Time Passes Quickly ...Especially When One is Busy!

So much time has passed since my last entry and yet it seems like it was just yesterday that I posted here! The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy for me, so the time has flown by and I have not had much time for posting here. I'll fill in the gaps now, as best I can.

About a week ago, I remember seeing a beautiful crescent moon hanging perfectly over the glimmering lights of Quito when I left the office. Later that same night, there was a great deal of fog that rolled in. It all made for a very dramatic evening in this city that looks so picturesque at night. We are now moving into the rainy season, but have not had much rain so far. In fact, since my last post we have only had two days of rain. One day there was a quick shower in the afternoon and the other day we did have a steady, slight rain that lasted for a few hours. The latter is fairly unusual here --the quick and powerful afternoon shower is the norm. Because it has been so dry, there have been some wildfires high up in the mountain range that surrounds the city. It makes for quite a luminous landscape late at night and I can see the wildfires out of my bedroom window.

I have now had my first visitor. A friend of mine from Houston came to visit about a week ago. Brian has been traveling around Ecuador since he got here, but we have been able to spend a few days together, tour the historic downtown area, and have dinner. All great fun. It is nice to see old friends here and that is one thing that really miss about being back home. Oddly, Brian was set to go to Greenland and, when I said 'enjoy, and maybe next time you can come to Quito,' he changed his plans and came to Ecuador instead of Greenland. Quite a change, I'm sure.

I have many friends that I am able to stay in touch with periodically, but I certainly cannot see them as often as I used to. I also just generally miss my familiar surroundings. While Quito is a nice city, I miss my old gym, the people I saw there, the restaurants that I used to go to, the places I was so familiar with, trips to Austin, riding my bike in West Houston, laps at the swim center, etc. I am sure I will keep finding similar experiences here, but it is not a perfect transplant. I do miss quite a few things. The next time I go to Houston, I think I will have to bring my bike back to Quito with me ...and I'm still looking for a good swimming pool here.

Brian wanted to visit an old theater here in the historic part of town, so we went. The show was interesting, amusing, and quite good. The theater was built in the late 19th century and is a very nice sight. It is on a plaza in the historic center. The show consisted of about a 12-piece band and 4 female vocalists --everyone from Ecuador --recreating the music of the famous music group of the 70s and 80s, Abba. Now of course you may remember that Abba was not all women and they were Swedish and not Latin American, still the performance was quite good. The singers

--all dressed in 70s mod attire --and musicians did an excellent job of impersonating Abba ...though Brian and I chuckled a bit throughout the show thinking about what we were watching. Periodically there was a backdrop of Abba photos hanging behind the performers to remind the audience of the real Abba.

I participated in a briefing at the U.S. Embassy last week, too. I was asked to brief the Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission, as well as about 10 other high-ranking officials, on the state of legal reform in Ecuador and what my project is doing to assist in the changes. Of course, I had to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for the group and that was very time-consuming. They certainly paid attention to it, though, and I answered questions after the briefing before lunching at the Embassy with some of the audience members. The security to get in and out of the Embassy is always tight, so that presents some logistical challenges and one has to allow about an extra 30 minutes to get in and another 30 to get out.

My big project for the last couple of weeks has been preparing for a training event that was held this Thursday-Sunday. On Thursday, I lectured on communication and institutional conflict to a group of 50 government officials --another PowerPoint! The purpose of the lecture was to give the officials some useful skills to deal with the conflicts that occur in their institutions and also between their institutions. On Thursday night, I welcomed 4 trainers from the U.S.A. who came to Quito to help me with the project. On Friday, we held roundtable discussions (10 officials per group) to determine what problems exist with the legal system in Ecuador and its reforms, and how all of the institutions can go about finding workable solutions. That lasted all day Friday. On Saturday, the team of trainers worked with me for several hours drafting a report for the event, which I now have to revise and publish.

Saturday afternoon, I took the group out to visit Quito. We went to Mitad the Mundo, which is the geographic center of the earth that separates the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern. We also went to the historic center in Quito and visited some of the famous buildings. They enjoyed the sightseeing, but they had to leave early for the airport. We did not stay out late, since I had to meet some of them at 4:00AM today to go to the airport so they could begin their trip home. Great to see and work with the trainers again --all of whom I know well --and it reminded me (again) of some of the people and things I miss back home.

Today I spent the day wrapping up things after the event, catching up on email, and doing a little shopping at the grocery store. Shopping for groceries and a pizza dinner has become a regular activity for me on Sundays! I enjoy the long walk, too.

Above I have posted a picture of the old theater (Teatro Sucre), which I will now forever associate with Abba! I have also posted a picture of me at 0 degrees, 0 minutes, and 0 seconds --right at the equatorial center of the earth. Notice the difference in the sun on one shoulder versus the other --one on the sunny side of the equator and the other not! I am literally standing with one foot in one hemisphere and the other in the other hemisphere. Notice the red diving line under me. If you click on my picture, above, you can see a higher resolution version of the picture.

Hope you enjoyed reading. Sorry it has taken me so long to post an entry here, but please check back soon ...and please keep writing.

Saturday Night Lights Across Quito's Churches

I have spent most of the day working at home ...while the plumbers worked in my master bathroom. They had to disassemble the shower area and repair some plumbing to stop the leak. I hope it is finally stopped, but I cannot use the shower until tomorrow morning to test it. The whole repair process was about 5 hours of work and made a bit of a mess. Although the plumbers did a good good of cleaning, I still cleaned again after they left. The only sign of the work that was done now is the smell of the sealant that they used. I'm sure that the plumbers lost quite a few brain cells working in the bathroom today as they smelled the sealing compound for several hours!

The city is beautiful at night and that is the time that I enjoy the most. At about 7PM, as the evening sky turns dark, the temperature drops to about 65 degrees, the traffic slows down, and the city becomes more quiet ...until about 9PM when the partying starts. I plan to go to a restaurant in the neighborhood and have a light dinner, then come back home to read. Tomorrow I have a busy day.

Earlier in the morning, I plan to do a long walk again down to the valley and the old church at Guapulo. Then I have to meet some visiting lawyers from the USA and some of the Embassy staff for brunch. After that I will do a little shopping and then come back home to prepare some things for work on Monday. The weekends are a good time for me to catch up on reading, too, so I'm sure I will do that.

I'll let everyone know how the walk and brunch is later. For now, time to enjoy the view of the city from my balcony and then dinner!

Sunday Walkabout - Coffee - Books - More Supplies

This morning I decided to venture out for my longest tour of the city on foot. I wound up walking about a total of two hours by the time it was all done. The interesting thing to me was that every time I asked how to get somewhere, the people immediately told me to take a cab or a bus. When I told them I wanted to walk, they all uniformly told me 'that is very far away, so you should take a bus!' When I insisted on walking, they warned me that it is hilly (which it can be) and that it is quite hot (which it is not!). In any event, I eventually convinced them to give me directions and I enjoyed visiting the city on foot.

My first stop was to the section of town known for the nightlife. It is simply called 'La Mariscal.' Every city in the world has this sort of area of town. It is not the downtown, but pretty close. It is not too expensive, but has lots of popular bars, dance clubs, pubs, and trendy restaurants. There are also internet cafés and places that tourists would look for, so this is known as the place that the tourists go. Still, many younger locals go to the area, too, because it has the clubs, pubs, etc. It was pretty quiet in the morning, but some restaurants were open and a lot of businesses opened around 11AM.

I went to El Cafecito first. This is an older home, which has been converted into a hostel, coffee shop, and small restaurant. While there I met 6 German tourists who were hiking throughout South America for two months before starting work after graduate school. I had a great cup of coffee and a freshly made fruit smoothy (papaya, cantaloupe, and watermelon). I also sat around and talked to the night manager of the hostel who was getting off duty. He is Greek, but lived in Munich for 20 years before moving to Ecuador 3 years ago. He speaks decent Spanish, slightly better English ...and a great deal of German and Greek, obviously.

After my coffee, I wandered around La Mariscal. I ran into a young tourist who tried, in broken Spanish, to ask me if I could direct him to the Cafecito Hostel. Boy was he in luck! Not only could I do that but, when I detected a hint of an Australian accent and asked if he spoke English, he got very excited. Turns out he is in Ecuador to study Spanish and has been here about one week. We chatted a bit --as I forced him to practice his Spanish -- and walked back to the hostel. I left him there with the nice Greek/German man who was still sipping his espresso (probably his third of the morning) and rolling a cigarette (probably his second since I left him).

I eventually made my way to Libri Mundi, regarded as the best book store in Ecuador ...and it is! This is a top-notch bookstore with an extensive selection of all types of books in several languages. I came here because I was told it has a great selection of books on architecture and interior design. I spent about one hour looking at the selection and eventually made my decision. It settled on a book that takes one on a tour through many different countries focusing on diverse home designs that efficiently utilizes minimal space. Interesting ideas and I do love architecture and design. On my way out of the store, I spotted a book by John Rawls, quite a distinguished philosopher on law, government, and politics and, though I have read the book, I bought it in Spanish this time! I'm sure it will take me longer to read, but it will improve my vocabulary in Spanish on all of these intersections of civil society in which I am now working. The book is Lectures on the History of Political Philosophy.

Next, I headed toward the Parque Carolina and the El Jardin shopping center. This has become a regular stop for me on Sundays. The park has lots of people wandering around and the mall has a little bit of everything. After walking around the park for a bit, I shopped for some groceries and more cleaning supplies that I needed. The mall was, as usual, full of people. I can't tell how much they buy, but there sure are many people wandering about.

Finally, I started walking back toward my house. When I got back, I made myself a great cup of coffee using my new French press coffee maker I bought. The only problem is that I noticed that it takes a very long time to boil water at nearly 10,000 feet of altitude! Still, I can now make coffee whenever I want, instead of walking to a local coffee house. After coffee, I took Jackson on his afternoon walk, brushed him, and came back home to do a little reading and call some friends back home.

Quito is quiet on Sunday nights. Most restaurants close early, so I went to one of my favorite places --La Liebre (the Hare). This is a little DVD rental place that is also a coffee shop and small restaurant. The food is simple, but quite good. Now, I'm off to read some more and watch the evening news.

The map at the top generally shows where I was today. If you want to see a detailed map that shows some of the places I stopped, first click on the 'Quito Walk' link below the following map. From there, you can just zoom in as much as you want for as much detail as you would like on some of the points along my walk. Thanks for dropping by to see what I'm doing today in Quito! ...and please let me know what you think.

View Quito Walk 09 06 09 in a larger map

Full Moon Over Quito

The city lights at night and the full moon look great tonight. Again, it is crisp, clean, and cool tonight except at the traffic circle near my house. For some reason, quite a bit of fog always seems to accumulate there.

I went to a dinner at the Ambassador's residence tonight. It was an interesting mix of a few Embassy staff (senior staff), a few military personnel (colonels mostly), and me. Her residence is an older hacienda that has been nicely maintained and refurbished in a manner suitable for an ambassador. One of the Embassy staff pointed out to me that the wine glasses had the seal of the Secretary of State and mentioned that only THE Secretary of State or an ambassador can use the official seal. It made me want to make off with a glass, but I figured better not to. Now if there had been a shot glass to inconspicuously drop into my pocket, then maybe ;-)

Lots of writing and meetings at the office today. Time flew by and it was past 5PM before I even noticed. I have observed that the office staff is pretty carefree about time matters. That seems to be the custom here generally. They are always amazed at how fast I leave and then come back from lunch. When I go out on my own, I'm usually out and back within 30 minutes. The rest of the office staff goes out a one-hour lunch that usually stretches into 1.5 hours but, as I said, that seems to be the custom here.

Tomorrow is the end of the week again and this week seems to have flown by. This weekend my big project is to continue my search for the right gym. I did find a nice yoga studio around the corner from my house and the rumor is it is really nice. I may drop by there this weekend, too.

Jackson is looking longingly at me now, so I guess I'd better go play with him a bit before bed time. There will be more time for posts later.

Jackson Hurls - Not everything is Less Expensive - Persistent Drips

Yesterday I realized that Jackson is not entirely adjusted to the altitude. We went out for our morning walk and I noticed he was a little winded, but figured everything was OK. Since it was time for him to eat, I fed him and he gulped his food down, as usual. A few minutes later he decided he wanted to play fetch --and again this is not unusual --so we played a little fetch. After one of his last retrievals, he got this dejected look on his face, turned and walked out of the carpeted room we were in, and promptly vomited all of his breakfast! He then laid down and huffed and puffed for a bit longer. I figure it was a combination of the fatigue from the walk and the playing, plus having just eaten. Oh, well. Lesson learned. Guess we both need to be more conscious about adjusting to the altitude.

Jackson's vomitus was an inspiration for me to go shopping ...for cleaning supplies, among other things. I went on a long walk to the mall to get some sundries. It's amazing how many little things you need when you are setting up a house. Little things one takes for granted like toilet paper, hand soap, toilet brush, etc. It all adds up and you have to buy it.

While I was out, I wandered into a drug store and saw some of the dental floss that has an end you can thread through a permanent retainer, like the one I have on my lower teeth. I figured I'd get some. Not that I needed it right away, but I figured there it is. What a mistake! When I went to checkout, the tab was ridiculously high. I inquired what drove the price up and found out the little package of special dental floss was nearly $20. How insane is that. On the heels of that, I priced a bottle of Grey Goose Vodka (750 ml, standard size, not jumbo) and that was $65. Also insane.

The other weird thing about shopping is that the products I'm just used to running down the aisle and picking up are re-packed in unidentifiable ways down here or entirely unavailable. I spend much more time finding the usual stuff or looking for replacements. And the people here just linger in the aisles looking at stuff, so it is shopping cart mayhem in the aisles trying to get through.

While shopping I did meet a mother, father, and son team of missionaries from Oklahoma and chatted with them. The were shocked I spotted them as non-locals!

Last week was consumed diagnosing a couple of water leaks in diverse area of the house --hence the photo of water dripping. The place is brand new, so no one has turned on all the faucets, flushed all the toilets, etc. The plumber who was here last week swore that one leak was behind a shower, but I have figured out over the weekend that cannot possibly be true. I have now diagnosed the true source of the leak, which is the toilet, so it is much easier to repair. Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, now that I have saved the plumber lots of time figuring out where that leak was from, I returned home today to find another leak. This one is beneath my master bathroom sink. Some clean up and emptying of the cabinet awaits me later tonight, since the plumber arrives bright and early tomorrow.

Today was a long day of meetings and I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to grab a beer and pizza... then clean and dry!

More Ecuador adventures to follow tomorrow.

Thanks to all of you who have sent emails and called.

American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative

Several of you have asked about what it is I'm doing down here. Some have suggested (well, really only one has suggested it!) that I'm down here on some covert operation. Since I haven't really explained it before, and to spare you from doing independent research, I'll tell you a bit about the ABA Rule of Law Initiative.

The Rule of Law Initiative is a public service project of the American Bar Association dedicated to promoting the rule of law around the world with the belief that the rule of law is the most effective, long-term solution to pressing problems, including poverty, economic stagnation, and conflict, facing the world community today.

I am the Director of the Rule of Law Initiative in Ecuador, based in Quito. I have overall field responsibility for in-country programs, including grant-funded programs; manage international and local staff; identify program methodologies and develop long-term and short-term strategies and work plans to improve the rule of law in Ecuador. I implement, monitor and evaluate in-country programs and activities. I am responsible for financial oversight of all programs and for donor relations in-country. In cooperation with headquarters-based program staff, I draft grant proposals and undertake fundraising in-country.

The major program in existence before I got here was the criminal justice reform project. That project focuses on transitioning from the inquisitorial to the adversarial legal system, and we provide all types of support and training in that regard. Since I got here, I have been developing new programs, including (1) the women and children's rights project (focusing on how to prevent exploitation of women and children in the region, especially by better prosecuting human trafficking cases), (2) the anti-corruption project (focusing on measuring corruption in Ecuador as compared to the region and suggesting ways to improve anti-corruption efforts), and (3) the ethics project (providing support for judges and lawyers on how to improve the ethical guidelines and disciplinary processes to ensure the highest ethical standards in the legal profession).

Well, that's the nutshell version of what I do. Most of the time I am in government meetings and staff meetings and doing research or reading research on these topics. No day is the same, the work is very interesting and exciting, and the home office gives me great support to keep developing the projects. All in all, I couldn't ask for more.

The only thing that is a little rough is being out of pocket, in unfamiliar surroundings, and feeling a little disconnected from my fiends back home ...But then I'm just getting adjusted here, so I think that will improve with time. And then there is also the fact that the last few weeks I have just been hit with so many changes (work, travel, personal, etc.).

Then being away has its advantages, too. I am meeting new people and seeing lots of interesting things. Once I'm settled in here in Quito, I will start expanding out to see other things in Ecuador and the region, and that will be exciting. Lots of fun travel opportunities await down here not only in Ecuador, but also, neighboring Colombia and Peru ...not to mention all of South America.

Well, enough for now. Time for a local pilsner --which are pretty good, but the way --and some reading. Keep dropping in and I'll keep posting. See you all soon back here.

Is Any One Reading?...

...Because no one seems to be posting comments.

Back in Quito

I arrived last night about 11:30PM after a three week absence. When I stepped off of the plane I knew that I was not in Houston any more. The air was cool and crisp and a stark contrast to the heat and humidity I had been experiencing for the past three days. I do miss my Houston friends, but the longer I'm away in the summer, the more inhospitable June, July, and August in Houston seems. I really have loved the Quito weather so far and wish I could export some to Houston! Today was a little cloudy, but again no rain. It is now about 6PM and I am ready to go home but, since I don't have my internet connected there yet, I'm going to jot down some thoughts.

Jackson was great on the plane. He flew in the cabin with me for five-hour trip back to Quito and could not have been better behaved. We were also blessed to have a nice lady from Paris/Africa/Kauai sitting next to us. She is a free spirit whose father was a prominent developer in Washington, DC (read: she cashed in). She splits her time between an apartment in Paris, her house on the Island of Kauai, and an orphanage and school she set up in Swaziland, Africa. She is a nurse/midwife and avid diver, so she's on her way to do a course somewhere in Ecuador and then on to diving in the Galapagos Islands. She loves dogs, so Jackson could not have done better than to have her next to us. The flight crew and many assorted passengers (mostly kids) took turns wandering up to visit Jackson throughout the flight, which I'm sure annoyed all of the other passengers in the First Class cabin who wanted privacy and rest ...but Jackson loved it, so that's all that matters! Truth be told, I'm sure he would have been fine flying in the pet compartment, since he seems to go with the flow general, but it made me feel better to have him in the cabin.

When we landed, we got the royal treatment and they lead Jackson and me to the front of all of the lines saying that they did not want to keep Jackson waiting in line with the crowd! This was a huge help given that I had so much luggage and would have been waiting forever for assorted inspections. The vet at the airport in Quito who had to clear Jackson for entry just glanced at all of the papers that Stuart and I worked so hard to assemble --without an inspection and barely a look at all of the forms and vaccination certificates --and then asked if he could play with Jackson for a bit. I obliged and Jacskon again loved it.

My ride was very reliable and he was waiting when I walked out. He took us in his cargo truck to the apartment where I was greeted by Huira Cinche (pronounced WI rah SIN cheh), which means 'strong wind' in Qichua, an indigenous language of Ecuador similar to Qechua in Peru. Huiara is one half of my 'Y Tu Mama Tambien' realtor team and he was very accommodating in helping us move everything in. Of course, by the time I unpacked the basics and made the bed it was about 2:30AM, so a very long day for me.

Jackson has been resting at home all day and mostly sleeping. I have gone by several times to see how he's adjusting and all is going well. He likes his dog bed and the tile floors in the kitchen. He also has been wandering around checking out the various rooms. I plan to let him adjust at the house before I take him over to the office.

Today I was busy handling administrative matters, catching up on reading, and doing a bit more unpacking. I hope to have my internet and cable connected at the apartment within the next 3 days (probably more like Friday or Saturday, though) and then I will be more accessible to everyone. Until then, email is great and I love hearing from everyone even if it is just a quick 'howdy!' As you all know, the last few weeks have been hectic (and, at times, downright traumatic), so it is always good to hear from old friends.

I am tired after about 3-4 nights of not much sleep and too much travel for the past three weeks, so it is time to go see Jackson and wander out for some food. Look for more later this week.

Cross Country Trek on Sunday

I started out this morning in LA teaching Alec and Jordan how to ride bikes. That was ill-fated due to tire pressure issues and they fact that they are just little kids. Balance, nerves, and general inattentiveness made progress difficult, but they got a lesson on the basics that make for good bike riding.  After that, I headed to the airport for the trip to Washington, DC.

There was a brief stop in Houston to change planes and, in a totally random coincidence, my friend Ryan, who was traveling from Canada, misconnected on a flight and was stuck in Houston. He called me to say hello and, low and behold, I was a few gates away totally by chance. We got to meet for a few minutes and then I headed off to DC.

Arriving late, I made it to the hotel around midnight ...but still on California time, so I am wide awake. Tomorrow I have a full day of meetings, so I'm going to try to sleep soon. DC is a beautiful city to see from the air at night. I don't think I'd enjoy living here much, but the monuments and capitol looked great from the air as the plane approached Reagan National. The Lincoln Memorial at night is one of my favorite sites.

Visiting Los Angeles

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop.

The weather here is great, but the people are not.

After so many visits to LA for the past eight months, now I have one less reason to come back. 

On the bright side of things, I am enjoying my work here. I'm also enjoying spending time with Lori and the kids. Very grateful for that. 

...And there's always the Griffith Observatory. LA probably has other redeeming qualities, but right now I'm at a loss to think of them.

Back in Houston for a Bit

...And I must say it is hot and humid! One of the thing I remember most about my first week in Quito was noticing the diesel fumes trailing the busses and cabs. One of the things that I will remember most about coming back to Houston was that I noticed the summer's sweltering heat as soon as I stepped off of the airplane. I do miss the cool evenings in Quito and, while my secretaries complain about how hot it is when the daytime high of 78 is reached, I must say that is nothing compared to the heat of a Houston summer. It has cooled a little here now with some cloud cover and rain, but it is still really hot.

Still and all, even with the heat and humidity, it has been very nice to come back. To see friends. And to time in my house and sleep in my own bed, but I have not had that much down time. It has been a whirlwind of activity since I arrived Friday. I have been going out with my friends here and, though it has only been 3 weeks since I last saw them, it seems like it has been much longer. Friday I went out with Karen and Harold to a great dinner at Benjy's. We unexpectedly ran into another friend, Dale, at the restaurant, so that was a nice surprise. Saturday, I went out with Michelle, Drew, and Lisa for a belated birthday dinner, which was a very nice treat. Today, I went out to Sunday brunch with some of my cycling buddies. Lots of catching up to do in a short amount of time, so I've been staying very busy. Great to see everyone again and many are making plans to come visit me in Quito. I'll look forward to that.

I have also been running lots of errands preparing things for my departure later this week to CA. Still lots of things to take care of here during the week, including a few business meetings, but I'm sure I'll be able to get it all done. One of my big projects is a report, which I have been working on on-and-off most of the day. Still more to do there, but then I don't have to send the draft off until tomorrow! I will be busy working with the Quito staff even as I am traveling for the next few weeks. Fortunately Houston and Quito are on the same time zones, so that's nice. The next couple of weeks will be more challenging, though, as I move to West coast time and then Eastern time.

For now, some pictures of Houston, which feels so much more like home that the hotel room I have been occupying for the past 21 days. The Houston skyline from Memorial Drive, the De Menil Museum, and the Mecom Fountain at night, all some of my favorite things about Houston.

...And Behind Door Number Three

...Is the new apartment!  Yes, I choose #3, but not just because it won out on votes.  It really was the best deal for me.  I go on Saturday to do the 'inventory,' which is this arcane system that is used in Latin America when you take possession real property. They do a detailed walk-thru and write down every little thing. I plan to take pictures, too, so I can post them on this blog.

The young lady who bought, furnished, and just moved in to this apartment not even three months ago is leaving to study International Marketing in Hong Kong for two years. She leaves on August 9th, so she will be there packing up and getting things ready for me, then Jackson and I move in when I return to Ecuador on August 23rd. Amazing views. Brand new everything. Best area of town. All pots, pans, dishes, glasses, etc.  ...She just walks out the door and locks it. Oh, yeah. I do have to buy sheets and pillows. She and I both thought it would be weird for me to sleep on hers. 

About the art work up top. That is by acclaimed Ecuadorian artist Luis Lara. I have started checking out work by Latin American artists while I'm down here and I like Luis Lara's stuff! Ecuador is quite an artsy place. I mentioned Loja in an earlier post, but there are many renowned Latin American artists living in Quito, too. I guess they find the city is pretty and inspiring. 

Tomorrow I have a full day of planning meetings and budgetary matters to deal with at the U.S. Embassy. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, it is a great space, so I like to go there. Tomorrow I get to check out the food in the cafeteria! I have to get a PowerPoint presentation ready, so I'll curtail my blogging for now.

Thanks to all those of you who have inquired about how I'm doing. The move has been difficult, but not because of the job or the city or the people I've met here. All of those things are going very well. I won't bore you with further details now, except to say that I do appreciate the many of you who have sent well wishes, comforting words, etc. to ease me through this transition. I appreciate it.

Filling in Gaps from Last Week

I know you have all been teetering on the edge of your seats for me to give details on those teaser items I dropped, in last week's posts, so...

Backtracking to my first visit to the U.S. Embassy last Wednesday, I must say that the Embassy itself was quite impressive.  Very new, ultra modern, and every convenience one could imagine in terms of design and amenities. The structure itself is glass and stone, but beautiful in a contemporary yet classic way. Everyone I met at the Embassy was amazingly nice, too. Jon, one of the senior guys there, it turns out was born in Tomball, Texas (just outside of Houston for you non-Houston readers). He told me that quite a few of the State Department staff stationed in Ecuador are, in fact, from Texas. Jon is super nice and is married to a Peruvian, so he plans to be in Ecuador or the Andean Region for a while.

Getting into the Embassy was a chore and, while I cannot go into great detail for security reasons, suffice it to say that to get in to see the inner workings of the Embassy and meet with high-level officials there, one has to go through rigorous background checks and then several layers of detectors and frisking. In fact, one of the nicest things Jon agreed to do for me during my stay in Quito is to get me a clearance card and ID so I don’t have to go through all of the rigmarole each time I go to visit there. Suhweet!

The best thing I learned at the Embassy is that every Saturday the bomb detection and guard dogs are given ‘play time.’ They get to roam and run about the grounds of the Embassy, which are expansive and, obviously, gated without restraints for pure fun and play with each other. Since Jon and I talked had talked about Jackson, Jon offered to get me permission to bring Jackson by to play with the other dogs on a regular basis. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. Maybe some of the bomb sniffing and guard skills will rub of on Jackson!

On Friday, I went to the Casa de la Musica, which is a new concert hall, here in Quito. The show was the Ecuador Symphony orchestra, about 50 musicians, playing pieces by Tchaikovsky (Concert for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35) and Vieuxtemp (Concert for Violin and Orchestra No.5). The concert hall is really beautiful (pictured above) and the music was quite nice. I have to say, though, that the highly touted featured violinist –South Korean –was good, but she (Seo Yeon Lee) did not show the character, enthusiasm, or flourish in her performance that the featured violinist from Ecuador (Franklin Ruque) did. The Señor Ruque is from Loja, Ecuador, which is the local equivalent of Santa Fe. Picture very artsy and idyllic –like Santa Fe –and I’m told that’s what Loja is like. (Above is an artist's rendering of the city center, so judge for yourself.) Loja is also in a ‘blue zone,’ which is one of those areas of the world that scientists are studying because there is a history of longevity in these regions.  Anyway, the concert was really great and cheap –only $5 for orchestra seats! Afterwards my new friend from the Embassy, Carlos, and I went out for dinner and wine. Carlos is from Ecuador, but works at the Embassy and he is quite the fan of classical music. I’m guessing he’s about 70 and, when I mentioned I was going to go to the concert, he practically jumped out of the chair in the conference room with enthusiasm. It seems Carlos’ wife is not a fan of classical music, so he has no one to go to the concerts with. I’m guessing that from now on I have a friend to go to the performances at Casa de la Musica with.

Well, it has been a long day and I’m tired, so off to do a bit more reading and then bed time. See you on here again soon.

Apartment Hunting Update

Many places have told my real estate agents they will not rent to me because of Jackson. And some landlords are not able to rent to me even though they want to because the condo regulations prohibit pets in the building. My choices now are --barring further shopping or develoments --down to three:

• Option One: 1800 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, in a 20-year old building, fully-furnished, dated apartment and furniture (think Howard Johnson motel-type setting), great views of the city, on a major street.
  
• Option Two: 1600 square feet in a brand new building, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, study, appliances only, not a stick of furniture, great views of the valley, off of a major street and down a steep hill (so a little off the beaten path).
  
• Option Three: 1100 square feet in a brand new building, 2 bedrooms (one furnished as a study), nicely and fully furnished with new, contemporary furniture down to all pots, pans, glassware, and even an espresso machine, plus TVs and stereo, with great views of the city, just off a major street.
  

All units are pretty much in the same area of town, the Gonzalez Suarez zone, which is considered up-scale and close to the office, shops, restaurants, etc.  

Cast your vote quickly for one of these options by entering a comment, below. I hope to have a decision by tomorrow and then handle all contracts, deposits, etc. so that I can move in before I head back to the States on July 31st.

Cool, Crisp Air ...and Night Falls in Quito as I Read

Kahlil Gibran

'Ever has it been that love 

knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.'

'Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.' 

'We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.'

Close to Finding an Apartment - Computer Tech Issue

The picture is a view of the valley looking toward Cumbayá and Guapulo from the highlands of Quito as night falls...

I have been venturing out apartment shopping every day now and I'm closer to finding a place. I have one very good prospect that is fully furnished and one excellent prospect that is not furnished. The view from the unfurnished place is amazing, it is quiet, and very spacious, so I'm leaning toward that apartment ...even though furnishing it will be a bit of a chore, but then it could will be fun, too.  We'll see.

So I authorized the purchase of three Mac computers for the office and we got them yesterday. Everyone has been really excited about the technician who was supposed to come by today and do a couple of hours of tutorials. The big drama of the day is that he did not show up, but he had a good excuse: he has Swine Flu! Yep, it appears he has the virus and is hospitalized as of this morning. Fortunately, I never met the guy, let alone shook his hand, so I figure I'm OK. There is some concern here, though, since it seems there have been more than a handful of Swine Flu cases reported in Quito now. I hear that Argentina is getting hit hard, but its winter there. I'm not too concerned, but I will continue my ritualistic handwashing.

Tomorrow I have more meetings with government officials and then I'm off for the weekend. I hope to finish my apartment shopping this weekend and I should have some more details to report soon. I also have a special event planned for Friday night. (That's a teaser.) Tune in later for details.

Tuesday Evening - Very Brief

I have had a very long day, so I will only hit the highlights: 

• More apartment shopping and some more pretty good prospects.
  
• Excellent day in meetings with Ecuador government officials.
  
• Great meetings with the US Embassy officials (I really want to give details. I'll do that in another post). 
  
• Not in the mood to blog now, so I won't. 
  
• Send me your well wishes and comments.  I can always use those. 
  
• Miss my friends, but I'm making new ones here.
  

Look for more tomorrow.

Sunday Night - Monday at the Office - More Apartment Shopping

I spent Sunday evening (last night) dropping in on a wedding at the hotel. I heard the band playing in the patio, so I decided to pay a visit. I put on a nice suit and headed downstairs not knowing exactly what to expect. They had a Latin band and dancing going on just outside the main banquet room. I hung out and watched that for a bit, had a glass of sangria, and then decided not crash any of the eating and drinking activities going on in the banquet room. The most amazing thing to me was the floral arrangements. Since Ecuador is such a large producer and exporter of flowers, they are beautiful and really inexpensive here. The arrangements were amazing. There were two, large, rose tower arrangements that stood about 5 feet tall and, I'm guessing conservatively, had about 500 roses each! The table arrangements had birds of paradise and some other really pretty, tropical flowers that I could not even begin to I identify. 

I decided to head up to the bar/restaurant on the top floor and, on the way up in the elevator, I met two interesting guys from Holland. To make a long story short, it turns out they are both commercial pilots. They fly the world conducting trainings and piloting airplanes --some passenger and some cargo --but mostly they are trainers.  They have even been to Texas to conduct trainings at the air force base in Wichita Falls.  They didn't have a great impression of Texas or Southern Oklahoma and joked back and forth with me about how many dead cows they spotted from the air when they were there.  One of them told me he started teaching land navigation by referencing the dead cows! In their former lives, the were both in the Dutch air force (one was a major and the other was a colonel) and high level NATO officers. One of them, Bob (which I'm sure is just a nickname), served a three-year tour of duty in Kosovo. Bob had a passion for law, though he told me he had only studied it briefly in military school, while Rutger was just naturally inquisitive. We wound up spending nearly three hours talking about Latin America, Europe, politics, world affairs, flying, and law. Thoroughly fascinating evening. Really interesting and cool guys.

First thing this morning I got up, ate breakfast, checked email, answered a few calls from the states, and set out for my first full day at the office. It consisted of a long planning meeting, followed by a telephone conference with the office in Washington, D.C. Throughout the day I had assorted people drop in to meet me, including the chief prosecutor of the special victims unit in Quito (to discuss training courses for her division) and the director of communications for our project (to discuss web page development and my interview schedule/press tour for next week). It appears they want me to hit the ground running, so they have lined up interviews for me all next week with the leading newspapers and T.V. stations.

In the afternoon, I slipped out for some apartment shopping and found an O.K. place (read 'not my style, but workable'), but the owner was really worried about Jackson. She did not come right out and say she would not allow him there, but she hinted pretty strongly by asking if it would be better for him to stay on the patio (I told her no!), whether he could stay in his kennel in the garage (NO!!!), and whether she could come by during the day to be sure he was not damaging anything (again, no). I did explain that he is well trained and will not harm anything, but she seemed unconvinced. I suspect if she gets any other takers, she will jump on them and the apartment will be rented out from under me. No biggie, though, since I'm not crazy about it.

After a couple of other hours at the office reading to prepare for meetings tomorrow, I headed off for more apartment hunting --this time with the sweet, well-meaning, but unorganized woman from Saturday. Two places were washouts: one landlord was a no show and the other was a place that looked like granny had decorated it. The third place is a definite possibility! Really nice, loft-like space. It has no view, but the space is modern, clean, cool, and nicely finished. The neighborhood is considered very nice, though a bit congested for my taste, and the buildings look upscale-modern. It is not furnished, so I'd have to deal with that, but at least it has light fixtures, a washer/dryer, and blinds. I'm going out tomorrow again to look at a few other places and I hope this madness will end soon and I find the right place.

I went out this evening to dinner with a couple of guys from the Embassy for 'traditional Ecuadorian' food. We had some type of a hominy dish, beans, white rice with peas, lightly battered and fried fish, fried plantains, some of the best ceviche I've ever had, and a salad with peas, corn, beets, and heart of palms. Really great food, but way more than I wanted. I think the food I've had here is really good and the fish is very fresh. No complaints about the food from me!

Enjoy the panoramic picture of the Quito skyline, the 'Panecillo' hill with the statue of the Virgin of Quito, and drop by here again soon for more details.

Leisurely Sunday - Rustic Apartment - Beautiful Church

Spent this morning catching up on reading, both leisure and work-related. I also spent a lot of time on the computer answering tons of emails from well-wishing friends, sending out emails to the many friends that I wish I had had time to talk to personally and say goodbye before I left, and answering Skype calls. For those of you who wonder what the best way to reach me is, I can tell you that calling my Skype number (USA 512.961.8557) is the easiest and lowest cost way.  I talked to quite a few friends today effortlessly.

This evening, I went out on a long walk to look at another apartment. The experience can best be described as very interesting. I walked about 2 kilometers North from my hotel along a very nice street to a district called Gonzelez Suarez. This area is known for its new, mid-to-high rise condos where the cab drivers have told me the 'people with money' live. Every building is gleaming and new. At this point, my odyssey began and the landlord of the apartment I was seeking gave me directions that can best be described as sketchy.

She told me to turn right at the first street past the Hotel Quito, which I did. I then began a steep descent down a cobblestone street that curved downward toward a beautiful valley. Along the way, with many switchbacks, I saw little shops and snack bars and taverns. There was not a road sign to be found, which explains why the directions I got did not reference such.

Instead, I was told to 'look for a green building on the right next to a yellow building.' And to 'follow the curve that bends to the left.' I continued following this sort of roadmap until I arrived at the 'two buildings next to each other, one green and one yellow.' This is where I was admonished to 'follow the stairs that run between the two buildings, through two set of doors, down the stairs, and ring the bell.'

After doing all of that, I was greeted by a charming 80-something year old woman, member of an indigenous group here in Ecuador, who is the caretaker for the property. She showed me through a rambling compound/commune that consists of 18 separate 'casitas.' All looked charming and rustic: brick and tile floors, interior brick walls, fireplaces as the only source of heat, and furnishings that looked like they were out of a cabin Thoreau would have lived in. I learned that the area I was in is a blend of very poor locals and artsy Bohemian/academic types. Sounds perfect as far as a place to drink coffee or beer, but the apartments may be just a little too primitive and off the beaten path. The thought of climbing the cobblestone streets on a daily basis in a suit seems problematic. Also, the units have no modern conveniences or luxuries. There are no washers or dryers and the bathrooms are bare bones. For example, the shower curtain in one place had a wire clothes hanger rigged to hold the span up. The furniture shows the ravages of time --the sagging cushions of the large butts that have sat on them laboring over research papers and the claw marks of the angry cats that have taken their frustration out on the easy chair as their owners sipped absinthe. And the mattresses. I would have to find a very reliable hygienic barrier before I'd dare lie down on the beds I saw!

Still and all the views from the units were amazing and the units are more the style that I like --think Santa Fe, NM adobe instead of Miami, FL condo. If only I could find a place with Ecuadorian style that is nice and clean with a washer and dryer! Well, I guess I'll keep looking. I suspect, however, that I will wind up in a condo. It seems the Quito upwardly mobile professions value those much more than the artsy, Bohemian places I would like. All of the people at the office have told me where the 'it' places that I should live are, so it is pretty clear they see me in a new, gleaming condo. Also, since Latin America is very status-conscious (in that respect it does remind me of LA or Dallas), they have made it clear that I need to be at the 'right' address. We'll see what I find during the upcoming week. I'll keep you all posted.

Until then, I have given you some photos of the beautiful church (La Iglesia de Guápulo), which is down in the valley at the end of the cobblestoned road I meandered down in search of an apartment ...and a photo of an indigenous woman who looks just like the charming and talkative lady who showed me the cute apartment I doubt I'll be living in. Now, as the band plays at the wedding in the hotel patio 13 floor below, I'm off to relive a scene from Wedding Crashers. Details to follow tomorrow.

Apartment Shopping - Saturday Evening in Historic Center

Dealing with a very nice, but somewhat unorganized realtor, I set out to look for apartments today.  It was pretty much a bust. She told me she had lined up six places for us to look at, but we were only able to see two. It appears that the other four cancelled because they decided to go out of the city, visit family, go run errands, etc. The 'mañana' attitude rears it ugly head!  (No the picture above is not of one of the places I looked at. Read below to find out what it is!)

Of the two places I did see, I ruled out one right away. The other one is not bad (nicely located, in fact), but it is completely unfurnished --meaning not even a fridge, stove, or light fixtures! Now I did tell her that I would consider unfurnished places, but I did not know that meant no light fixtures or blinds, or stove or fridge. She said the owner might consider working with me on that, so we'll see. I am optimistic that the other places will pan out.

I have placed calls to a nice couple of women I have been dealing with by internet.  They have places to rent and are American. Perhaps one of those will work out. I hope to see those later today. If I can't set that up, then I will just head out and wander the city a bit.

I love the breakfasts here because they have amazing fruit. Each day I have been eating fresh papaya and delicious watermelon, plus assorted other goodies. They always have freshly squeezed juice, too, and watermelon has been my drink of choice. I must say I'm getting spoiled at the hotel here, so my plan is to wander out for lunch to a place with a more 'local' feel.  The weather is amazing today --crystal clear air, about 75 degrees, and very sunny.  I will have to wear a cap out, because the sun is very intense here.  Wonder if that has to do with me being so close to the equator? ;-)

After spending the afternoon reading at the hotel, my Executive Assistant (Ana Maria) came by with her husband to take me on a tour of the city.  We took a wide loop around the city for views into the valleys and the surrounding areas.  Finally, we came back to the Historic Center where we had sangria and dinner in an old home that has been converted into a small shopping center around the central courtyard.  Very nice place to have a drink.  We then walked a bit around the Historic Center and saw lots of colonial architecture (circa 1600's and early 1700's). The churches and basilica, especially, were quite dramatic (photo at top is of the basilica by day).  While the evening illuminations were nice, it did not make for good pictures with my little digital camera.  I look forward to returning at night in a month or so with my large camera.  Until then, just take my word (and UNESCO's, since it has been designated a World Heritage Historical Site) for it: the Historic Center of Quito is beautiful, especially at night. 

Tomorrow will be a leisurely.  I plan to do some fun reading and also some 'homework' reading --I have to read a large briefing binder for the staff meetings that I'll be in during the upcoming week. I should be able to slip in a little walking around the city, though, in the afternoon.  If the weather is as nice as it was today, a longer walk may be in order.

First Day at the Office - And Quito by Daylight

I went to the office this morning --or I should say the office came to me!  Three of the office staff called me from the lobby at 9:30 this morning and said they came by to greet me and walk over to the office with me.  Literally next door to the hotel is the office.  Not grand (we are a nonprofit), but workable.  My office has nice windows that look out over the business district, but you can see the hills in the background.  The morning was consumed by short administrative meetings, planning my official visits for next week, and confirming appointments.  I mostly worked on the computer and stared out the window every once in awhile to remind myself where I am.

The entire office closed for lunch to take me out for my first day on the job.  I dared not mention it was my birthday for fear of what they might do to celebrate.  We walked a couple of blocks to a nice restaurant and all 7 of us enjoyed a nice meal, which the project manager paid for ...and then had to ask me to approve!

Everyone was very nice, friendly, and laid back.  Among the important accomplishments of the day: we all decided that Jackson will be the office mascot and is welcome in the offices everyday, that we are going fully Mac as of next week (once I approve the purchase order), and that we do need more space.  As a result next week, I will be out apartment AND office hunting.  The staff is eager to please and I have never had my assistant offer me so much attention.  I was offered coffee, cookies, and water throughout the day.

By 4PM, I decided I needed to venture out and went to the mall.  Bought a basic cell phone and some sundries.  When I got back, it was near sundown and I took a few pictures.  Quito is quite dramatic: hills surround you and a snowcapped volcano looms in the distance.  The temperature is ideal (lows in the 50's and highs in the upper 70's to low 80's year-round. I hadn't really seen Quito by day until today.  It is nice, in a very Latin American way (read not super clean or super new, and with character).

My big project for tomorrow is Round I of apartment shopping.  We start that at 9:30AM. I doubt I'll find a place tomorrow and I know I won't want to spend hours looking, so... If I finish early enough, I will venture to the hill just on the outskirts of town where the Virgin of Quito resides (statue!) and there is a natural overlook onto the city.  Sunday, I want to spend the bulk of the day in the old, colonial section of town.

Still no altitude issues, but I am aware that I am at elevation.  They tell me if the headaches and nausea hit, it will be tomorrow.  Gee, I hope I don't vomit in my new apartment ;-)

Here are some pictures of my sights (top to bottom): snow-capped Cayambe Volcano (in the Andean chain) looming over the city as seen from my hotel room; a view of the city and hills as seen from my hotel room; a view of the street in front of my office building as seen from my office window.

Arrival in Quito - 07.09.09

My first entry must be brief, since I am now going on 23 hours of perpetual motion!  I arrived to a beautifully illuminated city, an amazing hotel room, and extremely courteous people.  Though tired from the frantic last day in Houston, including only a 23-hour turnaround from my LA travels, I find myself surprisingly energetic still even at 3AM. Tomorrow, I will start house hunting in earnest, though I have been doing some searching by internet, and go to the office.  No effects from the altitude yet, though I do feel a faint headache coming on ...or is that from insomnia?  Can't wait to see the city in daylight in just a few hours (on my birthday!), but it sure is pretty at night.