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Farewell, Ecuador!

Almost three years to the day after our arrival in Quito, we have returned to our beloved US of A. What a time we have had! We arrived with a barely one year old boy and another on our way. Three fourths of the family didn't speak Spanish (1/2 didn't speak anything!). I didn't know much about Andean, Ecuadorian, or Latin American cultures. Santiago knew economic development from the comforts of a developed country, but never from a leadership position in a target country. We didn't know but a few people in Ecuador.



And now, it is hard to believe we have said "auf wiedersehen" to dear friends and to what has been home for us for so many months. We are delighted to be back in the US, to be reunited with family and friends, and to reaquaint (or aquiant!) our kids with their "motherland." But we are sad to say good-bye to the many things we love about Ecuador. To wrap it up, here's a couple of top ten lists!

What we'll miss about Ecuador
10. Seeing snow-capped mountains from my son's window
9. Guanabana, pitayaha, uvillas, camote, tomate de arbol, and lots of other fruits I had never heard of or eaten before
8. Locro
7. Two seasons - long sleeve and short sleeve
6. Five types of hummingbirds in our back yards
5. Encountering a mix of cultures, peoples, languages, and customs that I've gotten to know over these three years
4. Fruit all year around - watermelon in December, mango season!
3. Hearing my boys says "no cierto, nano?"
2. The Amazon, the rain forest, the Pacific beaches, and some of the world's most beautiful mountains with in a few hours of our house
1. Delightful friends who we hope to see again in another corner of the world

Things I Am Looking forward to in the US!
10. Scones and bagels
9. Shoes in my size
8. Rediscovering the natural beauty of the United States
7. A whole slew of new(ish) babies - Ella, Eva, Cadence, Libby, Tilley, Luke, Nicolas,
6. Having my boys experience snowmen, snowangels, and sledding
5. Spring flowers and fall leaves
4. Summer fruits - blueberries, peaches, watermelons, honeydews
3. All of the DC monuments which remind me daily of how proud I am to be a gringa
2. The ink of the Washington Post on my fingers every morning
1. Seeing all of our friends and family!

Jacob Turns Four!!

Against our will, our boys are growing up. Our first baby turned four, and he is all hombre.

Jacob was naturally very excited about his birthday. As well as his hat. And plates. (He explicitly asked that these photos be taken.)

We had a fun celebration at his school with his amiguitos. The theme, selected by Jacob, was sharks.

We pinned the fin on the shark, “fished”, and ate various ocean-themed treats. And naturally, the cake was decorated with a fierce shark too. Timothy joined the big boy class to celebrate his “nano’s” day.

For our party at home, the boys were eager helpers, stuffing the pinata and checking out the party scene.

And for his party with his friends from the neighborhood, we… put a dead carcass on a hot fire. What better than a suckling pig to celebrate the day!

The boys were delighted, checking out their treat from all sides.

My handsome husband was naturally in charge of the grilling (I’m never allowed – happily – to be near the grill.) And it was delicious!

The kids enjoyed the clown, pinata, and whale cake, while the parents enjoyed a gorgeous day.

We had a great day with lots of dear friends, who we will soon miss sorely.

Happy birthday to our dear little boy!

South of the Border III - BA!

Wednesday took us to Buenos Aires, one of the most spectular cities. What a delight to both experience a world-class city, visit with Santiago's grandfather, and ... shop!

It was wonderful to see multiple generations in one place

We headed out to Dique Lujan, where Abuelo Norberto has a cottage and where the Sedaca kids (my husband....) spent many a steamy summers.

The boys went right to work, invading Abuelo’s workshed and going to work in the yard. Cracking pecans from the yard, and burning leaves were the main activities of the day.

With that, they worked up a major appetite, so went to work with the grill.

We went to the zoo downtown. The boys loved the sites.


The boys naturally enjoyed giving food to the ducks (yes, they are jumping for joy), and the zebras. 2, 9

We hung out in Puerto Madera for...yes, you guessed it, more meat and yummy Freddo's ice cream

We strolled through the infamous Boca area, home to Santiago’s favorite futbol team and much of Buenos Aires’ “colorful” (literally and morally) history. We ended in a Havanna shop, selling the most famous alfajores in Argentina. Jacob enjoyed his tasty perch.

What a blessing to have had this wonderful time!

South of the Border - Part II

The flight from Santiago to Mendoza was short and spectacular, showing yet another breathtaking side to the Andes.

I didn’t know what to expect from Mendoza, the city where my dear husband was born. I always thought it was a small city, but it is sizeable and a really delightful city.

Coming from Quito, we both longed for pedestrian zones where you can walk, sip a cappuccino, windowshop, and peoplewatch. Mendoza was that refreshing change. And we were in the heart of meat-landia, so Santiago was happy. Although he swore off of red meat – a commitment that lasted 18 hours (including sleep and breakfast) – he somehow was able to start our first night with a large set of ribs.

Mendoza is home to 70% of Argentina's wine production, and is the eighth world wine capital. Known for its Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Malamado, Torrentes, and Tempranillo, Mendoza is a taste of heaven for those who like wine. Its spectacular setting makes the winetasting all the better.

Easter Sunday was spent at a quiet hacienda for a wonderful lunch and classical music concert.

The boys entertained themselves – and everyone in the restaurant - with their creative head decorations, i.e. bird feathers from the courtyard.

Monday took us to a far flung corner of Mendoza province at the foot of the Tupungato mountain to visit Andeluna winery.

When they weren’t hiding, the boys were ... eating grapes.

The men played football, in between wine tastings. We chatted with the chef for some time, in between the boys’ intense questioning about his techniques.

And I just enjoyed one of the most beautiful settings around.

We headed further afield to Salentein Winery, for a great lunch with intense conversation, and walk through the vines. And the boys enjoyed playing with a spectacular backdrop.

Tuesday we planned our day around lunch at Zuccardi winery. Lots of parrilla, and plenty of wine. The boys have professional noses, taking a solid guess at the bouquet. OK…Timmer usually yells, “it smells like grapes!”

We were delighted to be there for harvest, and to chat with the harvesters. They boys ran through the fields and the delightfully appointed patio, reaching high for grapes.

More on BA to come!