July 1st I m drinking coffee outside while I write this. There are a couple of cows across the river having breakfast under the sun. The sun hasn’t reach this place yet and it’s cold so I’m wearing my jacket. This is not Casa Blanca, I am no longer by the beach but close to … Continue reading Tumbaco – Ecuador: Anthropocene; a BD; a departure; Drunk
July 25, 2021 It must have been raining continuously over the past few days. The path down to the river on the north side of the finca was all mud and we walked with difficulty. Ramon Cotera, the manager of the finca and guide, lead the way using his machete as he went to get … Continue reading Casa Blanca – Ecuador: hike at the finca, Le Carré’s first and last, less is more.
July 12, 2021 I was supposed to be writing this post in Grenada. Alas, the sailing trip had to be postponed for family reasons. As planned, Natalia and I left Beirut on June 28 bound to Washington DC and the girls joined from France a couple of days later. But on July 2nd, instead of … Continue reading Casa Blanca – Ecuador: Sailing aborted, anniversary, Return to the Sea, sinking
June 13, 2021 As part of one of her school projects and thanks to our friend Solfrid, Marina was able to go to a Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa valley. She reports that living conditions are marginal; they are in tents, with limited access to water, electricity, and sanitation. More dramatic is the situation … Continue reading Beirut: helping Syrian children, boat gear, cruising plans in Grenada.
June 7, 2021 Not much to report about last week, except for an excessive consumption of food and wine. Wednesday was the opening night of Anise, my friend Hisham’s bar in Mar Mikhael which had been closed since March last year as a result of COVID19 and the explosion in the port. Natalia, Marina and … Continue reading Beirut: Anise reopens; Middle Eastern, Italian, and Armenian cuisines; sail blogs, and the Singular Story of Paul Ceglia
May 29, 2021 We drove in heavy traffic for more than 45 minutes, slaloming between cars, before we could turn East and follow the road up the mountains. The heat and the fumes of the claustrophobic highway were gradually replaced by fresh, clean, air; the temperature dropped a few degrees and the views of the … Continue reading Beirut: lake Chouwan, rides, hikes, nightcaps, privilege and inequality.
May 22, 2021 It is very windy outside, 20-25Kts, and the sea is rough. Swimming might not be an option today. But we are still planning to spend the day at O Chalet lounging, reading, siping wine and eating seafood. Marina arrived on Thursday night, or I should say Friday because it was after midnight. … Continue reading Anfhe: reunited
May 14, 2020 The return trip to Washington DC last Friday was a fiasco. The flight from Grenada to Miami was delayed and I would have missed the connection to DC except that flight was also delayed — as were the bags. I got home at 3am on Saturday. But it was good to … Continue reading Beirut: content, candlelights, the sea, pampered, falling apart
May 8, 2021 I got up at 6am today and I'm writing this while drinking my coffee. It’s raining outside. In a few hours Jeffrey, who owns a taxi, will drive me to the airport. My flight to Miami departs at 3pm. In Miami I'll change planes and fly to Washington DC. It’s the end of … Continue reading Grenada: Marina Port Louis, end of the trip
May 3rd, 2021 I am at anchor at Martin’s Bay in the quarantine zone. It s raining hard outside. It has been raining on and off since I made land fall on Monday around 1am. Entering the bay and anchoring during the day doesn’t involve any challenge; there are no shallows or tricky currents, which … Continue reading Grenada: Martin’s Bay in quarantine
