Birthdays and More Fun

We've been having alot of fun celebrating birthdays this month.  More pictures to share...

Here are the Birthday Boys, Howard, Rich and Bruce.

We celebrated at the CA Kitchen.

Thanks to all who sent birthday greetings to Rich...the big 7-0 this year!













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Last weekend Ecuador celebrated the 'First Cry of Freedom' from Spain. 

Flags out at the Square, blowing in the breeze.

Family fun.  Another really cute cowgirl posing for pictures.

We've been watching the renovation of a favorite Church on Gran Colombia. 

Great paint job!

The heart of Jesus.

Looks like the bells got all shined up, too.

We thought of Bob and Rox and our Grants Pass friends celebrating recently as we spotted this old Ford beauty...looks like an early '53 or '54?  Somebody out there knows...reminds us of Hot August Nights.

Sunday was another fun walk to town. 

This time with Chuck only, as Nancy is traveling.  We're looking forward to her return home soon.

Checking out the cultural center area, the street construction is almost done and looking good!

We also took a little road trip with friends to the countryside...  so peaceful and quiet. 

All we could hear was the wind.

Neighborhood Walks

We explored a couple more neighborhoods on our walks around town.

There is a nice plaza neighborhood on the way to CA Kitchen...  a mix of architecture and activities around the square.

The plaza is called Parque Maria Auxiliadora.

Modern Church with pretty stained glass windows.

Book store.

A curious poster, not sure what this is all about.

One day we walked from G Sangurima to San Blas.  Along the way, we passed produce vendors taking a break. 

Trying to decide...

We knew we were close when we could see the dome of San Blas.

Headed for ice cream!  MIXX is open!



















Last Sunday, we got another early start and  walked down Gran Colombia. 

Here are the colorful kites for sale at the traffic circle near us.  The kids are out of school, so it must be kite season.












A close-up.

We passed a house burning trash...lots of stinky smoke.  We like to walk early Sundays so we can avoid the bus fumes.  Hadn't expected we'd choke on burning garbage instead! 

We just picked up the pace...

The construction in front of  La Cuadras apt complex is going up fast (facing G Colombia).

New street art.

Another glorious Sunday!

How You Feel...Maybe Altitude Related?

You know how much we love Cuenca, and we've counted the ways here many times.  So much good to offer as a City with lots of beauty, lots of services...

But some friends feel so much better outside of Cuenca!  Expats and Ecuadorians both.

We don't know the science (if there is any), we just know by their stories, that they feel mucho better at their country homes, than they do in Cuenca. 

Could be the fresh country air, could be the lower altitude.  Some of their country homes are in Yunguilla,  about 2000 ft lower altitude than here in the City.  Maybe there are allergies from the diesel fumes and construction dust in Cuenca, maybe different plants and flowers.  Maybe it's the warmer temperatures in the Yunguilla Valley or different foods, or just the peace and quiet and beauty in the country.

All we really know is that some say they don't suffer from the foggy brain there and the dizziness from just leaning over in Cuenca.  Friends say they sleep better in the country, too.  Could be the higher altitude 'amplifies' other health issues?  We just don't know.

Another friend, who has also been here for a few years, still has trouble breathing at this altitude. When she drops down to lower altitudes, she can breathe so much easier. 

We know we can tell when we're at lower altitude, too. The higher oxygen level in the air makes it easier for us to think and breathe.  The air just feels 'thick', even at a drop of about 1000 ft from Cuenca.  Not that we're aware of major altitude problems  going into 3 years here, but we still do notice the changes at lower levels.  Last time we were at sea level at the Coast, wow!  The air felt so thick you could almost cut it with a knife!  But, it was humid and hot in Guayaquil that day, kind of like we remember San Diego or San Francisco used to feel right before a storm.  Kind of electric air, if that makes sense.  We felt more than fine, but we do in Cuenca, too at 8300 ft.  We also feel just fine at higher altitudes, like when we go up into the Andes for lunch or a walk in the Cajas.  But, we do feel the changes there...  the air is thinner as you go up.  No big problems for us, just feels different.

We guess the take-away lesson here is to pay attention to your body and how you feel.
Of course, there are trade-offs...peaceful, quiet country living vs. busy, noisy city life.  Hard to choose sometimes, but there are lots of choices here in Ecuador.  Some folks feel their best at the beach.  Some are the happiest in the jungle. 
Only you can decide what's best for you. 

Doctors know a whole lot about altitude adjustment here.  Your first few weeks at altitude could make you feel not-so-good, as you adjust.  (Remember, Quito is even higher at 9500 ft.) 

You might also need to adjust your meds, so be sure to check with a doctor.  As you adjust, your blood pressure could be through the roof.  Your sugar counts could be off the charts...and more.  Longer term, some folks don't seem to adjust well at all and do much better at lower heights...if you're one of them, it might be time to move down!  We're not medical folks, but it makes sense to us.

We think conventional medicine shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all.  Even though some doctors will tell you 'you've been here long enough to adjust'...maybe not for you.  If you still feel yucky here and you feel better elsewhere, it might be time for a re-think (or a different doctor).   

Life's too short to feel yucky, when there could be a choice...change the venue,  see the doctor/s.  Better to feel good than sick, don't you think? 

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Another observation about health...
We're seeing more newcomers getting sick upon arrival.  Could be all kinds of things...flu, sensitive tummies getting used to the new food and water, could be altitude.  Could be totally unrelated to travel and Cuenca,  but could be the Inca Revenge! We hear folks from here going to the US can also succumb to traveler's 'trots'.
If you're not feeling well, there are good doctors here.  You also might want to check with the pharmacy for meds, too, and stay with bottled water (even though Cuenca's tap water is usually fine for most folks, including us, but it is a higher mineral count than what you might be used to).
Altitude adjustment can also mess up your digestion, so go easy on the food.  You also might feel booze, caffiene and sugar effects more at this altitude.  If you've been thowing up or running to the bathrom alot, you might need Pedialyte (or something similar for electrolyte balance) to help you get back to normal.  You can get it at the pharmacy. 
Mate de Coca tea can help with altitude problems.  You can find the tea in some of the small shops, some hotels and restaurants, or in the markets.  We don't think you can buy the tea in the US to bring with you. We don't think you can take it back to the US through customs either.

Salud!


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We're celebrating some big milestones this month!  Rich turns the big 7-0!  We're also celebrating our 2 year mark as official, legal residents.  August is a birthday month for friends, too, as well as the celebration of the Independence of Ecuador (officially Aug 10, but the holiday this year is celebrated on the 12th.)

So --- stay tuned...we'll be sharing some party pics later.

Good Art and The Ugly

Here are more pictures around town ...

From a recent Sunday walk...  the new cultural center area renovation work is progressing nicely.

Looks like this old buildng will be getting a new facade soon.

A street artist just couldn't resist decorating, too.

Workers fixing the street...

More beautification of the area between the Main Square and the Flower Market.

A special service was in progress at the Church near the Flower Market, celebrating the Virgin of Carmen.  The Church was all decorated outside and the inside was packed with folks and all decorated, too. 

We tried to get  pictures from outside looking in.

A close-up.

A party supply shop.  Hello Kitty is everywhere!

More street art near the SF market.  This one is pretty good.

Flower boxes all in bloom, despite the recent cold weather.

Daisies for Ruth...

These are pictures from another Sunday...Church was just letting out.  Sundays are for families. 

Snacks for sale.

A little free music in the Park.  You might have to blow up this pic to see the variety of cool instruments. 

More interesting and colorful street art.  So much more artistic and creative than the usual tagging .  

Seems like there is more spray can tagging in town, it's appearing more and more on the historic buildings and churches. Even Cuenca's signature Church, the New Cathedral, has been tagged.  As soon as the workers clean up the mess, it's back again. Too bad. 

An Ecuadorian friend tells us the City officials are getting ready to crack down on the kids.  Hope so.  He's heard the kids could face jail time and the police could present the parents a bill for clean-up.  We'll see...