Sumak Kausay Yachay...Good Life With Education.

For almost three years I have been posting the adventures of my life here in Ecuador. Not the, volcano climbing , river running extreme adventures that many seek out, but the adventure of living....One day at a time. I am amazed at number of people who are interested enough in what I am doing here to read, comment and sometimes donates to one cause or another. Some are family, others are friends who I have known and loved in times gone by, but the vast majority are people whom I have never met, and most likely never will.

For what it's worth I would like to tell you a little about me. What I am doing and just maybe you would like to help.

In a few more months I will be 75, and life just gets better and better and fuller and fuller. I am asked often, "why are you here in Ecuador?" My only answer is....who knows. I don't know how many more years I have left on this planet....a day, a month or years? The answer is not important, what is important to me is that I put that time to good use. At times, I feel like Charlie Brown did in a cartoon where he is contemplating the things he has to do, and says...."God has given me so many things to do, and I am so far behind that I may never die." As long as I am healthy and happy....I'll go for that. But when I can no longer function and become a burden to others, I will be ready to give up my space on this earth to someone else.

Meanwhile, life goes on. When I first arrived in Ecuador, I went directly to Baños where I lived for almost a year before moving to San Francisco, about 25 km from Baños on the Pastaza River. A place that is as close to paradise as you could ever find. No telephone, no Internet, water directly from the river and all of the physical work that you could handle. It was wonderful. However, something must have been missing because early in 2006 I ended up in Ambato. Who knows how or why. I had an opportunity to take over a spa that was about to close. "No investment, live on the premises, pay me rent when you can, here are the keys and good luck." Well, the conversation was a little longer than that. But it was easy. So here I am, a year later, spending most of my nights in Ambato...running a business called Splash, Baños de Cajon y Masajes.

I love Baños and I travel there often. I love the San Francisco area and I don´t visit there nearly as often as I would like. Ambato is a city of 200,000 or more, full of cars, people and noise. So why am I here?

Ambato is not a tourist town. It is the capital of the Province of Tungurahua and an industrial center. Living here has given me the opportunity to get to know the Ecuadorian people that are not involved with tourism. How they live, what is important to them and what is not.

Here at the spa I have the opportunity to to talk with the people, listen to the their problems, learn from them what life is really like. My first employee was from Salasaca. A friend of mine brought her over and said she needed a job. She was only 19 and very timid. She talked with her head down and you had to listen very closely to hear her. Now after a year she is outgoing, talks back, and is a good friend. She is now helping me with the English school in her pueblo and I am the "padrino" of her brother....And I am not even catholic.

The spa is not a good business....every month I need to take money from my pocket to pay the bills. So why do I continue?. I have four employees. Each adds something to my life and I add something to theirs. There is Martha....a woman with arthritis, who has no money. She comes three or four days a week with an armful of eucalyptus branches in exchange for a session in the steam box. Another woman comes for a leg massage because she is always in pain.... but has no money to pay. I could go on and on. The paying clients are becoming friends. We talk politics, the need for education, and the tragedy of not being able to go to a doctor because you have no money. So, I listen and learn.

Because of the spa I got to know more of the indigenous people of Salasaca, a community only 14 km away on the road to Baños. When the protests were taking place here in Ambato last year, some of my friends walked the 14 km to chant "No TLC" and "No OXY" in front of the city hall, stopped by for a rest before heading back home by bus. I asked them what is the "TLC". (Free Trade Agreement). Their answer was "I don't know".

Since I believe education is the key to solving many of the political problems in Ecuador, when I was asked if I would give some English lessons to some kids in Salasaca, I could not say no.
Keep in mind that I am not a teacher, but maybe I was better than nothing. So I rented some space and started the English School.

I am glad to say that we now have a girl from Holland who is conducting the classes. In addition to the private classes we now are giving English lessons to the children in the Katitawa School.

Last week, we expanded the space at the private school so we now have a separate room for the library. We have more than 60 books so far, of which most are in Spanish.

The funding for these projects are from my pocket and donations from friends. We are not associated with any government agency or charity. For the time being, we would rather save money by not having to go through a lot of red tape to get things done. Personally, I have everything I need. I have a small income for the rest of my life and I am doing what I can with that. I would however like to move a little faster and if anyone out there in never-never land, would like to help, we would accept your donations gladly.

We are also looking for another volunteer teacher. We can give you a place to live and put food on your table. Let us know if you are interested.

Anyone who made it this far....Thanks for reading.

How Would You Like To Learn Kichwa In Salasaca?

In the past there has been some interest in learning Kichwa, by tourists who spend time here in Salasaca. I have found some potential teachers if there is any serious interest. We do have space in the mornings at the English School and on weekends. It would be a basic class with emphasis on pronunciation. A small dictionary with popular words and phrases would also be available.

Why would you want to learn Kichwa or Kechwa depending on who is doing the writing? (At this point I am not sure which is correct or if they both may be.) When I was trying to find the words to answer that question I ran across these words on the .Ermal Garinger Academic Resource Center, University of Kansas web site. They say it much better then I.

With 6 to 10 million speakers, Kechwa, the language of the Inkas, is the most widely-spoken indigenous language in the Americas. For many years, western historians and anthropologists have predicted the disappearance of the Kechwa language and its cultures. Instead, both are becoming stronger.

Learning Kechwa will be a meaningful adventure. You will learn a new language and be exposed to the ideas of an indigenous American culture that is vastly different from Euro-American cultures and languages. By stepping outside of your own culture and identity, you will learn to see yourself, your culture and the world through new eyes. You will acquire a much deeper and realisitic understanding of globalization and the problems humanity faces. And you will enrich your understanding of the human experience and condition through knowledge of one of the America's great but too little known civilizations. If you supplement your study with travel to Andean countries, you can live in contexts that are entirely different from your current cultural reality. There are opportunities to live in Kechwa communities, to visit Kechwa bilingual schools in the Andes and to take part as a direct participant or co-teacher with native teachers in Kechwa.

This is just an idea. Please comment if this is something we should pursue

Carnival in Ambato

For the the 56th year Ambato will present their Annual Fiesta De La Fruta y De Las Flores. This fiesta lasts for most of the month of February and coincides with Carnival. The festivities start on Friday, February 2 and officially ends on February 20th.

This fiesta was inaugurated 56 years ago after an earthquake leveled most of the city. It draws people from all over the country and for at least a month Ambato is the distination for hundreds and maybe thousands of tourists who put Ambato on their itinerary. This year the big parade is scheduled for Sunday the 18th. Every year it is bigger and better and should not be missed if you are anywhere near Ambato. It is definitely worth a detour.

Ambato is located in the center of the country and is the capital of the Province of Tungurahua. It is easily reached from most parts of the country and is only two plus hours from Quito and a hour from Baños.

There are more than 100 events scheduled and are varied enough to be of interest for almost anyone. From special presentations at museums to musical concerts to bull fights.....and everything in between. Many of the musical events are free or the cost is nominal. A schedule of events is posted on the Official Site for the events and you can access here. http://www.fiestasdeambato.com/2007/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=5http://

Now Buy Salasacan Tapestries Directly From The Weavers.

For centuries the Salasacan weavers have been turning wool into clothing, but the tapestry is a relative new endeavor. Sometime in the last 50 or 60 years (my best guess), they discovered the potential for sales of more colorful woven items such as the very popular wall hangings that in recent years have garnered international acclaim for quality and beauty. Today however the number of weavers in this community of more than 12,000 people, have shrunk by as much as 80%. Many have moved to other parts of the country to pursue work in construction and other trades because there is more money to be made elsewhere.

When I learned how many hours it takes to weave a tapestry and the price they can sell it for, I see why there is an exodus of these fine craftsman. For example, my friend Lorenzo who is pictured with one of his products on a previous post, sells these for $22.00 to his wholesale customers who in turn sells them in the world famous markets in Otavalo. From there it ends up in homes all over the world. Depending on where you happen to shop they will cost anywhere from $40 up. His production is limited by the number of hours in the week as it takes him approximately 16 hours for each piece of this size. So you can see why the weavers are looking for a different line of work and it will be a sad day when the machine made products are the only choices available.

This morning I had a visit from three of the top weavers from Salasaca. They were looking for other ways to market their products as the competition between machine made and hand made pieces keep the prices low.

Hand made versus machine.
First of all, we are talking about two different products, even if at first glance, they look and feel the same. The machine made pieces vary in quality and precision depending on the machine. In many cases they are perfect replicas of an artists conception. They are all the same in their perfectness. With the hand made product there are differences....No two, of the same design, are exactly the same. There is an uniqueness to each of the hand made pieces even if they are the same design and created by same artist. There is a market for both.

Selling through the established channels or directly to the consumer.
At the present time many of the Salasaca weavers travel once a month to Otavalo to sell their work to a buyer who cleans, packages and puts on a label that says it is a product of Otavalo. There is no protection for the weaver who has created a new design. Once he sells his products he may, on his next trip to market find copies of his design. To counter this a weaver could weave into the design their name and date so they could establish a reputation, and in time, if their work is appreciated it can demand a higher price. The other consideration is to put a limit on each design that they make. For instance if they have a design that is truly different they could limit the number to say 200 and sign and number each piece. Once an artist established a reputation his limited editions could demand more money.

We believe there is a market for hand made pieces of exceptional quality so we are going to this new marketing strategy a try. We will introduce these three artists with a short bio and introduce the products via the Internet and market them to the end user. We will market these products through our new Sumac Kausay Yachay foundation who will add a small commission which will be used for our education program and library.

If you have ever been to Salasaca or Otavalo, and bought or wished you had bought more of these beautiful works of art...you now have a second chance.
Here are three hand woven stock designs that are available on an on-going basis.

I will have more pictures soon and you will be able to order direct from the maker.

Tomorrow Rafael Correa Takes Office.

Tomorrow we will have a new president, for better or worse. We will have to wait and see. However if you judge a man by the company he keeps, then we are in for some rocky roads ahead.

In Ecuador the people are fed up with politicians. It is not that the people who elected Correa are so far to the left, in my opinion, they just wanted a new face, and when this unknown shouted from the rooftops that he was going to take his belt to to the old politicians in power and run them out of the congress....the masses responded loud and clear....Yeah!!!!!

Correa has called to his supporters to take to the streets if the Congress does not give in to his demands, so tomorrow, after his inauguration, I would expect our first demonstration of his presidency. It should be interesting.

My Trip To The Dentist

Many have asked over the past three years....What is the quality of health care available in Baños or Ecuador in general? Up until yesterday my only experience was with my friend Magda, when she had her hip replaced, and that was only as an interested observer. However that changed yesterday and I was the subject. I am happy to say that my experience yesterday was pleasant and quite painless and that is a lot to say about a having a tooth extracted, at least as far as I remembered. I am not committed to the old adage "see your dentist once a year" and I am sure my teeth show it. I think my schedule has been more like once every 15.

For several nights I suffered, (mildly), with a tooth ache so yesterday I told a friend and she took me to a dentist that was only two blocks from the spa. We walked into a beautiful suite of offices that belied the building's exterior and after a five minute wait, only because my friend was chatting with the receptionist, I was ushered into an ultra modern room with all, I suspect, the latest equipment, and after a brief consultation they removed the molar. After the offending tooth was removed the dentist checked the other teeth and being an excellent sales person, it was recommended that I have a good cleaning, a root canal on another and finish off with two crowns. The cost for the extraction was $35, and the future work work would be $300. The service was great, the place was spotless and although the price sounds expensive for Ambato where the majority of the people work for less than $200 per month, business was booming, if the number of people in the waiting room is an accurate indicator. By the way they were dressed, I suspect, they were from the upper levels of society. I would be curious as to how much this would cost in other countries.

The rest of the story...When I left the offices I had a prescription for pain pills, "if I needed them" and an appointment for the rest of the work for Friday. Two days later, my cheek was swollen and I returned on Friday morning to find out what went wrong. The dentist asked if I had taken the pills that she had prescribed and I said no because I had no pain. She then got very defensive, gave me another prescription for an anti-inflammatory and penicillin tablets and told me it was all my fault because I did not take the pills she had prescribed. I guess she was right....I should have had a lot of pain. I left the office, went home and took some raw garlic and in two days the swelling was gone..

My question....Why do people have to get defensive and negate all the good feelings that they had built up previously?

Sumak Kausay Yachay. Foundation for Education

Sumak Kausay Yachay...is the new name of our Foundation in Salasaca. I had asked my friend Jose who is with the folkloric dance group to come up with a name in Kichua that would be representative of what we were trying to accomplish. The words in English means....Good or beautiful life through education. Through this foundation we will accept donations for the education programs in Salasaca.
At the present time we have three projects:
1..English classes at the Katitawa School in the hills overlooking Salasaca. The school has thirty students ranging from six to 14 years old and classes are conducted by Janneke Robbe, a volunteer from Holland.The foundation provides her with a place to stay and food.

2. We also have a small private English school in the center of town where we have two classes a day with a total of six to eight students. There is a small charge of $2.50 per week per student, however if the parents have no money we accept almost anything. A bag of potatoes, or corn or rice or whatever they can afford. So far we have not collected any money but we do eat. We feel that it is necessary to charge something for the classes, because if they are free they loose their value.

3. We have started to collect books for the new library. These books are now in the English school. We are looking for books in any language, however Spanish are the preferred at this stage.

If you would like to donate to this worthwhile cause we would welcome your contribution. There are no middlemen or government agencies involved, so your contribution goes directly to the cause.

Thanks you.

Looking Forward To 2007

I love the first of anything and the first day of the new year is no exception. It is a beautiful day here in Ambato and I plan to enjoy it.

As I reflect briefly on 2006, it seems that the year passed like a hurricane in the night, but when I think about all of the things that happened, both good and bad, happy and sad....I wonder how could all of those things have taken place in those 12 short months. All in all....it was a wonderful year full of surprises and I am glad that I had a chance to live it.

I do want to thank all of you who have visited this blog, and a special thanks to those who have donated to any of my projects. Your generosity has been accepted by everyone, in the manner given.... “con coriño”. Join me, as we rush head-long into 2007, with all of its unknowns....that is what makes life the adventure that is worth taking. At the risk of repeating a favorite poem, I invite you to join me. ”Come to the edge”, Life says. “I can´t, I am afraid”. “Come to the edge”, Life says. “I can´t, I am afraid”. “Come to the edge”, Life says. I went. Life pushed and I flew.

Feliz año nuevo.

English Classes in Salasaca

A couple of months ago, by popular demand, I started an English school in Salasaca. A friend of mine gave me the space which is small but for the present is fine. He did not want to charge me, but I agreed to pay him $30 per month because I know he needs the money and could rent it to someone else for the same price.

I am not an English teacher but what the heck I am better than nothing. I have about six kids ranging from six to 17 years old. A couple of the older boys had had some English in school but since the English program for them was only one hour per week they understood almost nothing. My method of teaching English is probably un-orthodox, but we are making progress. I believe that the best way to learn is the way that you learn your native language. First learn words, words and more words....a little later you put the meanings to the words.

One day I got an e-mail from someone who had read this blog and I told her about my project in Salasaca and she decided to help in collecting preschool English books and supplies. It turned out that her husband works in Ecuador and travels back and forth between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and Quito, and all I had to do was to go to Quito and pick up the supplies. Thank you Holly for all of your help. The kids have read and reread the books that you sent.

The word is spreading....A few weeks ago I was invited to a small local school that is in the hills overlooking Salasaca. The director, Rosa Maria wanted to start an English program but had no money for a teacher. They have 32 kids from five to 14 years old and many do not even speak Spanish as Ketchua is their native tongue.

As luck would have it I had just had a visit from a young Dutch women who had also read this blog and was looking for a volunteer job teaching English or doing something useful for at least six months. When I took her to Salasaca she was excited about the project and wanted to help. I am happy to report that on Dec. 12th Janneke Robb started teaching the first class at Katitawi School. She is teaching about four hours or more per day and according to her last message to me I believe she is doing just great. From the looks of the below photo she is having no trouble connecting with the kids. For a better look, click on the photo to enlarge.

Janneke wrote:"Faviola and I have been jumping in the back of the car every morning at 7.45 to go to the school Katitawi. It´s been a lot of fun teaching the kids. In general they are very well behaved and seem to be excited about my classes (on Friday when it was time to go they said they wanted another hour of English class).

I´ve been spending some time with Faviola and her friend Jose, which has been a good opportunity to immerse in the culture and get to know the way the people live there. Their houses are so old, simple, full of chickens, dogs, love and music."

.I hope to have some pictures soon.

Along with some Salasacan friends we have started a library. We need books of every description. Of course Spanish will be the most useful, but I would also like to get a good section in English. If anyone wants to donate books you can send them to my new best friend in Saskatoon who has offered to include them in the luggage of her husband on each trip that he makes to Quito. Any English school books that you have in the attic or in the garage would also be appreciated. From preschool up. Her address is:

Holly Walker
2206 Kenderdine Road
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7N 4G7
Canada

Well that is what is new in my adventure here in Ecuador.

We have started a Salasaca English School and Library Fund. If you have ever visited Salasaca, and even if you haven't, you may want to make a small donation. It is easy just push the button below.

Thanks for your help.

A Great Way To Spend An Evening....Indulge Yourself.

Last night I joined about thirty or forty others for a luxurious mineral bath in the the thermal pools in Baños. It was a lovely night and for a time the moon was directly overhead. Most of the foreign visitors were freom Europe and appeared to be with a tour group. This was the first time I had visited the thermal baths at night for a very long time. The city has done a lot of work on the facility over the past year and although the price has gone up some it is still a great bargain. $1.80 during the day and $2.00 at night. If you are over 60 the price is cut in half.

The facility has two levals. The upper leval has three pools, cold, warm and hot. Most people use the warm pool which is the sise of a swimming pool. The water is a dirty yellow color and you can only see a few inches below the surface...but there is no odor. They have underwater benches around the sides so that you can relax with just your neck out of the water. The hot water pool is about half the sise but there are fewer users....especially in the early morning hours (4:30 AM) it is just too hot for most people.

My favorite time to go is around 5:30 AM, it is dark but a great place to greet a new day. Daylight is from 6;00 to 6:30 depending on the time of year but sunrise is delayed for a couple of hours because of the montains. The hours of operation are from 4:30 AM to 5:00 in the afternoon. They close for an hour to clean and drain the pools and open again at 6:00 and closes at 10:00.

In the evening they only use the hot upper pool and the lower level circular pool. It is about 20 feet in diameter and will comfortably handle 50 people. There is a snack bar and tables where you can enjoy a snack or a drink. Bathing suits are required as well as a shower before entering the pools. Bathing suits and towells are available for rent should you arrive unprepared.

They do not allow drunks or drinking in the pools and as the sign says..."if you want to drink the bars are only a mile away"....or something like that.
It was a great evening....I think I will indulge myself more often.

Daily Tungurahua Volcano Reports

The latest news on current volcano eruptions all over the world can be found on the Southwest Volcano Research Centre site. By clicking on the title above you will be transferred to the site. Once there scroll down near the bottom of the page for the Tungurahua report.

Magda Up-date.

It took two operations to get it right, but I am happy to say that Magda is now at her home and hopefully in two weeks time when she takes her first steps everything will work properly.

The doctors operated on Tuesday night and thought everything was ok but the next day when the the swelling and pain was getting worse, not better, they took an x-ray and found that the leg had slipped out of the socket. They took her back to the "OR" and put it all back together. It seems to be working because she is more or less comfortable in her own bed. The extra trip to the "OR" really played hell with the budget. The doctors fee stayed the same but the hospital cost doubled.

Now all we have to do is give the body time to heal. Thanks for your prayers and phone calls and for your donations. Thanks to PayPal...it is easy to transfer, even small sums of money.

Why Are We Here, If Not To Help?

Have you ever wondered why you are in a certain place at any given time? I know I have, and the events of the past few weeks have given me much food for thought. Here is my story.

For the past nine months, my time has been split between Margarita Ville in San Francisco, Baños, Salasaca and Ambato. The distances are short, as it is only about 40 miles between Ambato and San Francisco, with Salasaca and Baños in between. In Ambato I am operating a small spa, that is not a very good business but I have a few customers and many have become friends.

One of my first customers was a young woman, I'll call her Magda, because that is her real name. She is an attractive 23 year old law student who is gregarious and has a great sense of humor. Everyone loves to have her around. After a few visits, I noticed that she walked a little funny and when I got to know her she told me what her problem was. She has, what they call, a congential hip. I knew what that meant because my own daughter had that problem and the only thing the saved her from having the same problem as Magda was an astute doctor who caught the problem when she was only a few months old and put her in a cast, for I believe, around six months. The result was excellent and today in her 40's she has no problems.

Over the past nine months, Magda’s problem has become worse and every step that she takes is torture. The joint that should ride comfortably in the hip socket is so far out of center that it looks like it will disjoint at any moment. She has a small motor scooter that gets her around because to walk even a block is too painful.

The answer to her problem is an operation, where they will replace the joint with some plastic parts. She is scheduled for the operation on Tuesday, which is expensive, but way below what it would cost in the United States. We are talking about $6,000. Her father lives in the southern part of Ecuador and her mother is in Columbia. They are doing everything they can to raise the money but are still short. I told her that I would see what I could do to raise the extra money and to make sure the operation takes place as scheduled, I would guarantee the amount that was missing.

So today I was thinking, just maybe this was the reason I came to Ambato. To help make it possible for Magda to walk, run and dance again.

If anyone who reads this blog regularly or even for the first time is moved to donate to the fund....feel free to push the “donate” button.

If you are so inclined, say a little prayer for Magda on Tuesday. Thanks.

Tungurahua, And Other News.

Yesterday afternoon the Tungurahua volcano awoke for a caughing spell that emited material into the atmosphere as high as 2.4 miles. The alert level remains at "Orange".

Baños is a low risk area for visitors and all services are available. If you have any fears about spending the night...Salasaca is a great option.

Salasaca Overnight Option.

The Tungurahua volcano is still stable and poses no real threat to Baños for the time being. Some international tourists are returning and little by little they are pumping new blood into the failing businesses. The tourist office in Baños along with a group of business people are in Quayaquil for an international tourist fair promoting the destination. Along with the usual handouts they took 6,000 small volcanic stones that had rained down on the city the 17th of August.

There are still a lot of people who would rather not bed-down for the night in Baños so I have the following suggestion. Why not spend the nights in Salasaca. It is only a $0.50 bus ride and the Hosteria Salasaca is a great bargain.
$10.00 for a single cabin and $15.00 for a double. At the present time they have six cabins with a restaurant and bar. In 15 days they should have their new SPA open which will include a steam room, whirlpool bath and massage service. It is located just a block from the main highway on the north side of town. The e-mail address is hosteriasalasaca@hotmail.com. (I will have some pictures soon.) The place is owned by Michele, a French lady, who has lived in Salasaca for the last 8 years, and her husband Antonio.

While you are in Salasaca you can spend some time visiting the market on the main plaza where many of the crafts that are made locally are sold. I will expand on this idea a little later.

Beautiful Day In Baños

The weather has been wonderful this past week in Baños. The skies have been almost cloudless and the temperature warm. The volcano continues to be activ emitting a small amount of gas, ash and small amounts of lava that dribble down the western slope for a short distance, however in Baños, this all goes unnoticed since the winds take all the ash to the West and from the city center the view of the crater is obscured.

There are a few tourists, but only a fraction of what normally are here this time of year. Everyone is looking forward to an increase of locals from Ambato and Quito on the weekend.

I did get my first look at the new DVD that is now available of the recent eruptions. The vendors on the streets are selling it for $1.00. I am going to include one of these videos with each of Lorenzo's tapestries.

Maybe It's a Good Idea & Maybe Not...You Decide.

A few nights ago while in Ambato, I met with a friend who is a rice distributor. I was telling him of my project to raise a little money for the famililes who were forced out of their homes when Tungurahua erupted. He offered to sell me rice at cost and I even talked him into going with me to deliver it at no extra cost.

The conversation drifted to tons of ash that needed to be cleared and he suggested that I send a little bag to each person who made a donation. The more he talked, the more excited he got. His last comment was, "we could bottle it and make a fortune". I told him that that was not the idea, however we could send an ounce in a little plastic bag along with a note describing where it came from.

So this is the plan...I do not want to take anything from the donations, but if anyone would like an ash sample, just add an extra $1.00 to cover the cost of mailing, and advise me that $1.00 is for the ash.

Better act fast....There are only 40 thousand tons of the stuff scatered around Ecuador.

Thanks again for all of you who have made a contribution.

Clean-Up Begins In Salasaca Hours After The Big Bang.

Tungurahua Eruption Sale

Because of the lack of tourists in Baños, the artisans from Salasaca who provide many of hand-made items in the shops are finding no market for their products. One of the artisans happens to be Lorenzo, a friend of mine, who came to see me a few days ago and told me that he was not able to sell his work and was thinking of moving to the coast to look for employment. I offered to buy his inventory for the same price that he would get if he sold them to his customer in Baños.
I now have 10 tapestries which represents about a months work. I will now try to sell them at the wholesale price of $22, plus of course the $14.72 which is the cost of delivery to anyplace in the Americas. If you would like to own one of these 1.7 meters x .7 meters all wool walhanginggs and help a hard working entrepreneurur at the same time, just push the button below.

I thank you, and Lorenzo thanks you.

Baños is Ready...When You Are.

Just a week ago the volcano Tungurahua exploded in grand style discharging an estimated 30 to 50 million square meters of material in the form of ash and heavy pyroclastic material and lava which caused the death of four people, injured a dozen more, killed thousands of cattle and other livestock, devastated thousands of acres of prime farm land, burned a number of houses and displaced thousands of people. From one day to the next lives changed drastically and there wasn't much anyone could do about it..

While many areas were changed others received little or no damage. Baños, for instance, received a pelting of small volcanic rocks, but it had very little ash which is the real healt hazardrd. The lighter ash moved west with the winds and left Ambato and other cities to the west covered with up to three inches of the dense material, affecting many with breathing problems and causing damage to the crops and in many cases death to the livestock. A week after the giant eruption the people in Ambato are still wearing masks while the people in Baños are enjoying clear, clean air.

Although Baños is in almost perfect condition it is suffering. I would estimate 99% of its income comes from the tourist, and since there are very few tourists the town is hurting. I did see about 10 young people with backpacks yesterday, but they were the adventure seekers who did not listened to the dire predictions that Tungurahua is ready to blow again at any time. We will just have to wait and see.

The busses are running and even if you would be a little nervous about bedding down for the night....why not take a day trip? After all...the Virgin of the Holy Waters has a perfect record of keeping the town safe.

Back to Cotalo...

On Tuesday I took a trip with two of my frineds from Salasaca to see what was going on on the West side of the Tngurahua Volcano. We hiked from the town of Cotalo across the Chamba River and up to Bilboa. The town was mostly deserted but we did see a few children playing by the church and a few famlies working in the field. There had been some rain the night before so we had no problem with the ash that was everywhere.

From there we went North tword Baños across no-mans land where most of the pryoclatic flow had passed a few weeks ago and into the comunity of Casua. On the South side of the town there is a clear line where the fiery flow passed. On one side it is lush and green on the other is like a dry river bed that streathes more than a kilometer and still smells like a bonfire that had been doused with water. There were large rocks (2' x 2') that had been tossed out of the crater and looked looked like they had been turned to charcole.

The town of Casua was also deserted except for a few people we saw working in the fields. Except for a few minor rumblings the volcano seemed harmless enough even though it was obsured by clouds. We continued on to Baños, arriving late in the afternoon.

It was a great day and I was thinking that the danger was over and if I was one of the misplased persons camping out in the church in Cotalo I would return to my home.

However, on Wednesday there was an increase in the seismic activity and 38 evemts were registered and some 400 explosions....two were very large and windows rattled some 15 kilometers away...so once again in my life I was wrong.

Just In Case You Missed This.

Four villages on the skirts of Tungurahua had to leave their homes because of the risk of more eruptions and the rain of volcanic ash that is as deadly as the lava itself. Many of the people in Cusua lost their crops as well as their livestock. The community of Cosalo across the Chambo River is giving shelter and food to these families whose homes are still at risk. The food is coming from private donations as well as a little help from the government. I would like to do what I can to help provide help and maybe you would like to help as well. One thing that is different here than in many other parts of the world.... one dollar goes a long way. One dollar can feed a family for a day. I have added this "donation button" to make it easy to donate. You have my word that every dollar collected will go directly to the familes who need the help.

Anyone who would like to make a donation for the misplaced people who had to leave their homes on the side of the Tungurahua Volcano you can do so by clicking here.

Thanks for your help.

Trip To Cotalo

A few days ago I visited Cotalo, a small community on the western side of the Tungurahua volcano. This picturesque town sits on a platto with the Chamba River and a narrow valley between it and the volcano. On the Cotalo side of the river the land is lush and green and on the other is a wasteland left after the last serries of eruptions.

I went with a couple of friends from Salasaca and we hiked about two-thirds of the way down to the river but had to return because the ash was getting pretty thick and we did not have masks. Going down was easy but it took us a hour to get back to town. Cotalo is hosting the families who lived on the other side until it is safe to return to their homes. I am going back on Sunday and plan to explore the other side of the river to see first hand the amount of damage to Casua and Bilbao

A Picture Tour Of The Baños Area

A short time after I arrived in Baños, I met a man who was also a new arrival and was living with his wife Yvoone, on the other side of the Pastaza River and about 25km from town. To get to where they were living takes a 25 minute bus ride and a 30 to 45 minute hike depending how much of a load you were toteing.

He came to town several times a month to get supplies and we became friends. He was a photographer by trade and for more than a year we spent many happy hours hiking the countless trails around Baños and the Pastaza Valley. He ended up with hundreds, if not thousands of pictures of the area. J and Yvoone returned to Florida last year and he has started posting a photo-essay of their time in Ecuador. Take a look....You will see why I love this area.

Most of the pictures on this blog were taken by J, and I used to call him my personal photographer. I miss him. The latest word is that he will return. I hope soon because I have some projects in Salasaca and I need him.

Enjoy the fotos.

Tungurahua....Still showing off.

The volcano continues to emit gas and ash at times as high as 7 km. The winds aloft continue to be to the west and southwest so Baños and the nearby city of Ambato have been spared the fallout. The western side of the mountain is still being bombarded.

In the early morning hours there were several large explosions which created lava flows with out any warning. The road from Baños to Penipe has received the a lot of damage. I am not sure if it is passable or not.

Yesterday afternoon all of the businesses closed and a evacuation drill was held. At the present time there is no problems in Baños but the city is ready should an evacuation be necessary. The condition is still "yellow".

A week ago Friday most of the tourist left along with a some of the locals. Most of the locals returned but the tourist went on to other destinations.

The financial loss to the city is enormous.

Everything is Normal in Baños.

As of this morning, with all of the activity of Tungurahua, life goes on as usual. Although Tungurahua Volcano is located only a mile to the north of Baños, the city has been spared from the ash which is a major problem for other comunities close by.

Up-Date on Tungurahua

Yesterday during the day the activity of Tungurahua increased with almost 300 explosions and 26 quakes recorded. There were also reports of some mud flows because of the rains in the area. However in the early evening the activity increasd and for the first time since 1999 that there was significant lava flow.


I was in Ambato last night and although Ambato is about 20 miles or less (as the bird flies) from the volcano we had an impressive view of the eruptions that lasted until around 9:30.

Since the crater is a little off center and faces North, I am sure that we had a view of the lava flow that was not seen in Baños.

The mayor of Baños suggested a voluntary evacaution of the city and many people who had cars left, and many from Ambato and surrounding communities went to Baños to help evacuate friends and relatives. What percentage left...I have no idea but my guess is that it was small.

The big problem is the ash which polutes the air. So far here in Ambato there has been no significant fallout as the prevailing winds have taken it in another direction.

If any of my friends in Baños are reading this, I would appreciate a first hand report of what the feeling was and is, in the city. Please e-mail me at banosecuador@hotmail.com. I will have more info later.

Tungurahua, Spouting Off

Tungurahua has been putting on quite a show the last few weeks, and not since 1999 has there been talk of another evacuation.

The seismic activity continues to increase with more than 100 hundred explosions on some 24 hurs periods, with emissions of gas and ash. The explosions vary in intensity, some strong enough to break windows in nearby villages.

The people living in main risk areas been advised to pay attention to the status reports as the volcano is changing. At night you can see the fiery eruptions when there is a break in the clouds. The fact that the steam emissions create instant clouds does not help the viewing either.
Business is also efffected....Baños is concerned with its tourist business and the other communites are concerned with the health of their livestock and the condition of their produce

Everyone is a little nervious at this time remembering well October 1099.

What is going on at Margarita Ville

As the days and weeks fly by, living in paradise just gets better and better. The project at Margarita Ville can become all consuming....of time, money and energy, and it is a struggle to keep it from becoming an addiction.

Here in the mountains at the equator the days and the night are equal. Well, that is not exactly true. We are located approximately one and a half degrees below so there is a difference of about 30 minutes a year, but it is hardly noticeable. This time of year is typically the rainy season but that too doesn’t change much either throughout the year. It is either raining or it isn’t. For example, the last two days it rained most of the day and night, but this morning dawned with a dense low fog that lifted about 8 AM and was replaced by an almost cloudless sky. You cannot imagine the beauty. A week or so ago there were four or five days without rain. I was beginning to worry that we were heading into a drought, but the next day it rained and didn’t stop for three days.

Yesterday we had a couple of visitors from Great Briton who missed a turn-off outside of Baños and ended up two hours later at Margarita Ville on their 4-wheeler. It had been raining for most of afternoon but they were having a good time. Over coffee we discussed the weather and the consensus was....without the rain it would not be nearly as beautiful.

A typical day here usually starts with a walk with Blaze to the Pastaza River. Blaze is a six month old pup that we were given five months ago. She is a pure bred Ecuadorian and smart. She looks forward to this walk in the mornings and is pretty discussed with me if for some reason I have something else planned. I have never been much of a dog person, but I have to admit this one has changed my mind. As soon as I grab my walking stick she takes off, stopping every few seconds to be sure that I am following. When she is satisfied that we are really on the right path she takes of in earnest. We head down the trail that parallels the Margajita River and she has her 101 places that she has to check out until we reach the clearing that borders the Pastaza.

Blaze, the wonder dog.

Photo by Alex Hernandez

Here she goes crazy. (This is a site where for several years was a gravel and sand operation, providing materials for the construction of the new highway and tunnels connecting Puyo and Baños. Now it is a large flat area covering several thousand square meters that is just starting to return to its original state). As I am walking, she will take off at full speed and run 100 meters and dive into a puddle of water, thrash around for a few seconds and take off again in another direction until she finds her favorite sand pile and dive in, dig like crazy for a minute and then come racing back. If she happens to come up on my blind she will jump on my back as if to tell me to pay attention.

When she was just a couple of months old we walked down to a little pond fed by a nameless creek and she slipped on the loose sand and went sliding down with her front feet straight in front and her back legs dug in to slow her down as she ended up in the water. She was a little shocked at what had happened, looked up at me, shook herself, struggled back up the hill and when I turned around down she came again. Ever since that day, that slide became one of her favorite stops. Since this area was a sand and gravel operation in the past there are still several mountains of sand and gravel left which have become favorites as well.

One more story and then I will move on. One day I was pretending to chase her and she took off at full speed and after 25 yards she did what I can only describe as a pirouette She changed directions without stopping. Going full speed in one direction she raised up on her hind feet, did a 180 degree turn and was heading back to me without loosing any speed. I should change her name to Wonder.

This week we are working on a new entrance and hope to have the swimming pool back in operation. The local people enjoy the pool....for me it just never seems warm enough.