Friday 21 September 2012
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20:38 It was a warm day today…hot actually… High 30’s. I went for a walk in the morning that ended up being longer then expected.
I am a little “pink like a gringo”… Nothing serious but the sun can be intense here. Staying hydrated is critical for me… I learned my lesson about that from my run in with kidney stones… I won’t let that happen again!
I had a talk with my students tonight about continuing to teach them…they would like me to be here in Yantzaza. As I sit here in the park on a nice evening, I think I would like to make it work… Just not sure how.
It is interesting how dogs and people interact in Ecuador.
There are dogs that are pets… Usually lap dogs, that are carried or on a lead, but these are rare.
There are guard dogs… They are usually tied up or kept within a compound.
And then there are the dogs that run loose. The majority. I don’t know how many are street dogs and how many just wander from homes. They are street smart, they can deal with traffic… Most of these dogs do not interact with people, and people do not interact with them. No one pets these dogs, and they do not look for affection. Not sure about how I feel about this, but it seems to work for all.
Thursday 20 September 2012
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10:53 I was sitting by the river ( not really sure which river it is, but it flows into the amazon). I spent a few minutes reflecting on my life, and how like a river it has been.
I have had many twists and turns, and I don’t really know where I am going. There have been turbulent passages, just like rapids, sand there have been times where things have been smooth and carefree.
There are other times where I have been caught in backwaters and eddies.
So what does the future hold for me, just like the flowing of the river I don’t know.
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14:35 It is a warm afternoon. As I look all around me I see green. There is a nice breeze, and the sun is shining.
Most people ( including me) stay in the shade as much as possible. The heat of the sun can become overpowering.
I would like to explore more of this part of Ecuador.
I have been thinking about if and how to put this area on my photo tours. I am wondering if the heat would be too much. In the Sierra the temperatures don’t get this high. Are the photo opportunities enough to make it worthwhile to come hear?
Wednesday 19 September 2012
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14:29 Yantzaza
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151115897310674&id=504670673
by Glenn Specht via Facebook
Tuesday 18 September 2012
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11:20 It is 11:20 in the am…. The temperature and clock in the main square says 30…. It is less then that in the shade but it feels good
By 12:30 it has hit 32… A nice dry, bug free heat
I have a tv in my room. I was watching it for a bit last night and I saw a commercial for fabric softener ( Downey). This is in a country where most people still hand wash their clothes.
The premise of the commercial was, the water and air was cold, it was cold on your hands to rinse the detergent out of the clothes, if you soak in Downey the detergent gets rinsed out quicker which gets you into the house quicker to have a warm drink.
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20:08 It is 8 o’clock in the evening…. The town clock says it is 24… Feels a bit cooler but it is nice to be sitting it the park is shirt sleeves and to see people walking by in shorts, not sweaters and jackets.
This is a small town 20-30,000 so I doubt if I could live here, but so far the experience has been pleasant and positive.
I think, because of gold, it is also a fairly prosperous town. As I was walking around a saw a few stores that didn’t make sense. Heavily barred with just a desk or a couch on the other side of the bars… Until I saw one with scales and then I understood…. These are places to sell your gold.
Maybe my next career with be a prospector up in the hills…( just kidding Mom)
Monday 17 September 2012
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9:31 off to spend a week teaching teachers in Yantzaza… no idea about net access so I may be silent for a while…
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151112820355674&id=504670673
by Glenn Specht via Facebook
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14:20 It was a great drive to Yantzaza the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky. It was hot
We got to Yantzaza and it is hotter. I will be drinking a lot of water until I get used to this heat. I do like it but I know I have to give my body a few days to adjust to it.
Even though the sun is shining and there are not many clouds in the sky, I see a lot of people carrying umbrellas. I have the feeling that the weather can change here quickly.
It will be interesting to see how cool it gets at night. The hotel did not have any extra blankets, unlike hotels in the sierra.
The hotel looks nice. There is hot water for the showers for a limited time every day… 6-9 am and 6-9 pm