CUENCA FUN TIME AND MUCHO SOCIALBILITY
WHAT A THRILL FROM SURVEYS TAKEN AMONG FOREIGN EXPATS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO VERIFY WHAT I AND MANY GRINGOS IN CUENCA ALREADY KNEW. CUENCA IS DESIGNATED AS THE MOST FRIENDLY CITY FOR EXPATS. CUENCA IS WHERE IT IS EASIEST FOR EXPATS NOT ONLY TO MAKE AND TO MIX WITH OTHER EXPATS; BUT ALSO TO MAKE AND TO MIX WITH HOME GROWN FOLKS AND MAKING INTERCULTURAL FRIENDS THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE WORLD. THE ECUADORIANS ARE A WARM, FRIENDLY, AND WELCOMING PEOPLE. THE GRINGOS IN CUENCA, UNLIKE MANY OTHER CITIES IN THE WORLD, SPREAD THEMSELVES ACROSS THE CITY, AND DO NOT LIVE IN FOREIGN ENCLAVES LIKE MOST EXPATS WHO SETTLE IN OTHER FOREIGN CITIES.
I HAVE LIVED IN CUENCA FOR ALMOST TWELVE YEARS NOW. IN THE BEGINNING MORE EXPATS WERE SENIOR CITIZEN GRINGOS AND A SMATHERING OF CANADIANS AND EUROPEANS. TODAY, THERE ARE ABOUT 2,000 VENEZUELANS LIVING IN CUENCA, WHICH IS A DRAMATIC DROP-0FF FROM JUST TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, AS MANY VENEZUELANS MOVED ON TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN SEARCH OF WORK OR RETURNED TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY, DESPITE THE COMMUNIST TAKEOVER THAT CAUSED SO MANY VENEZUELANS TO DEPART THEIR COUNTRY OVER THE PAST DECADE. A LARGE MAJORITY OF REMAINING VENEZUELANS ARE PROFESSIONALS OR MANGAGED TO PROCURE A JOB HERE IN CUENCA. THERE ARE NOW APPROXIMATELY 500 CHINESE LIVING IN CUENCA AS WELL.
THERE ARE NOW MORE YOUNGER FAMILIES OF GRINGOS AND EUROPEANS COMING TO LIVE NOT ONLY IN CUENCA, BUT ALSO IN OTHER PARTS OF ECUADOR. THE YOUNGER FAMILIES, SINGLES, AND COUPLES ARE MORE ATTRACTED TO THE COAST AND THE WARMER TEMPERATURES NOT FOUND IN THE ANDES WHERE CUENCA IS CENTERED. MORE OF THESE YOUNGER NEWBIES TO ECUADOR LOVE THE PLAYAS (BEACHES) AND THE PACIFIC COAST.
NONE OF THE ABOVE IS INTENDED BY ME TO BE A MARKETING ADVERTISEMENT FOR MORE FOREIGNERS TO COME TO CUENCA. MOST OF US GRINGOS LOVE THE CURRENT POPULATION MIX. EXCEPT FOR POLITICIANS, DEVELOPERS, AND LANDLORDS; THE REST OF US ARE CONTENTED WITH THE SIZE OF THE CITY AND THE MIX OF PEOPLE. THE LAST THING WE WANT TO SEE IS A MAD DASH OF FOREIGNERS MOVING TO THE CITY, FORMING ENCLAVES OF WHATEVER THEIR NATIONALITY MAY BE, AND TAKING AWAY THE CHARM OF ONE OF CUENCA'S BIG DRAWS, WHICH IS A DECENT SIZE CITY OF ABOUT 325,OOO IN THE CITY PROPER AND ABOUT 625,000 METROPOLITAN OR CANTON-WISE (COUNTY-WISE).
ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT CROP OF GRINGOS WON'T BE AROUND TO SEE THE CITY GROW TO AT LEAST A MILLION PEOPLE. IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE WOULD WISH ON THIS HISTORICALLY CHARMING CITY. WE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE NEW GRINGOS AND OTHER EXPATS TO REPLACE THOSE WHO LEAVE OR PASS ON, BUT WITHOUT MAJOR NET INCREASES IN FOREIGN POPULATIONS. CURRENTLY, ABOUT TWO PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IN CUENCA PROPER IS EXPAT.
I BELIEVE THAT MOST CUECANOS FEEL THE SAME WAY, AND WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE THE CITY LOSE ITS CUENCANO HERITAGE AND CUSTOMS AND "BIG CITY WITH A SMALL TOWN FEELING" DUE TO OVER-CROWDEDNESS FROM RAPID POPULATION GROWTH. ON THE OTHER HAND, COME VISIT AS TOURISTS, ENJOY THE CITY AND ITS ATTRACTIONS AND CULTURE, TRAVEL AROUND THIS ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, AND THEN COME VISIT US AGAIN SOME OTHER TIME. YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME BACK FOR ANOTHER VISIT.
THIS PAST SPRING AND SUMMER, I AM GOING TO SHARE FOUR PERSONAL CELEBRATIONS OF JUST HOW MUCH FUN WE CUENCANOS HAVE WHETHER WE ARE NATIVES OR TRANSPLANTS. WHILE WE HOPEFULLY WAIT FOR THE RETURN OF PERPETUAL PARADES AND FESTIVALS BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER, AFTER THREE YEARS OF LOCK-DOWNS AND DELAYS.
JERRY RAMOS' BIRTHDAY PARTY
JERRY'S PARTY WAS HELD AT LA TAPITA SPANISH RESTAURANT. THE RESTAURANT HAS EXCELLENT SPANISH FOOD. IT HAS BECOME SO POPULAR THAT I THINK IN ANOTHER YEAR, THEY MAY HAVE TO FIND A LARGER SPACE. THE OWNERS ARE SPOUSES JORGE MONTANA FROM MADRID, SPAIN, AND HIS WIFE JANNETT BARBA WHO IS FROM QUITO. THEIR RESTAURANT IS LOCATED AT CALLE ARRYAN Y AVENIDA AMERICAS, ONE BLOCK FROM CALLE ORDONEZ-LASSO.
ABOVE IS LUISA NELSON. THE LADY IN RED STANDING, WHO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INFAMOUS "LADY IN RED" OF JOHN DILLENGER DAYS IS CYNTHIA MILLS,
AND TO THE RIGHT OF LUISA IS LINDA AND RAY LEWIS.
ABOVE IS MARGARITAG AGUIRRE
WITH BIRTHDAY BOY, JERRY RAMOS.
BELOW IS LOREN AND NANCY KUEHNE, LUISA NELSON, AND LINDA LEWIS
BELOW ARE A SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE SPANISH TAPAS THAT EVENING, WHICH WERE AS GOOD AND OFTEN BETTER THAN MOST PLACES I ATE IN SPAIN.
AN EXCELLENT SEAFOOD PAELLA WITH LOGISTINOS (PRAWNS), MUSSELS, AND CAMERONES (SHRIMP).
BELOW, JAMES MOLA, NEVER ONE TO MISS OUT ON A FIESTA AND GOOD FOOD.
BELOW, LINDA AND RAY LEWIS
ANNA LUISA ALVARRACIN CABREA IS BEHIND THAT MASK BELOW
ABOVE ON LEFT, LINDA AND RAY LEWIS, FERNANDO FERNANDEZ IS STANDING, REGINA URGILES, JERRY AND WENDY MARSHALL, CYNTHIA MILLS, AND ANNA LUISA
BELOW JERRY RAMOS AND REGINA URGILES
ABOVE JERRY RAMOS CONVERSING WITH LOREN KUEHNE
BELOW IS SIEG BRAUM, JIM MOLA, AND JERRY RAMOS
Link for the video on YouTube (Click on the link above):
BELOW IS MARGARITA AGUIRRE AND A MYSTERY GUEST
BELOW IS MARIA ROSA AND KAREN BRAUM
JORGE AND JANNETT (JANNETT'S BIRTHDAY PARTY)
JORGE AND JANNETT HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF JERRY RAMOS AND MYSELF. EARLIER THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATED JANNETTE'S "16th" BIRTHDAY AT JUAN CARLOS' OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT, TIESTO'S.
BELOW IS ANNA LUISA ALVARACIN CABREA AND HER DAUGHTER, VICTORIA,WHO WERE TWO OF THE GUESTS.
Link for the video on YouTube (Click on the link above):
BIRTHDAY GIRL JANNETT AND JORGE. JORGE IS HAMMING IT UP FOR THE CAMERA.
JANNETT AND JORGE IN A MORE STANDARD POSE.
JORGE HAD TO COME TO ECUADOR TO FIND HIS LIFE-TIME SWEETHEART IN JANNETT. THE LADIES IN SPAIN JUST CAN'T MEASURE UP IN BEAUTY AND CLASS WITH ECUATORIANAS. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, JORGE?
BELOW IS PAULINE FARREN, JERRY RAMOS AND JANNETT. THE MASK MAN IS A WAITER, NOT A DESPERADO.
PAULINE, LIKE ME. LIVED A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE CHICAGO AREA.
JORGE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY (Monday, September 19th)
ON THE LEFT IS ERNESTO LOUCEL, ALBERT PAUTA, LUCIA CURNON. ALONG THE BACK WALL IS EDGAR ORTEGA, JANNETT BARBA, J0-ANNE
ABOVE IS CESAR NAPANGA, WHO IS PERUVIAN. HIS WIFE IS ESTHER, WHO IS THE BLONDE IN THE VIDEO BELOW. ESTHER IS VENEZUENLAN. CESAR MET ESTHER IN VENEZUELA. THE COUPLE LIVED IN VENEZUELA, AND WITHIN A WEEK AFTER HUGO CHAVEZ WAS ELECTED, THEIR PARENTS DIDN'T RAISE NO FOOLS! THEY MOVED TO LIMA, PERU WHERE THEY LIVED FOR ALMOST TWENTY YEARS. THEY MOVED TO CUENCA ABOUT THIRTEEN MONTHS AGO. IN THIS PHOTO WITH CESAR APPEARS MARGARITA AGUIRRE.
BELOW WAS OUR SINGER FOR THE EVENING, UMBERTO BALLONE, JANNETT AND JORGE
BELOW AT HER FIESTA BEST IS MARGARETA AGUIRRE, FERNANDO AND LOURDES FERNANDEZ
ABOVE IS PRISCILA AND JORGE MOSQUERA
Link for the video on YouTube (Click on the link above):
LOURDES FERNANDEZ, NINOSKA QUINTUNA, NINOSKA QUINTANA, JAVIER VINTIMILLA
MARGARITA AGUIRRE, FERNANDO AND LOURDES FERNADES.
BELOW IS JOSE MOSQUREA, 13 YEAR OLD ALVARO, SON OF JORGE AND JANNETT.
JERRY RAMOS' WELCOME HOME PARTY
AFTER A THREE MONTH ABSENCE, JERRY RETURNED FROM THE STATES TO CUENCA. MANY OF US HAD NOT SEEN ONE ANOTHER SINCE BEFORE JERRY LEFT, SO WE HAD A ROLICKING GOOD TIME CATCHING UP AT EL PEDREGAL AZTECA MEXICAN RESTAURANT. CUENCA HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH A NUMBER OF QUALITY MEXICAN RESTAURANTS AND I FIND AZTECA'S FAJITAS TO BE THE BEST IN THE CITY.
ABOVE ARE BROTHERS ESTEBAN AND ANDRES RIOS; CAMERON NEELY, WHO IS VISITING FOR SIX MONTHS IN ECUADOR, AND IS A SPANISH MAJOR AT YALE; AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS MARIA ROSA, MOTHER OF THE THREE RIOS BROTHERS.
ANDRES, ESTEBAN, AND MATHIAS RIOS DECIDING WHAT TO ORDER.
ABOVE IS CYNTHIA MILLS, JERRY RAMOS, AND SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM.
ABOVE IS EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE SPANISH TEACHER ANA LUISA ALVARRACIN CABREA, CYNTHIA MILLS, AND JERRY RAMOS IN THE SHADOWS.
ABOVE AND BELOW IS JERRY RAMOS, SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM, JIM MOLA, AND PAULINE FERREN
BELOW IS MATHIAS RIOS, SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM,
AND SANTIAGO MOLA
BELOW IS SHERRY NADEU, LINDA AND RAY LEWIS
BELOW JERRY, SIEG AND KAREN, AND JAIME
IT SEEMS TO BE A POPULAR THING IN RECENT YEARS TO COME UP WITH NEW COCTAILS BY MIXING BEER WITH SOME WHISKEY, TEQUILA, RUM, VODKA--YOU NAME IT. I ORDERED A DRINK LIKE THAT ONCE. IT WAS ATROCIOUS. I HAD TO ORDER SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR MY FIRST DRINK. I LATER TRIED A SIP OF SOMEONE'S BEER-LIQUOR COMBINATION--NEVER AGAIN. WHAT A WAY TO RUIN GOOD ALCOHOL!
MARIA ROSA AND CAMERON NEELEY TOOK THE PLUNGE, AND FOUND IT AGREEABLE.
BELOW IS JERRY, SIEG AND KAREN.
HAIL, HAIL, THE GANG'S ALMOST ALL HERE. ON THE LEFT IS JERRY RAMOS, SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM, JIM MOLA, PAULINE FARREN, SHERRY NADEAU, LINDA LEWIS WITH HUSBAND RAY SITTING AT THE FAR END OF THE TABLE. COMING DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PHOTO IS MARIA ROSA, CAMERON NEELEY, ANDRES RIOS, MATHIAS RIOS, ANNA LUISA, AND CYNTHIA MILLS.
MISSING IS LOREN AND NANCY KUHNE. NANCY WAS UNDERGOING HIP SURGERY AS SOON AS SHE OVERCAME A BLOOD INFECTION. NANCY WAS A STAR. HER SURGERY WENT SPLENDIDLY, AND SHE HAS BEEN A CHAMPION WITH HER THERAPY SESSIONS. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TWO OF THEM REJOINING US IN FUTURE OUTINGS.
CAMERON NEELEY AND MARIA ROSA
WHAT'S A MEXICAN PARTY WITHOUT A MARGARITA.
