The Good News and the Bad News
October 29, 2001

Well, I started smoking again. That's the bad news. The good news is: It's great! How did I go without this for two months? And what was I thinking? I am, of course, saddled with the familiar wheezing when I... more

To Get to Vilcabamba
October 15, 2001

To get to Vilcabamba from Quito, wind south down the Panamerican Highway for 16 hours. This takes you through the Andes, past the nameless pueblos and the stray dogs waiting anxiously by the side of the road, like they're hoping... more

Is There a Bathroom on the Bus?
October 12, 2001

I ask the woman behind the desk: Is there a bathroom on the bus? There is. I ask the woman behind the desk: Is there a television on the bus? There is. Are you sure? I ask. She is sure.... more

What Comes Out
October 11, 2001

The strangest thing happened this morning. I was on my way to the post office, when this little boy -- all pink cheeks and brown chub -- pulled down his pants and took a crap in the street. Right there.... more

I watched the news yesterday
October 08, 2001

I watched the news yesterday afternoon, hoping for direction, something to push me one way or the other. The bar was empty, just me, my friend Carolyn, and a middle-aged guy from Wales who laughed out loud when Tony Blair... more

Karaoke, South American Style
October 05, 2001

The following lists about Karaoke in Ecuador are basely entirely on the author's observations and conversations with people who know a little better than she but still are no "experts." But the author has, it should be pointed out, gone... more