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Published: January 8th 2009
Me and Sofia jamming
Under a gazebo on "Chepipe" beach in SalinasThe incredible passage from 2008 to 2009!
Wednesday 8th January 2009 Where do I start? So much has happened in the last 2 weeks since Christmas. Without visiting any new places, we´ve experienced some incredible things, met lots of unforgettable characters and life has been genuinely exciting!
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NewYears Eve in Salinas on the coast of Ecuador was awesome, anarchic and amazing! It was also complicated, tedious and even stressful logistically to organise due to high demand for accomodation and hostals trying to sell expensive 4 day packages as well as family and friends in different parts of the coast wanting to do different things. But it was worth it!
Salinas to Olon to Salinas: 27th -31st December 2008
We first went to Salinas by bus on the 27th December; Giff at "La Estrella de Mar"
We visited this humble family roadside cafe in 2002. Senora Reinosa and her family helped Giff with the Spanish in his best man´s speech at my wedding with Viviana.And they also partly inspired my song "Olon". She remembered us of course, I think we were her only customers for 2 days. Viviana, little Sofia and me accompanied by my friend Giff. After a welcome lazy day or two at "Chipipe" beach in Salinas and then Ballenita, we began searching and negotiating for a place to stay on New Years Eve. All hotels and hostals doubled their prices and wanted a minimum 4 day stay for this hoilday period so we began to think we would have to spend New Year in Guayaquil, as Vivi´s mum and dad had to be back on New Years Day ready to open their Lubricadora (car wash and oil change etc) business early the following day.
While Vivi went back to Guayquil on 29th,Giff and I squeezed onto a rickety bus packed full of colourful people and products and went up north to the charming small fishing village called Olon. It´s one of my favourite places in Ecuador, a lovely expansive beach of soft sand, with plenty of green hills and coconut plantations behind it too and as yet not inundated with foreign tourists.While Salinas or Montanita, in their own very different ways, are popular, fun and vibrant especially at night, Olon is quiet, peaceful, relaxing and in some ways more "authentic". And yet every
Happy dogs in Olon
Probably not the same 2 "nameless, wild, orphaned dogs" (in the song "Olon") that happily raced along the beach every day 7 years before.But they reminded me of them as they joined usat "La estrella del Mar Family corporation"! time we visit, something unexpected happens; under the surface of village tranquility it´s always been strangely inspiring and surreal! Its "extraordianary ordinariness" (or "ordinary extraordinariness"?!) inspired my eponymous song "Olon".
We were not disappointed this time! We stayed in a simple, family home with half constructed spare rooms above it. Our room was the only finished one, it was clean and the family were helpful and friendly even though they almost seemed surprised to have guests already as they were still building the other rooms! A little boy,who I think was their son and who they described as "special" (meaning "special needs" here) invited us to look at some snails in a bowl while an old man mixed cement at the front of the yard. The neighbours looked at us bemused and amused!
As we left the house to eat in the village and visit the beautiful stretch of soft white sand that is Olon´s secret, we crossed a patchy full sized football pitch with several donkeys grazing there, I wondered if they were the same"donkeys in the ruins" we remember from our visit 7 years ago. Both Giff and I were feeling nostalgic. "Olon,Olon,how I long for
"Las viudas" (widows)
Surreality began on Olon beach again with this curious tradition. As I understand it the "año viejos" are bad spirits of the year ending (2008 in this case)represented hereby masked children and on New Years Eve by the effigies. As they die sotospeak they leave their widows, also masked,who ask for money to help them live. It´s very similar to the "penny for the guy" idea on Guy Fawkes night on 5th November in Britain. The added somewhat surreal twist here is that the widows are always boys who speak in very high pitched voices! Olon" I remember writing then singing a few years ago.. We passed a tiny bar where some drunks greeted us, surely not the same "24-7drunks in the same morning til night seats,empty bottles and empty spirits,heavy mind and heart and heavy feet; heads buried on tables rooted to the sand, unwilling or unable to understand..." etc
We soon found our favourite "restaurant" (someone´s tiny family house with a couple of tables in front of it) named "La Estrella de Mar". We loved its unglamourous simplicity, somewhat uninviting for tourists whereas 40 metres ahead there was a row of new beach huts that seemed to have taken most of the business. I got married to Viviana in Ballenita, Ecuador on 5th January 2002 and Giff told me that this restaurant is where he practised his best man´s speech in Spanish with this family. Nearly 7 years later the lovely almost entirely toothless Senora Reinosa remembered us. There´s no menu, she just suggests things that she can cook for you and then charges you a random but always low price. She got so confused that she was going to undercharge what was already cheap by coastal tourist standards and we had
to correct her to pay her a decent amount for a delicious ceviches and filette of fish.
We started getting some village gossip and politics from her. Apparently they tore down her hut on the beach front which she had had for years before all the others came and intruded because she hadn´t originally sought the correct permission which they had introduced recently. She spoke bitterly about her Peruvian neighbour who was allowed to construct a big home next to her and then that the huts were putting over-exggerated prices that ultimately would put tourists off. We asked for a coffee which she served black and which tasted disgusting, as if it had chemicals and she then disappeared down the street and returned 10 minutes later, trusting us not to do a runner, with some milk which I had asked for. Unfortunately we had thrown the unbearable coffee away in her absence, I wondered if she had milked a cow for us so I ordered another coffee to be polite which she put milk in. It still tasted disgusting! Once again I chucked it away into the dust while she wasn´t looking! Two lovely dogs befriended us, Olon dogs
Zebra effigy being made
Instead of always "bad" spirits being burnt, nowadays people often make effigies of children´s characters such as the zebra from the Madagaskar film. I think they said they used a maiz flour mixture to help glue the paper on. seem to reflect the village, gently playful and friendly. We love this village!
We went to the beach at last. It is so massive that even with 50 people it seems like it´s virtually all yours. The waves crash soothingly in front of you, the sea air is refreshing, one or two fishing boats sail out to sea and the atmosphere is serene.Then something always happens when you least expect it. This time a group of dressed up and masked boys approach us and in high pitched voices ask for money for "las viudas" - the widows. After puzzling over this mysterious approach I do a deal and ask to take a photo in exchange which they are happy to agree to. The tradition is that the old, bad men or spirits of the year ending are burnt on New Years Eve so they leave behind widows who need money. These are always dressed up boys or men and the money is used to buy firecrackers that go in the "año viejos"or effigies that are burnt on New Years Eve to explosive effect. Evil is destroyed and the New Year starts well!
"Dog-napping" and a small, wonderful world
Zebra finished
Finished in time, with its inspiration on the TV behindhimthis magnificent creation took hours and hours and days and days to create and would soon burn down in minutes! of coincidences in Olon
Our second morning eating late breakfast at "La Estrella del Mar" Family Corporation was very eventful:
The fastest walking "more than middle-aged" man I´d seen in this slow-time village tore down a poster from La Estrella del Mar restaurant and started chatting to Senora Reinosa before turning to us and in fluent English he explained that he had found his lost dog. The dog had been "dog-napped". Incredible - his wife´s dog had been stolen 3 days earlier, he put posters up everywhere with a picture of the dog and a telephone number. A man phones him to brazenly admit he had the dog and would return it for $25! Our idealised vision of this wonderful, tranquil village had suddenly been dented severely. Apparently,to report this to the police would cause too much aggravation and lead to "repercussions" with all the "dog-napper´s " large family.
What a shame to have to hear this. But what a pleasure meet a slightly eccentric Chilean academic called Rodolfo. "I´m a mathematician" he says,"I solve people´s problems." (his raison détre?!)
We spring into animated conversation about visiting and living in Olon. There and then he invites us
Giff at "El Retiro", Olon
We went for a walk with 2 young student guides along the river into the countryside behind Olon. It finished at an hacienda, a working farm that also catered for high end tourists. to his half-built house on the sea-front. He normally works with his Guayaquileña wife at a University in Sydney, Australia for 6 months of the year. While for many years they have visited Olon, they now want to have a base here and have various exciting and ambitious plans for themselves and the village. The conversation bounces around from coffee growing to construction, land prices to village life and beyond and Rodolfo seems to already know half of Olon and who is who. He and his wife between them plan to build and stock a public library, grow and produce quality coffee,start a Spanish school, clean up the streets and beach put on theatre events and much more besides.His energy and ambition is infectious, I wonder if it will ever become stained again by ugly events like dog-napping. Apparently his wife had been crying a lot when it happened but he seemed very philisophical and optimistic.
His wife is a very interesting character too. Originally from Guayaquil, she teaches Spanish in Sydney and wants to do the same here bringing Australian groups (and others) for Spanish language holiday tours. She trained as an actress - guess where? In our
Transvestites? No, but even more bizarre in Olon!
On the night before New Years Eve we hadbeen toldabout a procesion of "viudas" (widows). Masked teenagers and young men dressup as widows and playingtheirrole woith consitently high pitched voices march around the village followed by the laughing villagers. home city
Bristol at the Old Vic Theatre School! So we had a lot to talk about and reminisce and she obviously had enjoyed her time in Bristol. She worked as an actress for a while with some well-known actors such as Patrick Stewart if I remember rightly. Guayaquil to Bristol to Sydney to Olon!
Note and correction, Feb, 2010: Rodolfo and his wife, Maria del Carmen´s Spanish school by the beach in Olon is contactable here www.spanishbythebeach.com
(Correction, Feb 2010): The actor she worked with in Bristol was Christopher Eccleston, not Patraci Stewart.
We mentioned that on this cloudier day we thought we´d go for a short walk beyond the village. Rodolfo immediately calls someone and two young lads called Jonathan and Dario, turn up 5 minutes later to act as guides. ("I´m a mathematician, I solve people´s problems!")
We walk away from the sea and along a river behind the village. It´s not that spectacular (you need to walk further) but it is good to do a bit of exercise and interesting enough to see a bit of bird life and pass by some haciendas (farms) growing fruit and crops. We end up climbing
Widow´s comedy club contest
The cross dressed widows representing various neigbouring villages as"village beautyqueens" ended on stage in Olon´s square having to cat walk, dance and answer questions and the one who made the audience laugh the most would win. Mostanswerswere filthyofcourse! Even the bits we didn´t understand were hilarious, with their exaggerated feminine movements and high pitched shrieks and fake bitch fights etc. One of them happened to be our guide from earlier on, and he (she) singled us out in the audience calling us "Nick and Giff from Australia".We corrected him (her) and the whole village was staring at us. Of course Olon won the contest. up to a big one called"El Retiro" that is a working hacienda but also has top-end,wealthier tourists visiting. A beautiful view is only spoilt by seeing a wild "tigrillo"(small tiger, endemic but dying out) in a tiny, cramped cage looking forlorn. Then as we leave in the back of a worker´s pickup truck the hacienda´s dog follows us too far along the track. The response is for the driver stop, to take off his belt and viciously whip the cowering and yelping dog before speeding off to lose him. Coming from a nation of animal lovers, we were stunned and disappointed in ourselves for not trying to intervene but we were almost too shocked to react.
That night (30th December), we went to the village to briefly see a procession of "widows", men and boys like masked transvestites shriekng around the streets followed by highly amused villagers. This culminates in a contest in the village square. The finalists parade themselves ridiculously on a stage, strutting and dancing and then answering some questions that a compere has prepared for them. The funnier they are the more the villagers laugh and the better chance they have of "winning". The widow "queens"
Hulk effigy
An impressive 2 metres high,the biggest ones we saw reached 3 metres tall. They are stuffed with firecrackers andfireworks and burnt in large pile with other effigies so the sight and sound of massive explodingfires all along the beach is awesome. supposedly represent various other villages along the coast and they get into hilarious shrieking slanging matches to the delight of the crowd of about a hundred people. Then suddenly one of the widows spots us in the crowd and says in a high-pitched voice "and welcome Nick and Giff from Australia, please enjoy your time in our village" People look our way,we shout back that we are English not Australian and suddenly the whole square is staring at us probably wondering why a "widow" (teenager dressed as a woman) is welcoming us to his(her) village!!! It was Jonathan the guide form earlier on representing another village; a large widow representing Olon won of course but there was a scandal and diva-like commotion amongst the other losing contestants..! Unforgettable, surreal Olon!
"Widow´s contest" in Olon, Ecuador (no sound)
New Years Eve
The next day (31st December) our friend Marisa from Quito (and one of Vivi´s bridesmaids 7 years ago) came and had breakfast with us in an attractive cafe-hostal called Quimbita in Olon. Quimbita is owned by an artist who lives in the nicest and oldest street in Guayaquil called Las Peñas although he is originally from the sierra. I had left my card there 2 days earlier and the administrator told me that the artist was there today and wanted to chat about maybe doing an event. The place is small and partly open air and full of his lovely paintings, somewhat similar to Guayasamin, but we discussed doing some kind of part-exchange to play in February. It would be a beautiful, intimate place to play if we can work something out.
A dog´s life: Marisa and Giff went further north to Las frailes beach , a lovely unspoilt and protected area. I had to zoom down to Salinas to pay for a hostal and be ready for Viviana, Sofia and my suegros (in-laws) to arrive. On the way, the bus splattered a dog to death. I arrive at Hostal Brasa and the manager Alan tells me that his 2 year old dog and mother of a young puppy who we had met a few days earlier had also been crushed to death by a car that week. I came to the conclusion that Ecuador is really not a good place to be if you are an animal, dogs especially.
It´s great to
Dancing in the street
All part of the carnival atmosphereas we walked down the Malecon see my family again and, although we are nervous that my 76 year old father-in-law Guillermo is a bit stressed and gloomy about the whole thing we do our best to get into the mood. The sounds of fireworks and firecrackers start even before it gets dark at 6.30 pm. Giff calls and won´t make it, he will miss a really exciting and unique night...
A few hours later we start wondering down the Malecon (promenade) towards the excited crowds of people. We pass by yet more effigies waiting for their final moment. Hulk, Simpsons, Hellboy, Kunf-fu panda, various Presidents and Mayors, Transformers, cartoon animals; there are hundreds and hundreds of effigies in doorways or being carried by people towards the main beach area. We wonder if Sofia will be ok with all the noise and with the fact that we will burn her beloved effigy Barney. She tells us repeatedly that "vamos a quemar Barney" ( "we are going to burn barney") so we are hopeful. We pass a brass band and people dancing on a balcony, an increasing pace of fireworks,crowds expanding,dancing clowns on stilts, and little stands selling beer or sparklers and fireworks.
Brass band Commando effigy
On his way to be sacrificed fo his country! plays to a balcony early evening
We climb down to the beach which is filling up with people.There are yachts in the calm sea joining in the party.Fireworks are going off everywhere , from the beach, the Malecon and the balconies of peoples ápartments. There are some unnerving moments but Sofia enjoys the sparklers and dancing with Barney in the sand to the sound of live music from a stage that is further down the Malecon.
Dancing on the beach!
From 10pm the fireworks never cease,nothing official just individuals, families and hotels letting off fireworks everywhere. Health and Safety and environmental laws do not exist - (I hope it is just this one night!) As the bangs get louder we encourage Sofia to cover her ears and she gets tireder she starts to find it not so much fun.
So before midnight we leave the packed beach into the relative calm of the Malecon. I jump back down at 5 to midnight to record video and take photos of the incredible piles of "año viejo" effigies which are to be lit imminently. The bangs get louder and louder and I realise one or two have Family on the beach of fireworks
This was before midnight, we had to leave the beach when they lit themassive piles of effigies. Sofia started covering her ears at this point although she had enjoyed the sights and sounds and atmosphere earlier on. That´s why we moved away from the beach for midnight. been lit, some explode into full flames,more firecrackers are thrown on, masses of people run for cover either towards the sea or to the wall and steps up to the Malecon. It is wild!
Almost midnight! Goodbye Barney!
Midnight mayhem!
Fireworks and fires all along the beach, explosions,some of them massive, shattering our ears, I retreat up a few steps onto the Malecon along with hordes of jubilant and adrenalin rushed people, snapping photos and sipping beer or champagne,. I realise I´ve lost sight of Viviana,Sofia and "mis suegros" as they have moved; almost at the point of a mild panic I hear a shout and find them in an empty restaurant the other side of the road. Feliz Año Nuevo"! Happy New Year!" We have to sip beer as we forgot the champagne. Sofia is now not so happy,she is very tired and scared,she had lasted really well to about 11.30 before it became too much.
Sofia exhausted while effigies thrown on to fires
I promise to go back after just a few more minutes of video and photos of this amazing event. Definitely the most thrilling New Years Eve I have witnessed and the most dramatic setting by the sea...
And still the fireworks keep on coming well into the morning as we slowly and wearily make our way back. Fortunately Sofia falls asleep and we take turns in carrying her on the long walk home. We have a drink in our hostal´s outside bar and to our surprise and delight Vivi´s dad Guillermo is on good form and wants to drink more mojitos! It´s 3.30 am when we call it a night even though there are still people in the street and fireworks going off..! An unforgettable night..!
Furious midnight fires ! WATCH THIS!
Daddy and Sofia walking back in a daze
Walking back with fires and fireworks after midnight
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Rick
non-member comment
What a great time you're having!
Dear Nick, Vivi, Sofia and Giff, Loved reading your blog entries. Seems like you're having a great time. Hope that the fun and interesting developments continue...and keep up the excellent blog entries!!