Whirlwind week -- Bob, Rox and Coquita visit Cuenca

Wow, what a fun week!

Bob, Roxanne and Coquita (The Rocket Girl!) came to visit for a few days.  We tried to pack as much fun as we could into these few days and we think we did a pretty good job at that!   We managed to deal with some business/family stuff, too.  A nice blend of business and pleasure, and catching up on all the news. 

Amongst us all, we must have taken about a zillion pictures as we explored the City and countryside, did some errands and meetings, shopped, ate (alot!)...we all had some fun being 'tourists again'.  Still fun to do, after all this time...

We also had some fun introducing Bob and Rox to some 'firsts' for them...Even though they know Cuenca pretty well, there's always something new to do.

We took them to the Kookaburra Cafe one morning for breakfast...caught up with friends...Somehow we remember Bob eating pie a la mode for breakfast, which makes total sense!  Dessert first!

**Added July 21:
A couple more great bloggers at this table...
Larry (black jacket/white shirt) writes a blog about life here in Cuenca...wealth of info:
http://retire-in-cuenca-ec.blogspot.com/

Jim (yellow shirt)... through the eyes of a first-time visitor who has 'fallen in love' with Cuenca:
http://cuencaperspectivesbyjim.blogspot.com/
**

And, another 'first'...dinner at Tiestos!

Our good friends, Nancy and Chuck, joined us for dinner, too...a nice mix of new restaurant, good friends...

What a feast!

As many of our readers already know, we 4 (5 with Coquita) love a picnic, so we had to have a couple of those, too...here we are at the Fragata rentals on a balmy day.  The views and weather were perfect for outside dining.

Good excuse to try out the new patio furniture, too.  (Rich is rubbing linseed oil into the wood to help protect it from the sun...soaked right in.)

Enjoying the sun...








Getting everything organized and ready...

Sometimes the best food is cooked right in your own kitchen.  Bob treated us to his gourmet cooking...check out the perfect steaks and Bob's famous potatoes...

We all strive to be members of the 'clean plate club'!  This time, we succeeded pretty well.  We all cleaned our plates, right down to practically licking it clean.

Coquita 'helped' with the clean-up...(a little reflection in the photo from the glass door on the left...)

Another cute picture of Coquita...she entertained herself, as well as us!, for hours with all her favorite toys...

Coquita and her Uncle Rich after a busy day...

We're in the newspaper!

The national newspaper, El Comercio, wanted to do an article on expats and their lives here in Ecuador.
They interviewed several of us in a few areas and the article was published in the Sunday edition. 

Here's pictures of the newspaper's journalist/interviewer and the photographer:

Our good friends, Chuck and Nancy, scanned and published a few pictures on their blog

http://watsontravels.blogspot.com/2010/07/ecuador-newspaper-does-feature-on-ex.html

...and we are doing the same (knowing that not all our friends and family regularly follow all the blogs here.)

Here we are...this is exciting!  (Yes, we were a little nervous!)

On the left is Rich standing across from the Adobe rental, right in front of the river and the walking bridge.  You can see the stairs  going up to Calle Larga. 

On the right, we're with our friend Holly (who also lives here).  We're meeting Jolie, who is visiting from New Zealand.






We love these pics of Nancy (blue jacket), showing the pictures of her family on the fridge, and Chuck, tending his beautiful garden.

For those who don't read Spanish, you can see an English translation of the article here:


http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elcomercio.com%2FGenerales%2FSolo-Texto.aspx%3Fgn3articleID%3D252452&sl=es&tl=en


We've had a whirlwind week!  Bob and Roxanne came to visit from the coast and a ton of furniture for the Fragata units arrived just fine, right on schedule.
We'll be sharing lots of fun pics in the next couple days, so stay tuned...

For previews, be sure to check out Bob and Rox's blog at:

http://bobnrox.squarespace.com/journal/2010/7/17/zowieee-cuenca-is-way-too-much-fun.html

and

http://bobnrox.squarespace.com/journal/2010/7/17/mega-fun-at-tiestosyummmm.html


More later.

Our story -- these links might help

As folks in the North are coming down to Cuenca to check out the City (and then decide if they want to relocate here), we've been getting a ton of emails with questions...We think we should answer on-blog, just because so many folks are wondering about the same things.  All valid concerns. 

Some questions deal with health care, some with banking, politics, safety, weather, transportation... you name it. The topics seem to come in phases and we've answered many of these concerns on past blog entries.

 The latest, common question is:  "Do you think we will like Cuenca?"

Our answer is:  It depends.

It depends on your tolerance for a new and different culture.  It depends on your tolerance for change.  Moving to another country IS hard as you adjust and settle in.  Harder for some, depending upon your reasons for coming and depending upon what you're leaving behind.  Some expats will tell you that one day, it just 'clicked'...light at the end of the tunnel...it just started to get easier.

We always tell folks to read everything you can find on Cuenca!  Ecuador isn't for everyone, and only you can make that hard decision.   There are many good blogs out there that you can learn from.  Wish we'd had all that information when we first started looking at Ecuador!  All expats have their own story.  They will tell you of their good and bad days and then you can make an informed decision if Cuenca is right for you.

Some new expats and visitors want to make Ecuador a 'Little America"...please don't come/stay with that in mind!  You will only be frustrated and unhappy... Ecuador is NOT the USA (good and bad). 

We tell folks to 'pack your patience'.  Easy to say, but it means that you will be frustrated with the slow response from vendors, the culture shock, the colder weather and almost daily rain at this time of year...  You may be frustrated with the language and trying to communicate...you could be frustrated with moving several times before you find just the right place...

Yes, you will hate the traffic and deisel fumes and the noise.  No, you will not find a Walmart, a Costco, a Nordstrom.  Yes, you will pay a premium for Jif peanut butter and other imported items.  Yes, you could be frustrated with new laws and rules, they change all the time.  Yes, the 8300 ft altitude could slow you down and you might get sick.  Yes, there are pickpockets (and worse). 

Most expats go through the whole range of emotions as they settle in.  Some rant, some cry, some complain about everything, some are so homesick it tugs at the heart.  But, those who do stay, do adjust and they end up happier for it.  If you are a couple, you might even find that both of you are not on the same page at the same time. Everyone adjusts at their own pace.  Some never do adjust and they just move on, either back to where they came or onward west, east, a bit more north or further south. 

We'd like to add to the 'pack your patience' advice...  Also, bring an open heart and mind, gratitude, and peace and love for all.

Yes, some days are the pits, but that's 'life' anywhere. 

Here's a secret...we play a little game at the end of each day.  We've been playing this game for as long as we can remember.  As we sit down with a cup of tea or a glass of wine at the end of a long, busy day, we ask each other:  "So, what good happened today?"  Some day's recap is long and entertaining...some days we struggle with finding the good!  Some days we agree that the only good that happened is that the sun came up and we witnessed yet another beautiful sunrise!  Or, we share a little act of kindness which delighted us...or where new blooms are in the neighborhood.  Or, even that the day could have been so much worse.  No matter what the day was like, we always agree that tomorrow is yet another day and we are grateful for another chance at starting over (sometimes with the same list!)...Just might get lucky the 2nd (or 20th!) time around.  And, we do get lucky some days...another step forward........another good day where everything falls into place.  Just life...just like anywhere we've ever lived.

To paraphrase one wise blogger:
It's complicated.  It's Cuenca!  It's ok.

===
To make it easier for you to read our story, here are some links:

Our very first blog entry, December 2007:
http://richandnancy.blogspot.com/2007/12/leaving-dodge-and-winter-behind.html

Packing, planning and sorting for the move:
http://richandnancy.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-we-got-here.html

1 year here (and how we adjusted):
http://richandnancy.blogspot.com/2010/03/365-days-we-did-it.html

Life now in Cuenca:
http://richandnancy.blogspot.com/2010/05/our-new-normal.html

Hope this helps. 

Salud.

4th of July and Sunday/s

We enjoyed the 4th with several friends from the US (and Canada).  Our friends and neighbors, Chuck and Nancy, hosted a July 4th party, complete with pizza and lots of fun.

Our gracious hosts:

Cake!  It wasn't decorated with 'real' red, white and blue...but the coral, turquoise and white was close enough for us!

We enjoyed meeting newcomers, Karen and Randy.  (Karen in the blue below, Randy in the plaid.)  Welcome to Cuenca!

Karen and Randy's blog tells their story:
http://kimblerstravels.blogspot.com/

For more pictures of the party, see
http://watsontravels.blogspot.com/2010/07/independence-day-in-ecuador.html


Being Sunday, we started the day bright and early for our traditional Sunday walk to town with Chuck and Nancy.  Always a delight!

As we all headed out, Rich took this picture of another building under construction in our neighborhood...lots of progress...Edificio Amazonas.
Another 10 story going up.  Juliet-type balconies.

There is always something interesting on our walks...here are the 2 Nancy's 'discovering' some carvings in the stonework...(We've walked by them several times before and didn't notice...)  We'll get pictures of the lizard, faces and others another Sunday.

A cute little girl with her puppy.













Here are a few more pictures we'd like to share...

We can't get enough of these beautiful blue domes at the New Cathedral! 

Roadwork is progressing...
(Ricky, this one is for you!!  Your Dad is waving to you!!!)












We had a wonderful time at Tiesto's for our anniversary dinner.  Food is always top-notch and the desserts are works of art.  Praline cake and a gooey-chocolate with ice cream.  The dessert plates are decorated with fruit syrup flowers, so pretty!  (And, so yummy!)

For those who have asked for more flower pictures:

A previous Sunday, we caught up with our Canadian friends, Brian, Shelley and Fredi.
Chuck had remembered that July 1st is Canada Day!  He brought along a Canadian flag twirl-y thing and hung it in a tree at the Park for an early celebration.

Always something fun to do on a Sunday in Cuenca!

Remembering our wedding, 22 years ago

Family and friends have asked for some pics of our wedding day...thanks for asking!
It's our 22nd wedding anniversary!  Thanks for remembering!

This request gives us such a fun opportunity to re-look and re-visit those pics and remember that special day with all of you, too.We had such a wonderful, most excellent time!
It's been bittersweet as we go through the pictures and remember the stories.
Some friends and family have passed on since then...we miss them but we know they will be with us forever...they are right across the rainbow...

Some of the little tykes at the wedding are now all grown up, with college degrees, military service, spouses, jobs, houses and children of their own.  We're so proud of you!

Time goes by so quickly!  But, we remember our wedding celebration with all of you as if it were yesterday...when we were young...(younger!)

A picture of the glorious day...no fog on the coast!  The sky and the ocean really were this blue.

You'll remember when we got married,  we celebrated for several days! 

The remodel of the cottage was 'almost done'...but, more than 'done enough' for a party!





You will remember that Rich and friends built new front and side decks and the 'bridal bridge'....the entire interior of 'Cliff Cottage' was gutted and redone, too.  Here are some construction shots...

You'll remember the cows that came down to the ceremony from across the road (no pics, unfortunately).  Not everyone has cows at their wedding!
We can still hear the laughter over the moooo-ing.  We could barely get through our vows, it was so funny.

Rich and friends, VERY early on the wedding day, finished up with railings on the new deck and the clean-up...
Guess who is in those coveralls?!

Remember Ol' Yeller?  That old truck used to get tickets for ugliness...but what a work horse.  Only Rich knew how to drive it.

Food was fabulous at the wedding!  Folks made sandwiches and filled a plate with salads, grabbed a drink and walked down to the sand...

Wedding cake!  All decorated with white roses, ivy and ferns.  Chocolate, of course!









Even Mz Kitty enjoyed a treat...

A picture of the beach picnic area below the back deck...

More fun pics of The Day...

Brennan's flute music was wonderful!

This is Rich telling Nicole and Emily that their job as flower girls was just to 'look real cute'...(obviously, the girls had that one down!)

The Bride and Daddy, awaiting the clean-up crew to finish up on the front deck.

Crossing the Bridal Bridge...just finished a few days before.

Jenny and Eric.
















Cathy and Chris...

"Timmy" (now "Tim") caught the garter!

Mom of the Bride hugging the Groom...

Lots of dancing and good ol' loud rock 'n' roll!

It was July 4th weekend.  The day after, Nancy's Dad did his famous delicious ribs...and the little ones played in the hot tub, while the adults just relaxed...

Evie and Josh soaking up the sun.

Marji, relaxing...

Grandma...love the tiara!

Talking to folks who couldn't join us...

Thanks to all of you for celebrating with us on The Day/s and each year since. 

Many Thanks for the memories!  We love you all!!

(If you'd like to re-look at the anniv. pictures posted last year, go back in the blog to July 2009.)

http://richandnancy.blogspot.com/2009/07/our-21st-anniversary-is-today.html