These homes belong to those who work the rice fields. No plumbing, no water and no electricity. During the season, the fields flood below the shacks.

This is a concrete house bult above the flood.

In anticipation of the Independence Day Parade coming soon.

Yes, they are carrying spears! No, I don't know why.

Northern Ecuador. Traveling to a well known hot springs known for its sulphur baths.

Sometimes a man's got to do what a man's got to do.

These are kids I met on the jungle trail. They got and wanted a dollar for the photo! I paid two.

In the country (desert) side. This is my hat for driving around because the brim doesn't push against the headrests.

Nevada lives in Quito!

This is Marta, my twice- a- week apartment. She cleans the place up, changes the sheets and gives me fresh towels.

"Red & Black Forever""

In Reno, the really cool guys make wine or beer at home. Because I am cool (only second class), I am making cheese! After three tries I finally got it right (enough) to take a photo for all the cheese lovers out there. About the size of a hard ball. And about $20 spent in the multiple attempts! I made this cheese ball from milk, lemon juice, condensed milk, one egg and a dash of salt. (I had to sew my own cheese bag, necessary to drain the whey away!) Another difficulty is that I could not buy "cheese starter" or find buttermilk.

Halloween is a day to visit the dead. or the "day of the dead." Along the street infront of this cemetary, were many flower and food boths.

The crowd was thick and sometimes one could not move between the families.

Under this tent was a family having lunch. Everyone was there from children to great-grandparents.

The latins are great ones for using parasols for walking or just picnicing. This is another family crowding together for lunch and shade.

This is one of the loaves of bread baked for the dead. I tried to eat it and only the dead could.....

Halloween is for everyone!

My first train ride in Ecuador. This is the destination station which is thousands of feet below the rail line. It is a modern building after being abandoned for 40 years by those who thought it a better idea to build highways and burn gasoline (who could hat be?) and wear tires. the line is a marvel, going down canyons too steep for normal grade. So in the following photos you will see the line which requires the train to back up and then go forward as it works its way down the canyon walls.

this one of the many places which there is no room for the rail to "loop." So the train must back onto the line and then switch.

German tourists.

Had I known how close to the edge the train went and how poorly the track was maintained, I would not have taken this train ride!!

These are "cuye" pronounced as cou-ee. They are a known as Peruvian Cavies in the US. They look like half rabbit and half rat. Popular among the Aztecs and in modern times. When cooked, about $8 for one, which is expensive but these ladies were sold out many times over.

" "What do you think you're looking at? Gringo!

Market Day in Alausi. I was the only white guy in the crowd.

Ummmm, cui.

Yes, that is the one I want for lunch!!