most of the people we’ve met here are French Canadian, as mentioned and as described below:

“The inhabitants of the French colony of Canada (modern-day Quebec) called themselves the Canadiens and came mostly from northwestern France. The early inhabitants of Acadia, or Acadians (Acadiens), came mostly but not exclusively from the southwestern regions of France.”

We love the look of this wooden house, which we posted earlier, in the gated community with a Traveler’s Palm in the front.

From what we’ve heard from locals, the company promoted the development of this gated community via seminars and video presentations that primarily took place in Canada, appealing to those on the brink of retirement. Word of mouth spread., builders stepped in, and many of the lots were sold.

On Wednesday night at Kokomo, we met one of those builders, a friendly French Canadian who was proud of the houses he’d built. We are living in such a house, and it seems well-built. The ravages wrecked by the sea air are the ultimate source of wear and tear in these and other oceanfront and other nearby houses.

There’s a soccer field and tennis courts in Mirador San Jose, but we’ve yet to see anyone using these.

Most of the houses are stucco, but after decades in the real estate business, I observed that stucco is not exempt from wear and tear from moisture from humid environments. Nor is wood. Even in Marloth Park, South Africa, far from the sea but near a river and especially humid during the summer months, stucco houses eventually show wear and evidence of mold.

We’ve observed that the brick houses in Marloth Park seem to endure during the hot and humid times of the years, and the house’s exteriors seem to last the longest, even over many new siding materials that claim to resist moisture. Many homes being built there are brick and blend well with the bush environment.

“In a completely brick-built house the interior walls are actively absorbing the air humidity. Bricks can easily absorb humidity, as they have a surface that is more diffusion-open than other materials. As opposed to other materials, humidity doesn’t harm bricks.”

A Christmas tree-like pine is growing in the neighborhood.

But in Ecuador, brick may not be affordable, and lower-quality brick can cause problems down the road. Of course, it’s at the discretion of each buyer and their builder which type of exterior they may choose to use and that which is most affordable. Appearance is also a factor, and brick may not appeal to the buyer in many cases, depending on the style of the house.

In any case, most of the houses in Mirador San Jose are stucco with flat roofs. However, each house appears to have its own unique design, which was suited to the desires of the owners when the houses were initially built. Here is the link to the development for Mirador San Jose.

Another Christmas tree-like pine is growing in the neighborhood. Most of the houses in this gated community have flat roofs, except for the above wood house.

Of course, the more we interact with the locals at dinner on Wednesday nights, the more we’ll discover. We’re certainly no experts on what is transpiring in this gated community. Nor will we be by the time we leave here in a few months. We are always curious about our surroundings and share our perceptions here with all of you, whether accurate or not. As we learn more, we’ll share more.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 4, 2013:

The Regency Hotel London, in South Kensington, England, where we’ll stay for 15 nights before boarding our ship at the port in Harwich, a three-hour drive from London. For more photos, please click here.

Not much sightseeing while here…

Posted by worldwide-admin on November 3, 2023 with 2 Comments

Tom, when we were in Florida about six months ago.

Note: Sorry, but we don’t have new photos to share. It’s been raining, and we haven’t gone out.

In researching this area, I came across this page on TripAdvisor listing the points of interest to tourists who may be staying in or around Manta, Ecuador, an hour’s drive from here. Based on the remote location of this holiday home, there really isn’t anything nearby that we can experience from the car.

Although I started exercising a few days ago, it’s still too early for me to expect to be able to walk long distances. Only time will tell, and it could be weeks before I am strong enough to tackle any such tours. Actually, in reviewing the activities listed on the above site, we aren’t interested in any of these since, in 2017, we visited Manta while on a cruise. At that time, we toured some of the events listed.

Instead, we’re staying put at this house until we head back to Manta in less than three weeks to return the rental car for another and buy groceries at the Walmart-type store Mega-Maxi, the locals told us about on Wednesday night. It will be interesting to shop at this big store.

As we’ve run out of some foodstuffs in the past few days and with the need to keep purchasing water, we’ve been going to the tiny market here in Mirador San Jose, owned by a friendly French Canadian, Gilles. Thank goodness, we got plenty of cash at the ATM in Manta when we were last there on October 26 and shopped at a market downtown that didn’t work for us.

The locals said they enjoy shopping at Mega-Maxi, where we will find everything we want to round out our meals and supplies. We’ll still buy some produce from Raphael, the local vegetable guy, when he stops by every Tuesday. The question is, can we go another 19 days without going to a supermarket? Right now, in the freezer, we have enough meat to last for six dinners and multiple cans of wild-caught tuna, with which we can make tuna salad with rice and vegetables on the side, making it a total of eight days.

With leftover ribs for Tom and seafood for me, for this evening, we have enough food to last for nine more dinners, taking us through November 15, considering we’ll be dining out every Wednesday. You may ask, why don’t we go to Manta now? The answer is simple. We don’t feel like sitting in the car for over two hours round trip to the grocery shop any more often than we have to. Doing so on the day we return the rental car and get a new car is an ideal scenario.

Next week, we’ll return to Puerta Cayo, a tiny town with a meat market, Carnisariato San Isidro. It will be interesting to check out what they have and see if we can purchase enough to last until November 22. The little shop in this gated community has only a few meat options. We already tried the filet mignon, but it was very tough.

We laugh now over how we grumbled a little to each other while in Marloth Park that we had to drive 20 minutes to the Spar Market in Komatipoort. We’ll appreciate that short distance all the more when we return. Plus, their selections were vast, and we seldom left with items we couldn’t find.

But we have truly settled in and feel more comfortable here as we roll into an easy routine. It will be especially lovely when the sun comes out, and we can use the pool. It’s been raining off and on most days. We’ve had one sunny day so far. The house itself is fine, and the extra exercise I am getting going up and down the stairs to the bedrooms several times each day.

Each day is a new challenge as I continue rebuilding my fitness and health. Today is only day three, but I have already developed a routine to get me up and moving every 15 minutes. I start when I get out of bed and continue until 5:00 pm, when I stop to make dinner.

In time, I will lengthen the fast-walking period, hopefully enabling me to walk long distances eventually. Right now, the number of steps I am doing is working, and I am not going into Afib at the current pace. If I walked too hard and fast, I know I’d run into an Afib event. I remember, only so well, when my grandson Miles and I were leaving Target Field after the Minnesota Twins baseball game, and trying to keep up with the crowd’s pace left me in Afib for hours that night.

It’s a dual purpose: the exercise improves my heart health and also my ability to walk longer distances. This is a huge motivator. I realize now that I am active again how much I was stationary each day, fearful of triggering an episode. Most likely, being stationary exacerbated my condition. I am hopeful but prepared for potential setbacks that won’t deter me.

Again, thanks to our reader, Gary, for spurring me on to do this rather than whining about my limitations.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 3, 2013:

The Indian Ocean in Kenya has clean, white sand beaches, only cluttered with seaweed coming ashore during the rising and falling of the tides. For more photos, please click here.

Finally, we’re beginning to have a social life!…Fun time out last night with photos!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on November 2, 2023 with 0 Comment

Some of the patrons at the table behind Tom warmly greeted us and chatted for a bit before the remainder of their group of eight arrived.

Last evening, when we headed to Kokomo for the second time in a week, we anticipated it would be closed again after we’d stopped by on Saturday evening, and no one was there. We’d heard that it was open on both Wednesdays and Saturdays, but that Wednesday was $5 burger night.

As it turned out, much to our delight, the lights were on, and the door opened. There stood Sylvie, Igor’s property manager, greeting us and inviting us to a table. She doesn’t speak English, but we were able to communicate. Our Google Fi doesn’t work around here, so there was no way we could use Google Translate when the restaurant had no WiFi signal for guests.

When we arrived at Kokomo restaurant a few minutes after 5:00 pm, we were the only patrons there. By the time we left at 7:30 pm, every table was full. I didn’t take many photos of the patrons, preferring not to intrude on their dinner.

Looking at the menu, it is mostly in French since many of the locals are French Canadians who speak English, French, and a little Spanish. Following is a copy of the menu. I took a photo of it so that before we go next time, I can translate it and figure out something else to order than the burger patty I ordered without sides. All of the items are in US dollars.

We noticed locals eating salad, but most had been here for many years and may have built up an immunity to the tap water used in washing raw vegetables at local establishments. After my awful experience of eating a salad in Morocco in 2014, I learned my lesson then, and I don’t eat raw vegetables in countries where it may not be safe.

There wasn’t a typical sit-at-bar, but the tables were close enough for some friendly banter.

Tom had the $5 burger and fries, but after seeing so many people order the lasagna and club sandwich next Wednesday, he’ll order something else. Tom had a large-sized beer, and I drank something out of character for me: a Coke Zero. I couldn’t get down one more bottle of water after all the water I’d been drinking lately. I won’t make diet cola a habit, but it tastes good, and I am not drinking wine for a while.

Tom was able to find a beer he liked, Pilsner.

As it turned out, the restaurant was fully packed by 6:00 pm. Every table was filled, and another couple, Doris and John, sat with us while we chatted on and on, having a great time. Many others stopped by our table to welcome us to Mirador San Jose. Finally, we had the blissful feeling of being able to have a social life here.

Next Wednesday, we’ll head back to Kokomo, but this time, we’ll know some people and feel all the more welcome. In the interim, I will translate the menu and see what else I can order that will work for me. If not, I can always have a bite to eat before we go out. No big deal. It’s only food. It’s the social interaction we so much appreciate.

Shortly after we arrived, locals were coming for Wednesday’s $5 hamburger night. It’s the only night the restaurant is open at this time. Soon, “snowbirds” will come, and perhaps the restaurant will be open more often.

Yesterday, I had a perfect first day of renewing my health. I did the indoor stepping as planned for over eight hours. Also, I found a video on my Fitbit with a gentle yoga class, which I will do again today and every day going forward to regain some flexibility. Yesterday was a perfect “diet” day for me. I ate plenty of vegetables (except at dinner), protein, and moderate fat but less food in general, hoping to shed those pesky ten pounds I’ve been hanging onto for the past few years. I am logging my food intake into the free app Chronometer, which helps me stay on track.

When I started thinking about how long I have been inactive, I realized it all happened when we got COVID-19 and after that, over 18 months ago. Basically, since then, I have been relatively inactive when the COVID-19 symptoms lingered, and then the Afib escalated, which started the day I tested positive. I genuinely believe that COVID-19 began this entire mess since, before that time, I never had Afib, nor did I have so much trouble walking.

Colorful glass blocks were built into a wall.

This morning, we did laundry and prepped the food for tonight’s dinner: ribs, rice, and green beans for Tom and sauteed seafood mix, green beans, and avocado for me. It will be a lovely dinner and evening for sure. Soon, we’ll head to the little store in this gated community for more water and a few odds and ends. It’s like a Quick and Easy with a limited inventory but carries a few things we need occasionally.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 2, 2013:

I love this look on Tom’s face as he’s learning how to handle the python at the resort in Diani Beach, Kenya. Like an infant, the python’s head must be held up to avoid injuring it. For more photos, please click here.

It’s the simple things that give us joy!…Yesterday’s event was a perfect example…A new plan…

Posted by worldwide-admin on November 1, 2023 with 2 Comments

Raphael, our new vegetable guy. We were thrilled to meet him and buy his fresh produce. Check out that smile!

When we heard that a vegetable guy drives around the neighborhood every Tuesday, we kept the front door open all day, hoping we wouldn’t miss his honking. All we knew was that he could appear anywhere from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm or…not appear.

At 5:30 pm, we heard a horn honking while I was upstairs changing, and Tom couldn’t move fast enough to try to explain to Raphael, who speaks no English, to wait a minute or two until I could come downstairs, put on my shoes and head out the door. I hadn’t moved that fast in a long time.

Once outside, I squealed with delight when I saw all the fresh-from-the-farm vegetables. I had to remember what we couldn’t eat that wouldn’t be cooked, but since we won’t be eating anything that may have been washed in the bad water here. It’s too risky. I did buy some carrots that I will parboil for a few minutes and then refrigerate, hoping they will be okay to snack on from time to time.

His truck was packed with produce in a somewhat disorganized manner, but we didn’t care.

With my way of eating, I avoid carrots, but while here, I am a little more lenient, and Tom likes to snack on carrots occasionally. We had been talking about how wonderful it would have been this past week if we’d been able to have green beans or broccoli. Tom won’t eat the cauliflower. It’s a favorite of mine due to its low-carb content.

As we use each item, I will wash it with bottled water and then cook it to ensure any bacteria is killed, perhaps a little longer than usual. Soon, I will cook the cauliflower for breakfast to have with a few hard-boiled eggs. Tom hasn’t been wanting breakfast lately. Instead, he’s been having toast and jelly each morning with his coffee, which seems to hold him all day.

After we purchased all the vegetables from Raphael, we managed to explain to him to come by every Tuesday so we could buy more. None of these vegetables were available in the grocery store except for the onions. Next time we go to Manta in three weeks, we’ll find a different market, hopefully with more options, but we will continue to buy produce from Raphael.

His truck was packed with a wide array of vegetables, many we don’t eat. However, we were able to find those we do eat and that are non-starchy.

We enthusiastically thanked Raphael, shaking his hand, and he seemed genuinely pleased to have provided his farm goods for us. I don’t think the price was a bargain, but at this point, there was no way we’d negotiate. After all, we only spent $8 and were happy to do so.

Once back inside with the vegetables, I found myself back in Afib. The result of moving so fast to get dressed, going down the steps from the bedroom, and putting on my shoes was enough activity to send me into a full-blown Afib event. Although my pulse never got over 103 beats per minute, I could feel the awful flutter in my chest that lasted for a few hours.

Resting and deep breathing after eating a light dinner, and eventually, it settled down. One can get Afib without a fast heartbeat. I wasn’t due to take the drug until 9:30 pm, so I waited patiently and calmly. I am not freaking out each time, as I had previously. We watched a few shows, but my mind was spinning on how much I needed to get some exercise. I have been sitting a lot over the past several months since this started again.

We’ll go through this batch in no time and look forward to Raphael’s return next Tuesday.

Today, I started a new, very slow, and easy exercise routine. Every 15 minutes, I stand up from the sofa or chair and step in place, vigorously swinging my arms for a step count of 25, not much but a beginning. Each day, I will increase the number of steps. In the interim, I test my heart every few hours to ensure I haven’t gone into Afib.

Doing this is a massive commitment since I plan to do it for 10 hours daily. This should contribute to improved cardiac health and potentially, eventually, improve the Afib. Also, I have set a goal to lose ten pounds, which I have carried for the past few years. I want to accomplish this before we leave here in 68 days, which is less than 1½ pounds a week. Losing even 10 pounds can significantly improve Afib.

I must thank Gary, one of our readers who said I should take advantage of the time here and get fit. I agreed with him but questioned if I could exercise with the problems with my legs and the Afib. Today is only Day 1, but those 68 days will pass anyway. Why not use them to improve my health?

That’s it for today, folks.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 1, 2013:

No, I didn’t edit the mouth on this camel, which appeared to be laughing. For more photos, please click here.

Today is our 11 year anniversary of traveling the world…Happy Travel Anniversary, my love…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 31, 2023 with 0 Comment

View of the houses on the oceanfront in Mirador San Jose, Ecuador, one hour from Manta.

It was 11 years ago today that we began this journey. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed. Now, as we research where we are headed next, we wonder, based on health limitations at this point, what is our best move. There is the whole world in front of us, but we’ve already been to those places that appealed to us the most, and now, we must pin down options for the future that meet our current criteria.

The ocean is closer to the house during high tide.

Times have changed over the years. Prices have rapidly escalated for flights, hotels, and holiday homes since the pandemic, and searching for options has become an entirely new ballgame, requiring diligence and patience. In the past few days, we’ve done a lot of research and eventually have to take a break when flying out of Manta is a real challenge. But we carry on, trying off and on until we’re able to pin something down.

A kind, well-intentioned reader wrote that it may make sense for me to focus on getting fit while here, and I appreciate the sentiment. But, with rainy, cloudy weather, I am not motivated to use the pool. My walking ability is limited, as mentioned, and I cannot walk even short distances. Once the weather improves, I will walk in the pool and see if that helps.

The chaise lounges for a sunny day for some vitamin D.

He also suggested I write a cookbook using the locally available foods, and again, I appreciate the good intention. Still, I have no desire to write a book after writing 4085 posts in the past 11 years. I spend enough time sitting at my computer, and spending more time writing a book, especially when we have an imminent need to research, doesn’t appeal to me.

But I appreciate our reader, who’s simply coming up with suggestions on how to enjoy our time better here. In the past few days, as we’ve become more settled, we’ve overcome the hurdle of how we’ll spend our time, and now, as we plan for the future, we are content and finding ways to enjoy our surroundings. No more angst, thanks to the help from our owner/landlord, Igor, who addressed our issues with speed and diligence.

The house is on a steep rocky hill. To get down to this sidewalk, one must walk about 1/2 mile to a stairway going down.

I think I freaked out once we arrived. I was stuck in a state of Afib for the first four days. In this state, it’s easy to panic and feel stressed, which, of course, only makes matters worse, but it is challenging to psyche oneself out of it when it feels like birds are flying around in your chest. Plus, it wasn’t very comforting to think it might never stop, which happens to many with the condition.

Now, after a week on the miraculous drug, I am Afib-free and was able to reduce the dose in half in the past two days, which I take at night, and it just so happens to make me sleep better. Whew! I am hopeful. I have enough pills left to make it through our remaining time in Ecuador, with about ten doses remaining until we get somewhere where I can buy more. So far, we haven’t found a pharmacy that carries them, but we will try a few when we get to Manta in about three weeks.

It’s unlikely we’ll use this brick charcoal grill on the right in this photo. The interior is in rough condition and would require some work to make it usable.

Once we get to Manta, we’ll also swap out the rental car for another and do our grocery shopping, this time away from downtown. Loading the groceries was a hassle for Tom while in the center of town.

Today, the cleaning person was here. I failed to buy cleaning supplies when we shopped, but fortunately, I had a bottle of plain vinegar that Maria used. She just left and did an excellent job. It is such a relief we don’t have to do the cleaning ourselves. The fact that we are tidy helps keep the place clean in the interim.

As for our anniversary today, there’s nothing on the agenda other than our filet mignon dinner tonight. Tom, as always, will have rice with his steak tonight; I’ll have sliced avocado on the side. Perfect. We don’t have any wine, beer, or cognac (Tom’s favorite) to share a toast. But that’s OK. Maybe tomorrow night, when we head to Kokomo again (they are supposed to be open on Wednesdays for $5 burger night), we can share a toast. We’ll see how that goes.

Have a fantastic Tuesday. We plan to.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 31, 2013:

Walking on the beach on the Indian Ocean yesterday afternoon, Tom shot this appearing footless photo of me. I was wearing those ugly water shoes, grateful they were hidden in the surf.

I suppose I should have zoomed in as he did when taking mine. Look! You can see shadows as I’m taking the photo. I’m too busy to edit photos right now! For more photos, please click here.

The pounding surf…There’s no “free lunch”…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 30, 2023 with 2 Comments

Five black vultures drinking from the pool. Some stop by every day.

The constant sound of the surf is calming. We’ve always loved being situated at an oceanfront holiday home. The sad part of such proximity to the sea is the damage and wear and tear of the exterior and interior of the properties. Salt air quickly damages metal parts on kitchen appliances and electric equipment that are rarely fixable, short of replacing the items.

Most of the houses in Mirador San Jose are stucco on the exterior, and it is easy to see the damage over the years, resulting in expensive repairs most homeowners here can’t afford nor want to pay even if they can afford it. Even the houses not directly on the ocean show signs of damage from the salt air on their exteriors.

We also observed this when we were in Florida. The more expensive homes were mainly in excellent condition when owners could afford the upkeep. But, the mid-range and lower-valued homes were often sorely lacking in upkeep.

In life, there’s no “free lunch.” There is always a price to pay for whatever we love and may, on occasion, experience in excess.. whether it is food, drink, shopping, or exposure to sea air. Even spending too much time and energy engaged in favorite activities may result in a price to pay when ignoring loved ones or responsibilities.

We’ve also experienced the “no free lunch” concept in our travels when we get a great price on a property, whether it’s a hotel or holiday home. Once we arrive, we often say, “We got what we paid for.” Although at the time of booking such a property, we may have been enthused over an excellent price we negotiated, once we arrived, we assessed that it wasn’t exactly as we’d expected.

This isn’t always the case, and many times, we’ve been thrilled to find the location and the property is more than we anticipated. The same goes for cruises. Recently, we paid a higher-than-usual price for an Azamara cruise to Norway. The ship was fantastic, the food excellent, and the cabin acceptable. But, somehow, we’d expected more, although we loved Greenland, the passengers, and more.

So was the case here for this property in Ecuador. Yes, the house is lovely and was fairly represented in the photos. The owner is excellent and helpful. The pool is beautiful, as is the beach. But, with the limitations of being unable to dine out or socialize, we’ve decided to make the best of our time here.

We’ve been making delicious dinners and enjoying our evenings streaming shows on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Thank goodness, the WiFi on the main floor is working well. Although there was another power outage this morning, it only lasted for two hours, and we’re back online now, enabling me to do today’s post earlier rather than later in the day.

We are discussing where we’ll go when we leave here in 72 days. Nothing has been decided yet, but most likely, we’ll do so in the next week or so and provide our decision here for all of our readers to see. There’s nothing more we can do at this point.

That’s it for today, dear readers. We hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 30, 2013:

Finding the Colobus Monkeys beside us at the pool put me on a photo-taking frenzy. No more “borrowed” Colobus Monkey photos for us! Could this guy have given a more appealing pose? For more photos, please click here.

Life goes on and with it, a more positive attitude…Photos from the neighborhood…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 29, 2023 with 0 Comment

This is Kokomo Restaurant in Mirador San Jose, which wasn’t open when we stopped by for dinner last night;

Gee…sorry we’re been so negative lately. We always promised to “tell it like it is,” which we’ve done, but we know we’ve been sounding negative. From here, we’re doing everything we can to be more upbeat and make the best of our situation wherever we may be. This was just a bump in the road.

Most of the houses in the gated community are boxes with flat roofs used as observation decks.

Last night, we showered and dressed to go out to dinner. We’d heard from Gilles, the grocery store owner, that the local restaurant Kokomo is open on Wednesday and Saturday nights. We knew they closed at 8:00 pm, so we arrived at 5:30, thinking they’d open the bar and restaurant. Nope.

There wasn’t a soul in sight, and when we peered in the windows, it didn’t appear that the restaurant would be open anytime soon. The chairs were askew, the floor was dirty, and it didn’t look as if it had been open for a very long time. We hopped back in the car and headed back to our holiday home.

We hadn’t defrosted anything for dinner. However, we always have onion, mushroom, and cheese omelets or scrambled eggs as a backup plan. In no time at all, we were seated at the island in the kitchen, eating our breakfast-type dinner and watching an episode of Hell’s Kitchen on my laptop with the portable Bluetooth speaker so Tom could hear.

Check out the exterior staircase on this house.

In the evening, we use our HDMI cord hooked up to the TV to watch a few streamed shows before heading to bed. By 11:00 pm, we were both sound asleep and slept well. I never woke up once during the night, which was wonderful. By 6:30 am, Tom was up and dressed, and an hour later, I had done the same.

It’s somewhat of a bright color for a house.

Right away, we got busy prepping tonight’s dinner, a cheesy hamburger mushroom bake that we both love. It would be nice to have green beans or broccoli with this dish, but none were to be found anywhere we shopped. It looks like I am mainly eating carnivore right now (except for garlic, mushrooms, and onions), which I don’t mind, and Tom would be also if it weren’t for adding rice to his dinner. It won’t hurt either of us to eat this way while we’re here.

Scenery at the edge of the gated community.

By the time we get to our next location, destination unknown at this time, we’ll be chomping at the bit for some veggies and salad and some restaurants where we can socialize and dine. For now, we’re managing with what’s available here. As a reader reminded us when we were whinging over the past several days, we have each other, and that in itself is everything. So true. Our best times are spent with just the two of us, entertaining ourselves and having fun.

We especially liked this house since it was wood, not stucco, and was more appealing.

We haven’t purchased any alcohol while here. Right now, I am avoiding wine entirely while getting used to the Afib medication, and Tom doesn’t care to drink when we aren’t socializing. This is no big deal to either of us, although I am looking forward to a glass of wine in the future when the time is right.

Many unfinished construction sites have been left unattended, most likely due to the owners running out of funds to complete it.

During the day, we often listen to podcasts, including Garage Logic in Minnesota and a variety of others. It’s been cloudy and rainy most days, so we haven’t tried the pool yet. When it warms up, we will.

We’re looking forward to that time.

There are a few single-story houses in the gated community, but not many. Most of the houses appear to be unoccupied, but it’s hard to tell.

Today is a quiet day. We aren’t going out today except to sit outside when the sun sets around 6:00 pm, hoping to take a few photos. Have a pleasant Sunday.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 29, 2013:

Tom spotted this monkey outside the window while we stayed at a resort in Kenya for our travel anniversary. I couldn’t grab the camera fast enough. Surprisingly, he didn’t move when he saw me. They have become used to humans at the resort. For more, please click here.

Off to Puerto Cayo to check out the village…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 28, 2023 with 2 Comments

A hut on the beach on the way to Puerta Cayo.

Today, we drove to Puerta Cayo to check out the town and the pharmacies. Here are the stats on this village:

Puerto Cayo, Manabí, Ecuador
Area of Puerto Cayo, Manabí, Ecuador 175.2 km²
Population: 3,642
Male Population: 1,923 (52.8%)
Female Population: 1,719 (47.2%)
Population change from 1975 to 2015: +110.2%
Population change from 2000 to 2015: +22.3%
Median Age: 24.1 years
Male Median Age: 24.9 years
Female Median Age 23.3 years

Two days…two power outages…We don’t know why this is happening and can’t ask anyone to find out the details.
I am writing this post offline on my phone without a WiFi signal since there’s no connection during power outages. Since I started this post, Igor informed us there will be power outages in the next 3 or 4 days for 2 to 3 hours per day. Great.

So it goes in Mirador San Jose, one surprise after another, but we strive to adapt and find ways to enjoy ourselves. Neither of us is distraught. We are adapting and holding our own.

A cemetery we encountered on the road to Puerto Cayo.

The Afib stopped yesterday afternoon. I am hoping to continue taking the meds to ensure it doesn’t return. I am adjusting to the side effects and almost feel like my old self again. Unfortunately, I will run out of the pills in about 35 days. Thus, this prompted today’s visit to Puerto Cayo, the closest town with pharmacies.

When the power returned around 11:00 (it went out at 7:30 am), that was when we jumped in the little car and drove to Puerto Cayo, where three pharmacies were located. I brought the package of medication with me to show the pharmacists. We stopped at all three pharmacies, and none had heard of the medication.

On Monday, I’ll start calling pharmacies in Manta to see if they have it. If not, I will have to figure out an alternative plan. I am trying to figure out a way to get the medication sent to me from afar. Otherwise, I will have to come up with Plan B, perhaps taking them only as needed during Afib events, which is a common practice called “pill in the pocket.”

Tonight, we will attempt to go out to dinner at a little restaurant, Kokomo, here in the gated community. Supposedly, they are open on Wednesday and Saturday only, but we don’t know what time they open. We’ll head over there around 5:00 pm and check it out.

All we know about the restaurant is that they close at 8:00 pm. There’s no menu online, although there were a couple of photos online showing deep-fried meals. I can always order a cheeseburger without a bun and some cooked vegetables. That always works in those cases.

Last night, we enjoyed a tasty batch of chicken salad using the second chicken we’d purchased in Manta. Tom had his dinner with rice. I didn’t have a side without appropriate vegetables. My avos are yet to ripen.

Hammocks under cabanas on the beach for anyone to use.

We are hoping to meet some locals and start some social life while here. We shall see how that goes. There are a lot of English-speaking residents here, and we have already met a few: the shop owner, Gilles, and a customer, Luke, both from Quebec, Canada.

We are okay. The challenges we experienced on Tuesday and Wednesday have mostly been resolved. We have hot water, and I took my first hot shower this morning. Of course, we are wondering if these power outages will be a regular thing.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 28, 2013:

Coconut-crusted parmesan chicken with sliced tomato, avocado, and green beans. Our usual cole slaw. It is on the side plate. All the vegetables were purchased fresh yesterday from the vegetable stand down the road from us; the cabbage, carrots, tomato, avocado, and green beans were delivered as we arrived by a guy on a motorcycle with colorful bins stacked high on the back seat. For more photos, please click here.

Trying to settle in and adapt…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 27, 2023 with 2 Comments

Look carefully at this photo of the gizzards and livers inside the two chickens. Notice the two chicken heads, one with eyes open. Oh, dear. We’d never made a chicken with heads and feet included, but I guess the Ecuadorian people use everything.

Note: Right now, with things getting done around the house and us getting organized, I haven’t taken any photos yet but will do so soon. Thanks for your patience.

As each day passes, we get a little more settled in. I’ve unpacked everything I need to use while here and left the remainder in the bags sitting open on the beds in both guest rooms. When it’s time to go, it will be easy to pack. Tom has done the same, only wearing a few different shirts and pants.

We haven’t been able to use the pool yet since it’s been cloudy and rainy. But once the sun appears, we certainly will. Start using it. The pool guy has been here twice since we arrived, and it looks cool and refreshing. It’s been warm and humid most days, and we’ve certainly used the aircon in the bedroom at night and the living room. We are conscientious about turning it off when we leave the room or go out and about.

Yesterday, the little store here in the gated community was open. It’s only open Monday, Thursday, and Friday, so we jumped in the car and stopped there to see about buying jugs of bottled water and to check out their inventory. We purchased a one-pound filet mignon that would be enough for one meal, a giant jug of water, and a few odds and ends. A small box of Kleenex was $4.50. The filet was $10, and the big 19-liter water jug was $1.40.

The owner of the store, Gilles, from Ontario, Canada now, after eight years living here, has a strong Spanish accent but speaks English, and we were able to ask him many questions about the area. He was very kind, and indeed, we’ll continue to stop there for eggs, water, and possibly meat since he has a small inventory.

Anything to avoid making that long drive to Manta for groceries, including the difficulty finding a parking spot and the commotion in the market. We were able to purchase most of the items we needed and may never be able to find them here. We’ll continue to stop at the little markets we encounter.

It was wonderful having a nice dinner last night. Without vegetables, I ate just the chicken. Tom had chicken and rice. When we head to Puerto Cayo in the next few days, we’ll look for the farm stand I read about online in the famous expat town. There’s no significant market there, but perhaps we can find a few things we’d like, such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower.

I have four avocadoes sitting on the kitchen window sill to ripen, but it could be a week before they are ready to eat. A half of a sliced avo is an excellent addition to any meal for me. Tom, not so much. I don’t enjoy just eating meat and no sides, and Tom always enjoys rice on the side.

Last night, we enjoyed speaking to our friends, Kathy and Don, in Hawaii. We are planning to meet up in Marloth Park next year. They have been such wonderful friends, as have many others, and we always feel blessed for our friends and family members. It was great spending so much time with everyone in Nevada and Minnesota.

Now that we’re in the same time zone as Minnesota, we’ll easily be able to talk to family members anytime. What a treat that is!

As for the house, we don’t have any hot water. I reported this to Igor, the property owner, and hope to hear back soon. It’s been challenging taking showers and doing dishes in cold water. We are still waiting for the WiFi solution for the upper level. We gave up trying to get the electric kettle to work, and I am using a small pot to boil water for my decaf coffee and tea. Adaptation always prevails. But, the cold showers and dishwater aren’t something we feel we can adapt to.

I still have Afib. Even taking the potent drug. In the next few days, we’ll head to a pharmacy to buy more of the drug in case I need to up the dose. At this point, I am at a moderate dose with an option to increase the dose if necessary. It makes me feel shaky and out of sorts, but it’s what I have to do now during this period. It was prescribed for me last April when I was in hospital for Afib, but I’d never taken it until now when I had fewer symptoms.

It is estimated that the prevalence of Afib in the US ranges from 2.7 million to 6.1 million. This number is expected to rise to 12.1 million by 2030. It’s become more prevalent since people have discovered it using their fitness watches when they get an alert on their device that it detects Afib. My Fitbit does this, but I can feel it when my sinus rhythm is abnormal. Some people don’t feel any symptoms at all. I am not unique with these symptoms, but I’d like to learn how to manage it better.

That’s it for today, folks. Have a fantastic Friday.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today. October 27, 2013:

This photo was taken at Tom’s retirement party on October 27, 2012. At this point, we only used our smartphones to take photos. Little did we know then how much would change, how much we would change, how important clear photos would mean, and how much we had ahead of us. How does one unload their entire lives and travel the world for years to come? Now we know. For more photos, please click here.

I don’t know where to begin…It wasn’t an easy transition….

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 26, 2023 with 2 Comments

Sorry, there was no post yesterday. I had run out of steam and simply couldn’t muster the energy to get it done by the time we returned from Manta. We had no groceries when we arrived on Tuesday, and for the second night in a row, we didn’t have anything for dinner.

There was no supermarket, open shop, or restaurant nearby, but we made it through the night without a bite to eat since breakfast. The prior night we arrived in Manta too late to eat, and that’s when the lovely young daughter of the hotel owners went to a little local market to get me some cheese.

I don’t know how to start this post. Shall I minimize the ordeal of the past 48 hours to indicate we are less adaptable than usual? Or shall I, in our usual way, tell it like it is, causing our readers to perceive we aren’t as tough as we used to be? I’ll opt for the latter and tell you exactly what happened.

Sure, we may not be as tough as we were years ago. We’re getting older and have various medical issues, typical for our ages, that impact how well we tolerate certain situations. But the fact remains, regardless of our ages, we still don’t whine and complain during difficult times and forge ahead, doing the very best we can with a good attitude, however difficult it may be at any given time.

Boats along the highway from Manta to San Jose.

Yesterday was one of those times. I don’t know how we got through it, but we did. And now, here we are in our oceanfront holiday home, not quite unpacked but with laundry done, groceries purchased, and a roasted chicken dinner on the menu for tonight.

First, before I go on, I want to preface that the property owner, Igor, who lives in Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia), is a fantastic guy. Had he known what would transpire on Tuesday, he would have gone to any lengths to avoid the frustration we experienced. He’s making everything right over the next few days.

So here’s how it rolled out. As mentioned in Tuesday’s post, we had a long wait at the gate to Mirador San Jose for Igor’s house manager to arrive. We arrived at 10:45 and ended up sitting in the car with nothing to drink, no bathroom, and turning the car off and on to cool us down in the warm, humid weather on a cloudy day.

At 1:10 pm, I walked up to the guard gate building and explained our plight to the guard. He raised a piece of paper showing our names, that we were expected to arrive, and that Sylvie, Igor’s property manager, was supposed to come at 11:00 am to let us into the property.

Although the guard and I somehow managed to communicate, he even had Sylvie’s phone number programmed into his phone. Immediately, he called her, and she acted as if she didn’t know we’d been waiting there for 2½ hours. Igor had told her we’d be arriving at 11:00, but she didn’t bother to show up.

Flowers at the entrance gate at Mirador San Jose, where we waited for over two hours on Tuesday.

After the guard called her, apparently she lives nearby, she didn’t arrive until 15 minutes later, acting as if nothing was wrong. We both surmised she had forgotten we would be at the gate at 11:00. She spoke no English other than a few words. But we don’t expect people to speak English in other countries. It’s us who has to figure it out.

When we finally got to the property, she handed us a pass to enter and exit through the gate. I asked her many using my choppy Spanish language skills, but she didn’t seem to know the answers to many of the questions, even when I used the translator on my phone.

The entrance gate to Mirador San Jose, where our holiday home is located.

After she left, we were at a loss as to how to handle the following comments and questions, which I later posed to Igor on a WhatsApp call:

Sylvie didn’t know anything…if we hadn’t had the gate people call her, she wouldn’t have shown up. Please see the bold print after each issue to see what has been done

Where does the trash go? There’s a bin down the road, and we can dump our bagged trash in the bin any day of the week.
We couldn’t find any of the restaurants or grocery stores Sylvie mentioned. None of the restaurants she mentioned were open, or after reading the menus for the few that were open, we realized most likely we wouldn’t be able to dine out here. All of the food is deep-fried.
The pass to the guard gate wasn’t working. Igor contacted the gate people and got our gate pass activated. It’s working now.
Who will provide more gas tanks when the stove runs out? Igor contacted a guy who will deliver extra gas tanks, and when we run out, he will get him to install the new tank.
The towels in the bathrooms are threadbare. Igor instructed Sylvie to purchase quality towels, which she delivered yesterday.
There were minimal supplies at the house when we arrived…toilet paper…soap….trash bags. Without cash to shop at the area’s tiny shops, we had to drive back to Manta (one hour each way) to find an ATM for cash (they use American dollars here). Then, we found a grocery store and purchased about 80% of the items on our list. The larger grocery store in Manta accepted credit cards.
The water machine wasn’t working. What do we do about bottled water? Igor said we have to leave the big bottle on the sidewalk with $1.25 underneath the bottle, and once a week, the water guy will come by and refill the bottle. What day? No one knows.
Who do we contact for maintenance? We will contact Igor.
There were several bulbs burnt out. Today, a guy came and replaced all the bulbs except one he needed to purchase and then returned in the next few days to install it.
WiFi doesn’t work upstairs. We need WiFi on both levels. Igor is working with the WiFi service providers to install an additional router upstairs.
I would like to have known we needed to bring a lot of cash when most small-town shops and restaurants don’t take credit cards. Most guests stay a few days. We are staying 79 days, and our need for cash is much greater.
There is no book in the house on handling any of these issues. With these questions answered and mostly resolved, we won’t need a book of instructions. But we always appreciate these books.
The beach along the road to Manta, taken on our second trip in two days.

Of course, after all these issues arose, I contacted Igor, asking him to call me on WhatsApp, and he quickly responded as usual. He’d since addressed each of the above issues, and they are getting accomplished one by one. Igor has been responsive and supportive and shocked we had to deal with many of these issues. Igor informed us that good help is hard to find in Ecuador.

Once in the house, after doing considerable research, we concluded we had no choice but to drive back to Manta for the cash and to the supermarket. All the local markets are like “Quick and Easy” type stores, carrying soda, snacks, rice, and beans. There’s such a little shop here in the gated community, which we’ll check out today, but I doubt it will carry anything we use.

Large black bird at the edge of the pool at our holiday rental.I will continue researching to find what type of birds these are.

We’ll have to drive back to Manta every few weeks to buy groceries. We purchased as much as would fit in the freezer and only a little bit of fresh produce when they don’t carry what we typically use. Most vegetables were starchy, like peas, squash, and corn. There were no frozen vegetables we would use.

Before dinner last night, we had no water. We contacted Igor, and he said to leave the faucets open to clear the lines of air. We did this, and it worked.

An iguana we spotted at the airport in Quito.

I think we’ll be OK from here. We don’t like the prospect of driving to Manta every few weeks, but we will go check out a meat market in Puerto Cayo, about 30 minutes down the highway. If we can purchase meat, we can go to the supermarket once a month for staples at the same time as returning the rental car once a month. They wouldn’t allow us to keep the car for more than 30 days and put a hold on a credit card for $5,000, the most we’ve ever seen. It’s Avis, so we felt it would be OK, and most likely, they’ll release the hold in a timely manner.

We’re feeling better now that most of these issues are being resolved. Right now, I am having lots of Afib bouts and, fortunately, have medication with me for such an occasion. The side effects make me feel awful, but it’s what I have to do right now.

Last night, we were so exhausted that we made scrambled eggs for dinner. Bacon is basically unheard of in Ecuador. Tonight, we’re roasting two chickens for dinner with rice for Tom. We won’t be eating salads while here or any raw vegetables due to a high risk of illness from the impure tap water. I didn’t even buy celery, one of my favorite additions to various dishes.

I will try taking photos, but it’s been raining since we arrived. Once we have a sunny day and I feel better, I will be motivated to take photos. More on this story in tomorrow’s post.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 25, 2013:

Tag: Ecuador