We went to the Registro Civil to day to pick up our cedulas. We were told that it would take “maybe an hour or so.” Other gringos had told us to allocate all day. They were closer to the truth… Bureaucrats the world round appear more interested in creating and making jobs rather than serving people in any way […]
Frient
It is sometimes frustrating when I speak “perfect Spanish” and the other person looks at me like I’ve grown an extra head. I know I said it right… didn’t I? Well, today I had a little lesson on what it probably sounds like to the native speaker I am trying to communicate with. During parts […]
Visa Indefinida
We got our resident visas today! We are now legal Ecuadorians! We were also told to pick up our cedulas a week from Friday, which will be the final document to complete our legal integration into Ecuador. The process took four hours today, and seems that it shouldn’t have taken more than an half hour. […]
Baptism Parade
Iglesia La Merced was the starting point for today’s parade celebrating the Baptism of Jesus Yet Another Parade is almost becoming a mantra around here. Seems every week (day?) we walk out the front door and find a parade under way or in the making. Today it happened again. After yesterday’s small parade and the […]
Evil Is Only Fantasy
The banner says “if there is love, evil is only fantasy” Yesterday was the annual Fiesta de los Inocentes, or “Party for the Innocents.” Originally it was meant to commemorate when Herod decreed that all male children under 2 years old should be killed, after he had heard of the birth of Jesus. Historically, the […]
La Merced Niño Parade
We left the house today heading toward a major festival (see tomorrow’s post for details). As soon as we were on the street we heard music and started walking towards it. We had stumbled upon yet another small parade. We hit these by accident throughout the year. We have never been able to find a […]
Energy Drinks Not Needed
I ‘discovered’ energy drinks in 2012, and started using them frequently when I became tired. Nodding off on a long drive? Energy drink to the rescue! Tired in the office after lunch? Energy drink let me focus on the software to be developed. I expected these would be hard to find in Ecuador, so I […]
Subdued New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve day was warm with just enough clouds to add character to the sky New Year’s Eve this year was rather subdued, when compared to last year. All the same activities were there, but fewer of each. Fewer effigies in doorways and on car tops. Fewer neighborhood competition displays. Fewer firecrackers. Fewer fires. […]
Sleeping Is Not An Option
Boom!… Boom, Boom, Boom! That is the sound of bottle rockets going off starting around 6AM this morning and continuing several times an hour for the rest of the day. They are often followed by the sound of car alarms being triggered, so the noise continues long past the initial explosions. These rockets and fireworks […]
Dummy!
This effigy head is about 4 feet high, and will sit upon a huge dummy on New Year’s Eve Ecuador has an exciting way of celebrating New Year’s Eve, unlike anything seen in North America. (see here for last year’s report on it) Each family creates or buys an effigy, or dummy, for the celebration. […]
