November 2, 2010

We both settle for the normal breakfast today as we were saving up for lunch (the big meal of the day here).  It was a very sunny day and we headed back up the stairs and on the Central Park to view all the events and look for a new lunch spot.  A big parade was going though the Central Park area and everyone was in a great mood.

The streets in old town

Lined up for the parade

Wooden ponies brought in for photo ops

We looked through a market that contained beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish, vegetables, fruit and grains.  It was very busy and most vendors were preparing the meats as we walked through.  We saw heads of pigs and lambs along with several other innards we don't plan on identifying.  A wonderful experience.

One of the many groups roasting guinea pigs.  It is their delicacy!

Gala got a little tired from all the walking and wanted to visit the French dessert restaurant I had read about.  I was not positive of the address just the name and we headed in what should have been the general direction.  After several blocks she was not impressed so I got her a nice spot on a bench to rest.  She asked a passing woman for directions and we were off to have lunch (the name of restaurant had changed but location was the same).  We both had French cheese on a baguette and dos cerveza, por favor.  Gala finished with a chocolate crepe!

Then we were off to the Flower Market.  Leone's wife and daughter were having breakfast when we arrived this morning and they were going to the mall today to purchase some CD's of Ecuadorian music and offered to get us some if we wanted.  Gala had expressed her enjoyment with the music we had been hearing at the festivals and I gave her some money for the CD's.  Gala wanted to thank her for her efforts and we thought a living plant would be nice.  After purchasing a nice plant we met a couple from San Francisco who were in the process of settling here.  We laughed about our experiences and the need to learn more Spanish.  They are Gil and Deborah and their blog is http://castles-in-cuenca.blogspot.com/

We appreciated their advice and openness.

We ventured down a new set of steps further west, not so many and newer.  We arrived at the hotel, went to the terrace to enjoy the festival and cerveza.  Met a couple (Dennis and Mary Lynne) from Alberta Canada who were going to be here for two months and check out the area.  Then John stopped by to visit.  He's from Florida and considering a long-term decision to move here, if he does not go back to China.  Leone's wife and daughter arrived with 2 CD's and we presented her with the flower, everyone was happy.

Went to the INCA Lounge and Bistro for dinner (west of the stairs we descended today).  Gala chose the chicken tacos and a margarita and I went for the nachos con carne with cerveza.  Tacos were better by far.  Met some young men in Ecuador from USA volunteering and teaching locals north of Quito.  We walked slowly back to the hotel listening to the music of the festival and crowd noise (including an occasional car alarm).

October 29, 2010

We decided to go to the Museo National after breakfast and learn about the early development of the people, culture and their evolution.  The taxi driver was less aggressive than prior days or we were getting use to them.  We asked for a guided tour (entrance and guide were free) and he really made a difference in explaining the displays.  The following pictures were of some of the artwork on the grounds of the museum.  Cameras were not allowed in the museum, unfortunately.

When we finished the tour, we took a taxi to Marcado Artesanal de La Mariscal which is full of artisan handiwork.  Looked around the nearby area for a restaurant and discovered the Coffee Tree.  We enjoyed meat sandwiches and cerveza.

The adventure then began as we were confronted with over 100 shop stalls with items such as toys, leather goods, clothes, etc. all from Ecuadorian artists.  Gala was dead on her feet when we finished.  Hailed another taxi and returned back at the hotel for Gala's siesta and my visit to the cafe for cerveza.

Discovered that one of the exotic restaurants we wanted to try was 1/2 block away, so we wandered over for dinner.  It was Orisha, a mix of Afro-Cuban cuisine.  Gala ordered Risotto with asparagus, shrimp and saffron.  I ordered a caramelized steak with onions, prunes, and mushrooms in a red wine sauce, served with fresh cauliflower, broccoli and carrots.  Gala had a red wine from Chile and I ordered cerveza, por favor.  Great meal in an eclectic place and we booked a room for our return flight from Cuenca Nov. 7th when we needed to catch an early morning flight back to Seattle via Houston.

The neighborhood was lively tonight in anticipation of their upcoming holidays, a marching band went through about 10:00 PM and a party nearby broke up about 3:00 AM.  Dairy Queen close by was serving drive-through items at 4:00 AM!

November 8, 2010

Up and out of the hotel on time and in a taxi which got us to the airport early to check all three bags (extra $30 for the 3rd).  Then off to pay the $40 per person exit fee (cash only)!  Through the full inspection and on to the boarding area.  Only a short wait then we were seated and flying with a full plane.  Smooth flight for 5 hours with breakfast served.  Made it through customs in a short time compared to our return through Houston in 2003 when returned from Belize.

We had a five hour layover in Houston before our flight to Seattle where we would stay with Jon and Carol, again, before traveling over the mountain pass and on to Electric City.  We hunted for a restaurant we noticed on our trip down, Pappadeaux Seafood, in the Continential wing.  We went up the elevator to a long line of people waiting to be seated.  We waited and were soon at a table reading an extensive menu and watching all the people around us for clues of what to order.  We started with drinks (margarita for Gala and a dark beer for me).  Gala ordered gumbo with shrimp and I the lemon pepper calamari - both very good!  Gala had planned on having key lime pie but changed to a sweet potato pecan pie when she was presented with the actual delicacies.  What a treat and she allowed me the last few bites.  We waddled out of there and went to rest at our departure gate.  Plane was on time and we flew to Seattle where Jon picked us up.  The weather was noticeably colder and we wished we were back in Ecuador!

One of the peaks along the Avenue of Volcanos, between Quito and Cuenca

November 7, 2010

Went to breakfast and to say goodbye to the staff at Sakura Sushi who had helped during breakfasts and dinners during our stay.  We met a retired couple from New Hampshire and enjoyed a short conversation with them before leaving.  We met a neighbor on our walk back who lived in the condos between the hotel and restaurant.  He was from USA and had gone to University of Puget Sound in Seattle, retired in Mexico for five years before moving to Cuenca about 5 years ago.  He said the hotel had been the embassy for Chile until about 1 year ago.  His friends from Utah were staying at the hotel and dropped by as we were talking.  We said boodbye and went in to pack.

A group staying at the hotel had their rental car window busted out and some items left in car stolen we were told (parked on street), lesson learned.  Ordered a taxi and went to the airport.  We were early and eventually went upstairs for a snack.  Gala had a chicken pie and a cappuccino while I chose popcorn and cerveza.

We flew without incident and the taxi got us to the Cuba hotel in the normal speedy way.  Checked in to find a lovely room with another very hard bed!  We knew we could make it through the night with fortification, so we went down to the restaurant and ordered a 1/2 bottle of vino and a grande cerveza.  We talked about our trip and plans for when we got back home, just relaxed and enjoyed each other.

We ordered dinner, same steak I had before for Gala and sea bass for me.  For dessert we shared a tiramisu which was very good!  Off to bed with a 5:30 AM wake up call and a 6:15 AM taxi arranged with the desk clerk.  Slept early on but struggled with the mattress even though Gala added an extra blanket as a cushion.

November 6, 2010

Out for breakfast.  I added scrambled eggs and Gala added poached eggs, both were great.  We went back to hotel and checked emails while our room was being cleaned.  Laundry from the other day arrived and we knew we had everything for packing for our flight back to Quito tomorrow.

Gala and I wanted to visit the Kookaburra Cafe and passed up the normal flights of stairs for a third one about 4 blocks further west.  It was fewer steps and less of an incline.  We found the restaurant and ventured further into Centro waiting for the lunch hour.  We revisited Mercado 10 de Agosto to see the meats, produce and people.  We were in the chicken area and noticed a few chickens split open with everything showing.  There were several round yellow/golden and orange objects and we could not identify them.  A fellow from New Orleans was behind us and let us know they were undeveloped eggs, and yes you can eat them!

Bottle rockets for sale

Pots and pans for sale

Butcher tools

These fish were 2-4 feet

These were 3-5 feet

Made it back to the Kookaburra and Gala wanted a bacon. lettuce, avocado and mayo on toasted brown bread.  I chose the tamale and ordered dos cerveza, por favor.  We met the owners, Chris & Jenny who were from Australia.  We had a great lunch and good conversation with them.  There was a masseuse in the lobby giving back rubs for $5.  She gave us her business card and said she gave full body massages in her condo for $20.  We, later, took a tour of this area to see where condos were for rent/sale.

Sign in Banos at Kookaburra, we had a similar sign in our hotel

We went back to the Central park area and decided to purchase a flower arrangement in the Flower Market.  Gala struck up a conversation with a man who has been living in New York for 19 yrs.  He was home to see his family before returning to NY.  He helped her negotiate a reduced price for the arrangement she wanted.  On the way back we stopped at the INCA Lounge & Bistro to use Banos and have a cerveza.  We watched part of a jazz special on TV then returned to the hotel and sat on the terrace listening to a touring exercise group that were set up on the closed off streets so locals could keep in shape, all free according to desk clerk on a weekly basis.

Wall art along river walk on way back to hotel

Puppies near the westerly stairs

Exercising in the streets of Cuenca on Sunday

We decided to take a taxi tour of the residential areas.  It was a business card we picked up at the Kookaburra.  "Call Angel" for an English speaking tour guide.  He arrived and we were off to 6-7 areas he recommended.  Mostly mixed dwellings of Gringos and Ecuadorians.  Some nice looking places to consider.  We asked him to deliver us to the California Cafe after about 2 hours of enjoyable conversation and scenery.

Ecualyptus trees in near by parks

Light fixture in the California Kitchen

We met George and Carol, the owners, and settled in for another meal.  Gala ordered a white wine and I asked for a red (house wine, please).  Gala asked for a salad and pineapple upside down cake.  I went for the cheeseburger, fries and cerveza.  Gala also ordered a cup of coffee and a pound to go after she tried it.  We walked home and during our walk down the steps met a couple from Prince George, British Columbia who had been here for 15 months and loved the place.

November 5, 2010

Up early today, submitted laundry for cleaning and went to breakfast.  They, also, served all of us in the restaurant a special pancake with chocolate sauce as a treat, very tasty!  We met our guide Diego and Mara in the lobby on our return and went to the tour van to meet Mario, our driver, and Americo, our French tour companion.  Off through town to the east, up the hillside and around the mountain curves and into nearby valleys of houses, farms and small towns.

Mario, Mara, Gala and Diego

Our first stop was with an Ecuadorian family to see their home and garden.  Chickens, kittens, guinea pigs, fruits and vegetables.  We had tea and homemade bread before we departed.

A tomato tree!

Guinea pigs (boys on left with mom's & baby's at right)

Gala returning from the Banos

Aloe Vera plant above doorway.  If someone with bad spirits enters, a leaf will dry and fall off.

Stopped by to say Buenas dias & Adios

We stopped by the church in the small town our host family lived, then continued to see hand made guitars and smaller string instruments in the next small town along the way.

New construction across from the church



Farming the hill with Oxen and wooden plow





The guitar maker





Made with an Armadillo shell



  We next stopped at a family of silversmiths.  Very interesting - we both bought a ring!




These grasses were being dried for use in making the Panama hats made so famous in Ecuador




We saw this pig on our way to  Chordeleg.  They use a blow torch to burn the outside hide


We then traveled to the market in Gualaceo.  Another amazing place.

Fingerling potatoes



Different varieties of potatoes

  We then went for lunch at Uchupud an amazing place with wonderful food, service and facilities.  We saw several humming birds, all different than we see at home.  After our meal we toured the grounds to find swimming pools, table tennis, waterslides, orchids and cork trees.

Birds have been painted on the ceiling in the lounge.



We then visited a family run weaving operation where beautiful textile items were made from scratch.



Sample of making the red dye used




Changing from red to purple



Rose nursery across from textile operation

 We then headed to airport in Cuenca to drop off Mara who was flying to Quito then on to Panama, LA and home to Brisbane, Adios!

When we arrived at the hotel, Gala was beat and kicked me out of the room for her siesta.  I naturally used this opportunity to sit peacefully on the terrace.  I met Jim from Nebraska and Joe from San Diego and enjoyed a good visit over a couple cerveza.  Gala was not interested in an evening meal so I ventured up the stairs to the Wunderbar and enjoyed a popcorn and cerveza dinner (just like home some days!).