Back in Ecuador

The title says it all, back in Ecuador.  Actually, we got back almost two weeks ago.  It was really good to get back, good to get home and sleep in my own bed, with the boat rocking a bit in the estuary tidal swings.

We spent almost two months in the US, visiting our families.  The visits were overall good, because I love my family and I have been missing them.  Some people were doing really well, which was heartening and made that part of the trip truly enjoyable.  But not everyone was in a good place, and I felt really helpless with my inability to fix things for everyone.
That sounds harsh, and I feel bad about it.  I wish things had been different.  I wish I could make things different.  I am not being really articulate here, but that is because it hurts so much to see people I love having difficulties.  It hurts worse than if it were happening to me.  But it is not about me, and I can't make things change.

However, having said all that, I still had a wonderful time with people I love.  It has been a long time, and the babies are not babies any more, but are little kids.  The little kids are teenagers.  The teenagers are adults.  A lot happened while I was away.  I got to see almost everyone, and I only wish I could have made that happen.  Arkansas is a beautiful state, and the hotel we stayed at in Little Rock It was not only gorgeous in an Old South style, the service was impeccable as well.  It was true luxury in every way. Then we stayed at two different resorts, and one on a river.  Both of them had wonderful views of their respective bodies of water, and there were lots and lots of different birds and animals.  Between Arkansas and Wisconsin, we saw an amazing amount of deer and different kinds of birds.  While fishing on a lake in Wisconsin with my brother and nephew, Mike and I got to see a bald eagle with her nestlings in their nest.  It was large and made of sticks.  Really large, as a matter of fact.  And the babies looked to be about ready to fledge as they were at that awkward stage birds go through.  You can always spot them - their feathers are always sort of ruffled, and they act confused.  And although they look like adults, and are as big as adults, they fuss for their parents to bring them food just like a tiny baby bird.  There were loons, and herons, and all sorts of different kinds of ducks.  We loved it. 

Another great surprise was Minneapolis.  I have to admit I harbored a terrible prejudice against Minneapolis, based on my general dislike and distrust of Minnesota in general.  This is a legacy from my father, who used to frighten kids selling subscriptions to the Minneapolis Tribune, asserting in a loud voice that "this is a Wisconsin oriented household.  We get the Milwaukee Sentinel.  We have no interest in an out of state newspaper."  (It is important to know my hometown in Wisconsin, Eau Claire, is only 90 miles to Minneapolis while being about five hours away from Milwaukee.  Lots of people in Eau Claire augmented the local paper with one from Minneapolis.  My dad was viruently of the opinion that nothing good comes from Minnesota.  At least that is how I developed the prejudice.)  Anyway, I discovered on this trip that Minneapolis is a great city.  There are parks and historical preservations all over the city center, and they have a light rail system that takes you between the suburbs and the city center, as well as to and from the airport.  There are restaurants to die for, with all kinds of different foods. I got to see a couple of old college friends, and one of my best friends ever while visiting in Eau Claire.  And we took a river canoe trip in northern Wisconsin, where one of my sisters lives.  It was, again, a beautiful trip.  We had a bunch of my brother in law's family with us, which included little kids.  After we were done, we went to their home for spaghetti dinner.  We stayed at my other sister's cabin, which is where we got to go fishing.   My stepmother fattened us up with her good cooking, and took us to her art studio. 

We also went back to San Diego to see my son and to get boat parts and bring them back here to replace broken things here.  It was of course great to see my son, as I have really missed him.  We all went to some of our old favorite restaurants, and there were people there who remembered us - AND even remembered our regular orders.  Mike and I took a drive into the mountains and were sobered by how incredibly dry everything is.  We had never seen it that bad, even on times of other droughts.  It was scary, when we thought how easily the area could go up.  The previously burned areas looked as though they were in the process of desertification.  But the beaches and the ocean seemed cleaner.  I also got to to see three of my favorite former co-workers, another treat.  But by the time we were supposed to leave, I was ready to go.  I feel better down here.  I missed my boat, I missed my own bed, and I just wanted to come home.  I wish more people would come and visit us - for me that would be the best of both worlds - seeing my family in a place I am coming to love.

A couple of days ago we took a taxi (cheap enough that why bother with a bus is what I say) to a little beach town about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles I think)  from here.  It was a great little beach town and we plan to spend a couple days there, just kicking back on the beach.  After that, we are preparing to go to Bolivia for a month or so.  We hope to leave in a week or so.  So what else did I do that I have not mentioned?  We spent a coupe days in Guayaquil, which is the largest city in Ecuador and is from whence we flew in and out of the country.  It was an interesting, bustling town, and in one of their large plazas, there are literally hundreds of iguanas in all shapes, colors and sizes roaming the park.  I was busy looking at a particularly interesting iguana, there suddenly from above came a literal stream of water.  I jumped back but not fast enough to avoid getting my leg splattered with pee from a huge iguana in a tree above my head.  It was really funny to me and to everyone who saw and laughes as well.  Needless to say, I took a very hot shower when we got back.  Our little town here is opening itself to us more and more as time goes on.  There are a number of places to go and things to see that you only find out about is if a local tells you about it.  Like Mike said, we are starting to dial in to the secret handshake.  It is making our stay even more enjoyable, as there is more to this place than we thought. 

So anyway, Mike is in the process of fixing things with the parts we brought back with us.  Since we will be leaving again pronto, we are leaving some things undone until we get back from that trip.  I am excited about Bolivia, and also excited about being a backpacker again like we did in October 2012-January 2013.  It was a great feeling to just go here and there on buses without having to drag luggage anywhere.  And as long as you take every opportunity wash your clothes, you can get away without needing a bunch of different outfits.  I also like to make sure I leave room for all the things I will buy along the way.  I have been accused of both buying too much stuff and paying too much for what I do buy.  But I hate to haggle, and if I am happy with the first price, so be it.  There does not appear to be much haggling for things here, the prices seem to be what they are, except maybe for the tourist kiosks along the waterfront on weekends.  But I have heard it is like Mexico, and is part of the economic culture.  We'll see.

Now I am up to date here, but I know I have left a lot of things out.  As time goes on, I hope to remember them all, but with my short term memory problems, I am not holding my breath.

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