SEDER DINNER 2012

Easter season seems like a distant memory as time-travel moves the universe at an accelerating pace.  First, I immersed myself in a whirl-wind week of social activity, and then I have been busy preparing for my return to the states for a month, beginning May 6^th and returning to Cuenca on June 9^th.  I’ve also taken time trying to organize a great deal of paper work I’ve accumulated since arriving in Cuenca back in March of 2011, along with all the other sundry things of life that takes up ones day-to-day activities.  As a result, I haven’t posted as much, and my last post started out as a personal email in which I couldn’t stop writing, and finally decided to make the email a post.  However, there was an event during Holy Week that I attended, and did not find the time to share, and although it is out of place chronologically with my other posts,  I very much would like to share it with you today.

I was quite surprised without any prompting from me at the dozens of readers who recently read my post from last year entitled, http://cuencaperspectivesbyjim.blogspot.com/2011/04/passion-of-christ.html.  Last year I lived for two weeks in the heart of El Centro, and was overwhelmed by the numbers of people, church services, processions and activities that took place in Cuenca during Holy Week, which began with Palm Sunday and ended with Easter Sunday.  On Good Friday, I had even made the traditional visit to seven churches that so many Cuecano Catholic devotees fulfill on that day of the year.

This year I was looking for a new spiritual experience for Holy Week.  A Seder Dinner was advertised in “Gringo Tree”.  I had not attended a Seder since the 1980’s.  I thought that would be a nice, intimate way of memorializing the Holy Week.  Credit for the organization of the Seder went to Claudia Coplan, and the Seder was held in Emanuela Levin’s home in the Palermo.  The Seder meal is done in remembrance of the Passover, which was the Jewish celebration each year of the freedom of the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery.  The Passover is a reminder according to Biblical teaching of the final plague against the Egyptians as the Angel of the Lord passed over the slaying of the first-borns of the household, where the blood of the lamb had been brushed over the door posts of the homes whose occupants obeyed the injunction of the Lord.

Now the surprise was that I had no idea this was a Jewish Seder.  The advertisement in “Gringo Tree” just said “Seder”.  I assumed wrongly that Seder was a term used by Christians in commemoration of the Lord’s Supper.  Remember, Jesus and his twelve apostles were Jews, and kept the Jewish law and holy days.  What Christians call the “Last Supper”, was basically Jesus and the apostles celebrating Passover.  I assumed that Jews simply called the holy day Passover.  So after I arrived, it became clear that the Seder was intended as a Jewish event.  However, I was welcomed and treated with respect.  There was also a lady of Irish-Catholic background in attendance whose spouse was Jewish, a young Ecuadorian male with a very pretty little daughter, whose attractive wife was Jewish, and a gentleman who was half-Jewish.

 

We went through the ritual of the Seder, which was very much like the Christian Seders, I had attended decades ago.  The primary difference in Christian Seders is the addition of some prayers that tie the Passover to the Christian heritage and Jesus Christ.  Also, some Christian evangelical groups will substitute grape juice in place of the wine.  We all took turns praying and reading from the book that was provided, which I will have more to share with you at the end of this post.

Deke Castleman’s mother had baked matza bread, and it arrived just in time for the Seder.  The bread was delicious, and I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a connection there between that matza bread and Deke’s love of Pizza and its crust.  Matza bread is the unleavened bread, for when the time came for the Hebrews to pick up and leave Egypt, in the rush of departure there was no time to allow the bread to rise.  Matza bread was also on hand at our dinner from Israel itself; but in a taste-test, Deke’s mother’s matza had it beat by a mile.  After the rituals were performed and the readings were completed, we shared a dinner together beyond the items that were used in the ritual Seder.  The evening was very meaningful for me, not only as a student of history, world cultures, and religious studies; but also on a spiritual level as well.  This is a Seder I will remember for a very long time.

I don’t know what beliefs were brought to the dinner by the Jews in attendance.  Obviously, there were no Hassidic Jews in attendance, and probably no one who might be identified as an Orthodox Jew.  These attendees appeared to be more of a liberal persuasion where their Judaism was freed from the highly ritualistic practice, for example, of various dishes having to be used and washed for various items, and someone had commented how when they were children the elders were involved in prolonged readings and prayer sessions that did not apply to this abridged edition of Seder.  This appeared to be a faith practiced without the many legalisms of traditional Judaism.  Among those in attendance, some may have attended out of deep faith; and others may have attended to simply share memories of childhood rituals and religious beliefs that may not have any significant impact on their lives today; or they may have attended simply to be part of the Jewish community in Cuenca, and to share a solidarity with their brethren over all that the Jewish people had to endure over the many past centuries, and continue to endure in the world today.  

I had the opportunity to make some new acquaintances, and hopefully some new friendships as well.  In fact, I knew three of the people in attendance from other social engagements prior to the Seder.  The Jewish people in attendance were by no means all the Jews in Cuenca.  With time, we will probably discover a significant growth in a vibrant Jewish community in Cuenca.

Below is a text that better explains the Seder, and is taken from Wikipedia:

The Passover Seder (Hebrew: סֵדֶר‎ [ˈsedeʁ], "order, arrangement"; Yiddish: Seyder) is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted on the evenings of the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, and on the 15th by traditionally observant Jews living outside Israel. This corresponds to late March or April in the Gregorian calendar.

The Seder is a ritual performed by a community or by multiple generations of a family, involving a retelling of the story of the liberation of the Israelites from slaveryin ancient Egypt. This story is in the Book of Exodus (Shemot) in the Hebrew Bible. The Seder itself is based on the Biblical verse commanding Jews to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt: "You shall tell your child on that day, saying, 'It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'" (Exodus 13:8) Traditionally, families and friends gather in the evening to read the text of the Haggadah, an ancient work derived from the Mishnah (Pesahim 10).^[1][2] The Haggadah contains the narrative of the Israelite exodus from Egypt, special blessings and rituals, commentaries from the Talmud, and special Passover songs.

Seder customs include drinking four cups of wine, eating matza, partaking of symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder Plate, and reclining in celebration of freedom.^[3] The Seder is performed in much the same way by Jews all over the world.

Below is a link that describes in detail the Seder Dinner and the symbolism of each of the foods used in the Seder, along with some beautiful illustrations:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder

Since I first posted this post, Claudia Coplan graciously sent me a couple of photos from our Seder Dinner evening, and I am sharing them with you below:

Once again, the link immediately above the photos helps to explain the symbolism of each of the items you see in the photos.

IN CUENCA, ALWAYS EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Today's blog post started out as a personal email, but as I kept writing, I decided it would be my latest blog post:


Hi Lois,

Yes Chris and Bettye Petersen are great neighbors here at the Palermo.  We've been having a good time and always seem to have something to talk about, and I have introduced them to several of my friends over various lunches and dinners.  

Yesterday, started out very warm and extraordinarily sunny. The clouds over the eastern mountain range were so white and fluffy.  There wasn't a dark spot to be found anywhere in the sky enveloping Cuenca.  Of course, Lois, when you live here for a while you will learn quickly that such mornings are illusionary, and if the weather change is not what you wanted, you may even feel disillusioned.  When the three of us left for our adventure of the day at 1:00 p.m., the sky almost on cue had changed to an overcast. It happened so rapidly, that there truly is much truth to the statement, "That if you don't like the weather in Cuenca, don't worry it will change in ten minutes."  I rationalized to Chris and Bettye that the overcast would be advantageous to us, rather than spending an afternoon of walking under the hot sun, but we all knew what was most likely to be the outcome of this overcast. 

Yesterday, was a true test of a budding friendship.  I walked their and my behinds all over Cuenca, in search of the art fair.  We would have had an easier time trying to find Carmen Sandiego. There are two major art fairs annually in Cuenca. We found the first part, which is mainly crafts that quite frankly you can find anywhere in Cuenca, and it was located where it normally is on both sides of the river near Cuenca University.  By the time we arrived to this part of the fair, of course it was raining and drizzling, which would continue for about an hour.

Also in that location is Esquina Arts a complex of about twenty art shops, and which as I later would learn, turned out to be the sponsor and heart of the festival.  I then took Chris and Bettye down to Parque Madre, which, is totally boarded up, will be demolished, and replaced with a 350 underground auto garage, with a new park over the garage, and high quality running lanes for joggers and runners as well.

So all the past painting exhibitions that were along the sidewalks of the park were not on exhibit. What new location did they move the exhibits to, I wondered?  One young lady I asked said San Blas Square, and a middle-age lady said Parque Calderon.  We walked into El Centro from the river to an area between the two squares.  From what we could see, there appeared to be booths down by San Blas Square so we walked down there, and it was more of the handicraft stuff we saw earlier. Chris and Bettye did get to see the interior of San Blas Church, and a wedding ceremony was taking place at the time. They also saw the location for one of the vegetarian restaurants, which are of interest to them in Cuenca.  I also showed them the Canadian family-owned ice cream parlor on the square.  Many believe its ice cream is better than Tutto Freddo's.  I also noticed that Tutto Freddo's moved from a larger location on the square to a smaller location even closer to its rival ice cream shop.  Either way, both offer great ice cream.  A large stage was also setup on the square with all the sound equipment, which indicated some loud rock, South American style music was going to be the evening entertainment.  I also heard that Parque Paraiso would be featuring band concerts that evening as well.

We didn't have ice cream.  We just used the ice cream shop's banos, and walked back down Simon Bolivar toward Parque Calderon.  As we walked, we were accompanied by a band playing from an open van as it made its way down the street. It is always interesting, when these traditional type of bands play in the city, all the men wear suits while performing.

The band was accompanied by vintage autos from the 30's through the 70's, and there were even more vintage autos on display on Benigo Malo along Parke Calderon.  It was 4:00 in the afternoon.  I talked to the always friendly owner in the Ramipampa Restaurant, and he showed me the Art Festival ad in the newspaper. It was then that I came to the realization that possibly because of all the construction work along Parque Madre; and along the street on the opposite side of the river where major road construction is also taking place, and which had also been used in past painting exhibitions that can run for blocks; the whole fair was just scaled back this spring.  

Bettye wanted to eat at a nice restaurant, so I suggested Mangiare Bene, a fusion Italian-Ecuadorian restaurant, which in my opinion, is one of the very best eateries in the city, and it would be in the direction of our walking back to the Palermo.  As we arrived, the restaurant was closed, which I feared, since Ecuadorians usually don't eat supper until 7:00 p.m. or later, and the restaurant would not open until 6:00 p.m. for those early gringo diners.

Ultimately, it was decided by the three of us to make our way over to the Mediterraneo Restaurant, a very fine traditional Italian restaurant. The owner who is also the chef is from Milan, Italy, but the restaurant was almost one mile from our current location.   No one voted to take a taxi, so we walked.  I also figured that if the Mediterraneo was closed, there was about a half dozen other fine restaurants in the area.  As we approached the general area I couldn't find the Mediterraneo.  I left all my address books at home, because I didn't think I would need them and I wanted to lighten my bag load.  Chris was beginning to look irritated with me, not that I couldn't blame him.  We had easily walked six miles. We walked over to Zoe's, but they were closed.  We went across the street to the Indigo restaurant which is inexpensive and serves reasonably good food and sandwiches. Bettye came up with a great suggestion that we have a cocktail at Indigo's, and by six we could walk over to Las Monjas when it opened for dinner. Well, we had two cocktails a piece, and we all agreed they were quite good and very reasonably priced at Indigo's.  

By 6:20 p.m., we made our way down to Las Monjas, another one of the finest cuisine restaurants in the city.  The atmosphere, service, and food are all first class.  We started our dinner off with chocolate martinis, which were superb to say the least. They would also become Bettye and my dessert as well.  It was early by Ecuadorian standards for dining, and only one other family was in the restaurant during our time there.


This was my second visit to Las Monjas, I had visited there over a month ago when my brother and sister-in-law where visiting from the states, we all loved the restaurant then, but there were few patrons.  I would think such an outstanding dining experience would find this restaurant over-flowing with customers.  All three of us had seafood dinners, and the chef did an excellent job of preparation and presentation.  After dinner as we departed the restaurant, the better part of discretion required that we take a taxi home and not try to hoof it.  

Chris and Bettye received a better feel for the overall layout of the city, and where various places were located in relationship to others, whether they wanted the lesson or not.  I learned not to trust that the way things were done in previous events would necessarily be done the same way again.  We never found the art fair we sought out, and we never found Carmen Sadiego either.  In the end, the drinks and dinner made the day, and were the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow of all that walking, searching, and experiencing the unexpected.  

So Lois, we look forward to the time you come to join us on another visit to Cuenca, and when you come to permanently settle here.  Thanks for your friendship, and for introducing me to Chris and Bettye.

HOSTERIA DOS CHORRERAS REVISITED

While my brother, Leo and his wife, Carla were visiting in Cuenca, they especially requested to visit the Hosteria Dos Chorreras Restaurant and Inn not far from the entrance to the Cajas National Park.  Their request had been based on an earlier post I had written of this spectacular restaurant of exceptional architectural achievement and landscaping.  If you would like to see the original post and  photos of Dos Chorreras just click on the link below, click on slideshow, and click on the forward arrow, so you can control the speed of viewing each slide:

https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/HOSTERIADOSCHORRERAS     


On this trip our friend and driver had one of his friends, Manuel, take us to the restaurant.  On the way, however, Manuel took us on a side trip as we neared the restaurant area to show us the church grounds and church where he, his wife, and two daughters attend Saturday evening mass.  The grounds were attractive, and are known by the name, Capilla y Jardin (Chapel and Garden).  There were various religious icons on display.  Manuel was very proud of his church.  As we walked about the grounds, we viewed some outside wall displays that included plaques and letters of thanks and appreciation to God for those in the parish who had successfully made it to the United States to live and work.  I thought these prayers of appreciation may be unique to this particular church, but I  since have spoken to another friend who was aware of the same custom practiced at another church in Cuenca, so it may be a more common practice than we thought.  You may view the church grounds on the link below, and follow the same modus operendi as in the previous link.


https://plus.google.com/photos/111741036841400152108/albums/5726638190189543297



My purpose for posting again about the beautiful architectural gem, Hosteria Dos Chorrereas was the fact that I thought I had seen all of the rooms in the building from my trip there in November.  However, it didn't take long to discover not only some additional dining rooms, but a bar as well on a lower level.  Last time I also was able to get shots of the interior of some of the cabin rooms, which are housed separately from the main restaurant.  I hoped to show them to my brother and sister-in-law, but the draperies were closed to all of the cabin rooms.  This time, however, I was able to view some of the hotel rooms in the restaurant-inn complex, and those pictures are included.

When Jose Cortez and I visited in November we practically had the entire restaurant to ourselves.  This time, a seminar was being held in one of the upper dining areas, and a bus-load of tourists were on hand as well.  The beautiful gift shop was doing a humming business.  My sister-in-law has some sensational photos of the gift shop.  However, since my brother is as brain-dead as me when it comes to electronics, they haven't figured out how to transfer their photos to me so I can use some of them in these posts.  Nonetheless, there were some photos of the gift shop in the original post above.

What I am especially pleased to report to you is that when Jose and I had dinner in November at Chorrereas, we were not very happy with the meal other than our main entrees.  We shared are disappointment with the manager.  I don't know if other concerns about the meals were expressed as well by other patrons.  I do know that it really felt good to find that management acted on our suggestions.  The manager was sincere when he said they welcomed our comments, and appreciated feedback from their patrons.  He wasn't handing us some public relations b.s. of what he thought we wanted to hear.  The management actually acted on our suggestions!

We had a very good meal.  Not only the entree of trout, which was fine before, but also the sopa de papas was immensely improved.  The broth was now thick and not insipid, and it now included alvocado and a slice of hard boiled egg.  The side dishes were quite good, and the dessert was not only delicious, but came in a larger portion.  The menu is great, because it provides the diner with all the food items in Spanish and their English translation.

So not only do you have a place to visit or spend a night or two of relaxation in natural and architectural splendor, but you also can enjoy a high quality and filling seafood dinner at a reasonable price.  You're welcome to enjoy the additions to the Chorrereas' slide album below, and I consider ourselves extremely fortunate that such a jewel of a place is right in our own backyard of Cuenca.  (Click on the first larger photo and that will allow you to go into slide show mode, and you will find the forward arrow way over to the right:

https://plus.google.com/photos/111741036841400152108/albums/5720318273473267777?authkey=CK67g7Ho-_WiswE

VISITING GUAYAQUIL--CITY STREETS

While my brother, Leo, his wife, Carla, and I were visiting in Guayaquil we walked along two or three streets that paralleled the Malecon Drive.  Primarily, we were seeking a place for lunch.  Restaurants seemed far and in-between.  Restaurant scarcity seemed odd in an area dense with financial institutions and government office buildings.  We did find a crowded corner restaurant, which offered a buffet amuerzo.  It was heart-warming to see how quickly the young wait-staff went to work to find us a table and help Carla get herself situated as we made our way down the tight aisles on one of the few days we used a wheel chair.  I don't recall if we were the only gringos in the place, but the staff having to deal with a crush of customers, went out of their way to get us situated and explain the procedure for using the buffet and the various dishes available on the buffet.  I don't how my brother pulled it off. I wasn't standing next to him when he went through the buffet line, but while I had to make choices among the food items offered, Leo just told the server that he wanted one of everything, and that's what they gave him for the same price.

After lunch we walked along the city streets and snapped photos of the beautiful architecture in that part of town near the Malecon.  I didn't take notes on the buildings we saw, so all I have to share with you are the unidentified architectural facade photos.  In the opening slides along the sides of some tall buildings, if I understood correctly, were actual paintings done by well known Ecuadorian artists. It would be great to see a project like that completed in Cuenca.  If not with well-known Ecuadorian artists, then certainly with established and up-and-coming Cuencano artists, who can be free to express their own thing.

We also visited the the Museo Nahim Isaiah, which has a collection of over 2,000 art works.  The exhibits are particularly focused on colonial art and religious art.  Many videos are scattered throughout the exhibits with what I assume were explanations of the history of much of what was being presented on exhibit, since the videos were presented in Spanish.  Those of you from Chicago, who have seen the European religious art on display in the Art Institute would be underwhelmed by most of the paintings on display here.  However, it was interesting to see the contrast in South American artistic take on how the religious art was presented in the various statues and paintings. What I enjoyed the most was the museum structure itself.  It is a beautiful modern building inaugurated in 1989, architecturally designed as truly an art work unto itself, and I did enjoy the way in which many of the works of art were presented without just simply flat-wall lining.


I don't know what many parts of Guayaquil look like  However, near the Malecon, and the plaza walkway a couple of blocks in from the Malecon Drive, one couldn't visit a more nicely maintained area.   The area reminded me of the improvements being made in Cuenca, as well as the improvements that need to be made.  As I said in the previous post, we abruptly made this trip without any research, other than Ecuadorian friends who had told me that the Malecon was one area worth a visit in Guayaquil, and that as we found, was very safe.


A number of major projects are currently underway, or will soon be undertaken in Cuenca.  Such projects include the construction of the underpass on Avenidas de las Americas and Gran Columbia; the excavation along part of the Third of Noviembre, where as I understand it, many cables are being placed underground; construction of many new walkways and observation points have been built along the Rio Tomebama in the past year;  major renovations and rejuvenations of the open air San Francisco Market are to begin soon; the first leg of the electric bus line along Gran Columbia is to begin this year in El Centro, and eventually extend to other streets in El Centro to discourage auto traffic as well as replace the polluting combustible engine gas buses;  twelve miles of new sidewalk construction in El Centro is also scheduled for this year, and is sorely needed; and  Parke Madre will soon be excavated to make room for a 350 car underground garage, and an entirely new park with high quality grade running lanes for joggers will be constructed.  The destruction of this park will be sad to see, along with the loss of so many mature trees.  It will take fifteen to twenty years before the new park will have the beautiful shade trees that form a canopy over many sections of the current park, but in the long-run the park will give greater benefit to the people, and no doubt more parking spaces are needed.

All the delineated above projects cost money and as far as I know are fully funded.  Ironically, two things can be done to spruce up El Centro that would be very inexpensive compared to the above costly projects, and go a long way in improving the beauty of the historic district.  Many commercial buildings in El Centro, no matter what renovations may or may not be needed to their interiors, are sorely in need of fresh paint jobs and in some places fresh plaster to the exterior of the buildings as well.  One example of facades in need of fresh paint jobs, are the buildings that house the Ramipampa Restaurant and Tutu Freddos on Benigno Malo. Especially considering that these buildings are next to the New Cathedral, and within eye view of anyone walking or sitting in Parke Calderon.  One would think coordinated steps between property owners and city officials would work out a plan to spruce up the facades of many of these buildings.  Some buildings only need a fresh paint job at street level, and look fine further up.  While many structures have undergone extensive renovation and restored to their Spanish Renaissance magnificence,  Simple paint jobs to many other facades would certainly contribute to the beauty and freshness of El Centro.

The other problem continues to morph into monstrous proportions since last summer and that is the egregious tagging that has become pervasive like a lethal virus throughout the city.  I have had a number of tourists in recent weeks wonder how a city can be rated the number one city for retirement, or has been designated by UNESCO as an International Preservation Historical Site, and so little respect seems to be shown by the residents of a city with acts of cultural indifference to their heritage by all this pervasive tagging.  Fresh paint and curbing of the tagging problem are two simple things that can be addressed. Neither are cost exorbitant, and yet would go far to enhance the beauty and magnificence of the historic district.

Here's the link to Guayaquil:  Click on the slideshow link in the upper left-hand corner, and best to just quickly click on the forward arrow, so you can control the speed at which you wish to observe each slide.

https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/PublicBuildingsGuayaquil?authkey=Gv1sRgCISemIWN9empkQE

Visiting Guayaquil--PART I-- THE MALECON

When I first arrived in Ecuador in July of 2010 for my one month visit to Cuenca, I stayed overnight in Guayaquil.  The passage through customs was long and grueling.  It was well past midnight, and getting settled into a comfortable hotel, and sleeping for a few hours before preparation for my flight to Cuenca did not give me the opportunity to experience Guayaquil in any meaningful way.  I just remembered the great hotel I slept in that night, the wonderful bell-hop who assisted me, the humidity, and the warning not to venture far from the hotel because of crime.

If you wish to read about that first day of arrival in Guayaquil, Ecuador; you may do so at the following link:

http://cuencaperspectivesbyjim.blogspot.com/2010/07/from-chicago-to-cuenca.html

Since I have lived in Cuenca, I have heard universal stories about the corruption and crime levels in Guayaquil, how it is Ecuador's industrial city, not very attractive as industrial cities go,  with not much to do, and with little in the way of cultural activities.  A few months ago I briefly made a transportation transfer from Playas on the coast, to Guayaquil, and back to Cuenca.  The humidity in the city was stifling, and I did not care if I never set foot in Guayaquil again.

When my brother, Leo, and his wife, Carla, took me for a loop, and suddenly announced they wanted to spend a few days of their two weeks in Cuenca to visit Guayaquil and experience another part of Ecuador as well; I was abruptly caught off guard.  I decided the one positive place I had heard about in the city to visit was the Malecon.  The Malecon 2000, as it had been aptly named,  had been developed in recent years, and runs for about three miles along the Guayas River in Guayaquil, which leads to the Pacific Ocean.

I was really happy we made the trip.  The weather was humid, but tolerable during the two nights and three days that we visited.  Both days it rained during the morning, and it was all cleared up by late morning, and remained that way the rest of the day.  We stayed at the Ramada Inn which is across the street from the Malecon.  It was very clean, with spacious rooms, reasonably priced, and had an excellent handicap room and shower to accommodate my sister-in-law.

For those of you from the Chicago area, I can best describe the Malecon as being somewhat comparable to Navy Pier, only instead of protruding into the lake like Navy Pier, the Malecon parallels the Guayas River for approximately three miles.  A very beautiful job was done with the layout of the Malecon and the endless attractions it has to offer.  However, the Malecon does lack the dramatic effect provided to Navy Pier and the coastline by Lake Michigan, whose expanse on the horizon is far beyond what the eye can see.  Nor does the river, like Lake Michigan, provide the rolling waves that continuously wash up and break along the shoreline of the Great Lake.  The Guayas River is wide, and like any river one can see its bank on its opposite side, but it probably is wider than all four rivers together that meander through Cuenca.  However, the water basically just lies there.  This is quite a contrast from the very narrow four rivers which run through Cuenca. These river waters follow the gravitational force downward from the Cajas, and the large amount of rocks found in these unnavigable rivers, only adds to the excitement of the rapids as they pulsate through Cuenca.  I would describe the movement of the river in Guayaquil  at best as serene, and at worse as lifeless.

Nevertheless, the Malecon itself was well worth our time, and a creation that the people of Guyaquil can be very proud.  It offers casual relaxation not only to the tourists, but to those people of Guayaquil who are fortunate enough to take advantage of its amenities.  We spent from Monday until Wednesday in Guayaquil, and I just can imagine the crowds present on the weekends.  Late afternoon and early evening was a nice time for us, with less humidity and some breezes off the river.

Besides being an exceptionally  beautifully designed, expansive walkway, the Malecon offers something for everybody:  museums; botanical gardens with fountains, lagoons, islands, bridges, and ramps; playground areas for the kids; boat rides up and down he river; historical statues and monuments; a Moorish Clock Tower; restaurants, bars, and endless eateries; shopping malls that are ensconced at a lower level stretching along the esplanade with the multiple cellular structures of the overall mall prevented from dominating the space around it.  The mall complex is fully air-conditioned, and separated into sections as one walks from one section of the mall to another as it snakes its way along the esplanade.  There are also attractive and fun playgrounds for the children.  The Malecon is also home to the Guayaquil Yacht Club, and the Naval Yacht Club.

We were not interested in taking a boat ride, and my brother and his wife tired the first evening.  They returned back to the hotel, while I continued my walk along the river.  The next latter afternoon and early evening we walked the same length, because Leo and Carla had missed so much from the day before.  By the time we arrived back to the entrance area of the Malecon near our hotel, we did not continue down to the other end.  I assumed it could not be but a half a mile to a mile, because the stretch we had already walked in just one direction seemed like at least two miles.  The following day as we made our way in the taxi from the hotel to catch our van ride back to Cuenca, we drove past the part of the Malecon that we never did get a chance to walk.  Much to our surprise we saw as we rode by:  the Planetarium; the Museum of Anthropology, which also features local and international artists, with frequent changes in exhibitions; and of course, that was also the area where the IMAX Theatre, the first built in South America, was located.  Oh well, something for me to look forward to the next time I am in Guayaquil, and I will be looking forward to telling Leo and Carla all about what they missed.

I hope you enjoy the slides.  I do not have any slides of the mall.  I just didn't think to take any while we walked through
the mall, and of course, there are no slides of the museums and IMAX that we missed at the other end of the Malecon.  Nonetheless, this is truly a trip worth taking.  If you don't know the routine yet.  Click below.  Click on the "slideshow" label in the upper left-hand corner of the page.  Either set the timer for seven seconds, or as I would recommend just continue to manually click on the forward arrow, and then you can view each slide at your pace:

https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/MalacanGuayaquilEcuador?authkey=Gv1sRgCNCk4cL84KuMag

VISITING CUENCA--Part II--Mall Del Rio Dance Program

Last Saturday, March 10th, Martha Abril and I took my brother, Leo and my sister-in-law, Carla to the Food Court of Mall Del Rio, for a dance program.  Martha's son Joshua who is fourteen years old, and her daughter, Amy, who just celebrated her ninth birthday were both performing during the program.  Amy recently took a silver in a country-wide dance competition in Quito, which was especially amazing since at the time she had only been dancing six months.

The dance was sponsored by the Fama School of Dance.  The information below is taken from a post by Larry Marler and his wife, Linda, who are expats who stay young and healthy as dance students of the school:

FAMA School of Dance and Bailoterapia

David Ortega - Dance Choreographer 

Location:  Av. del Estadio y Roberto Crespo (Edificio El Estadio next to Pronto Pizza), Cuenca

David also has a group of dancers that performs shows around Cuenca.  His dance troupe has put on shows at California Kitchen and the Eucalyptus Cafe, plus many others.

You can also get dance lessons for:  Salsa, Bachata, Meringue, Hip-Hop, Reggaeton, Cha-Cha-Cha, and Tango.

Bailoterapia:  0700 - 0900  ($1.00 per hour) + $5,00 inscription for the year and 2000 - 2100

Phones:  07 286 6228; Cellphones 08 795 4749, 08 582 0762.

My disappointment with the program was that with my relatives in town, I had hoped for them to experience some of the dance programs that would give them a real experience of traditional as well as contemporary dance.  Some of the programs I have attended during my year here in Cuenca featured a variety of dances, with some young performers in their traditional, amazingly colorful costumes and greatly talented in their presentations.  These presentations would have been something  Leo and Carla very much would have enjoyed.  Some programs I've seen have also featured some of Cuenca's finest Salsa as well as Tango dancers.  


This program was strictly contemporary dancing which can be seen among young people almost anywhere in the world, although no doubt the performers were talented and performed well.  The large audience certainly had a good time, and so did we. The program included  aerobic dancing by folks in the packed food court who chose to participate, while members of FAMA SCHOOL of DANCE led the aerobic dancing. There was also a belly dancing performance by a young man and two attractive young ladies.  I had seen them perform before some months ago, and they have definitely gone from performing well to performing to a very good status.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I don't have any pictures of their performance.

As the program approached its close, the audience by their applause and cheers judged who among the voluntary aerobic dancers was the best.  A young man who you will see in a black tee shirt after multiple reactions by the audience emerged the winner over a young woman who was also very good.  The young man won a two day stay at a hotel, while the young woman won a month of free lessons at FAMA SCHOOL.  Getting carried away in my enthusiastic exuberance, I promised that I would begin to take Salsa lessons in June when I return from my trip home to the states.  It is amazing the things with which I continuously preoccupy my time to keep from seriously studying mi Espanol.  I use to know the basic steps to the Tango, and I loved to Cha Cha.  Maybe, I'll take up Hip Hop as well, and if my heart holds out, give Joshua Abril a run for his money.

Here is the link below.  You click on the slide show in the upper left hand corner and set the timer for two seconds, or you can just continue to click on the forward arrow of the slide presentation at your own pace of preference..  

https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/DancingAtMallDelRio31012?authkey=Gv1sRgCPvkzdXp-OHBag

VISITING CUENCA --Feria Libre

The past four weeks have presented me with an extraordinarily busy social life, and peaked with my brother, Leo, and his wife Carla, spending two weeks with me in Cuenca that flashed by quickly.  While we saw all the usual sites in Cuenca, and it gave Leo and Carla the opportunity to get a feel for the city, I sometimes think we did way too much which gave us little time to relax and get a leisurely feel for the city.  At least from my perspective, I felt more like we were tourists that had to get as much as we could squeeze into two weeks, but Carla and Leo seem to have an enjoyable time.  In fact, enjoyable enough that my brother already wants to visit more of South America with a visit to Santiago, Chili next year.  Our two weeks together also included three days in Guayaquil, which I will have more to share in later posts.

The next few posts will provide coverage of our two week marathon.  Today's post sports photos of our day at Feria Libre the largest outdoor market in Cuenca.  I chose Wednesday to visit the market, because Wednesday along with Saturday are the two busiest days at the market, when the vendors are endless.  My sister-in-law began with her wifely duty of shopping, while my brother did his husbandly duty of pulling out his wallet.  Carla bought a cape that goes well even with blue jeans, and it took her no time to find a hat she liked.  Leo just was not going to go for any Panama style hats, and stuck with his cap.  Except for our first evening at eating at Ramipampa Restuarant which is nestled to the right of the Immaculate Conception or what is better known as the New Cathedral, and to the left of Tutto Freddo's Ice Cream Parlor; lunch at Feria Libre was one of the few really everyday type of Ecuadorian amuerzos my brother and his wife would get to experience.

The people who sat around the table with us were helpful and friendly even though none of them spoke English and went out of their way to make room for us at the table.  Leo and Carla gave the meal two thumbs up.

Enclosed is a slide presentation of our time at Feria Libre:  (Just click on slideshow in the upper left hand corner, so you can see enlarged photos, then click the time from 3 to 7 seconds, so you have a chance to briefly savor the slide.)

https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/FeriaLibre?authkey=Gv1sRgCLW2kPyrjrWxhwE

THE ABANDONED VILLAGE OF GRAVIDULA

When Jose Cortez and I visited in November of 2011the Hosteria Dos Chorreras just outside the Cajas National Park, nearby we were informed of Problado de Guavidula, an archeological site of an abandoned town belonging to the Canari and Inca. This place in its early days was a necessary way-station between the Sierra and the Coast.  The town also served as a place to hide liquor smugglers, and conducted a gold mining operation as well.

For the price of six dollars, Jose and I took a horse-back ride from Chorreras to  Problado de Guavidula, which normally take about thirty minutes one way, but our somewhat successful efforts to get the horses beyond a simple walk allowed us to reach the town in twenty minutes.

After traveling a stretch of this road there is much fauna along the way as well as in the town itself.  One plant In particular that stands out because of its brilliantly white leaves and the fact that it was ubiquitous appears frequently in the photos, but I no longer remember what the name of the plant is.

You will see photos of a typical Indian house, where the people of this region once lived in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This house has two rooms: one room with all the clothing used at the time; and the kitchen where the stove, clay pots, the attic, the guinea pig (cuy) farm and the meat preparation took place.


Also on display in the various buildings are weaving looms, many types of horse saddles, laquered tree trunk tables, a lodge, and a pulperia (paper store).  Museum artifacts are also found in the various buildings of crockery, tools, and various types of labeled mineral deposits which I assume could be found in the cave.

There is also a General Store, which included the restaurant, hairdressing, and the store. 

The third cabin served as the inn, and was used as living quarters of the drivers and other visitors who sought asylum for one or more nights.  Low-lying tables were often put together and then covered to make beds for the evening.

It was also the restaurant of Mrs. Cassandra, name given in honor of the lady who was in charge of feeding the people of this area.

The saloons were plentiful.  While on the tour, Jose and I were given an alcoholic drink, which I assume was and may still be home-brew drank especially among the indigenous.  It truly tasted and pungently smelled like turpentine.  I guess it was all right to drink.  I’m still here to write about it.

The Encantada mine is fascinating as one makes one’s way through tunnels that are maze-like.  Included was a lab; a pit of death, where the miners created scary images to ward off evil spirits; colorful lighting effects which are obviously a contemporary touch found in the caves; the mill; the cave of the pan (bread) with its baking oven; and bats, a mainstay of any self-respectable cave; a place where the miner's bathed; and the delivery room where the miners  proceeded to the distribution of money obtained after the extraction of gold and held in the canteen, located in the same place.

This society was formed by a group of seven or eight people who worked the whole process of mining and washing gold, but generally found only pyrite, a material very similar to gold for its brilliance, but of little monetary value.

We could not miss a chapel for religious believers, which included religious images of the time.  The chapel was quite tiny compared to say the saloon.  I assume the smallness of the chapel in contrast to the largeness of the saloon reflected  the values of those making their way through the town.

To finish Guavidula, there is a walk along the river Quinuas, with places where they hid the bootleggers and spaces for the exchange, which was conducted with the products of the harvest area.

In the photos you will see our guide, who was a gracious hostess, but spoke no English.  If you want to really understand what you are seeing, it is best to have someone bi-lingual along.  Lucky for me, Jose could do the translating.  You will also see the young man, who served as our guide as we rode the horses to and from the Problado de Guavidula.


Both the Hosteria and the exploration of Problado de Guavidula made for a really great day.


When the photos come up.  Click on "slide show" in the upper left hand corner.  Set the timing for seven seconds, and enjoy the presentation.



https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/ProbladoDeGuavidula?authkey=Gv1sRgCJqGrJWZ9q-JOg

HOSTERIA DOS CHORRERAS--LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE THE CAJAS NATIONAL PARK

Back in November of 2011, Jose, the Computer Guy, Cortez encouraged me to visit the Hosteria Dos Chorreras with him.  Jose promised me that we would have a great trout dinner on our visit.  I would also get some feeling for the Cajas since at that time I had yet to visit or travel through the park.  The Hosteria Dos Chorreras is a magnificent complex of restaurant, inn, and cabins.  All of which are located near the entrance to the Cajas National Park.

In no way did Jose prepare me for what a magnificent and breath-taking restaurant we were about to experience.  There are many dining areas in the restaurant.  Some of which are intimate and cozy, each with its own enclosure and distinct fireplace.  I encourage you to meander about the restaurant, or you will not even begin to experience what it visually has to offer.  I could not believe its size, the prolonged walkway to the restrooms, which like a maze made its way through dining areas, and in directions that led to the lobby and receptionist desk for the inn, or down another pathway that led through the gift shop and then meandered through the other end of the gift shop back to some of the dining areas. The enclosures of dining rooms and the gift shop were all in keeping with the rustic feeling and appearance of traditional South American architecture and furnishings. Each dining area has its own distinct decor.  However, these enclosed dining areas were only one facet of the overall restaurant design, and not even the major facet.

I absolutely envy whoever the architect and/or landscape architect were who designed the Hosteria.  What phenomenal imaginations of creativity that integrated the beautiful outside of the Cajas with the inside of the restaurant, and that they were blessed with the opportunity to design and create something so beautiful and distinct.  

The opening photos of the slide presentation introduce you to the area just outside the restaurant which display the pond teaming with trout. There were times while inside the restaurant, Jose and I found ourselves suddenly walking along a path of nature that lied just outside the restaurant, and other times we were following paths of greenery and vegetation that instead of taking us outside, led us to another unanticipated dining area.  The architects as you can see in the photos, play with our perception as we pursue a particular pathway, initially uncertain as to whether we are inside or outside of the building.  Sometimes part of the restaurant in places is built literally incorporating the exterior of nature into the actual restaurant. 

These major areas of large and varied dining areas are opened to the absolute beauty of the cajas and the vegetations just outside the restaurant by the expanse of windows along both the walls and ceilings.  There are times when one may feel they are sitting or walking through a greenhouse,  The designers did not stop there in their integration of nature both inside and outside of the Hosteria.  They also recreated large amounts of rocks, major plants, water falls, and fountains within the restaurant.  It truly is as if in these areas of the restaurant nature becomes one both on the inside and the outside of the Hosteria.  

There is also a dining area in a rather high loft above, which overlooks the dining areas below.  As you make your way through the presentation be sure to notice the rain barrel used as the wine holder, and some of the other items like books and an old fashion type writer that become set pieces which add to the ambiance of the restaurant.

The restaurant is truly a show-case.  The menu is extensive, although trout is their specialty.  The dining experience itself is more pricey, than seafood dinners I've had in Cuenca, but the price should be expected when one considers the sumptuous surroundings for a unique dining experience.  While the main entree was quite good, Jose and I did talk to the manager about the need to improve the quality of the side dishes, as well as their skimpiness.  If the kitchen can improve its overall quality, Hosteria Dos Chorreras, in my opinion would be a four star restaurant.

Jose and I did not see what the inn rooms looked like.  However, we did peer into the windows of the cabins, which are extremely nice.  The cabins are pricey by Ecuadorian standards for an evening.  However, the $100 plus price for one night by American standards are about $200 dollars less a night for comparable cabins I have seen in Indiana parks back home.

The Hosteria Dos Chorreras is ideal for conventions, seminars, romantic interludes, or just an upscale place to spend an evening while exploring the Cajas by day.  Otherwise, simply do what Jose and I did, explore the restaurant and its surroundings, have an enjoyable meal, and head back to Cuenca in thirty minutes.


Just click on the link below.  Then click on slide show in the upper left hand corner.  Finally, under the photo, repeatedly click on the plus sign to set the time from 3 to 7 seconds. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/111741036841400152108/HOSTERIADOSCHORRERAS

Palermo Part V: Scenic Views (I Don't Know Clouds at All)

I wrote the following from a post entitled, "Cuenca:  Delightful and Enchanting during my first visit to Cuenca in July of 2010.  The following text is provided from that July 17, 2010 post.

http://cuencaperspectivesbyjim.blogspot.com/2010/07/cuenca-delightful-and-enchanting_16.html

"Cuenca sits in a basin and is surrounded by elevated land and mountains, which provides a beautiful setting.

The mountains, the low lying nebulous clouds that almost form a dome over the city; I can almost feel as if I can reach out and touch any one of these flawless acts of creation. The light of the equatorial sun, which can be masked behind the large dark clouds when it is about to rain, can enhance the light reflected on the city's buildings at different times of the day--a reflection that gives an entirely new mood and atmosphere to the city. From the vantage point of my condo balcony,the houses and buildings under these atmospheric conditions appear like little dioramas. The city does not follow a simple grid pattern, and parts of it is hilly. Streets oftentimes curve and meander. As evening approaches, and dusk sets in, the street lights appear to flicker as if they were lanterns which gives an enchanting feeling to the night time city.

The mountains are most inspiring, and continuously changing as the lighting of different times of the day give an entirely new look and feel to what I see. From greens, to reflected streaks of sun light, to bold black hills that are sometimes blended with grays. Each moment speaks to the ever changing perspectives of the mountain views. As I snap photos with my camera, I fear that my lens is not capturing all the subtle shadings and moods of the mountains that I see with my naked eye. I guess you will just have to come to Cuenca to capture the experience of which words can only hint...."  ( The link above provided six photos.)

Both Sides Now Lyrics

(Joni Mitchell, song-writer)

Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons ev’rywhere
I’ve looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on ev’ryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all

Moons and junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As ev’ry fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way

But now it’s just another show
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know
Don’t give yourself away

I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living ev’ry day

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

The clouds of Cuenca in a bizarre way magnify our feelings and emotions by providing a reflection of our feelings and emotions as we observe their glorious manifestations in the sky dome above.  At the same time the clouds project feelings and emotions into our very experiences of how we view life--the good, the dark; the joy, the sorrow; the mundane, the awesomeness; the sanity, the insanity; the oneness with another soul, the separateness.  As the clouds are ever fleeting, so our are feelings and experiences.  We experience life, and yet it is life's illusions we recall.  We don't know life at all.

The following slide presentation is taken from my balcony at the Palermo facing eastward.  Oddly enough some of the photos appear to be sunsets, but are actually reflections of light on the eastern clouds from the western sunsets.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmola/sets/72157628615071509/show/


P.S.  I delayed publishing this post to my blog last night, because I wanted to try something new and run an audio of the song to go with the slides to give the slide presentation more atmosphere.  I was unsuccessful in doing so, and the suggestions I received from friends today would have required me to use another format than Flickr and basically start all over.  FORGET THAT!  What you see is what you get!  I suggest if you know the tune that you sing or hum along while you watch the presentation, and we will consider this post an interactive project.  After all, there ain't no reason why I should have to do all the work.  (Sorry, I beginning to sound like some of my former students.)

I arrived home this evening to discover that a post I wrote in July of 2010 when I first visited Cuenca was re-posted with a December 28, 2011 date.  How that happened, and/or whatever I did to make it happen, I'll never know.  But thanks to the almost 200 of you who today read the July 2010 blog, I wonder what was going through your minds when you read it.  There must have been something to tip you off that something was out of kilter time-wise.  I tried changing the date back to 2010 this evening, but the editing process won't let me delete the date and reset it, so there it will remain.  Without going into detail, beginning with Christmas Eve, it has been a very surreal week for me.  I can't begin to imagine what this New Year's weekend will be like.  This blogging business endlessly has my head in the clouds as well, so it's only appropriate that my year of blog posts should end with clouds.  Happy New Year to you all as we begin the Mayan calendar countdown! 


























































                                                                                                                                                                 

Something New Everyday!

Monday was a warm, sunny day with temperatures into the low 80's--my kind of winter! I took a taxi to Parque Central Calderon. It's a beautiful square with the magnificent and imposing new cathedral located across from the square. The new cathedral was built in the 1800's, as opposed to the old cathedral which was constructed in the 1500's. I shot a few photos of the fountain, the church, and the palm trees that also grow in this part of the Andes due to Cuenca's mild climate.

I arrived early, so I could catch the 11:00 a.m. double-decker bus that would take me for a two hour tour of Cuneca, which included a stop at a pinnacle of the city that provided a panoramic view of Cuenca in its entirety. At 10:50 a.m., I am in the middle of the square as I spot the bus moving around the square. I assume the passengers were from the previous excursion, and would be dropped off, and then I and anyone else would board the bus. The driver drove around the square twice. I moved in whatever direction the bus was moving. The bus stopped at each corner of the square, granted I was always positioned on the driver's side of the bus. However, I never noticed anyone embarking or departing from the bus as it made its stops around the square. If anything, it appeared the tour was in process. The driver then proceeded down a side street. That was the last I saw of the bus, and it was only 10:55. I waited another ten minutes, in case another bus came. I sat on a bench near the location where a police officer told me I would catch the bus. While waiting to see if another bus came, I conversed with a professor from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, who would be leaving Tuesday for the states.

Since no bus appeared, the professor and I departed are own ways. I spent the morning being a tourist, and began taking photos of the endless squares, churches, and utterly beautiful colonial facades. I made my way down to the open market, did a little haggling, and made some purchases. I entered the huge mercado filled with vendors--half the building devoted to freshly cut meat--entails, heads, claws; and the other half devoted to fresh fruits and vegetables. One vendor cracked open with her fingers a fruit the size of a tennis ball, yellow in its exterior color, and inside was a texture of slime filled with lots of little black seeds. I imitated the vendor by eating the pulp and smooth seeds. I believe the fruit is called granadilla. It is my understanding that grandilla is called passion fruit in some parts of the world. It was deliciously sweet, and quickly made me forget its slimy appearance. I believe I may have seen these fruits in the supermarkets back home, but the expensive price and not knowing how to eat them prevented me from purchasing the granadilla.

When I was at the SuperMaxi on Saturday, I had purchased half of a papaya. A sweet tasting papaya is good, but for my taste is not a favorite compared with mellow mangoes and succulent peaches. Papayas have more the texture of a melon, although not as grainy as water melon. The cashier told me the best way to eat papaya was to squeeze fresh lime over it. I will have to attempt that the next time I purchase a papaya, and see how lime enhances the taste. One thing to date I have not seen in Cuenca is seedless grapes. Otherwise, while back home, we appreciate that we can buy most fruits the year round, we also know that buying fruits out of season does not provide us with the fruits at the peak of their succulence. Because of the year-round growing season in Ecuador, most fruits are at their peak throughout the year. Fruits, therefore, remain very inexpensive throughout the year as well.

After exploring here and there and taking my allotment of photos for the day, I began to walk home. I stopped and had my personal pan pizza at my currently favorite pizza spot. I then stopped at my currently favorite bakery for fresh baked loaves of bread. The first time I shopped at the bakery, I bought a loaf of cuesa bread, which is made with cuesa cheese layered throughout the bread. This time I tried a different loaf with sesame seeds sprinkled on it. The first time I entered the bakery, what little Spanish I had in my command completely abandoned me. I could not get the lady to understand that I wanted to know what the price was. I finally pulled out a dollar, so she would know I wanted to negotiate price. I thought the dollar would be the starting point. Instead, she broadened into a large smile took my dollar and presented me with twenty cents change. Fresh-baked bread for eighty cents, such a deal! The next time I returned to SuperMaxi, I checked out their baked whole loaf bread prices--$3.50 to $4.50--Panera prices back home. It took me four days to finish off a loaf of bread. Most amazingly, the bread remained fresh right up onto the last piece late in the evening of the fourth day before it began to harden. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking--just what you need more carbs.

Marc, will be glad to know I am becoming more diligent in my study of the Spanish language. I am using the "Spanish for Dummies" course, and I study from the book and listen to the tapes. When I return to Cuenca, I will hire a Spanish tutor, so I can receive immediate feedback and interaction. I do try to practice a line or two and build on it everyday with Jose, one of the security workers here at the La Cuandro II were I reside. Jose is very patient, and forever correcting my Spanish and sentence structure.

Last evening I took a taxi out to the the Mal Del Rio, which is a beautiful, two story mall. It is fully enclosed, which surprised me. With the mild Cuenca climate, I thought the mall might be fully or partially open-air, like malls I have visited in San Diego and Honolulu. I'm not big on malls, but its food court adds a nice variety of Ecuadorian choices as well as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King. No, I have no intentions of eating at either of them. Video arcades are still very popular at least at the mall. There is a very large one aimed at children, and a smaller version aimed at teens.

My purpose for going to the mall was to experience the cinema complex. I particularly had hoped to study my Spanish. I had read in a book that American movies in Ecuador were generally in English with Spanish subtitles. The movie "Eclipse" seemed like a good way of beginning. First surprise, the movie was only $4.50 in the evening yet. Refreshments looked about as expensive as back home. Don't expect to find stadium seating, or long back rocking chairs. Otherwise, they were nice, attractive, comfortable theaters. My next surprise--the movie was in Spanish with no English subtitles, although I was expecting a movie in English with Spanish subtitles. Either way I could have boned up on my Spanish. Under the circumstances, I could do neither. If I only had the dialog to listen to, I would not have had any idea what was being said except for an occasional word. Seeing the film at least helped me figure out the plot. My third surprise, it has been decades since I saw a dubbed film. I always hated how the lips did not synchronize with the words. I assume the sophistication of computer-generated software has allowed the lips and Spanish to move in perfect sync. I would have believed the movie had been originally filmed in Spanish with Spanish-Speaking actors. I was very impressed.

Christmas Parade in Cuenca December 24, 2011

This being my first Christmas in Cuenca, I was looking forward to the Christmas Parade.  One of the Ecuadorians told me it is the largest parade in Ecuador, and the largest in Cuenca during the year.  I have no idea how accurate the statement about this parade being the largest in Ecuador is.  However, I was told by more than one source that the floats and trucks begin to line up as early as 3:00 a.m. along Aviendas de Americas near Feria Libre, the largest open market in Cuenca.  The parade known as "Pase del Nino Viajero" (In honor and worship of the baby, Jesus) was suppose to begin around 9:00 or 10:00 a.m.  It was my understanding that the parade began more around 11:00 a.m.  The Parade meanders through the city and runs for miles.  There are more participants in the parade than people actually watching it, although the crowds get thick in EL Centro.  It is as if every child in Cuenca is a participant.

I did not make my way out to see the parade until almost 2:00 p.m.  Living on the west side where the parade was to begin I assumed by now I would have to make my way toward El Centro to catch the end of the parade.  Silly me, I walk half a mile down to Avenidas America and discover blocks of floats and participants still waiting for their movement forward in the parade.

Wow, I was impressed.  There was such a lively sense of comraderie and excitement.  The people both in the parade, and many walking along the sidewalks where dressed in traditional garb, which added to the gala festivities.  There were no larger-than-life Macy Thanksgiving Day inflatables, no floats decorated in thousands of roses as would be found in Pasadena.  However, the parade was every bit as colorful and fun as I could hope for, and I am by no means a parade person.

Unfortunately, I had my typical camera/computer problems. This problem was strictly of my own making, I had failed to remove all the old photos from my camera, and ran out of photo space very early into the parade.  So I will show you what I have at the following link. I did not in any way get the most beautiful floats.  You will notice fruit, and bags of candy, etc also used as decorations on the side of some of the floats.  It is my understanding when the parade was finally over, which was around 4:00 or 5:00 p.m., the food from the floats was given to the poor. 

It was a beautiful day, and the rain held off until after the parade was over.  Many of the umbrellas you see were to offer protection from the sun.  It made a long day for the little ones, but they seem to handle it well.  I saw one float as ice cream cones were distributed to each of the children, which was much appreciated by the kids.  These Ecuadorian kids are just incredibly adorable, and thank God this wasn't the U.S.A.  Gringo mothers would have been screaming child-abuse to high heaven for having the kids participate in a parade that ran for hours.  There is no commentary (I just provided my share of that) just a slide presentation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmola/sets/72157628569621585/show/

Since the vast majority on my blog readers in the states do not read some of the other blogs, I am also going to link you to Connie and Mark Pombo's post on the parade.  They have all the beautiful photos I did not have a chance to get:

http://living-and-retiring-in-ecuador.blogspot.com/2011/12/pase-del-nino-viajero.html

There were also children riding camels, and I understand there was even a roasted pig riding the back of a horse.  I'll bet you didn't see that in Macy's parade.