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Garden Gate Trumpet Flowers
The pathway to the house where I slept - as the boughs became heavy with floripondio blooms I had to duck to pass under the floral tunnel. Hola amigos!
Once again I am in “recovery phase” after 2 ½ months of intense work as substitute manager at a coastal hotel. During the last few weeks of each stint accumulated fatigue hears me saying “I’m getting too old to keep up this pace” or “I’ll never put myself through this again” but as soon as the owners ask, I’m chomping at the bit to go back. I’ve accepted this replacement gig ten times in all and I’m sure I’ll be filling in again in 2013.
It’s really a great job for me – lots of variety and challenge, using my languages every day in a meaningful way to help folks enjoy their vacation, meeting all kinds of fascinating people. Since it's an amazingly beautiful place with excellent service and attention, almost everyone who comes to stay is very content with their visit. On the rare occasion that I have to deal with a surly or disagreeable hotel guest I endeavor to remind myself that the other 99% of the tourists are absolutely delightful!
This time around I was faced with the cranky old man whose reservation had been made by his brother-in-law who owns a travel
Camouflaged Iguana
Attempting to hide out amidst the spikes of a cactus, this five foot long iguana was still visible to my lens, and took off descending lickety-split. agency. Even as he was checking in, the old guy was grumbling and griping, “I don’t know why he sent me here!” I was pleasant and welcoming, making calls to set up a bird-watching trip for him early the next morning. Even though the restaurant hours had been clearly explained to him, he insisted that the guardian awaken me to fix him his breakfast at 6 am because he had to take his medication with food. I micro-waved some tea, toasted a piece of bread and went back to bed. He checked out that afternoon, complaining about the rotten service. I, in turn, complained to the agency that had sent him to us!
Then there was the family of three that arrived with seven huge suitcases. When they called ahead I told them that I had only one night available and after that we were completely full. At noon (check-out time) we had to eject them from their room. It took two waiters and a guardian to wrestle their heavy baggage down to the reception area. They then set up camp at the largest terrace table and connected to wifi. The one ATM in town was not giving them
Staff Photo Session
We rounded up the employees to pose for our photographer guests...provided a joyous break from the workday. any money, so they were on skype with their bank trying to lift a fraud alert so they could access their funds. I had a tour group wanting to dine together so I prised the family away from the big table.
I eavesdropped on their progress as they continued to do online searches from their smaller table. It became evident that they weren’t sure where they were headed next, nor how they were going to get there. As the afternoon hours wore on and the sun began to set, it was clear to me that they weren’t going anywhere. They were completely anchored down by their luggage and their collective inertia. Once I ascertained that they had enough cash to pay what they owed me, I pulled up my truck, had their bags loaded into the back, drove them to a decent hotel ¼ mile south and set them up in a room. Bye-bye! You are no longer my burden!!
There were the wacky Chilean fishermen (the kitchen staff prepared eacy day's catch to their specifications and the leftovers were donated for employee meals) and the batty photographer couple (who drove us crazy but were incredibly generous, shooting
Watching the Photo Shoot
Fun to catch the guys in an unguarded momento. and printing out photos for the staff). The strict vegan guests whose creative menu manipulation meant that I was the only one who could take their restaurant order which implied sitting down at their table with them and writing a short novel for the gals in the kitchen!
Then came the 60-something New Yorker with his 20-something Cuban wife. When it came time to pay he pitched a campaign to get me to lower the amount of his final bill. The construction workers next door had lit a fire and the smoke irritated his sinuses. He claimed that he didn't sleep for the first three nights and as a result had fallen ill. I had done everything I could to accommodate this guy, changing his lodgings twice, charging a lower price for the more expensive cabana, even putting a 10% discount on his whole bill to apologize for the inconvenience of having to change rooms. This guy’s goal was to see how far he could push before I’d break – well, he found my breaking point! I finally went up to the office and told the waiters that I wouldn’t be emerging until he had paid and left!
Four Dog Pileup!
Cuddling in the corner, keeping warm on a breezy afternoon. There was the guest who developed pneumonia and had to be taken to a doctor, the tourists who kept locking their key in their room (one time after midnight – the guardians had to come wake me up to find the cleaning staff key!) One guy complained that the chirping of the birds kept him awake all night. The dogs and I had to repeatedly chase off the village kids stealing coconuts from the trees on the beach. And then there were the appliance breakdowns!! In my two months at the helm we had to repair the washer, the dryer, a fridge, a freezer, the meat cutter, the coffeemaker, the drain system from the kitchen sinks, a water pump, numerous toilet innards, ceiling fans, and the mototaxi which is used for daily shopping and for driving employees home after the night shift. My staff was able to repair most of these or we were able to get a repairman to come within a few hours. Stuff was welded, soldered, cobbled together -- until the next time it breaks down!
The five huge dogs were the best and the worst part of my job! Of course I love them all
Naptime for Everyone!
Sometimes when I would try to sneak away for nap all the dogs would follow me and settle in on their mattresses. a ton, but they definitely add to my workload! I always request that the owners find a volunteer to help me with the dogs; walking, feeding, medication, etc. This time the volunteer left after only three weeks. With the help of the waiters, the gardeners and willing guests, we managed to get the dogs out for a beach walk most days. On the rare occasions that they went two days in a row without a walk, they would start destroying the garden and be unsettled and barky at night. Since the dogs' mattresses are lined up just outside of my rooms, my sleep was affected!
Doggie dinnertime is always quite a scene. As the waiters emerge from the kitchen carrying huge bowls of specially prepared dog soup, the pack comes stampeding through the restaurant to their dining area at the base of the stairs. Four of them snarf down their food and circulate among each other's bowls (musical dog dishes). Carbon, the big black Dane is the slowest eater and allows himself to be pushed around by the other dogs, so I'm on hand to be his supper guardian. One of the guests commented that Carbon eats like a
Dog Walker Extraordinare!
So grateful for Tamara's help with the dogs during her visit at Mandala. senorita. I noticed that bits of rice stick to his enormous flubber lips and jowls, falling to the ground as he gives his gigantic head a shake after eating. Later the birds come around to peck up all the grains he's scattered. His "baby" girl Xanga (now 15 months old and easily 60 lbs!) is the expert at "barkuuming" in the restaurant, especially where there was a family with children. She waits at a respectful distance surveying the droppage and then dives in for the clean-up operation as soon as they get up from the table. For the most part the dogs are well-behaved - they are certainly well-fed and are generally polite about not begging for food.
If I needed to decompress emotionally I'd sit down on the stoop and enter the doggie zone. They'd come cuddling around me, sharing their love. Whenever I sit at a table to take a break they come over and nudge me to pet them or, my favorite, when Carbon lays his huge head across my thighs - like having a small dog on my lap! If it fell to me to walk newly arrived guests to their cabanas, the dogs often
Surfin Scarlett
So great that Tamara could use my truck to do some touring and visiting. trotted along - a welcoming committee!
Long time blog readers will remember mention of my sweet brindle boxer, Chaco, and my co-madre Tamara (we adopted Chaco together). A highlight of November was a visit from Mama T who is now completing her graduate studies in Vancouver. She stayed with me for a few days and I managed to sneak away with her one morning for a swim in the Agua Blanca lagoon (one of my top ten favorite places on the planet!) Tamara then borrowed my truck and went up to visit inidigenous families she'd worked with during her anthropology research phase in Ecuador. En route back down the coast she bought our Thanksgiving turkeys at the supermarket in Manta.
The idea of organizing a Thanksgiving dinner began in late October. I was expecting a family of five - folks from Florida who were returning to the hotel for their third visit in two years(!) I asked what they thought about a turkey dinner and Julia offered to bring the bird, either on a leash or on dry ice! I assured her we could rustle up a big bird and Tamara arrived with two 15 pounders whom I
Thanksgiving Dinner
A delicious time was had by all!! dubbed Ike and Tina Turkey as they gently defrosted in the base of the beer fridge. Why two turkeys, you ask? By mid-Nov I had confirmed reservations for an American family of six (mom, dad & 2 kids living for a year in Ecuador with their two grandmas visiting), some folks from Oregon visitng their sister who's in Peace Corps here, a couple from Alaska, and an airline employee who said he hasn't spent a Tgiving in the US in over 25 yrs!
Generally a majority of the travellers who arrive are European but on this auspicious Thursday more than half of the hotel guests were from US (a rarity!) A flurry of emails to coordinate who would bring the menu items which are difficult to find in Ecuador. Julia's homemade tangerine port wine cranberry sauce was divine, others brought canned cranberry sauce, as well as dried mushrooms for the stuffing. Michael brought along seal-a-meal pouches full of pumpkin pie filing, cottage cheese and other ingredients for his famous cheesecake. His pre-arrival email read: "If they give me 10-20 for smuggling in mashed pumpkin come visit me in jail!"
In the days leading up the to dinner, I
Toasting over Turkey
Ike and Tina Turkey gave their lives for our dining enjoyment. A gathering of travellers formed our Thanksgiving "family". had to keep running the hotel. Everyone jumped in and helped out. Tamara did the pre-prep work for the stuffing and Michael's pies were baked in advance. We had to use the refrigerator in an unoccupied guest room to store that delectable cheesecake!
Dinner was planned for 4:00 pm and on the Thursday I woke up at 3:15 am and realized that if I didn't get the the turkeys in the oven before the breakfast rush, it would be too late by the time things calmed down enough to work in the ktichen. SO, there I was at 5:00 am assembling the stuffing and jamming it into the birds! I learned something I'd never realized before; the term stuffing only refers what's actually cooked inside the turkey - the rest of it is called dressing. I guess it makes sense.
In the hours leading up to dinner time, everyone leapt into action. The Alaskan gentleman proved to be a top notch potato masher, Michael took care of basting, carving and gravy-making. The waiters helped get the table ready. It felt a bit odd to just coordinate and delegate, but I had a ton of hotel work to keep
The Littlest Thanksgiving Diner
Thank you sweet Oakes for the holiday hugs! He was my special buddy during his week-long stay at the hotel. up with. I made a short toast before the actual meal, thanking Ike & Tina Turkey for having given their lives for our dining pleasure, remarking that, much like the first Thanksgiving all had arrived bearing a part of the meal, and now we were assembled together forming an unlikely family in a foreign land!
During these past months, my best intentions of getting out to exercise, eating healthy and NOT gaining weight were all for nought. If I managed to catch up on my work (some days answering 40-50 reservation emails a day!) the only thing I wanted to do was to lie down and take a nap. Vowing to eat yummy, healthy ceviche -- alas I more often opted for a bowl of comforting pasta (feeding stress & exhaustion with carbohydrates?) I did manage to steal away for my godson's birthday party (wishing I'd worn my swimsuit so I could jump in the pool with the kids!). It's hard to believe that Keiru turned 11! Thinking back to his 5th bday party that I attended up in the mountains brings home the fact that I've been back in Ecuador as a resident for over six years!
Keiru's Birthday Party
Far right in the orange tshirt my godson Keiru frolicks with buddies at his swim party. I have settled on a price with the buyers for my land (the same couple who purchased my cabanas will buy the beachfront lot). So, I'll be back down in late January to finalize the paperwork on the sale and transfer the title to them. Tomorrow we've planned a big beach picnic with my adopted family from the village of Salango - I'll bring the sandwiches, they'll bring the drinks! The next day I'll leave the coast and head for a month in Banos, soaking in hot baths at the base of the volcano (ahh!!!) I'll break up the 10 hr drive back to Banos by spending the night visiting with old friends in Guayaquil.
From where I sit, life is really really good. Wishing much joy and happiness to you and those you love this holiday season and into the new year.
PS Scroll down for more photos!!
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bonnie moreno
non-member comment
holiday greetings
Hi Jill, Michele & I are here in Portland for a pre-xmas visit with Patrice. Too bad that so far, there has been no snow this yr. I loved your blog, don't know how you manage, but I guess all the problems keep life very interesting. Wishing you all the best for a joyous holiay season & a great new year. Abrazos, Bonnie