Wedding Celebration

An expat recently married an Ecuadorean and I helped host a pool party for them yesterday. My biggest help was in the decorations, I knew I could do some things on the cheap, so nobody had to spend a lot of money,  first I looked at Pinterest, then my fabric stash.

I came up with the idea of streamers from scraps of fabric and when I realized what colors I had the  most of, a theme was started. (Also turned out to be the brides favorite colors) Patty went to the big city and bought some ready made things, and thought she was buying tissue paper, but it turned out to be felt, no problem, I said I can work with that. So Saturday I spent making felt flowers and strips of fabric for the streamers. Both turned out lovely, if I do say so myself.

We had guests bring their own beer and wine and a snack food, not to mention their bathing suits. Weather called for rain, but the day was perfect! And a wonderful celebration of fun and love.

Vicky, the bride and many pool goers

Towards the end of the afternoon, there were probably more than 50 people there. Expat and Ecuadorean. This house was recently completed, and is a great place to host a party, I brought my umbrella for more shade, and we borrowed chairs.

Elections are over, and life gets back to normal...and one happy couple start a new life together. So, Stay tuned...the adventure continues!

Election time

For several months now many candidates have been promoting their agendas and putting up flags,  banners and posters. They drive around with loud speakers and try to gain popularity.  Since it is rainy season one of the things they have been doing is improving the streets and drainage systems,  going around to the smaller communities and helping with their individual problems hoping to gain votes.

This guy happens to be local San Jacinto and so of course is the popular choice here. He is running against the current "Mayor of Sucre" and another man, one who was early to get his banners out, must have dropped out of the running, because I havent seen his red banners anywhere lately. Sucre is our County and Manabi is our province. 

Many a rally and parade in the past several months and some people get very energized,  and others just dont seem to care. (Like many countries) One thing here is on election weekend there are no alcohol sales, and they ask you not to consume either. I understand, I have lived in other places where they want the voters clear headed and not inebriated.  It is mandatory here to vote between ages 18-65 and with so many people living in out laying areas volunteers actually go out and collect votes,  thus the 3 day ban on drinking. They start Friday at noon and elections go thru Sunday at noon. Invalid people and those without transport get to vote from home,  wow what a different concept, others will go to their local schools and vote on Sunday.

Expats get all worried that they will run out of alcohol,  but in my 5 yrs here, since most of us aren't eligible to vote (must be a citizen, not just a resident) they sell to us. So...as always, stay tuned...the adventure continues. 

Not my dog

The running joke around here has been that Perry's dog friend Toby has adopted us...I am adamant that he is NOT MY DOG. Mostly because he has a very good home, who loves him and takes care of him...but he enjoys hanging out with us, getting to sleep on furniture and get attention.

Since we moved we have gone to the old neighborhood several times looking for him. Wanting to bring him to the new place, so he will know where we live and can come visit anytime he wants. No luck, he is never around when we go looking. He does however hang out across the street from my friend Jerri as his family has a cabana there. The other afternoon I got a text from Jerri that Toby was at her house,  so we hightailed it over and brought him home.

He enjoyed the rest of the afternoon and evening with us, and did not want to leave when I tried to kick him out.  So we ended up having a sleep over and he left the next morning after the rain had stopped.  

We have not seen him since, but I am sure he will find his way back eventually.  So stay tuned, the adventure continues. 

Sprucing up outside

I had my shade structure built, decided to spend a little more on non leaking roof material, even tho I like the look of the palm fronds. The boys did not buy enough fence material so it is still not done, grrr but I'm  enjoying my new yard. 

I spent some time out there the other night with my friend Leo and we decided I should cut a window in the fence, so I can have an ocean view...hmmmm.

I have had several visitors...chickens roam freely, neighborhood dogs, and...not one but two owls!

Leo said they were superstitious here about owls, and good luck if they hang around you. So, already I feel good about the new house.

I was disappointed that the fence was built a little low, but I will plant some bougainvillea and that will grow tall and fast. So...stay tuned, the adventure continues!

And it keeps raining

Tho the festival goers had a relatively dry Carnaval, other places in Manabi province were not so lucky. My Facebook is full of video and photos of flooding. I left a window open and had wet cushions on my window seat, but certainly no flooding.

Cemetery in nearby Charapoto. 

On the way to Portoviejo, this little town is in a low spot,  and floods EVERY year.

Further up north.

The sky has been gray the last few days but little rain, hopefully some of these inland places are getting dried out as well. Stay tuned, the adventure continues. 

I am not a tree

When winter hit I realized just how hot my little casita was, no air flow what so ever! It had an AC and when I complained about it being hot, and me wanting to move,  the landlady told me to use the AC and she would pay.  Several days I had to, but I still hated closing the windows and doors, and being in the house...not really why I moved to the coast of Ecuador. So...I moved, again. (8 times in 5 years) 

This house is farther from town, but closer to the ocean and without many houses around, I get breezes from all sides. Can not get the photo of the outside from my phone to the tablet, but Monday I will have work being done, so will post outside pics later. First thing I had to do, was make a closet as these little Miduvi houses dont come with much but the basics.

There were plenty of cinder blocks outside, and a broom handle later, voila. 

Front porch, faces north so is always in shade.

Living room, yesterday tho I took up the rug, still too much muddy foot prints.

Perry photo bomb. I will hang some of my artwork on the latice.

Kitchen is a work in progress and so is the bedroom. The property is only partially fenced and so I have someone coming on Sunday to give me  quote on fence and a shade structure. The windows also do not have screens, so that needs done, but for $120 a month not too shabby. (Water and power included)

So...stay tuned, more photos and the adventure continues!

Carnaval 2019

This past weekend was Carnaval, one of the biggest holidays celebrated in Ecuador. In the bigger cities there is much more craziness than in the coastal villages (thank goodness) and usually the week long festivities are plagued with much rain, but this year the weather was very well behaved.

Tourists start rolling in Thursday afternoon and have several beach days before the night time dancing, Sunday night San Jacinto had an Orchestra and tho I was starting to feel a cold coming on I went down for awhile. At most I think there were 1000 people and shenanigans were at a minimum...unlike in neighboring San Clemente!

No one was safe from being sprayed by foam. (One reason people dont usually complain about rain, is it washes all this foam off). This photo was taken in front of the disco,  and you can see wall to wall people behind them. (No gusta)

And in Crucita, across the river...

And in Manta...

Just not my cup of tea. I enjoyed my little fiesta, me and 1000 of my closest neighbors. I probably was the only expat there...but Monday night I stayed home, my cold was hanging on, and I didnt need to be out again. Last night was the last hurrah, and the party went til about 4am, it wasnt very close to the house so did not keep me awake, but is very quiet in the barrio this morning. 

Some folks will pack up and go home, others will stay thru this weekend and enjoy more beach days. I have been thinking about these folks, families of 5 or more taking a beach vacation...how many in the US can afford to do that? Sad...the simple life, seems to me to be much better...so stay tuned, the adventure continues!