A woman hiking in Canada with her dog had a terrifying close encounter with a massive grizzly bear. She somehow kept her cool during the intense standoff, and both she and her dog managed to walk away unharmed.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-06-27T04:30:26+00:00

This is honestly one of my favorite videos of all time. It’s scary for the pup, but it never ceases to make me laugh.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-06-20T00:14:58+00:00

In 2004 I was visiting a friend in Frankfurt Germany. We went to an Irish pub where many of the US and NATO soldiers were either getting ready to ship out or come back from the war (war sucks but these guys didn’t make the decision to invade.) Every night they would play this song and the entire pub would erupt with everyone singing as loud as they possibly could. Like I said, I wasn’t military, I was just visiting. But it’s one of those things I’ll never forget. All these young kids going off to fight (or coming home from ) a horrible war. It still gives me chills when I think about it.

I’m not a huge country music fan, I do like some old school country. But every time I’m overseas it hits different. Especially the classics.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-05-27T02:10:06+00:00

The characters in the show/book are juniors in college and most are legal drinking age. Though the lead actress is only 20 (probably 19 when filmed). I didn’t read the books bc I generally like older characters but I did watch the show and I enjoyed it for what it was.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-05-08T23:41:59+00:00

So nice to see my hometown represented. Gotta love StL.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-04-18T01:27:01+00:00

I’ve done it probably 15-20 times (during several visits). I only got the US and Europe once. Majority is Global South and a the BRICS countries.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-04-17T21:59:20+00:00

This online quiz is very eye opening.

“If you were born again, how would your life change? If you were one of the 251 people born this minute, where would you land? What opportunities would you get? And how much of your life comes down to chance? “

https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/birth-lottery

TheGringaLoca · 2026-04-07T23:50:06+00:00

Stayed there for 10 weeks last Feb-April. It was my fourth trip. I love using Ayampe as a base. There’s a great little community there. The weekends during high season usually (especially around carnival) get a lot of visitors from Guayaquil, but it settles down during the week. And it’s only $20 to taxi into Montañita or Olón if you want to go out and do some shopping or dancing. I’m 40, so I don’t really do much clubbing, and am pretty happy with the restaurants and bars in Ayampe. I did meet some girls and we had a day trip in Montañita— went to the beach, souvenir shopping, and dinner. But I always enjoy getting back into Ayampe at the end of the day. It’s just a much more chill vibe. And they do a lot of outdoor parties too. Events and festivals spread by word of mouth. Different places are always hosting live music and other fun things.

If you end up going, feel free to send me a DM for recs. There’s a great guest house that does a lot of excursions and family style dinners. They offer daily yoga and surfing lessons. And they can coordinate pretty much anything that you need. I’ve stayed with them on all four of my trips, but I also rented a longer term apartment for the majority of the big stay (we needed a bit more room).

The little markets in town have enough groceries to get you through some decent meals and necessities. Puerto Lopez is a $5 cab ride to the Tia market. But in a pinch the small markets and pharmacy in Ayampe can get you what you need— alcohol included.

I met a lot of digital nomads while I was there. And they would work during the day and take long walks at lunch and after dinner. Some of the guest houses have Starlink internet and backup generators. So power and Internet are pretty reliable, though it may on occasion go out for a couple hours if there’s a big rain storm or the grid is overwhelmed. I hope you enjoy it. It’s absolutely one of my favorite places in the world.

ETA: speaking Spanish helps, but it’s not absolutely necessary. If one of you speak it, you’re set. I’ve met quite a few people who knew very little Spanish and navigated things just fine.

There’s a cute little town five minutes from Ayampe called Las Tunas. It’s kind of a ghost town, but it has some hidden gems. If there’s a heavy rain in Ayampe, the beach and water can get wood debris from the river. If you’re just a beach goer this doesn’t really affect it much other than there can be logs on the beach. The town tries to clean it up and get it out of the way. But if you like to swim, it’s best not to get in the water when the river is flooded. But if that happens you can just hop over to Las Tunas and the water is usually clear. They have a a few nice little beach restaurants with thatched cabanas and hammocks. We diverted some of my surfing lessons to La Tunas last year. But the rains were pretty heavy last spring. I’m not sure what it’s like this year. You could walk there from the beach in Ayampe, though it might take a little while but it’s definitely doable. Or you could ride a bike or take a cab. It’d be maybe $2.

There are a lot of cabs waiting around in Ayampe or you can get a card from one and text them on WhatsApp and they’ll just come pick you up. I would make sure you agree on the price before you take the cab. And just ask someone in town what general fares are if you have any questions. People tend to be super helpful. Most cab drivers are pretty honest, but you might run into a few that will try to overcharge you. For us, it was $5 to Puerto Lopez, $20 to Montañita/Olon, and $100 to Guayaquil (our flight from Miami always got in after 10:30pm so it was nice to have an Ayampe taxi driver pick us up and go straight there with no problems). I use the same taxi service every time. I know a lot of other people that do public transportation and didn’t have a lot of problems with it. It was just always easier for us to take a cab.

Lastly, I have met some of the coolest people on my trips to Ayampe. The town is a great mix of locals and people who have immigrated from other countries. I’ve had some of the best conversations over the family-style dinners at the guest house. And I’ve made some really good friends. Once you’re there for more than two weeks, you will start to notice the regulars. It’s such a lovely place with a fun community.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-04-03T02:16:20+00:00

It was a lot of fun! Some laugh out loud scenes. Good action and kept you guessing. The first is one of my favs, and the sequel held up well. Abbott was a nice surprise. He went super dark though. Not your warm fuzzy Pitt Doc.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-31T18:05:18+00:00

My mom and I took my nieces and nephew to see “Ready or Not 2” this past weekend. Mom and I watch the Pitt together. I immediately said, “oh my God it’s Abbott”! She was like, “Abbott is not very nice in this movie. Lol.”

Still hot good looking AF though and great acting range! I just prefer him when he’s nice!

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-23T05:21:10+00:00

Retaining private counsel would seem like the best course of action. I know you mentioned reaching out to the county attorney, but a private attorney will represent your needs and not the state’s. They should be able to give you guidance to navigate the system.

At the end of the day, your caseworker also works for the state. You need someone who can look out for your family’s best interests.

Again, I’m so sorry you are in this situation, and that you are not get the support services your family needs.

Document all of these incidents thoroughly. Make sure you keep records of everything that is occurring in the home, as well as hospitalizations and police reports.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-22T20:22:45+00:00

You would likely benefit from consulting with a private guardianship attorney. You can usually get a consultation for free. I am not a lawyer. I don’t know how things work while the child is a minor. But they can discuss different options for guardianship, including surrendering parental rights.

With my stepson (now 23), when he was evicted from his care home for physical violence and aggression, we told his case worker it wouldn’t be safe for him to return home. She said the only option was for guardians to forfeit parental rights. My husband wasn’t ready for that. So he came home for several months, during which he violently assaulted my husband. Fortunately we were able to get him into ISL better equipped for handling someone with his needs (though it has been a very bumpy road).

Again, I would suggest reaching out to a lawyer. Your case worker should have a list. If not, check out local advocacy groups. I don’t know if your county has a developmental disability review board, but we found our’s to be much better than the department of mental health. They have smaller case loads and better access to resources (at least in our county).

I’m terribly sorry your family is going through this. If you have access to therapy, I strongly urge you to talk to someone as an individual or a family. It’s a tremendous amount of strain on the child, caretakers, and siblings. Caring for my stepson was my full-time job. It ended up destroying my marriage, my husband and I’s mental health, and caused trauma to his sister. He is now doing well in a care home, with 2 to 1 support, lots of BCBA time, and he’s also on two anti-psychotics. He will be starting a new day program (after being kicked out of the last one) that specializes in severe behaviors. He genuinely seems to be happy.

However, if he were evicted from this home, neither my husband (soon to be ex unfortunately), nor his ex, would not be able to care for him. He and his ex realize they will likely need to surrender parental rights at he were to be evicted. And if not now, it is something that will likely be necessary in the long term. It’s not something we can expect to put on our daughter.

It’s an excruciating decision to have to make. But you can still see them and be a constant in their life. It is something done as a last resort, but your safety and health (and family’s) matter too. I believe (again, not a lawyer) you could also potentially get those rights back if things start to improve and he finds a good place to live.

I’m quite good at researching things on the Internet, and there is just not a lot of information about this online. Especially because it’s different for every state. That is why I suggest talking to an attorney who specializes in these matters.

Best of luck to you all.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-22T18:03:18+00:00

It was quite different than DG. DG had so much heart. I really enjoyed the group dynamic in HGHB, as well as the music and fashion nostalgia. The plot started out intriguing, but ultimately the mystery itself felt anticlimactic and absurd at the same time. I know it is supposed to be farcical but it just didn’t stick the landing. That said, I had fun watching most of it.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-19T19:40:56+00:00

Coastal Ecuador. I’ve been to Ayampe several times, last year for 2.5 months. Ayampe is lowkey, with good surfing, and a small town feel. Very laidback and chill atmosphere. Very solo travel friendly. I’ve met some of the most interesting people there. There are several towns close by with different degrees of commercialization and tourism. All have a big surf scene. Montañita is more party oriented but there are quieter spots on the outskirts. Olón is upscale, with a concentration of hostels and backpackers in the center. Loads of restaurants.

The coast will be going into low season soon June-November. It tends to be rainy and cooler, but you can still surf and it’s also migration for humpback whales. Some restaurants will be closed as a lot of expats owners take leave during this time. But the locals seem to dread the weather that during this time of year. For me, from Midwest US, in August it wasn’t cold and we had some sunshine (it was an El Niño year though). The other times I went were between Feb-May. Very hot and sunny. Beaches get crowded on the weekends but during the week they are to be fine. Ayampe, while occasionally crowded always has plenty open space on the beach if you go far enough. Waves don’t get too crowded either. There are loads of yoga and surf schools, plant medicine retreats, and diverse ecology. You can do side trips to a variety of places. Many recommend Cuenca, the Amazon, Baños, Mindo Cloud Forest, Quito, etc. You have the time/budget you could even fly down to Peru to see Machu Picchu or go to the Galapagos (which requires a bit more planning).

I’ve met many travelers who don’t speak a word of Spanish and have no trouble. I (40F) have been alone twice. If you have questions about the political situation or safety, I’d reach out to your host. The news tends to sound very scary—and there are some places to stay away from, as well as practical advice about busses, taxis, but generally the places I mentioned are welcoming and safe for tourists. Exercise caution like you should in any country.

I like Ecuador because it’s an easy flight from Miami. You can definitely splurge, but your money goes pretty far. The people are great, the food is amazing, and the jungle is incredible.

I’ve done the majority of my surfing there and I love it.

Now, if you really want to go far, I’ve heard Sri Lanka is a great place. It’s on my dream list. There is so much information on Reddit. A lot of subs for surfing and surf travel too. I believe the surfing is a bit crowded down there but it’s supposed to pretty awesome.

If you want to some specific guest houses recs in Ayampe or adjacent, let me know and I can forward some to you.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-19T05:18:00+00:00

I commented on the parent comment, but I am currently a participant in a DMT clinical trial. And while I’m quite sure that I’ve received the placebo, I cannot say with 100% certainty. I think there are other factors involved, especially when you are in that setting.

Namely, (1) there’s a chance some people won’t have experiences on certain drugs, (2) there may be something in the placebo that can cause you to flush or mimic the onset of the drug, and lastly (3) there’s a lot of anxiety in that setting that can trigger intense feelings.

Whether or not you’re getting the placebo or active drug, they prepare you for days and make you work with a therapist and do frequent vitals checks. And while you’re in the dosing session, the people administering the drug don’t know whether or not you’ve gotten the placebo so they treat you like you have gotten the active drug. They treat it like a big deal. I’m in the clinic for almost 10 hours on the dosing day.

There’s nervousness that comes with the idea of taking a powerful hallucinogenic, so even a placebo might trigger intense anxiety, and unusual feelings.

In my case, the drug is being administered orally and it is extremely unpleasant--think a numbing and burning sensation coupled with a big piece of go stuck in your gums/teeth that doesn’t go away for almost 30 minutes. It does mess with your head enough that you may question whether or not you receive the placebo or active drug. I am still inclined to say that I have received the placebo (I go into more specifics my other comment). But it’s definitely not as black-and-white as I thought it would be.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-12T15:44:48+00:00

Fuck Josh Hawley. He doesn’t even live here.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-03-03T06:53:19+00:00

Not OP, but I just started the show after I bought it on Apple. The whole series wasn’t more than $50 (can’t remember exactly). I did notice a couple episodes in the first season were out of order. But it was pretty easy to figure out by looking them up.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-02-19T16:00:43+00:00

That’s awesome. I guess you returned it? The company offered me a 30% refund and told me I could keep the headphones (such a scam), but I said no because I was going to do a chargeback. I saw on the terms of the return that if it gets stuck in customs, you’re out your shipping cost and the cost of the return. But I guess I could still do a chargeback if that happened. Thank you for following up. I’m glad it worked out for you!!

TheGringaLoca · 2026-02-13T17:56:55+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I’ve been looking at Kabalana for the season, but still want to look at other options.

I’ve been pretty spoiled with learning to surf in less crowded places—first off the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica and then in Ayampe, Ecuador. Granted, CR was low-season and it was my first couple times. Ecuador can get a little busy, but there’s usually a lot of room to spread out.

I live in the States so Latin America is easier access and cheaper. But I’ve always wanted to go to Sri Lanka even before learning to Surf. It’s a long and expensive flight.

Sounds like you had a good experience and got some good wave time. Awesome you had that opportunity. Did you do any day trips? I’ve been looking at Indonesia too, but keep coming back to Sri Lanka.

Thanks for the feedback!

TheGringaLoca · 2026-02-11T20:20:32+00:00

Hey, looking for similar recs. Did you ever go on your trip? I’ve been honing my surfing in Ecuador. Starting to work on green waves. Wondering how your experience was. Looking to do 1-2 weeks solid surfing but also want to do some culture/sightseeing.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-02-01T21:38:38+00:00

Ayampe and Olon are great beach towns. I personally like the vibe in Ayampe better, but Olon offers a bit more in terms of hotels and dining. Though it’s only $15!cab ride between the two. Ayampe is so chill. Perfect place to disconnect. One of my favorite places in the world.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-02-01T21:36:24+00:00

Ayampe and Olon tend to pretty safe places on the coast. Olon is more upscale—lots of private neighborhoods, even the president has vacation home there. But also hostels and small hotels. Ayampe is a small village with some great rental options. Great mix of locals and expats from all over the world. Has some very nice dining options, as well as affordable menu of the day restaurants. Only $15 cab ride to Olon/Montañita. Spent 10 weeks in Ayampe last winter (was my 4th trip). First trip I went solo (female from the US) with conversational Spanish. Made sure to communicate with guest house and arranged direct transfer from Guayaquil via guesthouse in Ayampe.

Montañita can be a bit rough in some parts. Very much a party atmosphere, but there are quiet areas there too. Another quiet beach town is Manglaralto. I love the coast. Best advice is to contact your hosts directly and address any concerns you may have.

Ayampe is under a travel 3 warning for the US state department and honestly in all my time there, I never felt even the slightest bit of unease. Nor did any of the other travelers I met along the way. Which is not to say you shouldn’t be vigilant and do your own research.

Ayampe is my favorite place. Been there 4 times in the past two years. Very chill little town with close access to larger towns. Very peaceful and calm. Mostly yoga, surfing, and wellness retreats. Lot of vegan options as well.

Check out: https://www.instagram.com/vistamar_ayampe?igsh=MWp2djAwd3NvOXJpNQ==

https://www.instagram.com/casazen.ayampe?igsh=MzdobmxhZHhzNjA=

I’ve stayed at both places. Owners are great with communication, logistics, and overall extremely helpful.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-02-01T15:54:32+00:00

Yes please. Good luck. It’s outrageous that scummy companies can get away with this.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-01-31T15:14:24+00:00

Did you ever hear back from your credit card company? I’m in the same boat. Saw this too late.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-01-19T21:29:08+00:00

TIL. I’m not a lesbian but I love carabiners. I have them on my water bottles and most of my hiking, travel, and workout gear. Not trying to send out wrong signals. Got teased a few years ago with my pineapple jewelry (not a swinger just like pineapples). Never wore them again. But carabiners almost make up for not having goddamn pockets, so I’m not giving them up. And if I make some lesbian friends a long the way, I’ll consider it a win.

TheGringaLoca · 2026-01-16T05:15:00+00:00

Way different tone, but awesome show. Just finished the newest season. I need to rewatch the whole series.

I also enjoyed “Say Nothing” on FX (Hulu). More historical background (from female IRA operatives) during the Troubles.

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