Thursday, February 2, 2012
Faces Of San Diego
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.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Faces Of Portland
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.
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.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Ready, Fire, Aim - Back To The U.S.
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.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Breakfast With Friends
.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Look What $20 Buys You At The Market
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
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
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Medical Care In Cuenca
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Reflecting On 2011
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.
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
- 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
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
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Caminando y hablando Español
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)