I rise at 6 am. By 7:15 am my Sarah and I are on our way to the airport. This time I didn’t forget anything. It’s Sunday, so there is no traffic and we arrive by 8 am.

I check my bag and Sarah and I enjoy a coffee and great conversation before I go through security.

I stumble over the question about how long I plan to visit Ecuador. I guess because I don’t really know. Off I go to Miami with a layover of two hours on my way to Quito. The flight is slightly delayed but I arrive at Miami on time where it is raining. I sit in an aisle seat. I am grateful my ears are OK with the change in pressure.

Another aisle during my fight to Quito. We arrive to warm weather and darkness. I gain an hour of time.

That’s me on my flight to Quito.

It’s different now that I am familiar with Ecuador. More comfortable. Still got the feeling of a rush at being here.

Purchased my ticket to Loja on the 8:40 am flight.

The great Indian restaurant close to the place I am staying is closed because it’s Sunday.

It’s bed time at 9 pm.

Last 24 hours in Canada. 

I went to the farmers market at Wichwood via subway and streetcar.

New Subway Train at St Clair West subway station.

No Doors between cars on the new trains.

I said my goodbyes to a few people there. I had specifically come to say farewell to Laura. I love the way I feel with her.

Scooted off to meet with Kaya for a delicious salad. We said our goodbyes. I’ll miss her too.

Bought a clever coffee making device that’s small enough to travel.

Packed up my stuff and I am ready to travel.

My last meal in Toronto is Ethiopian with my Sarah. Love the Shiro. 

Sarah is generous enough to cut my hair even though she is tired.

I sleep upstairs in Celeste’s “Raft” bed with the skylight overhead.

I said goodbye to Celeste who is off to Grail Springs in Bancroft to teach for the weekend.

Did my 2011 taxes and paid them. Glad that’s done.

Visited with my friend Duane and his girlfriend Angela at Ideal Coffee on Ossington. Kaya joined us after her class and we headed over to the Lakeview Diner for lunch.

We dispersed our separate ways so I decided to take in a movie. I determined I did not resonate with what was on offer at The Hot Docs festival so I checked out a couple of the multi screen complexes and settled on a romantic comedy at the AMC complex at Dundas & Yonge. The movie is called “The 5 Year Engagement”. Funny and skilled use of relationship communication. I was early so I scored the dead center seat and wound up with an empty seat on either side of me. 

I feel very super officially validated by all the people that turned my police clearance letter into a super official looking document.

Some lovely nature springing up amongst the concrete.

Enjoyed a couple of business meetings and emergency data recovery with my clients.

Maybe experienced one of my last “stuck in traffic” experiences.

Enjoyed a meal prepared by my friend Renee followed by deep communion.

Lost my keys. Maybe it’s symbolic because I won’t need them anymore.

Picked up my police clearance letter. All clear.

Had the letter translated to Spanish and notorized.

Met with Juno for some lunch and coffee.

These steps move me closer to qualifying for an extended stay in Ecuador.

Quality time with my friend Kaya and then later with my friend Alex.

Picked up some cool shoes for wet weather in Vilcabamaba.

Visited with my friend Jeanette today. We ate lunch at Lady Marmalade on Queen Street. Food and coffee was delicious. Jeanette is very loving and nourishing to be with. Shared my Ecuador stories and other insights.

Lady Marmalade – Toronto

Back at her new home I wrote LOVE on each of her forearms in Palo Santo using my crystal pen.

Leisurely got up at 8:30 am.

Helped Celeste carry up the wooden cabinets for the side of her “Raft” bed. A king side bed surrounded by bolsters right under the skylight.

The “Raft” bed

By 12:30 pm I drove to Vaughn Mills shopping center. I know, I know … lots of shopping. Guess I’m getting my fix of Mega Mall shopping while still in Canada. I bought some colourful shirts.

Shopping Mall

I went out in the Ravine with Celeste where she did a ceremony for Earth Day.

In The Ravine – Happy Earth Day

A quick farmers market run before heading to meet my friend Tara at the Saving Grace restaurant for brunch. On the way driving down Bay Street I see several blocks of Cement Trucks. There are at least 20 of them. As I pass the construction site I discover that they are pumping concrete into the foundation of a condo. They are doing it from all sides with cement trucks surrounding the place.

Cement Trucks at the Condo Site

I hold a spot in line at Saving Grace restaurant. Tara arrives and gifts me some skin cream and lip balm she made herself. Both a divine. We get a seat in the corner away from the door. Order a smoothie and the poached egg special. Tara has the best palate of anyone I know. Even so the deliciousness of the food is a delightful surprise.

Tara, the sister I never had, and I catch up while savouring our meal. I order an amazing piece of carrot cake to go. We chat some more over coffee and tea at Ezra’s Pound coffee shop a few steps away.

I experience backed up traffic on the way home. I think “won’t be doing this for a while”.

Playing around with online photo editing. Made magazine cover at http://www.writeonit.org

Cover Photo Of Gingko’s Meal

Made at www.Photo505.com

Celeste took me out for dinner at Rendez-vous an Ethiopian restaurant close by. It was an advance birthday celebration and I decided to have something that will be hard to get in Vilcabamba. 

On my way to meet up with Marika I stopped to connect with Dollie. She’s a delightful bright star about to undergo surgery for her cancer. Her spirit is overflowing with light as she travels her journey.

Met with Marika at the Rustic Cosmo. Beautiful fusion of Vilcabamba and Toronto by us both celebrating our love of Vilcabamba while in Toronto.

Rustic Cosmo Cafe – Toronto

Marika shared what she LOVES with me. I LOVE being steeped in a CONVERSATION OF LOVE. Fueled with LOVE, Fodd and Coffee I went shopping. Infinite choices and long line ups to buy. Bought nothing.

Like bees buzzing in their hive. Dundas Square is filled with people.

ALL Directions cross walk at Yonge & Dundas – Toronto

Dundas Square – Toronto

Next up – Total Health Show for the latest in “Total Health”

Total Health Show

Surprised and grateful to see my friend Geoff at the show. Friday night is best time to go because it’s not so busy.  i buy a Vogel pink quartz crystal. I am gifted very fine chocolate by the Cacao Monkey. A beaming Christina still carries the glow of her recent trip to Costa Rica. Anson beams a smile.

Vogel Pink Quartz Crystal

So ends my immersion in the shopping experience.

NEW subway where there are no doors between all the cars in the train. 

Drove out to Georgetown to do some work and then I had lunch with my friend Steve ate the Glen Oven where the food is prepared and served with a lot LOVE. We sat outside to enjoy the sun, our meal and meaning filled conversation.

Glen Oven restaurant in a place called Glen Erin

I went shopping at the big box stores for some clothes.

Passed the Gladstone Hotel where I shot my short film The Matriarchs.

Gladstone Hotel

Met up with Kaya, Molly and Dave for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant. Even the evening is a comfortable temperature.

Here’s what Kathleen shared via email with me after our time in Kensington Market

Manny, you embody extraordinary transitional gifts you so generously share with the world, you are an outstanding man, take my word for it, 5 minutes with you is a gift for anyone… i’ve re-conceptualized my life already if you want to know the truth… should i say I work fast or is it spirit that works fast???

someday, if you’ll allow, i’ll anonymously create your character in fiction to help the world understand love, our mutual understanding is enough fill a million empty hearts and as a storyteller i will find the perfect way to engage and transition people through the proper understanding of love which you yourself are helping me understand exponentially…. my heart is so full tonight, my love, thank you for your powerfully transformative gifts and the open heart that allows you to share them with us. 

Bought my ticket to Quito. Airborne on April 29th.

NEW suitcase turns into large and small backpacks. Hides away all exposed straps. Made by Eagle Creek. Model is Switchback Max 25. 

Enjoyed CONVERSATIONS OF LOVE in the sunshine with my friend Kathleen in Kensington Market area. Inscribed LOVE on each forearm with my magical crystal pen and San Palo oil to Shift Core Patterns.

Drove to a place called Acton to do some work.

Visited with my Sarah for a couple of hours.

It’s Monday. Warm outside with butterflies whirling around. Buds on most of the trees.

Visited 2 client locations.

The ravine is budding Hip Hip Hooray

Flushed my ears with hydrogen peroxide.

Started to tackle a computer project at 7 am.

Enjoyed a couple of conversations with Renee.

The Matriarchs – a short film I produced, directed, wrote and edited back in 2006.

Fruit bowl starts my day. Going to the two farmers markets this morning.

Warm welcomes from my friends at the markets.

Bought a Vogel Cut 12 sided Amethyst crystal to concentrate loving energy.

Vogel Cut Amethyst Crystal

I spent the afternoon with my friend Juno in High Park. Cherry blossoms are in bloom. LOVED the time together.

“Hipstamatic” photo taken in High Park

Different “Hipstamatic” setting

A quick nap and then to dinner at a Thai Restaurant with my divine friend Darinka. Appropriately we both enjoyed Royal Pad Thai for dinner.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Congestion dissipating. Very happy with how quickly my body is able to adapt to environmental changes.

iPhone appears dead. Apple store in Eaton’s Center runs diagnostics and gives me a brand new phone with only 2 days left on warranty. Yay!

Great day running around getting things done. Sunny and reasonably warm outside.

My body is going full out with mucus generation to deal with the dry air of central heating. Some would call it a cold by outward appearances. I LOVE my body.

Dealt with the backlog of mail.

Lunch with Steve. Great to reconnect and eat at the Glen Oven cafe.

Problem solved at one of my clients.

Runny nose and cough kept me inward most of the time.

Hardly slept. The pain from my inner ear kept me awake until 4 am.

By 9 am the pain is gone but I still feel my ears plugged.

Drove the car for the first time in 10 weeks. Driving came back instantly.

Visited with my friend Kaya. Got my iPhone back.

Feels like the Matrix is “man created time” versus natures time. Also the feeling of “not good enough”.

Caught up on some work related tasks.

Dehydrated – drinking lots of water, teas and hot lemon with cayenne.

LOVE to be there NOW

3:30 am comes fast. Didn’t sleep much. Easy cab ride to the airport.

The plane left about 30 minutes late because there was no Bogota radar and planes had to leave in 10 minute intervals. Delayed but not stopped. Darn.

Saw the Panama Canal below us on the way to Miami. My ears got so plugged I pretty much couldn’t hear anything both while climbing and descending. Once at Miami, the 3 of us got separated because we are all different nationalities.

Panama Canal – not my photo

Very long lines to get through border control. Then I had to go through security to get on my connecting flight to Toronto.

3 hour layover in Miami getting caught up on the blog. Extra hour delay before taking off for Toronto.

I was being steered to go through the full body scanner unit. The one that lets them look at me as if I was naked. In Toronto it clearly says “optional” but not in Miami. A friend of mine had refused to go through it and I remember reading about it on her Facebook page. So I refused as well. This requires a full pat down and then the guy swabs the gloves he was wearing and does a chemical analysis. All clear and good to go.

My congestion creates pain in my ears during takeoff and landing. This is amplified the second leg of the trip from Miami to Toronto.

In Toronto, we get through border services and customs without any trouble but it takes about 30 minutes in the long lines similar to Miami.

It’s cold here.

Due to pain in my ears, I didn’t get to sleep until 4 am. Slept sitting up. Not used to dry air from heating.