...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.