Flying Button Ranch: 2012

YES WE HAVE NO DINERO, WE HAVE NO DINERO TODAY

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money”. – Unknown

What do you do when your debit card and your credit card doesn't work in Ecuador for getting cash from an ATM?!! Well, first you panic. We count up about 80 dollars left to us (including my bag of quarters).

After getting denied from 5 ATM machines at the mall, we went the next day with Alfredo to the Banco de Guayaquil (which we were told by our Wells Fargo Bank branch that our checking cards would work at, but didn't!!). Alfredo spoke with a bank representative for us, she makes a phone call, and takes our card. She shakes her head and we received no help. WTF!! I hate Wells Fargo right now. I was ready to give up, coming up with a Plan B where I would just Skype my sister and beg her to send us Western Union cash.

This was the our biggest problem for the trip and we knew we still had to buy food and pay for our hotel room at the end of our stay. We were a bit frantic, when Alfredo suggested we give Banco de Pacifco a shot. It was just around the corner, on the street behind the Casablanca Suites hotel that we were staying at, so we took a little walk over. Security stands outside on the sidewalk of the teller machines. We put in the card, I'll admit it... I was a pessimist... and then...

BINGO! We have cash.

Whew. I was so happy I hugged and kissed Alfredo. We still don't have any idea why BP works and the others didn't. Next to get some change for the $20 bills. The ATM is outside the bank, and we walked inside the bank.

The guard took one look at El gigante gringo Ron, and pointed to his cap. He says something in Spanish with a scowl on his face. Ron and I look at each other, and I turn to Alfredo. ¿Qué?

"Take off your hat!" Alfredo whispered. Evidently, no hats in banks (and also no shorts are to be worn in government offices either)! Ron whips off his Arizona Cardinals baseball cap and mutters a gringo sorry (since he has no idea how to say Lo siento).

Alfredo told the security guard that we only needed change for the bills, and he directed us to the line for the tercera de edad (retired) and embarazda (pregnant), of which nobody was waiting in. Those in the longer line eyed us suspiciously (because I certainly didn't look pregnant nor fitting for the age requirement.

I grab up the cash from Ron, and Alfredo told me what to say to the teller ("Cambialo, por favor/I need to change it please. Go on... you can do it!"). I muster up a confident smile, Greet her with a Buenos Días and I tell her "Cambialo a billetes diez y cinco, por favor." as I hand her the wad of 20's. She counts it, and counts out tens and fives and I receive the small bills. "Gracias!" We were golden!

FIELD TRIP TO FARALLON DILLON

One of the members of my Facebook Group of Expats has a wonderful hotel and museum located in Ballenita called Farallon Dillon http://www.farallondillon.com/. We decided to take a cab out to see it and take the tour ($2 per person).

From the top outdoor deck at Farallon Dillon.

In front of their beautiful pool.

Going upstairs to take a tour of the rooms they have at the hotel.

Walking down the many steps to the beautiful beach.

The vista? HERMOSA!

Reflecting on the beach (and perhaps trying to figure out how to retire early?)

Quite a walk down... killer walk back up!

Looking for creatures and shells.

Hello? Oh, it's just MICHELLE (JA JA JA ... my shell, get it? OKAY, I'll stop!)

Big surprise when a (stray?) dog decides to come see if what I have in my hand is food (it's not, it's a shell) and tries to grab it away from me. Pobre perro!!