Tales of Puerto Lopez #AtoZChallenge

“ And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” I have a couple of thoughts to end this column, but before I do I want to share two other items. The first is a Q&A posted on Facebook last year. I think this short dialogue might describe my town better than anything I could say (minor editing by me): Christos: Hola Puerto Lopez, I'm currently enjoying the grand hospitality at the DD in Playa Santa Marianita, both of which I highly recommend:) However, along with the much larger Crucita to the north, I find it lacking in the basic services which I hope to find in PL. So, ***does*** PL have a butcher, a baker and a barber?;) (And perhaps a shop selling the fresh fish being caught daily?!?) Oh, and maybe at least one tienda selling fruit and veggies (and Rum;~)? I get that the Ecuadoran Coast is relatively new as a travel destination - ergo many beach towns are entirely dependent on Manta, Porto Viejo, Guyaquil, etc. - but I

“ Anywhere I roam, where I lay my head is home” There are two general categories of expatriates that live in Puerto Lopez (or anywhere, for that matter): those that reside here permanently and those that visit. Like the “snowbirds” that spend winters in Florida or Arizona, we have seasonal guests for a recurring duration. Most will stay between three and six months, and most are here during the ‘rainy” season – a time of year when rain is occasional but most days are warm and clear. In this post, I’m referring to them as “Yankees” (primarily to use the letter “Y”). Our seasonal guests are almost entirely from North America, and (unofficially) better than half are from Canada. A common phrase used to describe their stay is as a “six-and-sixer”: six months here, six months at home. During their time here, the attitude is fairly festive. Not only does their visit coincide with the nicest weather, it also occurs during the year’s major holidays: Christmas and Carn

 “ Stick those needles in your arms” Xavico’s is the largest privately owned store in town, and it’s owner Javier (or Xavier) is one of the progressive businessmen in town. We have upcoming elections for mayor, and I would support his views of town development. XXX – However, this post is being hijacked. For a friend: X today stands for no: no es bueno, nicht gut, nada. The quote from “That Smell” at the top is all I want to say today.

“ It seems to me I could live my life a lot better than I think I am I guess that’s why they call me, they call me the working man” I think frequently about opportunities for the young people that live here. This post isn’t going to have any suggestions, only observations. Traditionally, there were very few work opportunities for growing wealth. Most revenue generation came from fishing; other food was grown here, construction was simple and service industries (like restaurants) were minimal. The growth of tourism, especially over the last five years, has brought new opportunities and additional revenue to town. Our two largest stores, TIA and Xavico’s, have doubled in size, new accommodations (long- and short-term) have been developed and personal services such as salons have grown. Growth in these services has translated into increased payroll for residents. Hotel and restaurant staffs are seeing increases in pay, professional training and uniforms

“ It’s great to be here to see you all; I know for me it is like coming home” There is some discussion over which is the best hotel in Puerto Lopez. “Best”, of course, is subjective. I have my favorite, the Victor Hugo Hotel (VH), and I’ll explain why. First, I want to run down some of the others. The primary “challenger” to the VH is the Mandala Hosteria ( http://www.hosteriamandala.info/ ). Established about twenty years ago, it is favorite of many. The hotel, along with the private gardens and beach structures, is meticulously appointed, and the restaurant is top-notch. Aurelio and Maja have created a wonderful destination resort, and they receive absolutely top reviews from all of their guests. The Mandala, however, is not open to the public. To visit the restaurant or tour the private gardens, a person needs to be a patron of the hotel (or a guest of the owner). This creates a secure, private environment for their guests, but it isn’t availa

“ You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone They paved paradise, put up a parking lot” Before I talk about Puerto Lopez, I want to provide a little history on a couple of other familiar locations. People familiar with Bugsy Siegel (or anyone who saw the eponymous movie) know something of the history of Las Vegas. Because of his investment in the Flamingo Hotel and other efforts in the 1930’s and 40’s, Las Vegas went from a dusty travel stop to a travel destination. Today, the 23 major casinos generate over $6 billion per year in gross revenue. In the early 1970’s, Cancun, Mexico had a population of 3. Because of investments through the Mexican government’s FONATUR ministry, the vacation getaway now boasts over 90 hotels and nearly 5,000,000 visitors annually. When my wife and I first visited Bahias de Huatulco, Mexico in 1996, there was a single resort. (It offered days trips to “Old Town Huatulco”, but they were not recommended after dark.)

“ Tried to save a tree, bought a plastic bag; the bottom fell out – it was a Piece of Crap!” A lot of our manufactured products come from China. I’m not conversant enough on the politics to provide details, but Ecuador (like other South American countries) has oil-for-trade-benefits treaties with China and select other countries. Import duties from other countries have been stifling for many years, although they are starting to be relaxed. Here are some of the effects of such policies as it relates to durable good and other items. In many cases, it is the “cutting of a corner” that is most irksome: Our “Zip-Zap” bags are very similar to “Zip-Loc” bags except that the “thumb area” is barely a quarter inch. Until a recent border crackdown, it was commonplace to drive to Colombia for new tires. Most tools are of the “drop forged” quality. Some brand names have arrived (DeWalt, Black&Decker, etc.) but are very expensive ($250 for a cordless drill

“ Boom Boom - (Right Here) - Out go the lights!” As seems appropriate, I’m writing this blog entry without electricity. Although service interruptions are becoming less and less frequent, they still happen often enough. Be a good boy scout and Be Prepared! These are the three primary services that we use and the way we deal with outages: Internet: When ground based internet is unavailable, there is not much that can be done about it. The battery on my laptop is good enough to watch a movie (or do some writing), and my Kindle book reader is always charged; those are the best option s for me to deal with internet outages. Cable TV still works (although I rarely watch it) and cell phones (including data options) are still available for communicating. One trick that I like is to use the Reuters app on my phone for news. I didn’t have internet service in my apartment when I first moved to Cuenca, so I used the free wi-fi at the local grocery store (SuperMaxi).

“ For all the world like an urban toreador, she had wheels on – on her feet” There is a new event in town and it’s pretty exciting to see: youth roller skating. One of the expatriates that lives here, a fervent hockey fan from the northeast United States, has introduced skating classes for the kids in town. Originally meeting just once a week, they now have multiple practices weekly. In these meetings, the profesor is teaching the kids the basics of skating: stopping, turning, avoiding obstacles, going backwards, etc. Recently, they held their first “event”. The kids (about 20 of them) gathered in the paved soccer field/roller rink at the end of the pier and posed for pictures in their new t-shirts, very generously sponsored by the Victor Hugo Hotel. After that, they skated through town on the Malecon with parents following, drawing attention from both locals and visitors. Afterward, they returned to the rink for a light practice and snacks. The surprising p

“ Girl, you’ll be a woman soon” A quinceañera is a celebration of a girl’s passage into womanhood. I’m sure that 90% of the “Q” blogs about Ecuador use the word for this entry; I’m doing the same, but I’m probably taking a different approach than the other blogs. This is possibly the most important event in a girl’s life; it symbolizes her eligibility for marriage and child-bearing. (The age of consent in Ecuador is 14.) Held on a girl’s 15 th birthday, it is accompanied by an elaborate party for which some families will spend thousands of dollars to celebrate. Most of us from the northern hemisphere (NH) are shocked and saddened by the sight of teenage girls (kids in their own right) with their own children in tow. I want to try to explain why I think (traditionally) it was a necessary custom. Before making strong connections to the “outside world” (roads, phones, Internet, etc.), I’m guessing that life expectancy on the coast (as a mean) was about 45 years

“ Doctor please, some more of these; outside the door she took four more” Pharmacies are possibly the most important “cog” in the health care system along the coast. Our local pharmacists are almost like general practitioners: symptoms are presented to the pharmacist and he provides a solution. (We do have an actual physician in town as well as a small, non-surgical hospital. The pharmacists provide solutions for simpler ails like stomach aches or muscle soreness.) At my last count, we have at eight pharmacies in town: Cruz Azul (Blue Cross): A national chain chain that recently moved to a new location and expanded. Pharmacia Santa Martha: They have three locations in town and are an expanding presence. (I don’t know how pervasive they are in Ecuador, but I have seen them in other towns.) FarmaReds: It is across the street from the hospital and partnered with… Pharmacia Kellita: This one is next to the church and is rarely open. Lilibeth: K

“ Come on and ease on down, ease on down the road” Olón is a small town 45 minutes south of Puerto Lopez with an estimated population of a thousand people. I want to highlight the town because it is both similar and different from Puerto Lopez in a number of ways.   It is smaller, but it is certainly more polished than it’s northern neighbor. If Puerto Lopez is Miami, Olón is Naples. PL is known for its nightlife and visitor activities; Olón is quieter with a less migratory population. Lopez has about four kilometers of beach situated in a gradual cove; Olón is located on a beautiful, seven kilometer straight-as-an-arrow sandy beach. PLo has a soundtrack of industry, with dump trucks and heavy equipment always on the move to the next job; work in Olón is mostly complete, with nice paved streets and reliable city services. I have many good friends who live in Olón (I lived near there myself for nine months) and wonder why anyone would want to live among th

“ Her name was Magil and she called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as Nancy” Over the past year, I’ve come to know some of the nicknames for the different coastal towns. They come in all manner of tones and meanings; some are cute or funny, and most of them are close to accurate. Here are a couple of examples. Our town, Puerto Lopez, was named after Daniel Lopez, a philanthropist from nearby Jipijapa. However, we have a couple of season-appropriate nicknames used by locals along the coast: Puerto Lodo (Port Mud) : During the rainy/garua season, our streets (which are mostly dirt) can get pretty muddy. Mud accumulates on shoes, tires and every else that comes in contact with the ground. Puerto Polvo (Port Dust) : During the six months that it doesn’t rain, those same streets become very dusty. The dust can get pretty thick at times, so much so that I’ve known people that have moved away from our paradise for health reasons. I find bo

“ Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk” Living in Ecuador, especially in Puerto Lopez, requires walking. The question is what to do with the stuff that needs to be carried along. Mochillas (backpacks) are very commonplace. My wife and I have three different ones depending on what we are carrying, and we refer to them by name: “PacSafe”: Manufactured by a company of the same name, this is our secure backpack. It has multiple anti-theft features: zippers that tuck away, clips for securing it to a chair or pole while seated, and wire mesh sewn into the straps and sides. If one of us is carrying valuable or irreplaceable documents, we use PacSafe. “Yahoo”: This is a standard, three pocket backpack. It is solidly built but does not have any explicit safety features. We use this one for shopping or as a secondary to PacSafe. “Gatorade”: This one came free with a 12-pack of Gatorade bottles. It

“ When the lights go down in the city, and the sun shines on the bay, I want to be there” Today is a Friday special – two-fer-one! Both topics regard the lights in Puerto Lopez. The first is a gripe; the second is what talk show host Tony Bruno calls “good local information”. First up: a complaint. Most of the street lights in town work very well. The new lights on the Malecon, for instance, create a night setting that is comfortable for everyone: men and women, children playing, etc. With the completion of the new boardwalk and installation of lights, it’s a brilliant and inviting place. EXCEPT for the south bridge! Because of the geography of the town, the south end of the Malecon is a quiet, isolated area. The south bridge, which connects the south end to the middle of town, has not had working street lights since shortly after the bridge was built. The lack of light on the bridge creates a foreboding feeling about going to the south en

“ If it were easy as fishin’, you could be a musician” This is a dirty subject, but it has to be discussed. For the purpose of this blog, I will refer to a necessary human activity as “taking care of business”. Something that surprises many people when first arriving in Ecuador (me, at least) is the disposal of toilet paper. It does not go in the toilet; it goes in the trash can. (Yes, even the soiled stuff.) Most septic and sewer systems are not equipped to handle it, and marine TP isn’t available here (that I am aware of). More importantly, though, is the availability of papel higienico . Gas stations and low-end restaurants don’t usually have paper; be prepared to BYO-TP when leaving the house. Remember that anything will work: save napkins and even paper towels for emergency situations. Anecdote #1: A person has acclimated to life in Ecuador if they can “take care of business” with a single Starbucks-sized coffee napkin. Anecdote #2: Occa

“ They don’t give a damn about any trumpet-playing band; It ain’t what they call rock and roll” Loud music is a part of life here, and it can occur at any hour of the day . Some is justified; some is not. Let’s start with the justified. There are two main causes for this: cabanas and fishermen. The beach cabanas (where locals and visitors enjoy a beverage and sometimes dancing) rely on music to attract customers and create a party atmosphere. I understand this; it’s part of their business model. I also understand the fishermen. These are the guys that have been out fishing for 18 hours in an open-air 24’ deep hull, regardless of weather. After a day like that, I’d probably want to go home, crack a beer and turn up some music. So what if they get home at 3:00a? I don’t appreciate it myself, but I do understand it. The unjustified are the car stereos. These are the kids (I’m old enough now; I can say that) that go down to the end of the Malec

“ There’s things that crawl and things that fly and things that creep around on the ground” I admit, I’m using some poetic license with the title for this one. Technically, insects have three pairs of legs, three distinct body segments and an exoskeleton. I don’t care. I’m talking about bugs. We’ve got bugs, and lots of ‘em. Let’s break it down: Bad guys Ants, cockroaches, beetles and the like are pests; they spread diseases and are just gross to find in the kitchen. The best way to deal with these is to keep everything sealed. Make sure windows and screens are closed tight and keep all food items in jars or Zip-Zap bags. Some of the ants are also attracted to standing water; dump it out. Nasty guys These are the candidates for kill-on-sight, no-permission-needed: scorpions, centipedes, mosquitoes, etc. Centipedes are especially nasty; ugly as sin (maroon-red with stubby yellow legs), up to 8” long and can bite from both ends. Burn these

 “ When I look over my shoulder, what do you think I see?  Some other cat looking over his shoulder at me.” Many coastal towns have multiple scheduled outings where expatriates get together to meet and chat, most with a theme: Movie Mondays, Wine Wednesdays, Poker Saturdays. In some towns, it feels as though there is event arranged for every night of the week. In Puerto Lopez, we have one such event: pool night at Hector’s, every Thursday, 4:00p. (Hector is a local entrepreneur with a very nice, young family.) Hector’s place doesn’t look like much, and it’s not that easy to find. Located on a side street behind TIA, the “door” is a section of fence that is swung open when he’s open. The walls are thatch and block (of course) and the floor is hand-set, unmortared brick. I won’t mention the “bathroom”, but the roof is solid, the beer is cold and the weather can’t be beat. There are five pool tables and most of them are close to level (they are in pretty good c

“ Somebody’s knocking; should I let him in?” I’ve got three topics today. None of them is big enough for it’s own post, so all three of them are landing here. Gates (as in property gates): This is simple; keep ‘em closed. This is a cultural norm here; this isn’t specific to expatriates or any other group. Most crimes that occur here are crimes of convenience where something is taken because it wasn’t secured. I know of instances where these crimes could have been prevented (or at least discouraged) simply by keeping one’s gate closed. Enough said. Guardrails: Drive carefully and don’t expect a guardrail to keep you on the road. I watched guardrails being installed on a new stretch of highway north of Canoa a few years ago. The steel was reasonably strong and the posts were solid 8”x8” timbers, but they were set in less than a foot of concrete. I’ve also seen guardrails on the road to Cuenca where the ground has eroded and the base of the post float

“ But we’ll be reunited on a new and sunlit shore, when the saints go marching in.” I attended a funeral for an Ecuadorian friend recently. I’m not going to discuss any of the details of his passing; instead, I want to share the uniqueness of the funeral process. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, coastal families are fairly tight knit and typically take care of their own business. This couldn’t be more apparent than in the funeral process. Some of the practices involved seem different to someone from North America, but hopefully I can explain the why and practicality of what occurs. First, and perhaps most eye-opening, is that bodies are not embalmed. (It’s cost prohibitive and there isn’t a funeral home within a hundred miles of here.) That means that the entire event happens quickly. After making quick arrangements, the body is dressed and prepared for an open viewing where friends and family can pay last respects. (FYI - The brothers an

“ There I am, up on the stage. Here I go, playin’ star again...” As you might guess, Puerto Lopez is not a locus of cinematic performance. Occasionally, the local schools will put on performances. These are usually either dramatic performances or marching bands, and the kids put their hearts into them. Other times, we’ll have an itinerant troubadour, a traveling jazz duet and once even a bagpiper perform in town. For professional-level productions, however, we’ve got nada. During our seven month stay in Cuenca, we had the opportunity to enjoy performances by the local community theater and small orchestras. Quito and Guayaquil will even host contemporary performers like Maroon 5 (ask your kids). Puerto Lopez has none of that. That doesn’t mean that we lack for entertainment. It’s just not live. Our local DVD-hut has most new movie releases. They aren’t official, however (video-cam steals), and they are either subtitled or dubbed in English. Content is als

“ You don’t spit into the wind … and you don’t mess around with Jim.” Trash. Ecuador is a fantastically beautiful country. From the continent-splitting Andes to the warm sandy beaches, the amount of geo-diversity in such a small country is incredible. Until recently, however, the amount of unmanaged garbage has been appalling. Before anyone gets their panties bunched up or climbs onto their high horse, this is NOT just an Ecuador problem; it’s world-wide. In the US, for example, if not for successful programs like “Don’t Mess with Texas” and Iron Eyes Cody shedding a tear at tossed garbage, litter would still be a large problem there today. (Fun fact: Cody was actually Italian, not Native American.) Traditionally, litter hadn’t been much of a problem here. Many food products were contained in shells or husks (like tamales), and the “containers” would degrade. Plastic and foam containers were rare. With the advent of plastic and aluminum containers,