Sunday 24 February 2013

Living the life Ecuador coast

Road Trip


Our friend and neighbor came by and asked if we had been to Cuenca? We responded no, but it is on our list to get there.
Well, Miguel said, "I am going there on business. Would you like to come with me for a few days?"
We responded with a yes and a no! I was able to go, but Evelyn was not due to other commitments.
The day came and went when we had arranged to go to Cuenca, and we had not seen Miguel. One of his workers came to the house with a cell phone asking for our number, which we provided. We then were able to speak to Miguel. He said that he was in another city working on a problem and could not find our number to let us know.
"Are we still on for Thursday?" he asked and I said yes. He said, "I will pick you up at your house at 4 am." He brought his friend with him so they could share the driving. He rang the doorbell at 3:20am and the road trip began.
As we left it was dark and very quiet. Leaving the house, I was attracted to the squeaking noise that the bats were making flying around the palms in the front garden. The streets were empty and there was a nice breeze.
Traveling through La Libertad, the street lights were casting a lifeless glow onto the empty roads. Traffic lights were going through the motions but were ignored as we sped through the city, and onto the freeway heading to Guayaquil.  The lack of traffic was not to last long as we approached the outskirts of Guayaquil. The throng of a major city started to make itself known as the glow in the sky obscured the clear morning sky. The stars and planets said goodbye and, with the glow of the city coming in, the fingers of the day were not far behind. Pausing in Guayaquil for a coffee and a snack, we entered while dark and left in the light of day.
As we left the city, I was entering a whole new part of Ecuador, and I was ready for it. I did not sleep as I was so interested in the different parts that we passed through. Small communities without names littered the roadside and then we entered larger sprawls. This is where I saw that the taxis used there were just like the jitneys used in the Philippines. The land that spread out from the road we were traveling on was flat, flat as a pancake. In the far distance, I could see fingers pointing to the sky with rings of clouds hiding the base. I am reminded of Vietnam and Cambodia.  I was told that we are going over the mountains, and that the area is an ecological reserve.
As we traveled this road, the weather was no different from that of Salinas. Continuing on this road, the trip was punctuated by toll booths. The fee was small, but the roads obviously benefited from this money because they are in great condition, and every kilometer or so they have SOS phones.
If you have been reading the blogs, you will remember that I mentioned that when you pay the toll, on the ticket there is a number to call if you get in trouble. There is still a number on the ticket, but if you are within walking distance of the SOS phones, there is a direct link to the call center that handles emergencies. Because this is a tourist area, they have English speaking operators.
As we entered the park through a toll booth, we very quickly started to climb, and it was not long before we turned off the A/C that was keeping us cool, a radical change from the flat land that we left behind.
We were traveling through lush green vegetation and very steep rock faces where the rock had been cut back to facilitate the road. The road was in very good condition and there were two lanes going up and one coming down. I was not able to sleep because of the excitement traveling to a new location, and because of all the things I had seen to this point.
The steep climb was easily mastered by the diesel truck we were traveling in. With no planned stops going over the mountain, I was only able to take photos through the windscreen or from the passenger window. Going up we had to stop a few times due to rocks on the road, but the crews were on site and moving very fast to clear the road. The sun was bright when it made it through the clouds. As we continued to climb, we saw cascading water coming down shear rock faces, pools of dead still water reflecting the many different cloud formations. Higher still, visibility was restricted by clouds hanging on the hillsides, as the windshield wipers washed over the glass to remove the droplets. In no time again, they had to be used; from time to time, the mist turned to rain.
I sat there, my head swiveling from side to side, taking in as much as I could, the occasional shiver  going through my body, as I am in awe of where I am.
As we descended the other side towards Cuenca, Miguel used breaks and gears to reduce speed for a jerky ride, but no less spectacular.
Like a beacon, the city of Cuenca was shining as it was being bathed in sunlight. We still had some way to go, as I watched the shifting clouds changing the light that fell on the countryside. I could imagine myself in many different places, the misty mountains of Mordor, the Pennines, and other such places that have baulked at time. 
As we approached Cuenca, buildings became more visible and a haze hung over the city, very similar to that which I have seen over Los Angeles. We had exited the park and were seeing more buildings on both sides of the road. The condition of this road was very poor with many potholes and speed bumps.
High rise buildings could be seen. I was told that there are many high condo buildings in Cuenca. As we made our way to the old town, we passed many construction sites; in the city, the roads were much better, but the streets became narrower.
We parked in a parking garage close to the main square. From there, we walked around. The first thoughts I had were that the old part of town was very much like that of Macau, which was built by the Portuguese. The streets and the architecture were reminiscent of that city.
(Average height of Cuenca is 8,000 ft. or 2,550 meters with a population of 350,000).
We had breakfast in a very nice little restaurant off the main square and pottered around the various markets. I enjoyed the flower market and the garden squares, popped into the Cathedral and had a good look around. Outside there was a guy playing the harp.
There is a double decker open top bus that leaves from outside the Cathedral and tours around most of the sites that visitors would like to see.  The open top deck provides a good vantage point. With
all this walking and all the traffic, I was tired and found it hard to breathe, I think, partly from the altitude and compounded by the pollution given off by all the traffic.
We left the old town and drove around to look at some of the other major buildings in the city. Then, we went on to the Rio Del Sol, a shopping center that could rival many in the US and Canada.
Cuenca is a place that has a lot going for it. It has moved to accommodate the influx of tourists and foreigners that want to stay and live there.
Cuenca has beauty and an attraction that will continue to bring many people there for various reasons. For me, I have no desire to live in this city, as the level of pollution is such that I would not be comfortable. But for the short time I was in the city, I did enjoy what I was able to see and experience.

Background.


Cuenca, capital of the province of Azuay, is located in the sierra of the Andes in the Austro or southern region of Ecuador. It is approximately nine hours south of Quito and four hours east of Guayaquil. The city ranges from 2,350 to 2,550 meters above sea level.
The dominant features of the city's geography are also the source of its name in Spanish: the four rivers of Cuenca (meaning a basin made by a confluence of rivers). These rivers are the Tomebamba (named after the Cañari culture), Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara, in order of importance. The first three of these rivers originate in the Páramo of Parque Nacional Cajas to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the Amazon river watershed. Cuenca is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with passes to the west, south and east.

This month


February 25 Return to Top of Page
Birthday - Millicent Fenwick (1910-1992) was born in New York City. She championed liberal causes, serving as a member of the U.N. General Assembly and as a U.S. Congresswoman.
February 26
February 26, 1848 - The Communist Manifesto pamphlet was published by two young socialists, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It advocated the abolition of all private property and a system in which workers own all means of production, land, factories and machinery.
February 26, 1994 - Political foes of Russian President Boris Yeltsin were freed by a general amnesty granted by the new Russian Parliament.
Birthday - American frontiersman "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846-1917) was born in Scott County, Indiana. He claimed to have killed over 4,000 buffalo within 17 months. He became world famous through his Wild West show which traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe for 30 years.
February 27
February 27, 1950 - The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, limiting the president to two terms or a maximum of ten years in office.
February 27, 1991 - In Desert Storm, the 100-hour ground war ended as Allied troops entered Kuwait just four days after launching their offensive against Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces.
Birthday - American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was born in Portland, Maine. Best known for Paul Revere's RideThe Song of Hiawatha, and The Wreck of the Hesperus.
February 28
February 28, 1844 - During a demonstration of naval fire power, one of the guns aboard the USSPrinceton exploded, killing several top U.S. government officials on the steamer ship, and narrowly missed killing President John Tyler.
February 28, 1986 - Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme (1927-1986) was assassinated in Stockholm while exiting a movie theater with his wife.
February 28, 1994 - NATO conducted its first combat action in its 45 year history as four Bosnian Serb jets were shot down by American fighters in a no-fly zone.
March 1
March 1, 1781 - Formal ratification of the Articles of Confederation was announced by Congress. Under the Articles, Congress was the sole governing body of the new American national government, consisting of the 13 original states. The Articles remained in effect through theRevolutionary War until 1789, when the current U.S. Constitution was adopted.
March 1, 1932 - The 20-month-old son of aviation pioneer Charles A. Lindbergh was kidnapped from his home in Hopewell, New Jersey. The Lindberghs then paid a $50,000 ransom. However, on May 12, the boy's body was found in a wooded area a few miles from the house.
March 1, 1961 - President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps, an organization sending young American volunteers to developing countries to assist with health care, education and other basic human needs.
March 1, 1974 - Seven former high-ranking officials of the Nixon White House were indicted for conspiring to obstruct the investigation into the Watergate break-in. Among those indicted; former chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, former top aide John Ehrlichman, and former attorney general John Mitchell.
Birthday - American band leader Glenn Miller (1904-1944) was born in Carilinda, Iowa. His music gained enormous popularity during the 1940's through recordings such as Moonlight Serenade andString of Pearls. On December 15, 1944, his plane disappeared over the English Channel while en route to Paris where he was scheduled to perform.
March 2
March 2, 1943 - During World War II in the Pacific, a Japanese convoy was attacked by 137 American bombers as the Battle of Bismarck Sea began. The convoy included eight destroyers and eight transports carrying 7,000 Japanese soldiers heading toward New Guinea. Four destroyers and all eight transports were sunk, resulting in 3,500 Japanese drowned, ending Japanese efforts to send reinforcements to New Guinea.
Birthday - American soldier and politician Sam Houston (1793-1863) was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia. As a teenager he ran away and joined the Cherokee Indians who accepted him as a member of their tribe. He later served as a Congressman and Governor of Tennessee. In 1832, he became commander of the Texan army in the War for Texan Independence, defeating the larger Mexican army in 1836 at the Battle of San Jacinto. He then served as Senator and Governor of the new state of Texas but was removed in 1861 after refusing to swear allegiance to the Confederacy.
March 3
March 3, 1913 - A women's suffrage march in Washington D.C. was attacked by angry onlookers while police stood by. The march occurred the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration. Many of the 5,000 women participating were spat upon and struck in the face as a near riot ensued. Secretary of War Henry Stimson then ordered soldiers from Fort Myer to restore order.
Birthday - Railroad car builder George Pullman (1831-1897) was born in Brocton, New York. He improved railroad sleeping accommodations, developing the folding upper berth and lower berth designs. His company went on to become the biggest railroad car building organization in the world.
Birthday - Telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Bell and his father were involved in teaching deaf persons to speak. Bell developed an interest in the vibrating membrane as a method of electrically transmitting sounds. His very first sentence spoken on the newly invented telephone on March 10, 1876, was to his assistant, "Mister Watson, come here, I want you."

Friday 15 February 2013

Living the Life Ecuador Coast

Carnival









Over the last week we have had four days of Carnival. 
 Now, my understanding of Carnival is that of Brazil and New Orleans, where people dress up, build floats, dance in the streets, and have fun.
Not so here, except for the fun.
Here, they come in by bus, car, motorcycle, taxi- anyway they can get here. The streets are full of people, and the beaches are so crowded with umbrellas and shade stands that you have a hard time seeing the beach. I was up at 5am on the first day of Carnival, thought I would take the dogs down to the beach before it got busy. Too late! People were making their way to the beach at that time of the morning, so we kept the dogs at our house for the period of the Carnival. We stayed away from the beach in favor of our pool.
The big food stores had packed as much food and drinks on the shelves as they could. Check out lines were longer than usual, and that could mean an hour plus wait.
The theme of Carnival here is water and foam. It seems that traditionally, people throw water at their friends and strangers that come close or pass by. Now the water was packaged in balloons, water pistols, and foam in cans, cans that contain compressed gas, so, when activated, they shoot a stream of  foam. I have seen people that had been foamed and cars covered in foam. When walking on the malecon, it was difficult not to be sprayed in foam or splashed with water, and this went on for four days.
After the four days when the people returned to their homes, the cleaning crews came out, and what a great job they did.
I am not able to tell you how many people filled Salinas for those four days, but I can tell you that there was not one room vacant in the hotels and hostels.
Apart from the pickpockets, the odd drunken person, and a few car accidents, the incidents of trouble were few. These people wanted to spend time with their families, enjoy food, and soak people with water and foam. What a pleasant, but crowded time.
Maybe we will see you here next year for Carnival?     





This month


Birthday - Entertainer and politician Sonny Bono (1935-1998) was born in Detroit, Michigan. Following a career as a popular singer, he became mayor of Palm Springs, California, then became a Republican congressman, serving until his accidental death from a skiing mishap.
February 17
February 17, 1865 - During the American Civil War, Fort Sumter in South Carolina was returned to the Union after nearly a year and a half under Confederate control. The fort had been the scene of the first shots of the war.
February 17, 1909 - Apache Chief Geronimo (1829-1909) died while in captivity at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He had led a small group of warriors on raids throughout Arizona and New Mexico. Caught once, he escaped. The U.S. Army then sent 5,000 men to recapture him.
February 18
Birthday - American politician Wendell Willkie (1892-1944) was born in Elwood, Illinois. He was the Republican nominee for president in 1940, running against Franklin D. Roosevelt.
February 19
February 19, 1942 - Internment of Japanese Americans began after President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order requiring those living on the Pacific coast to report for relocation. Over 110,000 persons therefore shut down their businesses, sold off their property, quit school and moved inland to the relocation centers.
Birthday - Astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) was born in Torun, Poland. Considered the founder of modern astronomy, he theorized that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system.
February 20 Return to Top of Page
February 20, 1943 - German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel broke through American lines at Kasserine Pass in North Africa as inexperienced U.S. Troops lost their first major battle of World War II in Europe, with 1,000 Americans killed.
February 20, 1962 - Astronaut John Glenn became the first American launched into orbit. Traveling aboard the "Friendship 7" spacecraft, Glenn reached an altitude of 162 miles (260 kilometers) and completed three orbits in a flight lasting just under five hours. Glenn was the third American in space, preceded by Alan Shepard and Virgil “Gus” Grissom who had each completed short sub-orbital flights. All of them had been preceded by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin who was the first human in space, completing one orbit on April 12, 1961 - a feat that intensified the already ongoing Space Race between the Russians and Americans. Glenn’s successful flight showed the Americans had caught up and was followed in September 1962 by President John F. Kennedy’s open call to land an American on the moon before the decade’s end.



Wednesday 13 February 2013

Living the Life Ecuador Coast


Know where you are going and be fit when you get there.

Points of a compass 
Strength and Conditioning Classes


Ron Neagle, Instructor


Ron Neagle is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who is well versed in the striking arts and take downs as well. 
 The classes have their foundation in punching/kicking movements as well as stretching and yoga exercises. 
 (There is NO contact made doing these movements, and anyone can do the movements, regardless of age or training experience.)  
Classes are designed to build coordination, strength, and endurance.
  Proper punching/kicking techniques are taught for personal knowledge and interest.
  Everyone is encouraged to work to their own ability level for individual improvement.
  For those looking for a more vigorous fight regimen that would include real take downs (jiu-jitsu and striking), those classes are developing and will be available in both group and private lessons. 
 Ron has taught martial arts since 2005. 
 The school organization where Ron taught put 7 fighters in the UFC’s T.V. show.
  Ron also taught jiu-jitsu to military Special Operations personnel as a contractor at MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida.  

Classes are held at the Sin Bar upstairs at 8:30 am Monday through Friday for one hour.  Come out and have fun and get fit at the same time!!


Mats and workout area

Sin Bar is hosting the classes

Instructor and student

Providing instruction

Look this way for a complete demonstration!


He did not fall off his mono cycle.


Cost of the classes
                              The cost is $15 per month per person for conditioning and strength.

                               Martial arts training will be group or private instruction based
Private lessons  are $15.00 per hour for one, $10.00 per person for two persons an hour.

                                Group lessons may be purchased by a group of 4 or more at $25.00 each person, for a batch of 20 sessions.

Class size is limited to 12 -14 students on the day.





Strength and Conditioning Classes
Instructor,  Ron Neagle






This month


February 13, 1635 - Boston Latin School, the first tax-payer supported (public) school in America was established in Boston, Massachusetts.
February 13, 1945 - During World War II in Europe, British and American planes began massive bombing raids on Dresden, Germany. A four-day firestorm erupted that was visible for 200 miles and engulfed the historic old city, killing an estimated 135,000 German civilians.
Birthday - American artist Grant Wood (1892-1942) was born near Anamosa, Iowa. Best known for his painting American Gothic featuring a farm couple.
February 14
February 14th - Celebrated as (Saint) Valentine's Day around the world, now one of the most widely observed unofficial holidays in which romantic greeting cards and gifts are exchanged.
February 14, 1849 - Photographer Mathew Brady took the first photograph of a U.S. President in office, James Polk.
February 14, 1929 - The St. Valentine's Day massacre occurred in Chicago as seven members of the Bugs Moran gang were gunned down by five of Al Capone's mobsters posing as police.
February 15 Return to Top of Page
February 15, 1898 - In Havana, the U.S. Battleship Maine was blown up while at anchor and quickly sank with 260 crew members lost. The incident inflamed public opinion in the U.S., resulting in a declaration of war against Spain on April 25, 1898, amid cries of "Remember the Maine!"
February 15, 1933 - An assassination attempt on newly elected U.S. President Franklin D. Rooseveltoccurred in Miami, Florida. A spectator deflected the gunman's aim. As a result, Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was shot and killed instead. The gunman, an Italian immigrant, was captured and later sentenced to death.
February 15, 1989 - Soviet Russia completed its military withdrawal from Afghanistan after nine years of unsuccessful involvement in the civil war between Muslim rebel groups and the Russian-backed Afghan government. Over 15,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in the fighting.
Birthday - Astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was born in Pisa, Italy. He was the first astronomer to use a telescope and advanced the theory that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system.
Birthday - Inventor Cyrus McCormick (1809-1884) was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He invented the horse-drawn mechanical reaper, a machine that freed farmers from hard labor and contributed to the development and cultivation of vast areas of the American Great Plains.
Birthday - Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) was born in Adams, Massachusetts. A pioneer in women's rights, she worked tirelessly for woman's suffrage (right to vote) and in 1872 was arrested after voting (illegally) in the presidential election. She was commemorated in 1979 with the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin, thus became the first American woman to have her image on a U.S. coin.
February 16
Birthday - Entertainer and politician Sonny Bono (1935-1998) was born in Detroit, Michigan. Following a career as a popular singer, he became mayor of Palm Springs, California, then became a Republican congressman, serving until his accidental death from a skiing mishap.
February 17
February 17, 1865 - During the American Civil War, Fort Sumter in South Carolina was returned to the Union after nearly a year and a half under Confederate control. The fort had been the scene of the first shots of the war.
February 17, 1909 - Apache Chief Geronimo (1829-1909) died while in captivity at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He had led a small group of warriors on raids throughout Arizona and New Mexico. Caught once, he escaped. The U.S. Army then sent 5,000 men to recapture him.



Friday 8 February 2013

Living the life Ecuador coast

New kid on the block

Open day


San Lorenzo is fast becoming the place for great food and a place to hang out. Common Grounds is the latest place where you can hang out, grab a bite, and have a cup of coffee.
Shari Sauer is running the place with her husband, Jim. When I spoke to them, I was told that it is like a "Dunkin Donuts". Their hours that they are open are long, and if you want to know what they are they are posted by the entrance I was told.
They will be serving at the weekends a buffet, 

Some of their first customers


comfortable seating inside

Customers with one of the owners


Friendly counter area for taking orders


This month



February 8, 1587
 - Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay, England, after 19 years as a prisoner of Queen Elizabeth I. She became entangled in the complex political events surrounding the Protestant Reformation in England and was charged with complicity in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth.
February 8, 1910 - The Boy Scouts of America was founded by William Boyce in Washington, D.C., modeled after the British Boy Scouts.
Birthday - Union Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891) was born in Lancaster, Ohio.
February 9
February 9, 1943 - During World War II in the Pacific, U.S. troops captured Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands after six months of battle, with 9,000 Japanese and 2,000 Americans killed.
Birthday - William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) the 9th U.S. President was born in Berkeley, Virginia. He took office on March 4, 1841 and died only 32 days later after developing pneumonia from the cold weather during his inaugural ceremonies.
February 10 Return to Top of Page
February 10, 1942 - The first Medal of Honor during World War II was awarded to 2nd Lt. Alexander Nininger (posthumously) for heroism during the Battle of Bataan.
February 10, 1967 - The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, clarifying the procedures for presidential succession in the event of the disability of a sitting president.
February 11
February 11th - Celebrated in Japan as the founding date of the Japanese nation, which occurred with the accession to the throne of the first Emperor, Jimmu, in 660 BC.
February 11, 1929 - Italian dictator Benito Mussolini granted political independence to Vatican City and recognized the sovereignty of the Pope (Holy See) over the area, measuring about 110 acres.
February 11, 1990 - In South Africa, Nelson Mandela, at age 71, was released from prison after serving 27 years of a life sentence on charges of attempting to overthrow the apartheid government. In April 1994, he was elected president in the first all-race elections.
February 11, 2011 - In Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak resigned amid a massive protest calling for his ouster. Thousands of young Egyptians and others had protested non-stop for 18 days in Cairo, Alexandria and elsewhere. Mubarak had ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years, functioning as a virtual dictator.
Birthday - American inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931) was born in Milan, Ohio. Throughout his lifetime he acquired over 1,200 patents including the incandescent bulb, phonograph and movie camera. Best known for his quote, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

Monday 4 February 2013

Living the Life Ecuador Coast

Down came the Rain

Well, we are into the new year and the rainy season. As you can see, as you sachet down the malecon, it has not deterred the hardy from enjoying the delights of Salinas beach.
I do hope that if you have expensive equipment in your homes, they are protected from electrical surges, as we see that the electric power is far from stable at this time of the year.
The high humidity and the lack of wind can make the days a bit uncomfortable, but you are still able to enjoy the comforts of your choice of country that you have picked to retire in.

Here are some images of the power company working on the infrastructure of the power grid in Salinas, replacing transformers and making good connections where needed. Some of the power outages are planned for maintenance. The power company is doing a great job and is very quick to respond to issues as they occur.  













This February is special,
 as it is not only Festival month, but on February 17th is the general election.


All of you who have taken the big step and been granted your residency here in Ecuador and have your cedula are given the opportunity to vote.

Have you seen the people sitting outside the Paseo and Supermaxi that have a desk and large book in front of them?

This is where you can have your cedula number checked. If you are on the list, they will tell you where to vote. Voting is optional, and takes place in the area that you registered in.

From the election committee, "voting is optional, but if you are on the list, it is better for you if you do vote." 

Well, you have the opportunity to be involved in the election process of the country that you are now calling home.
For me, this is a very exciting part of living in a country where you can stand up and be counted. There are so many places in the world that do not allow this practice to take place.
Think of all the struggles that went on in the country that you have come from to give you the right to cast a vote in an election that could change the course of the country.
Ecuador has offered you a chance to be not only a resident, but be a part of the system that molds the country that you now call home.
I hope that you will take advantage of this and further stamp your belief in the country that you now call home. Cast your vote.



Ecuadorian General Election, 2013
NO ALCOHOL CAN BE PURCHASED / SOLD, OR SERVED
FEBRUARY 14TH – 17TH, 2013
    

This Month

February 5, 1917 - The new constitution of Mexico, allowing for sweeping social changes, was adopted.
February 6
February 6, 1788 - Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the new U.S. Constitution, by a vote of 187 to 168.
February 6, 1933 - The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted. It set the date for the Presidential Inauguration as January 20th, instead of the old date of March 4th. It also sets January 3rd as the official opening date of Congress.
February 6, 1952 - King George VI of England died. Upon his death, his daughter Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Her actual coronation took place on June 2, 1953.
Birthday - Aaron Burr (1756-1836) was born in Newark, New Jersey. In 1804, Vice President Burr challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel over Hamilton's negative remarks and mortally wounded him. Burr was later tried for treason over allegations he was planning to invade Mexico as part of a scheme to establish his own empire in the Southwest, but was acquitted.
Birthday - Legendary baseball player George Herman "Babe" Ruth (1895-1948) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Ruth held or shared 60 Major League records, including pitching 29 consecutive scoreless innings and hitting 714 home runs.
Birthday - Ronald Reagan, (1911-2004) the 40th U.S. President, was born in Tampico, Illinois. Reagan spent 30 years as an entertainer in radio, film, and television before becoming governor of California in 1966. Elected to the White House in 1980, he survived an assassination attempt and became the most popular president since Franklin Roosevelt.
February 7
February 7, 1795 - The 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, limiting the powers of the Federal Judiciary over the states by prohibiting Federal lawsuits against individual states.
Birthday - Thomas More (1478-1535) was born in London, England. He was a lawyer, scholar, and held the title Lord Chancellor of England. As a devout Catholic, he refused to acknowledge the divorce of King Henry VIII from Queen Catherine, thereby refusing to acknowledge the King's religious supremacy. He was charged with treason, found guilty and beheaded in 1535, with his head then displayed from Tower Bridge. Four hundred years later, in 1935, he was canonized by Pope Pius XI.
Birthday - British novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was born in Portsmouth, England. He examined social inequalities through his works including; David CopperfieldOliver Twist, andNicholas Nickleby. In 1843, he wrote A Christmas Carol in just a few weeks, an enormously popular work even today.
Birthday - American social critic and novelist Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) was born in Sauk Center, Minnesota. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1930. His works include; Main Street,Babbit, and It Can't Happen Here.
February 8
February 8, 1587 - Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay, England, after 19 years as a prisoner of Queen Elizabeth I. She became entangled in the complex political events surrounding the Protestant Reformation in England and was charged with complicity in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth.
February 8, 1910 - The Boy Scouts of America was founded by William Boyce in Washington, D.C., modeled after the British Boy Scouts.
Birthday - Union Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891) was born in Lancaster, Ohio.
February 9
February 9, 1943 - During World War II in the Pacific, U.S. troops captured Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands after six months of battle, with 9,000 Japanese and 2,000 Americans killed.
Birthday - William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) the 9th U.S. President was born in Berkeley, Virginia. He took office on March 4, 1841 and died only 32 days later after developing pneumonia from the cold weather during his inaugural ceremonies.
February 10 Return to Top of Page
February 10, 1942 - The first Medal of Honor during World War II was awarded to 2nd Lt. Alexander Nininger (posthumously) for heroism during the Battle of Bataan.
February 10, 1967 - The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, clarifying the procedures for presidential succession in the event of the disability of a sitting president.
February 11
February 11th - Celebrated in Japan as the founding date of the Japanese nation, which occurred with the accession to the throne of the first Emperor, Jimmu, in 660 BC.



Saturday 2 February 2013

Living the Life Ecuador Coast

Salt, Sand, and Sea




On this day, we went on a tour out to the Punta Carnero coast road, where we were able to see the wild waves, birds fishing, big red crabs running on the beach, and fishing boats bringing back their catch.
This was a beautiful day for the tour. The bright blue sky contrasted against the white of the salt, the shimmering sea water droplets refracting the light as the spray from the waves crashed against the beach.
One thing that I was not prepared for was the quiet. When we ascended the salt road and stood on the top of the salt hill, the noise from the waves could not be heard. The only sound was the wind and birds above us in the sky. Salinas, in the distance, was shimmering as the reflected heat was rising from the salt.
I was surprised that given the amount of salt, there are still signs of wild life, living on or off the salt ponds and hills.
Check out the video. I had some fun making it and you will get to see San Lorenzo and some of the Malecon from a different view point. Enjoy!  

Punta Carnero beach


Wild life


Wild life alongside the salt ponds

Drainage ditch in front of the salt ponds


Weigh scales in front of a salt hill

Hills of salt

On the left, recovered salt; on the right, a salt pond


Salinas in the background. A working salt pond 

Climbing a salt road

Say 'salt' !

Salt ponds

It takes about a year for a pond to dry up





Tour bus

Say 'salt' !

Bye, salt. Will use you soon.


This month

February 1
February 1, 1960 - In Greensboro, North Carolina, four African American students sat down and ordered coffee at a lunch counter inside a Woolworth's store. They were refused service, but did not leave. Instead, they waited all day. The scene was repeated over the next few days, with protests spreading to other southern states, resulting in the eventual arrest of over 1,600 persons for participating in sit-ins.
February 1, 2003 - Sixteen minutes before it was scheduled to land, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart in flight over west Texas, killing all seven crew members. The accident may have resulted from damage caused during liftoff when a piece of insulating foam from the external fuel tank broke off, piercing a hole in the shuttle's left wing that allowed hot gases to penetrate the wing upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. This was the second space shuttle lost in flight. In January 1986, Challenger exploded during liftoff.
Birthday - Hattie Caraway (1878-1950) the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, was born in Bakersville, Tennessee. Her husband became the U.S. Senator from Arkansas. Following his death in 1931, she filled the remainder of his term, then was elected herself, serving a total of 14 years.
Birthday - Hollywood director John Ford (1895-1973) was born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Known for The Grapes of Wrath and The Searchers, he also served in World War II as chief of the Photographic Unit of OSS, and earned two Academy Awards for documentaries made during the war.
February 2
February 2, 1848 - The war between the U.S. and Mexico ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In exchange for $15 million, the U.S. acquired the areas encompassing parts or all of present day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas. The treaty was ratified on March 10, 1848.
February 2, 1990 - In South Africa, the 30-year-old ban on the African National Congress was lifted by President F.W. de Klerk, who also promised to free Nelson Mandela and remove restrictions on political opposition groups.
Birthday - Irish novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941) was born in Dublin, Ireland. His works include; DublinersA Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManUlysses, and Finegan's Wake.
February 3
February 3, 1865 - A four-hour peace conference occurred between President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens at Hampton Roads, Virginia. The meeting was unsuccessful as President Lincoln insisted there could be no armistice until the Confederates acknowledged Federal authority. The Confederates wanted an armistice first. Thus the Civil War continued.
February 3, 1870 - The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing the right of citizens to vote, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
February 3, 1913 - The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting Congress the authority to collect income taxes.
February 3, 1943 - An extraordinary act of heroism occurred in the icy waters off Greenland after the U.S. Army transport ship Dorchester was hit by a German torpedo and began to sink rapidly. When it became apparent there were not enough life jackets, four U.S. Army chaplains on board removed theirs, handed them to frightened young soldiers, and chose to go down with the ship while praying.
Birthday - The first female physician in the U.S., Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) was born near Bristol, England. As a girl, her family moved to New York State. She was awarded her MD by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York, in 1849. She then established a hospital in New York City run by an all-female staff. She was also active in training women to be nurses for service in the American Civil War.
Birthday - American artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) was born in New York City. Best known for depicting ordinary scenes from small town American life for the covers of Saturday Evening Post magazine.
February 4
February 4, 1861 - Apache Chief Cochise was arrested in Arizona by the U.S. Army for raiding a ranch. Cochise then escaped and declared war, beginning the period known as the Apache Wars, which lasted 25 years.
February 4, 1985 - Twenty countries in the United Nations signed a document entitled "Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment."
Birthday - Thaddeus Kosciusko (1746-1817) was born in Poland. He served in the American Revolution, building the first fortifications at West Point. He then returned to Poland and fought against a Russian invasion.
Birthday - Aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974) was born in Detroit, Michigan. He made the first non-stop solo flight from New York to Paris, May 20-21, 1927.