Cuenca IPad Users Group

I'm certain that if I still lived in Oregon I could not get a dozen people at 11:00 am to come for a meeting every other week to discuss how to effectively use the IPad as a replacement for their computer. Being retired and living in a city where you can walk or take public transit everywhere certainly makes setting up a meeting easier.

This past meeting we set up a Facebook Group ( Cuenca IPad Users Group) so we can communicate online as well as in person. If you're visiting Cuenca come and join us even if you're just considering purchasing an IPad.

A Rainy Monday In Cuenca

The last couple of days Cuenca has been reminding me of Portland Oregon. The day starts off gray and then there is intermittent rain all day. Except in Cuenca the rain is usually a downpour and the streets flood very quickly.

I decided to bring my camera and enjoy the rain and the beautiful river 20 meters from my apartment. I walked to El Centro to pick up a package at the Post Office and bumped into 3 expats on the way. Can you guess who I captured in the last picture?

Online Marketing, Riding The Bus And More Cows

This past Thursday I was invited to give a presentation to the Cuenca Chamber Of Commerce . The topic was "10 Must Have Online Marketing Tools".  The group was small and I did get to meet some new Cuencano business people as well as a new American.  I was told if I presented in Spanish the group size would have been quadrupled. My goal now is to be able to give the same presentation in six months totally in Spanish.

In previous posts I have talked about riding the bus in Cuenca. It's a great transportation system and for twenty five cents you get to ride just about anywhere in the city. It's rare that I have to wait for a bus more than 10 minutes. The down size is that most of the drivers are frustrated race car drivers. You should always have one hand free just in case there is an abrupt stop. I was carrying 4 packages from Super Maxi and when the bus driver jammed on his brakes I was airborne. A Cuencano saw this and caught me before me and the packages were splattered on the floor.

As some of you who read this blog know I am fond of a herd of Holsteins that graze in the park near my apartment. I had to hold my breath when Violetta was crossing Primero de Mayo alone.  No problema - she and her buds made it safely.

Violetta And The Yanuncay River

I try to walk at least 4 miles every day and change my route every other day. There is a Campasino women that owns 7 cows and grazes them in different areas of the city. Yes, Cuenca is a 460 year old city that has 18 story modern buildings and a herd of cows that grazes in different locations. I know it's the same herd because of one of the cows has a half moon on her upper back.I call her Violetta.

Each cow is on a tether but as you can see in the movie they are free roaming with traffic all around them.

Vilcabamba

Sharon along with Dean and Bill traveled to Vilcabamba to celebrate our anniversaries which are a week apart. Vilcambamba is about 4 hours southwest of Cuenca. It's about 3000 ft lower in altitude and the weather was considerably warmer during the day.

We stayed at Hosteria Izhcayluma. The cabins are very affordable and offer great vistas. We really enjoyed the massages. 75 minute full body massage is $18. We visited the very small town and were surprised that half the signs were in English.

Trebol Rose Plantation

Last Wednesday (8/31) the Cuenca Chamber Of Commerce Ex-Pat group visited the Trebol Rose Plantation.  It's about 40 minutes outside Cuenca but at 9500 ft. thus making it about 10-15 degrees cooler. The bus ride for the 20+ ex-pats was an adventure because the last 4 km were all narrow dirt roads and the bus driver had to use all his skills to get us there.

The owner has his wife were wonderful hosts. Juan took us on a superb tour and explained in great detail the whole process of growing and the business of exporting roses.  Russia and the U.S. are his two biggest customers. He and his wife raise 19 varieties of roses..

At the end of the tour we were invited back to their home and treated to hot tea, juice, vegetables and empanadas. Just before getting on to the bus each expat was presented with a bouquet of 24 magnificent red roses.