Thursday, October 25, 2012

Thursday October 25, 2012


Thursday October 25/12 update #265
I woke up at 3am but forced myself to doze until 8:30.  It sure makes a difference when a person gets the proper rest.
I am enjoying the return of the water so much, even with the bonus of additional pressure, that I had another shower until the gas ran out.  It is a good thing that we always have an extra full tank on hand.
I hurriedly went through my chores and was dismayed that my efforts to set up a photography tour to Ona for Monday were for naught.  JD’s has let us down again.  Oh well, we will try again soon.
Today I headed to the Solano area, first to see a photography display at a Metals Museum supposedly on the corner of Solano and Diez De Agosto.  I checked all 4 corners and asked two Ecuadorians, both of whom spoke passable English, but they were no help.  I ended up walking up to the Kaddafa café and asked, and sure enough, it is upstairs where I took photos 4 weeks ago.  I never did see any sign saying this was a museum.  However my luck was holding true, it was closed until 3pm.
Unfortunately, my second item of business was to volunteer to sell Christmas Gala tickets at the Hearts Of Gold office across from Edificio La Fragata (where my Spanish teacher Christine, Bella’s bridge partner Yoshi, and H.O.G.’s Melinda all live).   My shift is from 2pm to 5:30 but they let me in early.  Emilie showed up at 2:20 and had to leave so I waited for Melinda who showed up around 2:40.   She showed me the ropes while she was waiting for three young English-speaking Ecuadorian volunteers for a 2:30 appointment.  These young ladies, one of whom who spoke flawless English because she lived in the USA until age 13, finally showed up at 4:30 claiming to have gotten lost.  These kind of volunteers are priceless so we discussed many ways of getting them, and their school, involved.
The day was very slow otherwise for me.   I only sold 2 entrance tickets, and 1 raffle ticket, all to myself…   I am now contracted to return tomorrow morning and Monday afternoon.
Then I walked all the way to Pumapungo to Big Kabuda’s for my burger fix.  Jesus and I had a good chat.   They are now open 7 days per week starting at 5pm.  Yippee!   We also discussed taking trips again.  He said he had checked Cosmos tours and will most likely take one of their tours.  I guess his wife has had 2 bouts with cancer so they know how precious their time is.   His wife actually looks better than I’ve ever seen her.
My next stop was to go to a university alumni concert at the Banco Central Auditorium for 8pm.  I was way early at 7pm but I suspected something was odd when there was a lineup starting and they had a box office open.   Hmmm, this was supposed to be a free concert, so I asked.  They said there was no music tonight, just a theatrical comedy concert.   So off I went again.
I was amazed when the #15 pulled up almost immediately at the bus stop and it was filling up.  I managed to get a seat before 2 stops, which was indeed fortunate because at the following stop the bus was jammed to the rafters.  I had hoped many would get off before my home stop but still more got on than those that got off.  At my stop I didn’t even try to barge my way out with my big backpack.   I just figured I would ride it to the top at El Valle and catch the next empty one back.
Well, one mile up the El Valle road the bus veers off onto a dirt road into the valley on the right!   We had taken the #15 many times during the day to El Valle and the bus had never veered from the main road so here we were, off on another adventure.  This bus swerved and careened on this back road then started climbing and climbing.  At every stop, many people disembarked.   I must have been the only one expecting a trip on the main road….  When he reached a point that I figured was about a block from the main road he made a quick announcement and everyone got off, leaving this bewildered Canuck shaking his head.   I walked up and asked him how I get back to Monay, he said to just sit down, so I did.   He didn’t even want 25c for the return trip.   Nice fellow.
Hmmm, brown coloured water again tonight…..
That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.   Please see all photos at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com

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