Faces Of Cuenca

Shopping At The Mercado

2012-03-04T15:19:00.000-06:00

Every Saturday morning Sharon and I go to breakfast at Bananas Cafe and then to the Diez de Agosto Mercado on Calle Larga. Just before we got into the Taxi we noticed a lone Campasino woman doing her laundry in the Yanuncay River. Notice how swift the river is flowing. Today's bargain at the Mercado was 30 great looking limons for a dollar.

Cuenca Street Scenes

2012-03-02T17:25:00.002-06:00

Me gusta mucho Cuenca. I like taking my camera with me on my walk and capturing street scenes especially street entertainers. In the video below one young man is juggling machetes and another couple is entertaining the traffic juggling their top hats.

Clases de natación

2012-02-28T11:29:00.000-06:00

I just finished my second swim lesson. I'm taking swim lessons from Emilie, a superb Instructor from Canada. She is helping me with my conditioning and mobility. Since my total hip replacement my doctor ordered me to do less walking and more swimming.

The lessons with Emilie are one to one in the Cuenca Olympic Pool. The lessons are very reasonable and the pool is practically empty at 10:00 am. I have a lane to myself. Today we were working on strengthening my flutter kick. Admission to the Pool is $1.50 and you can buy a month's pass at a substantial discount.

I am still finding muscles that I haven't used in years but today I felt great and probably could have walked home. Oops almost forgot there is a third pool where the water temp is 105 degrees F. A soak in that felt really great.

El hogar es donde está el corazón

2012-02-14T20:05:00.000-06:00

"Welcome Home Guys". That was what the handsome young man at the Miami Airport Customs said to Sharon and I as we handed him our passports. I thanked him and thought for a moment. I was real eager to see my son his new wife, my two step kids their spouses the 3 grandchildren and friends in Oregon but my home was now Cuenca, Ecuador.

I was born and lived for 45 years in New York City. I moved to Oregon and lived there for 21 years. Oregon felt like home after a short time and now Cuenca feels like home. ¿Por qué It may be a cliche or corny but home is where the heart is. My heart is in Cuenca.

Sharon and I had a wonderful trip. I got to buy my new MacBook Air and Sharon got to bring back all her fabric for her quilting projects. We visited with friends and family and met Connie, Robb's new wife.

We flew on 12 planes traveled two continents, 3 countries, 4 states and 3 cities. I got to overdose on Pad Thai and Peets' Caramel Lattes. It's back to Español, pitahaya and maracuya.

Faces Of San Diego

2012-02-02T20:05:00.000-06:00

Sharon and I had a great time visiting our grandchildren and their parents in San Diego. It was my first time seeing Kathy and Tyler's new house. It was an event filled 4 days. Soccer games, Cupcake Drive, Open House at the school and eating great Asian cuisines.

Faces Of Portland

2012-01-25T11:39:00.000-06:00

I'm sitting at the "Public Domain" Coffee place on Broadway and SW Alder. Nice place, good coffee and no noise like there is in Peets or Starbucks. 8 months ago when I was living in Portland this place didn't exist. I hope they make it but by the look of the sparse crowd, the competition and the high rent I would be surprised if they are in business in a year.

It's been raining everyday for the past week. Not the 1 hour Cuenca downpour, and then sun rain, but the entire day 2-4"kind of rain. Major flooding south and west of Portland. I spent the first 44 years of my life living in New York City so tall buildings are not strange to me. My friend Bob noticed that during our walk in Portland I was looking at the tall buildings as if I never lived in a big city. I also forgot how good a latte tastes. I have been overdosing on carmel and hazelnut lattes. I also forgot how many people smoke. Although smoking is prohibited in buildings my sweaters and jackets have smelled of smoke just walking past smokers on the street.

I had a great lunch with my friends Kevin and Pablo. Thanks guys for indulging my need for Thai and Chinese food. In the Chinese restaurant I asked the waitress " Bano"? I laughed - She didn't. I'm typing on my new Macbook Air. Muy Chevere! I'm not a Mac zealot but I can't see any reason for going back to Windows.

Our time with Blake our youngest grandson was wonderful. It took him a little while to warm up to us. 8 months away is a significant part of his life Skype is great but there's nothing like a grandson hug.

Tomorrow we fly to San Diego to see los otros dos nietos and hopefully no rain.

Ready, Fire, Aim - Back To The U.S.

2012-01-16T15:47:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow we start our journey back to the United States. It will take us two days. I love Cuenca but getting back to the Northwest requires two days of travel with one night at a hotel. I am looking forward to seeing family and friends and also chowing down on some of the familiar foods that I've missed the past 8 months. Who would have thought that a Costco Hot Dog is high on the list. We will be in Oregon, California and Idaho to see family and both Sharon and I will be busy catching up with friends and hanging out at the Apple Store. Cuenca is now home and I'll miss the quiet life and new friends.

Breakfast With Friends

2012-01-08T08:39:00.000-06:00

On most Satudays we have breakfast with our frineds Bill and Dean. Today we ate at San Blas and I had Cuenca's best French Toast with real Vermont Maple Syrup. We then walked to a new Mercado on Mariscal Lamar and shopped for some cheeries.

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Look What $20 Buys You At The Market

2012-01-05T14:47:00.000-06:00

Sharon and I have been in Cuenca almost 8 months. There are times we really miss the car but I have been shopping 3-4 times a week and I always get fresh meat, fruits and vegetables. Part of the fun is also walking and traveling on the bus.

My first stop today was Coopera ( The Food Co-op) I purchased the following

1 pound of camarones (shrimp)
1 box of Lemon Cedron Tea
2 purple cebollas (onions)
8 limons ( limes)
3 pepinillo (cucumbers)
2 pimientos rojos (red pepper)
1 pound of Col brusse (brussel sprouts)
2 heads of brocolli
2 pitajaya
1/2 pound or garlic cloves
3 large pieces of ginger
1 small head of Napa Cabbage

I hopped another bus and traveled to 10 de Agosto Mercado

Katerina is my favorite fruit lady.
2 large Papayas
1 lb of Bing cherries
1 lb of strawberries
4 Avocados
10 Tangerines
5 pounds of bananas
1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of potatoes

Total cost $20.62-

Me gusta mucho Cuenca

Medical Care In Cuenca

2012-01-04T20:35:00.000-06:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that Sharon and I enrolled in the Coopera Credit Union Medical Insurance. The monthly premium is $4.75 for both of us. Yes, the decimal point is in the right place. This premium entitles us to medical and dental visits for a $2 co-pay. The medical doctor is bilingual but the dentist only speaks Español. Coopera's medical office is in San Jacquin which an easy bus ride from Cuenca.

I have slightly elevated blood pressure so I was having my pressure checked when I mentioned to Dr. Peña (the Coopera Doctor) that I was having trouble with my hip. She gave me the name of a Orthopedic Specialist and I called and received an appointment the next day.

Cost For the Coopera Dr. - Copay $2
Cost for 30 day supply of High Blood pressure medicine $1.85
Cost for Buses to San Jacquin and Latino Clinic $2 actually it was 96 cents since I am over 65 and eligible for a 12 cent bus ride.
Cost for Orthopedic Specialist after insurance reimbursement $5

Are there any drawbacks to the Coopera Insurance. Yes, one doctor not easy to get to in an emergency. $480 limit per person annually on health benefits. But, you can't beat getting an appointment with a specialist in one day and finding prescriptions that are 1/5 of the cost in The States.

Reflecting On 2011

2011-12-27T12:01:00.000-06:00

2011wins hands down as the biggest change in my life. Last year at this time Sharon and I returned from our visit to Ecuador and we started making plans to retire in Cuenca. So many decisions to make.

Quitting our jobs
Selling or renting our house
Selling or storing our furniture
Bringing our dog?
Starting the residency process
Booking airline tickets
Saying goodbye to friends and relatives
Bringing our cat

Thank goodness I listened to Sharon . I thought the process would take 4-6 weeks but it took every day of 5 months to get everything ready.

In the end we decided not to bring our beloved 11 year old Samoyed. A wonderful family who just lost their Sammy adopted Cassie and we receive timely reports on how well she is doing. Feisty, our 16 year old cat is thriving in Cuenca.

Almost all of our friends and most of our family were supportive concerning our move to Cuenca. I still giggle at the lack of knowledge that some of our family displayed about Ecuador. The best tech advice I can give someone contemplating the move is to bring down the best computer/tablet/cell phone/Kindle that you can afford to Ecuador. The electronics will cost you 30- 40% more in EC and some of the products are just not available. Make sure you bring Magic Jack for phone calls.

Both Sharon and I had preconceived thoughts about our transition to our new life in Ecuador. In 7 months we have rented a beautiful apartment overlooking the Yanuncay River. We have met wonderful new Expat and Cuencano friends. The Cuencanos we have met have all been friendly and welcoming and both of us have made a good start in transitioning to Español by taking Spanish lessons. We both love the climate, the people, the slower paced and affordable life style of our new home in Cuenca.

Have there been speed bumps along the way? Of course. Our expected 3 month residency process took 7 months and we had to postpone a trip back to the States. Internet connectivity remains a daily challenge. We still need a translator for most detailed transactions. There are days I long for a decent Thai or Chinese meal, Although, Skype brings our friends and family to the computer screen Sharon and I both miss our friends, kids and granndkids.

The Animoto video below is a compendium of shots from Oregon and Cuenca.

Feliz Año Nuevo

Caminando y hablando Español

2011-12-18T13:21:00.000-06:00

This morning I had a delightful walk with Santi, the brother of Rebe, my Spanish teacher. Rebe and her family plus Maria Elena and her family have become good friends since our move to Ecuador.

I was apprehensive about our walk since Santi knows just a handful of English words and I have been the world's worst Spanish student. The walk was great and we managed to communicate just fine. I don't know if my Spanish is improving or I'm a great Charades player but we rarely found ourselves without something to say.

I am publicly recommitting myself to doing my homework and practicing an hour a day. Taxicab and restaurant Spanish will get you by but if you really want to flourish in Cuenca you have to be conversational.

We started at Tres Puentes (Three Bridges) and walked to Parque de Paridisio. Coming back we stopped at a local tienda and had 2 coffees and 2 pan for a total of $1.50. Coming back Santi showed me different neighborhoods. I liked the grafitti on one house. The neighbors probably did not.

Tenemos nuestra residencia en Ecuador

2011-12-16T16:10:00.000-06:00

Sharon and I are officially Ecuadorian residents. After 7 months we finally received our Cedula in Quito yesterday. A Cedula is a national identity card and every Ecuadorian has to have one (even babies). You have to apply in person with all your paperwork. Every "i " dotted and every "t" crossed. Plus everything has to match your birth certifiicate, Passport and Censo card. Plus your signature has to be the same on everyone of those documents.

For a moment imagine your worst DMV experience and then think of standing in line at 7:30 am with 800 other applicants trying to see 15 examiners without networked computers to answer questions (all in Spanish), fingerprinted, photographed and one mens room and one ladies room for all those people.

How's the DMV looking now?

Actually the day turned out to be two since our flight from Cuenca was late and we arrived in Quito at 10:30 am and could not get a number for our finger printing. It was the best people watching day of my life. All social and ethnic groups were represented and the costumes and babies were mesmorizing.

I think the reason Sharon and I are flourishing in Ecuador is because we realize that we are living in a 3rd world country but experiencing 1st world life experiences.
Here is an example. During the Cedula process our Ecuadorian examiner could not understand why Sharon did not have my last name. Even though our marriage license was in the pack of papers. I could not explain in my very rudimentary Spanish that it was "esta bien" (OK) for women in the U.S. to keep their maiden name. It looked for a moment that our application was going to be held up. Up stepped a complete stranger in the waiting room to volunteer to translate and in 2 minutes the problem was solved. Bernice was from Cuenca and she is also a hairdresser. She gave Sharon her card and now we have a potential new hairdresser.

Almost without exception the Ecuadorians we have met are friendly, and eager to help us in every aspect of adjusting to life in South America.

We didn't see a lot of Quito. The population is 4 times the size of Cuenca with all the traffic problems that a city with 2 million people would experience. It was refreshing to go into the mall and experience all the stores that an American city would take for granted.

Vacas Y El Rio

2011-12-02T08:55:00.002-06:00

Walking is one of my favorite activities in Cuenca. A bonus to walking is taking pictures and anticipating finding my favorite herd of Cows. The herd consists of 7 cows and I've named one Violetta.
She has a half moon on the top of her back so she is easy to identify.

Yesterday, I walked to ETAPA, the city owned utility company to change my Internet service. The Internet Service that we use in the building is like the "Little Girl With The Curl". We shared 1 meg with 10 people. When one or two were on the service was passable. When 3 or more were on Skype was unusable. So it was off to ETAPA to change service providers. I did the whole transaction in Spanish. I was a little nervous signing the contract but I'm pretty sure I signed up for 2mg for $51.00 a month.

Cuenca IPad Users Group Skype Session

2011-11-22T13:03:00.000-06:00

Today, the group skyped with Len Edgerly of The Kindle Chronicles. The topic: "How Does The IPad Compare" with the IPad. Len demonstrated the Kindle Fire as well as the other new Kindle Reader models. Our group was able to ask him questions about specific applications running on the Kindle Fire as well as would Amazon's Prime Service work in Ecuador without the use of a VPN.

Two days before the meeting I was emailed about someone from the U.S. joining our meeting. I'm happy to announce that this will be possible in the very near future. I'm upgrading my bandwidth and you'll be able to join us live via Skype and also via a video after the meeting. We will also be discussing some of the new tools that new expats will need visiting or retiring to Ecuador. Contact me for more details.
Lenny Charnoff graygeek at gmail.com

The Journey Is The Reward

2011-11-19T16:59:00.001-06:00

Sharon asked me to walk to Cadelaes, her favorite spice store. I read on the Ecuador Expat Facebook page that there was another branch of Cadelas on the east end of town. So off I went camera in hand to find the store. The video below depicts the journey. It was a 3.6 mile walk there and after finding the the store closed for their 90 minute lunch break I decided to make the trip on Monday. On the way back I stopped at San Blas for an eighty five cent durazno (peach ) ice cream cone. I took Mariscal Lamar to Benigno Malo and then to Solano and stopping off at Mt. Sinai Hospital Farmacia for a medicine that I could pick up without a prescription that would have cost $30 in the States and cost $10.82 here. I found Violetta my favorite cow grazing 50 meters from the apartment on the other side of the Yanuncay River. Life Is Good In Cuenca

Six Months In Cuenca

2011-11-14T13:11:00.001-06:00

This Saturday marked a half year in Cuenca for Sharon and I. We enjoy our new apartment and have made wonderful new expat and Ecuadorian friends. The weather right now is very spring like. The temperature is in the low 70's each day and the nights are not as chilly. We look forward to traveling back to the U.S.in January to see our family and friends who we miss dearly. The video below is a compendium of photos over the past 6 months.

November 10th ExPat Day In Cuenca

2011-11-10T22:08:00.000-06:00

The Chamber of Commerce in Cuenca declared Nov 10th as Expat Day in Cuenca. A wonderful party and real treat in my life to live in such a marvelous city. Viva Cuenca.

The Silver Cook In El Centro

2011-11-06T12:29:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was a real treat when a new Mime started performing on the side of the New Cathedral in Cuenca. He has real talent. Besides the expert paint and costume he had professional arm and eye movements. Notice the feint hand movement at 0.48 when the chicas want him to pose.

I finish the video with a Sunday walk along Calle Larga to the 10th of August Mercado. Sharon went upstairs and did all the negotiating in Spanish alone.

The Cuenca Art Shows

2011-11-04T17:21:00.000-06:00

If you like Art Shows then Cuenca was Nirvana this week. It was a week long holiday and it seems that every street you walked down had a music or art festival. I concentrated on getting gifts for friends and family when we go back to the States in January.

My favorite activity was negotiating with some Peruvian ladies for alpaca sweaters. I posed with my favorite saleslady after the transaction.

A Walk Down Calle Larga

2011-10-30T21:16:00.001-06:00

After a declicious breakfast at the Kook Sharon, Dean, Bill and I go shopping for fruits and veggies at Diez de Augusto ( the tenth of August) Mercado (Market). Open 7 days a week the market consists of two big floors. Meats, Fish and Fruits are on the bottom floor. Restaurants, Shops and Veggies are on the top floor. We were in search of onions, carrots, potatoes, strawberries, mangoes, and papayas.

Sharon did all of the negotiating of prices for the first time in Spanish. Besides the great price of fresh produce I love photographing the Campasinos in their native costumes.

Un dia hermosa en el barrio

2011-10-22T15:58:00.001-06:00

Un dia hermosa en el barrioThe title of this post translates to "A beautiful day in the neighborhood". The weather has been just fantastic in Cuenca the last couple of days. Sunny, and in the high 70's around 3:00 pm and very low humidity. We had breakfast with our good friends Dean and Bill at Banana's Restaurant right near the Caroline Book Store. The country breakfast ( huevos, papas, tocina y cafe) was outstanding. We walked to the 10th of August Mercado and purchased strawberries, limes, and potatoes.

Later that day I walked into El Centro and exchanged a Blu-Ray Disc that had no subtitles. Hopefully in year I'll be ready to see a movie entirely in Spanish but I'm not ready now.

No Cambio

2011-10-16T17:16:00.000-06:00

"No Cambio" is roughly translated into English as "no change". No change as in handing a Cunecano merchant currency and he/she has no change in the till.

I think all of you who read this blog know that Ecuador as well as Panama and El Salvador use the American Dollar as their currency. Ecuador mints their coins but relies on available paper currency for circulation. Cuenca also heavily uses the gold Sacajewa coins.

I have learned from experience to always carry gold coins, $5 and $10 bills because going to the local tiendas (stores) you have almost no chance of getting change of a $20 before noon.

One of the perks of living in Cuenca is that you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the local tiendas, food coop or from the campasino vendors on the street. My first score was 10 large madirinas(tangerines) for a $1. I've purchased fruit from this street vendor before and he always starts off with the "Gringo Price". I'm confident with my numbers and we quickly negotiated the right price. The "right price" is also in different parts of town. I can get 15 tangerines for a $1 if I go the Fiere Libre Market but that's a bus ride away and very busy.

My next purchase was a 1/2 kilo of fresas (strawberries) for $1.50. The third purchase was a 1/2 kilo of freshly ground cafe (coffee) for $3.00. I gave the jefe (manager) a $5 bill and his reply was "no cambio". The woman next to me had made a purchase with a $10 bill and she had the same predicament. We waited for 5 minutes until the next customer came. In the interim she started talking to me in Spanish. The usual conversation entails if I'm visiting or living in Cuenca? Do I like Cuenca? Where am I from? and am I renting or buying? You always get a big smile from Cuencanos when you speak Spanish.

The video below is my walk into town and some of the interesting sites in front of my apartment building on the Yanuncay River.

Lots Of Mileage With 2 Spanish Words

2011-10-06T16:02:00.001-06:00

I'm back to taking Spanish lessons 3 times a week and I try to use as much Spanish on my walks into El Centro. I was exiting the Farmacia at Mt. Sinai Hospital. An adorable 2 year old was blocking my path. I probably would have knocked her down if I opened the door. Her father saw this and quickly swooped her up in his arms. I said "Tu hija es muy hermosa"(your daugher is very beautiful). His face lit up and he immediately said "Muchas gracias".

The next encounter was on the bus and two young boys were having a friendly argument about who had the best backpack. When one of them got off the bus I told the other one that his backpack was "muy chevere" which translates to "very cool". I was greeted with a surprised smile. My goal is everyday to start a conversation in Spanish with someone I don't know.

Below is an Animoto video of my walk today.

Juggling With Fire

2011-10-01T14:05:00.000-06:00

The title of the post sounds like it could be a political novel or a TV reality show. It's actually a street entertainer that I encountered on my daily walk into El Centro. The corner of Doce de Abril y Solano is very busy with traffic and pedestrians. There's is always one or two street entertainer demonstrating their talent. This young man was especially good.

Cuenca IPad Users Group

2011-09-29T20:33:00.000-06:00

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

2011-09-26T13:40:00.000-06:00

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

2011-09-24T08:20:00.000-06:00

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

2011-09-16T20:50:00.000-06:00

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

2011-09-09T08:04:00.000-06:00

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

2011-09-04T08:21:00.001-06:00

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.

Bus Stops And Friendly Cuencanos

2011-08-30T15:28:00.000-06:00

The weather changes every hour in Cuenca. I was walking back from the Coopera near Avenida de las Americas when the skies opened up. Of course I had no umbrella. And the nearest bus stop was 3 blocks away. Frequently a bus will stop if you flag him down. The buses run every 5 mintues and I was able to flag the next bus in about 3 minutes thus avoiding a complete soaking. The fare is 25 cents but the driver usually makes change if you have a 50 cent or $1 coin. I purchase a bus card and pass my card over the card reader. Students and seniors over 65 pay 12 cents when using a card. The down side is that the bus drivers are frustrated Indy race car drives. In my scores of rides I have only met 2or 3 bus drivers that drive safe and slow.

I ventured out in the afternoon to buy some Blu-Ray discs. I found a tienda that sells them 3 for $10. On the way there waiting for the light to turn green I exchanged a smile with a Cuencano about my age. Note to readers I know about 400 Spanish words but my conjugation of verbs has a long way to go. He asked me in Spanish "how it was going" and if I was an American. We found out that we lived only a block away. In the next 10 minutes we chatted about our children, grandchildren and the crazy Cuencano cab drivers. I told him I had an errand to complete and then I was walking to Super Maxi ( the big supermarket in Cuenca. He asked me if I needed a ride to the store. After waiting for me to shop he drove me back to his apartment.(a block from my apartment) . He invited me in for coffee and we agreed to meet Thursday for a walk. All in All a great experience and maybe a new friend in Cuenca. I'm sure I killed the tense in a couple of my Spanish sentences but I have found Cuencanos to smile and appreciate that I am using Spanish. My favorite mistake was when asked if I like the fish in Ecuador. I quickly replied, "Me gusta mucho Cortina. thinking I was saying "Corvina" which is Sea Bass. I really was saying, "I really like the curtains".

The picture below I captured in the Tomebamba River where some Camapasinos were washing their laundry.

El Centro And Futbol

2011-08-28T17:03:00.002-06:00

The New Cathedral is almost always on my walking route. It's a great place to people watch and there's music and in this video one of the reasons why children are so well behaved in Ecuador. I also snap my wife and Dean outside of Banana's Restaurant.

The next day on my walk to SuperMaxi I pass the stadium and there are some pictures of police on horseback protecting the crowds at a Futbol game. They take that sport very seriously in Ecuador.

Mercado 9 de Octubre

2011-08-25T16:02:00.001-06:00

Cuenca has many mercados. The biggest is Fiere Libre. I went there once with a Spanish speaking ex-pat and was overwhemed. It's was indeed a visceral experience. A smaller and gentler Mercado is Mercado 9 de Octubre located at Mariscal Lamar and Hno Miguel. Today I ventured in and was awed by the 2 floors of vendors. I mostly stayed on the first floor and was very proud that I conducted all the transactions in Spanish without using hand gestures. I even asked for a nyapa( spelling) which in Quecha means an extra.

Birthday, Tomebamba River And Empty Streets

2011-08-22T09:21:00.000-06:00

My birthday celebration lasted two days. The night before my birthday I had a wonderful meal with our new Cuencano friends and on my birthday Sharon and I had dinner with two other ex-pat couples at the Hotel Victoria. I highly recommend the food at their restaurant. I had the Filet Mignon ($8.25). The rest of the movie contains shots of the Tomebamba River and some of the closed streets during a bike race this past weekend.

My Favorite Street Entertainer Is Back

2011-08-15T19:13:00.003-06:00

Most every day I walk on Solano to El Centro and on the corner of Doce de Abril and Solano there is usually a street entertainer or two. I've always wondered how they decide who gets what corner. In any case this guy has definite potential. I also snap some of the scenes by the Tomebamba River and the construction of the new condos near Tres Puentes.

3 Months In Cuenca

2011-08-12T19:34:00.001-06:00

3 months ago Sharon, Feisty ( our 16 year old kitty) and I left Oregon and started our retirement in Cuenca. We have been very fortunate so far. We have met some wonderful expat and Cuencano friends and our apartment is 20 meters from the ever changing Yanuncay River. A son of a Cuencano friend one day described the river as angry and told me that the rivers take on the personality of a human. Today I took my camera and shot the river at different times of the day. Today, I would call the river "friendly".

Children Working With Their Parents

2011-08-06T17:33:00.001-06:00

In Cuenca you often see Campesino women and their children selling fruit, potato chips and lotto tickets. In the first part of the movie you can see a tiny toddler dressed in a pink sweat suit working near her mother. In the last part of the movie you can see a son working with his bus driver dad. Bus drivers unlike their counterpart in the U.S. make change. The bus driver's son swipes the bus pass when passengers give coins larger than a quarter.

Churches, Stilts, Soldiers, PlantMan, Rivers

2011-08-04T11:49:00.000-06:00

I had good intentions when I started this video. I was going to shoot video of at least 10 of the scores of churches in Cuenca. I easily became distracted with students on stilts, soldiers guarding the Provincial Government building and the rivers. But the most interesting distraction has been the "Plant Man".

Cuenca is a city of 400,000 people. I walk everyday and I have seen this man 5 different times. Yesterday, I saw him in two different locations. Next time I see him I'm going to buy a plant.

Streets Closed For Family Activities

2011-07-31T18:47:00.000-06:00

It's always fun to walk to El Centro (Old Town) and people watch. Today, there were 3 or 4 major activities and most of the main streets were closed to cars and buses. It was nice being able to walk down the cobblestone avenues and not be concerned about dodging taxis. There were several races but my favorite site (its at the 1:28 of the youtube video) was putting exercise ropes at one of the pedestrian bridges on the Tomebamba River.

I took a different route home and I got to see two beautiful churches that I've never been in. Watch for my next video on the Churches of Cuenca.

Candle Factory- Cuenca

2011-07-28T15:02:00.001-06:00

Each month the Cuenca Expats Group of the Chamber of Commerce takes a trip to an interesting Cuenca business. We visited a candle factory that makes candles using 3 antiquated machines. The business employs 6 people and they primarily make candles for 3 retail locations.

Can you guess what vegetable is under the purple/blue flower?

In Cuenca: Don't Leave Home Without Your Camera

2011-07-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

Every morning when I leave for my walk my camera is ready to load into my pocket along with my wallet and keys. Every day there is either a street entertainer or someone doing something unusual on my path. The video shows how this street performer handles a little mishap.

Tiendas Of Cuenca

2011-07-25T13:23:00.000-06:00

A Tienda is defined as a stall or store that sells merchandise. You can find a tienda on every block in Cuenca. Most are not bigger than 300 sq.ft. Many resemble the 7-11's in the States. The majority don't open before 9:30 am and many tiendas close between 1-3:00pm for the afternoon nap.

Many of the Tiendas also are able to recharge or add minutes to your cell phone. On my street my two favorites Tiendas are Marsello's Panaderia (Bakery) and the Tomebama Lavanderia (Laundry)

Street Vendors Of Cuenca

2011-07-22T19:39:00.000-06:00

I take my trusty Kodak Camcorder with me on my walk today. The first category of street vendors are the Campesino women selling fruit from wheelbarrows. The second category are tricycle vendors selling food on the street. The third type are the permanent street carts usually on the corner selling candies, sodas flowers, newspapers and shoeshines.

I was lucky today to pass through Parque Calderon where the Cuenca City Hall was sponsoring an Opera singer. Of course I always enjoy watching the beautiful churches in Cuenca. Enjoy the video. Part 2 will concentrate on the Tiendas of Cuenca.

8 Weeks In Cuenca

2011-07-20T21:50:00.001-06:00

Sharon and I are fortunate that our move from Oregon to Cuenca went so smoothly. We rented a beautiful apartment 20 meters from the Yanuncay River. On our walks we can experience the daily mood of the river. A new Cuencana friend's son one day described the river as "angry". We see people washing their clothes and fishing almost every day. I'm also fortunate to be able to walk everyday into El Centro ( Old Town). I see the beautiful churches, the ongoing construction and the street entertainers.

In the next couple of posts I'll try and paint a picture of the city's entrepreneurs. Enjoy the video.

Graffiti, Street Art And The Machete Juggler

2011-07-19T19:35:00.000-06:00

All cities have their share of graffiti. When I lived in the New York there was one year your eyes were immediately asaulted with the graffiti on the subway cars. It seems to me that Cuenca has more than their share of graffiti for a city of 400,000 people. Is this the work of bored teenagers or gangs? Fortunately, there is a lot of good street art that compensates for the graffiti. In the video below I walk on Calle Larga and document some of the street art and graffiti. I end up on Solano to witness a juggler throwing machete's in the air. Never a dull moment in Cuenca.

Blue Buses Of Cuenca

2011-07-18T15:17:00.001-06:00

When I lived in the United States I often used the public buses. In Portland a ride on the Tri-Met Bus is $2.35 and a ride on the New York City Buses is $2.50. In Cuenca a ride on the Blue Bus is 25 cents. The good news is that the bus system ( 28 lines) is safe, efficient, and I have never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus. The bad news is that it's not handicap friendly and the exhaust from the diesel fumes are very smelly.

Riding the bus is always an adventure. Don't tarry getting on the bus because the driver waits for no one. The bus often moves as you are getting your second foot on the step. Always hold on to the seat or banister because most bus drivers take off and stop abruptly. Don't assume a bus will stop for you just because you're standing at a bus stop. Yours truly found out the hard way. The correct protocol is to extend your arm out at elbow height. In the video you can see several passengers exhibit the correct method.

There is a great free guide to the bus system at the Tourist office opposite Parque Calderon. My goal is to ride all the bus routes and report on the most interesting rides. In eight weeks I have been a passenger on 4 bus routes. Just 24 more to go. Mas tarde ( more later)

Cherimoya & Sunday In The Park

2011-07-17T15:45:00.000-06:00

My second favorite tropical fruit is Cherimoya. I purchase the fruit at both the local food cooperative and the local markets. Today's smoothie was 1/2 Cherimoya, 1 1/2 Pitahaya, 1 Tangerine 1/2 Papaya, 4 oz of Pina, Coco Yogurt. You can find out more about the health benefits of Cherimoya here

After breakfast at the Kook Sharon and I took our weekly walk through Parque Calderon. The park had a band playing and there were vendors selling hats and native dresses. The last 4 seconds of the video is of handsome Rooster outside a furniture store on Solano Ave.

Me Gusta Pitahaya

2011-07-16T14:28:00.000-06:00

One of the benefits of moving to Cuenca is being able to reasonably purchase and consume large quantities of tropical fruit. In the next couple of posts I'll talk about my favorite varietals and how I prepare them for juicing and eating.

Pitahaya (Dragon Fruit) is hands down my favorite. I purchase them from Coopera, the local food cooperative. The price of the fruit varies. Today I purchased 5 large Pitahayas for $3.00. They are usually about $4.90 a kg (2.2 lbs). If I'm real lucky I can find them on sale at 10 for $1 at the Coopera. You have to consume them within 2 days or freeze the pulp. You can find more on the health effects of pitahaya here

This morning I sliced two large pitahayas and scooped out the flesh into the blender. Next I added the juice of two oranges and the flesh of 1/2 cherimoya, 1/2 strawberry papaya, 4 oz of Pina Coco Yogurt, 4 ice cubes and 1 tps of sugar. Blend for about 30 seconds and you have 16 oz of nirvana.

Bonus: Short video of a walk near the New Cathedral.

Short Walk

2011-07-15T14:52:00.000-06:00

I met my friend Bill for a short walk. He introduced me to his barber. Martha cut his hair and my hair. My hair cut was $4. The Spanish word "todos"( everything) is taken seriously at the barber. We then called both our wives and had a great vegetarian almurezo (lunch) three blocks away. The movie below shows our walking path by the Tomebamba River and some of the traffice on Avanida De Las Americas.

A Long Walk

2011-07-13T17:05:00.000-06:00

Once a week I try to walk to someplace unusual or to a place I usually take a taxi or bus. Today I decided to walk to Coopera, the local food cooperative to buy pitahaya (dragon fruit). On the way I bumped into a fellow American. Clarke has been here for over a year and I have been living in Cuenca just short of 2 months. We have bumped into each other by acccident 4 times in less than 8 weeks. Cuenca's population is about the population of Portland Oregon. He invited me to lunch and we had a great Almuerzo for $2.50 which consisted of soup, juice, chicken, rice, macaroni salad, plantain and a banana for dessert. We then parted company and I went to the Food Coop. On the way back I got on the wrong bus so my walk was a little longer.

My wife asked me if I was too tired to walk along the Yanuncay River by our apartment. We enjoyed the cool weather and the great scenery by the river.

Note to self. Learn how to say "13" in Spanish

más o menos

2011-07-11T12:07:00.001-06:00

Friday night Sharon and I entertained three Cuencana friends and for the first time more Spanish was spoken in our apartment than English. We learned the Spanish version of "Hearts" and we really enjoyed the interaction with our new friends.

Saturday I went to new markets with Gerard, a fantastic expat who has lived in Ecuador since 1994. We arrived at the organic market at 6:30 am and picked the very freshest Swiss Chard, red potatoes, and a superb papaya.

We then traveled to Fieria Libre, a gigantic market that is about 10 times larger than a Costco in the States.. I purchased, oranges, tangerines, pineapple, sea bass, shrimp and sweet potatoes. My favorite experience was watching one Cuencano stopped an entrepreneur walking two goats and buying a glass of fresh goat milk right from the goat.

On Sunday Sharon and I went for a walk in El Centro and had a great coconut ice cream cone. Videos of all the events are below.

Violetta

2011-07-08T16:00:00.001-06:00

My condominium rental on Primero de Mayo is 20 meters from the Yanuncay River. 3 or 4 times a week mostly during the afternoon a herd of 6 Holstein cows graze across the river. Each cow is chained to a spike allowing them about 5- 7 meters of grazing area. The smallest calf I've nicknamed "Violetta".

You can see them graze in this short Youtube video below. The cows seem to be unaware of the river or the traffic noise.

New Church Festival Video

2011-07-05T21:24:00.000-06:00

I did a redit and added new music

Animal Preserve And Tarqui Church Festival

2011-07-04T14:29:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, Silene, Jim, Sharon and I took a taxi ride out to an Animal Reserve about 6 miles outside Cuenca. Silene who is fluent in Spanish and English read an article about the Animal Preserve in the local paper. We were fortunate to have a taxi driver who knew the exact location. He agreed to stay while we toured the preserve. You can see some of the interesting animals in the You Tube Videos below this post. Admission was $2 and food for the animals was a $1. We were followed by two tame roosters who thought they had a good thing trailing the food. This was the first time I encountered native Ecuadorian birds and monkeys. My favorite area was the monkeys but I also enjoyed the parrots and the ostriches.

Our cab driver suggested stopping off at the Tarqui Church Festival and he again stayed while we took pictures and observed the festivities. I felt that we were dropped off in the middle of a GlobeTrekker TV series. I really enjoyed snapping pictures of the native costumes and the entrepreneurship of some of the local vendors. One vendor brought in a ice cream truck with a portable generator to supply electricity for making soft ice cream. The cab driver then brought us back to our respective apartments. Total cost. $10 per couple for the cab and $5 admission to the animal preserve. Viva Ecuador.

Six Weeks In Cuenca

2011-07-02T15:08:00.000-06:00

On my usual walk into town I realized that Sharon and I have been in Cuenca for six weeks. I enjoy watching the street entertainers at the Solano Ave traffic lights and there is always a photo or video opportunity in El Centro. The biggest challenge remains understanding and speaking Spanish. I try to stop off each day at one or two local merchants to order something and use my developing Spanish vocabulary. There is a great Yogurt Tienda on Benigno Malo right near Cafe Austria. I usually buy 4 small pan de yuca rolls and a small raspberry yogurt shake.

This morning I noticed that several elderly indigenous women came up to the owner and greeted her with a "Buenos Dias". The owner then gave each woman some coins. I would like to find out more about this. Maybe in a week or two I'll be brave and ask the owner.

Mas tarde.

This And That In Cuenca

2011-07-01T12:40:00.000-06:00

The animoto video below contains some pictures on my walk to Mall Del Rio to recharge my phone. I estimate that it costs me about $7 per month. I mainly use the cell phone to call a taxi and to communicate with my wife and call a few friends. You can recharge your phone at the cell company or at hundreds of tiendas located throughout the city of Cuenca.

On a separate matter, my wife Sharon has started her own blog. She is an accomplished writer and you can find her blog at . Cuenca Chronicles

Animoto Video

Corpus Christi Festival, Buying Furniture, MagicJack Down

2011-06-26T05:24:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Sharon and I ate breakfast at "The Kook" and walked to the New Cathedral to see some of the Food Vendors for the Corpus Christi Festival which runs for over a week. We are far enough from El Centro to avoid hearing the nightly fireworks.

We walked to TuKasa a fantastic furniture store to buy a desk and chair for my office. My Spanish and the owners English were on the same level. Price negotiations were fun with colorful charades mixed in. We quickly arrived at a mutually acceptable price and delivery was immediate with a ride back home in the owner's pickup and a kiss on the cheek (Ecuadorian custom) from the owner's wife. Great furniture, good prices and instant delivery --- Fantastico

I highly recommend Skype and MagicJack to every one retiring to a foreign country . Skype allows video calls and MagicJack provides free phone calls to the US with a local # for $40 the first year and $20 every year after. Today my MagicJack has no sound on outgoing calls. Customer support via text chat proved useless. We feel a tad isolated now without a direct dial to the US. My guess is that I'll find the solution in a couple of days on some support bulletin board online.

Mas tarde.

La Italiana Factory Tour

2011-06-21T19:00:00.000-06:00

The Cuenca Chamber Of Commerce arranged a tour of La Italiana Meat and Sausage Factory. Cameras weren't allowed outside the conference room so the video is only of our group putting on our hair nets and jackets.

La Italiana is one of Cuenca's largest employers. There were over 400 people at the plant and they have 4 additional retail locations and export their products all over South America, Europe and Africa. The factory produces 3 tons of meat products a week.

We observed the meat cutting, the sausage making and the cooking and packaging of the product. I was very impressed with the cleanliness and efficiency of the plant. We were treated to a snack of ham and cheese and a souvenir hat.

Coopera Health Insurance

2011-06-16T20:50:00.000-06:00

I took the #19 Bus to the Coopera headquarters in San Jacquin. I signed up for their health insurance program which includes visits to the doctor and dentist. The copay is $2 for both the doctor and the dentist. The doctor is fluent in English. On the walk back to the apartment I encountered a talented juggler.

Cuenca Chamber Of Commerce Trip To Artesa

2011-06-15T20:48:00.000-06:00

The Cuenca Chamber Of Commerce sponsored a tour of the Artesa Ceramic Factory. About 15 expats toured the facility located near Turi. We were able to see the creation process before they become collector's pieces in the showroom.

Ramps In Cuenca Are Not For Sissies

2011-06-13T20:29:00.000-06:00

I met a new ex pat friend (Gerard) at Tres Puentes and he took me on his walking route. He usually goes up and down some steep stairs in El Centro and even took me on a steep ramp. The real reward was a stop at a special Hostal where they serve the best espresso in Cuenca. I'll post that location when I do a video review of great hostals and coffee.

After dropping him off at his home I walked home via the Yanuncay River. When I was just about to enter my apartment I saw an Indigenous woman pawing through the building garbage. This poverty and necessity to go through the building garbage upset me. I will ask some of my new Cuencano friends about this incident.

One Month In Cuenca

2011-06-11T17:22:00.000-06:00

One month ago Sharon, Feisty ( our 16 year old cat) and I arrived from Oregon. Two weeks ago we moved to our permanent apartment on PriMaro de Mayo and everyone is thriving. Feisty has gained a pound and both Sharon and I have lost a couple of pounds.

We have met some wonderful new Cuencano friends and several expats. We took a day trip to Paute and had a typical Ecuadorian Almuerzo. Both Sharon and I have started Spanish lessons and joined Coopera, the local food cooperative. Skype and magic jack are working in our new apartment and we have been able to communicate with Portland, Or. Caldwell, Id and San Diego, Ca.

I walk everyday to El Centro (Old Town) which is about a 4 mile round trip. Everyday I try to practice my Spanish on the local merchants. Marcello, the local baker and I have expanded our conversation to the local politics and the traffic patterns on our street.

I'm enjoying taking my Kodak camcorder with me and I'm never in short supply of great material. Today's video is of a local street entertainer. He juggles bowling pins and his hat while he is on his extra tall unicyle. That's the easy part. He then has to dodge buses and taxi drivers.

So far we have been adapting to the new culture in Cuenca. The local people are very warm an inviting, the weather has been fantastic and the new diet especially the delicious local fruit and vegetables has made this a great first month.

Gallinas, Cuy Y Arpa

2011-06-10T18:24:00.000-06:00

On my daily walk I passed a marketplace where local people were selling hens and guinea pigs. Cuy is a delicacy in Ecuador. Half way back to my apartment in front of the Old Cathedral (built in 1557) there was a harpist playing for the crowd.

I walked to the local mall and used my camcorder to record the Tarqui River which is 3 kilomenters from my apartment. Cuenca has 4 rivers that travel through the city. These are quite small when it is dry but move quite quickly after each rainfall.

The Big Bang Theory

2011-06-10T07:59:00.000-06:00

The Big Bang Theory is our family's favorite TV Show. We have not purchased a TV in Cuenca and we were having withdrawal pains from not seeing "Sheldon and the boys". Yesterday on my walk into El Centro I stopped off at a local Video Shop across the street from the Gran Columbia Church. I purchased the complete series for Season Two and Three. Before the Video Shop visit I toured the Flower Market across the street from the famous New Cathedral

On my way back I spotted a street entertainer in front of the Bank Of Pinchincha on Solano entertaining the stopped cars. In a future post I'll do a whole video on street entertainers.

Mas tarde.

A Wednesday Walk To El Centro

2011-06-08T18:01:00.000-06:00

I try to walk everyday to the center of town. Today I take my camcorder with me. I start 20 meters from our apartment on the Yanuncay River. On the walk I cross two rivers (Yanuncay and Tomebamba) and pass Mt. Sinai Hospital. At the second rondelle there is a young man selling puppies. I also point out some of the cracks and holes in the pavement.

I come across what appears to be a mime but I think he is working for the local environmental agency. I encounter steep steps going up from Solano and down to Doce de Abril.

Cuenca is a city of churches and the video will show two of the over 100 Catholic Churches in the city. I walk a total of 5 miles and stop off at the local supermarket to pick up some peppers and cat food. The biggest supermarket chain is called Super Maxi and Wednesday there is a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables.

Un Hermoso Día En El Barrio

2011-06-07T15:09:00.001-06:00

It's about 2 miles from my apartment to El Centro (Old Town). The video below shows the Yanuncay River right by our house. This morning there was an accident on Tres Puentes ( Three Bridges). I also wanted to show the condition of the pavement around town. You have to have your eyes constantly towards the pavement or you can easily trip.

Sharon and I walked in the opposite direction on Primero De Mayo and it was even sunnier than this morning. We spotted 4 cows grazing across the river.

Viva Oster

2011-06-07T07:29:00.000-06:00

My darling wife just blended a wonderful concoction of local fruit in our new Oster Blender. They included: Peach (Durazno), Babaco, Papaya, Pineapple(Pina) Fresh Orange juice. The photos below include our shopping trip to Coopera, the local food cooperative. My favorite part of the trip is finding the local promociions which are the fruit that needs to be eaten that day.

2 Pinas =$1
4 Papayas =$1
2 Cheromoyas =$1

Three Weeks In Cuenca

2011-06-06T22:11:00.000-06:00

On May 13th Sharon, Feisty ( our 16 year old cat) and I left Sherwood, Oregon for our new life in Cuenca, Ecuador. We flew from Portland to Atlanta. After a 5 hour layover, we traveled on to the port city of Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador. The van we hired didn't show up so we hired a taxi to take the three of us plus multiple bags to Cuenca. The taxi driver seemed polite, exchanged brief pleasantries with us and the fact that he spoke only a tiny amount of English just as we speak only a little Spanish. Jose started out as a normal-seeming driver - we already had experience with the breakneck speeds at which Ecuadorian taxis travel. We already knew that stop signs seem to be optional. What we did not expect was that with each 1000 ft rise in altitude, Jose seemed to undergo more and more of a personality change. Guayaquil is at sea level and Cuenca is at 8200 ft altitude so this became a very drastic change over the 3 hour hair-raising ride.

Sharon busied herself taking photos out the side window to avoid terror of watching things rush at us beyond any possible hope of survival if anything went wrong. After passing banana fields, papaya trees and sugar cane crops with small villages scattered along low elevations, we began to climb into the Andes. Suddenly we came around a large curve into a full cloud of thick fog. I mean THICK. Visibility seemed to be only about 4-5 car-lengths yet, unbelievably, Jose sped up. He was revving the engine. I asked if the fog would be all the way to Cuenca and he answered "No, only about 10 minutes." Well, he was correct, it only lasted 10 minutes and we climbed out of it. However, not before he managed to pass a slow moving truck on a blind corner where there had been a recent wash out so the road was all washboards.

At one point, we stopped at a view point, very high in the clouds, and soaked up breath-taking views. Then it was back to the drive.

To make a long story slightly shorter, this trip ended with 4 things: as we approached the city limits of Cuenca, we called a friend to tell Jose how to find the cottage we had rented. 1) Jose got in an argument with our friend and hung up on him. We then called another person, a Cuencano who speaks Spanish. 2) Jose picked a fight with him and hung up on him also, expressing that they both did not know how to get to the cottage. Huh? They both were at the cottage! 3) Jose rolled down his window and asked a Cuencano taxi driver to show us the cottage - a very good solution, except that once we arrived at the cottage, Jose refused to set our bags out of the car and again argued with the people who were there waiting for us.

And the most amazing part of this story, besides the grace that got us here safely? How long was the trip? EVERYONE told us it would be at least 3 hours and could be as much as 5 depending on herds of goats, landslides and related issues on that spine of the Andes highway. Well, Jose made that3-5 hour trip in an unbelievable 2.5 hours! We were incredibly glad to see our new home and immediately noted the graciousness and friendliness of the people of Cuenca. Oh, and that 4th thing? We both promised each other that our first taxi from Guayaquil to Cuenca is an experience we do not plan to repeat! Chalk it up to a rite of passage to a new continent, a new country and life in a new city. We are GLAD to be here!