markdanalundy

[markdanalundy]

Waiting to explore "paradise"

May 10, 2020

Click here to view photos we've captured in the past weeks.

As have so many, we've been under a "stay at home" order since our arrival in Kona, Hawaii in early March. Therefore, we don't have adventures or stories of wonderful experiences in various Hawaiin sights and culture. However, we are so forutnate to have a beautiful property to stay on, and the company of the owners of the home (Michelle and Eric). Each day we awaken to the sounds of birds, turkeys, cows, roosters, and nature sounds, knowing that the weather will be sunny and 80-84 degrees during the day and 70-75 degrees at night. And the sunsets! (You can see some of them and virtually experience the grandiosity and beauty when you follow the link above to view our photos.)

We keep busy during the days with projects around the home and the grounds. Mark has become a master at laying tile, and is having lots of fun playing with the all the tools that are allowing him to do some woodworking and other tasks. Dana has focused on getting and keeping the house itself cleaned and in order, and is finding the "zen" in doing things like ironing and toilet paper orgami creations. (Who knew how satisfying it is to be able to finish all tasks for the day and be able to see immediate results!)

The area in which we are staying is a mere 2 miles to the ocean and the town of Kailua Kona, yet is remote enough to be filled with flora and fauna for us to become familiar with. We have learned about lava fields, mongoose, local fruits (we love the red papaya and lychees, and can't wait to try the white pineapples), wind and weather patterns, and a few pieces of local folklore and history. Next on our plate is learning more about some of the nuances of growing vegetables here as we work with Michelle on Eric on putting in garden beds. And, we're also in process of helping with the building of a chicken coop and learning about raising chickens as 15 pullets will be arriving next week which will provide us with fresh eggs.

So, while we are still waiting to be able to explore the paradise known as the island of Hawaii, we are finding things to do and expanding our skill set and knowledge base. Even in these crazy times, there is so much to be grateful for!

[markdanalundy]

Aloha admidst Covid-19

March 29, 2020

Click here to view photos we've captured at/near where we are staying.

What a different world we are living in today than we were when we last created a post! The realities of the impact of the Coronavirus have provided the world with a series of contradictions: it has caused people to distance and isolate from each other, yet it has also given the world a common enemy to focus on and bring us together; it has devastated lives, yet there have been some positive impacts to things like air and water qualities; it has created an economic downturn that has never been seen before, yet it has opened the door to the potential of rebooting the global economy.

For us, the past weeks have reshaped our actions and attention, as well as having gifted us with new opportunities. Our plans to be in Ecuador for a total of three months were curtailed, and we packed ourselves up and moved on to Kona, Hawaii at the beginning of March. This shift of direction came about after several Skype conversations with a couple (Michelle and Eric) who own a property on "the Big Island", and followed much intraspection and deliberation. (Here's a shout-out for the decision-making help provided by our friends Brad and Alyson who were visiting us in Cuenca, Ecuador when we first heard from Michelle and Eric.)

As we often say, we are not sure why, but it seems as though good fortune directs and follows us. It turns out that curtailing our time in Ecuador and returning to the US was a hugely beneficial step to have taken. Of course, as soon as we got to Kona the spread of Covid-19 started to have a greater affect on travel and experiences. Given this, we have not yet done much exploration of Kona and the island. However, we are staying on a beautiful and spacious property, enjoying the remote location, doing projects and upkeep around the house, and appreciating the time we are able to spend with Michelle and Eric. There's definitely a reason that Hawaii is often referenced as "paradise".

One thing that we've learned is the depth of meaning of the word Aloha. Many people associate the word with hello or goodbye, but is more than a word that is spoken - it is something that is experienced. According to the Skyline Hawaii blog, a deeper meaning is "...an essence of being: love, peace, compassion and a mutual understanding of respect. It means living in harmony with the people and land around you with mercy, sympathy, grace and kindness."

Until our next post, we wish you, those you love, people around you and around the world good health and safety. And we wish you the Spirit of Aloha!

[markdanalundy]

Cuenca: The Athena of Ecuador

March 10, 2010

Click here to view photos from some of our adventures in this post.

We are so fortunate to have been able to spend time in Cuenca, Ecuador and to share some of our adventures with our friends Alyson and Brad as well as with Flat Stanley. We now understand why the official nickname of Cuenca is "The Athena of Ecuador". It's due to the city's rich architecture and culture!

Nestled in the Andes mountains, Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador, and is rich in culture, the arts, and natural beauty. With its cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, historic churches, many museums, and natural parks and rivers running through the city, it was easy for us to explore, learn, and simply enjoy all we discoved and experienced.

There are a number of things that stand out for us as we think of Cuenca - the colors of the markets, the grandiosity of the surrounding mountains, the rich heritage that remains via the indiginous populations and the citiscape, and the kindness of the people we met and had a chance to interact with. And, of course, the joy and revalry that was ever-present during the city's Carnival celebration.

Carnival in Ecuador is a national holiday and something not to be missed. Filled with music, dancing, water and foam, people from throughout the country come together to mark the passage from winter and darkness to spring, fruits and fertility. It's the Mardi Gras of Latin America and it celebrates excess and abundance. Here's a short video showing what happened when friends and we were invited to join a celebration at a local school. (Too much fun!)

There was never a lack of things to keep us busy while we were in Cuenca. Some of the highlights include:

Amaru Biopark: This animal rescue park is perched on the top of a mountain on the outskirts of the city. Amaru hosts rescued animals that can no longer return to their habitat. Care is taken to create spaces as close as possible to each animal's natural environment. A few of the animals we saw were the Spectacled Bear, Pumas, the Andean Condor, a Black-bellied Eagle, Jaguars, Caimans, Macaws, different species of amphibians and monkeys. We normally don't do zoo

Devil's Nose Train Ride: Still recognized for its impressive engineering, this zig-zagging part of the Trans-Andean railroad goes up/down the Devil's Nose mountain which has almost perpendicular walls. It climbs more than 1/3 of a mile in just over 7.5 miles. 

Incapirca Ruins: Ingapirca is the largest site of Inca ruins in Ecuador. During a visit here, one learns about both the Inca and the Canari cultures and customs.

Museums: Three of the many museums that we enjoyed during our stay were the Museo del Sombrero, Museo Pumapungo, and the Museum of Modern Art. Each of the museums are open for the public to visit at no charge, and provide insights into the cultures of the times. We were particularly surprised to find out that the Panama Hat originated in Ecuador, not Panama!

Churches: Cuenca is known for its many and interesting colonial churches - 52 in all (one for each week of the year)! Two of the most famous are known as the Old Church and the New Cathedral. The Iglesia Sagrario (or the Old Church) is now a religious museum. Among other items, there are murals that spread from floor to ceiling, a representation of the last supper with almost life-sized statues, the ancient organ, and crypts. But considered by some to be Cuenca's piece de resistance is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (or the New Cathedral). It's stained glass windows, Italian marble, and impressive blue domes, make this church an architectural masterpiece. Taking over 100 years to build, the bell towers remain unfinished to this day, as cracks in the structure prevented construction of the Cathedral from continuuing.

Markets and Parks: It is not possible to visit Cuenca without spending time roaming and enjoying the many markets and parks. At the center of the Cuenca's old city is Calderon Park - which is simply for sitting and enjoying views of the surrounding buildings and people-watching. A block away from the park is the Cuenca flower market, where you can buy 1 dozen roses for $1.00 (after all, Ecuador is one of the leading cut flower exporters in the world) and which has been rated the best flower market in the world. And, within short walking distances of Cuenca's epicenter there are countless indiginous artisan markets where handicrafts can be found, and mercados where local foods and goods are sold. On the right days, you can even find healers at the mercado who are happy to provide you with a spiritual cleansing.

With mixed feelings we had to shorten our visit to Cuenca. But we thoroughly enjoyed our 3 weeks in this city and can imagine returning to experience even more of what this part of the world has to offer.

[markdanalundy]

The Galapagos: Where Nature Breaks the Rules

February 17, 2020

Click here to view photos from some of our adventures in this post.

We were so fortunate to have been able to spend a week in the Galapagos Islands. Place a checkmark next to one of Dana's "bucket list" items!

With many thanks to Paulina of Galapagos Real Voyage, we secured a discount and set off for a weeklong cruise of the islands on the Anahi Catamaran. Our itinerary took us to the islands of Baltra, Genovesa, Santa Fe, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Espanola, and Floreana.

What we learned thoughout our time on the islands is that sometimes nature behaves in unpredictable ways - and many times the rules of nature are not followed on the Galapagos islands. For instance, why do so many species of animals exist on the islands but no where else? Why do the various species co-exist? How have the animals been able to adapt over time? Sometimes there are answers to these questions, and other times it is simply found that it is because it is.

Some of the species of animals we saw while there include:

Galapagos Sea Lions

Boobys: Blue footed, Red footed, and Nazca

Frigatebirds

Finches

Mocking Birds

Giant land tortoises

Sea Turtles

Iguanas: Marine, Land

Lava Lizards

Sharks: Galapagos, Hammerhead

Manta and Sting Rays

Galapagos Flamingos

A few of our favorite activies were:

Snorkeling - especially at Kicker Rock

Helping to continue the tradition of sending and delivering postcards from Post Office Bay on Floreana Island. (The tradition started in the 18th century when whalers and other travelers placed a barrel on Floreana Island and left their mail for sailors on passing ships to deliver to loved ones back home.)

Visiting the giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Center on Santa Cruz Island.

While we could share more about some fun facts, the history and nature of the islands, we'll leave those of you who are most interested to further websearch the information that already exists. What we can best add are some of our photos of the incredible sights we viewed. Enjoy!

[markdanalundy]

Art, Beauty, Culture and Community in and Around Quito

February 6, 2020

Click here to view our photos from some of our adventures in ths post.

It's hard to believe that we've only been in Ecuador for about three weeks. We've seen and explored so much in Quito and some of the surrounding towns! In addition to our time spent in the historic Old Town of Quito and some days in Latacunga (view our previous blog for details), we've since expanded our travels. From Quito we were able to visit three nearby locations: Otavalo, Mindo, and at the Mitad del Mundo.

Otavalo is known for its artisan market - in fact, it is the largest outdoor market in South America, while Mindo is a nature lover's retreat. Mindo is a cloud forest with a unique eco-system that is recognized worldwide for its biodiversity and birding. Our stay at the Mindo Coffee Lodge and Spa provided a perfect setting for a three-day escape to this area. While there we enjoyed taking the teleferico and tarabita to have views from above the vegetation, hiking to several waterfalls, exploring the town, and simply relaxing. Mitad del Mundo is literally the center of the Earth! Or so it is said - in truth, the actual equator line near Quito is not at the Mitad del Mundo. However, we spent a wonderful day "playing tourists", taking photos and having our passports stamped at Mitad del Mundo.

We also learned a lot about Ecuador's history, arts and culture as we visited several museums, parks and attended a student performance at a local jazz/percussion school.

Oswaldo Guayasamin is one of Ecuador's most famous artisans and is considered by some to be a national hero. His work is characterized by its Cubist style, and its focus on portraying Latin American people and the oppression, poverty and political upheavals they experienced. Our visit to the Foundacion Guayasamin Museum left us speechless.

Click here to view photos we took while visiting the Guaysamin collection.

Our visits to the National Museum of Ecuador and the Mindalae Museum provided us with a great foundation for understanding of this country's history and foundation. The National Museum has on display more than 1,500 items and artifacts from pre-Incan civilizations to present day culture. In addition to having artifacts, there is a contemporary art section and displays of musical instruments. And we found the Mindalae Museum to be a gem that can easily be overlooked when visiting museums in Quito. This museum boasts displays of Ecuadorian arts and crafts, largely the works of indigenous groups. The architecture of the museum is a work of art iin and of itself - a modern building that was inspired by the beliefs of ancient peoples with a spiral design "reflecting time and space reflecting eternal movement". Each of the five floors of the building has a window through which the sun pentrates in a column of light four times annually.

And our time in Quito was not without our practice of simply wandering the streets and stumbling upon treasures and mini-adventures. We loved walking through Parque Edijo and watching the families and others as they visited vendors, shared picnics, played games, and rode bikes. And speaking of bikes - we were thrilled and amazed to learn that many of the main streets of Quito are closed on Sundays to allow for bike and pedestrian traffic. There were lots of walkers and bikers to be seen.

[markdanalundy]

Exploring Latitude 00 00 00

January 25, 2020

Click here to view photos from some of our adventures in this post.

We've had so many adventures and experiences since arriving in Quito, Ecuador just over a week ago. Technically Quito is not at Latitude 00 00 00, but it's close! Quito is the capital of Ecuador, and the 2nd highest capital in the world having an elevation of 9,350 feet. We must admit that there are times that we feel the impact of being at such a height, but we haven't let it stop us from getting out on foot and exploring this brand new-to-us world.

Our first days in Quito were spent in the Historic Center/Old Town. This is the heart of the city where most of the important monuments, churches, squares, museums and colonial buildings are found.

Upon checking in to the Masaya Hostel and during the next few days we started to explore. Street vendors and performers were everywhere and we were able to begin to learn some of the rich history of the city. We visited places such as Plaza de la Independicia (aka Plaza Grande -picture above), Basilica del Voto Nacional, Calle La Ronda, and the Mercado Centrale. We also had the opportunity to finally meet Sally (a woman from Cuenca with whom Mark has been corresponding) and to have dinner with her and three of her friends.

And speaking of meeting people and being graced with good fortune, our past neighbor, Ali, connected us with her friend Albert who is now our friend too! Albert has taken us under his wing, has introduced us to new places, and taught us many basic necessities for being in Quito/Ecuador (like how to ride the buses). Last weekend we joined Albert as he visited with his parents and one of his brothers and family in the nearby city of Latacunga, the capital of the province of Cotopaxi. Not only were we provided a tour of that city, but we also explored a bit of the City of Salcedo, including a peaceful and magical visit to the Monasterio Santa María Del Paraiso and the Monasterio Santa Marianita.

Upon returning to Quito, we relocated from our stay in the Historic Center and settled in to stay with Albert in his apartment in the La Mariscal area – considered by some to be the ‘fun and nightlife’ area of Quito. From here we walked to and explored other areas including La Floresta (an artistic and bohemian neighborhood), Guapulo (a colonial neighborhood nestled between the mountains), and La Carolina (one of the most modern areas in Quito with a large park and many areas to shop). While in La Floresta we spent a lovely hour visiting and speaking (in Spanish!) with the owner of a orchid store. And one of our most favorite experiences was when we saw several roses lining the path at Parque de Guapulo. As we followed these, we ran into Julio who told us that he had placed the roses along the path as he was going to propose to his girlfriend. Muy romantio!!!

Each day we are thankful for the good fortune that falls upon us, and for the experiences that we are able to have. We are certainly “Living the Life” at latitude 00 00 00 (or thereabouts).

[markdanalundy]

Day 1 in Quito, Ecuador, strolling down Venezuela Ave. Can you find La Virgen del Panecillo looking down on the city?

[markdanalundy]

If you are scrolling through our posts, note that those below this text are from time spent in Costa Rica and Maine.

[markdanalundy]

On Sunday we wandered the streets San Jose, filled with color, smells and sound. We came across a parade with a number of dancers and bands and then just took in all the sights.

[markdanalundy]

Tonight we went to a dance performance at the Teatro National. A beautiful building with a lot of history and a really dynamic performance.

[markdanalundy]

Denis, our school manager, took us on a tour of San Jose the other day. Here was able to introduce us to use of the public bus system and then walked us around the city center.

[markdanalundy]

Day 1 at the ILISA language school in San Pedro. (It's finally here!!)

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The final week leading up to our continuing adventure.....

[markdanalundy]

Our last week in Maine.  We really enjoyed our stay in Millinocket (note the view of South Twin lake, complete with the requisite loon) and helping Ron celebrate his 65th b-day.  We then made our way to Bangor to have one last visit with the kids and grandkids and a send-off lunch at Pats Pizza in Orono.  The last photo shows us spread out in the living room making our final strategic pack for the upcoming trip.

[markdanalundy]

We spent the past days fitting in time with family and enjoying all Maine has to offer.  It’s hard to believe that the summer is wrapping up and that in a few days we’ll be heading out on the next steps of our journey.

[markdanalundy]

It's happening!!!

[markdanalundy]

The beauty of this area is the thousands of acres of undeveloped land surrounding the lakes. It is a vast, unblemished and beautiful display of nature that completely nourishes your soul. Love Maine.....