in quito

On a Sunday a few weeks ago I went to the Coffee Bean located at Av. Shyris y Naciones Unidas, Edf. Shyris Park, across from Park Carolina in Quito, Ecuador. It’s a place  where a delicious cup of coffee is guaranteed.

That visit to the Coffee Bean turned into a trip to a part of La Ronda, one of Quito’s oldest neighborhoods. Alexander is the owner of the Coffee Bean, and he suggested that his wife Ekaterina and daughter Maria show me this old section. 

Ekaterina, Maria, Alexander from Moscow

Off we went by taxi. Then, the driver said we’d have to get off (something about a tunnel). Okay, no questions asked. We walked a little, and soon were in front of the beautiful Basilica del Voto Nacional (Basilica of the National Vow). We climbed and climbed and climbed the steps leading to the top of the Basilica. I suspected as we went higher and higher, and as I listened to their conversation, that of all the buildings, the Basilica is the favorite of mother and daughter.

Then ekaterina and Maria pointed to a statute of the Virgin Mary. She is dipicted with the wings of an angel. Can you see it in the distance on that hill? It’s as close as I got. 

Sunday in Quito having breakfast made by Cesar at the Coffee Bean, and then to the top of the Basilica, nice!

With Cesar on the right. He is from Venezuela.

bamboo juice . . . *uh-oh, mistake!

How is it that I’ve never heard of, let alone tasted, bamboo juice before visiting Otovalo? It was by pure accident that I discovered a young woman hacking away at part of a bamboo tree as I passed her shop. I’ve always appreciated all that the bamboo tree gives us. So when I saw them outside adorning the entrance to a shop, I had to double back. A hearty-looking bamboo juicer was directly in front of the shop, and in the back was a counter made of . . . bamboo.

 

I had no idea what bamboo juice would taste like. So I prepared myself, and, surprise . . . it was DELICIOUS.

The young woman was so friendly. She laughed alot, tried hard to inderstand a gringo, and let me take as many photos as I wanted. As long as I’m in Otavalo, I’m a steady customer.

*uh-oh mistake . . . I’ve been told this is sugar cane and not bamboo. : (

otavalo

I’m in Otavalo, Ecuador, a city surrounded by three volcanoes; it’s a vibrant city, with a 70% indigenous population, and I want to add, it’s quite a sophisticated small city.  

On Saturday people come from many different countries for the market; it’s quite a happening. Many people come to import large quantities of scarves, hammocks, hats, pants, fabric in luscious colors, bags, jewelry, paintings – it goes on and on. Here is just a small sampling of what you can feast your eyes on should you come.



Being in Otavalo is a lot of fun. I’m learning to negotiate – the art of negotiating Is a must here, and is interesting to observe.

From a very young age children help their parents. When you’re from a different culture, it’s eye-opening to observe another way. Love it!

that gut feeling

I’ve been in Cuenca, Ecuador a while, and I can say that it’s a nice lifestyle. The city is alive with culture, there are festivals of all kinds, music, restaurants, new foods to taste, inexpensive, sometimes hair-raising, bus rides to north, south, east, west, people eager to meet people, there’s a lot of support, a good medical system in place, lots of possibilities to learn Spanish either with a tutor or at a school, it’s a marvelous walking city, the big mercados are filled to the brim with fresh fruits and vegetables at unbelievable prices, there always seem to be a number of spacious homes and apartments to buy or rent, and, listen to this . . . that’s not all.

Sometimes though one’s heart says it’s time to move on. And as strange as that sounds after just listing the delights of living in Cuenca, that just might be the case. The Quito/Otavalo/Cotacachi area is beckoning. Every time I read or hear about that land north of Cuenca, I imagine what it would be like to live there. It was my original destination before I second-guessed myself, and that says something for listening to one’s gut feeling. Though, Cuenca, thank you, you have been so good to me. Perhaps at heart I’m a vagabond – at least for now.

IMG_1596-3.JPG An invitation to join in the festivities.

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“Just stop! Go in the heart. You can change reality that way. Move from brain to your heart. You can do this very fast. Tune into heart.” – Hira Hosen
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It’s just an experience

I’ve been in Ecuador for almost six months; so much has happened in that time, though . . . one incident set the pace for the next few months. Four days after arriving in Cuenca, Toshi, my very nice and very helpful son-in-law who came with me for five days, and I were at the Rotary Plaza. He was ahead of me; I was standing still, we were looking around, trying to decide where to have lunch. Suddenly, I was flat on my face. Oh, what a sight! I’ll spare the details. People thought I had tripped because gringoes here seem to be good at that . . . the sidewalks are decorated with fairly large holes (just the right size for the ball of a foot), or protrusions, and when looking up at the beautiful architecture, or at shops while walking, or in conversation and not noticing a 14″ high curb . . . a fall might be the order of the day.

So, there I was bleeding, holding a piece of my front tooth, and absolutely dumbfounded as to what had just happened. Do you remember Christopher Reeves as Superman? He’s wearing his big S outfit and ready for action, then in a flash, SWOOSH! he’s in the air, arms straight ahead. Me, too! -though, in a flash, SWOOSH! I was flat on the ground, arms straight in back of me.

“Were you pushed? Did you trip? Do you have altitude sickness?” – “No. No. And No.” Then “What happened?” – That was the question that gnawed at me. “What the heck happened?” – I asked myself as I sat on the curb, dazed.

Then Toshi and I took a waiting taxi to the apartment where I’d been living for three days in El Centro. When we arrived, we saw Jorge, my landlord, in front of his store. He looked at me, and soon Toshi and I were in his car going to Bolivar Clinic where the inside of my lip was stitched! It was an ouch! hour. Jorge slipped out of the Clinic once and returned with an English-speaking friend from Loja. After stitching was completed, we drove to the old Military hospital across from the Rio Tomebamba for X-rays. I spoke no Spanish; therefore, was not part of the conversation with the doctors. Shortly after we returned to my apartment, a few quarts of tapioca soup prepared by Jorge’s lovely wife, Susana, were brought to me. Since I could barely open my mouth, it was perfect. And, in case you’re wondering, tapioca soup is ever so comforting. Jorge’s son, Steven, who speaks English, said that Susana prepares tapioca soup whenever anyone is sick. A few days later, another few quarts of soup came my way.

And two days later Toshi left for the States with a promise to not tell family about my temporary new look. In the weeks to come, Steven accompanied me to doctor appointments – always saying, with a smile, “No worries.”

It was a time to heal and read, and while I was doing that, a sentence made me stop: “Treat everything that happens to you as an experience. Don’t judge it as good or bad. It’s just an experience.” Those words grabbed my attention, and made me snap out of thinking, “What the heck happened?” And to stop reliving, and wanting to figure out, that accident- so important because those thoughts take energy away from healing.

Then I began remembering the kindness and help that came my way after that “experience.” Before I arrived in Ecuador, I’d read that Ecuadorian people are friendly and helpful; experience tells me that that would be an understatement. They really do “go the extra mile” if that’s what’s needed. Jorge, Susana, Steven, and the Casa Britanica Cuenca staff, I thank you!

20140126-144710.jpg the neighborhood where I lived and learned and healed. Oh, yes!

It’s a gorgeous day in Cuenca. Where you are, too?

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“Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything,and love is all there is.” – Gary Zukav

“Worrying will never change the outcome.” Gregg Braden

“Life is an adventure. Dare it.” – Soulseeds

Living in cuenca

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July 2013 was a month of packing, and taking care of all the loose ends that come with a move. And it was a month of consciously remembering to stay calm and to trust myself. And it was a month of goodbyes, and not allowing myself to second guess my decision. I think that one of the most important things I had to do was to see this move as another experience in the game of life,
And so I tried and am now in Cuenca, Ecuador. The above photo is a view from my window.

Before moving here, I couldn’t quite zero in on what life would be like for a gringo in Ecuador. Reading and researching another person’s experience is like everything else in life. We bring ourselves, and we’re all different, and so our experiences will be unique to us. It makes me think of the book Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabut-Zinn.

Sumi, thank you for agreeing to be a single working mom for a week as hubby Toshi departed with me to give assistance. It was twelve days ago that I left JFK with my son-in-law. The first stop was a night spent in Panama City, Panama at the lovely Riande Aeropuerto Hotel which is five minutes from Tocumen Airport. When we arrived, the night was still young, and we had a relaxing, tasty dinner surrounded by plants, palm trees, and other happy guests. Nearby the hotel’s large pool shimmered in the soft lights.

Early the next morning the hotel’s van took us to Tocumen Airport for a fairly short flight to Guayaquil, Ecuador. There we surveyed our options for the last leg of the journey – Cuenca. We decided that the four-hour bus ride would be scenic – as in up, up the mountain we would go. It was! We saw incredible views. Steep, steep it was though.

And though I was in Ecuador in 2004, I’ll say that at this moment I’m undergoing what’s called “culture shock” because . . . visiting a place and deciding to live there are two entirely different things.

I’ll close for now by saying thank you dear family of mine for all the love and support that came my way. I knew I could leave because you all know how to be happy, you’re all healthy, and you’re all a rather independent bunch.

And I love you all very much.

gratitude

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Thank you to all the authentic spiritual teachers who are trying to get the message out to all of us that gratitude, along with the power of love (for ourselves and all living beings), is something we don’t want to live without. A softly uttered thank you, a loving thank you shout from a hilltop, or dancing to our own movements in our own space to the words of thank you, thank you first thing in the morning and last thing at night guides, guards, protects, directs our day in a way we can’t imagine. Let’s go for it.

Ready for an amazing day? I am.

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“Long will you wander in a wilderness of confusion and distress until you come home . . . to a higher consciousness.” ANO ANO THE SEED by Kristin Zambucka

into the lives of others

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I was perusing Inc magazine while enjoying a good cup of coffee, when I saw on page 64, La Colombe Torrefaction Every Cup An Adventure Tale, and read: “This company shows the passion the owner has for coffee and lengths he’s willing to go to get it. It’s like the Patagonia of coffee.” — Bob Lord

The photo of co-founder and CEO Todd Carmichael on page 64 audacious companies helps to tell the story. He goes anywhere in the coffee world to track down “high-end beans other roasters won’t risk pursuing.” The words violence and danger don’t seem to be part of his vocabulary — he just goes. A travel channel show called Dangerous Grounds “captures each expedition.” A savvy businessman who loves what he does, does it his way, and does it well captures the definition of the word, inspiring. And www.lacolombe.com/founders-biographiessuggests that his personal life is also inspiring.

Reading about people who see the world in a good, BIG way and live with that amount of passion, feeds the mind and soul. Nice, right?

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That same day I passed Rittenhouse Plaza and there was Joseph Dupoldt, a doorman who, without fail smiles and has an encouraging word for all who pass — should they be open to it. I pass Joseph to and fro when going to La Colombe which is next door, and so have an opportunity to collect his smiles and see him in action. And I’ve noticed that he doesn’t seem to realize the impact he has on the lives of the different people who come in contact with him as they go in and out of the door where he stands. He does though. He’s aware of when people want a smile, or when they want to be with their thoughts, undisturbed — either way, he’s there for them. If you pass quietly or linger a little, you can hear him singing; he likes du bop and has a wonderful voice. It’s easy to see that he brings harmony, joy, and awareness to his job, and that’s only the things I can see. Nice, right? I want to ask him where someone as young as he is got his wisdom. I wonder what he’ll say.

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“There is nobody else like you. The more you can quiet your own thoughts, fears, doubts and suspicions, the more will be revealed to you from the highest realms of imagination, intuition, and inspiration.” – Kenneth Wydro, American lecturer

“My country is the world and my religion is to do good.” – Thomas Paine

where would you go?

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Because I read Kathleen Peddicord’s newsletters, and International Living, too, read travel books, watch travel documentaries, and tend to meet people who travel the world . . . I was thinking about where would I choose to live . . . so many beautiful places . . . where would I go . . . if I decided it was time to go? – it’s a wonderful question. I’ve actually narrowed it down to: France, somewhere in Ecuador, Uruguay perhaps, maybe Thailand, or Italy. And, yes, there’s also sacred and ancient India and its magnificent rich history. Though as far as India is concerned, I hear a little voice in the back of my head saying: however will you make that happen? And then there are the pictures I’ve seen of people profusely sweating and mopping their faces and necks with handkerchiefs, and documentaries of foreigners doing the same and looking as hot as hot can be. I’m not sure I could take that amount of humidity and remain sane. The other side of the coin is, when people talk of India they don’t complain of the humidity. And I’m beginning to think that it has to do with learning acceptance and simply loving and appreciating what India has to offer. The movie The Story of India by Michael Wood is a powerful, exciting, and marvelous documentary that can easily have a viewer thinking, I want to be there, too.

Now I have a question for you: Are there places in this beautiful and fascinating world you would happily move to in a heartbeat? And if you say yes, where and why?

Finding a place where there are like-minded people of all ages, a place that inspires and offers plenty of beauty, a place where nature has remained intact for the most part, a place having quality of life, and organic farms would be just about ideal.

Some people see the whole world as their home, and are comfortable anywhere with anybody, and I’m inching toward that mindset. The longer I live the more I understand that we humans are capable of changing . . . we’re always changing – we just don’t realize it. When we want the BIG changes to come and focus to the extent that most everything else becomes secondary . . . no doubts, anxiety, negative thoughts, no fear thoughts, allowed . . . a “single mindedness” until we’re where we want to be . . . that includes in any area of life . . . when that happens . . . we can expect change – the kind we want.

The way I prepare is to hobnob with the Mystic Power Emmet Fox so beautifully understood and wrote about. Mystic Power has many names, and we need to find the name that resonates with us. It’s a total belief that Mystic Power is our perfect senior partner.

Now I have a question for you: Are there places in this beautiful and fascinating world you would happily move to in a heartbeat? If yes, where would you go? And why?

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The evening is lovely. Autumn is signaling that it’s right around the corner. For me saying goodbye to a very, very hot and humid summer will be easy. Although I know of people who feel sad about summer’s ending. If you’re one of those people, cheer up, it’ll be back.

I hope you had a wonderful day.

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It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
It is because we do not dare that they are difficult. – Seneca

lainie and miro liberti

It’s raining, it’s pouring . . . and It’s 10:00pm and I was just reading an article by Cathy Brown at www.escapeartist.com about a mother and her 13 year old son who have been traveling for three years and have no intention of stopping. You can enjoy a wonderful article at www.raisingmiro.com . Yes, indeed, how vastly different life would be for many of us if we would just let go of our fears and . . . “Trust, trust, trust.” Imagine that! That’s exactly what Lainie and Miro do.

That would be a delightful dream tonight – living without fearing. . . .

Sweet dreams.