By Gary Scott

Spring has sprung and there is freshness, change and turmoil everywhere.

This change of season is especially true in currency markets. Several currencies have been clobbered, including the Icelandic krona, Australian and New Zealand dollar and Hungarian florin. 

The Brazilian real and Turkish try have done well.

Now the Icelandic kroner could become attractive. Jyske bank says that the magic ISK Euro rate to watch for is 90.00. At that point they would look for potential in buying ISK and ISK-denominated bonds. As of April 9, 2006 the ISK/Euro rate is 88.

Be looking for opportunity soon with ISK bonds if this currency falls more.

Learn more about how to develop investing philosophies and investments in currencies.  Join Merri, Thomas Fischer of Jyske Bank and me at our next International Business and Investing Made EZ course in North Carolina.  

As Easter approaches, there is a discernible excitement building here in the air. Cotacachi revolves around the Cathedral in more than one way.

The Cathedral dominates the village square right next door to El Meson.

Most mornings Merri, Ma and I walk and take in views of the nearby mountains, mists and clouds. The cathedral is always somewhere in view. Here it is again.

This wonderful religious heritage adds more than spirituality and beauty to the village. It creates an important export opportunity because this area is a globally famous center of religious art.

Down the road just a few minutes is the village of San Antonio de Ibarra, the woodworking capital of South America. In the late 16th century, wood carvers from Spain came here. They were official carvers for the Church, and they trained local workers.  Over the centuries the art died in Europe due to rising labor costs.  Here the wood carving continues and produces some of the finest carvings anywhere in the world. The carvers use a lost art, carving sculptures from solid wood blocks. These carvings are then coated with gesso which is recarved into exquisite detail. Each carving is polychrome painted using brushes only two or three hairs thick. Pure gold leaf is applied to finish the detail.

Here is an example:

We invested in some Santos years ago and here is what they were sold for in the US: 

Learn how to earn anywhere you travel. See beautiful sights. Learn how to have everlasting wealth. Join Merri and me and our Ecuador Import-Export Expedition.

Here is what one delegate from our last expedition wrote.

“Gary & Merri, I havereally been anxious to write and tell you how incredible my experience to Ecuador was.  The trips we made to the different markets was just unbelievable and enlightening.  These wonderful, gentle people are so gifted and I hope to be able to help them and myself by getting their beautiful products in the marketplace.  I already have great reviews on the wool capes with leather embellishments.  I talked to my friend and he is all ready to come down and look around at the real estate.  We will hopefully be down at the end of this month or the first of next month.  I will let you know more details when I get them.  Again, thanks for everything and I can't wait to start my home down there and become a part of that wonderful community.  All the children are ready to come and see what we have discovered.  Until I see you soon, you and Merri take care.”

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Until next message, may all the renewal in your life be good.

Gary

P.S. The greatest freedom in the world is to be able to earn wherever you do! Recently I spoke about this at a seminar about how to be a lucrative traveler. While there I gained quite a surprise. 

I am (or was) the world's worst photographer....really...by a mile. Once I nearly lost a great friendship just by agreeing to shoot the pictures for a friend's wedding. Not one photo turned out. That's how bad I was. 

Sure I had a camera, but I kept it hidden, in the back of the closet, as far out of my sight as I could.

Then in San Antonio, though I was busy speaking most of the time, I had a chance to attend just part of one of Rich Wagner's sessions on photography. Three simple things I learned had a profound impact on my shots.

You, my readers have noticed. I think fewer of you fall asleep reading my site now. I actually get raves from you about my pictures instead of what I write! I can now even turn something as hard to photo as a house into something interesting (see below). 

More important I am finding it fun to look for good shots. I now find myself doing odd but such enjoyable things.  One dawn I was hanging around the local Cathedral looking like a stalker or something. Actually I was just watching for the right person to step in front of the lens and create that special moment. I almost got a good one but not quite so the morning. When the sun rose I was back there. Another day I stared for half an hour at an abandoned concrete building (waiting for the right light) and one time I time I fell in love with a tree at dusk.

The point being....this added a wonderful dimension to life!

Anything that makes life more interesting and fun…plus gives freedom from earning wherever you go…is good. This is why you’ll want to know more about this seminar at http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/ltp/gs73