Author: Linda Claire Puig

Travel and the new currency

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So fun! Headed out by bus this morning to Gualaceo, a tiny village outside of Cuenca, Ecuador—and then outside of THAT tiny village—all in the name of spending the day with (actually meeting in person for the first time) Lynne Klippel.

This is one of the ways that traveling with your business can be profitable: meeting up with colleagues (known or unknown) who could be potential collaborators. And remember, referral partners can result in not just one, but many new clients for you!

Lynne and I have collaborated once before, and after meeting her in person and getting to know her better, I’m sure we’ll be doing more together that will benefit both of our businesses.

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The Guest House

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An inside shot from where we had lunch at the gorgeous Hacienda Uzhupud

An inside shot from the gorgeous Hacienda Uzhupud outside of Cuenca, Ecuador.

 Lovin’ this piece from Rumi today…

THE GUEST HOUSE

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Does her business benefit from this view?

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mountains

Utterly stunning view of the Paute Valley from ‪Lynne Klippel‘s front porch! The river that is outside my home in Cuenca is one of 5 that flows into this bigger Paute river seen here that now flows down to the Amazon.

This is where Lynne runs her company, working with book writers and training business ghostwriters. WOW! Having been “watching” Lynne for a few years, I can tell you I have definitely seen a big uptick in her visibility and creativity since she moved here.

“Without poetry, there is no city.”

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writing

Translation: “Without poetry, there is no city.”

Cuenca, Ecuador, is full of the musings of this street philosopher. I couldn’t agree more, and I would stretch it to include all of the arts…without poetry, without art, without music, without theater, without dance, there is no city, no community.

How does this relate to your business? Where do you need to take a more “artistic” approach with your business strategies? Or a more poetic approach to your marketing? How do dance and music fit in…do they help make YOU a better businessperson? Worth pondering…

Finding my daily rhythm

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hallI am finding my daily rhythm here in Cuenca, just like these folks have theirs in front of the “new” cathedral.

I sight-see, take photos and walk around in the morning and then return to my home here in the afternoon to attend business matters, hold coaching calls and check-in with my team.

Life is good!

What daily routine do you do that works well when you travel?

Inspiration by the river

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rver2

The river outside my home here in Ecuador is utterly mesmerizing.

It’s fast. It’s rough. It’s loud. It’s beautiful.

Walking alongside it is my favorite thing to do here.

I also love sitting by the big window in my home that  overlooks the river to watch the variety of human experience happening on its banks.

Where is your  personal favorite inspiring spot? I’d love to hear about it below.

 

The hats! The skirts!

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hat
I had to ask around to see if it was OK to photograph members of the Andean indigenous population in Cuenca, Ecuador. I LOVE their brightly colored traditional clothing so reminiscent of Peruvian style.

Sometimes indigenous communities have very strong feelings against being photographed, or they want something in return. Once, in my earlier, more inexperienced, years of travel, I asked an indigenous woman in Oaxaca, Mexico, if I could take her photo.

At the time, I was a newspaper journalist, and we had ethical problems with “paying” for a photo. So I refused to pay her and she screamed at me. I could tell she was “cursing” me…literally.

Sure enough, when I was back in Mexico City, I ended up leaving my camera in a taxi, never to see it—or the photo I took of her—again.

So back here in Cuenca, I made sure to ask and several cab drivers told me “No problema.” But I still felt the need to keep my camera as unobtrusive as possible. So I sat far away and cropped these two lovelies into full view at home.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the person in the foreground is a woman, though this shot makes her look quite manly. But you’d never catch a man in a skirt here!