Letters: Ecuador’s natural beauty shines through

Ecuador’s beauty shines through

The beauty and “aliveness” of Mindo, Ecuador, came through clearly in “An Eden in the Clouds” [April 4], by Chris Kraul, who has reported for The Times on damage done in Ecuador by oil drilling.

Beauty like Mindo’s must be protected. Kraul is more than the armchair naturalist he says he is: He walked, saw, listened. And shared the beauty.

-- Damiana Chavez, Los Angeles

Coastal trip can be a bargain too

I am surprised that in the current economic recession the L.A. Times highlighted a $1,185 overnight stay at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur [“You, Me and Hwy. 1,” by Sally Horchow, April 4].

I am about to embark on my 20th road trip up the California and Oregon coasts. A cabin with a wood-burning fireplace in Gold Beach, Ore., just steps from a fabulous beach, and motels with an ocean view in San Simeon, Fort Bragg and Bandon Beach, Ore., are less than $100 a night.

In most of those towns, I have discovered dining spots worthy of Michelin stars. My first stop is at La Super-Rica in Santa Barbara. Add to that lunch at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, dinner at the Alloro Wine Bar & Restaurant in Bandon, Ore., and the culinary pièce de résistance, New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro in Talent, Ore.

I can do all the aforementioned for less than the $1,185 Horchow paid for a night at the Post Ranch Inn.

-- Sandy Driscoll, Los Angeles

Donate that timeshare

Regarding “Seller, Beware” [On the Spot, March 28]. There are a lot of charities that would love to have the use of the timeshare. All the owner needs to do is find one on the Internet and donate the timeshare to that group. My granddaughter has cerebral palsy, so the owner could donate his timeshare to ucp.org.

-- DeAnn Joyce, Rowland Heights

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The timeshare owner should contact the homeowners association of the inherited timeshare to see if it has a realty company that handles resales. I purchased a timeshare in Snowbird, Utah, in April 1978 and used it for 15-plus years. I sold the timeshare in April 2009. The approved realty company’s commission was 18%, and even after paying that and other fees, I managed to clear $34 from the sale.

--Louise Hirabayashi, Rosemead

Working the tax angle

Regarding “Can I Write Off My Latte?” by Terry Gardner [March 28].

I work for a school district and even before furloughs I couldn’t afford most of the Travel section. So you can see how refreshing it is to learn the proper way to work the business tax side of things, so that if I “should happen to meet my brother,” my trip is deductible but alas not my meal. It may be legal, but that doesn’t make it ethical.

-- M. Wauson, Westminster