On our fourth expedition to Ecuador we have brought along our mascota (pet in Spanish) Rufus.

We adopted Rufus two years ago from a local shelter. They saved him from certain death at a local pound. He had been abandoned because he was méchant. Since then he has brought fun and joy into our lives.

Getting all the required paperwork in Montreal wasn’t easy, but after trips to the vet, Canada Food and Inspection Agency and the
Ecuadorian consulate, all of whom levied fees for fancy looking documents, we arrived in Quito – a 12-hour journey, with a stop in Panama City. Rufus did extremely well in his carrier under the seat in front of me, and waited until we cleared customs to do his business outside the airport. Amazing control, we both agreed! At immigration the “inspector” looked casually at all our documents (I don’t think he knew what he was looking at) and asked to take them. Absolutely not, I said, I need them to get back to Canada. No copies, he asked? None, I said. Okay, he shrugged. And off we went.

We are happily ensconced in our beautiful penthouse condo on the Pacific Ocean in Salinas and so is Rufus.

He is now used to the elevator, to walking along the beach, to sitting under the tables in the restaurants we love, which are mostly outdoors, to greeting the children who come to visit us, to lounging in his chair by the balcony overlooking the bustling beach action.

It’s fun and invigorating to take Rufus out at 8am walking along the beach where he barks at other dogs and stays as far away from the shoreline as possible.

All and all, I’m very happy to have my little mascota with me for our two months in Salinas.