Ecuador Living

I’m spending Carnival in Crucita. Carnival is not celebrated so spectacularly as it is in Brazil, or even New Orleans. But if planned enthusiastic devotion to hedonistic pursuits are a yardstick then Ecuadorians score high. These are the rules:- you must not work unless you are serving others; if it’s at all possible you must soak up sun on the beach and spend time with the family and just for good measure, if you can soak those who are not already wet with water pistols or water bombs you score bonus marks.

Carnival in Crucita

Set in this maelstrom I was very glad to spend time with Jim Cheek on a hill overlooking Crucita. Here we could look down at the masses from a beautiful piece of property. Jim has been in Ecuador for six years and bought into the project which the locals call the Loma. I had heard about this property many times so it was great to actually visit and stay there. There are still some lots (small) left at the very reasonable price of less than $15,000 and as you can see from the photos below you can build a very nice house including a small pool for around about $90,000.

View from the hill down to Crucita

View to the Ocean

Kind of house built on the hill already

Or another more modest version

Jim’s place

..and again

.. cool off …

.. cook off ..

Jim and his girlfriend Lorena have gained the respect of the local people by initiating community projects such as beach cleaning and they have also established a restaurant with killer views at the top of the hill. There you can go para/gliding with the locals - its almost impossible to think of anything more captivating than gliding noiselessly above the crashing Pacific surf far below. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t try it!

Take off

We also got to drive along the beach. Just to orient you Crucita is about 30 minutes south of San Clemente and they are both between Manta and Bahia. Inland is the provincial capital, Portoviejo and the Portaviejo river runs right out to the coast between San Clemente and Crucita. You can drive for half and hour along the wide sand beach north of Crucita past Arenales and on to Boca (mouth) which may be an area for the future.

the Portoviejo river close to the ocean

again the river - note the cliff in the distance that overlooks San Clemente. I saw a family wade across this river at low tide!

Just under the cliff Jim sold this land to another of Gary’s readers and the reader had this house built:-

Here’s the view from the house below, some tiles and finishing touches still to be added