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Published: January 10th 2023
The Gravy Queen
Working up a sweat while whipping up the turkey gravy. Yum! What a wonderful Thanksgiving gathering! I took on the task of brining and roasting the turkey as well as making the stuffing (for inside and outside the bird), and mashing up a mess of real sweet potatoes. The turkey took longer to cook than planned which meant I was still carving when guests began to arrive, and it made for hectic, last minute gravy preparation! Turkey is only for very special occasions here and therefore is very expensive. I bought a $65 bird (yikes!) and put out a little collection tin (a decorated matzoh meal canister). My generous friends donated enough to cover the cost AND a tip for the musician!
We were 25 people all together, guests from far and near! Betti and David came all the way from Mojanda near Otavalo (5 hours north!) and Ana came with her entourage from Shell (1 hour east). Annie and Amanda came down from Quito a day early to help me with the final set-up...but thanks to Maricarmen's help there wasn't much left to do... I was almost fully prepared the day before!
I
Up on the Terrace
A table full of joyous diners, friends from far and near!
decided NOT to use paper products at all, and was amazed that, after raiding the kitchen of the rental apartment, I had enough cutlery and dishes for such a big crowd. Mari ironed the tablecloths and the cloth napkins, made from beautiful fabrics from all over the world. She and I carefully rolled a fork and knife into each cloth napkin and attached each bundle with a ring of fomix (a spongy, soft synthetic latex that is used for handicrafts) and a strip of green masking tape.
Janis loaned me her 'roll-up' tables and one long folding plastic table. The roll-up tables are the coolest things - designed for fieldwork or camping they consist of heavy carboard strips lined up horizontally and encased in a strong plastic coating. There are lightweight metal side pieces and legs and it all fits together to make a somewhat stable table. It easily rolls back up and fits into a long carrying bag, looking like a yoga mat when packed away. I wedged 2 of these tables between two sturdier plastic tables for greater stability. The whole assembly was covered by two matching shower curtains
Easy Access Table
No stairs to climb to arrive at this table! cum tablecloths, which gave it all a unifying effect, creating comfortable table seating for ten diners up on my covered rooftop terrace.
More guests perched on the sofa and others used the terrace ledges to balance plates. I also assembled a long table downstairs for the mobility-impaired and their helpers. It made me chuckle to see Ana's and Shana's walkers parked side by side under the bedroom window. The downstairs diners had front-row seats when the afternoon's entertainment arrived.
At the previous year's Thanksgiving gathering Vic had brought his guitar and we had a wonderful sing-along into the evening. He was unable to come this year, so I invited Armando (affectionately known all over town as Negrito Lindo - pretty black boy). Armando is a local crooner who makes the rounds of the tourist restaurants, singing and playing guitar. He used to live up the road from me, so through the years we've become well acquainted. Shana has known him since he was a teenager! He got everyone to join in by playing favorite, familiar songs and there were even some folks
Jessica's Bday Cupcake
Recently arrived Peace Corps Volunteer who calls me her 'Fairy Godmother' who got up to dance around the lemon tree!
I'd sent out the invitations several weeks in advance and as the date grew nearer there were the expected cancellations and a few surprises. Ana was recovering from hip surgery and asked if she could bring her nephew, who would be driving her car for her. The following day she asked if she could also bring her sister-in-law who was more attentive to her needs that the driver nephew. Ana married into a huge indigenous family and I decided then and there if she asked to bring along even ONE more person, I would dis-invite them all! In the end, we had to convince the nephew to come to the table to join us for the meal since he just wanted to stay in the car studying for an exam!
A recently arrived Peace Corps Volunteer had reached out on the Expats in Baños facebook page. She's living in a small community 45 minutes from Baños and she wanted to meet some other foreigners and learn more about the area from them. A
Plates Piled High!
Delicious bounty, made even more yummy when shared with friends! couple weeks before turkey day I met Jessica for pizza and we had a delightful time! I told her if she ever needs to escape village squalor, there's always a place for her to crash here and she can even do a load of laundry! She told me I was like her fairy godmother and mentioned that her birthday was the day after turkey day. When she arrived at the Thanksgiving gathering I made a big deal of welcoming her, introducing her around and fixing a cupcake with a candle to mark her special celebration!
Once again I am grateful that my home is large enough to offer lodging to all of my out-of-town visitors. I gave Betti and David my master suite and I camped out on the sofa-bed in my office in the back. Amanda had the rental apartment and Annie stayed in the room upstairs. With all of my renovations complete, I now have four bedrooms, each with a full bathroom! (If you're reading this, that last sentence is an official invitation to come visit!!)
Okay! I guess that's
Oh! And the Desserts!!!
Exquisite Pumpkin & Pecan Pies (thanks to the pastry chef at Hotel Sangay!), to-die-for brownies, cookies, cupcakes and fruit! enough rambling on about Thanksgiving. You'll have to scroll to the end of this entry to see some more food porn photos. If you are a loyal reader of my blog, you may have noticed that I make an effort to match the photos to the paragraph that tells about each. It's challenging, but I'm usually moderately successful. In this case, I had so many thanksgiving pics that some of the food fotos got pushed to the bottom!!
I have a huge stamp collection - going way back to my Grandpa Sol (born in 1885), passing thru my Mom, briefly thru both of my brothers, I believe. I've been the guardian for the past three decades and it has grown exponentially through my travels and my work with students in Stamp Clubs at International Schools both in Malaysia and in Atlanta. I have a new friend here in Baños, Steve, who is an avid coin collector and trader. I asked him if he is at all interested in stamps and his eyes lit up! He is helping me dig back into the collection, searching for stamps that might be of great
From my Front Gate!
Marching band practice right up my street...every day for weeks! value. So far we've found one that's probably worth $500 and there may be another worth over $1000. Steve said he'd help me post them for sale online as well. Some extra cash would certainly help me finance my next home improvement project.
As early as mid-November the drumming begins. bum-bum BOOM, bum-bum BOOM! The Colegio Técnico is about 2 1/2 blocks down the hill from me, but the band practice can be heard loud and clear! Fiestas de Baños don't actually begin until December, but the high school marching band practices for weeks in advance - weeks of same three notes over and over and over again! During the fiestas each neighborhood is assigned a week to decorate the streets and get festive. There are firecrackers every night and loud loud music as well. It's like a competition to see who can make the most noise. Supposedly we are celebrating the Virgin of Agua Santa so I don't quite understand the loudness factor!
I have no desire to brave the crowds to go into town and watch the parade...it's plenty for me to
Sangay Staff Salsa Dancers
My dear friend Sasha (pink dress) is the owner of Hotel Sangay and she and the entire staff practiced for weeks to participate in the parade! see the band march right past my front gate in full uniform every morning for a full week before the festivals even begin! I had a Canadian couple staying in my rental apartment for a few weeks and they were thrilled with the curbside entertainment. While Edgar was out of town, Anita did brave the crowds to go into town and watch the whole celebration. Lovely folks who will probably be back!
There are actually two parades during fiestas de Baños - the Pregón, which this year featured 95 floats and cars and groups of dancers. Then the following week was the Civic Parade, showcasing the public high schools (who missed over a month of classes to prepare - I guess they do learn some things...rhythm and cooperation!) and other public entities. Since I decided not to go into town for the Pregón (or the Parade), I was glad that someone posted this photo of my friend Sasha dancing with her staff! Her family's hotel, the Sangay is one of the swankiest in town and this year they decided to take part in the parade in a big way. Check out
Pikachu the Clown
Entertaining the seniors and leading them in kiddie games, he also made sly sexual inuendoes that went right over the heads of most of the old folks ! those fancy dancing outfits!
I was invited to help serve at a Senior Citizens' Christmas Luncheon. One of my English students lives in Ulba, a town just beside Baños. About 20 years ago her family began hosting an annual Christmas gathering for the senior citizens in all the nearby villages and communities. For the past two years they've been unable to carry out this act of community to service due to COVID, but the festivities were joyfully resumed this year.
When I arrived, there were already about 4 dozen seniors seated around the perimeter of a covered patio area. Elizabeth has a gorgeous three-story house and the gathering was held at her uncle's rustic abode right next door. I was treated like a guest of honor - introduced all around and shown to a comfy chair. Sometimes I feel like the 'pet gringo' at these gatherings, but here I jumped in and helped out along with the host family. It was good thing too, since most of the designated helpers were not helping - glued to the TV watching the World Cup
Kids Show You How
Four year old Selva (in the blue princess dress) led this group of seniors in a rousing game of Simon Says! finals!
The elderly guests arrived in a steady stream and by the end of the party, there were over 85 seniors in attendance! As Pikachú the clown strolled into the arena, everyone was served a glass of Chicha (a semi-fermented sweet corn drink). Pikachu led the group in children's party games (after all, as old folks we become kids again don't we?) and Elizabeth's four year-old daughter Selva mingled with the guests showing them how to participate in each of the activities (she's a little doll!!)
When the serving of the meal began I jumped into action, helping to organize the assembly line in a more efficient manner. First we served each guest a big, one-liter plastic tureen of chicken soup, chock full of organ meats, potatoes, barley rice and veggies - each serving topped with chopped parsley and chives. The senior seating was arranged around tables and benches that looked like they'd been repurposed from a fast food restaurant! All of the guests ate their soup enthusiastically.
The main course consisted of
Hosting Christmas for the Elderly
This is the family of my student Elizabeth (holding her daughter in this pic). They host an annual holiday luncheon for senior citizens a huge piece of chicken for each person. I figured that over 25 birds must have been boiled, quartered, and roasted. There was a deep clay oven built into the hillside and perfectly browned quarters were pulled out on enormous metal trays. We arranged the large pieces of meat alongside boiled potatoes, salad, and rice in square styrofoam to-go containers, covering it all with a peanut sauce. Each bulging container was handed out, along with a plastic bag. It was expected that everyone would be taking some or all of this portion home. Most people would probably enjoy two or three more meals from this generous serving, or maybe share it with family members. It pained me to think about how much waste was being generated with these disposable containers, but in some cases it's the most practical solution.
It was a day filled with joy and love and caring gestures. I was very grateful to have been included in the festivities, and to have been able to help out in some way. Upon Elizabeth's request I had brought along two wrapped gifts which were awarded as prizes for some of
Shana/Michel/Maricarmen
After almost two weeks in the hospital Michel returned home, vowing never to go back in - so it was a kind of welcome/farewell gathering for him. the silly games. I met such warm and generous people. It was explained to me that Christmas is too often all about the children, so it was decided that something needed to be done for the often forgotten seniors...and there are so many of them - some who live alone but most who are cared for by family members. Wonderful that this special day was all about them!!
An old friend of ours, Michel, has been in poor health for quite some time now. An delightful Frenchman in his late 70's, Michel has lived in Ecuador almost 40 years. He adopted a young man named Julio from near Guayaquil and Julio has since married Mariane and they have children and grandchildren - this is Michel's extended family! For over 20 years they have had a wonderful restaurant here in Baños (Jardin de Mariane). Although Michel had recovered well from a stroke he had a few years ago, recently his health took another downturn.
He was in the hospital in Ambato (an hour away) for over two weeks and decided that he just
Karlijn's 18th Bday!
A birthday crepe for my star student, Karlijn. We've been studying both English and French together for almost two years! wanted to be at home with his family...so they brought him home. Julio contacted us all (friends of Michel, old and new) and we had a 'welcome home / farewell' party. It's likely he will not live much longer, especially since he is now refusing all treatment and just wants to rest in his own home and be with loved ones. We were 20 or 30 people at the joyful gathering, hugs for Michel, music, food and drinks. He was overjoyed by the outpouring of love and caring. (Note: in the photo those are red rose petals on his shirt...all of the guests showered him with flowers as he arrived!)
One of my dearest students, a young woman named Karlijn, was turning 18. Her mother and I invited her out for dinner and we continued on to a dessert-only restaurant, Mundo Azúcar (World of Sugar) for her birthday crepe. We all spoke English the whole evening (her mom is studying to become an English teacher here in Ecuador) and when Karlijn and I needed to share a private word we spoke French together (Mom does not speak French!). She is applying
Crystal Terrace
High above Baños we four gals braved the glass surface of this lookout point. I felt a bit woozy... to universities, here and abroad and it's exciting to share in this next chapter of her life's journey. An exceptional young woman, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her one-on-one during the last several years!
I share a long history with my next set of visitors. I first met Lucie when I lived in Quito back in the late 1980's. She has since moved to Paris and married a Frenchman. I have travelled with her several times in France over the past three decades. When she and I first met her son, Ivan was 11 years old. We took some adventurous trips throughout Ecuador way back in the old days. When I first came back to Ecuador in 2003 Lucie wanted to introduce me to her friend Lupe, who is also a world traveler and adventurer.
In the past 20 years Lupe and I have shared some great adventures, her goal being to take me to some hidden corners of the country where no foreigner has ever ventured. Now, Lucie was back in Ecuador to help her son celebrate his 45th birthday!
Serving the Paella
After a day of sightseeing we gathered at La Tasca to engage in birthday revelry! WoW - where do the years go?! Lucie and Lupe (also the names of my neighbor Shana's two little doggies....RIP Lucy) came through Baños on their way back north from a visit to Cuenca. Ivan took the bus down from Quito and we all met up here at my house where there was room for each of us to have our own bedroom with a private bath! Lupe has hosted me at her condo in Quito so many times; I was glad to be able to offer her my luxurious master suite for a few nights!
We did some fun, touristy things together. The swing at the end of the world is always a good time, and CiCi loves to come along when we drive up there. She can run free on the grounds and she's gotten really obedient about coming when I call. Sometimes other tourists bring along their dogs so she finds playmates. This time there was a dog roaming around the restaurant/snack bar and she and CiCi said a friendly hello to each other. When I saw that the servers were feeding her leftovers off the tables, I
Two Birthday Celebrations
Maricarmen's 71st and Ivan's 45th bdays - a joyous gathering. put CiCi on leash so as not to cause any problems. They put the food in a dog bowl and Perla snarfed it right down. I asked if they had finished feeding her and then let CiCi off leash so the two could play, which they did very nicely until CiCi decided to go sniff the bowl and see if there was anything left in it. Perla attacked CiCi fiercely and I had to kick her to separate them. I got CiCi back on leash and Perla continued to go at her, nearly wrenching my arm out of the socket.
We moved far away to a shady bench while I caught my breath. CiCi didn't seem at all upset about the attack, but it took me awhile to recover. I leaned into the dining area, calling out over the diners if your dog is vicious you should have her tied up. After a few minutes the woman who worked there came over and apologized very kindly. She had closed Perla in the storeroom, she told me, and she explained that it was a stray who had been coming around for a
Mother and Son
I met Lucie and Ivan in Quito in 1988 when Ivan was 11 years old. Funny, I don't feel like I've aged THAT much! few days and they were feeding her and looking for a home for her. I told her about the Animal Rescue association in Baños and I am happy to say that thru Unidogs PAB, Perla now has found a furever home!
Since it was Maricarmen's birthday that week as well, I had arranged for us all to have an early supper at La Tasca, a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar. I also ordered a red velvet cake which we picked up on the way to meet Shana and Mari at the restaurant. I remembered that the portions of paella were enormous so I pre-ordered a mixed paella for 2-3 people and together with a few small plates of tapas, it was plenty to serve the six of us! CiCi behaves well in restaurants, lying down under the table or beside my chair. She knows the command, No Begging!
It was so wonderful to reconnect with old friends! Our paths have criss-crossed around the globe and we continue to have a lovely time whenever we manage to meet up again! Right on the
CiCi's New Friend Ziggy
Old friends Andy and Michelle came to visit with their new pooch, Ziggy Stardust and their friends from the U.S. heels of those visitors there were some more friends arriving! Andy and Michelle own The Black Sheep Inn Permaculture Lodge high up in the Andes, but they also spend a lot of time at their lake house in Massachusetts (affectionately referred to as Paradise North). They have a permanent manager at the Ecuador hotel and twice in recent months I have stayed at their studio guest house with visitors, paying just the cleaning fees. They have hosted me 'in absentia' so I was glad to be able to return the favor.
They were coming to Baños with an old HS friend of Andy's and her husband and daughter. The plan was for Andy and Michelle to stay with me and their friends would stay at a hotel in town, but due to inclement weather in Chicago their flights were delayed and then cancelled and by the time they got here their hotel could no longer honor their reservation - everything gets booked up in Baños around Xmas and New Years! SO, again I was glad that I have enough space to receive multiple guests at my house! All 5 of them
Doctora Freile and Family
I spent the day showing my ophthalmologist around Baños. Her kids, Martín and Emma had never been here and we had such fun together!! and Ziggy the dog fit nicely in my guest rooms. I again stayed in the little bed in my office, convenient to my computer and kitchen! CiCi and Ziggy had fun chasing each other around the lemon tree!!
When it rains, it pours! So many guests and visitors at once! While Andy and Michelle and their entourage were here in Baños, my ophthalmologist and her family came to Baños for a visit. We've been talking about this visit during my last few eye exams and I had agreed to show them around for a day. So, I sent my other guests off on their own and met with Dra Freile, her husband and their two kids. Martín, a 6th grader and Emma, in 4th grade, were just delightful. I realized how much I've missed spending time with kids. I took them on my 'gorgeous gorges' tour, we went along the waterfall route down to the Devil's Cauldron hike and even had time to visit the Casa del Arbol and the big swing. It was a very fun day for everyone!!
My Jewish-Argentine
Eighth Night Menoral
My Danish friend Nynne gifted me the candles. They almost fit...just a little bit of whittling and melting needed. friend, Lila, invited me to a Hanukah Party at Hannah's house. I'd met Hannah once when I went along the Jewish New Year's gathering at her home. This time her husband, Okee was there. They are both Israeli but lived many years in New York and New Jersey. He still has a business there so is not living down here full time yet. It was the 7th night of Hanukah and another Israeli friend came along with his daughter who had just had her Bat Mitzvah at age 11. I grew up in a Reform Jewish family and I always thought that Bat Mitzvah was for 13 year olds. Ends up it's age 12 for girls (since they mature fasters) and age 13 for a boy's Bar Mitzvah. There was chanting, and singing and dancing and eating. It was joyful and there was a feeling of family.
I invited Hannah and Okee over to my house for the 8th night. I had arranged my menorah with candles, but wasn't sure if/how I was going to do the lighting. It was really nice to get to know them a bit more. My
Celebrating 8th Night
New Israeli friends, Okee and Hannah came over and shared the celebration at my home. Jewish family here in Baños! We made arrangements for me to drive Okee to the airport in Quito the following week. He comes 6 or 8 times a year for 10 days each time. They have bought property and are building a house up in the hills near where I almost bought land way back when!!
Looking forward to a trip to the coast in a few weeks, helping my friend and yoga buddy Julie move to her new home on the beach and then heading up the coast to visit with some old friends! In February, for my birthday I'll be off on a two-week adventure / journey with my former Atlanta colleague, Toni, who is now my French student. I think I've rambled on enough for this blog entry! Please scroll to the end to see photos of some new art pieces at my house, some of my baubled creations, and other miscellanous pics!
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Michelle Deutch
non-member comment
LOVE IT!!!
I love seeing your Turkey Day pics!!! It's just the perfect party for how much you love entertaining, sharing your life and the culmination of all of your travels and experiences and arts and joys and love of people!!!! It makes me so happy!!!!!!!!!!! BTW, what are the pair of legs painted??? on some roof window in the plants pic?