Weather in Atlantida

We have only been in our home two weeks today so I can only give you my impression of the fall weather in that time period.  It is cold! The house gets so cold at night and there is no central heat just a fireplace which we do not even have wood for at this point. During the day, if the sun is shining it is absolutely beautiful, clear skies, crisp air but hot sun to compensate.  You must start your day layered with cool clothing underneath and top with sweaters or fleece vests and a good jacket.  I have already worn my wool cap as well as my down filled jacket but within a few hours needed to strip down to those lighter things underneath. We have had one day of gloomy weather with rain showers and that makes everything seem even colder.

Some of the trees are turning yellow and dropping their leaves and the parrots are making nests in every tree in the area getting ready for winter.  They must eat the seed pods of the pine cones as there are cones all over the street and yards under those trees, with birds in a frenzy of excitement.

Right now is 75 degrees with 62% humidity and 6 mph winds at 2pm. Low for today is 56 high 76. Just a beautiful fall day!

I’m Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

It seems these days that I am sick for two weeks every month. Now, I am not a hypochondriac, and I have never considered myself to be sickly. I try to keep very active, spend a great deal of time outdoors, working with my plants, walk to the grocery and the mercados, eat fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and chicken.  Then WHY am I now always sick and tired and no energy or any drive to do anything?

It has seemed to me that both Joe and I have been sick more than well while living in Playas these past 8 months.  I kept telling myself it was in my head, it could not be because of the dust in the air or the many months that we had so much rain that our yard was flooded.  After a wonderful few weeks up the coast, I am again under the weather, I attempted to doctor myself but when speaking to my friend Roger yesterday morning he suggested we go see his local doctor. I got there and within 10 minutes I was seated in front of Dr. Gregorio Andrade Yagual at his clinic located near the park and church in Playas. He is a young, very profession man with excellent care skills. Roger acted as my interpreter although Dr. Andrade spoke enough English that we could have handled it ourselves.

The bottom line is I have an infection in my throat caused by a sinus infection. The constant dripping down the back of my throat has caused me to cough for the past three nights keeping both Joe and I awake most of the night.  When I asked him why I have had so many issues with being sick over the past 8 months he informed me that the folks here are raised with the dust, the dry air and the on and off again rains. When folks from outside of Ecuador come here, because we have not been raised with these conditions, some of us become sick.

After taking the prescribed medications for just one day, I feel almost myself again. I am coming to the conclusion that the arid southernmost coast of Ecuador is not for us.

Anyone For Cricket?

With all the rain, in addition to all the beautiful butterflies, we have gotten invaded with crickets. Yes, big hopping crickets. I have no idea how they have gotten into the house but they crawl up the curtains and hop right at you. This happens mostly in the evening. But this morning while washing up a few dishes I had one crawling up the side of the sink getting ready to spring. Well, he is history and, like many of his brothers and sisters, never to hop again.

In speaking with our friend Roger, he said they attempt climbing into bed with him by crawling up his mosquito netting.  We have not had any in our bed, most have stayed in the salon/kitchen area but they are just as annoying…No I take that back if I found one in bed I am sure folks for miles around would hear my screaming like a banshee!

I guess the bottom line to this blog post is if you do not have a tolerance for bugs, creepy crawly things or the unexpected you may want to reconsider ground level Coastal Ecuador as a retirement spot.

Rain, Rain Go Away

While living in Salinas for over a year we were so surprised that it rained so little there. I would have to guess the total rain for a 15 month period was only a few inches. After that I felt like an expert on the weather. What a joke! I assumed (that ugly word) that the weather on this part of the Ecuadorian coast was always like that maybe the exception would be an  El Niño and La Niña  type system once in a blue moon. Wrong, Wrong, SO Wrong!

We have been in Playas for six months and the amount of rain we have gotten is almost unbelievable. I can only compare it to our trip to Seattle! Again last night it rained ALL NIGHT, non-stop and this morning it is so humid you get out of bed damp. The front car park area of our yard looks like a pool with black mold growing on the walls and especially the pavers. It is slippery and just plain yucky!

Yesterday when our guardian Oswaldo came to work he said he saw pescado and camarones in the pond at the back of the property, great joke for him and both Joe and I totally understood what he was talking about. There is no pond behind our house, or at least there is not supposed to be one. I just love these people, you give them lemons and they do make lemonade and then laugh about it.

Not one person I have run into over the past month has had a bad word to say about the weather, the humidity or the rain and the resulting muddy streets. I really need to get a more Ecuadorian attitude and I know it. Many places in town were sweeping or using buckets to get water out of the first floor tossing it out on to the already muddy streets. They still have a good outlook and this is a temporary  inconvenience. How wonderful to have such a great disposition. Dear Lord help me to become more Ecuadorian in word and deed!

I think this morning when Oswaldo comes by I will get a broom handle with a string on it and stand over the pond. That should make him chuckle.

Not much of a fishing pole but he did get a good laugh out of it when I asked him to catch me a few pescado for lunch.

Evacuate the beach, Por Favor!

Mid-morning today the police patrols starting announcing the evacuation of the beaches in Salinas. Calling for all crafts, sunbathers, swimmers and vendors to leave the beach due to high tide alerts.  Most folks are now milling around the malecon.

Below is a link to La Nueva for an article that outlines the evacuation.

http://www.lanueva.com/hoy/nota/0b5113ab91/1/104482.html

Tomorrow is the official holiday to celebrate the Independence of Quito and many folks are on their way to Salinas and other beach towns for this long weekend. According to what we have read, the beaches, fishing, boating, sailing and swimming will be prohibited for the next three days. Currently there are police as well as other gentlemen standing guard on the malecon and at the waters edge.

I have never seen the beach this quiet except for census and election days. Strange to be able to see the beach so bare!

High noon Thursday, August 11, 2011

 

High noon Thrusday, August 11, 2011

 

High noon Thrusday, August 11, 2011

 

What do you think these folks are being told?

 

A few of the folks patroling the waters edge.

17c this morning in Salinas

It was a little cool this morning with the temperature at 6:30am reading 17c or 62.6f – with the wind coming off the water it felt like 55 degrees. I was suitably dressed in a knit cap and jacket but I really think I needed gloves as my hands were frozen….

Salinas 6;30am August 1, 2011