“Network” Marketing

Yep, it’s alive and well in Ecuador. I’ve always known it as Pyramid marketing, or even scams, but alas, in Ecuador it is known as a red de marketing or network marketing.

I met a guy here at the mall, where I typically spend my afternoons now as the Wifi is free and it gets me out of the house. It’s often busy here, so finding an electrical outlet can be a challenge. This is how I met Pablo.

“Are you leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” I sat myself down.

He began to tell me what he did for a living and showing me pictures of his wife and children. He’s 29, but looks more like he’s in his early 20s. As he described his job he said things like: I like to help people. I like finding jobs for people. I like making people’s lives better. As I would later discover, this was all meant perfectly for the lure of network marketing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite quick enough on the uptake. I thought he was involved in some sort of social work. And, I guess, he is.

He asked me if I would like to join him on Saturday to see his office and see what he does for a living. I accepted and continued to wonder to myself about what he must do. I found out as I entered a room that eventually held over 200 people. I watched the videos. I giggled to myself. I heard all the buzz words. It’s all so obvious to me and it annoys me. But what annoys me more is the need to recruit people who are already on hard times and ask them to invest what little savings they may have into a product for selling and recruiting others.

The leader had the suave demeanor, engaged everyone to talk back to him, was cheered on. I, myself, am glad I was only there to observe. I snuck out early, saddened and crossing my fingers I wouldn’t have to give Pablo my thoughts.

 

Shaman Love

If you want to know more about the details of the ceremonies themselves, please go here.

I did it. I found a shaman and was able to participate in both tobacco cleansings and ayahuasca ceremonies. Intense and interesting. The lesson/message I received during my four days there was one of overwhelming love.

Love. Simple I know. But the feeling and the delivery of the message was so strong it brought tears to my eyes and I have never felt so safe or so warm. We all have a desire to be loved, but not all of feel worthy of it. I’m not sure I felt worthy of it. When you have such loss in your life (my whole family as it were), it can be very difficult to open up and be vulnerable to being loved – sometimes to giving love as well – both require a risk. In my case, it’s mostly the former. My friends, my close friends, have known this. We’ve talked about it, though not on such specific terms. It may have been vague, but the message was always there.

The fear of loss is one that can overpower and even paralyze. Since losing my truly close family, all inside of two years, I have been in suspended animation. People, who promised they would be there, promised my father they would look after me, quite simply haven’t. Others, whom I never though would be a part of my life, have been more than I could hope for. I’ve had to learn to appreciate and be thankful for those who do love me, who are there for me. And I do. I had come to that conclusion before this point. But to find someone, who could love me voluntarily, without a reason, except that they wanted to, this has eluded me. I don’t doubt that it can happen anymore. I feel stronger and more capable of loving and being loved. And that feels really good. Really good.

For those who are nonbelievers or skeptics, this will sound hokey or corny. For those who are a bit more open to the idea, I hope you find it at least interesting or inspiring. While I go into each of these situations with a bit of a skeptic’s heart, I am open to the possibilities. I like to think that sometime believing is seeing and not the other way around. I know there are charlatans, but I also believe there are those people who are good at reading others. I would rather pay that person $30 to tell me something I probably already knew but needed someone else to say than go to a therapist and pay upwards of $150 to just hear the question, “And how does that make you feel?” repeated infinitely.

We all have choices. Mine is to look at all situations as a blessing or a lesson. And now, I can do it with more love, and less fear, in my heart.

 

Cuenca

 

In a nutshell, went to Ingapirca, Gualaceo and Chordeleg as well as enjoying a lovely self-guided walking tour of Cuenca itself. Cuenca, known for its colonial architecture – and more so, its churches – is a beautiful town of just the right size. I could live here. It has the climate of the sierra (the reason I like Quito) as it is roughly 2800m above sea level and the friendliness of the people (the reason I like Guayaquil). In a sense, it’s the baby bear of Ecuador, just right.

 

Ingapirca, the ruins of the Cañar and the Incas both, are the best ruins of that time period in the country. While nothing quite so grand as Machu Picchu, it does have some fascinating history to it and the ruins are well protected and rebuilt. It served as a resting spot for the Incan kings as they traveled their empire, which stretched through most of the western side of South America, and also a trade center. It is built in the shape of a puma for the strength of the animal and the layout of the city is based on its anatomy. For instance, the belly is where you would find the market and the food storage and the heart, for life, is where the people were housed. You can learn more about Ingapirca here.

 

Gualaceo and Chordeleg are two towns in the province of Azuay and are roughly an hour from Cuenca. Both towns, known for their handicrafts, are quaint and simple, but full of their wares: weavings and baskets in Gualaceo and jewelry in Chordeleg. We enjoyed hornado, also known as cascaritas in this part of Ecuador, in the market of Gualaceo. And no matter how often I see it here, seeing a whole pig, nay, rows of whole pigs, being sliced and diced, I just never get rid of my giggles. That was, until I saw the various parts of beef hanging in the market below, most especially the snouts of cows. Apparently a bit of a delicacy and also used for stews. I’m sure my vegetarian friends are less than thrilled with this.

It was a short weekend, it rained most of the time and we didn’t do a whole lot, but the scenery was spectacular and I would go back in a heartbeat. Cuenca is a city not to be missed, most especially if you are a fan of architecture or history.

 

Quito vs. Guayaquil

 

Guayaquil (left)                Quito (right)

Driving: Guayaquil is crazier. It has the advantage of mostly flat, wide lanes. Plenty of room to create extra lanes, drive wherever and create as much mayhem as possible. Traffic is bad, but it’s usually moving. Quito, not so much. It is in the mountains, which means narrower streets and hills that put San Francisco to shame. Traffic is frequently at a standstill as there is just absolutely no where to go. Needless to say, they drive a little less crazy there. Not a lot less, but less. Winner: Tie.

Architecture: Ok, Quito has this one hands down. While there are some nice buildings here, the historic center of Quito has a bunch of money for being a world heritage site and the colonial architecture is pretty amazing. Guayaquil, on the other hand, had to burn down more than a few times before they realized wood is not such a great building material for longevity. Winner: Quito.

Overall city: This could be a toss-up depending on your point of view. Most people pick Quito, but I think that’s because they think they should. Guayaquil has gone through some serious improvements over the last several years and is truly a beautiful city, in spite of the newer buildings. Mosaics and artwork are everywhere, crime is down, you almost never see any graffiti and both Malecons (2000 and del Salado) are beautiful spots for strolling and enjoying the city/river views. And while there is poverty everywhere, most people here are doing something (selling gum, juggling, performing, etc) in order to get their cash. Quito is quite the opposite. Lots of graffiti, even on historic buildings; beggars everywhere, that will often just try and put there hands in your pocket (not even remotely slyly); and a lot more gringos, which in my opinion, can be good or bad. The people are also a little more open in Guayaquil than in Quito – climate has a lot to do with that. Winner: Guayaquil.

Climate: Ok, this one is definitely subjective, but I have to say, I’m a bit partial to the weather in Quito. Right now it’s grey and cloudy a lot, but it is here too. It’s winter. But, Guayaquil gets hot on occasion and really, really humid. This is the “fresh” time; so, I can’t even imagine what’s it’s like when it’s really wet and muggy on top of being 100 degrees. Quito generally stays pretty even, warm days, cool nights. If I had to pick one… Winner: Quito.

Bus stations: Not sure why, but I feel safer at the one in Guayaquil. Every city has its Terminal Terrestre, but the one in Quito always makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Maybe I know the one in Gye better, maybe it’s the number of stairs and the underground feeling in Quito. Whatever it is, I know where I’d rather catch the bus. Winner: Guayaquil.

Food: This is a tough one. I love the fresh fruit juices everyday and we have a bit more here than in the Sierra, but it’s not that great a difference. Also, my favorite dish is from the mountains, Llampingauchos (Yam’ pin gau chos – potato and cheese pancakes with peanut sauce, rice, chorizo and a fried egg), but the best preparation I’ve had of it has been in Gye. Plus the seafood and cevivhe in Gye just can’t be beat. On the downside, they serve a lot of dishes/items made with verde (unripe plantains). Honestly, not a fan. Fortunately, easily avoided. Winner: Guayaquil.

While I enjoy both cities, I really think Guayaquil gets a bad rap. I think the people are friendly, the weather is ok (for now) and its not as dangerous as everyone would have you believe. If you take the general big city precautions, mixed with a little gringo common sense (you know you stick out, so do what you can to not do so so much) and you’ll be fine. If you go out at night, go somewhere in a group or with someone who knows the area, i.e. an Ecuadorian. And don’t dress like an idiot. The light eyes and lighter hair is enough. No need calling attention to yourself in shorts (guys especially) or über-casual clothing.

I hope people give Guayaquil a chance. I’m glad I have.

 

I used to enjoy a good rollercoaster…

…but I’m pretty sure the buses in Ecuador will break me of that. At least the bus today from Cuenca back to Guayaquil will. I spent most of the ride white knuckled, peering over what appeared to be fathomless edges of mountains. With every hairpin turn, I could feel the shocks of the bus get a true work out. They squealed, the brakes squealed, the passengers squealed as well- and honestly, it takes a lot to get Ecuadorians worked up on a bus. They’re pretty used to the maniacal driving that takes place here; heck, I’m pretty numb to it at this point as well. But there’s something about a sheer, 2000m drop, with no guard rails, that puts you to thinking, “Gosh, I hope they can identify my body.”

At one point we had to stop as the bus driver had worn the breaks to a rather hot point, as everyone on the bus had noted as well. We rested momentarily, part of me hoped we had to change buses, but within moments, we were off again. Yippee-friggin’-ay-ay-yay. Had it just been the mountains that were the tricky bit, I could understand, but the four hour ride through hell didn’t stop on flat ground. Our driver was so insistent on passing as many people as he could, blind curves included, we nearly hit a biker as well as a truck full of people. Not only were the people on the bus yelling, so were the others – and might I add, rightfully so.

Yeah, I’ve had my share of gravity challenging rides for now. I’m sure they’re not at an end yet, but I may not put myself through this voluntarily for a while. Sigh. I really did enjoy a good rollercoaster…

 

Quito/Guayaquil with friends… the synopsis

I had the joy of meeting four friends (Fawn, Collin, Chuck and Rob) from the States in Quito and traveling with them between here (Guayaquil) and there. We had a great time and I think they all enjoyed themselves – at least they said they did.

Quito: Well, as everything ends up being on what I call the Latin plan (which means there isn’t one) the gang arrived two days later than scheduled. Of course, I didn’t know this til after I waited an hour at the airport, to surprise them (I got the surprise) and then went to their hotel. The receptionist informed me that they were stuck in Miami and I would now be enjoying Quito for two days on my own. Whee.

I managed to have a bit of a look around town, irritate a couple of Quiteñan men (truly not my intention) and enjoy some of the scenery on my own. Once everyone arrived, we were off and spent a day in Otavalo, a day in stuffed into a taxi running around the outskirts of Quito stepping on the equator and eating cuy (guinea pig) and a half day in the historic center before heading off to Cuayaquil. All in all, pretty eventful for just a couple of days.

Guayaquil: We made it into Guayaquil on Monday night and spent two an half more days running around, both together and separately seeing what the city had to offer during its holiday… think July 4^th in the States. I got to show off my home, my family and my neighborhood. We sailed on the Captain Morgan and met some fabulous locals which all added to the fabulous aura about this city. I know they didn’t expect to like the city, but in the end, I think everyone preferred it to Quito, for the most part.

Stay tuned for the details…

 

Riobamba – Chambo

Our second day was now free to explore and we found ourselves going to Chambo, an indigenous village in the province of Riobamba. Why Chambo? Well, we were told about the Parque de juegos there. More or less an amusement park. One that would most definitely be outlawed in the states or found where the law doesn’t go. And we had a blast! Insurance and liability be damned.

For $2 we were given access to the whole park, minus the extra $1 it cost for the four-wheelers if we so chose. A trampoline over a mud pit, an old barrel suspended by four elastics, a water toboggan that had to be pushed up the hill – by you – then jump in it quick to ride it to the bottom into a puddle. Those are just some of the fabulous rides we encountered. My favorite though, which unfortunately was closed at the time, was the luge. Yep, luge. They actually had what looked like a long metal water toboggan ride, but was actually not. You rode down through this long twisty metal half-pipe on a cart with four wheels while wearing a bike helmet. Guaranteed this would never happen in the states.

Nearly ever ride there was powered and run by you. Pulling a rope, pushing a cart, torturing a poor ram so he would butt whatever you put in front of him. You could even catch your own trout and have it cooked for you right there. We opted to just order ours, but for $4, we had more than enough food – and it was delicious.

 

Riobamba – Chimborazo

For our second venture out into Ecuador we chose to go to Riobamba, mostly to ride the Nariz del Diablo – which as I’ve already said, was a bust. However, we had a great time in spite of the minor disappointment.

I can officially say I have been now been as high (on the planet) as I think I can possibly be without becoming a mountain climber and training for it. Chimborazo, the highest mountain/volcano in Ecuador is 6300m (roughly 21,000 feet) tall. And not only that, but its summit is the farthest spot from the center of the Earth (thanks Wikipedia and several Ecuadorians). At the first refuge, where I stood, I was 4800m above sea level. And yes, it is harder to breathe. And yes, all I wanted to do was sleep when I got there. And yes, I had a lovely, dull, throbbing headache. But I did it. And to date, Cuzco, at 3800m, was the highest altitude I had conquered.

Chimborazo was beautiful; however, like everything else on the planet, global warming is taking its toll. There is less snow there now than there has been in the past. Normally snow comes easily down to the first refuge, but as you can see in my pic, that’s no longer the case as this is as far as I made it up the mountain. The views were breathtaking, as was the altitude.

 

Riobamba – Blame the Japanese

One of Ecuador’s biggest money-making gringo traps is no longer… or at least is no longer what it was… tragically, thanks to the Japanese. If you have read anything on tourism in Ecuador, you have probably read something on the train called Nariz del Diablo that runs out of Riobamba. It’s a train, whose track defies convention, and tourists are frequently seen riding the top of the train. It makes a lot of money for the area. It runs three days a week and services about 70 people each trip. Tourists from all over come just to ride the train… but no longer.

Apparently, several Japanese tourists were very excited to partake in the famous ride. However, they failed to stay seated, and very tragically, two were decapitated by a low hanging wire while 4-5 others fell from the train – injured, but alive. This all happened about six weeks prior to our arrival. The news, which had been kept secret by my host family (for fear it would frighten us), traveled slowly and many tourists were left disappointed and with a few lost days on their journeys. Granted, there is still another train that runs the track, assuming they haven’t sold all 70 tickets to the first three people standing in line. Many angry folks when that happens.

It will take the tour books a while to catch up to this sad event. And who knows, they may go back to the original old train. But for now, if you want to ride the tracks, you’ll do it in a more modern train, from the inside, with all the romance of a Greyhound Bus. That is if you can get the tickets…

 

Honk, I dare you.

Guayaquil is a noisy city. The people are vocal, the streets are busy and you can’t go anywhere without hearing someone honking. In my walks, I’ve decided there are several reasons for the honking, not all of which are aggressive. Sometimes, it’s more of a conversation.

Hey, you’re pretty cute.
Hey, I think I know you.
Hey, I DO know you.
Hey I know you and I don’t like you. (This is usually followed by several consecutive honks.)
The light is green, go already!
The light is yellow, go already!
The light is red, go already!
Please, go right ahead and merge. (Unusual, but it happens)
Merging? You must be joking?!
I know you’re a bus, but I have a Napoleonic complex and I’m not moving.
I know you’re a taxi, and I will crush you if you don’t get out of my way.
Need a ride? (This can come from anyone.)
I know this is an intersection, but I’m not stopping. You’ve been warned.
Hey copper… don’t mind me as I pass you.
I know I’m eight cars from the light, but shouldn’t we be moving by now?
I see you crossing the street.
You’re in the middle of the street… hurry it up; I’m not slowing down.
Congratulations, you made it to the other side without me having to swerve to miss you.

I’m sure there’s more. If only there was a traveler’s dictionary for honking…