In Search of a New Dentist

The one thing that Ron and I make sure to do is maintain our teeth. Dental care, in Ecuador, is reliable and inexpensive, but a bit different from what we're used to in Canada. The very first thing we noticed is that the dentist doesn't require a set of x-rays. They just poke around, prodding at suspect areas and doing a visual assessment. If something major is going on, most will send you to an x-ray technician to get the low down on what's happening below the surface. I have yet to get a dental x-ray here.

I'd hate to be afraid to smile.

Anyhow, Ron's tried out a few dentists, mostly because the one we started with tried to "up sell" him on replacing some old fillings. Another dentist he visited said everything looked fine, so Ron was feeling a bit put upon. Don't get me wrong, we don't just flit from dentist to dentist, this process took more than a year to complete. The second dentist was more expensive than our usual. Perhaps, that's why he didn't feel the need to up sell us on other services.(Besides, isn't that what whitening, braces and veneers are for?)

Recently, we heard of a new dentist from a friend. As it was that time of year again, we made an appointment and headed over there on Easter Friday. (No holidays for a young go-getter, I guess.) Anyhow, the young fellow mentioned a couple of places where I'd lost enamel (gum recession!) from heavy brushing (it's been that way for a while) and he recommended taking care of it before too much more time passed. This wasn't a complete surprise, as other dentists had mentioned this as well, but without offering a solution. The young doctor mentioned that the colour of the exposed tooth was changing which is a strong indication that attention was required. He had been incredibly gentle during the cleaning, which weighed in his favour.

Keep smiling that smile!\

Anyone who knows me really well, knows that I'm terrified of the drill. Naturally, I was gutted. He explained the procedure, which made me feel even more nauseous and nervous and, yet, I agreed to come back the next Monday to have him take care of the three spots. He promised me no drilling, just polishing. In passing, he mentioned that most people don't require freezing. That about did me in, but he seemed quite earnest and swore that he would crack out the Novocaine at the first sign of discomfort.

No matter how goofy!

Needless to say, I survived the process with only some minor discomfort and sore gums. (And one small sore where the mouth piece that kept my mouth open rubbed. This almost always happens to me.) To be honest, while those particular spots never bothered me (pain-wise), I'm glad to have filled in some gaps that bugged me aesthetically; avoiding cavities is even better.

For the two cleanings, one front tooth polishing, and three "cover ups" (for lack of a better description) it cost us $120. Not too bad. Have we found our new dentist? Maybe, we'll see. But if you're looking for a dentist, or perhaps just a change, check out Christian Brito. His office is just off Parque de la Madre. Contact: cristian.rbrito@gmail.com or call 0995 942 109. He does speak English well, so no worries for those of us with less than stellar Spanish skills.

Have a dental recommendation? Let me know in the comments!

Sunshine and Rainbows: When Things Go Right

It's true, I've written a lot about all the little trials and tribulations of living life abroad. Some are vexing, some are laughable and others cause me levels of stress that just aren't worth the jump in my blood pressure. But, that's life, right? Things invariably go in unexpected directions.

Then something happens that makes your life easier and it's all sunshine and rainbows. We got an unexpected call from our internet provider; turns out they're upgrading their equipment and want to give us a different modem. We agreed to be home during their two hour window for the swap out. 

Our neighbour has been having problems with his (the slow death that usually affects such technology), but did I think of asking if they could replace his, too? No, total sometimers moment. But wait...

A few minutes after our conversation, Ron received an email confirming our appointment time window, as well as information about the work being done and the name of the technician. We were slightly baffled and mildly awed by this advancement in customer service. Sadly, it was a "no reply" email, so I couldn't inquire about next door. (I hate calling them, to be honest, so much hoopla.) 

The morning of, we received a reminder phone call and I had my wits about me (it must have been after my two coffees) and queried about next door. The woman assured me that the technician wouldn't have the time or extra equipment, but I should mention it to him, to arrange another appointment.

Well, that lovely man HAD the extra equipment and after a fairly quick call for authorization, he exchanged out our equipment and took care of next door as well. So pleasing! I basked in the glow of the successful operation for the rest of the day.

(One more example of things going right: we had a couple of days of "brownouts", like blackouts, but with a small electrical feed. Miraculously our WiFi, laptops and refrigerator still worked while everything else had no power...how's that for working out well?)

The Low Down on Stuff in Cuenca

The exotic lifestyle that most people think I'm leading is a bit of a sham. The truth is that it really isn't all that different from the life I lived in Canada, minus the secondary language. (Even that's a push, have you heard Newfies talking amongst themselves? Not to mention French Canadian!)

It's not just all about gin and tonics on the patio

Sure there are the bureaucratic challenges, the (seeming) lack of foresight when it comes to executing new mandates etc., but is that really any different from life back home?

Our newest challenge was the Cuenca buses switching to card only payment, no more coins. This is actually taking full affect on April 1st, which only makes me more dubious, but I have noticed that buses are taking out their change boxes and putting in something much more temporary. We set off to obtain our "tarifa normal" reloadable bus pass from the Etapa office at Gran Columbia and Tarqui. There was a huge line, but we were happy to find out that it was for "tarifa mitad" (the half price fair for students and seniors), we got to waltz up and receive our cards, which cost us $1.75 each...with no fare on them. The next task was to load them with money, so we can actually use them on the bus. Considering that this will be the only means of riding in the near future, you'd think they'd make it easy for you, but alas, like so many government initiatives, the execution is a bit lacking. The nice young man who gave us our cards didn't mention that we could load them at the Etapa office. 

So, we set off to find a recharge "station". The website on the back of the card offered lists of places in El Centro to do so, but without addresses and the interactive map didn't appear to be working. We wandered around and asked for directions (we're not proud), and were innocently misdirected.(This happens frequently here, no one really knows where anything is or what anything is called just because things change so frequently.) We finally stumbled across a store with the sign we were looking for and fairly easily put $5 on each card. Current fare per ride (no transfers included) is 25¢ and will be raised soon to 30¢. Tranvia will start at 35¢ and if ridership isn't high enough it will be raised to 50¢. (That's Ecuadorian logic for you...or maybe government logic, not sure.) If you're a student or 65+ the fare is half price. The cards will make that tricky half cent easier to calculate. 

This card will also be usable on Tranvia, the lightrail system that still is under construction. Happy news: the construction is back on track and should be complete on (the new) schedule in September. Bad news: with all the required testing, putting up signage etc, it won't be ready for the public until several months later.

Besides that, the health insurance requirement is still in affect, despite the complete chaos that has ensued. I'm secretly waiting for the government to abandon the initiative, just due to it's overwhelming complexity, but that could be wishful thinking. 

The state of my computer and health insurance
legislation are about the same.
(Yup, that's masking tape and metal duct tape.)

Our rainy season seems to have forgotten to arrive this year, though it is more overcast than usual. We've had some glorious days and for that I'm grateful. That's about all for now. Happy daylight saving time to those of you that practice it!

Hidden Waterfalls of Sayausi

Our hiking group, usually led by the intrepid Jeff Van Pelt, headed out on the number 3 bus towards Sayausi yesterday. It's a little area north west (ish) of Cuenca. Once we got to our stop, we grabbed two mixtos and headed up the hill to our starting point. (I have no idea what the stop was, I wasn't paying attention...which is one of the reasons I don't host any hikes.)

"Can I come, too?"

For those that have the time and energy, there's actually a loop route that takes around 6 hours to complete, but you have to go prepared, and we had a nice lunch waiting for us at Le Petit Jardin.

Shahbaz, trying out a friend's sunglasses
at Le Petit Jardin

One of the quirks of the outskirts is that you occasionally have to cross private land to get to some of these trails. Usually, Ecuadorians are generous and just wave at you as you go past. This particular hike uses a private road to access the trail head and the gentleman there has learned that he can press gringos (maybe locals, too) for a few bucks each to pass over his land. We happily avoided this instance yesterday, but be prepared, should you find yourself in this type of situation. (We were once denied access all together on a hike, despite a sign indicating that it was a tourism project...go figure.)

Our guide Jeff, finding these places for us to hike

The actual trail, once off the road was narrow and shaded by eucalyptus trees and heavy bamboo stands. The conditions were mostly perfect, damp ground, but not muddy, making for good grip under the feet. The sun came and went with the large, drifting clouds overhead and a slight breeze kept things cool for the most part. 

John, intrepidly making his way down

It's a steep climb and the side trails down to the sets of "cascades" (waterfalls) aren't marked, so it took a bit of exploration and daring-do to find the access points. We heartless used Ron (my hubbie), for his tirelessness, to check out the tracks before heading down ourselves. This isn't your North American adventure. The paths aren't made for safety, nor are they cleared for easy access, you just follow a little trail, ducking and twisting as necessary (not to mention slipping and grabbing branches) to get to these little pockets of peace. They are definitely not for those with crappy knees, aversion to heights or a deep need to know exactly where you're going.

Ron, guiding people down the steep embankment

We were rewarded with dappled sunlight, narrow falls and moss covered rocks. Once we'd cleared the "danger" area and avoided paying a toll to access what we assume is public land, we walked back down the hill and stopped at one of our guide's favourite restaurants for lunch.

Fairy glen

It was a great day, with interesting and amusing friends and a new adventure under our belts. 

Gratitude - It's all perspective

It's hard to believe, but a year has passed since I was suffering so terribly from a torn muscle and ligament. It's the type of pain that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and I'm glad that chapter of my life is in the past. 

A llamingo - half llama/half alpaca...bad breath, but
he loved me (which makes me happy)
Photo by Linda Sorrento

The process was so impactful that, to this day, being able to do things without pain is something for which I'm grateful. I tied my shoe the other day, sitting on a chair, like a normal person; foot across my knee and it was a moment of pure joy. Something so simple. Walking down the street, rolling over in bed, even touching my toes or being able to go to the gym without worrying (overly) about being sore or unable is so freeing. 

Ron and I in Peru, heading towards Machu Picchu
(Happiness!)

All this "ableness" was lost on me before my injury. I was happy (in a general sort of way) to be able to do things that others obviously couldn't, but it wasn't really meaningful. I think this is why there is suffering; so that we can better appreciate the good things. Now, I'm going to go completely off the reservation (that's probably not PC, so my apologies) and apply this to privilege, be it financial, racial, gender or cultural. You don't know how good ya' got it, until you lose it. So when someone is talking from their own perspective, I cannot judge. I am not them, I haven't had their experiences and am in no place to condemn.

Flowers make me happy, too

I'm going to apply this principle as I move forward, trying to remember that everything is influenced by perspective. One person's disaster is another's best case scenario. It's a thought that I need to get through these wild and woolly times. What I do know, is that we're all human and there is no "us" or "them", just "we". 

Norwegian Olympians - A Success Story

Most people are probably tired of the Olympics, of the politics involved (or avoided) and the whole nationalist thing that is the competition, but I love them. Especially since Vancouver hosted the Winter Olympics in 2010. The whole vibe of the city was amazing and it felt so good to be part of something positive and exciting. 

The PyeongChang games have been challenging for our country. Our hockey crown was knocked off and our curling dominance erased. It's a tough pill, but necessary for us to rise to the occasion and come back stronger and, maybe, a bit more humbly. (I know, Canadians aren't roundly criticized for our lack of humbleness, but when it comes to hockey and curling, we're a bit puffed up sometimes. We have to be good at something, right? Besides being nice, of course.) It's been hard for us, as the Games weren't broadcast here in Ecuador and we've had to try to keep up with online Ecuadorian commentary and sporadic coverage.

The games though, for me, were about a tiny country in northern Europe. Little Norway. Population of just over 5 million people. They're always a power house in the cross country fields; things like biathlon, long distance skiing and perform well in downhill categories, but this year, they blew the competition out of the water. They led the medal standings from the get-go and never looked back. Not only that, but they did it with grace, humility and quiet pride. I'm impressed. I hope that their countrymen are proud and that they go home with heads held high. (Maybe the world will appreciate this little piece of sporting achievement more.) 

Not only do their curling teams sport some pretty fancy pants, 

 (and occasionally, none),

If these aren't Norwegians, I do apologise.

but they excelled in almost every field of competition. Norway isn't just the home of a popular cruise line; with 109 athletes (Canada had 226, to compare), they've won an impressive 38 medals (Canada - 28, so far) and I don't think they're quite done. They must have an amazing athletics program. (Side note: they're a constitutional monarchy, like Canada. Side/Side note: they have a coalition called "Red Green"...I wonder where they stand on duct tape.) I do find myself asking "how did they manage it?" (such Olympic dominance), but they might say that's just jealousy.

Forever proud of our team #iamcanadian!

To our Canadian Olympic team: well done. I will always be proud of your accomplishments as long as they are achieved with a sense of fair play, good sportsmanship and, hopefully, good Canadian self-deprecating humour.  You've represented us well. See some of you in 2020. Thanks for the amazing ride, you're always gold in my heart.

The Zen of Living on South American Time

I was talking with some new arrivals recently, and they seemed impressed with the level of subsistence here. (To clarify, not truly subsistence, but decent lifestyle.). We really don't lack much of anything that we had in Canada, except some minor items like specialty foods.

Classic siesta mode - both human and canid

That doesn't mean that life here is just like life in North America. No, not at all. I remember my sister describing "island time" when she visited the Bahamas. The entire country was able to downshift into a relaxed "it's all good, mon" vibe that, upon arrival, was vexing for her fast paced North American lifestyles. She and her hubbie eventually made the switch, as well, and had a very relaxing holiday. This concept is also prevalent in Ecuador; not called "island time", but "mañana". Yes, mañana literally means tomorrow, but it's not used (usually) in the literal sense, no. It's used more in the "sometime in the future" sense. (Tomorrow never comes, right?)

Family pickup match of football (downtime!)

This is a major change from how things run up north. For example: our building operates off two large water pumps that distribute water pressure throughout the building. One of the pumps is short circuiting. We found this out nearly 3 weeks ago. The technician is supposed to come on Friday. This is a perfect of example of "mañana". Now, water, for us, is essential to our well being and happiness. Water pressure is also essential for our tankless water heater (calefon/on demand water heater, as you like.) No pressure, no hot water. This, we've discovered, is a first world problem.  The job of correcting the electrical issue was deemed "small" and therefore, not a priority. Hence a (hopeful) repair tomorrow.

Interesting enough for onlookers

This also applied to our sofa cushions (see the "Epic of the Sofa Cushions") for another example of "mañana" in action. It is a process, adjusting to this slower pace. It happens in restaurants, too. (No, you don't have to wait for weeks to get your order, but an hour isn't completely unheard of, to be sure.)

Then I noticed one goalie...(their side lost)

We're seeing it on a grander scale with the light rail system that is being constructed in Cuenca. (Granted it's been riddled with budgetary and labour issues, as well.) It's now two years past due and looking like it might be delayed again. This is to be expected, when has a municipal project ever completed on time? However, when your cable/internet provider says they'll send out a technician in three days, this is when things start getting challenging.

Full on traditional dress! We might be relaxing,
but we can still dress nicely.

There are places where the concept of "mañana" don't apply is on the road. (I've discussed this before as well.) The sweet nature of most Ecuadorians goes out the window as soon as they sit behind the wheel of a vehicle.  This is a mystery to me.

Even tortoises get in on the napping action

So, if you're thinking of hanging out down here for a while, pack your sunscreen and heaps of patience. Time is one of the few things we actually have in abundance as retirees, so we need to spend it gratefully..