Thursday July 12, 2012

Thursday July 12/12 update

Happy 40^th Birthday to my Baby Girl, Jill.  As Bella’s mother says “I know I’m old when my kids are ordering off the senior’s menu”.  Thankfully we have a few years to go yet, but do they really have to move so fast??

Bella was off to the weaving store to again volunteer for crocheting and/or knitting hats for chemo patients.  She ended up having to translate patterns for everyone.

I decided I would take a chance and see if our Ecuadorian travel documents, the Censo, was ready, so I caught the #50 to the west end.  I was seated next to a very tall man called Edouardo, who happened to be a basketball coach from Uruguay.  We had a good chat and he half-offered me to be an assistant basketball coach but I politely declined.

When it was my turn they looked up our paperwork then the English-speaking gal came over to explain that everything changed again as of Monday.  Now the new rule is, if you already have a cedula then you no longer need a Censo.  But also that the Censo has been scrapped and is now renamed a Certificado De Empadronamiento.    This literally translates as a Voter Registration Certificate!   We are thankful for one less document to worry about.     I had to make major revisions to my other Cuenca blog.

Since I was in the area I called Chris and Bettye but they were away to Spanish class.  I then tried to stop and see Brad and Cindy to see if I could help Brad with his new camera but there was nobody at the desk.

I then decided to walk a little further to Joe’s Secret Garden to see if Joseph was done with my computer stick.  I was actually surprised to find them both home and they immediately invited me in.  About 2 minutes later another lady stopped in, then five minutes later another lady arrived as well.    Joe and Joseph were thankful to have a sounding board for some thoughts they were having to remedy the minor meal disaster they had last Saturday.  A batch of oversized chicken was overlooked and it took them a while to realize they needed to be cooked much longer.  Aside from the raw chicken issue there were a few side dish issues and service issues and perception issues that were carefully hashed out.  They are determined to set things right with all the patrons from Saturday and Joseph came up with the best solution possible, a free meal again for all those folks.  A free appetizer or a free drink wouldn’t cut it.  They need to prove they have made improvements to counteract the very bad word-of-mouth reputation they are getting over one “perfect storm” of a disastrous night.  They are sending out the email tonight and they want everyone from Saturday to attend, not just the complainers.  They need all of us loyal friends to be there to support the effort.  We hope it will be successful.

Joe also repeated the story of Joseph gushing over my photos again for my benefit.

I walked to Feria Libre to catch the #15 home and was surprised to see a soccer game in progress in the parking lot.

Tomorrow is another busy day, ending with supper at the California Kitchen, where I hope to collect from 3 more photography tour participants.

Enjoy the pics.    That was today’s excitement.    Hugs to all.

These changes took place Monday July 9th, not June 4th.

Feria Libre soccer.  See the ball in the air, center left.

Joseph with his cute little hat.

Gorgeous Rio Tomebamba in the late day sun

Standing in the cold river washing clothes, scrubbing on a rock

Wednesday July 11, 2012

Wednesday July 11/12 update

What a MAGNIFICENT DAY!!!!   The sun is blazing and it feels great to be alive in Ecuador.

Bella was off to play bridge again while I was off to Spanish class.   Bella said Joe recounted hearing Joseph in another room exclaiming “wow” and “fantastic”, so he went to check, and Joseph showed him that he was looking at my pictures from Wednesday’s July 4 party.  I was proud of those….

One of the fellows in our Spanish class actually got his travel documents yesterday, the Censo, so that put to rest any silliness about them being scrapped.  Bella heard that possibly they are scrapped for people here on visas, and not applying for residency.  That, at least, makes some sense.

I had one bite early this morning for the photography tour so I sent him the information hoping that he could meet me at the cathedral to pay at 1pm.  Luckily he did show up so we are up to 9 people.

I wandered into the San Francisco market for two things.  My backpack was slowly shredding itself after 7 months of hard use so I found a more sturdy canvas one with 4 pockets for $10.  Then I located a wool toque for $4, and boy, is that sucker warm.  That will be my “block heater” when we are on the mountaintops.

I then wandered back to Calle Larga to have almuerzo at the Sabor Latino.  The meal was delicious as usual, with fabulous soup, juice and dessert, plus I ordered double meat so she charged me a whole $2.25.  I saw some Spanish guys looking at the menu so I told them it was the best lunch in town and they came in too.  It turns out they were the Boys From Brazil and they let me take their picture.  Then this nicely dressed young lady came in and she agreed as well.  While we were eating our main course the cook slipped out for a few minutes and I saw her come back with a couple of 25c ice cream bars (Revellos to us) so I knew I was going to get ½ of one for dessert.   I am so psychic!

Outside I saw this armored car that looks like an armored personnel carrier.  It was funny to watch the guys inside pose and wave.  Regular Ecuadorians seem to like the camera’s attention.

I continued down Calle Larga, and stopped at the doorway to this magnificent courtyard.  Courtyards are very common in El Centro but they generally are behind closed doors.    It is such a treat to see all the greenery.  I went past Todos Santos, to the Banco Central Inca ruins.  I slipped down to the aviary to see if the big peacock was still loose with his great plumage as I was hoping to make this a stop on our photography tour.  Unfortunately they have new pens and the poor fellow was in a cage, so there went that idea.

I then walked up Huayna Capac and spotted a bored pharmacist standing in his doorway so I stopped in to get some 30 Acetaminophen and 50 Ibuprophen.   They rarely will sell a whole package, they just sell you what you require, so he charged me a dime apiece.

I crossed the street just in time to catch the #15 but got off two stops earlier at the seamstress’ place.  I asked her to sew the straps near the buckle so that they can’t slide off or ever come loose.  I never adjust them anyway.

Then I walked up to Coral to get some hair gel.  They had a bottle of 200ml for as low as 53c!  I got some better looking stuff, 250 ml for $1.39.   Our little Jorge the interpreter was at the customer counter so he enquired how I liked the Internet that I got through the booth in Coral.   I told him I didn’t find it 70% faster but I did find it was completely reliable so far.  He was interested because he is looking to get a new Internet provider himself.

I arrived home to a phone message from some idiot female at Canadian Direct about our car insurance.  Those people must be brainwashed to idiocy as they cannot follow the simplest instructions and they don’t have a clue about a car insurance policy.  I just see red and have trouble keeping my cool when they try to tell me complete falsehoods about how they can deny coverage if someone drives my car and they are not listed on my policy.   After a ½ hour on the phone we finally got them to understand who is who and when we needed the driving coverage back on the Buick.  Having it spelled out clearly and succinctly in black and white in an email wasn’t transparent enough for the mental midgets they hire.  Ugh.

I had 3 more bites on the photo tour so I emailed all the details to these folks so we may be up to 12 participants, plus us 3 guides, so we’ll probably be using 2 vehicles.  Everything is within ½ hour distance so it is no big deal.

Before I knew it it was 5:30 and I had to catch the #15 back to Huayna Capac to meet Bella at Big Kabuda’s.  The bus was so jammed I almost got off before it made it up our hill, but I persevered and made it, so great is the pull of the Porky’s burger! 

Bella had made a pumpkin pie (without pumpkins) and it was the best I have ever tasted, and I don’t normally care much for pumpkin pie.   That will be a late dessert when we watch our nightly movie.

Enjoy the pics.    That was today’s excitement.    Hugs to all.

Armoured car guy in the back is waving

The Boys from Brazil

Inca Ruins Cacti

Sunset on the Cajas

Incredibly beautiful courtyard

1/2 a Revel for dessert

That's about 1000 Hail Mary's

Flowers at Banco Central

And then he said...

Upper Inca ruins

Uncommon indigenous male costume

Nice lady at lunch

Bench at Parque Calderon

Ahhhhhhhhhh  Paradise!

Proud Falcon

Seamstress shop

What a gorgeous day, Todos Santos

Tony the Toucan

Tuesday July 10, 2012

Tuesday July 10/12 update

Bella is off to the weaving store, the Book Exchange, and the lawyer’s office before returning home to let in the cleaning lady and some novice bridge players for the afternoon.   She will apprise me later of her talk with the lawyer regarding the payment of wages to casual employees such as Rosa.   Apparently there are also new interpretations of residency rules for widows and widowers and divorced couples.

I was out early to volunteer to help at the Book Exchange for two hours.  This is at the Windhorse Café, and the Book Exchange was started 1.5 years ago by Susanna Maxwell who also sells bread during these hours.  She introduced me to two other people who live in east Cuenca and also advised me that the Moca Café is looking for photographs and artworks to display, so I have emailed them too.

From the upstairs window at the Windhorse there are some nice views to the southwest mountains and the mountain with the telecommunications masts where we will be taking some night shots from next Monday.

Across the street is a busy bus stop and I spotted these 2 serious female backpackers, each with a huge backpack strapped their back and another large backpack on their front.  They really look like they are ready for the wilderness and whatever Mother nature will throw their way.

On the opposite corner of the same block is a Canadian Microbrewery but it is always closed when I go by.   I’d like to try their beer one day, even though I have no problem with the local Club beer. 

A truckload of municipal police went by with 4 in the box (a common sight here) and you can see them giving me the thumbs up.   Gotta love the Cuencanos.

I picked up my new name + address stamp at the papeleria on Juan Jamarillo then went over to the Papeleria Monsalves to pick up a highlighter, a permanent fine marker and a few labels ($1.60).

I always seem to walk pretty much the same route through El Centro as I make my way over to the Rotary Market to catch the #50 home.  When the sun is shining like today we don’t want to be indoors.

And we have a couple of more shots of our friend Tom.

Enjoy the pics.    That was today’s excitement.    Hugs to all.

Serious backpackers, and frontpackers!

Coffee klatch next to the book exchange room

Canadian Microbrewery

They have that big priest to protect them

Tom Thumb 1

Tom Thumb 2

Tom Thumb 3

Tom Thumb 4

Hummingbird Abstract

Thumbs Up from the Municipal Police

SouthEast view to the Mast Mountain

SouthWest view to the Andes

Monday July 9, 2012

Monday July 9/12 update

The third round of Spanish class started this morning.   I got up early to tackle last week’s homework and to find out how little I know of the verbs and conjugations.  It is so frustrating that my mind won’t absorb all those darn details.  I am going to have to use the simplified way to talk without having to conjugate every verb.   There is a way and I intend to find it….

I also collected from my eighth participant in our night photography tour next week, my Spanish teacher.  Now she can communicate with the doctors for me if I fall off any of the 3 mountains.

I slipped by Terra Diversa to return my comment card on the Giron/Yunguilla trip with all superlatives for the tour, the guide, and the driver.  Then I managed to get the names and emails of the driver and guide so I could thank them again for the great job they did (and offer to help them find other jobs).

Next was a stop at the Papeleria for my new name stamp but they said it wouldn’t be there until 4, so I said I would return “manana”.   I have to be downtown tomorrow anyway because I volunteered to help with the book & movie exchange tomorrow for 2 hours and they accepted my offer.

Almost next door was a bicycle shop so I popped in and bought a new saddle for my bike for $7 because I hated the one I had bought previously and I am sure that is why I have been avoiding riding my bike, I have been so uncomfortable.

I wandered through the flower market, Parque Calderon, and over to the Rotary Market.  This fellow had boxes of ducks and quail that were fascinating this little girl, and also myself, because I couldn’t figure out how they don’t escape the seller’s clutches???

Once I got home, I hopped on my bike and painfully rode it over to my bike mechanic, low tires and all.  Somewhere along the way I lost my bicycle pump again.  I started to think that it was my fault, that the bike was too small for me, probably a 24” instead of a 26” and I was always sliding off the darn seat.  I decided to have him install the new saddle anyway.  If I still didn’t like it, then I’d just sell the darn thing.

Crossing the river I noted how low it appears again, showing many of the rocks on the riverbed.  Some people complain it is too rainy (cloud must be rain to them) and yet we have hardly had any rain this month.  We always get some grey clouds during the day but 90% of the time they are empty threats.

I love this little mechanic!   He is always jovial and does such an amazing job for a pittance.  He installed the new seat, straightened my handlebars, tightened the front fender, and filled the tires.   I told him he could keep my old saddle, it is brand new too, and he said I didn’t owe him a dime then.  He gets my vote for President!

I rode the bike home and I fell in love with it all over again.  The seat design & texture and the angle, and the full tires made all the difference in the world!  Now the bike felt the right size again!

Bella wasn’t home either time I returned and I know she told me what she was up to, usually groceries on a Monday, but I have forgotten.   She has something planned for every day except Friday.

Enjoy the pics.    That was today’s excitement.    Hugs to all.

The best bike mechanic in the world!

This little girl thinks this just ducky

Small part of the flower market

The river is really low again.

Sunday July 8, 2012

Sunday July 8/12 update

I got a few more movies of Tom yesterday that I finally got around to compiling.  Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/suJIEvJpRBE

Last night, at Rommie & Charles going away party, we met a lady named Miriam who said she had a group that gets together regularly for potluck suppers and dancing.  Naturally that perked our ears up but she said they probably wouldn’t start up again until August because many people were away on holidays.  Bella told her that she was leaving at the beginning of August so we likely wouldn’t be able to join them for a few months.  Today we got an invitation for a shindig at their place on Saturday, with a request for people to bring some country music!   She was indeed listening to us…

Bella is off to play bridge today with Joe & Joseph & North and will bring Joseph all my photos taken at the dinners this week.

I texted then called my little buddy, Juan, for help as I had been informed there was the most important soccer game of the year happening today in Cuenca.  The favorite team in the country called Barcelona, from Guayaquil, is in town with multitudes of supporters.  Heck, at least ½ of Cuencanos support this team.

We picked a spot to meet near the stadium, one hour early, and it was already wall to wall people wearing the Barcelona yellow colors.  A person was hard-pressed to find a red jersey representing Cuenca.   I think the Cuenca supporters must use a different gate.   Order was maintained by a phalanx of police, on foot, on motorcycles, and on horseback   The police on horseback commanded a lot of respect, and room.  The one fellow was particularly adept at moving the crowd in line by spinning his horse and motioning with his riding crop.  Before anyone got past the gate they were quickly frisked and all belts were taken away!   I had never seen anything like this.   What do they do in England to control the hooligans?  Probably not enough.

http://youtu.be/X5qOYJ6fvGU

Juan said the tickets had gone from $5 for the cheap seats to $25 and we likely would not get in.  I only had $20 available on me… We found out later that it was indeed sold out in advance.

We just decided to go wander downtown or something so we headed up Solano.   Just at the Tomebamba we saw a jersey seller and when he said the jerseys were only $5 I bought us each one.   Then above the stairs we saw people gathering to watch the game on TV so we decided to catch the #3 to Monay Mall and watch it there, which we did.  On TV it was pretty easy to see how they separated the supporters into different sections as riots have erupted in the past with even deaths involved.   Cuenca scored on an outside penalty spot with a beautiful “bend it like Beckham shot” that the Barcelona goalie looked pretty foolish on.  In the second half, Cuenca took a penalty inside the box so we all feared the worst.  However the Cuenca goalie miraculously stopped the easy shot and we all rejoiced.  That is how the game ended 1-0, despite constant pressure by Barcelona who could not solve our goalie’s wizardry.   In the end it seems that Barcelona clinched a division title in spite of the loss.  I apologize for not catching some of the action on TV.  I was hoping they would have some replays at the end and I was waiting for that but they never materialized.

Then I brought Juan home with the promise that he could get to meet Tom Thumb.  He was so amazed when Tom came almost right away and ate from my hand.  Then, using Juan’s camera, I took 2 videos of him feeding Tom Thumb while he was grinning ear to ear.   Now he has a great remembrance of our day today.

Enjoy the pics and videos..    That was today’s excitement.    Hugs to all.

120708 Crowds for 20,000 seat stadium

Cops on horseback keep crowd control

A full house today, best seats in the house.

Confiscated belts.  A lot of pants falling off today.

Barcelona supporter with color

Nobody messed with the horses!

This cop had everyone under control.

Watching the game at Monay Mall

Yellow Cuenca Jersey next to a yellow Guayaquil jersey

Juan and Al in Cuenca jerseys on the bus

Al & Juan in Cuenca jerseys at Monay Mall