Marguerite's groups in Buena Fuente and Rio Verde

Buena Fuente is a small, poorer than average town right on the main road to Guayaquil.  Marguerite does a two hour weekly session with a group ages 9 to 11 (officially).  She does an hour of youth and family subject matter, and an hour of English.  The condition of the building and the artwork inside are typical of rural community centers.

The first two pictures are of Marguerite in action.  Some faces are blurred per policy.  Looks a lot like the last Peace Corps ad you've seen, doesn't it?

The third picture is of the church opposite the community center.  I was struck by the unassuming simplicity, particularly the plain wooden cross and the bell over the door.

 

 

 

 

Rio Verde is a bigger town a little further down the road.  As you can see in the following pictures, their center is much newer and bigger.  Interestingly, it has been doubling as a church while the regular one is being refurbished.  Marguerite has two groups in this town.

 

 

 

 

I am also showing the church being redone.  Note the billboard proudly announcing the use of government funds.  Finally, a look at the pigs that figured so prominently in an earlier post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Walk in our Neighborhood

We took the family's puppy on a walk around the neighborhood. It was a muggy and overcast Saturday afternoon, which is why the sky is go grey, and why there are no highlights or shadows.

 

We encountered a "parquecita" (little park) that we soon learned was built and apparently funded by the parents in the neighborhood. You didn't have to understand Spanish to hear the pride in the voice of the father who told us about it.

 

 

As I was preparing the last photo, I noticed some landmarks on the horizon, so I cropped it further so that you could pick them out. Starting at around 11:00 from Marguerite's shoulder, you can see the matched towers from the iglesia in the town square. Further to the left is a new church being built on the highest point in the city. Just to the left of that is a new park, which you can't see, and an enormous flag that everyone can see.

 

Just behind the park is a large hollow that has as much green as we have seen in one place in this province. We saw some birds flitting around. That bare spot in the center near the back is a clearing where some cows and chickens were grazing.

 

Further along, we encountered a church with some interesting murals along a wall. There is a basketball court there, apparently part of the church property.

 

The final photo is some of the imagery used in the murals.

  

Grandson!!

First things first.  Renee Wilson Beall and Travis Beall have brought a son into the world.  The little bruiser was 8 lbs, 4 oz., and 20 inches long.  Baby, mother, father, and all four grandparents are doing fine.  He's already getting good grades from Dr. Apgar.

Another beach trip

First of all, life here is not just going to the beach.  Some of the Volunteers who serve in Africa and other tough places sometimes refer to us in Latin America as the Posh Corps, but we do work all week.  This is how we spent Sunday afternoon.  The weather has been warming a little lately, and we are getting more sunny days, which we are told is the normal pattern around here.

The pelicans were out in force today, flying in formation, and diving for food.

 

 



 

The tide was out, and we were able to walk in some rocky areas that had lots of little pools.  We saw some spiny urchins, and Marguerite got a picture of a weird crab.  We aren't really sure which part is the head.

 

 

Returning to the birds (as we always seem to do), we saw some sanderlings, one of our little favorites.

We noticed today that when a pelican dived for fish, a smaller bird would frequently soon join them.  We couldn't see why.   We've never noticed this on other continents.

 

 

 

 

After walking and exploring a good bit, we went to the waterfront where there several restaurants lined up in a row.  The one we tried was probably the best dining experience we have had since we got here.  Here's the rice with mixed seafood that Marguerite ordered.  Mine was similar, but it was rice with just shrimp.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I should acknowledge that my blog output could have been higher lately.  I've been a little sluggish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A birding trophy

The birding here has not been what we had hoped, but today we hit it lucky at the same beach we visited last weekend. In the first image, you see what Marguerite saw; a bird that didn't quite look familiar.

As we approached, and zoomed in, we saw this:

A blue-footed booby. It was a real treat to see such a distinctive bird.

Travel home

Most of you who follow this blog know that our daughter Renee and her husband Travis are expecting their first child, and our first grandchild.  Renee is due the middle of September.  We will be traveling home from October 1st through the 8th to meet and greet our grandson (and visit everybody else, too, of course).