Living the Life Ecuador coast

Hot news

There is a change coming to the phone numbers we use to call within Ecuador; this is what I have.

Hi All !

Eduardo forwarded this over to me, just in case you are not aware of the phone change, you all need to know it  will happen on Sept. 30th.  You will need to add the extra " 9 " in manually to each cell phone number you call.  I know, pain in the butt, but welcome to Ecuador!

PLEASE pass this info along to others, as for sure I know I've missed some people.

Patti Arnold

Whale activity

Whale activity is along the coast line of Salinas. Whales can be seen without the aid of binoculars; they can be seen as close as 1.5 km from the shore. Bird activity is also high out at the Chocolatera. You can see seals and dolphins-this is a great place to be for the bounty of wild life that we share this land with.

With the cooler weather and the higher tides, the beaches have been littered with more debris than usual. Algae and seaweed have been landing in large amounts; the beach cleaning crews are doing a great job.

Here is the local tow service

American football season is underway 

The American football season and soccer season are conflicting, but there is room for both. The sports bars down here are clearly divided as to which sport they are promoting.

Score Bar is the place to be for college and NFL games, and every other sports bar in Salinas is where you go to watch soccer.

Road repairs

As you know the main roads are under repair. The blowknox machines have dug out large trenches for some weeks now. I did see a crew sweeping out the trenches, but for some reason they have still not filled them in to make the road good again.

Do not judge the day by the harvest you have collected, but by the seeds you've planted.

Robert Louis Stevenson 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894

This month in 1620, Pilgrims sailed from England in the 

Mayflower to the new world, now known as the USA.

Here is another thing I like about Salinas.

There are no parking problems. 

Living the Life Ecuador coast

The season is over!

Now that all the schools have gone back, the streets, beaches, and Malecon are empty. The nightly fireworks and the constant boom! boom! of the palpable music filling the night air has subsided for now.

Taxis are moving slower, and the check out lines are moving faster; vendors open later and the cleaning crews finish early.

As the seasons change here in Salinas, the ships waiting to pick up oil and the fishing boats are still there. The ocean still provides its bounty, the sun peaks out from time to time.

 It feels like Salinas is taking in a big breath, a sigh, stretching out - getting ready to relax and prepare for the next people season. The weather season has been mixed this year, and it is unclear what is in store for Salinas, but this feels like a time to reflect and relax.

But not for too long, because the high season is coming. This is when the streets will fill once again and the pace of life picks up. What to expect? Noise!!!!! Many people, fast taxis, garbage and cleaning crews working overtime to keep the place clean.  Enjoy your snooze. 

Independent film 

As a film maker, I watch a lot of films because I enjoy watching films and I get inspiration from other peoples' work. Not all films are good; some stand out and some I do not remember, but this one caught my eye. Here is a link to that film. Hope that you enjoy it.

http://shootingpeople.org/watch/107610/a-new-day

Ecuador- Medicating yourself 

You probably have not thought about it coming from a country where medical care is the best in the world as long as you have deep pockets. Here in Ecuador, health care is good. But before you get there, most start to treat themselves. Here is an example of an herbal treatment that a lot of Americans are addicted to- coffee, it is a stimulant, it contains caffeine, a pick me up.

Coffee can also open the bronchial passages, help in the treatment congestion of the chest and provide relief for asthmatics, and help you get over the common cold. There have been studies carried out recently that have indicated that coffee helps prevent gallstones and may help fight against Parkinson's disease, and it boosts the pain relieving power of Ibuprofen. 

Here is another popular drink that is in common use, Coca-Cola, a brand known all over the world. But when John Pemberton back in 1886 developed this drink, it was for different reasons. He claimed that it was a cure for alcoholism, it could strengthen the heart, aid in digestion, and reduce fatigue.

Ginger ale- this drink has been around for a long time. If you are a cook, you use Ginger all the time, and it has been used for the treatment of an upset stomach, as a hangover tonic, motion sickness, and vomiting.

Strong waves after the tsunami warning

Speed 

The police are out in force passing out pamphlets stating that if you are caught speeding you will go to jail, and if you are caught drinking and driving you will spend 3 days in jail pay a $260.00 fine and get 3 points on your licence.

I have not seen any reduction in speed of the taxis or buses, I am told that it applies to everyone.

This is a bird that caught his reflection in our window in the back yard.

Living the Life Ecuador coast

Back on the Blog

I know that it has been some time since I published a blog. That has been due to the remodel of our house.  The last five weeks have been very stressful, but the result has been worth the hassle of not being able to live in the house while the remodel was under way.

The next issue is furnishing the new space which we will do together. Hopefully, we find what we have in mind for the space, but unfortunately we have to travel out of Salinas to get the choice we are looking for.

 From this 

To this

Labor Day

The American holiday called Labor Day has been celebrated since 1894 and is honoring the many unnamed workers that have worked to produce labor laws that protect workers across all fields of work.

This is what separates the US and other countries from the poor regard for workers that we complain about in other countries. They produce products cheaper and faster, but without regard for the health, welfare and safety  of the workers they employ.

So on this day, spare a thought  for not only how this holiday came about, but also for the gradual erosion of workers’ rights.  The people that are not able to find employment  in their field as a result of their skills being exported to a country that has no worker's rights.

Score Bar

On a lighter note, Score Bar run by Wendy and Will had a meal to celebrate Labor  Day, where they provided the meat and attendees brought a dish. It was well attended and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Taxi

The taxi company off the Malecon called Ruta  Del Sol is trying to take advantage of the influx of visitors by increasing the price of a taxi from $35.00 to $45.00, when there has been no increase in the cost of fuel or labor.

We recently went to the office to get a taxi to Guayaquil and they asked for $45.00. We said "no" and said that we would take the bus, and started to walk out, when they said, "OK, $35.00".

Tsunami  

September 5, 2012 there was an earthquake off the coast of Costa Rica on the Pacific side. This prompted a tsunami alert along the coast of the Americas, which included Ecuador. A notice went out stating that you should be ready to evacuate to higher ground.

Shortly after this, a notice went out stating the alert was lifted. So be ready; have a disaster pack ready with essentials and have a plan.

Emergency Supplies:
Water, food, and clean air are important things to have if an emergency happens. Each family or individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents.

Recommended Supplies to Include in a Basic Kit:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First Aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant
- Moist  towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

This is just a sample. If you have medications, wear glasses, need insulin, or a special diet, rotate these items through your pack once a month.

Help may not be around for a few days, so as the scouts say, be prepared.

This month in 1766 there was an English scientist borne by the name of John Dalton, English meteorologist and chemist, a pioneer in the development of modern atomic theory.

How many times have you put down your keys, and when you are just about to leave you spend the next ten minuets looking for them?

Well try this, get a length of elastic ( you know the type that holds up your nickers) tie one end to the key ring and tie the other end to the zipper on your purse, or for men tie the end to the belt loop above your pocket.