• SAN CLEMENTE

3 miles from Casa wf  this fishing town and Gringo enclave was a welcome change from the reclusiveness of San Jancito. My hosts Marty and Jim warned me of the "Gaggle of Gringos' that lived there. 

Along the malecon was a local surfing beach, I pulled over to check out the action and catch a sunset    

click to watch video tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn-cTgL6ie0

                                                                                                                 

i

After a week of rice and seafood  I started to get a craving for a good steak which was no a regular item on most Ecuadorian restaurant menus. I cruised around San Clemetente looking for a regular steakhouse and finally on the outskirts of town the smells of a barbecue a drew me to the place I was looking for ( menu partially in English) The t-bone steak looked damn good

It wasnt long before another  gringo walked in looking to ffulfill his carnivourous  cravings

Marshal had been in Ecuador for 8 years escaping a hectic life in California and coming here to get his health back , He claimed he dropped 50lbs  in the first 2 years and got rid of a nasty.drinking habit, He was a home builder near LA and realized he would never afford a beach property in California

 Marshal invited me to come and see his castle on the beach  

He lived in the top suite

 His wife and servants  lived on the main floor. He gave me the tour and as we were checking out the master bedroom  wife Gabriela returned home and greeted us in the bedroom As Marshall filled me with all the details of his life she reclined suggestively on the bed . He had earlier explained to me that his was an open marriage and in fact he was heading off to Thailand by himself for some adventure in a few months

Check out the spoiled cat 

Gabriela also like dogs and had adopted many to Marshals 

dismay

Lunch was prepared by Christian and Maria ( House servants )

 Delicious prawns and cerveiche

Christian joined us for lunch and sat closely to Gabriela 

I think he had more duties than just cleaning and cooking

 After lunch Marshal took me to see his lot that might be for sale. I realized that I had just attended an Ecuadorian time share meet complete with meal and bait. Now it was time for the sales pitch

Ugly sucker eh  He wanted to subdivide this puppy and allow me to have a piece of paradise  for $30,000 there were better ocean lots for sale in  San Jancito


There's always some gringo from California trying to be a land developer in his adopted country 

 

Canoa

CANOA

This surfing mecca was hit hard by the earthquake that hit last year

The beaches were deserted when I was there

Lots of new construction going on

San Clemete

QUITO AND SAN JANCITO

Posada a Mirindo

I arrived at  Posada a Mirindo at 1:30 am  after a grueling Vancouver -Houston Houston-Quito flight itinerary all in one day. Gabriela Sanchez runs this Bed and Breakfast near the Quito Airport and had a driver pick me up the airport. She spoke English and was a verygracious hostess but would have nothing of me relaxing around the house the next day to recover from the viscous itinerary the day before. She said I must explore Quito and had the same driver that picked me up at the airport come and get me at 10 am to take me to Quito a 45min drive. I regrouped  and went for it

 ( I'am glad I did !)Posada a Mirolinda was a rustic Spanish style house located on a farm an surrounded by other fields , Agriculture is 65% of the Ecuadorian economy and no arable land is left unused. My room on the upper level was spotless and with  ornate hardwood throughout. 

 

Breakfast was served in a common area I was the only guest that morning. The view was great. I ate and wait ( for my driver )

Quito

My driver Leonardo agreed to leave me in the Central Plaza and pick me up 4 hours later. I had a suggested list of things to see prepared by Gabriela. Quito is high up in the Andean mountains ( 9350 ft ) and nestled between sharp peaks This place was a tour de force of visual impacts and a treasure trove of museums and churches. I started my walking tour

16th century basilica

o

lined with gold leaf 160 years to build

Walking up and down the steep steep streets for 4 hours was a punishing ordeal for the body at this altitude but the visuals were stunning and Iam glad I followed Gabrielas advice to check out this amazing city instead of hanging out at the Posada to await my flight to Manta and  and the beaches

Main Plaza in Quito

click to view video

Street Musicians in Quito
click to view video

SAN JACINTO

I checked into Casa WF at 130 am  after  picking up my rental car at the Manta airport. The driving ordeal to get here will be another story. Casa WF  is run by 2 Expats Marty and Jim from Florida who found their El Dorado in Ecuador and decided to rent out the bottom 2 suites through AirBnB to supplement their retirement. Located near the beach next to a river this would be my home for the next 9 days   

A tasty breakfast was prepared every morning by Jim

Excuse me innkeeper there/s a(silverfish ) lizard in my bathroom

The ocean was very warm and a cool offshore breeze kept you cool in the hot South American sun. Summer was just beginning here. Master fish filleter Antonio was at work near the beach and his restaurant preparing the catch of 

the day. Some sea bass I had here was one of my best meals in Ecuador

Master Fish filleter

click to watch video

Exotic smells and music drew me into a small thatched hut housing the barbecue bistro run by Ali, a cross dressing Afro-Ecuadorian who offered his simple fares of roasted plantain, rice,pork and chicken. There was no menu  "chicken or pork" was Ali's verbal menu presented to me as I sat down. After ordering a large pilsener.Ecuador's local beer I sat back to soak up the surrealistic atmosphere.Ali expertly barbecued me  a  pork cutlet with slices of plantain  all marinaded in a rich spicy sauce.  Served up with a special rice this meal blew me away . All for $6 including beer, I loved the way he used a blowdryer to get the coals super hot

I brought my own wine

I think this little guy came from La Curva

Did not check this puppy out

The Escape

Escape

 with the approval of my wife who looked forward to her own escape
 from the Routine of taking care of me. The border wait was long and I 

Finally after several aborted attempts to get away from work

k I crossed the border and headed south    A solo trip this time

had to rush to make a blood drawing at Labcorp before it shut down for lunch
. I entered a small office staffed by a single receptionist,manager and blood taker
 Steve, a nice gay man who told me people might be moving north if Donald

Trump gets elected. I noticed lots of Trump " Make America Great Again " signs
 on my drive down to Mt Baker only 1 Hillary sign. After expertly taking the blood
 samples from my arm Steve gave me directions to Trader Joes where I stocked
 up on supplies before heading to my retreat

Chuckanut Drive was a surrealistic windy road down memory lane. I drove by the Oyster CreekInn a place I  had vivid memories of  from 28 years ago now closed. A little farther down the road I stopped at the Oyster Bar  for an outrageously expensive seafood salad with a spicy sauce and hint of King Crab The view was stunning and it was all
very decadent

Checked into the The Snow line Lodge after a long day. My accommodatio and settingWas much different than what I expected. Good different. The gated condo complex wasMore like cabins in the forest. My unit faces a primeval forest with a rushing river in the backgroud.

I promptly moved to the little balcony and started to unwind

AT LAST MY MOUNTAIN GET-AWAY

BACKLIT TREES AND ROARING STREAM

THIS IS WHERE I                                                                                                 SHOULD HAVE BEEN

                                                                                             WHEN TEDIOUS                                                                                                        WORK  BRUTALIZED 

                                                                                            MY SPIRIT AND BODY

                                                                                              ESCAPE IS NEAR FOR EVERYBODY
                                                                                               JUST GO

2016-08-08 7:11 AM 

After a surrealistic journey up Mt Baker, tail gate picnic by the river , a steak dinner, and dessert of cognac and cigar

Its leave day. This trip exceeded my expectations and I would gladly return.