Robert Bradley

“You can’t escape. Your heart will be broken, too.” This was how Jake introduced himself as he slumped against my table. It was a balmy evening, the cafe was full as he crumbled into one of the last available chairs. He went on: “I have never been married, other than a time or two when...

Word filtered down from North America that the U.S. is spinning out of control, flinging folks into a maelstrom of frenzy and gunfire. I was told that mass murder is treated with the same importance as a mass transit accident: what a shame and too bad. I was warned that the country is at war...

Dear Readers, I flew from Cuenca to Quito to Miami to Hartford on a clear and lovely day last week. Although I wished for nothing more than a giddy celebration, I knew there would be a sobering downside, too. I had been told repeatedly that the U.S. has changed in fundamental ways since my immigration...

There are many who hold Johnny Jara in esteem for his prowess in writing and publishing, others for his visionary talent in architectural design, and many others who enjoy his knowledgeable perspective on the arts in Ecuador. Those who know him best describe him as the quintessential Renaissance man whose gifts are made manifest in...

The sky thinks it has a squabble of seagulls in its sight, but then quickly realizes that this is not the coast and that these are not seabirds; this is Paute, and what is flying is a single cloud, born high in the Andes, discharged in the night, and drifting downwind from the cloud factory....

The painter, David Williams, arrived in Cuenca in 2015 after suffering a debilitating condition that all but claimed his eyesight. This condition would be devastating for anyone, but for a visual artist it is life altering. He credits two significant factors that helped him to accept his fate and see life more clearly. First, he...

I was having another fluky day tootling around El Centro.  As I wandered along Calle Larga towards Inglesia Todos Santos, I realized with regret that it has been two years since I last set foot in the restaurant right across the street, Sunrise Cafe. I also realized that I had never set foot in Tattoo...

I’ve been granted a gift greater than any vast fortune; I’m in love with the most marvelous woman ever. She is alluring, smarter than I am by a country mile, is extraordinarily kind, consistently generous towards others, deeply reflective, and enjoys a spiritual awareness that is refreshing and vigorous. She shares my addiction to solitary pursuits....

I’d like to share it with you a little test suggested by W.S. Merwin… Blindfold yourself with some suitable object. If time permits remain still for a moment. You may feel one or more of your senses begin to swim back toward you in the darkness. Meanwhile, have someone arrange the food items used in...

Author’s note: On the morning of March,16 2020, Ecuador closed its doors, forcing visitors to shelter in place. As a result, Peter Schramm, owner and manager of Izhcayluma Eco-Resort, near Vilcabamba, Ecuador, became the de-facto governor of an island state responsible for the lives of 32 strangers. This is the second of a two-part series....

Author’s note: The news of the earliest days of the corona 19 pandemic was well recorded by the press in Ecuador’s three major cities: the chaos in Guayaquil, the anger in Quito, and the somber acceptance in Cuenca. However, it was in the villages and small towns where the disease’s impact was most profound.  This...

Scattered among the many sublime features of Cuenca is a multitude of fine restaurants which are inviting guests once again. The range is expansive. There are a few places that encourage men to wear a sportscoat, or at least a well-pressed shirt and fine trousers,  semi-casual eveningwear for women is considered appropriate; a few others...