Technically Challenged

Today I am having trouble with the netbook. Somehow I seem to have altered the use of my mouse and it is not accepting a tap or even a double click. I have no idea if I will be able to post any more blogs until my friend Aidan troubleshoots this thing for me! One good thing though, it seems that my spacebar is working properly now. Small consolation.

Today I have to look forward to an 8 or 9 hour bus ride to Cuenca (from Manta). Another day in hell. Don’t I ride the bus enough during my work-a-day life? Can anyone remind me of why I decided to see a third world country for 4 ½ weeks? I must have temporarily lost my mind!

On the bright side of things, and there always is one, so far I have not been food poisoned nor have I been robbed (don’t say that out loud since I still live in deadly fear of the latter). We’ve heard a number of horror stories about robberies and assaults and some are first hand experiences. Quite disturbing.

Perseverance—turns out I had to hold the left button and tap, then I was able to change it back. Only took about 20 minutes; meanwhile I had to think about it and have the computer recharge before our trip.

What a boring blog today. Whine,whine, whine.

Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head

I am extremely cranky this morning from lack of sleep. I woke up to the sound of pouring rain and the drip, drip around my head. So much for Ecuadorian repairs. The rain was hard and steady (it’s still raining) and this time I was surrounded on all sides by drips. At one point I got a drip directly in my ear. I found myself lying stiffly at attention, on my side, and thought about French duelists who buttoned up their jackets to hide their white shirt fronts and when they prepared to shoot they stood to the side to give the least amount of target area for their opponent. But nature in the form of rain is inexorable, as the residents of New Orleans, Australia and other areas know only too well.

Does it seem petty to compare my plight with those poor souls in New Orleans? Picture it, Ecuador’s lonely coast, mud in every direction outside the house, bugs swarming through the cracks of the ill fitting window, and the poor victim itching from head to toe with mosquito bites and sand flea bites to the point of hysterics. That victim is moi, me, Sanne.

After seemingly hours of distraction, getting up to pour nail polish remover on my itch, I finally braved the act of looking at my watch. 2:30 a.m. Four more hours of hell. Alrighty then. Back to my teenage version of counting sheep. I tallied up the episodes of Laredo. I got to the one where Linda Littletrees sees Joe Riley stripped to the waist. Sanne and Linda have something in common – be still my beating heart!

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine!

Other Beasts of Nature

While Skype is trying to reconnect me with my sister for our regular Saturday morning talk I will continue with my chosen topic of the day. In a word MOSQUITOES

When I was planning this vacation Barb told me it wasn’t necessary to get the malaria pills because they never saw one mosquito last year. Let me just say that Barb has a short memory. Barb has been the one most seriously affected by the bites. Her legs are a sight to behold and her poor derriere is a mass of welts. The rest of us are suffering to a slightly lesser degree, I being the least affected which is mostly because I make an early exit in the evenings when the mosquitoes appear. However, I have been affected enough to have had some sleepless nights and have sometimes been nearly frantic with the itching.

The bites and the itching cannot be discreet so they have become a topic of conversation everywhere we go. Here are some of the suggestions and advice:

1. Olive Oil for prevention

2. 110 degree water to soak yourself in to get the poison out

3. Lime juice for itch

4. Vinegar for itch

5. Injection in the butt by a medico / doctor

6. Regular drug store medicines like Calamyn lotion, Deet, Off and even Raid

7. Nets

The top two on the list have been working for me. I am slathered at this moment in olive oil and I have to say that this has kept me from getting bit all day long. But at night the little dickens seem to find their way under my bed covers. One morning I woke up with about a dozen all down the left side of my face, from ear to throat. What a sight. Fortunately my vanity level at this point is below zero. I am caring only for comfort and to heck with how I look. So much for my fashionista style. It will reappear when we hit Miami (I hope).

I have already mentioned that my friends visited the doctor in Montecristi and got a shot in the butt which seemed to help for a few days. But unlike me they are not covering themselves up at night. I pull on my NYC jeans, my long sleeved shirt, socks and runners and guess what, I don’t get bitten! Bare legs, shorts and sandals is not the way to go when you are suffering so much that you stay up half the night crying and swearing.

I pull the covers over my head, put my night mask back on and fall back asleep.

Hasta la vista, baby!

Cats Fair Share

I am one of those people who enjoy both cats and dogs. I would have to say that it is true that there is nothing on this planet more loyal than a dog but when it comes to affection cats can be just as adoring as dogs. My cat Cherie (a male by the way) will hug me just like a little child and flops on me in the most adorable way imaginable. Thumper and Cherie both share my bed, at the foot, and when I say “bed time” they march off to bed with me just like my dog Betsy used to do.

Here in Ecuador we don’t see as many cats as dogs but they are around. They seem to have the same sort of laissez faire attitude with humans as the dogs. They are not quite pets but they are not feral either. When we had dinner one night in Bahia we had 3 cats sitting politely under our table waiting for little tidbits of food. We resisted for quite some time but finally one of us (not me) caved and I was right there with my little treats! Later that evening we went for a stroll along the esplanade and one of the little critters trotted along beside us, obviously optimistic that we had something else good in store for her.

At the market in Bahia we also saw a mother with some very large kittens nursing on her. Usually kittens this size would be off on their own; I would say they were at least 6 months old. It was surprising. I have known cats to share in their nursing and babysitting duties. Way back when my house was THE place for cats I had 2 mothers with their brood living on my deck. Sometimes one Mom would go out for an excursion and the other cat took all the kittens under her “wing” so to speak. Then Mom #1 would return, take her place and Mom#2 went off for a little reprieve. It was amazing to watch. Appears that Ecuadorian Momma Cats are just as affectionate.

By the way, to give you a flavour of my vacation, I am writing this while sitting on the balcony in my bathing suit. (Not nature’s bathing suit! LOL)

Dogs Around the World

About Dogs

I want to talk a little bit about the dogs here in Ecuador. They are everywhere. Generally they are smaller dogs and a few middle sized ones. All colours, sometimes all the colours are on one dog! They generally belong to the streets though they are quite tame and will approach you for a pet and, of course, food. People seem to like the dogs but they are not pets as we know them. As I write one little, long legged black dog with brown tips around the face (a lot like our first Jack Russell) is pecking through our garbage. A really cute dog but he is quite aloof with me which is rather crushing!

When we were in Bahia I would sit on the upper balcony and observe the dogs in the street. They are very territorial. A dog similar to the one I just described “belonged” to our Hostal Coco Bonga and was called Rosita. She was a feisty little thing and she could let out a bark like a Newfoundlander when a dog came on her turf without first being given permission. She would run after the creature and give it ‘what for’. Occasionally a group of 3 or 4 other dogs would run along side Rosita and they would march off along the street (and I do mean the street, not the sidewalk) and it looked an awful lot like they were getting ready to rumble!

They have no regard for traffic and appear quite oblivious to danger. Amazingly the traffic is quite respectful of these well named Street Dogs. They are masters of their little domain. I really love them!

Rosita at leisure.

On Other Topics

Just to talk a bit about things outside of Ecuador today (due to a lazy day yesterday when I had lots of time to think). So lets talk about books.

I love reading. My love affair with books began when I was in Grade 4. During our reading class, if we finished our assigned reading before the end of the hour we were given permission to go to the bookshelf at the back of the class and choose our own book to read. I finally was brave enough to walk to the back (past all thIe “big boys” sitting in the back) and there choose “Little House in the Big Woods”. The pictures by Garth Williams first drew me to the book (no pun intended here LOL) but right from the first page I was drawn in to the story. And so it began.

I love almost all types of books, or genres as they are called in the adult world. I don’t care for Science Fiction or Fantasy but otherwise my choices are wide ranging. In particular I like non-fiction, biographies, histories, self help, New Age books. You can see from my lists below some of my tastes in the Classics and current fiction. With all this vast “knowledge” one would assume that a person ought to be able to strike up a conversation with a relative stranger. However, did you know that less than 20% of the population read books? Of those, many will start a book but never finish it.

I’m not a person who enjoys “gossip” and when I use that term I mean talking about people in general. Naturally one likes to “catch up” on what people are doing and I participate in that sort of conversation but to go on about people I don’t really know, or creating stories about people, well, I am simply not in to that type of conversation. Last night I was with a group that included 3 men and 4 women. I found myself failing at every conversational gambit. I even went to the extent of bringing up sports (my least favourite topic in the world) but all fell flat. One sentence conversations.

Is it any wonder that I retreat back into my books, where conversations flow like a fluid river?

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”

Jet Setter

After all our trials and tribulations we have spent a fabulous night in a luxury high rise apartment comparable to high living suite in NYC. This apartment is 3,300 sq. Ft., 5 bathrooms, all marble floors, an outlook directly out to sea (no buildings in front of us). We were treated to a delicious homecooked meal which ended with pineapple upside down cake with real Canadian Maple Syrup. It was heaven. No bugs, moths or mosquitoes to contend with. Everything was pristine.

Tomorrow we are back at the homestead but we have been reassured that the fridge is working, the bathtub has been installed (can hardly wait for a real bath) and electricity is in order. We will get our groceries before heading back. Dump our stuff and then the plan is to see the Howling Monkeys. No that is not a new rock band. These are some rather loud monkeys that live in the “jungle” just north of the resort.

Today before we left Bahia we went to the local school that had a live Galapagoos Turtle which has been verified as being over 100 years old. It was amazing, we were right in the grounds with the turtle who was sleeping at first but then woke up, stood up and craned his head this way and that. It was fascinating. I got some great pictures which I hope I can upload today. If not, shall submit them when I get home.