Friday December 21/12 Saraguro

Friday December 21/12  update #320

I got a note on Facebook from my daughter “Dr. McPhail found dead in ravine. "not considered suspicious". 66 years old. so sad.”  This is our former doctor in Edmonton who suddenly went missing about 2 weeks ago.   Yet another reminder not to put off doing your Bucket List and telling your family and friends “I Love You”!!    Oh, by the way, “I Love You”

Bella and I were out the door at the crack of dawn to cab to the SuperMaxi on Las Americas to meet with 7 other couples for a photography excursion to Saraguro, south of here on the way to Loja.   Daimler at Cuenca Tours International came up with a lovely 27 passenger bus so we were very comfortable indeed.  With the driver Maricio and the guide Xavier we began the 1.5 hour journey that took 3 hours, don’t ask me why??   We only had a 20 minute potty stop.

We had great weather to begin with and, even though he was originally from the area, Xavier stopped in the middle of Saraguro to pick up a local guide.  During this stop there was a small parade of mostly children in Santa costumes.

The guides decided that the best solstice ceremony, The Kapac Raymi, was to be in a neighboring town so off we went there, high on a mountainside.  Then the local guide disappeared, never to be seen again.  The first ceremony was just beginning and we were told we were not allowed to photograph during the actual ceremony.  We had known earlier that there were parts of the ceremony where this was applicable but many of the photographers were a little angry over this.  We were told this ceremony would break up and another ceremony would begin at noon but we would be given the opportunity to take pictures prior to this one so we were assuaged a little.  There was a bit of a parade with many more participants prior to the second ceremony so the photographers were having a heyday and most of us got some really great shots of the indigenous people and their costumes.  

We had photographers in our group that ranged from professionals to real novices and everyone has their own preferences and desires and it is impossible to cater to everyone’s demands.  Fortunately 80% of our group are really wonderful go-with-the-flow people who understand the complexities of trying to get things done in Ecuador.  If it wasn’t for that great nucleus of people I wouldn’t bother organizing any tours.

We kept pressing the guide for other things for us to photograph and he was really at a loss, claiming he had not been told this was a photography tour!  Most of us were not pleased at all.   So then we headed to find a place for lunch.   The guide checked out a place that had chicken or pork dinners so we went in.  50 minutes later we got our meal so that caused a lot more grumbling.   The chicken dinner was really good but I couldn’t say the same about the pork.

There was a textile manufacturing place that many of the ladies wanted to see so we went there next, to see if it was open.   Unfortunately it was closed due to the celebrations this day.

So we just headed to downtown Saraguro and left everyone wander around for an hour and a half before our scheduled departure at 3:30.  The weather had clouded up a lot so the photography wasn’t the greatest.  We were lucky enough to witness another small parade there.  One local store had a gorgeous nativity scene encompassing the town of Bethlehem that was about 12 feet long but I only took a shot of the crèche scene.   I bought some snacks for everyone for the return trip and off we went back to Cuenca.  With no stops we made it back in 2 ½ hours this time.  

We stopped for supper with 2 of the couples at a pizza restaurant next to SuperMaxi on Las Americas and Bella was in contact with Paola and Julio who have a store next door.   They came by to say hi for a few minutes before we headed to our next appointment.

Mark and Karen were having a Christmas party a few blocks away at 7:30 so we made our appearance.   They live in the same building as Paola and Julio who were also invited, and who made their appearance a little later.  There was a huge tableful of food and lots of hot wine to drink, so we enjoyed the munchies and the drinks.  There was quite a crowd and lots of lively conversation.   Bella was thrilled to meet Cathy, who is Mark & Karen’s landlord, because she is an avid bridge player.  Cathy speaks very little English but her husband Oswaldo is pretty fluent, having lived in Toronto for some time.  As we were preparing to leave Paola insisted on driving us home but Oswaldo said he wanted the privilege because he wanted to know where we lived.   We had many laughs on the way home but we were definitely ready to collapse into bed.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Thursday December 20, 2012

Thursday December 20/12  update #319

 This is just a short Post today to let you know not to expect any tomorrow as we will be out all day on a photography excursion to Saraguro with 7 other couples, then we have a Christmas party at a friend's tomorrow night.   That will be a long day!

Bella and I took it easy today, just going to Coral to investigate a tabletop oven that turned out to be nice for the money but too large, and it operated by propane.  For all the troubles such a unit would cause I believe we have decided to either insulate the existing stove or just sell it and and get a better insulated model.

GringoTree has posted the ad to sell my bike and I already have one query so I hope that happens soon.

Skype and NetTalk are such great tools when we are so far away.  My cousin Maurice Skyped with me on his iPad from Sundre, Alberta and he was able to walk outside and show me the premises and the snow, etc.  Gosh how technology has made the world a smaller place!

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   

Wednesday December 19, 2012

Wednesday December 19/12  update #318

Bella was off very early to arrange to deliver all the gifts of crocheted and knitted clothes, plus cookies to the children at the cancer hospital.   She said it wasn’t quite as traumatic as she had expected as they only actually got to visit with 2 of the residents.  Most of the others were too sick for visitors and their mothers accepted the gifts at the door.   There are kids as young as 1-year old, but most are around 4 or 5.   The mothers stay with them during the day and that must be gut-wrenching.

I was very busy on the computer uploading photos and trying unsuccessfully to research the type of camera and lens I wish to buy.   It seems obvious I am going to have to stop at some big camera stores before I find what I want.  

One of my buddy's from Montreal sent me the new Ecuador Motto (tongue firmly in cheek),
Ecuador, where everything is possible, but nothing is for sure !

I laughed and laughed, but the day kept proving this motto indeed has merit.
We then got ready and headed over for tea at Mark & Karen’s apartment (on the same floor as Julio and Paola’s).  They are mostly decorated for their party late Friday and have an amazing collection of Christmas decorations and ornaments.   I sure loved the many Santa faces they had adorning their tree.

The 4 of us then cabbed in the rain over to the Oro Verde Hotel for a “Meet The Mayor” gathering of expats.  It was obvious they did not expect such a turnout but they did ask us to spread the word, so I did!  There was someone I knew at every single table and everyone was anxious to hear what information they were going to provide.

We really felt cheated and there was a distinct groan from the crowd when we were told that the 36-year-old Mayor Paul Granda had gone to a different, more pressing engagement!  125 expats come to meet the guy, at his request, and he doesn't think that this is the most important thing he should do today...???  I am sure this snub won’t soon be forgotten.

The first person to speak was AnaLucia Serrano, whom we have met many times and is a good friend of Joe Spotts, of Joe’s Secret Garden.   She grew up with the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa and also with the Mayor, Paul Granda., so she is well connected.  She is a Secretary with the External Affairs Department of Ecuador, in charge of setting up a Visa and Cedula office here in Cuenca.  She did much of her schooling in Vancouver so has a decent grasp of English.  She recited many of the obstacles they have overcome and delineated many of the differences in the processes between Ecuador and other countries.   One major difference is that Ecuador has only one central Registry for all resident information, birth, schooling, marriage, divorce, etc.   Our countries have many separate provincial or state registries that don’t track with each other, meaning a person could be married in the 10 different provinces and nobody would be the wiser.  So, one of the rules expats found silly and impossible to comply with was a requirement to prove if a person was single and had never been married!   Ana Lucia was very pleased to announce that The Registry Office had today finally kindly agreed to accept a notarized declaration of a person’s singular status.

The next speaker was Gladys El Juri of the Cuenca Tourism office, and part of the richest family in Ecuador, of Lebanese origins.  She gave an overview of all the positives of Ecuador and Cuenca, facts and figures on things most of us already knew.  She obviously spoke good English but started by saying “I am proud of my country so I am going to speak in Spanish, our language, and have a simultaneous translation for you”.  That was slight number two for the evening that got under my skin.  This needlessly doubled the length of time for her boring speech too.  

About this time they started serving a few small sandwiches and desserts.  Again it was obvious they had underestimated the crowd so nobody got both, just either a sandwich or a dessert.

Next the Deputy Mayor named Ruth Caldas, a pretty 30-year-old, gave a State Of The Union address about the improving infrastructure in the City.  Cuenca is not some backwater town and it is becoming more and more modern every day.  She spoke at length on their green recycling plan where the landfill products are recycled and there are plans for a biofuel byproduct.  The centerpiece of her speech was a film on the beginning of construction for a Light Rail Transit line from the Northeast to the Southwest.  The surprising part of this is that the electric train can recharge itself, meaning it has no need of overhead wires when travelling through the core!  Brilliant!!

Last we heard from Christian, of The Registry Office, who reiterated the good news for the single expats.

When they started the question and answer section (everyone could submit a written question during the evening) we departed when time was being wasted answering really dumb questions about things that anyone should know if they did any research at all.  Any expat who comes here and doesn’t know when they can apply for citizenship should be booted out for utter stupidity.

We cabbed up Gran Colombia to an Italian restaurant and enjoyed a very filling meal and scintillating conversation.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Tuesday December 18, 2012

Tuesday December 18/12  update #317

Today I just went to the Book/Movie Exchange where it was unusually calm today and traded 4 movies.  Then I had been invited by Rommie and Charles to take advantage of their roof terrace to take a few shots so I headed there next.   I stopped on the way and had a very good Seco De Carne (beef, rice, salad and juice) for $2 nearby.

Rommie and Charles are such a delightful couple, he’s American and she’s Austrian, but they came from Australia.  He’s an artist and she designs clothes.    Rommie seems very interested in our Eleggant Hooks so I will ask Bella to be sure and bring a set on Friday’s excursion.

The rooftop terrace was different but had interesting views of rooftops from all angles, including the blue domes of Immaculate Conception.   I hung around up there on my own for and extra 45 minutes waiting for the jets from Quito to skim the rooftops just east of me but they never did show up.   Maybe they don’t land into the wind anymore???   Very strange.

When I came back downstairs there was another buzz from the door and we were joined by another couple, Bo & Linda Longood, that I had never met, but who were also joining us on the Friday excursion to Saraguro.  Well the afternoon went by very quickly with many, many belly laughs that must have been heard throughout the neighborhood.  Very nice people all around.

I got home and decided to take current pictures of my bike, so I got a pail of soapy water and washed it first.  My intention is to sell the bike as I never use it and it takes up valuable storage space.  The proceeds will also go towards the purchase of a new camera if I can ever find the right one.   Finding a camera is not the problem, it is getting the right manual focus lens that I miss so much.

I going through an email from GringoTree this evening was the following sad advertisement:

Police say they need help identifying the body of a 35-year-old man they believe to be Canadian, discovered Sunday in an apartment on Calle Larga near Tomas Ordonez.  Police say the man, who they believe is named David, had been dead for about eight days when his was found.  A pet German Shepherd was found alive in the apartment.  The body awaits identification at the Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital morgue.  Anyone who may know the man is asked to contact the hospital.

I am scratching my brain but don’t think I know any such person, most expats are old….

Bella finished her bridge instruction today.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Monday December 17, 2012

Monday December 17/12  update #316

I was up fairly early to get a jump on uploading some of my photos etc as I had two appointments in the afternoon.   I was to meet the ladies who had forgotten clothing on the bus Thursday at 12:50 on the Las Americas bridge but they never showed up. 

So I continued to help a regular patron at Joe’s with some computer problems uploading photos.  No wonder she is having trouble, ..that darn Windows 7 she has doesn’t want to do anything normally.   I finally worked around it somehow and then also got her two photo editing programs because her Picasa 3 was also useless.  She was thrilled to have a new toy to occupy her time.

Then I decided to meet Bella in the next block at the end of her bridge lesson.  I amused myself by taking a few shots while she made her preparations for tomorrow’s last lesson.   She also sent me to SuperMaxi to get some sour cream for nachos tomorrow night’s supper, always a favourite.   On the way home we stopped in at Coral to find some hot Mexican salsa.

We also received an invitation to a reception with the Mayor of Cuenca on Wednesday, and we are to pass along the invitation to others, which I have dutifully done.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Sunday December 16, 2012

Sunday December 16/12  update #315

I can’t believe I stayed in bed until 11am this morning but I feel much better for it.

My sweetheart heard that I am hankering for a new camera with a push-pull zoom and a crank focus just like my old Canon T70 film job.   Now she tells me I should buy a new one instead of a used one.   What a gal!

I spent most of the early afternoon looking on the Internet for camera ideas but so much of the information was so outdated that I am probably no further ahead today than I was yesterday.

Bella was off to do bridge instruction again today while I was waiting for my little language buddy Juan to go to the Banos hot springs.  

Juan and I left about 4pm, took the autopista and were in Banos in no time at all.   $4.20 later and we were sitting in this brown water with no visibility beyond one inch down.  It wasn’t as warm as I expected but relaxing nonetheless.  We then went up some stairs to the steam room and then I was in heaven.  That was the hottest steam room I have ever been in and after huffing up the stairs it was too much right away.    I stepped outside the door for one minute to stabilize then came back in and didn’t move for a ½ hour, sitting in the hottest area.  Juan had to step out a few times.  Then it was back to sitting in the muddy water for a while then Juan wanted to go back up to the steam so I told him to go ahead, that I would probably be exiting soon, which I did.

After showering and changing I sat on the deck and snapped a couple of shots before Juan came down.   By the time he changed clothes they were already draining the pool.

Bella was expecting a call from our Ecuadorian friend Paola around 4:30 since Paola had been anxious to take Bella to their bedding store in the Industrial district but that call never came.

Last night Manon had wandered over to Joe’s and invited friends to her place for deep fried onion rings at 6pm today.  So Bella went over there after the bridge school and helped Manon set up.   I convinced Juan to join us and we arrived around 6:30.  Many friends and acquaintances were there and the table had some scrumptious accompaniments for the fabulous onion rings.   Chris and Bettye even brought delicious chicken salad sandwiches made with the sourdough bread that Bella had baked for them.    Boy, I have to stop eating like this or I am going to have to pay for 2 seats on the plane when I go back to Canada.

We met another nice couple, the Selleck’s from the US, who were investigating Cuenca with the intention of moving here in 2-3 months.  They were quite impressed with the wealth of knowledge of the persons around the table and they were making copious notes.   They even like to dance.   

Then we went over to see Chris and Bettye’s apartment and I am kicking myself that I did not take any photographs there, or at Manon’s.  Bettye has done a superlative job decorating their place and it is almost complete.

We have caught a cab home and are again sitting here in delightful pain from a fabulous evening of food and friendship.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday December 15, 2012

Saturday December 15/12  update #314

I forced myself to stay in bed until almost 10:30 today and my body thanked me for it.   I slipped out to recharge my phone and came back to do my usual chores.

Bella wants to add some garlands in the Dining Room so we discussed how we are going to accomplish that.  When everything is glass, metal or concrete it takes some thought processes to determine which method will be the most advantageous because the changes are permanent.  I finally determined that I could drill small holes near the top of the aluminum window frames and use small ½” screws for anchors to attach to.

Bella went out to Coopera so I asked her to pick up a few of those screws on the way home.   When she returned I accomplished the task with ease so she can now pick up her garlands on Monday as she had planned.

I then rested yet again in the afternoon before preparing to go to Joe’s Secret Garden.  I also had to carry Bella’s heavy bag of bridge boards which she will use for her bridge instruction tomorrow through Tuesday.

The night at Joe’s was very enjoyable as we had a table for four with Chris and Bettye.  Chris is recuperating very well from his hernia surgery.  
We haven’t been to a "Gringo night" gathering in many months and don’t miss that because we always get to meet nice new folks at Joe’s, especially when I have to explain who I am to take their photographs.
We met another new Canadian couple, Richard & Sandi Chamberlain from Victoria as well as a few other American couples.  I was clearing out old emails Sunday morning and came across an August email from Sandi offering to volunteer at the Amigos Activity Center.  Due to the demise of Amigos I have referred Sandi to Emilie at Hearts Of Gold for ideas.

I feel like an overstuffed armchair.  We really shouldn't eat so much, but Joe's food is just so-o-o-o good!

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/