Upcycling My (ordinary) Life!: Ecuadorable Ecuador!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Ecuadorable Ecuador!

It's been SO LONG since I posted...I've been a bad blogger...I've been told I might even go to blogger hell...oh well...onward. Today I received an e-mail from an old friend...LOVED it...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the things you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain

So, in the early stages of my dotage, I'm exploring, dreaming and discovering! The main news is that I've emigrated. As part of my journey of "Upcycling my Ordinary Life," I left my home of several decades...in the beautiful eastern Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and am now living in the beautiful old colonial city of Cuenca, high up in the Cajas Mountains...part of the Andes range...in the tiny country of Ecuador. You can see it here...the little blue country, between Peru and Colombia. (If your eyes are as decrepit as mine, just click on any photo for a larger image)

I've been here seventeen weeks altogether, and am as smitten as the day I first arrived on my exploratory trip...one of the best honeymoon periods I've ever had! <g> I sold or gave away everything in Nova Scotia except seventy boxes of assorted treasures...primarily family things and hobby supplies, which will be shipped from Montreal as soon as my residency is finalized. I've planted my little garden, have settled into my new house in a predominantly Spanish community (see previous posts...will update with new photos soon), have met some wonderful people (Cuencanas and ex-pats alike), am taking Spanish lessons (OOOOHHH me nerves!), have travelled to the Pacific Coast, and my social life is busier than it was in my twenties! There's a very active ex-pat community here, with organized gatherings going on every day of the week...LOVIN' this retirement thing, and SO looking forward to exploring more, and to getting involved in my old hobbies again.

I have SO MANY photos and stories to share, but today's post is ALL ABOUT THE BEACH! In Cuenca, where I live, at 8300 feet above sea level, the temperatures are moderate...up to the low seventies in the afternoons (wonderful climate for gardening) and drop quickly at night, making for SUCH comfortable sleep. I chose this area precisely for that reason. The older I get, the more heat-intolerant I have become.

BUT...you can't live in South America and NOT go to the beaches...sooo...off to the coast we go! We travelled to a surfers' paradise town called Montanita, which is about six hours drive from Cuenca, and a couple of hours from the port city of Guayaquil. We stayed in a beach house, where the only noise was the sound of the pounding surf...well...and one other...keep reading...

This was the view from my bedroom window, on the second floor of the house...

You just never know what you'll see out that window...it's a "working beach..."

Fish...caught in the mornings, served at lunch...

Here's some of the scenery on the quiet part of "our beach," where I'll go again in September and December and January with visiting Canadian family and friends. This is the house we stayed in for this trip, but I've found another, further down the beach...with AIR CONDITIONING!! Be still my heart!

The first floor patio

The view outside the gate, where we'd sit and sip our coffee in the morning:

The house...

Young love...

Aaaahhh bliss...

I enjoyed swimming here EVERY SINGLE DAY...just a little warmer than the Atlantic <g>

Other typical beach houses...

We partied and ate and shopped in a small eclectic enclave in the town...drank Margaritas on the beach...watched lovely young people surfing and enjoying their lives...here are three young Canadian backpackers touring South America...

The beach in town is busy from dawn to dusk! It was great to be part of the hustle and bustle, but it was even better to go "home" at night to the sole sound of the surf.

David (an ex-pat from the US) and Donna (an ex-pat from Maine, now living in and visiting from Mexico)

Sumana (my South african ex-pat amiga, with one of her Argentinian friends...

Another one...just for her...

More friends...

Parents and families are together most of every day...they bring their children to work...day and night...

and when they're tired, they rest...

Here are typical "family vehicles..." interesting 'eh?

We had a fabulous time in Montanita, and I'm looking forward to going back with Canadian amigoes...but THIS is where we'll stay for our next visits. Look at the link, scroll up to see the photos, and make sure you look at the prices folks. Life is GOOD in Ecuador!

Next post I'll show you more of my adopted city of Cuenca, so be sure to come back to visit. And speaking of visiting...I have LOTS of room for friends who need some siesta time...Casa de Marza is open!

My Cajas Mountains...