IT'S DIFFICULT SAYING GOODBYE TO GOOD FRIENDS

 

John Barrenwer has been a friend of mine since I first moved to Cuenca in 2011.  We became acquainted as he became my first Spanish tutor.

John's late father was a Spaniard, and his mother is Ecuadorian, but today she lives outside of Barcelona, Spain. John's maternal grandmother lives outside of Machala, which is near the coast of Ecuador. Today John has duel citizenship with Great Britain and Ecuador. This is the first time in three and a half years that John returned to Ecuador. While visiting with his grandmother, he brought her to Cuenca for three days. His grandmother likes to shop in Cuenca.

We ate at Sofy Glocal Cuisine restaurant (above), and enjoyed my favorito dish at Sofy, which is the Filet Mignon on a bed of Quinoa in a savory cream sauce. The golden margaritas are also excellent.

On another evening, we ate at Tiestos. Tiestos is a must for many tourists who are more than just back packers. Juan Carlos, the owner and head chef, has given Tiestos a reputation for fine dining, very good service, and excellent dishes, in a traditional Ecuadorian setting of various dining rooms, a bar area, and canvas paintings and murals throughout rich in Ecuadorian life and scenery. Much of the cooking is done in clay pots, which is why the restaurant is called Tiestos.

Some of our favorites are the lomo fino (steak) medallions presented in various sauces of blue cheese, olive oil, mustard sauce, a tomato sauce, among the selections. My favorite is the mora sauce (black berry).

The logistinos (large prawns) are served absolutely sizzling as the steam rises above the plate. A wait of a few minutes is a must, if one doesn't want to burn one's mouth on these exquisite creatures. However, the logistinos are meant to be eaten for their best flavor while still very warm. I dare not overlook, Juan Carlos' outstanding dessert, the very rich, melt in your mouth chocolate mousse torta or cake served with a side of maracuya ice cream.

The last two months must be my time period for Mariachi music. As the evening was drawing to a close, a Mariachi band entered, and we assumed their presence was arranged by the husband to serenade his wife on their anniversary dinner. Since Tiestos is arranged into various dining rooms, we were fortunate enough to have the band directly in our dining area, after many of the other guests in that dining area has already departed, the tables moved aside; only the three of us and the couple remained, while other guests peaked in through the two doorways.

If you are a fan of trumpet music, you may enjoy the serenade below:

This past Sunday, twelve of us gathered at the Dos Chorreras Restaurant near the entrance of the Cajas National Park, to say goodbye to good friends, Mike and Betty Jones, who are moving to Portugal after five years in Cuenca. I have had so much fun with Mike and Betty. Together, we explored just about every restaurant of significance in Cuenca, over many fascinating conversations. Friends, like Mike and Betty, don't come along everyday. We will miss them and the many wonderful times we had together. Nonetheless, I now have another place to travel, since I have never been to Portugal. It was also a time to introduce John to some of my friends, and to say goodbye too, as he would be returning to London this week.

In the photo above left to right is Loren Kuehne, Betty Jones, Jerry Ramos, Andres Rios, and Mathias Rios.

Above is Sieg Braum, next to him would be his wife, Karen, and then Esteban Rios, once they make their way through the buffet line. I had not realized that people were missing at our table when I took the photo. Above is John Barrenwer in sunglasses, Maria Rosa, and Mike Jones, with me sitting between Mike and Sieg after taking the photos.

Maria Rosa admiring the view near our tables at Dos Chorreas.

On John's last night in Cuenca. After eating from a buffet at Dos Correrás Restaurant, and having a few hours to rest after our return, and allow our food to settle. We were no longer sedate, and getting restless for some exercise. John, Mathias, and I decided to take the tranvía to El Centro, walk around, and finish the night with pizza. Of course, in typical Cuenca style, it was raining. Mainly, drizzling. Actually, our night wasn't as planned as I laid it out. We walked around and experienced a few small highlights of a very quiet and actually very dead night in Cuenca.

One of our highlights surprisingly was to find the New Cathedral open as it was getting late, although a Sunday night. There appeared to be a small devotional of the rosary taking place. We entered, and I always enjoy the splendor of the interior of the cathedral.

Below is the life-size Nativity scene in the New Cathedral.

The photo below is of the Old Cathedral as we walked along Calderon Park and passed the Old Cathedral bathed in its various colors for the Christmas season.

Eventually, we walked east to the Broken Bridge, down the escalera to Third de Noviembre, which is usually lit and busy with many restaurants. Not much life on a Sunday evening, but we did find an open pizzeria with some intriguing varieties of pizza combinations. We were stopping mainly to rest and have a drink, since we had eaten a large buffet in midafternoon, but the pizza won out as we looked over the menu.

While waiting for our pizza, John and I were talking. I had not noticed where Mathias disappeared to. There was a standup piano in the bar, and maybe it took me about thirty seconds having been distracted by our conversation that I realized Mathias was playing Guns N Roses, "November Rain" on the piano. It is Mathias most accomplished piece, and he played exceptionally well. The fair amount of customers on hand, considering it was about the only open place besides the New Cathedral in El Centro, gave him a hearty applause upon his completion.

John and Mathias deciding on what pizzas to order.     

After pizza and conversation we took a taxi home, just as it stopped drizzling. We sat up until the wee hours of the night talking, while John shared his wisdom of a 31 year old with Mathias, and I could not help but think how John was just a couple of years older than Mathias, when I first meet him. I thought about all the places around the world that John had worked and visited over the last ten years, and could only wonder at how many splendid places Mathias and, his brother, Esteban, would work and vacation over the next ten years. Finally, Mathias went to bed, and John and I talked for about another hour reflecting over our personal plans and our travel plans as to where and when we might meet up again in the future.

By 3:00 a.m., we called it a night. We said goodbye to each other as no doubt John would be departing the next morning while I would still be dead to the world. The last two months since I left for Miami and thereafter, have been quite a social whirl for me, so I am looking forward to a slower pace for the time being, and (I know my friends are laughing when they read this) some very serious dieting.