My intent these last two weeks was to generate a new blog post. Initially, I thought I would recap 2020. Reflecting on my adventures for the year and how I navigated through the Covid-19 Pandemic, I realized it had been a rich year. One of time spent with family and friends, exploring new sights across the country, revisiting some previously visited, a trip to Jamaica, and finding a little corner in North Carolina that offers a sense of home and an environment promoting personal growth and peace.

Admittedly, I haven’t felt well these past few weeks. Nothing in particular that I can put my finger on nor symptoms to suggest an illness. I have just not felt up to par. Sharing an overview of my adventures in 2020 a bit overwhelming in the moment. After giving thought to meeting my objective, a decision was made to opt for oversimplification in generating a post. Focusin on a single photo from years gone became my goal put into action.

The below photo as taken in November of 2009. While not considered a new piece of work, it has always been a favorite. This is the first time it has been shared. Of all the photos I have taken over the years, I have treated this one as though sacred…”set apart”.

At the time this photo was taken, I was enrolled in a photography class at Portland Community College. The instructor, Sharon O’Keefe, a gifted photographer, was overflowing with knowledge to impart upon her students. She guided me in opening my eyes to “seeing” what I might not have otherwise; leading to the capture of images I might not have otherwise. On more than one occasion I recall Sharon saying, “Once you share a photo it’s not yours any longer”. Each viewer creates his or her own assessments, thoughts and perceptions of an image. Thus it’s not yours anymore. So…I am sharing something that I value through a collection of pixels. Please be kind toward it!

The photo was taken just outside the parameters of Union Station in downtown Portland, Oregon. Union Station is a magical place for an evening/nighttime photo shoot if you are ever in the area. Be sure not to miss going inside the train station as well. It is intriguing to photograph both inside and out.

I very vividly remember the night the photo was taken. I made the 20 mile drive from my suburban home to Union Station just to spend time with my camera in the hopes of capturing an image I would be pleased with. Time seemingly passed quickly and I probably stayed in the area longer, later into the night than I should have, but man am I glad I did.

Just before heading back to my vehicle in a nearby parking lot, I zeroed in on a metal sculpture which is incorporated into the below image. The camera was mounted on a tripod with the tripod head contorted in ways seemingly awkward and quirky. Me, I was focused on getting just the composition I wanted for an image that spoke to me and what I was “seeing”. I shoot perhaps half a dozen images with the featured one being my favorite.

After being restrictively archived for a number of years it has now been unveiled for public viewing. It is my wish that this images speaks to you in a way that makes you delight in the fact that I finally decided to share it. I would be interested in knowing what you see or how it speaks to you.

It is in the “seeing” that a whole new world opens up to those willing to be venture into it. May you be inspired to “SEE”!

Thanksgiving is less than a week away.  As a full-time RVer, I ponder who I will spending time with that day and what a celebratory meal will include.  When one is from Texas food is the primary focus of any holiday.  One thing is for sure I won’t be preparing the traditional turkey and dressing feast.  For now, I look forward to seeing how the holiday unfolds.

The last few months have been spent visiting and staying with my daughter, Betsy, in New Mexico.  It’s always “good times” when Betsy and I are together.  We laugh, cry, share the ups and downs of life, and support each other in our individual and collective endeavors.

As much as I will miss Betsy it is time to travel on to Arizona so I can settle in for the winter.   We are making tentative plans to get together in December so I doubt she will miss me.  LOL!!!

I am eager to travel to Tucson in a few days.   As I am returning to the same RV park I stayed at last winter, it will be fun to renew friendships with fellow returning RVers, make new ones, participate in some of the many activities offered, enjoy the excellent weekly entertainment and improve my ladder ball skills.

I was encouraged to work on my ladder ball skills over the summer as I could be described as a bad or inconsistent player at best last season.  (And, no, Barb, I didn’t practice over the summer.  Since you have to pick on someone it might as well be me!  Besides this winter I’ll be vying for the most improved award!)

And YEA for me, I won’t be the new kid in town at the RV park this winter.  That honor will be given to a yet to be determined newbie or two or three.

I have been informed by the RV park staff that I will be able to choose my RV site upon arrival.  It will be interesting to see what my choices are.  I will have a few days to settle in in anticipation of Thanksgiving day.

No matter how the day unfolds or who I spend it with, one thing is for sure, I will celebrate with a grateful heart.  I am thankful for my family and friends, good health, safe travels and the blessings bestowed on me that allow me this trippin’ life I live.

A Happy Thanksgiving to each of you that I love so dearly and hold close at heart!!!

When I left the Atlanta area last July to embark upon a life as a nomad, I could not truly foretell what wonderful people I would meet along the way.   There is much chaos, cruelty, and lack of respect for humanity all around us.  Yet, along the way, I have met people from across the country and around the world.  There are those that I just exchange a smile with.  There are those I exchange just a few words with. There are interactions with RV park workers who insure my stay is as pleasant and life enriching as possible. There are the campers and RVers who are trippin’ on experiencing life just like me.  There are those I meet by chance or have had a conversation with at an attraction or in a place of business.  There are those I observe when I’m out in public.  The list goes on and on.

Today, as I write, it happens to be Good Friday.  The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is commemorated in Christian churches on this day.    I am mindful of Jesus sacrificing his life on the cross and dying for my sins so I can have eternal life and experience His unconditional love.  In my finite mind there is no way I can image or understand the suffering he when through to pay the price for my sins.

As I reflect over the course of the past few months I am mindful of those who have made indelible impressions on my life along the way.  There are those who have suffered and survived life threatening illnesses.  There are those who have chronic illnesses, pain or disabilities.  There are those who are caregivers or support family members with quality of life compromising illnesses.  There are those who have survived abusive relationships. There are the mothers, fathers and siblings who are in family units with a child/sibling with disabilities.  There are those who have fled their native country in hopes of providing their  families a better life.  I reflect on the price these people pay and the sacrifices they make in this thing called “life”.  But I see even greater things.  I see hope. I see love,  I see patience,  I see joy.  I even see peace.  I see Jesus in them.  

At times the thought comes to mind that I am undeserving of this life I live.  To those of you who happen to read this blog and have impacted my life I want you to know that I am grateful beyond measure for the blessings of having you in my life.   I don’t feel worthy of the relationship, love, protection and gifts that flow from you my way.  Though without the trippin’ experiences of this journey and our encounters (and the support of family and friends) along the way Jesus wouldn’t be as real in my life as He is.  Thanks to you I have much reason to celebrate!!!

May you feel and experience Jesus all around you this Easter week-end as well!

The Lake Havasu City area was virtually unknown to me until recently.  My campsite in Tucson wasn’t going to be ready for my arrival until February 11th.  In the meantime, I had an unplanned week prior to that date.  Predicted nighttime freezing temperatures prevented me from traveling to destinations such as Grand Canyon City, Flagstaff or Sedona.  After exploring options on-line, I set out for Lake Havasu City.

The Lake Havasu City area was bustling with Snowbirds and vacationers from all across the US and Canada.  It is an ideal location for those wanting to enjoy blue skies, comfortable temperatures and a plethora of activities and attractions to choose from (or a spot just to relax).

The first full day in Lake Havasu City was spend making the drive to the community of Oatman.  Oatman is an authentic western ghost town and mining camp that had its beginning back in 1915.  It is also along the famed Route 66.  The Black Mountains create a beautiful backdrop for travels along Route 66 between Lake Havasu City and Oatman.  It didn’t seem like I would drive half a mile before I was stopping to take yet another photo.  Oatman was bustling with burros and tourists a plenty.  I would not be surprised if the burro population surpasses that of it’s human population.  The burros make themselves at home as they wonder the streets, sidewalks and stores.  Pesky things that they are, you should watch out for your souvenir bags, purses, ice cream cones, and, yes, shoe laces.  My thanks to Veronica and Richard, whom I met in Vegas, for suggesting I visit this little ghost town.  It was “burro” interesting!

Another day, while in LHC, I took a Bluewater Jet Boat Tour.  It was amazing to enjoy  Lake Havasu and the Topock Gorge from a 47′ custom built shallow draft vessel.  Our captain and tour guide made the day informative and interesting.  We saw a coyote, a Desert Bighorn Sheep and, my favorite, petroglyphs.  I was in heaven as being in or on the water is one of my favorite past times.

To top off the week I took advantage of the opportunity to take an Amphibious Introductory Flight in a FAA Certified AirTime Aircraft, Cygnet 3.  I was up early,  layered in appropriate clothing and accessories, paperwork completed and ready for takeoff at 8:00am.  Joe Lorenzen,  an FAA Certified instructor, made sure I had an unforgettable experience.  He complimented me on my ability to fly the aircraft myself; adding I would be an ideal candidate for getting my pilot’s license.  Perhaps he was hoping for a new, committed student.  He recited experiences of other first time flyers whom he had considered non-potentials.  Sort of reminded me of my first experience flying an aircraft (a Boeing 737 back in my Southwest Airlines days).  What I wanted to know was when would I be permitted to land the aircraft myself.  Joe assured me I would land it the next time I took a lesson.  The Cygnet 3 was a fun little aircraft to fly.  It was the next best thing in the most literal sense to my nighttime dreams.  Just spread my arms out like wings and will myself to take to the air.  I’ll definitely continue instruction somewhere along the way!

If you are ever in the Lake Havasu City area be sure to check out Hangin’ Over Havasu.  You might find yourself taking an introductory flight with Joe.

What a week!  As much fun as I had in the Lake Havasu City area, I was ready to get to Tucson and settle into the RV park here for the remainder of the winter.

LHC, I’ll return someday!  Until then, I’ll be trippin’ on experiences in other locations across the country and around the world!!!

After abandoning plans to winter as a Showbird in Tucson, Arizona for the 2017/2018 winter season, I am now back on the road to fulfilling that dream.   I was laid off from my job in Hayden, Idaho the end of the year.   With the situation looking dim to return to work and not being particularly fond of the winter weather conditions in the Couer d’Alene/Hayden/Spokane area I found myself free to explore options for  trippin’ on new RVing adventures.

Fortunately, I was able to make reservations at my first choice of RV parks in the Tucson area.  Traveling to Arizona meant I would be transitioning from my brother’s 5th Wheel back to my 17′ travel trailer.  Talk about a challenge.  Between accumulating a few things including winter clotheing while in the Hayden/Spokane area and bringing two large pieces of luggage containing winter clothing back from Atlanta several months ago, paring things down was no easy feat.  After several days were spent  transitioning from one RV to the other, I was, however, ready to begin making my way to Tucson.

With questionable winter weather and road travel conditions, my brother, Tracy, insisted on traveling with me to Las Vegas.  We set out a week ago and enjoyed our one-on-one time together for the next four days.  Traveling together, with Tracy doing most of the driving, allowed me to experience my vehicle’s towing capabilities.  It far exceeded what I had thought.  With this in mind, I have far greater confidence with pulling the travel trailer myself now; even over mountain passes.  I now question why I had been hesitant. Once arriving in Las Vegas, Tracy de-winterized my travel trailer and insured all the systems were in top notch working condition.

The stay in Las Vegas was brief.  I did, however, enjoy seeing a few attractions in the area.  Those included a visit to the Ethel M Cactus Garden, Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon.

This past Sunday I traveled to Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  With the new found confidence in pulling the travel trailer, I significantly reduced the drive time it typically takes me to drive from one destination to another.  The drive did include a stop at a roadside stand.  My purchase included avocados ($1.00 per large one), oranges, and pure wildflower honey.  I so wish I had taken a picture of the roadside stand.  The backdrop was an old, small delivery truck whose delivery driver was a six foot plastic Santa dressed as a farmer.  I commented on the Santa prop with the feedback being, “Well, Santa was out of a job so I put him to work”.  I chuckled at the business owner’s sense of humor.

Once arriving at the RV resort in Lake Havasu City, I thought I would be facing the challenge of backing the travel trailer into a back-in site. Something I have little experience with so far.  Much to my relief, another RVer quickly came to ask if I wanted him to do the backing for me.  And what would I say, but, “Yes!”  I know, it puts off my learning to become proficient at it myself.  It can wait for another time though!  The man was kind enough to ask if I needed help with set-up.  I declined the offer reassuring him I had the rest under control.  He commented he was two sites down if I did need further assistance.  Well, I had to swallow my pride and ask for his help as I couldn’t get the hitch to release from the ball. This time I was the recipient of assistance from two guys.  One quickly recognized and remediated the problem.  Then he educated me on what to look for and how to handle a like situation in the future; reassuring me there will always be new things to learn about handling and operating an RV.  And I don’t doubt him for a minute.

From the back of my site there is a distant view of Lake Havasu with mountains as a backdrop.  I am looking forward to seeing what the next few days bring as I explore the area before traveling on to Tucson.

I so appreciate the time spent over the past few months living near, working with, and spending leisure time with my brother, Tracy, and my sister-in-law, Georgia.  We made new memories galore.  Until we next see other again, I’ll be trippin’ on new experiences, meeting new folks and making new memories.

My Sister-in-Law, Georgia, joins me in wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

While the photo is of poor quality, it is a fun one to share.  Georgia and I enjoyed our few moments clowning around together in a photo booth at a holiday party.

Despite a change in lifestyle this past summer, Christmas has and is being celebrated in much the same fashion.  With that in mind, I’ll focus primarily on one holiday season highlight.  This being a trip to New York City.

What better time to travel there than at Christmas!  There was no snow to add to the Christmas ambiance and no evening crowd in Time Square, but the visit was awesome all the same.

My daughter, Betsy, and I met up there for a fast track visit.  The primary reason for going was to see a photography exhibition at the MET Breuer.  As Betsy is a photographer and art historian, whose graduate studies focused on South Asian photography and art history, she wanted to see the Raghibur Singh exhibition.  It is entitled, “Modernism on the Ganges”.  It was intriguing to see a photograph on exhibit of Krishna’s Butterball.  It is a sight in Mamallapuram, India I saw last March.

Our 24 hours in NYC included riding the subway from Queens to Manhattan, seeing
Time Square, walking along Madison Avenue, visiting Rockefeller Center,  strolling through Central Park and, of course, a yellow taxi cab ride.  Betsy and I, also, exchanged Christmas gifts.  Much to my surprise Betsy gifted me with a photo she had taken when we attended the international photography festival, Chobi Mela, in Bangladesh several years ago.  It came as no surprise to her though that I gifted her with several red-nosed reindeer themed items. Yes, Betsy is a grown women.  But a red-nosed reindeer is a reminder of surviving financial hardships when she was a teenager and the love and survival that consistently shines brightly between mother and daughter during difficult times.

It’s Christmas Eve and I feel blessed to be with family in Anacortes, Washington.  Any time I get to spend with my youngest brother, Tracy, and his family is special.  My niece, Nikki, has a gift for decorating the most beautiful Christmas tree you’ve ever seen and she and her boyfriend, Cory, are the perfect hosts.  Their home has an awesome view of the San Juan Islands and one of the local marinas.

To those I hold close to my heart, near and far, I wish you a very Merry Christmas.  The light and lives we share continue to illuminate my life and touch my soul!

Oh my!  Where has time gone?  I have been neglectful in keeping up the blog on a regular basis.  This was not my intention when I started it.  The original purpose for creating it was to document travel to Ecuador.  In a broader sense, I wanted a medium from which I could continue journaling my “trippin’ on experiencing life” beyond this one particular trip.

One thing is for sure.   Life has not been dull or sedentary!

For now, I’ll provide a quick update.  The month-long trip to Ecuador was an awesome and life changing experience.  It is a country worth adding to your international travel “bucket list”.  You won’t regret it!

Within a few days of arriving in Cuenca, Ecuador I found myself filled with unexpected emotions and contemplating the future in a way I had not anticipated. A deeper, different sense of self emerged.  I embraced every opportunity to experience Ecuador with wonderment while I was there, but realized that the timing was off for me to embark upon a relocation there.  All of a sudden there was a desire emerging to hit life’s “reset” button in a different way.  It seemed time to shake things up in a way that would allow me to be adventurous yet reconsider how day-to-day life plays itself out.

With no job, no commitments and no family to return to in the Atlanta area, I was free to consider any and all options for the “what’s next”.  Atlanta had always been viewed as a stepping stone to somewhere else and something else but my time there was briefer than anticipated.  I transitioned quickly to setting my sights on visiting family and friends while experiencing and exploring more of the US.   Actively seeking a new home base or employment would be put on the back burner for three to six months.  For the time being, I wanted to return a retirement and a full-time travel status.

No grass was going to be allowed to grow under my feet upon returning to Atlanta.   I was ready to determine and embrace what might lay ahead.   My first priority was visiting my son, Toby, and his family in Texas.  Next was setting the wheels in motion to become a full-time RVer.

I was anxious to spend time with Toby.  We were due a visit but as a Mother, I, also, needed to see firsthand how he was doing dealing with the death of his best friend, Rusty.   Like so many, it was hard not to question why God chose to take Rusty home (as he was in his early 50’s).   He died in the tornado that ripped through Canton, Texas several months ago.  Recognizing a little girl was at risk of being struck by debris, he darted to protect her.   The little girl walked away without a scratch but Rusty’s fate was not the same.

It was heart breaking to have my son share of his grief and talk about how much he misses his friend when we visited.  I found myself struggling to find words to comfort.  I did remind Toby that while it might not be consoling, Rusty died a hero.  He had a gift for saving lives.  Not only was he instrumental in saving the little girl; he had a big hand in him (my son) still being alive.

Spending uninterrupted, one-on-one time with Toby over a three-day period was special!  I count my blessing and am grateful for my son’s life! At the same time, a Mama’s heart hurts when her son is grieving.

Returning to Atlanta from Texas marked the beginning of a major life change.  The month of July passed quickly as I busied myself preparing for a nomadic life as a full-time RVer.  It was fun to explore RV options.   A major factor in the selection process was determined by wanting to able to pull one with my existing vehicle.  With weight limitations in mind, I purchased a 17 ft r-Pod.  It’s a cute, teardrop shaped travel trailer.

Next item of business… establishing my residency in South Dakota.  South Dakota is one of the few states that doesn’t impose a state income tax.  To generate extra revenue for the state, full-time RVers can establish residency in the state with relative ease.

I traveled to Rapid City, South Dakota on July 4th to take the necessary steps to establish my residency and register my vehicle and RV.  The South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles location I visited had their process down to a science.  I was in and out in less than 20 minutes.

Over the next several days I enjoyed exploring the Rapid City area and taking a drive through the Badlands.  I met Canadian RVers, Gordon and Karen, while staying at Americas Mailbox Lodge and RV Park.  We went to dinner together one evening, ran into each other at a pullout near Mount Rushmore National Memorial one morning and went to the local Flying J for karaoke one night.  Gordon is a huge karaoke enthusiast; his karaoke equipment traveling along wherever he and Karen go.  It’s been fun to stay in touch and keep up with their whereabouts.

Back home in Atlanta the process of locating a storage unit, purging material possessions in a major way, and moving the remainder of my household belongings to storage began.  In the end, I eliminated over half of what I owned.  I primarily stored enough furniture to furnish a one bedroom apartment, winter clothes, kitchen items, memorabilia and photos.

As much as I love nesting in a home and possess sentimental attachments to its furnishing, I didn’t know how I would deal with the process.  In the end, surprisingly, it was not that difficult or emotional.  The things I parted with found new appreciative, needy homes.

During the official storage move, a tiger oak piece with curved glass arrived at the storage unit with the glass broken out.  The movers were distraught but I managed to remain calm!

What a relief it was to get to this point in the process.  Taking to the road with the r-Pod was only a few days away!!!  All that remained on the “to do” list was cleaning up the apartment and packing down my vehicle and the RV.  The RV was momentarily stored at the RV dealership where I purchased it (2 miles from where I lived).  Exhausted, I retrieved it and pulled it to the apartment community the night before departure.  On the morning of July 30th, I turned in the keys to the apt and Buddy, my cat,, and I took to the road.

I worried about Buddy because there had not been opportunity to acclimate him to our new home.  He had always traveled well and adapted quickly with each move.  But would he this time?  He and I were, also, embarking on this new journey without going on a trial run with the RV.  Talk about faith.  I was putting it to the test!

Over the course of the next two months Buddy and I traveled over 5,000 miles and visited 15 states.  I think Iowa and Michigan were the only two states I hadn’t traveled to previously.  I am happy to report Buddy adapted well and quickly found ease with our new lifestyle.  He takes up about sixty percent of the real estate in the travel trailer.  In a 8 x 17 foot space that doesn’t leave much room for me and my belongings. LOL!!!

Initially, I traveled straightway to Alabama upon leaving Atlanta to pick up my daughter, Betsy.  How could I not include her on the first leg of this new trippin’ life experience.  We traveled to Pensacola, Florida for a few days.  She was a natural at assisting when it came to setting up at the RV park.  To be honest, she could handle it all on her own.

Fast forward…life can turn on a dime.  Plans to spend the winter in the Snowbird destination of Arizona was to become an unfulfilled dream (or so I thought) for the 2017/2018 winter season. This came about as a result of my youngest brother, Tracy, asking me to work with he and my sister-in law, Georgia.  They started a home insulation business serving the Couer d’Alene, Idaho and Spokane, Washington areas a year ago.

Buddy and I spent the fall season settling in here in the Inland Northwest area. With the r-Pod not being appropriate winter accommodations in this part of the country, Tracy graciously set up his 4 Seasons fifth wheel for us.   Being in the fifth wheel is like moving from a micro-tiny house to a mini-mansion!  Don’t know what to do with all the space.   For now, Buddy and I anticipate being in the Idaho/Washington area until spring (or who knows when)!

I will always treasure time spent with family and friends over the course of the summer months.  Especially having an opportunity to be Aunt FerFer to my dear, two-year old great-niece, Kailee.  Another special visit was with, Anne, one of my best friends from previous years living in Portland.  She now lives in Columbus, Ohio.  I really miss her and our photography outings!

Seeing new sights and visiting new cities served to increase my appetite for more exploration rather than curtailing it.  I now realize how much more of the US there is yet to explore.

There were new friends made along the way as well.  What immense freedom, pleasure, richness and value envelopes life!

Until next time, I’ll be trippin’ on new life experiences here in the Inland Northwest and around the country!

Well, OK, one cannot visit southern Ecuador without visiting the little village of Vilcabamba.  Many people I have had conversations with in Ecuador have asked if I was going to visit this village when they learned I were going to be spending time in Loja.  Vilcabamba, nestled in what is known as the Valley of Longevity, is about an hour outside Loja by bus.

Who wouldn’t want to see what this village nestled in a valley.  It has had a reputation for having a high number of centenarians as far back as the 1970’s.  Whether there is any truth, I cannot attest to it.  There weren’t any centenarians in my peripheral the day I visited.

In all honestly, I don’t think a day trip to this general area can adequately generate a holistic experience and vantage point from which to formulate an opinion on this little village which is estimated to be made up primarily of expats.  What I can say is that Vilcabamba appears to be a sleepy, tranquil village.  Blink and you just about miss it if you’re passing through.  It takes less than 30 minutes to walk the town square and take in the sights and shops.

For an additional perspective, Lonely Planet shares the following:

“Vilcabamba offers perfect weather for hiking and horseback-riding, as well as access to remote sections of Parque Nacional Podocarpus, but it’s also an excellent place to chill. Legions of specialists are ready to facilitate your relaxation with inexpensive massages, pedicures and meditation sessions.”

A Google search does produce interesting reading if you have a curiosity to learn a bit more about this area of Ecuador.

So…back to my thoughts.  In addition to walking around the town square, I took a walk along the river and then had lunch at a little café back on the town square.  If you’re into the likes of sitting on a park bench in Mayberry (with no Aunt Bee in sight or an Andy Griffin for that matter) you might like to while away the time as many expats do sitting around the square.  For me, I would die from utter boredom.  A hike or massage or both would be more to my liking!

All in all, the day trip presented opportunity to get a brief glimpse into what all the rave is about when it comes to Vilcabamba, have a visual image of this little village, enjoy the scenery, and document a day in the life of trippin’ by way of photographs.

Hope you enjoy seeing a few of them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Well, all good things must come to an end…or was it a beginning?  For now, who knows!  After 16 days in Cuenca, it was time to move on to the next city stop in this exploratory trip, Loja.  I felt like I have become such an integral part of Cuenca’s community in such a short time.  I was  not ready to leave a city and it’s people who had warmly embraced me.  There is still much to share about time spent in Cuenca.  With this in mind, I’ll loop back in future posts.

After a last dinner in Cuenca, Saturday, May 27th, I said good-bye to Dennis and Trish (Canadian expats/restaurant owners) and a staff member, Yanina.  Dennis and Trish purchased and reopened, Cuchara Magica Restaurant, in March.  They are a lovely couple who are seasoned business owners.  Trish is an awesome chef who learned to bake from her grandmother.  Her pastries and desserts are to die for.  The cinnamon buns with cream cheese are a must if you are in the area.  Oh, I do have to encourage you to have a meal (or two or three) as well.  You won’t go away hungry, but you will keep returning over and over!  Good-byes included hugs, handshakes and wishes to visit again someday.

Sunday morning included additional good-byes and wishes for more time together in the future.  This time it was Pilar, her grandson, Antonio, and her permanent house guest, Jane (from Australia).  Pilar not only opens her home to others through AirBnB, but she shares all aspects of her life from the heart.  There is much energy, laughter and love in her presence and home.  Of course, there was much encouragement from Pilar and Jane to return to make Cuenca home.  While there were good-byes in the moment, Pilar and I agreed to Skype when I am back in Georgia.  No matter what the future holds, Pilar will always be considered my Ecuadorian Mama!

Seemingly all too soon, but necessary for the next leg of the exploratory journey , I traveled to the city of Loja via Elite Tours.  Daniel, the driver, make the sharp turns along the mountainous Pan American highway with the speed and finesse of a skilled Indy race car driver.  Once I arrived in Loja, I made my way to the home of the Jaramillo family.  Cesar and his mother, Nelly, greeted me warmly.

Cesar’s English is about like my Spanish…almost nonexistent.  Nelly speaks no English.  Not to worry, between Nelly’s smile and the aid of an iPad and Google Translate, she and I can carry on an awesome conversation.

As for Loja, I have quickly discovered this city with a population of  a little over 185,000 does not hold the appeal of Cuenca.  If you are looking for optimal cultural immersion Loja could be the place for you.  After being here for four and a half days I have come across only a handful of individuals who speak English and even fewer non-Ecuadorians.  Talk about standing out in crowd; it’s obvious I’m not from these parts.  LOL!!!

The pace has slowed up a bit here in Loja, but I have found interesting things to do and see each day.  Let’s see…below is a sampling of what I have taken in:

Puerta de la Ciudad, the city’s iconic landmark.  It is also know as the gateway to the city.

Parque La Banda/Orillas de la Zamora, a park with a quite small zoo and Oquideario with over 200 species of orchids from southern Ecuador, was visit worthy.   Unfortunately, it is too early in the season for most of the orchids to be in bloom but I enjoyed what few there were to see.  Traveling without a tripod makes photographing them difficult.  Included below are photos of a few of the animals and a variety of flora from this location.

The last few days have been full of adventures and sightseeing!

It was up and at ’em at 5:15.am on Friday, the 19th, for a day long tour with the TerraDiversa tour company.    The Devil’s Nose Train and Ingapirca tour was sure to make for a fun day getting outside Cuenca.

Due to the high rain weather forecast, the tour company contacted me the night before to arrange for an earlier pick-up time.  The tour guide rescheduled for pick up at my place of stay at 6:15am.  As it turned out he was an hour late.  He had not been informed that I was lodging in a home so he had been to several places of lodging accommodations in the immediate area in an attempt to locate me.  Thankfully, he (Luis) came driving down the street and spotted me standing on the sidewalk.  Then it was off to pick up another person across the city that was to join the tour.  The lady was not waiting at her pick-up spot as agreed upon.  The guide went looking for her in the area on foot.   Long story short, he found her splayed out on the bathroom floor in her place of stay (someone had let him in).  Who knows how long she had been unconscious.  Once conscioius, the guide suggested she seek medical care to insure she was free from injury and advised that it was in everyone’s best interest that she reschedule going on the tour at another time. So…off the tour group goes, finally! So much for an early start!!!

Our first tourist attraction of the day was to be the famous Devil’s Nose train ride out of Alausi.  The Devil’s Nose is a section of the Ecuadorian train track between the cities of Quito and Guayaquil.  The  section of the train track running between the Alausi and Sibambi stations was the one we were to take.  It is named Devil’s Nose because of the number of deaths  that occurred during it’s construction and the sheer difficulty of the construction itself.

We traveled along the Pan American highway for what was typically a three and a half hour drive to Alausi.  The highway surface quality varies from one stretch of road to another.  There were the typical cars, trucks and buses traveling along the two lane highway; making it three lanes if passing was involved.  The guide shared there were frequent land slides due to land erosion on the mountain sides.  It was obviously so as we traveled along.  A significant landslide had occurred outside Canary about three weeks prior in which seven people lost their lives.  He commented he hoped the highway was back open.  Well, the second delay of the day lay just ahead of us.  Sure enough, the highway was still closed and there was a diversion around it via country roads.  There was bumper to bumper traffic sporadically along the way and numerous stand stills for long periods of time.  It was eventually obvious we weren’t going to make the 1:00pm train we were scheduled for.  So everyone is thinking, “What a bummer!”

The mountainous countryside included beautiful fields and numerous dairies with indigenous Ecuadorian farmers working them.  We had seen off-highway scenery we would not have seen if it hadn’t been for the diversion.  There were absolutely no complaints!

The train was pulling out of the station as we pulled up in front.  Our guide took his job most serious and set about problem-solving.  Ultimately, he proposed driving the tour group to the Sibambe station (about a 40 minute drive) so we could make the return train ride to Alausi.  Each agreed and off we went.  The drive to the Sibambe station was an adventure all it’s own.  It included the equivalent of off-roading down narrow dirt roads and driving through several small villages.  At a fork in the road, the guide had to ask for further directions.  Fortunately, there was someone to ask!  As we neared the Sibambe train station it was noticed there were partial remnants of the train track rails from over a hundred years ago.  Our Ecuadorian tour guide was like a kid in a candy store as these were discovered.  He commented we were seeing something that few have seen in many a year with the exception of the few indigenous of the immediate area.  So…we stopped for photos to mark this momentous occasion.  It was a thrill to see our tour guide so ecstatic.

Believe it or not, our tour group almost missed the train…”again”.  While it was nice to ride the train and experience the infamous zigzag track along an almost perpendicular mountain face, the adventures of day and the scenery taken in prior to the train ride was much more impressive.

As if that wasn’t enough, this was only the first of two attractions for the day.

I’ll save sharing about the second attraction for another post.