Cuenca Updates: Wednesday February 1, 2012

Wednesday Feb 1/12 update

Michael brought his wife and child again to see the almost-finished house. I had already left on my walkabout, trying to find the new Costto store (that is not a misprint). Bella says the wife kept saying “Mui Bonito”, meaning very beautiful, and she had Michael translate that she was glad that we had uncluttered walls.

Bella was determined to get a perm today but the hairdresser was closed the first time she went by so she went back to try again. Bella said the girl tried to perm her with dry hair. Big mistake! Indian hair doesn’t bend! After many struggles and checking the perm action, she let it cook at least double the normal time. Anyway, Bella is curly again today.

I started walking at 10am and went east in search of this new Costto, since people said it was in our area. After I passed the Hospital Del Rio, almost to the eastern outskirts I knew I wasn’t going to find it there, so I started the trek back. I kept asking people along the way for directions and kept getting pointed either west or towards downtown, which I didn’t think was right, so I kept walking west, past Jorge’s house.

The day was mildly overcast but I kept along the Autopista ring road knowing I would get some nice views of downtown, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, and panoramas of the city. I also saw many dogs, sheep, cattle and even 2 horses along the way.

The views of this beautiful city in the Andes from the autopista are breathtaking, so I do hope you enjoy the photos I have included today. People ask us why we love this city. The photos only tell part of the story. The wonderful people of Cuenca are the main reason we will happily stay here for a minimum of 3.5 years.

I kept on trudging, 80% uphill, and figured, at worst, I’ll hit the Mall De Rio on the west side and catch a bus back from there. I almost made it too, but around 1:45 as I passed the Avenida Solano, lo and behold, there on my left was the new Costto store! I had given that sucker up for lost by now, not expecting it to be way over there. So I went in, checked my camera bag and asked the security guard if he was sure to watch it and he assured me he would. So I started checking out the store, which isn’t big, maybe 10 small, but tall, aisles. First stop were the recliners to rest my aching feet and legs. Their selection is odd, something like Costco, but at about 10% of the scale. I found some frozen items I thought I would grab so I went back to get a cart. I noticed the security guard was nowhere near the entrance so I hung around a few minutes to see if he would show up. Luckily my camera bag (the fancy one I got from the nice folks at McFarlane’s) was still there. Finally I turned to the Customer Service desk and asked who was watching our belongings? The man said the guard must have gone for lunch… duh!! He gave me my bag which I threw on my back. I saw some teeny shopping carts for kids at the door so I asked if they had any for adults. He said they were “mui grande” and pointed to the parking lot. BIG was an understatement! I could have hauled out a small car in those things! I figured I could grab my purchases quickly in my arms and get them to the till without pushing one of those boxcars around. Anyway I grabbed a ham & cheese pizza, and some frozen blackberries, peaches, and mangoes. Then I grabbed us some vanilla (for me) and triple chocolate ice cream (for Bella).

I had them call me a cab and it cost me $2 to come back the many miles home.

I look out my window and see where they are tearing down a house on the opposite corner, all by hand, 3 guys with sledgehammers, hammers and chisels, for already about 7 days now. It is concrete and bricks, like all houses are here. They don’t use heavy machinery to pound it down in an hour like we would in Canada. Oh well, that is part of their strategy to keep people working. We have never seen a harder working people than the Ecuadorians. They are fiercely proud, clean, and happy people, God love ‘em.
The blog has taken extra long to put up tonight because it keeps fouling up my text and photos. Finally I think I have it behaving.

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