THE MARKET PLACES

The town of Malacatos lies only 5 miles to the north of Vilcabamba.  It has a bigger population base, and so the produce market is said to be larger.   But it was simply too inconvenient to go there without a car.  But that all changed when we obtained a car last week.  The produce market takes place every Sunday.  We were not sure just exactly where it was, but I had been told it was near the church. (It seems every town in this country has a large, Catholic Church, and the town square always seems to be adjacent to it). One cannot miss such because it is the largest landmark to be seen for miles.  Plus, a colony of Chestnut-collared Swallows have built plenty of nests in the upper balconies of which I was keenly aware.  

We had no trouble finding the market area.  We did have difficulty finding a parking place, which ended up being about 3 blocks away.  Lots of people coming and going.  The produce market was on a street, and was probably 100 meters long, with booths on both sides of the road.  They ranged in size about 6 feet wide and 12 feet, I think.  Mangos and Avocados were in short supply, so probably out of season.   I think everything else was well represented: Fruits were Melons, Papaya, Pineapple, Apples, Pears, Bananas, Plantains, Grapes, Oranges, Mandarins, Blackberries, Guanabana, and a few we have yet to try or learn the names of.  Veggies - Potatoes (Many different kinds). Carrots, Peppers, Tomatoes, Beets, Parsnips, Parsley, Chard, Lettuce.  Broccoli, Cauliflower, Large Radishes, Yucca (Yuck) and others.  

We decided to walk the entire length and see what all was there.  In the process we asked prices so we could “shop and compare.” It was a test of our language skills to find out the prices sometimes.  Plus, they do sometimes take advantage of gringos because they know we have more money.  As expected, we did not make it to the end because a certain vendor was low in his quotes.  We bought a papaya for a buck, 7 tomatoes for a buck and 7 bell peppers for a buck.

We have to admit that we sometimes feel sorry for certain vendors, such as an elderly woman with a small table with not much on it, teeth missing with her facial features showing wear and wrinkles, gray unkempt hair.   The reality is that we don’t mind paying more since we can afford it, and the farmers need it.  But the more the gringos cave in to paying higher prices, the result is that the locals end up paying more as well, so a delicate tightrope to walk.  

Here is a pic of all we bought - for $15:00.  There is parsley, grapes, broccoli, lettuce, chard, canteloupe, 2 lbs of carrots, 7 tomatoes, 7 peppers, a papaya, 2 mangos, peas, and corn and 5 huge squares of cane sugar, which should last us months.  Watermelon (which we did not buy) was $2.50, certainly less than the $5 we paid in Vilca.

The remainder are shots in and around the market, some with comments:

TWO KIDS HANGING OUT UNDER A TABLE

SMELLS A LITTLE FISHY IN THIS AREA

SECURITY

THIS GUY WAS SELLING OJ

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE THE
CHICKENS ARE TIED WITH STRINGS.  

THIS IS A GUANABANA, OR, SOUR SOP FRUIT FROM OUR PROPERTY.  IT IS NOT QUITE RIPE.  THE MEAT INSIDE IS WHITE AND MILDLY TART BUT SWEET IN TASTE.

WHEN  READY TO PICK THEY FETCH $5-6.  

                                

                            THE MARKET IN LOJA:

There is a large, daily market in the middle of Loja, and we’ve been there a few times.  It is a large building with 2 floors and a basement where parking is available.  On the south side of the first floor is where the produce is sold.  There are venues next to each other, and are about 12 feet square.  They are slanted upward, the low part by the large aisle is maybe 3 feet off the ground and the upper part against the wall is about 6 feet high.  There is a square hole in the middle where the vendor sits/stands and they deal with clients from there.   There are also venues that sell breakfasts and fruit juices/smoothies.

The north side of the first floor is a huge meat venue.  They sell all kinds of meat there: Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Goat, Donkey, Pig, Fish and etc.  It has a mildly offensive odor, with a few flies to boot.  We walked through the place once, and since we are not big meat eaters, have no reason to go there.  Some people actually buy 2nd or 3rd rate beef for their dogs there.  

The upper floor has various small stores for clothes, shoes, barber shops and beauty salons, a restaurant, juice and smoothie fronts and others.  

The outside areas surrounding the entrances are crowded with small time vendors, mostly selling produce of some sort.  But they also sell other items.  While eating at the restaurant a man came by selling Q-tips.  On one hand it is all annoying to me, hearing all the haggling and announcing of what is for sale, brushing shoulders in a crowded place (I never did like crowds).  On the other hand, this is just normal life here, and I greatly admire when poor people are motivated to make their living even if the results are minimal. 

THEY PLACE THEM RIPE END UP
TO MAKE THEM LOOK MORE APPEALING

THE VENDOR ALLOWED ROSIE TO
PICK THROUGH THE STRAWBERRIES FOR RIPER ONES

THIS IS ON THE STREET WHERE YOU 
CAN PROBABLY GET SOME GOOD DEALS

GRAINS AND BEANS

HERE YOU CAN SEE THE 12 X 12 VENDING STALLS, AND ON THE
RIGHT THERE IS A LADY WHO RUNS THAT PARTICULAR ONE

HERE IS THE CHICKEN AISLE.  

HERE IS A MAN SINGING ON THE SIDEWALK, PANNING FOR $.
HE NEVER OPENED HIS EYES ONCE.

HERE YOU CAN SEE A LADY AT HER BOOTH, IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
THE OPENING BELOW THE BANANAS IS HOW SHE GETS IN THERE.

THE CARROTS HERE ARE QUITE LARGE

WE MOVED TO VEGAS

     INDEPENDENCE DAY - WE MOVED TO VEGAS

Not sure just where to start this note.  So much has been happening.  A week after we arrived in Ecuador we met with Russ and Mary, some friends we knew from our previous jaunt here 18 months ago.  It turned out that they were going to be selling their ’04 Vitara a few months down the road.  They had purchased another vehicle but were letting the former owners drive it until they left the country.  They left the last day of June, so we now own it, but the paperwork is not quite done as of July 7.  Some good advice may be to buy your car from a gringo as it is more likely to have been taken better car of. 

We had also been perusing  a few realtor web sites to see what was for sale.  Rosie was pretty adamant about buying a place already built, so as to not take the time and go through the hassles of building.  We did however look at a few large lots.  Our Spanish teacher’s neighbor showed us a large lot near where she lives, higher up  in elevation and a few miles out of town.  The views were stunning!  However, the road getting there was a bit of a challenge.  If we were 20 years younger we would consider it.  

We asked a realtor to show us a certain house which appeared to check all or most of our boxes, 5-6 miles from where we were staying.  Since cell service here can be spotty here, by the time we met him to pick us up, he explained that he was not able to obtain the keys, but we went anyway and looked around the outside.   We decided we’d like to see the inside when possible, so returned another day and pretty much liked what we saw, except for a some hairline cracks in the floor tiling.  So we hired a local, trusted architectural engineer to come out and give his opinion.  He said the house structure was sound and had stopped cracking.  It was probably a combination of earthquakes here, and possibly building on some fill dirt that had caused this.  

After it was on the market for one month, the owner dropped the price $20K, and the realtor believed her to be a motivated seller.  I asked him what would be a low enough offer so as to not be offensive to her, which he gave me.  So we offered such, to which she counter offered another $7K less, which we accepted.  

It seems ironic that where we lived for many years in Oregon  was at the end of a dead end road.  So is this house.  It is a duplex, 3BR/2 baths on one end, 2BR/2 baths on the other end, with a garage in between.   It sits on 1.25 acres.   There are about 40 banana trees of varying maturity, two avocado, one mango, one guanabana, some citrus, sugar cane, a few coffee bushes,  and a few others we can’t remember.  We have 2 water sources, one potable, one not.  The latter is mostly for watering.  Oh, and by the way, the community where we settled is named, “Las Vegas.”

When we showed our landlords the house a few days ago, before we moved in,  Rosie found a penny on an outside retaining wall.  It was pretty weathered, but it means something to her.  For years, when she has found such, she always reads the inscription which says, “In God We Trust.”  Quite meaningful under the circumstances.  It may not be a rainbow, but it is just as important. 

Buster - how’s he doing?  He was very settled in at the cabin.  We think he will settle in to our new home in time.  He was not happy to be put into his carrier and given a car ride to come to our new home.  He probably associates it with the move to Ecuador.  On the 10 minute ride here he had a minor panic attack.  He looks out the windows here with fear and curiosity, and has not wanted out in the first 30 hours we’ve been here.  He slept with us the entire first night, something highly unusual.  We are glad he knows where the litter box is.  But after a little time and prodding he likes going out.  Here are a few pics of him while still living in the cabin:

ONE EVENING HE WAS MEOWING TO COME IN.  WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR HE SHOT IN WITH A MOUSE AND WENT UNDER THE BED

HE GETS A LITTLE BORED SOMETIMES

                                                                            

HE HAD BETTER LIKE THIS FOOD SINCE
HIS PIC IS ON TWO BRANDS!

OTHERWISE:  Plenty has happened in the last 2 months.  Probably the best thing is as follows:  I learned of an effort by some local gringos (mostly) who have embarked on a mission to feed poor families.  These families are vetted by a social worker, and each Monday they feed some 50 people, I think.  So I got the bright idea to check it out and suggest such to the leaders of the church I attend, to consider doing the same.  So I was able to get both sides together to have a chat.  It turns out the our landlord (she) teaches Social Science at the local University in Loja, and she trained the afore mentioned social worker who works here in Vilcabamba.  Plus, the head guy in charge of feeding the poor is a gringo physiologist who has done similar projects all his life, and this is the 4th such “soup kitchen,” as he calls them, that he has started.  The last one was in Cuenca, some 4 hours to the north, which now serves 1500 meals per month.  One of the other workers had worked in food services all his life, so knows a thing or two about meal prep and related issues.  By the end of the meeting, both sides were enthused and willing to work together for the betterment of the town.  Since the deterioration of Venezuela, Ecuador has seen an influx of citizens of that country, to the tune of half of a million.  The vast majority are hard workers hoping for a better future, but if they can’t find work, a few resort to crime, unfortunately.  Speaking of work, it appears they all have a good work ethic.  There is no welfare system like as in the USA.  They do have a welfare system, but it is quite minimal, $50 to 150/Month.  So we shall see how all that unfolds. 

A VENEZUELIAN FAMILY AFTER A HEARTY MEAL

A CHILD OF ONE OF THE POOR FAMILIES ENJOYING PLAYING POOL

In late May there was a campout at Angel’s place and a number of families were there for the weekend. Close to 50 people.  On Saturday evening I gave a presentation with bird pictures on the big screen TV with Angel translating.  It took about 45 minutes, and the entire group sat with rapt attention, thoroughly enjoying it, asking questions.  All the kids were very respectful.  One of the last questions was, “How do you tell the difference between the male and female birds?”  I said something like, “Well, of course the males are always prettier.”  Everyone erupted in laughter.  It was a fun occasion.  

On June 8 my 70th birthday arrived.  Hard to realize so much time has passed.  Unknown to me Rosie and Claudia were planning a party for me.  I had no idea.  Angel just said we are having a get together this evening, and after taking care of some things at the cabin, we went down to the large open-air part of his house. It was dark, but I could hear voices, and when we went around the corner the lights came on, balloons popped and everyone yelled “Happy Birthday!”   So I had to make an impromptu speech, which Angel translated.  I cut the cake up and everyone had a piece.  We then played a few games, one in which I faced away from the group and played a song on the guitar while they passed a balloon around.  When I stopped, whoever had the balloon was obligated to perform something, like a song or very short skit.  The evening was a lot of fun.

MY BIRTHDAY PARTY

We are still taking Spanish classes once a week.  However, our comprehension sure seems rather slow. There is so much to learn.  

We continue to meet expats and locals, and are making various connections which will be useful.  Now that we have a car we’ll be driving over to Malacatos, the next town to the north, to check out the Sunday market.  We’ve heard it is fairly large and produce is less expensive than here in Vilcabamba.  There is a town to the north of Loja called Saraguro.  It is a farming area for a number of indigenous people, some of who load up their pick ups with produce each week and go to the various local markets to sell it.  We are curious to learn of the price difference and otherwise just check it out. 

It has been said here, that if you need the speed and convenience of getting stuff done for official business or many other kinds of business as in the states, this place is not for you.   Some things here move at a snail’s pace, and much of the rest is simply an exercise of futility and incompetence.   I will cite the following example.  On July 5, I went to the city of Loja with a friend named Santiago.  He goes by “Santi.”  I needed to go there to get the Vitara registered in my name.  We were going to what would be the equivalent of a DMV that also inspects vehicles.  We left at 6:30 in the morning and got there about 7:15.  We got in a certain line because the former owners could not find a certain required document, so Santi needed to get that straightened out first.  We made it through that line in about 20 minutes.  Then we went to another office where we had to wait til 08:00 when it opened.   That only took a few minutes.  We then went to another line and waited some 20 minutes until we were served.  After a few minutes the lady said that I was not in the system (even though I have had my Cedula for some 6 weeks).  What takes place next shows that Santi is fluent in Spanish and English, knows the systems to navigate, and knows people who can get things done.  So we ended up driving to another government building.  Santi said one usually needs an appointment there, so he went inside and was out in seconds.  We then climbed a flight of stairs to more offices where we found 2 ladies doing nothing.  When Santi told them what we needed, one of them led us to another office where she put me in the “system.”   We then drove back to the DMV place, got back in the same line and eventually talked to the same person.  After that was done, we went to another line, the longest one, which took some 45 minutes.  Then, we were ready to place the car in a line of other cars.  By the time we were through with the physical inspection of the car, 90 minutes had passed.  And just as my car was rolling to the finish line, the computer system for inspection went down.  (At least I was told the car passed inspection!). We were told to return in one hour, so Santi and I went to a restaurant to have lunch.  When we got there he told me I was the best driver of all the newbies driving in that city.  We returned some 70-80 minutes later, got in line (of course) and we were told it was not ready, and to come back later.  Santi had another idea, so we got right back in line, and when we were in front, he asked the lady to go upstairs and get the next stack of inspection reports, which she did.  Mine was not there.  As he needed to go to an appointment, he recommended I come back Monday or Tuesday.  It could have been really frustrating if I let it get to me.  I’m getting to the point that if I can avoid getting annoyed by the systems and incompetency here, it is a good day.   And even when I do go back to get the appropriate paperwork, it will only be temporary.  I’ll have to return in a few days for the permanent papers……….Guess I’ll have to learn to relax and go with the flow, something easier said than done.  I have also been told that many folks simply pay someone off in the system so as to avoid the hassles of what we went through.  I may do that in 18 months when my next inspection is due. 

As you can see from the video, we have extra room, so if anyone wants to come down, please feel free to do so.  We intend to rent out the 2 Bedroom side after a while.  It will be best to stay in one of our spare bedrooms anyway.  You are all welcome.  

Below are random pics from here and there, some with comments, some not.  

PERUVIAN PYGMY OWL.  JUST HAD TO INCLUDE THIS ONE

A HOOK-BILLED KITE EATING A SNAIL.    

A BUDDING MECHANIC 

HERE WE ARE AT A POPULAR REST STOP

SHE NEEDS SOME MASCARA

STRAPPING HER CHILD IN FOR THE RIDE

GUINEA PIG, A LOCAL DELICACY 

ANGEL AND HIS NEWEST NEICE OLIVIA

A BLUE CHICK.  

THIS IS ESTHER.  A CHURCH MEMBER DYING OF LUNG CANCER

MY ARCHERY SKILLS

A TRUCK LOAD OF BANANA OR PLANTAIN

THIS PAPAYA WAS EATEN OUT BY AN OPPOSUM

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING THE BUS

NOW HE IS TALKING ON THE PHONE.  SOME ARE JUST BORN MULIT-TASKERS

A LITTLE YOUNG TO BE USING A CELL PHONE 

When I had finished preparing this blog, I learned that the realtors had taken down the listing, which had many nice pics, a video, and description.  So I am now including a few pics outside, and one inside. 

The front and South end, and our new car.

The SE Corner

The back yard

The north end, the 2 bedroom end.

The entrance - kitchen, living room, and addition