Thirty years ago cocoa (raw material for chocolate) was a major segment The most poignant example, to the Dowbrigade, is the sad story of Manabi Try as we might, we have found no place to purchase Flor de Manabi anywhere The one bright spot on the agricultural horizon is fresh flowers. Ecuador We just bought a dozen roses for Norma Yvonne at the local SuperMaxi It was somewhat later that we discovered that the magical effects of The province of Ecuador in which we are currently ensconced is called Manabi, and its largest industries are agriculture, fishing and tourism. Many of the towns and parishes, however, which rely exclusively on the first of these are in rough … Continue reading ![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/rosess.jpg\")
The province of Ecuador in which we are currently ensconced is called
\n Manabi<\/a>, and its largest industries are agriculture, fishing and tourism. Many
\n of the towns and parishes, however, which rely exclusively on the first
\n of these are in rough shape these days, victims of economies of scale,
\n tough trade barriers, inoperative government leadership in the sector
\n and general inefficiency and institutionalized corruption.<\/p>\n
\n of production, but the big companies like Nestle and Hershey only buy
\n in megalots, and all attempts to unite the hundreds of small producers
\n in Manabi ended in failure and bitterness, killing the business. For
\n a while shrimp farming looked like the salvation of sector, but a lack
\n of high (or even medium) tech infrastructure combined with a shrimp-sickness
\n called the "mancha blanca" (white spots) pretty much wiped that out.<\/p>\n
\n coffee. Sharing borders with both Colombia and Brazil, Ecuador produces
\n some of the best coffee in the world, no exaggeration. Manabi,
\n in particular, has optimum coffee growing conditions, and for years I
\n have been cajoling friends and relatives of Norma Yvonne who visit the
\n states, to bring me a few kilos of one particular brand, Flor de Manabi.
\n There is only one place we have found that sells it toasted and
\n ready to be ground – a tiny storefront in a working-class residential
\n suburb of Guayaquil, the main industrial center and port of the country.<\/p>\n
\n in Manabi province. The sad and ironic fact is that here in sophisticated
\n Manta, and the provincial city of Portoviejo, when you order a cup of
\n coffee you get a teacup of hot water and a can of Nescafe! Even in the
\n fanciest hotels and restaurants! I often ask why, and have yet to get
\n a cogent answer, other than that people don’t have the "costumbre" (habit)
\n of drinking ground coffee, and the local coffee industry was mismanaged
\n into the ground.<\/p>\n
\n produces beautiful and inexpensive flowers of all sorts, and a group
\n of savvy businessmen out of Quito, the highland national capital, have
\n managed to put together a world-class exporting consortium. Ecuadorian
\n flowers are on sale every day from LA to New York to the capitals of
\n Europe, mere hours after leaving the Quito airport.<\/p>\n
\n supermarket, for $1.08, including tax and without the supermarket card
\n discount. Now, we have never claimed to be a Don Juan or a Romeo of any
\n kind. In fact, what the Dowbrigade DOESN’T know about women would
\n fill the biggest hard drive in existence. However, one lesson we learned
\n early is that after a fight or a bonehead thoughtless lapse of male imbecility
\n (like needing to be bailed out of jail in Providence, R.I. after being
\n arrested for causing a disturbance at the Foxy Lady), nothing helps that
\n water flow faster under the bridge than a beautiful bouquet.<\/p>\n
\n flowers are multiplied many fold if you DON’T WAIT TIL YOU SCREW UP!
\n Yes guys, making flowers appear, out of the blue, for no special reason,
\n is the secret
\n WMD, the heavy artillery, of the war between the sexes. So all
\n you young guys out there searching for the secret shortcut to that paradise-between-the
\n -thighs (you listening, Jay?) take a tip from an old geek (unfortunately
\n it pretty much exhausts my store of useful knowledge on what makes women
\n tick). A dozen roses is pretty much a sure ticket to a night of insane
\n and affectionate pleasure. Even at American prices, its cheaper
\n that dinner and a movie.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"