Tales of Puerto Lopez #AtoZChallenge

“ 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 ...

“ 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...