Curious Gringo

What a year brother! These incredible memories wil...

2010-11-26T15:59:20.862-04:00

What a year brother! These incredible memories will always be with you. I laughed out loud for most of the list! Love you.

I enjoyed it all and envy the experience. Wish my...

2010-11-26T13:36:54.402-04:00

I enjoyed it all and envy the experience. Wish my children had had one similar.
Lou (Great uncle Lou i.e.)

Beautiful.

2010-11-16T12:35:37.039-04:00

Beautiful.

How fascinating. How wonderful to honor Pachamama ...

2010-10-04T13:53:34.285-04:00

How fascinating. How wonderful to honor Pachamama on a monthly basis and to take so much time out of your day to express your gratitude. I totally forgot about the bit of beer poured onto the earth too...Thanks brother. Love you!

David- Thanks for the window into local customs! ...

2010-10-04T06:57:02.701-04:00

David-
Thanks for the window into local customs! You look great in the photo. Keep sending stories - they're so much fun to read!
Love,
Marcia and Jeremy

Best comment of the year goes to . . . Leonard! ...

2010-09-15T12:56:16.748-04:00

Best comment of the year goes to . . . Leonard!

Must be those Maine Mountain Boots

After all these months, who knew it was so easy to...

2010-09-14T10:14:32.547-04:00

After all these months, who knew it was so easy to post a comment!

Nice little street scene too. I get the sense that...

2010-09-14T10:13:30.747-04:00

Nice little street scene too. I get the sense that Coach is a city humming along.

Zach, Good point. The Maya Pedel reminds me of th...

2010-09-14T10:13:30.216-04:00

Zach,

Good point. The Maya Pedel reminds me of this:
http://www.waterforpeople.org/extras/playpumps/how-playpumps-works.html

And the potential problems associated with it:
http://aidwatchers.com/2010/02/some-ngos-can-adjust-to-failure-the-playpumps-story/

Sasha, truth be told I took about 5 one-minute vid...

2010-09-14T10:11:47.923-04:00

Sasha, truth be told I took about 5 one-minute videos waiting for the real action to start. I guess the yelling was in another video, though it would have been good to show!

She was peeling for so long and I apparently couldn't pick up on the hint that she didn't want to be filmed any longer!

where was the yelling? un jugo de naranja por favo...

2010-09-14T09:28:00.791-04:00

where was the yelling? un jugo de naranja por favor!

Nice! Nice followers too!

2010-09-13T18:38:07.562-04:00

Nice! Nice followers too!

MISS YOU TOO DAVEY!!!!!

2010-09-13T18:11:11.953-04:00

MISS YOU TOO DAVEY!!!!!

that's a sweet little cart! reminds me a littl...

2010-09-13T18:04:36.416-04:00

that's a sweet little cart! reminds me a little of this: http://www.mayapedal.org/machines.html

miss you davey

Not specifically, though in the Bay Area we have &...

2010-09-06T08:28:03.511-04:00

Not specifically, though in the Bay Area we have 'spare the air' days, when people are encouraged to take public transit when weather and cars and industry combine to make unhealthy air days. We also have Earth Day, once a year, which encourages alternate means of transportation. In Jerusalem we have a transit day that encourages people to ride the bus. And we have Critical Mass (around the world) to encourage bike riding (last Friday of the month.) No pedestrian day, though, that I know.

Ciclovias are gaining in popularity, for sure! It ...

2010-09-06T00:42:52.833-04:00

Ciclovias are gaining in popularity, for sure! It may come to Arlington VA, wouldn't that be awesome?!? : ) http://www.commuterpageblog.com/2008/03/ciclovia-en-bog.html

2010-09-06T00:41:47.498-04:00

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For sure! New York had Summer Streets on Park Ave ...

2010-09-05T20:59:35.196-04:00

For sure! New York had Summer Streets on Park Ave (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/home/home.shtml) and D.C. has had "Feet in the Street" through Fort Dupont Park. Love it.

Great pics, stories, and family!! -Marissa K.

2010-08-31T18:13:49.440-04:00

Great pics, stories, and family!!

-Marissa K.

Thanks for the story and the photos. Sounds like q...

2010-08-30T13:33:54.125-04:00

Thanks for the story and the photos. Sounds like quite an adventure . . . a quiet, lazy, relaxing adventure.

Take care.

Aunt Gail K.

livin' the dream my friend

2010-08-30T10:26:27.315-04:00

livin' the dream my friend

hey! glad you guys made it up the mountain....and ...

2010-08-17T00:10:08.730-04:00

hey! glad you guys made it up the mountain....and I'm glad to see that the gringo is still going strong!
Julia

2010-08-06T21:06:29.252-04:00

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Awesome article, Dave! Your writing is so informa...

2010-07-09T12:55:01.663-04:00

Awesome article, Dave! Your writing is so informative and so clear.

I want to know more about the property taxes. I can understand why individuals would be hesitant to come forward about property rights, especially when in the short-term, the only repercussion will be additional taxes. Also, property taxes can be an enormous source of income for governments. Is there any sort of regulation to prevent some of these families from being unfairly taxed? OR, if they can't afford the taxes, will they be moved off the land that they've "owned" for generations?

Wish we were having this conversation over a bourbon or two! Miss you guys!

Ben, That’s exactly the point. With traditional f...

2010-07-09T09:27:16.193-04:00

Ben,

That’s exactly the point. With traditional forms of ownership, an individual’s home is locked in terms of economic opportunity. Although everyone in the community might know that “that plot over there is Ben’s”, you have no actual proof and therefore can’t go any further insofar as accessing capital.

In a formal registry system, a family can properly carve up ownership so that each family/community member has a share of the whole. Hope that helps clarify.