Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Jan 29: Another escapee!
Interestingly this guy was looking for a way back in the cage. When I told one of the zoo workers they had animals outside the cages, he said he knew about it and it wasn't any big deal.
Jan 29: The Cuenca Zoo
The city zoo was yesterday's expedition. The building in the picture is the main entrance. It is basically a 2hour up hill trail at 10,000ft, where ad hoc cages are thrown together with the occasional animal inside. Some cages are empty, with a hole in the cage where it looks like there was an escape. Sometimes the animals are outside the cages! The fact there is a zoo thrown together in what appears to be a tight budget (and that the animals are rescued from bad situations) is very impressive.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Jan 28: official pet for Cuenca
This type of dog has been embraced as the chic breed for Cuenca, Ecuador. The fact that people even have dogs for pets is unique for Latin America. Most dogs are relegated to fending for themselves on the streets, with a corresponding rule never to pet the flee infested mutt. That people keep them as pets here is probably indicative of some social economic phenomena.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Jan 27: Monday morning traffic issue
The top right corner of the photo shows a large chunk of a buildings facade fell off, potentially impacting traffic below. It was a welcomed relief for the traffic.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Jan 23: update
As I consider whether to travel to Argentina, today the Argentina currency dropped 10% against the USD $$ in one day! Officially it is 8 pesos per 1$ now. However the black market is 13pesos per 1$. This would be a new experience going somewhere where the currency is an issue.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Jan 22: update
I am taking Spanish classes in Cuenca. I have gotten into a routine which doesn't make for very interesting posts.
Yesterday I spent several hours with an American couple who are in process of becoming Ecuadoran citizens. They are really into banking flight miles via credit cards. They flew around the world on flight miles for a trip that would cost close to $5k each! The couple managed to amass 3 million miles in two years! I had a hard time understanding how they did it other than they spend a lot of time working on it and they are pretty smart. They described it as entertainment like people who enjoy video games.
In other news, the annual world wealth inequality report was just released by Credit Suisse for 2013. In the report, half of the world's population controls less than 1% of the world's wealth. The top 10% of the world's population controls more than 86% of the world's wealth. The top 1% of the world's population controls almost half of the world's wealth. There are just 85 people who have as much wealth as half of the world's population (or 3.5 billion people)! Then I read a recently issued Davos report that says climate change is strongly correlated with wealth inequality. It makes sense if you consider 50% of the world's population is struggling to survive, while others are living in over abundant affluence (eg inefficiently and unsustainably utilizing the world's resources).
Jan 22: update
I am taking Spanish classes in Cuenca. I have gotten into a routine which doesn't make for very interesting posts.
Yesterday I spent several hours with an American couple who are in process of becoming Ecuadoran citizens. They are really into banking flight miles via credit cards. They flew around the world on flight miles for a trip that would cost close to $5k each! The couple managed to amass 3million miles in two years! I had a hard time understanding how they do it other than they spend a lot of time working on it and they are pretty smart. They described it as entertainment like people enjoy video games.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Jan 11: update
I found a really nice apartment flat for $120 a month. The problem is that I would have to provide the bed, sheets and hotplate. It is funny to hear Americans say that you can get by here on $1200 a month. I could eat out every night well for $2.25 and add a $1 for four mangoes for the rest of the day; I could spend under $100 on food a month. Throw in $80 for beer (eg incidentals), and total all in cost is around $300 a month! I doubt there is another place in the world that I could live so well especially with all Cuenca has to offer.
Today's New York Times ranked Ecuador the 7th best place in the world to visit. Then again the NYT ranked my brother Rob's home of Downtown LA the 4th best. To be honest, I was scared sh*^less walking around there.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Jan 7: the Gringo tax
I was out on the town with my Spanish teacher today. We visited the Cuenca museum and talked about the town. I asked him how much he pays for the local Pilsner beer as I was confused. The bottle says $1.00. But I get charged $1.50. My Spanish teacher says $1.00 plus a ten cent bottle deposit. So to test this theory, we approach this store together. Sure enough I (with my Ecuador friend) was only going to be charged $1.10. But when we went to the store I regularly go, the vendor was going to charge $1.50. My Ecuador teacher asked why. The vendor justified it as a $.50 bottle deposit! It is just another way of charging a Gringo tax here.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Jan 5-6: update
I am glad I did the trip to Saraguro. Taking the bus across the Andes and it's 12,000 ft elevation with a winding two lane road, basically ascending and descending for three hours is an adventure. Then add the crazy bus culture here where drivers pass on blind corners going up hill with no power and expecting oncoming drivers to ride the shoulder to avoid a head on collision. All I can do is accept my fate if in fact my time is at hand.
I wanted to comment on the OSU hat experience. It captures well a challenging aspect of being here. I approached a vendor wearing it at the Sunday market in Saraguro. I asked her if I could take a photo so my friends back home in the US could see 'our' college represented in Ecuador. #1 The vendor's response was no photos of her. People really hate their photos taken here. Understandably I probably would too. #2 Another vendor heard me say "US" and so he remarked "oooh, the USA." There seems to be some kind of resentment or jealousy here about America. I suspect that because I see a number of shirts in Ecuador that are pro USA, definitely more so than in the USA itself. Plus a number of the people seem to live in economically challenging situation. I would imagine I could be sensitive as well given the contrast to lives represented on TV of life in America.
The family I stayed with were great. There was a challenge around the language as my Spanish is not so good. But we managed. I really got a strong sense of being on an American Indian reservation (but much nicer). Aside from the physical similarities, the people seem to struggle constantly to maintain a sense of community and cultural identity. That said many carried a strong sense of shared humanity as I was received fairly well. At the same time I was observed with a sense of curiosity. Outsiders don't intermarry or live in the community.
Jan 5 : Oregon State University represented
Although the person wearing the hat refused to be photographed
Sunday, January 5, 2014
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