Getting Ready for Christmas

Christmas is right around the corner!  Shops are decorating their windows and the Mall is getting all decked out for the holidays, too.  This year, there seems to be more commercial decorations than last year (or else we're just out and about more this year and paying attention more on the walks). 

Here are some pics from the Mall...a huge decorated tree in the rotunda. 
Shops are decorated, too.

The statue and water display on the lower level of the Mall reminds us of Las Vegas!  We think someone should decorate him with garlands, too.

From shop windows downtown...












Party outfits!

Our favorite tree is UP at the Square!  Last year, we vowed to keep checking this year to see the actual construction...but we missed it.  We think it went up during the census day or during the night sometime last weekend.  We think it's made with a hollow chicken wire-type frame and plastic? boughs.  It's beautiful!

Here's a close-up of the decorations.

For last year's pictures, you can go back in this blog's archives for 2009.

We had the pleasure of meeting new friends, Lenny and Sharon, for lunch at the Square recently.  Here we are admiring the tree.  You can see the size of the tree behind us...gigantic!

More pictures of Christmas decorations around town...

Glittery ornaments hanging with ribbons at the coffee shop window at the Fragata building....beautiful tree in the lobby of the Palarmo building....wreath in our building.

We heard our first Christmas songs recently on both the radio and within the neighborhood.  Jingle bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, O Silent Night and more familiar tunes.  Both in English and Spanish.

Today, the little children at the nursery school below us were singing Frosty the Snowman!  Loud, joyful singing!  We wonder if these little ones have ever seen snow, since it never snows here in Cuenca.  Maybe someday they will have the fun of building snow-people!

We're really looking forward to all the Christmas celebrations this season!  Parades, parties with friends, concerts and lots more fireworks...a very fun time.  Even if it does feel a little strange (to us) in sometimes too hot intense sun and no snow for our December...

For our northern readers who love animal pictures, here's one for your winter season.  So cute!