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A Little Night Music on the Beach
“I cried through the entire thing!” — Sophie, a concert attendee, March 10, 2018 Opera music filled the warm beach night air. Three sopranos amazed throughout the performance. Their voices floated down to us as if angels singing from above. Nadia Neiazy, Anjali Caillat and Anica Lazin shared their heavenly voices with us Performers Anjali Caillat and Nadia Neiazy were visiting from Canada. Their former voice coach, Anica Lazin, now lives in Coastal Ecuador. Together with pianist Cyndy Wergin, they provided a magical night to more than 120 guests. Concert The night began with a social hour at The Sea Garden House, a lovely hotel on the beach.…
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Godfather Ecuador Links Donors with Families in Need #WATWB
It is the last Friday of the month, which means it is time for the We Are The World Blogfest when we bring you positive stories from around the world. Thank you to this month’s co-hosts Shilpa Garg, Peter Nena, Eric Lahti, Roshan Radhakrishnan and Inderpreet Kaur Uppal. Please visit their blogs for more positive stories. —————————————————————————- A Free Education is Not Cost Free Education in Ecuador is free for all children but it is not without cost for families. The children need uniforms, pens, markers, crayons, notebooks, backpacks, etc. in order to attend. Purchasing these supplies is a financial burden some families are unable to meet. Heartbreaking choices are made – if you can afford…
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Family Friendly Carnival in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador
I’m a huge festival fan. I love to dance and dance all night long. –Douglas Booth Laughing children, water guns, espuma and full beaches are sure signs that it is Carnival in Ecuador. During this pre-Lent festival running Friday evening through Tuesday, many families flock to beach towns to swim, hang out on the sand and relax. Puerto Lopez beach’s busiest day of the year is Monday of Carnival. If you are picturing Carnival in Brazil with huge costumes and parades, it is not quite the same. The Ecuador festival is very family friendly and less flamboyant than its Brazilian counterpart. Puerto Lopez beach on the busiest day of the…
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Alcohol Free Ecuador Elections
“The biggest danger for a politician is to shake hands with a man who is physically stronger, has been drinking, and is voting for the other guy.” — William Proxmire Do you celebrate election night victories with a cocktail? Or drown your election losses with a few beers once the polls close? These are illegal activities during Ecuador election weekends. There is little chance of the quote above happening during election weekend. You can, however, have the beach almost all to yourself. Puerto Lopez beach Voting in Ecuador is compulsory for citizens between 18 and 65 years old. If you do not vote, you must pay a fine prior to…
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Single Father Getting New Home With Indoor Bathroom #WATWB
It is the last Friday of the month, which means it is time for the We Are The World Blogfest when we bring you positive stories from around the world. Thank you to this month’s co-hosts Shilpa Garg, Simon Falk, Lynn Hallbrooks, Eric Lahti, Damyanti Biswas and Guilie Castillo. Please visit their blogs for more positive stories. —————————————————————————- Improving Living Conditions for Father and Daughter Canadian Dodie Schadlich lives in La Libertad, Ecuador and helps those in her community who could use a bit of assistance. The following project to rebuild a father and daughter’s home is an example. Current home occupied by father and daughter, to be replaced in February Photo courtesy of Dodie Schadlich In…
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Christmas at the Orphanage in Olon, Ecuador, the Happiest Place on Earth
This blog has a guest writer today for the first time ever! Erwin Musper lives with his wife Danielle near the orphanage in Olon, Ecuador. He spends most of his days at the orphanage – teaching guitar and providing a positive male role model for the kids. When not at the orphanage, he is fundraising to benefit it. He is an internationally acclaimed music producer, mixer and engineer who worked with acts like Metallica, Elton John, Anouk, and Van Halen. See the full list here. Take it away, Erwin! ————————————————————- One two three FOUR! Just like the famous first Beatles album, the YOKO band counted off their annual concert for the…
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13 Postcard Photos From Ecuador 911 Surveillance Cameras
Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality truly is. –Ansel Adams You want great postcard-like photos of Ecuador but do not have time to travel the country to take the photos yourself? You can search blogs and social media or you can search Twitter for the hashtag #PostalECU911. Ecuador 911 is the national emergency response system. Their Twitter accounts are a great follow for anyone visiting or living in Ecuador. Several locations have Twitter feeds, often named after each province capital. They are a great source of information on road conditions, volcanic activity, and other emergencies around the country. The photos in this post are all from…
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Fundraiser Recap – Christmas Gifts for 70 at the Olon Orphanage
On December 24, Papa Noel will hand out Christmas gifts to 70 children and mamitas living at the Olon Orphanage. The gifts are purchased with money from fundraisers, primarily an October dinner and silent auction held in a nearby town. Fundraiser host – Arena Guadua Ecolodge Surfcamp Montanita is a surf and party destination town along the Ecuador coast, hosting international surf competitions and full moon parties throughout the year. Montanita’s Arena Guadua Ecolodge Surfcamp was kind enough to host 2017’s orphanage fundraiser. Located in the quiet north end of the beach with an open floor plan, Arena Guadua was a great spot for the event. Volunteers and silent auction…
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Ecuador Navy Armada Includes WWII Tugboat
“fate unknown” — Status of the subject of this post, according to this page Ecuador Navy ships periodically anchor in Puerto Lopez bay. Military men and women come to town and play fútbol and volleyball, eat at restaurants and generally enjoy some time on land. They are always polite and friendly. Even their casual tops and shorts are identical and well pressed. Ed, a Peace Corps worker in town, mentioned that the boat currently anchored offshore was previously a WWII tugboat for the USA. I began to research this ship and found it has a long history. BAE Chimborazo (RA-70) anchored off Puerto Lopez November 5, 2017 Ecuador’s Navy Armada…
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International Triathlon Excites Puerto Lopez, Ecuador
“Dirt roads, stray dogs & a community with passion for triathlon. Tomorrow’s event will most certainly be an experience” — Jarrod Evans, USA Triathlon Coach, in a tweet the day before the Puerto Lopez triathlon (see screen shot later in post for accompanying photos) A triathlon in a picturesque Ecuador coastal fishing village invites athletes to enjoy pleasant weather, warm ocean temperatures, and fresh fruits. Puerto Lopez hosted the CAMTRI Triathlon American Championship for the first time. Elite athletes from around the world descended on Puerto Lopez to compete. The week prior to the triathlon, the malecon (oceanfront road) was filled with bicyclists and runners, enjoying their pre-race workouts and learning…
