Living in Ecuador Blog

By Gary Phillips

March and April have been stellar months for Pro-Ecuador.com.   In March, we had 258,000 page views on our website and we have signed up more than 1,000 new subscribers since March 1.

So my column this issue is devoted to familiarizing our new readers with a little background about Linda and me, and an up-date about what’s happening in Ecuador from our perspective.

Some of you have written exclaiming that you signed up for your newsletter and haven’t received one yet.  Well, Linda and I are not like a lot of blog writers who post daily or even weekly. We moved to Ecuador to enjoy the good life it offers.  For us this means creating a life that is relatively free from stress, strict deadlines and heavy schedules.

We are thinking of ourselves more and more as retirees; hence, we don’t really write much unless something truly motivates us. Fortunately, this past week we had a most wonderful bus trip to Ecuador’s coast, and yesterday, Linda felt inspired to write about our trip after a hiatus of several months.  So now, you’ll be receiving the benefits of our travels.

I love it when Linda gets inspired, as she is a wonderful writer, and I love to read her musings and often wry observations. I hope you do as well.

Later this week Linda is having a birthday, so we are going to Vilcabamba in the south of Ecuador.  It was our first introduction to Ecuador in 2002.

We hung out there for 5 months teaching an international meditation teacher’s training program that started in Peru.  We both fell absolutely in love with Ecuador and decided that someday it would become our home.

That someday arrived in November of 2006.  We have lived in Cotacachi in the northern Andes since that time.
Vilcabamba, like much of Ecuador, has changed dramatically since ’02, when it was not much more than a stop on the backpacker’s trail. Today it is a destination and home to a mixed group of expats, many who have coming seeking an alternative way of life.  There are several hundred retirees, aging hippies, healers, practitioners of alternative medicine and back-to-the-land folks.

We love Vilcabamba.  The climate is wonderful, the scenery incredible.  The music, the numerous life-enhancement/consciousness workshops, massage  and various alternative lifestyle opportunities generate a special kind of energy that both of us resonate with.   It’s the land of raw foodists, permaculturists, vegetarians and organic farmers.  Creativity abounds. We are excited about our visit, and I’m excited to see what Linda is going to write about it.

All of the activity our site has been receiving recently is simply an indication that more and more people, especially baby boomers like us, consider Ecuador a very desirable retirement destination. The four most popular destinations are Cuenca, Cotacachi, Vilcabamba, and of course, all along the coast.

Cuenca has been voted the number one retirement destination in the world for at least two years running by International Living and several other rating agencies.   International House Hunters has had several programs on Ecuador. Each time they re-run an episode about Cotacachi, we experience a flurry of activity on our website.

A writer from Reuters interviewed me 3 weeks ago for an article that appeared on Yahoo.  U.S. News and World Report published an article about retirement in Ecuador.  These two articles created a huge buzz on our site.

This focused attention is attracting more and more potential expats to explore the possibility of living in Ecuador.   Of course, all of the goings on in the U.S. such as the NDAA act giving the president the authority to imprison/kill American citizens without trial, the continual decline in the housing market, the high unemployment numbers, the U.S. debt load and the militarization of the police forces in most American cities, are giving many people the idea that the good ol’ U.S.of A isn’t the place to be when the lights go out.

Recent news out of Fukushima about the potential for a radiation disaster in the northern hemisphere is also causing people to look for destinations in the southern hemisphere for their families.

Recently a 26-year veteran of the U.S. army who was on one of our real estate tours declared, “This is no longer the country I fought for.  I’ve got to get out of here.” He also said that the guns are pouring out of the large big box sporting goods stores as fast as they can get them stocked.

He and his wife have now received their permanent Ecuador residency visas, sold their properties, and will be down here to live in a couple of months.  This kind of response is very common.

So what are the implications of all this interest in Cotacachi?  For one, rentals which used to be readily available are no longer easy to find.   A friend of ours who has five rental houses, says all of his rentals are booked for two years and he has a waiting list of 180 people.

This does not mean that rentals are not available.  It just means that they are harder to find.  It also means that people who want to buy a property now and rent it out until they are ready to retire, are in pretty good shape.    Pro-ecuador.com  no longer handles rentals, nor do we have the time to answer emails regarding rentals, except to periodically address the issue in a general overview.

But we are in the real estate  business and certainly help people find properties to purchase. Our team has extensive experience in helping people easily transition to the good life in Ecuador.

We are a pretty laid-back bunch when it comes to selling.  Our mission is to help buyers and sellers come together to conclude a deal that will make all of us happy.  We’ve done  this quite well more than a 100 times.  But it is a big deal to make a move to Ecuador. A lot more is required of an agent here than in the states, just in explaining the differences in the laws, culture and mind set.

If we suspect that you may not be suited to life in a developing country, we will not hesitate to tell you so. The last thing we want down here are unhappy expats.  It simply makes it more difficult for all  the rest of us who have adapted.  I would much rather lose a sale than try to sell to someone who doesn’t fit.

Sometimes the lack of fit has to do with an inability to let go of pre-conceived notions about Ecuador.  Repeated complaints of “Why don’t they do it like we do?’ are a sure sign that a client needs to do radical surgery on his or her expectations.

Sometimes the lack of fit has to do with a medical problem that can’t be treated as well in Ecuador as in the U.S.  Or the inability to find the drugs or medications one is used to taking.

Those who exhibit a sense of humor, a delight in difference, a moderate level of flexibility and an ability to surrender usually have fewer difficulties finding happiness in Ecuador.

Land prices and construction costs in Cotacachi are going up.   The fact that Cotacachi is becoming an expat destination is having a decided impact on property costs.   Just a couple of weeks ago, the largest and glossiest architectural magazine in Ecuador, “Clave,” had an 8- page spread on the expat boom in Cotacachi. This is the second article they have published on Cotacachi in the past three months.

As a result, wealthy local Ecuadorians are buying land and houses at high prices in anticipation of future appreciation and also for development.  New housing, businesses, even parking lots are being built.  A well-to-do Ecuadorian paid $145,000 for a 1/3 acre lot in Cotacachi.  He turned it into a parking lot.  I’m not kidding!

This, coupled with significant price increases in construction materials like rebar and cement, and two increases in the minimum wage in the past year, is making construction more expensive.

I received a quote on a house about 18 months ago at $37/sq. ft.  Now, about the best one can find is around $47/sq.ft.  It’s still inexpensive by American standards, but the land and house bargains that were around three years ago are mostly a thing of the past.

I caught myself yesterday when I was showing a client a 3/4 acre lot about 5 blocks from downtown which is for sale for  “$80,000, negotiable.” I started thinking to myself that this is a pretty good price.  Actually, it was not bad considering the location, the incredible views and the fact that there are not many lots this size remaining in Cotacachi.   But it’s still a lot of money to pay for ¾ acre, no matter how you cut it.

But as I said, the cost of living here is still dramatically lower than in the U.S. Health care is excellent and is about 1/10th the cost of equivalent care in the U.S.

Linda and I still buy a week’s worth of fruits and vegetables for around $15.  Last Sunday at the local market, Linda bought five Hawaiian papayas for one dollar.    When we were in the states, my jaw dropped when I had to pay $4.50 for one papaya that didn’t taste anything like the ones we buy here.

We can still get a good lunch at one of the local “comedors” for $2.50, including soup, appetizer, main plate, dessert and drink. I smile every time I get my hair cut at the local barber for $2, even though he still cuts it shorter than I want it.

And I can’t help grinning when my brother tells me that gas is $3.79 in Minnesota while I only pay $1.48 in Ecuador.  Even after 5 years here, I rejoice in the fact that living in Ecuador is still a bargain.

For all of you who are searching for real estate to purchase, we will soon be updating our real estate section.  It’s been a chore as we got off on the wrong track technically a few months back, and we are finding it difficult to fix.  But we are working on it.  Click here to see some listings not on the regular website.

We have many more properties listed that are not shown on our site, from colonials to condos, vacant lots and rural parcels, and many investment properties. We have an Ecuadorian agent who knows Cotacachi like the back of his hand since he has lived here all his life.  So if you are serious about purchasing property in the Cotacachi area, give us your criteria.  Then Fernando will get his mojo working and come up with a list of properties that may meet your requirements.

We highly recommend our Introduction to Ecuador and Real Estate tours for those who feel a strong pull to Ecuador.  These tours are one of the best ways to get a thorough, inexpensive overview of life in Ecuador and the ins and outs of the real estate buying process.

So for those who are new to Pro-Ecuador.com, welcome to our Pro-Ecuador family.  For the old timers, we are very grateful for your continued loyalty.  By the way, the view from the roof of our new residence isn’t as good as the one I had from our penthouse.   But I think you will continue to get some observations about Ecuador you will not get anywhere else.

And that’s today’s View from the Roof!

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Filed under: Cotacachi, Cotacachi Real Estate, Cotacachi lifestyle, Ecuador Cost of Living, Ecuador Economy, Ecuador Tours, Living in Ecuador, View from the Roof

There’s nothing like a road trip to take one’s mind off the chubby cheeks of a new grand-baby too far away to be hugged and kissed.  So Gary and I decided to endure a 12-hour overnight bus ride from Cotacachi to Crucita, the idea being that we’d replace the ache in our hearts for baby Sophia with aching behinds.  The lesser of two evils.

However, I think it was the back-to-back bloody action films on the bus that took our minds off Sophia for a while.  It’s hard to think of anything else when your eyes and ears are being bombarded with murder and mayhem on a screen three feet in front of you.

We arrived in Manta around 7 a.m. and our friend Janine picked us up for the 45 minute ride to her beachfront home in Crucita, a small fishing village north and across the bay from Manta. Janine told us that a new road will be built around the bay along the shoreline.  This will reduce the ride to about half an hour.

Crucita is an idyllic place, as different as night from day compared to the bright lights of Manta, a sprawling metropolis that beckons across the water like a shimmering mirage.

In Crucita there are long expanses of uncluttered beaches.  New high-rises are changing the skyline, as seen in this bird’s-eye photo, taken from a paragliding site.

Away from the water’s edge are wooden fishing boats and rows of shacks used to cut up the day’s catch.  The protected shore provides extremely safe swimming conditions.

Fishermen roll their boats out onto the waves by placing sections of logs under the boat and pushing hard.  These small boats venture out into the ocean around four in the afternoon and work all night, teaming up with larger trawlers, called barcos, which are fishing further out.

The barcos load their catches onto the smaller boats, whose owners pay them a fee for the fish, receiving in return payment from the workers on shore who buy the fish and prepare them for market in their cutting sheds.  While we were there the main catch was pinchaca, or sardines.

Janine and her husband Rob are transplanted Aussies who came to Crucita about 5 years ago, along with their son who is a fine chef as well as a master craftsman.  With his help, they turned a partly-finished house into a luxurious custom home embellished with rare woods, granite and hand-made furniture.

His design suggestions and carpentry skills transformed the kitchen into a gourmet cook’s dream come true.

We were lucky enough to be on hand to sample Janine’s homemade bread and sweet rolls.  Now my daydreams are awash with triple sensory delights–the smell of yeast bread baking, the sound of ocean surf breaking and the feel of warm water and sun on my skin.  Ah, paradise.

With Manta and Portoviejo nearby to supplement shopping needs and entertainments, Janine and Rob are content with their quiet lives in Crucita.  Rob works from home as a consultant for a computer company based in the UK, so he begins his day around 4 a.m. but by 8 or 9 in the morning he’s ready for R&R.

Gary and I were happy to join him and Janine on their front deck for such important daily rituals as lounging, hot tubbing and drinking wine.

Janine is a painter and the walls of her home are adorned with her art work.  She has immersed herself in village life, working much of the week with a translator as she unravels the puzzling intricacies of municipality laws and local customs.

One of her most cherished goals is to be able to understand Ecuadorian laws well enough to help uneducated locals to benefit from them.  With her assistance a local fishing co-op was formed that has resulted in more pay and healthier working conditions for fishermen.

They also have a fantastic beach house that they rent out.  It’s an ocean-front contemporary with just about every luxury you can think of, at a price you won’t believe.  For more pictures and contact information for this Ecuador beach rental, click here.

Other expats have discovered Crucita and are building homes in several developments.

One of these is Balsamaragua, a cliff-side development of fine homes overlooking the bay.  There you’ll find a few houses for sale, ranging from $125,000 to over $700,000.

Here’s a picture of my favorite house in the development.  It has an infinity pool in the back.  Unfortunately it’s not for sale.

Another reason for our trip to Crucita involved the solving of a mystery.  A friend in the U.S. purchased a partially constructed house in Balsamaragua four years ago.  He has not returned to Crucita in two years and was wondering what condition the house is in and what needs to be done to complete it.

The owner has decided to stay in the U.S. and he is willing to part with the house for a very low price. It still needs windows, doors, flooring, counters, baths and kitchen.   We will soon have a listing on the house at a price that is a great bargain for a home in this exclusive area.

After an overnight with our friends, lulled to sleep by the gentle sound of the surf, we headed up the coast to Bahia de Caraquez to visit Rene and Merci, two Cubans from Cotacachi who decided that beach living is much more to their liking than the windy cool climes of the Andean highlands.

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Filed under: Ecuador Beaches, Ecuador Culture, Ecuador Lifestyle, Uncategorized

After 5 1/2 years in our lovely penthouse studio apartment on Bolivar Calle in Cotacachi, Gary and I decided it was time to move elsewhere. We miss our warm spacious fourth-floor aerie high above Cotacachi’s busiest street but are glad we made the move.

We’ve even wondered why we didn’t make the move sooner, but we are just as much creatures of habit as anyone else and were willing to put up with a lot of grief to stay put.  We also absolutely loved living in the penthouse.

It took us over a year to realize that our indigenous landlady who lives in NYC and whom we’ve never met simply was not going to make the repairs to our Cotacachi rental apartment she so graciously promised to do when we spoke with her on the phone. Rather than endure leaks, flooding and mildewed walls, we got in the habit of fixing and paying for repairs ourselves.

But we drew the line at paying for expensive structural damage caused by owner negligence, so we decided to move when the public patio we also use became totally unusable and unsanitary.

We knew it was time to move when mushrooms and mold began growing on the walls of our laundry because of long-standing leaks from water pipes.

We knew it was time to move when the leaks became so bad that the concrete walls were disintegrating.

We figured it was really time to move when our landlady asking us to vacate so her sister with marital problems could move in.  We acquiesced and promptly found a nice 3-story house to rent.

Now we have privacy, more peace and quiet (except for dogs, cows, sheep, goats and 2 screeching cockatoos across the road), a garden and a carport.  Best of all, we’ve got a very agreeable landlord, who not only promptly fixes anything that goes wrong but weeds and waters our vegetable garden.  All we have to do is pick the produce and eat.

He’s a rarity, I think, because the norm seems to be that renters are expected to make repairs themselves and take the cost out of the rent rather than bother the owner.  However, renters do have rights and by law problems that may lead to unhealthy conditions must be taken care of by the owner.

One plus for renters is that it is difficult to remove a renter once he has ensconced himself in a rental property.

Even though we miss our penthouse, we decided that trading mold and possible health problems for a garden full of vegetables and fruit trees was a better choice for us.

Are you thinking about renting in Cotacachi? If so, you need to know that good rentals are scarce right now. One Cotacachi expat who has five rentals says he is rented solid for the next two years and has a waiting list of 180 names!

While there are many more rentals available than when we first arrived here, people now rent for six months to a year or longer instead of for a few days or weeks.  Although Gary and I no longer handle rentals, you can talk to Susie at Colors and Flavors restaurant located in Hostal El Arbolito near Banco Pichincha or check the community bulletin board at Serendipity restaurant on Gonzales Suarez.

Rentals tend to run from $350-650 and up per month for furnished condos and rentals, depending upon the amenities included.  There are unfurnished rentals for $200-$250 per month.

Last week we found an ab-fab beach house rental.  It’s so wonderful we want to share it with our readers, so stay tuned for all the details and great pictures.  The price is so low beach lovers will be lining up to take advantage of this bargain.

We would welcome any reader feedback or comments concerning the legalities of renting property in Ecuador.

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Filed under: Cotacachi, Cotacachi Indigenous, Cotacachi lifestyle, Ecuador Culture, Ecuador Lifestyle

Linda and I just returned from several months in California where we were present for the birth of our second granddaughter, Sophia Rose.  She made her appearance two minutes short of Christmas Eve.  What a joyful Christmas we had!   The most joyful thing was Linda and I taking turns holding our new family member for hours at a time!

I also spent time working with our son’s white Arctic wolf/German shepherd dog.   I used to train German Shepherds and working with this animal was an almost unimaginable experience.  The wolf is a very social animal, and Kaba, as he is called, is one of the most intelligent animals I have ever experienced.

It was delightful to see him happily and easily learn the commands.  Linda, normally a cat person, is even entertaining the idea that we might have a similar companion in the future.  Sorry, but can’t give you a picture of the new baby.  Privacy issues.

But back to Ecuador, where things are rapidly changing:

INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE AND BUILDING MATERIAL INCREASES

President Correa signed into law a 13% increase in the minimum wage from $264/month to $300/month.  This is the second increase in the minimum wage in the last year.  This, coupled with continuing increases in the price of steel and cement, has effectively increased the prices of new house construction by a similar amount.

Pakakuna Gardens, a new development designed by Patricio Falconi and located near the new Quito airport, announced a 15% price increase effective Feb. 1.

Another development, Yanapamba, is increasing building prices from $480/m2 ($44.60/sq. ft)  to $550/m2 ($51.11/sq. ft.).  Many of you are familiar with the Yanapamba I development  on the outskirts of Cotacachi.  This project is sold out now, but with our help the builder recently acquired a stunning 30-acre property for Yanapamba II and is in the process of gaining municipal approval.

NEW DEVELOPMENT:  YANAPAMBA II

We think this will be a wonderful new development, as there will only be 25 houses for sale on the 30- acre property. This means much green space and residential lots up to ½ acre.  There are magnificent views of the Rio Ambi gorge with riding trails and picnic areas.

This, along with a spa/stable/small hosteria complex will provide lots of entertainment possibilities for residents and their guests.
Our real estate company sold 11 properties in Yanapamba I and we are looking forward to representing this extremely desirable new property.  Watch future newsletters for details.

INCREASED TAXES

The government also announced a 5% increase in the taxes for money leaving the country.  Previously, the tax was 2% of the amount of dollars leaving the country.  So be aware:  If you move any of your funds into the country, there will be a stiff penalty if you take them out. Read more about the new law here.

CHANGES IN DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL LAWS

A change was announced at the end of January, 2012, in the Horizontal Property Plan laws.  The Horizontal Property plan is a document that all developers have to submit for approval to the Municipal government prior to the developer’s ability to present buyers with deeds.

This document defines the legal description of each lot, the specifications for buildings, HOA rules and regulations, etc.  Typically, this document was submitted for approval well after the developments were under construction when lots and buildings were already being sold.  It often took 4 – 5 months to gain approval.

The new law says, under penalty of imprisonment, that a developer cannot begin to sell lots until the horizontal plan is approved. This is a very good law in that it will prevent developers from selling lots before all city approvals are in place.

The buyer can be assured that the lot can be legally transferred to the buyer’s ownership immediately.    The law will prevent inexperienced and poorly financed developers from taking deposits on lots before they can legally transfer the property.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS

All new developments are now required to prepare an environmental impact statement to be submitted to the national Ministry of the Environment before construction or land clearing can begin.  This is an especially good law that will hopefully ensure more preservation of the country’s fragile natural beauty and prevent devastation of the landscape.

In Cotacachi recently, a new expat developer associated with the new Re-Max Real Estate office bulldozed and clear-cut a large tract of steep, mostly wooded land above Cotacachi on the environmentally sensitive slopes of the foothills of Volcano Cotacachi. The residue was pushed into natural drainage gullies and canyons.  The land is located above the pristine spring that provides Cotacachi’s drinking water.

Part of this property appears to be in the Cayapas-Cotacachi National Reserve and is in an indigenous area.   No permissions were sought or secured prior to the clear-cutting.  Frankly, I would hate to be in the shoes of those responsible for this.   It was reported that angry local indigenous leaders met recently with city government officials to protest this activity.  More on this in future newsletters.

PERSONAL CHANGES

Linda and I have decided to close our real estate office on Gonzales Suarez.   This will allow our associate Dale Oelrich and me to devote more time to our real estate tours and to personal consultations with those who are serious about purchasing real estate in our area.

Yes, Ecuador is changing and we are changing with it.  At the end of this month, we will move from our apartment on Calle Bolivar to a 3-story house a few blocks away. A nice room is situated on the top floor, so I can continue to write my “View from the Roof” from a high vantage point in Cotacachi, even though I will not have the wonderful downtown vistas.

And that’s today’s ”View from the Roof.”

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Filed under: Cotacachi Real Estate, Ecuador Cost of Living, Ecuador Real Estate, View from the Roof

Life in Ecuador can be pretty raw and pretty basic. For instance, every day I see indigenous women who have chosen to wear a simple costume from infancy until the end of their lives.

Long skirts, sequined blouses, gold necklaces–the look doesn’t change from season to season or even from year to year.  You won’t find twenty pairs of Monolos in their closets. In fact, among the indigenous, both men and women wear one style and color of shoe.

There are men who still plow with oxen instead of with a tractor and build houses with chisels and hammers instead of power tools.  It’s been such a pleasure watching the building crew construct our caretaker’s cottage in low-tech ways.

When they need a level they siphon water through a clear hose stretched from our stream to the foundation of the house.  Holding it flat they read the level of the water in the hose.  Simple, cheap and effective.

Gary and I love this simple life, especially Ecuador at its rawest.  One of our favorite raw activities is going to the Sunday produce market.

The smell of ripe strawberries lying unabashedly unadorned and the pungent odor of newly-picked basil is practically aphrodisiac.  We usually head first for the juice bar to polish off a tall glass of fresh-squeezed carrot and orange juice.  This is raw food at its very best.

Gary’s Secret Vice

I’ve known for years that Gary and I share a delight in these raw and basic olfactory and gustatory experiences.  But it turns out that I married a man who’d been keeping a piece of his past hidden from me.

It wasn’t until about a year ago, after 13 years of marriage, that I discovered something he’d never revealed to me.  And I was shocked.

Gary confessed that he drank raw milk as a child. And he loved it.

Not only that, he thrived on it.  His mother would milk their cows and he’d consume the warm bubbly brew with gusto.

Apparently with no ill effects.  He went on to be a champion high school quarterback.

It wasn’t a crime back then; raw milk hadn’t been declared hazardous to your health or an illegal activity.

And since I’m revealing Gary’s indiscretions, it’s only fair that I confess my own raw sins. Now that we are living in Ecuador, I have joined him in a life of crime.  Our list ofpossibly  imprisonable raw offenses (if we were living in the U.S.) continues to grow.  We once drank raw goat milk.

Right on the streets of Cotacachi we brazenly and openly drank it warm, squeezed from the teat of a nanny goat being led from house to house.  Just to be clear:  the goat’s owner milked it for us; it wasn’t a teat-to-mouth operation.

Thank goodness, in Ecuador she isn’t considered a purveyor of illegal goods. You can read more about the goat lady here.

Now that Gary has “come out” regarding raw milk, he persuaded me to join him in imbibing this liquid openly.  There are several women who make the rounds in Cotacachi every day, selling raw cow’s milk on the streets.

One waves to us from her old army green and white Toyota.  Another one has a red hatch back that serves as her mobile milk dispenser.

Eager buyers line up with their pitchers and buckets while the milk lady dispenses her frothy libation.

I doubt that many of these raw milk lovers here realize they could be rounded up as criminals if they lived in the United States.  Just for doing what was the norm fifty years ago and even more recently–drinking raw milk fresh from the source–no pasteurization, no homogenization, no sterilization, just 100% pure and natural.

In the U.S. there is a very active campaign going on against the sale of raw milk.  There are people being fined, having their businesses raided, their milk, milk products and records confiscated, lives and finances ruined, all because they sell raw milk products.  Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com calls this governmental behavior “outrageous acts of economic terrorism.”

It is now an offense for which the guilty can be jailed, even imprisoned.  If cows really knew what was going on, they’d be shuddering in their udders.

Little do these innocent Cotacachi calves know that some of their cousins in the U.S. are involved in criminal activities.

But I’m not done.  Gary and I also eat raw cheese made from raw milk. Often.  Delicious cheeses lovingly aged for months in red wine in the dairy’s cheese cellar–sharp cheeses, hard cheeses, soft cheeses.  Here’s more about the pristine Ecuador dairy and cheese operation.

We are so naive and misinformed that we don’t understand the dangers.  In fact, we haven’t noticed any.  Thus ignorance is bliss–raw and unpasteurized.

And we’re not alone.  Here’s incriminating evidence of some of our partners in crime consuming  raw cheese tidbits.

We also eat plenty of raw vegetables.  Is that a crime yet?  Probably will be soon.

Perhaps it isn’t enough that vegetables often come plastic-wrapped in styrofoam containers, irradiated into lifelessness and so sterile that they last for weeks in the fridge.  Will our carrots next have to be boiled, baked or stewed before we can even buy them?  Pasteurized, stamped and labeled before we can consume them?  Oh yeah, many of them already are. . .

It’s bad enough that you can no longer touch a lot of the veggies sold in many grocery stores. In the name of ease, sterility and uniform packaging, we’ve been stripped of our right to pinch a tomato, caress a fuzzy peach or inhale the heady aroma of  a succulent mango.

You may like your life and your food sterilized and well-wrapped, but give me mine unwashed, unfiltered, rich in earthy smells and even a few bugs.  That way I know it’s alive and well, just as I want to be for many years to come.

If it’s not against the law for consumers to smoke cigarettes even with health warnings stamped right on the wrapper I have the right to consume raw milk.

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Filed under: Cotacachi, Cotacachi lifestyle, Ecuadorian food, Living in Ecuador