A Day in Washinton, D.C. September 30, 2011

I had been to Washington, D.C. on a number of occasions, but not since the 1980's. While visiting with my son toward the end of my month in the states, we had a cloudy but warm day to visit the sites that had not existed in my previous visits to our nation's capital: mainly, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, Dr. King's Memorial, and the F.D.R. Memorial. I actually took out my camera and behaved like a tourist. I thank my son, Marc, for a wonderful weekend and a great Friday for our walking tour, because the temperature highs dropped into the upper 40's in D.C. the next day, Saturday.

It seems a little lame to depict photos of Washington, D.C. when a number of expats from Cuenca are touring places like Japan, China, Spain, and Morocco.  Nonetheless, Marc and I had a great time,  The day gave me a chance to use my camera, and most of all attempt the arduous task of transferring, uploading, and posting photos.  If you want to learn or refresh your memory on a little American history, just click on the link below, (or cut and paste in your URL at the top of the screen) and click on each photo, and a commentary will be provided.  I hope all this works.  If it does, I owe a special thanks of gratitude to Jose Cortez and Lenny Charnoff.  If it doesn't, I still owe them thanks for trying guys.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmola/sets/72157627971612346/

Life's Incongruencies: Plus Two Things to Consider if you Plan a Move to Cuenca

The incongruencies of life certainly are being demonstrated to me at the moment here in Cuenca. If you read my last post, you know that I spent a month back in the states visiting with friends and family. When I left Cuenca, the weather was wet and cool. Kind of that damp, cool weather experienced in Chicago on rainy days in the spring when temperatures are only in the 40’s or 50’s. Homes in Cuenca are made of concrete and plaster with no insulation, and no central heating; so they are a poor conduit for retaining heat in cool weather. Because of La Nina we had our total average rainfall for the year by the end of June, so the damp, cold humidity feeling was more prevalent this year than usual. Upon returning to Cuenca about ten days ago, the weather has become a whole new experience.

The weather has warmed up significantly. I no longer need to wear layers of clothes or my robe over them to keep warm during certain parts of the day or evening. There were days when I actually felt warmer when I was walking outside, and the movement would raise my body temperature. That was then. This is now. The nights now have been quite warm since my return. I get by with just a sheet, and leave the comforter at the foot of the bed. I’ve been soaking up the sun, and enjoying the warmth a great deal. Yes, we still tend to get afternoon showers most days, but the precipitation is not as prolonged as in previous months.

So what are the incongruencies? Well, just as the weather is warming up, what do I bring back with me from the states but an EndenPure Heater. I would strongly recommend this heater to anyone who wants to stay warm in Cuenca during the cool months of April through September. Granted, I only had the chance to try it for fifteen minutes at a moderate heat setting just to make sure it was working, before it became way too hot in my apartment for this time of year. However, my brother has used the EndenPure heater in his home through at least two Chicago winters. I find it works very effectively and efficiently, and my brother has been most pleased with its performance. The EndenPure will heat 1,000 sq. ft. of living space. I have a 1,700 ft condo. But since I like a cool bedroom while I am sleeping at night, and the fact that Cuenca’s cold periods or nothing like Chicago’s, the EndenPure should more than do the job of taking the coolness out of the air during the day or night.

The price is currently $397.00. From my perspective, the cost is well worth it. It is cool to the touch, safe for babies and pets, and heats evenly throughout the house from floor to ceiling. The heater also does not suck oxygen out of the air leaving people with that droopy tired feeling. The EdenPure USA 1000 is the only quartz, infrared portable heater made in the United States. Can you imagine, a product that is actually manufactured in the U.S.A.! Furthermore, Bob Vila is the spokesman for EndenPure. I mean, what could be a greater testimonial for a product than that.

The heater is not available for purchase in Ecuador. Nor does the company provide international shipping beyond Canada. I had the heater shipped to my son in Maryland, and brought it to Cuenca in its original box and packing. It weighs thirty pounds, and there are no custom or duty charges when you bring it to Ecuador as part of your flight baggage in cargo, since it is under $500.00 in price. Be sure you have your invoice or receipt to prove the price is under $500.00. However, if the product is taken on American Airlines, which is the airline flight which brought me to Ecuador, you will have to pay an additional $150.00, if the box is excess cargo baggage beyond your first two pieces of cargo luggage. Each person will have to decide for themselves if the cost is reasonable or prohibitive. For me, it obviously is well worth the cost. Expats who come to live in Cuenca, and especially find themselves living in older housing stock which frequently can be quite drafty should especially give consideration to such a purchase. There are currently no heaters available for purchase in Cuenca, including the more expensive models that come close to the quality of EdenPure.

Cuenca can also be a very noisy city. In my neighborhood,the worse generally comes at 6:00 a.m. The rooster crows, and that gets all the dogs into the act. There is one dog. I have no idea what happen to his vocal chords. His bark, if one can call it that, is this prolonged, desperate wailing sound of pain and agony, one would expect from an animal that has just been quartered and attacked by a larger animal that has begun to devour the smaller animal. Now, along with the occasional car alarms that go off generally for a short time, or the weekend parties in the neighborhood, I no longer have my sleep interrupted by the sounds of man or nature.

God bless “white noise” with the invention of The "Original Sleep Sound Generator" of which I brought two of them back with me to Cuenca. One is in my outer wall guest room, and the other is in my master bedroom. After ten nights of using the one in my room, no more listening to dogs bark throughout the night, roosters crowing in the morning, car alarms, ambulance sirens, and traffic noise. There are two levels of white noise. The lower level works just fine for me. The higher level is more appropriate when I’m sleeping and I have my window open, which is almost every night now.

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/60586?promo=search

The Original Sleep Sound Generator - Hammacher Schlemmer
beta.hammacher.com
This device produces a gentle noise that helps block annoying sounds such as tra...See More

The beauty of this little machine is that its light and you can easily pack it in your luggage. You just plug it in, and turn the switch to high or low. That's all there is to it. There are no 1,000 variations of complications that cameras, computers, blackberries, and IPOD's offer; which definitely beyond a doubt makes the Sleep Sound Generator my kind of technology.

Ironically, here in the Southern Hemisphere we are entering the warmer months with abated breath, so I wasn’t thrilled to find upon my return that the stores and shops are loaded with Christmas stuff; which, of course, is so Norte Americano. What really took the cake today, however, was to walk into the lobby of the Palermo this evening where I live, and to be greeted with a very large and utterly beautifully decorated Christmas tree right smack dab in the center of the spacious foyer. It’s only early October! Talk about overkill! Thank God, so far I have not heard any Christmas carols, but as Scarlett would say, “ Manana is another day”.


Disclaimer:The above products are presented to you for your consideration if you plan a move to Cuenca and the Andes. Neither I nor any member of my family have any financial connection with the companies mentioned.

Travels Home and the Return to Cuenca

Well, at the end of my last post I stated that my month in the U.S.A. would go by quickly, and how incredibly quickly the time passed. I had a fabulous month, and couldn’t have been more pleased. In fact, I could have used an additional week in the states. The traveling to the states and back again was totally uneventful, which is good. Everything ran like clock-work, and except when I watched a very good movie entitled, “Midnight in Paris”, I studied Spanish all the way to Chicago. From that point on I was wired for every moment of time, and had no time for Spanish studies or blogging. I consider long flight travel days as my Zombie Days, just something to get through.

The weather in Chicago has been much like Cuenca’s this summer as far as lots of cloudiness and rain. The Indiana corn was truly as high as an elephant’s eye due to all the rain. Occasionally, some beautiful weather days appeared as well. I am so glad in hindsight that my residency was delayed. I originally had planned to return home in August, which would have been during a time of great heat and humidity. The days in September, which ranged from the 50’s to the low 80’s were generally quite pleasant.

It was great to spend time with all the family and with friends. I must admit it was an eating marathon for the entire month. It was like I ate in every ethnic restaurant imaginable that I cannot find in Cuenca. I was astonished that I only gained six pounds during the month. I had a dinner with former colleagues of mine before I retired last January that you can’t find in Cuenca--authentic Chinese food. We had an enjoyable evening of conversation, and I look forward to seeing them again on my next trip back to the states. With my brother, Leo and his wife Carla, we made our way to our favorite Thai and Indian restaurants; not to mention a new Scottish restaurant as well where the young lovelies who composed the wait-staff wore very short kilts and bare midriffs. It took many deliberate efforts while I was seated to look beyond our waitress’ bejeweled navel and find my way up to her eyes. I never ate in a Scottish restaurant before. The shepherd’s pie was all right, but this was a place which was more a feast for the eyes rather than its gastronomical offerings.

I enjoyed visiting with my niece, Jennifer, and her husband, Dominic, as we ate Italian at a restaurant in Naperville, Illinois. It was also great seeing my nephew Brian, his wife, Christie, and their precocious not yet two year old son, Joshua. My grand nephew will be inviting a new sibling into the family by next April.

We were blessed with two absolutely beautiful days while in the city proper of Chicago. The first day was utterly beautiful, sunny with temperatures in the 70’s, and not a cloud in the sky. The city never looked better. Everything was so green and clean-looking from all the rain,which left me surprised when I first arrived that there had not yet been any sign of autumn appearing. One corner building with a restaurant and outside sidewalk café had out did itself in the plants and blossoming flowers that it had on display. The two corner sides of the building and the entire partitions separating the outdoor patio from the public sidewalk were spectacularly arrayed in hanging flowers and plants from top to bottom. It was one time I was disappointed that I did not have my camera with me. We had dinner at my friend’s sister’s daughter’s home, which was a lovely loft-condo overlooking the Chicago River on the second floor of the former Montgomery Ward warehouse building. This reconstruction of the building into condos is just one example of how much Chicago has changed tremendously for the better over the last twenty years, at least in appearance if not in politics.

Our second visit to Chicago brought some of my family members and friends together to visit the Art Institute, which had added another wing a couple of years ago for all of its modern art collection, but which none of us had previously visited. As an adult, the Art Institute became my favorite museum in Chicago, with the finest Impressionistic art collection found outside of France. However, Chicago is no Cuenca. After spending $28.00 for parking, we each then had to pay $18.00 to enter the museum. We then ate at the Russian Tea Room, where meals averaged in the $20.00 range just for the main entrée. Needless to say, I had to smile when I think of friends in Cuenca who consider it an expensive night out kept only for special occasions when the entire dinner minus drinks may run ten to fifteen dollars.

Everything is expensive in the states. While I have seen prices creeping upwards in Cuenca, expats who have not recently been back to the states need to keep in mind that everything has been going up in the states as well. In fact, restaurant and grocery prices had already increased sharply at the beginning of this year before I had even left for Cuenca in March. If the weather in Chicago was as beautiful everyday as it was the two days we spent in the city, and if everything was not so ridiculously expensive, it would be difficult to move from a city which has so much to offer culturally, and in the beauty of its lake and the shoreline, the park system, the Chicago river and its walkways, the prolific growth of outside eateries along the river and along Michigan Avenue south of the river, and of course, the city’s spectacular architecture. However, once one factors the ludicrous cost of renting or buying property in Chicago and what little you get for the cost compared to what property has to offer in Cuenca. Once one factors the luxury of not having to own a car in Cuenca, and the very low cost of public transportation with the great savings that allows for investment or spending on other amenities; Cuenca is a no brainer for a retiree.

My brother, Ron, and my mother filled me up at steak and beef restaurants, which was about the only time I did not eat ethnic. I drove my mother to Wisconsin Dells, her home town, as we visited with relatives. It’s always a pleasure when we go to the Dells. My fondest memories as a child were the times I spent with my grandparents and my cousins in Wisconsin. My mother, who is eighty-nine, really enjoyed the chance to visit with surviving family members. Unfortunately, we did not have sufficient time to travel to Dubuque, Iowa, so we could visit with her other surviving brother and his wife and family. I hate to see my mother’s generation pass away, or to be reminded how old I and all my cousins are becoming as well. Sooner or later, one generation always has to make way for the next—such is life.

Upon my return from the Dells, I was next off with friends to Mishawaka, Indiana to visit with a dear friend of ours. Sister Barbara Anne Hallman, a retired nun of the Franciscan order. Sister had recently had a book published, which is entitled “Hands that Hold Hearts”. With the help of a Franciscan brother by the name of Kevin, who helped with the layout and art work. Sister had used illustrations of the hands of various elderly nuns as a way of presenting daily reflections for meditation.

Sister Barbara Anne is a cancer survivor and has been blessed with a special mission of service in reaching out to other cancer survivors as well. One such survivor has been a recent Boston College graduate football player by the name of Mark Herzlich, who survived cancer and has been drafted by the New York Giants. He will be featured on Sunday, October 30th. on one of “60 Minutes” segments. I don’t know if we get “60 Minutes” in Cuenca, but if not, I hope someone back in the states will make a copy and send it to me. Not all of sister’s prayers have always resulted in healing. I believe Barbara Anne has the makings for a second book. Not so much about prayer or healing, but primarily about the human dimensions shared between her and those with whom she came to care and their families.

Needless to say, while visiting with sister, who is very witty and always has a million stories to share, we kept with tradition and went to our favorite Italian restaurant in Mishawaka, "Papa Vino's". Since our last visit, a two million dollar renovation had taken place over the summer, and the decor was breath-taking. Extremely beautiful Venetian glassware of contemporary design was hanging on the walls over-lapping frosted glass partitions. Each Venetian design was unique. There was also among many of "Papa Vino's" art displays a very elegant, colorful contemporary design of metal work on the wall that I would have taken in a heart-beat to have hanging on the wall in my condo here in Cuenca.

To Vickie whose blog is "Smile Away", and who is currently visiting in the states. I know you intend to see "II Volo", the teen Italian tenors during your travels. You will not believe that I learned they were appearing at the Chicago Theater last Wednesday, the day before I was to leave for Baltimore. If I had known, when I was in Cuenca, I would have bought tickets. I can't wait to hear about your experience in hearing live this fabulous group of young talent. Missing this concert was the only disappointment during my entire trip.

Before I knew it, after a few more days in the Chicago area, it was time to travel to southern Maryland and spend an extended weekend with my eldest son, Marc. We had a spectacular time of visiting, eating, and touring. Marc really outdid himself in his dining selections: from eating at "Hank's Oyster Bar", in Dupont Center outside of Washington, D.C. proper; to feasting on Lebanese food in Baltimore at Lebanese Severna; which was a suave restaurant with fine service and food. and dining on Afghanistani cuisine at a restaurant called “Maiwand Kabob”, My son also took me to a place called “Wawa”, where we used a computer to build our own monster sandwiches. "Wawa is a store/deli combination with nowhere to sit and eat, so we went next door to McDonald’s, bought our drinks, and ate there. Marc was in disbelief that I was not impressed with “Five Guys” hamburgers, which only recently made their way into the Mid-west. My second time around left me quite impressed. How I only gained six pounds is beyond my understanding? Mind you, I’m not complaining. I am just so relieved that the damage was not greater.

Life is made up of so many precious moments, and it’s all so fleeting. Life is very much like a steady stream of consciousness. The past is memory, the future is anticipation, and the present is fleeting. I have moved to so many places during my life, and I have as an educator held positions in so many schools and systems, that I sometimes wonder where home is for me. Certainly home is with my family and friends, which is where the heart is, and I have been truly blessed with a wonderful family whom I love and appreciate more than they can know; but home is also wherever I am at that moment, and the moment for me now is Cuenca.

Next: My Day in Washington, D.C.

Homeward Bound!

Well, now that my sedula and censo are completed, and my passport has been returned to me, I can make a trip back to the states and visit friends and family. It’s been an incredibly rapid six months that have passed since I arrived, and I am looking forward to my visit home. I’ve had enough of rainy and cloudy days, and I hope I don’t run into more of the same in Chicago, because I know until recently what a wet season it has been there as well.

To friends and family back home, I will be leaving Cuenca next Sunday on the 11th and return to Cuenca on the 3rd of October. I also intend to make my way up to Wisconsin for a few days to visit with relatives as well. I will be leaving Chicago on Thursday, September 28th to travel to the Baltimore Airport and spend the weekend with my son, Marc, before returning to Cuenca. As some of you know Marc may have been sent to Afghanistan before I would have had the opportunity to see him. However, that is no longer the case, and we will be able to spend some time together for which I am most thankful.

I know some of you already have some events planned, so it’s basically working out a schedule of arranging all of the possibilities. I’m really looking forward to seeing you, Mom. It’s great that the cell phone and Skype video make keeping in touch with one another easier these days, but it’s a greater feeling when all of us get to visit in the flesh, and give one another real hugs. Yes, I know, the three weeks will fly by like everything else in life today. It’s the world in which we live, which is all the more reason to make our time together count. Take care, and see everybody soon.

Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music!

Oh man! Talk about time flying. It’s already been a week ago today that I spent the day in Quito getting my sedula and censo. I swear it feels like I was just there two days ago.

My attorney was Gabriela Espinosa. I arrived to her new office, where she relocated her staff in early August. Gabriela’s new address is 18 de Septiembre E7-26 y 6 de Diciembre office 82. Before I could even approach the building receptionist/security, a young man behind me introduced himself as Andreas and announced that he was Gabriela’s assistant. He speaks English very well. We made a short stop in Gabriela’s office, procured what files we needed and we were off and running. The censo was taken care of first. Andreas went ahead to meet with officials to be sure they would have my birth place in the computer, so the process would not be hampered when my turn came up to answer the questions on the form, since my place of birth was not likely to be already listed in the computer.

The next stage was the long process. Over 400 people with numbers ahead of ours. The waiting was going to be hours. Andreas disappeared for about forty minutes to take care of paper work unrelated to my case. When he returned we talked for about thirty minutes. With still over 200 numbers to go, I suggested we go across the street where there was an arena. The entire front of the arena was ensconced with one restaurant after another, with the vast majority of them in the fast food milieu. We stopped at a Chinese restaurant. I assumed it was a franchise, because we went up to the counter and had a choice of about eight different meals from which to choose, as they were displayed on the wall high above the counter. Andreas and I both went for the “Big Buddha”. We highly recommend it. Lot’s of variety of tantalizing, generous portions on the plate. The dinners were quite good by Ecuadorian standards of Chinese cuisine. We followed lunch with about a six block walk, anything to prevent us from having to return and sit any longer than was necessary. It wasn’t too long after our return that our number was called and the sedula business was taken care of.

Andreas did say that criminal records are now once again required by those seeking residency in Cuenca, but medical records continue not to be required as they once were.

We returned to Gabriela’s office. I signed a form giving them power of attorney, so they could pick up my sedula and send it to me with a routing number where I would need to pick the sedula up at the Cuenca Airport. Just take it for granted that you will have to call the law firm to determine when the sedula was forwarded to you and what the routing number is. I picked up my luggage and headed out of the office to discover that there was a monster storm raging outside. Then it began to hail heavily. Not golf ball size, but large enough and plentiful enough to encapsulate Quito in a sheet of white that reminded me of Chicago in March when one might find everything suddenly covered in an half an inch of snow. It was such a stunner, after such a beautiful day of sunny weather.

At the slightest hint of a slow-down in the rain, I realized I had to get about fifty feet from the front of the office building over to the corner to hail a cab. By the time I reached the corner the rain was mercilessly pounding down again, and the streets were so cover in water that I didn’t think any cab would come close enough to the curb for me to throw my luggage and myself into the taxi. Almost immediately, a cab stopped to pick me up. I was surprised, because the driver already had a female passenger sitting in the front seat with him. They both were cordial. We attempted some conversation, but the language gulf was too big.

The fifteen minute ride took fifty minutes to the airport. The streets were flooded something awful. I hadn’t seen flooding this pervasive since my monsoon days in Mumbai back in the 70’s. Of course, Mumbai had no storm sewers back then. Some shop keepers were using push-brooms to keep the water from flooding into their store entrances. For other shop keepers, it was a lost cause. Their sidewalk levels were lower than the street, and the water forged its way right into the stores. At times I saw children pounding around with their shoes in the hail, and attempting to pick it up just like kids would pick up snow in the states.

The flight was twenty minutes delayed. I arrived in Cuenca. There had been no rain, let alone a storm. Everything was Cuenca. Everything was tranquil.

I was now a resident of Ecuador, and more excitedly a genuine Cuencaneo. Mucho orgullosomente! My good friends Gil and Deborah Castle threw me, and Larry and Karen Schunk a celebration dinner in honor of the three of us just completing our residency process. With Deborah cooking one of her fabulous meals, we couldn’t have asked for a nicer evening. (Sorry D, P, S, and L back in the states. No photos of the celebration.) I’M A CUENCANO! VIVA CUENCA!

Beautiful Cuenca in Photographs

Ever since I arrived in Cuenca back in March of this year, I have at various times received emails from friends and family members wondering when I was going to take my camera out and begin to include photos of Cuenca with my posts. Well, I took my camera out more than a month ago. I have been taking photos from my balcony, and I have been practicing with my camera. I also was waiting for all the rain to stop along with the endless cloudy days. My one day of photo posts from my original excursion to Cuenca last summer happened to be on a cloudy, dreary day.

Now that we are enjoying more sunshine as of late, I can no longer use cloudy weather as an excuse for not using my camera. The truth of the matter is I just am not in the mood, nor wish to take the time to snap photos. Keep in mind too, that I am not vacationing in Cuenca. This is my home now, and living everyday life for me does not allow for frequent picture-taking.

I suppose after eighteen months of reading and seeing so many Cuenca links of articles and photos by bloggers; it’s like, gosh do we really need one more photo of the three domes of the New Cathedral, or whatever else captures someone’s fancy as worth another photo shot in Cuenca. I would not be at all surprised if Cuenca in the last two years has not on a per capita basis been more photographed than any other city in the world, particularly since it first had been ranked as the number one desirable city in the world for retirement.

I do want to thank those of you who either by post comments or emails appreciated my writing as being expressive in imagery to make you feel as if you were actually a part of the experience. That means far more to me than compliments on a good photograph. On the other hand, there are those like one good friend of mine, who said I had no idea how beautiful Cuenca is until I clicked on one of your links to another blog. I realize that many friends and relatives in the states who read my blog, may not take the time to read any of the other blogs. Therefore, the continuous repetition of photos to me may be novel to them if they haven’t looked elsewhere. I realize also that it is difficult to refer to specific links for photos of Cuenca, since you can find many fine photos on the various blogs, but unfortunately have to wade through various posts to see the photos.

Well, today a new blog was introduced on “South of Zero”. It is entitled, “Pachamama Spectrum of Treasures” by Ernie and Deborah Millard. It is excellent, with a very professionally done blend of beautiful high quality photos, short videos, and brief but poignant texts of what you are viewing that is comprehensive and awe-inspiring. How the Millards were able to accomplish all this from just a one week visit to Cuenca, I find amazing. If I were still a World Cultures and World Geography teacher, I would not hesitate to use “Pachamama Spectrum of Treasures” as a classroom resource tool.

So now those of you who need literal pictures of Cuenca to envision what I have frequently written about in my various posts, I highly recommend that you take a look at the Millard post of August 16th about Cuenca. You will find all the photos in one place, all in one post. That’s not to say I will never post photos, but it’s just not my priority among my interest of activities, nor among the things I need to get done right now. So take a look at the Millard's post and enjoy--really enjoy.

http://www.pachamama-spectrum-of-treasures.com/2011_08_01_archive.html

An Unpleasant Side of Cuenca

Every day is something new in Cuenca. That’s part of the excitement of my living here. Yesterday was no exception. I planned a low-key day of basically reading and responding to my emails, depressing myself with the financial news from back home, and preparing a post for my blog. For a little exercise, I would make my weekly trek over to Coopera. A walk that normally is about one mile round trip. Coopera is an excellent organic food cooperative, where I planned to pick up some meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Much of the remainder of the day was to be spent studying Spanish which I had promised my tutor I would do while he is out of town, and which at this moment is a promise I have yet to keep.

We have had four beautiful days of incredible weather. Sunday was sunny non-stop all day and very hot. Monday and Tuesday were mostly sunny and warm. It has been wonderful for the first time since I arrived in mid-March that I could actually eat my breakfast on my balcony. What a sense of freedom to open up all the windows and leave them open throughout the day without the worry of it being too cool, and where the feeling of the inside of my condo and the outside become as one. Today, Wednesday, has been cloudier, and a little cooler. Nonetheless, it’s another beautiful day. Cuenca has received all of its annual average precipitation by the end of June. July has involved less rain than the previous months, but much cloudiness, and both June and July were well below their average annual temperatures. I would like to believe we are on a new trend, but I also know that August and September are suppose to be our coldest months during the year in Cuenca. I hope I haven’t jinxed us with a good weather report, or lots of expats will be growling at me if things start getting cold again.

I digress. My day as usual would go much differently than I planned. I did not study Spanish, nor did I get this post done. One amigo called, soon was at my door and we went out for dinner, then while we were eating, an amiga called and joined us as well. I had absolutely no intentions of wanting to go into El Centro last evening, but she insisted. Little did I expect to find myself standing ten feet from Presidente Correa as he was leaving a meeting in the municipal building across from Parke Cauderon. No limo in which to ride for this president. Ecuador may not be a wealthy country economically, but that hasn’t stopped government officials from parading around like they are kings in countries far less affluent than Ecuador. I was duly impressed. Before entering his car, the Presidente and I sat down over coffee at Fruitiladas to discuss a very pressing problem in Ecuador, the epidemic of major graffiti over much of El Centro in the past month. (Well, the coffee conversation didn’t quite happen, but then again it depends upon your view of reality.) At any rate, I am now prepared to share with you my original post that did not get completed yesterday.

When I came to Cuenca from Quito in March, one of my comments was how little graffiti there was in Cuenca compared to Quito, and how thankful I was for that. I don’t know if it’s because school is out for two months and some, most likely teens, have too much time on their hands. However, the spread of graffiti has been a contagion, particularly the last couple of weeks. Calle Larga from one end to the other is mired in graffiti hardly without a building that hasn’t been sprayed. Paint has been sprayed on the walls along the river. Rich and Nancy pointed out in their post today, that even monumental sites like the New Cathedral have not been spared from the tagging.

I don’t know if South Americans have a different attitude toward graffiti than gringos. While I know discussing the problem with four Ecuadorians at different times in the past few days hardly makes for an accurate survey, none of them seemed concerned about the tagging, and basically shrugged their shoulders. Yet I know one thing the Cuenca taxi drivers want to comment about all the time is how beautiful and tranquil Cuenca is.

Among gringos, especially from the United States graffiti is not only viewed as an eye sore, but often and accurately is associated with gang activity. Areas sprayed in graffiti are usually viewed as more dangerous and personally unsafe. While Cuenca has little if any serious gang problems at this time, the perception can be harmful to Cuenca’s tourist trade, if tourists view the city as unsafe, which it is not, or if photos of everything tourists take are mired in graffiti. It also doesn’t make much sense to spend all the money that in recent years has been invested into the beautification and restoration of El Centro; the constant picking up of litter by city workers; and the washing, soaping, scrubbing, hosing down of public and some private squares every evening; what good is it if the positive efforts are cancelled out by a bunch of punks with nothing better to do than tag, or who wish to exhibit anti-social behavior.

I was walking along the river park just below El Centro where construction workers have completed new walkways and terraces with benches that allow strollers to sit and enjoy the beauty and sound of the Rio Tomebama. Yet at the same time, the walls that form the foundations for El Centro above the river basin have become degraded in places with sporadic tagging.

I am not a fan of graffiti art. I don’t find it all that attractive and usually it’s too cartoonish-looking for my tastes, but when the effort at art is done legitimately and with some oversight, I can tolerate it. I am not attempting to force my tastes upon others. In fact, as I was walking along the river on Sunday, two young man where spray-painting the wall along the area. One young man had about eight cans of paint spray. I assumed since they were actually working on something meant to be art and doing it in broad daylight, that they must have had some official’s permission.

Most tagging, however, is just an eyesore performed by people with no artistic talent, and with no concern with being artistic, just destructive. In fact, these taggers will not hesitate to spray over the more artistic graffiti, just to act out their negative energies. I watched one man out on Grand Columbia outside EL Centro repainting an entire wall, as he painted over the graffiti, and I couldn’t help but wonder if by morning the wall wouldn’t be tagged all over again. Even beautiful homes in some of the nicest neighborhoods, with nice clean and relatively new paint jobs find their outer walls spray-painted.

In Rich and Nancy’s post “Good Art and the Ugly” (August 2), they stated that some Ecuadorians had mentioned that city officials may be preparing to take actions against these hooligans, with possible fines by the parents and jail time by the perpetrators. I don’t believe this solution nary will make a difference in the recent prodigious proliferation of graffiti in the city. I would suggest to city officials that they investigate what some cities like New York City or Chicago have specifically done to minimize graffiti in their cities.

Generally, actions need to be taken to make spray paint less available to customers. Some cities have done a combination of the following: limit the number of stores that can sell spray paint, require that purchasers of spray paint be at least eighteen years of age, require the spray paint be kept behind the counter, require an identification with a recording of the purchaser and paint purchased in efforts to minimize cans falling into the hands of ill-intended violators of aesthetic destruction of the beautiful city of Cuenca.

I hope that this is an issue that the city officials and the chamber of commerce will take seriously, research seriously, and act swiftly before Cuenca is turned into the graffiti capital of the world. There, now maybe I'll get my Spanish homework done.

The Other Side of Cuenca

On April 3rd, I had posted “The Remembrances of Another Time Found in Cuenca”. The post was a reflection of how so many things in Cuenca were a reminder of what life was like growing up in the United States in the 1950’s. I continue to be astonished at the way things are done in Cuenca that harkens back to an earlier time in the United States.

My intent was to type a follow-up post the following week, but I became side-tracked with life’s demands and the writing of other post topics that served a greater sense of immediacy for me at the time. Therefore, the germination of that follow-up post has come to fruition today, and is entitled, “The Other Side of Cuenca”, which deals with a Cuencano society in which both tradition and modernity are currently coexisting side by side. I did not want to leave in the minds of Norte Americanos that Cuenca is simply some throw back to an earlier era. Much of Cuenca is as contemporary as anything that is found in the United States and Canada.

While El Centro is the historic district recognized and protected by UNESCO, and where outside alterations to the Spanish Renaissance architecture must be in keeping with that style; outside of many parts of El Centro is a very modern Cuenca of new homes generally done in both traditional and contemporary Spanish architectural styles. There is no doubt that this city of 500,000 people who have lived in low-lying structures in which the tallest buildings were generally no more than four floors in height, have seen the Cuenca landscape particularly over the last five years experience an enormous explosion in new high-rise condos and commercial office buildings. Even with this growth in high rise construction, there is little chance of Cuenca becoming a densely populated city of high rises. The tallest building is seventeen stories, and for the foreseeable future no building will be allowed to rise above fourteen stories. Along with the high rises, many townhouses are beginning to make their appearance on the housing scene as well

Even as high rise condos parallel near the Rio Tomebama and stretch westward along Calle Lasso and similar streets in the area. The high rises are either scattered among one and two story housing, or surrounded by low rising housing divisions. There are no blocks after blocks of high rises being built as can be found in cities like Chicago and New York City.

Like the urban sprawl in the United States over the last half a century, new housing tracks continue to spring up across the Cuenca valley with newer homes extending into the lower mountain sides. The South side of Cuenca is one of the most elegant areas of Cuenca, with a combination of low rise apartment buildings and attractive neighborhoods of homes most reminiscent of upper-middle class neighborhoods found in areas around Los Angeles or San Diego, or a Scottsdale, Arizona; where handsome homes are walled off in gated communities. Avenida Solano is the heart of the south side. It is a perfect example of a beautiful four lane street divided by a wide median green belt with bountiful trees which line the median as well as align along the curbsides of the avenue which extend for two to three miles until the street comes to a T when Solano reaches the Rio Yanuncay. Radiating from Solano are a myriad of gated communities of elegant homes nestled behind the walls. Solano is graced with wide sidewalks that are set-off from the curb by the grassy areas and trees that align the avenue. The walk along the shady tree boulevard of Solano can be a leisurely stroll that introduces one to a Cuenca quite different from El Centro. I met an expat lady who has lived with her husband in Cuenca for thirty years, and remembers when the south side of Cuenca was all farmland when they first arrived.

The new construction is found everywhere in the city, and so are the nice neighborhoods. Yet even in these areas one can find a herd of cows eating grass along a parkway, and the areas are further enhanced by the beauty of the rivers that run through many areas of Cuenca and the walkways along the banks of the rivers, only to be further enhanced by vaster green areas like Parke Madre, which lies across the Rio Tomebama and just below El Centro on the south side of the city, or on the east side of Cuenca where the very large, beautiful, and greatly appreciated Parke de El Paraiso is enjoyed by Cuencanos particularly on the weekends.

There is little industry in Cuenca, and that includes the eyesores that generally are concomitant with an industrial sector. Except for bus fumes, there is little in the way of pollution. Even the airport and the terminal bus station are located on the outskirts of Cuneca’s northeast side, thereby causing little infringement upon the city as a whole. As the cultural center of Ecuador, Cuenca is blessed with two major universities, which grace the central south sides of the city. Further to the east is Azuay University, a private institution; and more toward the central part of Cuenca, south of the Rio Tomebama lies Cuenca University, the public university. Both campuses are modern institutions of higher learning occupying traditional brick and mortar buildings in park-like settings.

I don’t wish to leave in your minds the impression that El Centro is old and everything outside of the historic district is new. In El Centro while there is a continual refurbishing of exterior structures in keeping with its historical context, there are also many interior renovations taking place that are very contemporary in replaced infrastructure like plumbing, electrical wiring, as well as in interior designs. Some of these homes and condos have been renovated while keeping the traditional layout of the interiors intact, while other renovations have taken the dramatic step of removing interior walls from smaller enclosed rooms to provide space with a modern open-concept and loft-style arrangements.

In turn, outside the historic district, one will find neighborhoods that have existed for long times. Indigenous neighborhoods range from more antiquated homes in semi-rural areas to areas that have a more densely populated feeling like in El Centro. Generally speaking, class lines in housing sub-divisions are not as well defined as in the states. It is not unusual to find an upscale new home constructed next to a Spartan older home, or next to a building much in need of repairs, or even next to an abandoned old wood and adobe building probably constructed in the 1800’s.

Intermingled among the various communities is the very large, enclosed, and attractive Mal del Rio, which can hold its own with the best designed malls in the states. Like malls back home, it features an endless variety of specialty shops, kiosks, cinemas, major play areas for children, video arcades are still prominently featured as well, and there is a massive food court with many Ecuadorian cuisine twists that cannot be found in food courts back home. What is missing from the mall are the large department stores that anchor most enclosed malls in the states. The one store that approximates a department store in Mal del Rio and which is the largest single store in the mall is the two storied, Corral, which would be a store more on the level of a “Target” back home.

Other smaller enclosed malls also exist, usually with few stores. One such mall is the Milenium Plaza on the southside with its stadium seated cinema complex, and a food court that dwarfs the handful of stores in the mall. There are also three malls that are anchored by Supermaxi, a modern upscale supermarket of which these malls are found one on the south side and the other on the west side of town. On the east side of town the third SuperMaxi occupies a mall space that includes Kiwi, which is the Ecuadorian equivalent of Home Depot in the states. The west side mall has the closest thing to a department store in Cuenca, which is called Sukasa, and while not as large as what one normally thinks in department store sizes in the states, it carries a merchandise line similar to Macy’s in price and quality. These smaller malls also have some unique specialty shops, once again these malls reflect upper-scale shopping that manifests the greater growth of affluence in Cuenca in recent years, and the fact that proportionately in population-size Cuenca has the largest middle class of any large city in Ecuador. The malls prove to be a great attraction, especially on the weekends. The food courts are jammed, and like in the states, the malls attract teens as a place to hang-out and be seen.

Automobiles continue to become a bigger problem with congestion. One taxi driver told me that one out of every three Cuencanos now have a car. Assuming that figure is accurate, there is no doubt that congestion during certain times of the day can make a ten minute ride from where I live about three miles from Parke Calderon into a slow crawl. There are no expressways in Cuenca, and I hope there never will be. There are a number of circles which make for interesting driving patterns, and with no traffic lights, pedestrians truly take their lives in their own hands in attempting to cross the streets in these areas. The most dangerous and challenging by far in my opinion is the Circle at Grand Columbia and Avenida de Americas. Supposedly an underpass is to be constructed at this site, but to date no construction work has begun.

Cuenca is rapidly developing an excellent reputation for health care, with a number of very fine up to date hospital facilities, and well trained doctors. Medical care is provided at a fraction of the cost in the United States. Nevertheless, there are still Cuencanos particularly among the indigenous population as well as some expats who prefer to frequent shamans for their medical care.

Finally, there are two strips in Cuenca. One strip is Calle Remigio Crespo, which runs east-west through the south side of town and is blessed with stores and numerous restaurants and up-scale bars. Chinese restaurants in particular are plentiful along Crespo. It is an area for evening and weekend leisure.

The other strip is Calle Larga on the south edge of El Centro with many restaurants, and a munificent bounty of bars--many of which seat only one dozen to two dozen patrons. A disco is also available, as well as an Indian restaurant karaoke bar. Music and large screen videos of futbal, rock-type concerts, or just luscious ladies in music videos on large screens are the form of entertainment in most bars used as distractions when people are caught in intermittent conversation.

Calle Larga has a large number of shawarma restaurants as a Pakistani area exists among the bars and restaurants. The Hookah is popular in the Pakistani bars and restaurants, with many young people who come to smoke more than to eat at these hangouts, as I am sure these young folks feel they are doing something risky and edgy.

Many young people can be found on Calle Larga in the evenings especially Thursday through the weekends, which includes many young gringos, since the area is filled with inexpensive hostels that cater to youth. There are always Norte Americanos, Europeans, and Australian youth who are just traveling through Cuenca, or most likely studying Spanish in one of the foreign language schools. While many people warn of personal safety concerns along the area at night; despite the occasional drunk on the street left over from the night before, who is usually an older guy, the area is relatively tame compared to comparable areas in other countries. Very young people can be found drinking in the bars. I have been told the drinking age is eighteen, while others have told me it is sixteen. I have the feeling from my observations that who gets served may be left more to the discretion of the bartenders. I have not witness young people abuse alcohol in these bars, the way they do in the states. Maybe the price of alcohol is too expensive for their wallets, but the binge drinking which has become quite a phenomenon across the United States does not appear from what I’ve observed to be anywhere near as prevalent here in Cuenca.

Ecuadorians I have talked to personally about drug abuse in Cuenca may not know the true situation. However, I am usually told there is illicit drug use, but it is not prevalent. That after what Columbia has gone through with its drug wars, Ecuadorians frown on drug use. On the other hand, I am told by some young people that they can get their hands on any drug they desire. The difference in drug abuse between Americans in the states and Ecuadorians may be more in degree than in kind. I would venture to further speculate that drug use may be proportionately somewhat less in Cuenca than in Guayaguil and Quito, due to the still lingering conservatism of Cuencano culture in contrast to the coastal cultures.

The traditional and the modern— I suggest as you read my April 3rd post and this post you may think I am describing parallel universes of reality. In my next post, I will consider the sociological implications of a culture in transition. That is if I don't get sidetracked again.

Telephoning in Ecuador: An Experience in Itself

Last summer when I spent a month in Cuenca, I chose not to purchase a telephone. After all I was only going to be in Cuenca for a month. I had email access from my rental, and there were always the cabinas on practically every block which allowed me to make calls and pay for them by the minute. However, I found not buying a phone was a mistake, because arrangements with new-found friends, and last minute rearrangements were difficult to accomplish when I was not in possession of a cell phone.

This year I bought a cell phone with the intent of using it for local calls, and I would depend upon Skype for International calls. I, to the best of my knowledge, can not recall any of the bloggers posting about the wonders (read that as horrors) of using telephones in Cuenca.

First, I am mystified at the number of telephone cabinas that dot almost every block of Cuenca. Why do they exist!? Why does anyone in Cuenca have a need for their use? I have never been in a city so ubiquitous with cell phone entiendas (stores), kiosks, or side-lines of cell phones than what I have seen in Cuenca. One would think by now that every Cuencano has at least a dozen cell phones each. I mean, who is buying all these phones, and for what are they using them?

I have a sneaky suspicion that there may be some religious significance to the purchase of all these cell phones. Maybe, Cuencanos buy phones in honor of their patron saint, and other saints with intercessory missions to fulfill. For example, "this is the cell phone I use when I'm taking a test in school, in honor of the saint who intercedes on my behalf when I am taking a test". Come to think of it, as a former teacher, that must be a popular saint in the U.S. as well, considering all the cell phones sneaks that would take place during test times.

There are two major telephone companies in Cuenca, which share most of the market of these multitudinous phones. Claro is the largest company,and MovieStar is a distant second. If you are not purchasing a land line in Cuenca, you purchase a mobile phone with minutes. As those minutes are used, you then need to find a business which can charge whatever amount you choose to place on your phone. You are then back in business, until your credits are consumed again. The minutes you buy are only good for a month. If they and the bonus minutes are not used by the end of the month, then you lose them. Unused minutes do not rollover to the next month like most American plans.

Second,interestingly enough I discovered that many expats were clueless about details of the telephone usage, or gave me conflicting information. Many expats were not sure about many of the features and how they are utilized on the phone. One expat, said, "Don't worry about it, if someone wants to get hold of you, they will." Others had no idea how to retrieve messages. One expat was surprised to learn from me that she had a calendar on her phone. Some expats claimed unused minutes rolled-over, while others disagreed. Other expats claimed if you run out of minutes you can not make calls, but you can receive calls. Not so, when I ran out of minutes, callers told me they had called me numerous times, but I did not respond. I was totally unaware of any calls. Some expats said, "The problem's with your phone. Go buy a new one."

Third, for most of us who speak little Spanish, the problem is further complicated by computerized voice messages that leave me in a daze. Usually the message in Espanol suddenly ends with Claro ending the call, and I have absolutely no idea what was said. Nada! Other times the message may be a lead-up to leaving a message to the intended recipient of the call. The message in Espanol ends, and I haven't been cutoff, not yet. There's a long pause; then maybe a human voice, possibly first in Spanish then in English if it's a bilingual Ecuadorian who deals with both Spanish and English speakers--the essence of which is "Leave a message"; then another long pause, a tone, and then my chance to leave a message. It took weeks for me to figure out how all this works, and to figure out how to retrieve messages.

The frustration is further aggravated by the fact that if I check more than ten times in a month to see how many minutes I have left in the month, I can no longer check without paying an extra fee each time I attempt to monitor my minutes. The worst is when I run out of minutes. Last week I had to wait twenty-four hours before I was in a position to access a store where I could recharge my phone. I simply go up to a cashier where phones can have additional minutes added, pay whatever amount I want added, and the minutes are automatically added to my phone number. The problem is as the month approaches its end, just how many minutes should I buy? If I buy too many, I lose the extra coinage at the end of the month. If I don't buy a sufficient amount of minutes, I'm forced to do so with the month almost over and the coinage is wiped clean again into Claro's pockets as a new month begins.

Interestingly enough, are the calls I receive particularly from my Ecuadorian friends, who are very vigilant about their allotment of available minutes. Their calls go something like this. "Jim, its (insert name), I will meet with you at 10:00 a.m." Me, I try to ask a question. Caller, "I can't answer that now, I'm almost out of minutes. See you at 10:00" Or, a text message, "Jim, where are you?", which means call me back at your expense.

Fourth, then of course, there is the holy corporate war between Claro and MovieStar. To call a MovieStar recipient while you are a Claro customer will cost you and arm and a leg. There are times when the calls just are not placed, with whatever explanation is given in Spanish. Some expats claim that if you buy bonus points, for example, on Claro when such offers are being made, the bonus points can not be used to call a MovieStar customer. Oh joy! Nobody explains any of these intricacies to you when you first buy a phone. You really are on your own to work through the labyrinth of Ecuadorian phone surrealism.

Two days in a roll I went solo to the Claro office, which thank God someone spoke English. I wanted to know why I have time left on my phone, but every time I attempt to place a call, the phone message reads, "Can only use in emergencies". The gentleman took out the chip and reinserted it, and it worked just fine. The next day, the same thing happened, I returned, and he did the same thing. He told me whenever the problem repeats itself in the future, just take off the back, remove the chip, and it will reboot itself. It's happened only once since, and it worked exactly as the Claro technician said it would. But why should I be having this problem in the first place!?

Fifth, an Ecuadorian friend has been after me to take out the twenty dollar a month plan. I hesitated for a few days, but decided I spend about that much anyway, and with the plan I won't have to worry about running short on minutes, or taking time to go to a business to recharge. The plan includes in the twenty dollars the 12.5 surcharge. I receive 150 minutes per month. I am able to have one primary caller for which I am charged one cent per minute. I am allowed ten additional favorite callers for four cents a minute. All other callers cost me twelve cents per minute. Now, a call to a MovieStar client will cost me twenty-three cents by the minute, about half of what it cost without the plan. I can also call numbers in the United States for forty-five cents a minute, which means except under the most dire of imminent emergencies, Skype has not lost that share of the market from me to Claro. All these are substantially less than the per minute charges without the plan. The twenty dollars is automatically deducted from my Ecuadorian bank account each month, so that means one less line in which I have to wait.

The favorites list is not cast in stone, and the numbers can be changed by me at anytime. However, there is an additional charge of $1.12 to initiate my primary caller, and six cents each for the initiating of my ten favorite callers. Therefore, those of you living in Cuenca who find I am quick to get off the phone with you, that will be a big clue that you didn't make my top eleven list. I also had to procure a new telephone number, which is 088 315 970. It seems when I purchased my phone, the number was placed in the name of the proprietor from whom I purchased my phone, since credit was charged to the phone number it didn't matter whose name the phone was in. However, once I bought a plan and the fee would be automatically withdrawn monthly from my account, I had to procure a new number that is in my name.

The new number also resulted in a new chip. We copied down on paper all my contacts and their numbers. It seems if you placed your contacts only on phone mode, than all the contacts disappear when you change chips. If the contacts are saved to the SIM card, then they can be downloaded to the new chips without being reinserted one by one. I have no idea how that download would work, and I hope I will never have to find out. I hope everything I wrote makes sense. My heads been swirling for months with this phone foolery.

I would never in a hundred years encourage anyone who does not speak Spanish to attempt converting to this plan on your own. A bilingual speaker is a must. I also went with someone (and I can't emphasize this enough) who was already familiar with the plan, and initially recommended it to me. The fast service may also have been the boon that resulted from having a bilingual intermediary who had relatives and friends working in the office as well.

I did have to sign my signature a total of eleven times. I requested of my intermediary that she inform the gentleman behind the counter that I charge $100.00 each time I sign my autograph, and he was up to $1,100. My intermediary chose to ignore my request. Everything was in Spanish, and I was completely at the mercy of the good faith of my bilingual friend and her experience in these matters. Nevertheless, I did learn later when I actually tried to read the contract that I signed a two year agreement. Something that my intermediary failed to mention. I have no idea if the contract could have been taken out on an annual basis, but my mobile phone contracts back home were always two year agreements as well.

I have tried to peruse through the text of the contract. I can make out 1/3rd to 1/2 of the text as my understanding of Spanish improves. I do believe it reads something to the effect that the contract is irrevocable, and any attempt on my part not to honor it during it duration will result either in the confiscation of all my worldly assets; or if the United States government gets to my assets first, then I will meet with immediate extermination by Claro. Imagine, and all because I wanted to make a phone call. Sure makes me wish for the good old days when all one did was pick up the phone, and a live operator said, "Number please", and you just had to give her the number.

Father's Day, 2011

Father’s Day 2011 may very well be my most memorable Father’s Day. It began with a very nice email from my eldest son, Marc, and a very appropriate and unexpected gift. Both were appreciated by me. In recent years with my sons in the military, and the three of us scattered across the globe, Father’s Day has been spent with my mother, as I would take her out to dinner. Such convolutions in what was once the natural social order of things is prevalent in contemporary American society. This year however, being far from home and family members; my friend, Martha Abril, invited me and another close friend of her's from Oakland, California to have dinner with her family. The day was in honor of Martha’s father and me, the only two fathers present.

We began with the usual introductions and sat for a time in the living room before we were invited to make our way to the dinner table. The living room walls were adorned with family photos. Martha’s parents have been married for fifty-four years. During our time together, I at times wondered what the patriarch and matriarch of the family may be thinking as their family is gathered and as the parents age in years. The memories of joy and sadness, and of successes and disappointments which make up all of our lives; the kind of memories that become more poignant in most families during special occasions like these. One photo of the elder Abrils when they were very young especially caught my eye. To be reminded of how young they had once been. He a handsome young man, and Martha’s mother a strikingly beautiful woman, as they formally posed in the traditional portrait style of that earlier period. The living room walls were resplendent with a kind of chronological history of the immediate family as they grew and aged and added new members.

Needless to say, dinner was delightful. Everything from soup to salad to the side dishes and the main entrée were delicious. It wasn’t the food, however, which made the day so memorable. It was the Abril family. Martha says that there are 3,000 Abrils in Ecuador with 90% of the family living in the Cuenca area. Imagine what their family reunions must be like?

Although I understood little of what was being discussed, and since Martha was the only bilingual speaker amongst us, but was generally preparing and delivering bowls and plates of food from the kitchen; there was little I could understand of the conversations swirling around me. Yet the family often made efforts to communicate with their two guests as best they could. It wasn’t the content of the conversation, but rather the dynamic way in which the family interacted. Martha’s cousin, appeared just in time for dinner, with his reddish complexion and hair, and what appeared to be an obvious infectious sense of humor. I immediately took a liking to him. He reminded me of a character actor like Mark Walberg's brother, who might be found playing a family member in an ethnic family setting. The kind of guy one could enjoy having a drink with at the local neighborhood bar.He and Martha’s two brothers enthusiastically carried much of the conversation.

The one brother, Wilson, must have been talking some politics, because Martha’s friend Jean is Chinese-American and better able than me to execute some Spanish, but was often lost to what Wilson was attempting to say. I did understand Wilson’s frequent references to Mao Tse Tung, Taiwan, and communism. What his interpretation of those personalities and events were, I have no idea.

The most amazing thing about the Abrils is how musical all of them are. Walter, the younger brother, is both a song writer and singer. He will be performing in the Dominican Republic next week, and later in Mexico. His sister, Martha, will be joining him to sing in Italy in October. This is a family with a great deal of affection for one another. The affection is exhibited in their interaction and encouragement of one another, and in the songs that Walter has written. We listened to recordings and viewed DVD’s, and heard a beautiful song of affection that Walter wrote about fifteen years ago to his father. He has written a song of similar vain to his mother, and the Abrils even have their own family anthem.

Martha has a strong and beautiful voice. She is a woman of great feeling and passion, and it is reflected in the songs that her brother writes and they choose to sing. Both are true romantics at heart. Martha’s niece, who is studying to be a medical doctor seemed less out-going than the other family members. However, when she sang the theme song from the movie, “The Titanic”, “My Heart Will Go On”; this was truly her song. I was amazed at the feeling that came forth from her as she sang the song in English. It was as if whatever feeling she was holding deep within her being, suddenly found its opportunity for full heart-felt expression.

All of the men in the family play guitars, but Wilson’s, artistic strength is found in his paintings, drawings, and sketches. The “Last Supper” on the dining room wall was formed by Wilson as he etched the molten copper. The real McCoy here, no sculpture made from a mode. He had a beautifully designed Oriental-styled ink drawing on the dining wall as well.

Last but not least were Martha’s children. Joshua is a handsome fourteen year old, who looks quite young for his age. He was the most reticent of the family members, and was usually the one family member least seen on the scene. However, when I noticed one of the traditional Andean multiple flute devices on display in the family living room, Joshua did not hesitate to play and demonstrate his talent.

Joshua’s eight year old sister, Amy, was definitely the scene stealer. She loves to dance, has a real stage presence, and just exudes the family tradition and love for music in all of its forms. I will be surprised if this pretty young lady does not have a future on stage.

I much appreciated Martha sharing her family and Father’s Day with me. The natural warmth of the family members, and the treatment by them of me, a stranger, as if I were a member of the family, and despite the language barriers, made for a special day for me. No one sat around watching T.V., or finding some other excuse to be engaged until it was time to leave. It did not appear that people were there simply out of family obligation. Having divorce forced upon me while my sons were of a very young age, my day at the Abrils was the kind of Father’s Day I had always assumed I would have with my own family. Some things are meant to be, and some things are not. This Father's Day, I will remember for a long time to come.

A Potpourri of Activities

The biggest celebration for me the past week was the completion of my son, Chris’ second tour of duty in Iraq, and his safe return to Hawaii to his wife of one year of which the two of them had the opportunity to spend a total of five weeks of their first year together. Now, they will have the opportunity to spend the second year of their marriage together before Chris may be faced with another combat deployment. Let the fun and games of married life begin.

I have been very pleased to receive the major part of my furniture this past week, and on time, I might add. These were the pieces of furniture, which were hand-made. The master and guest bedroom sets, the computer desk, the television furniture encasement, and the dining set. I did not mention by name the master craftsmen, who were responsible for their excellent and exceptional work in my last post, because I needed to talk to them first for their approval to mention their business by name, since much of their work also is done for retail furniture stores.

Once again, the beauty of custom-made, handcrafted furniture created at a high level of quality at a fraction of retail costs, and delivered by young workmen, who worked efficiently to put everything in place and then re-setup my television, cable box, and DVD player and their wires into the appropriate slots was much appreciated. As always, the men worked with that Cuencano attitude of respect both toward their work, with one another, and with me.

The name of the business is SOLMUEBLE. The business proprietors are Guilermo Solis and Johnny W. Solis. Transportation will be needed, since their business establishment is on the outskirts of Cuenca. The address is Cruce del Carmen via Sinincay KM 4 junto al PAI # 15. The business or factory is on the right side of the road. One has to watch very carefully once one enters the vicinity for SOLMUEBLE, which if I remember correctly is located on a curve.

There are three possible telephone numbers available by which contact can be made:

4032734 2877298 081139031

Needless to say, SOLMUEBLE comes highly recommended by me, and I thank Lourdes Isernaque, both for her friendship in making her artistic background, perspectives, and talents available to me at a busy time in her schedule when she was preparing for her trip back to the states, and for Lourdes bringing SOLMUEBLE to my attention.

I finally pulled out my Nikon camera, and began to use it a week ago. I still have much to learn and review in its use of the more complex features. However, I very much like and prefer it, over the Fuji Film Camera I had last summer. Once I get some décor items together, then I’ll share photos of my condo with family and friends. I also need to pull out my Kindle between now and the weekend and learn how to use it. There is a book I need to read within the next three weeks. I may have more to say about this particular book at a later date.

I’ve been quite busy lately, and the Spanish lessons are not succeeding as I had hoped. I hate to take a set pattern of classes, because my schedule is so erratic from day to day, and I hate to be locked into particular days and time slots. Just when I thought I had that problem resolved, things did not work out as I had hoped. Thank God for taxi drivers. They have been my biggest contributors to my interacting in Espanol.

I have been in Cuenca three months already. The time has gone tremendously fast for me. I find that I have a difficult time not only remembering what day or date of the week it is, but sometimes what month it is as well. One season is pretty much like the next with little variation. The students are just beginning to be released from school for their extended vacation period, and yet some of the trees particularly along the rivers are losing their leaves. Yet there is never a time in Cuenca when all the trees change to autumnal colors or when all the trees will be bare at the same time, as would be found with the Northern United States winters. The difference between day and night never varies more than a half an hour the year round in Cuenca. Therefore, some of the old benchmarks that designated the passing of the seasons and time back home have little relevance here.

Finally, I am still waiting to get my residency, which supposedly was to be resolved two months ago. Government bureaucracy and changes have been the big impediment to making progress on my residency status. Who knows when this impediment will be resolved--hopefully soon. My visa has expired, and I will have to go through the entire process again, if I need to leave Ecuador for an emergency back home. I also plan to return to the states for a visit in the next four to eight weeks, so I need my residency and passport.

My love affair with Cuenca continues to grow with each passing day. There is always much to observe and much to learn. What a fascinating city and marvelous people. What can I say, “VIVA CUENCA!”

People and Time, Oh How Sublime!

One of the many great things about Cuenca is that I never know how my day is going to go. Of course in the states when I was a teacher and an administrator, I never knew how my day was going to go either. However, this is retirement, a more insouciance time, when I am more in control of my time. Yet, getting together with friends, having someone call, meeting someone new, running into people I know while walking or eating in a restaurant, there is always an abundance of people in my life that can send each day on a trajectory I did not anticipate. It’s nice not to have a daily routine of the same old grind. It’s also nice to see my daily plans altered on a frequent basis by circumstances and by the people I meet throughout the day, by friends and new acquaintances who generally promise an interesting or exciting or adventurous time of conversation or activity.

Friday was one of those days that brought me into El Centro to have a late lunch/early dinner with a friend in a restaurant that was new to me “Indigo”, which has good food, nice atmosphere, and very reasonable prices. The evening was upon us and it was time to head to Gringo Night at Zoe’s. The crowd was relatively sparse. I hadn’t been in attendance in over a month. Some of the usual mainstays were there, as were newer couples I have met before who only recently moved to Cuenca.

As I made my rounds talking with people, I had the opportunity to reacquaint myself with one gentleman I had met in Parke Cauderon one afternoon where we spent hours talking. Meeting him again at Zoe’s led me to some new acquaintances, a young Argentinean from Buenos Aires who hopes to remain in Cuenca, a Californian from San Francisco who will be returning in September for good. We had great time of conversing, joking, and bantering. Eventually we invited a Patti from Washington with us, who is often a mainstay at Carolina Bookstore, as we made our way to La Vina’s for an evening dinner and wine over some very fine traditional Italian fare.

The evening of conversation went from political to philosophical interspersed with occasional jokes and more friendly banter. In typical American fashion, our intellectual discussions jumped from one topic to another, without remaining on any one topic long enough for any depth. The evening was fun, the company enjoyable, the work experiences, the life experiences, and the sense of humor of such a diverse group only added to the enjoyment of the evening. Next time we only need to add some song to the wine and food.

The fun of Friday evening was followed with a day in the country with Ecuadorian friends who invited me to a pig grill. Mercifully, I was spared the slaughter of the pig, an eighteen month old, who met his demise about three hours before I arrived. Much of the day was watching Patricio, our host, butcher his first pig solo, as he hacked away at the various parts with a large knife that would cut right through the bone. Patricio seems like one of the nicest guys in the world you could ever meet, and yet when I saw him go to work with that blade in his hand, I wouldn’t want to meet his alter-ego. The legs and hooves sat in a nearby bucket. The pig’s head sat on the table, with his snout aimed upward, and his lips all puckered like he desired a kiss. (Sorry, folks, that I don’t have any photos for you. I still haven’t taken my camera out of its box, so you’ll just have to use your imaginations.)

Different parts of the pig were cooked at different times. The skin was among the first served with corn and potatoes. Ecuadorians have a habit of heavily salting everything. The skin was also prepared in minute junks similar to pork rinds back home. Other parts were grilled. Some parts were boiled. Whenever a pig is slaughtered and prepared, all the women of the family gather together to do the preparations and cooking. I watched as the intestines were washed with water and lemon juice, and then stuffed with rice. One set was packed with a more salted variety of rice, while another set of intestines was packed with raisins and sugar for a sweeter variety, and then both sets were boiled. Then there was whatever part of the pig that was cut up into chunks and fried in a very large pan, which required that the chunks of meat be frequently stirred to balance the cooking of all the pieces and to be sure that the meat would not stick to the bottom of the pan. This dish was served, of course, with rice and potatoes. Meanwhile, other women were charcoal grilling long thin slices of pork on a grill. The family offered me a plate to take home with me, which I enjoyed the next day as well.

Short of the bones, just about every part of the pig would eventually be utilized. The pig’s head eventually met the chopping block as well. I didn’t watch to see what part or parts of the various dish preparations that part of the pig was mixed in with. I figured what I didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt me, or at least not adversely affect my appetite.

Throughout the whole experience, we were sitting in a half unfinished home which was being built as money allowed for further construction. Some of the relatives were in the states, and as money came home another step of construction could take place. There were children everywhere running around, playing, and enjoying themselves. I was mesmerized by a two year old, a nephew of Patricio’s. He had such a sense of curiosity, was into everything, and wanted to do whatever he saw the adults doing. He attempted to move a full-size wheel barrow that was loaded, and what energy, he never stayed in one place longer than a minute. It was enjoyable watching how the little fella was constantly exploring, and figuring out how things worked. Toward the end of the afternoon, his mother changed his diaper, and bundled him up and placed him on her back. I couldn’t even see his head. Either she suffocated him, or that bundle of energy was finally out cold, against the warmth of the garments and his mother’s body.

The beauty of it all is when on occasion any of the parents corrected the children, the children immediately fell into line. No shouting on the part of the parents, no unheeded warnings, no spankings, no time-outs. The children just immediately corrected their behavior and went about their play. The parental corrections usually came more of a nature to be careful and less risky. The children all played well together. The Ecuadorian children are truly a blessing to behold. Ecuadorian parents are doing something right that sure is missing in most homes in the states.

It was a wonderful day despite the cold and rain, and I have already been invited to Patricio’s fourteen year old nephew, Gabriel's confirmation next month. I’ve got to get that camera ready. Patricio’s mother-in-law was the only woman wearing the traditional indigenous dress. She was a warm and inviting lady. My only regret is that I speak so little Spanish.

The last three days have been rainy, cold, cloudy, and damp. I miss the Equatorial sun; but even on a cloudy, rainy day, I look from the expanse of my condo windows and enjoy the beauty of Cuenca and the mountains. Tomorrow will be a people day, come rain or come shine.

Making Life Easier in Cuenca Updated 4/09/2015

For those of you who are seriously considering a move to Cuenca in the year ahead or recently have arrived in Cuenca, as I mentioned in my previous post of May 13th, "Transversing Through the Maze of Finances, Furniture and Appliance Purchases in Cuenca"; knowing honest, trustworthy, bilinqual Cuencanos is a must if you are to successfully navigate through the thicket of government paperwork, banking and utility transactions, and major consumer purchases if you yourself are not fluent in Spanish.

I have had the honor of working closely with a number of Cuencanos, who have been a major assistance to me and/or to other expat friends of mine.

The following is a list you may wish to make reference to when you arrive in Cuenca. This is by no means an exhaustive list of Cuencanos who can prove helpful. However, these are people that from my experience and that of other expats I can highly recommend:

Maribel Crespo (Telf: 2 880 438) (Cel: 0984847855) is a gracious lady and a true professional, who found for me my rental condo at the Palermo. She spent a great deal of time with me, and brought me back to see the condo again when I wanted to refresh my memory a few days later as to whether or not this was in fact the condo of my choice, and how I might imagine furniture layout as well. Maribel setup an appointment and provided translation between myself and the son-in-law of the condo owner, and arranged all the negotiations, copies of the association governance in English and the lease signings, as well as arranged the monthly rental payment with the appropriate bank. She provided transportation, and did a thorough job of responding to all my questions related to the Palermo. What I particularly appreciated from Maribel was the fact that she did not steer me toward properties that did not match the criteria I had set out for her in what I was seeking. I very much enjoyed working with her, and appreciated that she was not pushy in attempting to foist a sale or rental on me.

Maribel also has experience in helping in the purchase of property and businesses, serves as a financial consultant, and can be helpful with the assessment of property value.

July Munoz is a seamstress and clothing designer. For expats who find Ecuadorian sizes are often not adaptable to gringo body frames, July is the young lady to contact. July designs shirts, blouses, robes, skirts, dresses, and slacks. July also does alterations. July does not work from clothing patterns. July takes your measurements and works from those measurements. You may bring to July a drawing of the design you desire, or a photo or copy from a magazine or catalog, or a similar clothing item you wished to have made and July will work from the design representation you provide. You purchase the fabric after July informs you as to how much fabric you will need, deliver the fabric to July, and she then creates your garment.  I have seen clothing July has made, and they are beautifully tailored to your body.  July made me a bath robe, as well as polo shirts.  I was very satisfied with all of her work.  If you prefer, July will also make house calls for your measurements and discussions of what styles, fabrics, and amount of material you will need.

July Munoz can be contacted at 0939 042 554.  July does not speak English. If that is a problem for you, then have a Spanish-speaking friend or acquaintance make the initial contact for you, and to be on-hand to translate for you when Julie takes the measurements. 

Fabian Bojorque (0991 078 135) (sonialv@etapaonline.net.ec) is another very trusted soul, who can be hired as a driver for trips out of the city, like to Inca Purca, or to Quayaquil, or to Quito. He is bilingual and lived for a time in the United States. Fabian is also available for assisting you in the purchase of appliances and mattresses, and works with dealers where he can get you some good prices. Fabian also provides the service and help for catering a party or large dinner.  Fabian is another one of those gentlemen, whose trust in your integrity can be helpful in difficult situations. Fabian also makes for an interesting and fun travel guide, while he chauffeurs you to your destination.

Jhony Parra, also has a chauffeur's license, he has lived in the United States, speaks English, and drives a white Toyota Cambry for customers looking for roomy and comfortable rides for out-of-town trips as oppose to yellow cab rentals.  Generally, Jhony is stationed outside the Oro Verde Hotel on Ordonez-Lasso across from Edificio Palermo for those seeking intra-city taxi rides.  Jhony Parra can be contacted at 288-9537 or his cellular number is 0980 270 494.


Johny Solis of Solmueble  designed and handcrafted all of my furniture, except for the living room set.  He does not do sofas and recliners. 

My dining room set with buffet, all my bedroom sets, the elaborately beautiful T.V. cabinet, my office desk, and the lamp stand in the living room were all crafted by Johny Solis.  I could not have been more satisfied with the the quality and the workmanship.  The name of the business is SOLMUEBLE; and now in 2015, Johnny has in recent years expanded his studio .  Computerized designs can also be submitted to Johnny, and he will let you know if he can accommodate your desires.  Johny does traditional, modern, and contemporary designs.

You can see his handicraft in photos of furniture in my condo:

https://plus.google.com/photos/111741036841400152108/albums/5964399 


Transportation will be needed, since their business establishment is on the outskirts of Cuenca. The address is Cruce del Carmen via Sinincay KM 4 junto al PAI # 15. The business or factory is on the right side of the road. One has to watch very carefully once one enters the vicinity for SOLMUEBLE, which if I remember correctly is located on a curve.  Locating Solmueble is the difficult part.  One definitely needs someone who can find the location.  Having an interpreter with you definitely will be helpful, or call Johny beforehand to procure directions, although when I visited last year there was a young woman, I believe it was his wife, who spoke more English than Johny does.  If you can find his business, it will more than be worth it for the quality, workmanship, and cost factor compared to what is charged in most of the furniture stores in Cuenca.  Telephone numbers are 0998 367 063, or 2877 298.


I hope the above list of talented people will prove useful to expats and visitors who may need to employ anyone of them for their particular services being offered. They have been such a trustworthy and excellent group of people with whom to work, that I only ask that if you hire any of these fine, hardworking people that you treat them with the same level of integrity.

To Cuy or Not to Cuy: That is the Question

Today was a work day for me. I have quite a few things to get done with finances and other matters that particularly required computer time. As a result I was intending to fly solo today. However, some Ecuadorian amigos surprised me today with a stop-by and a trip out into the country for dinner.

We stopped at one of the roadside restaurants where the pig, chicken, and cuy were grilling. I really didn't want to eat the cuy, and it wasn't because when you see them alive in the markets it's because they look like cute little furry pets. However, after the grotesque photos of the cuy loaded with cocaine recently reported in "Hola Ecuador", the last thing I wanted was to eat cuy. Usually I'll try anything once, but it was too much to see these guys being literally grilled. When they are grilling their faces look horrid and it’s like they are gritting their teeth, and filled with rage. If I were a movie writer, I’d write a film screenplay entitled, “The Attack of the Cuys”. I expected at any minute, these no longer furry, pet-like creatures would become animate and scream out, “Look what you’ve done to us”, and take their revenge by lunging off the grill with those horrific teeth ripping out my jugular.

Once I stopped letting my imagination run wild, I agreed to try the cuy if it was served to me without the head and feet. The waitress brought the cuy broken into pieces. My friends ate the feet. The head was dearly departed, and I ate what was safely presented Norte Americano meat, which is meat that is unrecognizable from any actual animal form. The cuy wasn’t bad. Not much meat on it, and I had to pick it up with my fingers and basically eat off what I could from the bones. The skin was quite crispy. I took a poll, and all three of my Ecuadorian friends voted for cuy as their favorite meat, not to mention the one couple’s very beautiful three-year old daughter who appeared to out eat all of us. I myself enjoyed the pork more--succulent, more flavorful, meatier, and the skin was not as crisp as on the cuy but to me tastier.

After an enjoyable dinner, and what was for me a new experience; we headed back to town on a bus, and for me it was back to work. I can’t wait until friends and relatives come from the states. I already have their cuy reservations made. I’m going to have so much fun!

Transversing Through the Maze of Finances, Furniture and Appliance Purchases in Cuenca

Once one has sold and dispensed with everything one once owned, once one has arrived in a new country to live, once one has found new living accommodations and signed a lease; then begins the process of refurnishing everything all over again. The furniture, appliances, and décor items can be fun to seek out and choose. Buying new is a good deal more enjoyable than trying to sell everything at the beginning of one's moving adventure as one departs from home. Replacing all the kitchen utensils, etc is just for me something to get through and get settled. While on my return to Cuenca, I increasingly paid attention to furniture stores and what had become the latest fashion styles, I found shopping like so many things in Cuenca to be an uniquely Cuencano experience. Here are some suggestions:

First, get to know the expat community and their bilingual liaisons:

Let me begin by informing anyone who seriously intends a move to Ecuador to really get to know the expat community both before you arrive through reading the blogs and through interaction of emails for enhancement and/or clarification of information. Once you arrive, be observant of who the expat community recommends to you as possible Ecuadorian bi-lingual liaisons between the expat community and the Ecuadorian financiers and merchants with whom you will need to deal. Most expats when they arrive in Cuenca, no matter what smattering of Spanish they may think they mastered, are in no position to do serious negotiation and logistical forays on their own. It’s one thing to bargain for a dozen mangos, but it’s something all together different to open a bank account, setup utilities, make oneself understood, and in return understand the Spanish-only speaking clerks whether for the shopping of linens, or the negotiation and financing of furniture and appliance prices.

It is not sufficient just for you to have a bilingual liaison, most importantly, does your liaison have contacts who can procure for you the best deals, so you are not just paying the “Gringo prices” or even in many cases the prices Cuencanos may be paying themselves in upper-scale stores? Keep in mind also that if the liaison is recommended by a number of expats, you will be dealing with someone who has developed a level of trust from past use and experiences within the expat community.

Second, I want to share with you what a “wonderful” ten days I am having with the financial world.

I went to the bank with my bilingual speaker, who has had a great deal of experience helping expats open bank accounts. I have yet to receive my sedula, but “no problem” my interpreter says: “I have never had a problem in the past, even as late as a week ago, I get an expat without a sedula an account.” Ah, but all good things must come to an end, and I get to be the first casualty.

This same bank would not allow me to open a savings account primarily because I of all things didn’t have a sedula. The next bank allowed me to deposit a hundred dollars, and when that cleared my bank in the states, then I could deposit more and withdraw from my new savings account as well once any later checks cleared. The check cleared, but then when I wanted to deposit more checks, suddenly we were informed that the headquarters in Guayaquil would not approve further deposits. I mean who ever heard of a bank refusing a deposit? It’s not like it was laundered money. It seems banks are only in the business of wanting to deposit money given to them by the government, since they won’t have to pay that back.

A day or two later my liaison spoke with different higher ups in the first bank, and magically I was able to open a savings account. I wrote the check to place the amount in my new savings account, and now the Ecuadorian bank has been informed that the check was being returned. At this point, the Ecuadorian bank had no idea why the check had been rejected, and had to wait until they receive the check back for an answer.

I notified my bank in the states. My American bank informed me that they never received the check. Th bank's customer service representative said that either the odds were for some reason unbeknown to them a delay or rejection of my check by the FEDS(everybody’s friend, especially if your name is Goldman-Sachs or Jamie Diamond); or the check may have inadvertently been sent to the wrong bank, and it was being returned. We shall see, but this has been going on for over a week now, and will drag into next week as well. While it has been time consuming, I am so glad I am retired. The time available to me makes it easier just to go with the flow. Eventually everything will work out, and I have been blessed with some wonderful Ecuadorian friends who have been of great financial help to me while all of my financial travails are worked out.

The important point from this episode is that if I had entered this bank alone, I would have had no idea what was taking place, and surprisingly in a city the size of Cuenca, not one bilingual worker was on staff, although I discovered later that bilingual speakers are available at most main bank headquarters. More importantly, it was not enough for me simply to negotiate business through a bilingual speaker, but to have a bilingual speaker with contacts and some influence. Ecuadorian society probably more so than even in today’s United States still is and has had a long historical culture of networking and negotiating favors, better prices, etc. based upon who you know.


Third, now what you ladies especially have been in waiting, the selection and buying of furniture:

What I find interesting in Ecuador is that I can see a furniture set for sale on the display floor, but if I prefer it in a different fabric, color, wood-trim tone or style, or even size dimension changes, it can generally be ordered as desired. I may have to wait a month before the custom-designed furniture will be ready, but I generally don’t have to take it or leave it based upon what is available in the store showroom. Usually prices are not tagged on the furniture. The customer has to ask a clerk the price of the interested item, and the clerk pulls out a hand-held calculator, tabulates some numbers, and magically conjures a price. Because the city is full of furniture and appliance stores, in some cases literally blocks of them adjoining one another, the competition allows the customer in most cases the opportunity to negotiate a reduced price.

I bring to your attention one furniture store in particular, because I don’t know if this is unique to this store or would happen in a number of furniture stores in Cuenca. I could not make up my mind about the fabrics that would go with my accent wall and floor tile in the living room. I also wanted two of the living room chairs reduced in width from 44 to 38 inches, which the owners said they could do without distorting the design of the chairs.

The lady and her husband who owned the store informed me that their daughter would soon be arriving. They would have their daughter take me to her home to see the two chairs in a home setting, as well as see another set that I had already rejected as a choice in the showroom. The daughter who spoke English and her older sister took me out to the younger daughter’s home, which was very large and exceptionally beautiful. After showing me the chairs, the two ladies drove me to my condo at the Palermo. They brought the fabric pieces I was considering, and they began to measure and lay tape on the floor exactly where I wanted the furniture pieces to go. What a difference to see the fabrics along the accent wall and in alignment with the floor colors, than trying to choose what might match back at the store just from memory. The taping also helped me to realize that even when the two living room chairs were reduced in width, they were still too big for the space. I decided to go with the other two chair designs I had originally rejected. They were smaller chairs, and I decided the two chairs may add more class by not being the exact same design as the love seat.

Can you imagine such service in the United States, especially without paying a fortune just to have someone come out to the client’s house? Can you imagine the dealers inviting the customer to their home to see the furniture of interest in a different context? Can you imagine a family in the states sending their daughters out with a male stranger?

My furniture will be made to specifications. I know because of the assistance and time of these two women, I made the right choices, and I will be happy with those choices. I knew from the moment I entered the store and met the owners that they were a couple with grace and class as where their daughters, but I never could have imagined the high level of quality service I would receive. The business is named “Luriq”, and is located at Luis Codero 10-38 y Gran Columbia.

Norte Americanos also have a liking for recliners, which are very rare in Cuenca. Cardeca is the name of a furniture store located south of Parke Madre at Alfonso Cordero s/n y Florencia Astudillo, which is also a designer high-end store, which carries a selection of recliners. The owners only had three or four recliners on hand, which may be the largest selection of recliners you will find in any one furniture store in Cuenca. I bought a very nice one, which was the least expensive recliner available. The other recliners included vibration speeds, heating, and other gizmos that doubled the price from the one I bought. However, in the one I chose I had to take as is. I assume it was to be a discontinued model. I was concern that the beige coloring may be too light for the T.V. room, but after it arrived, it wasn’t as light as I thought, and it blended just fine with the room colors.

I could mention some other businesses that provided great prices, but once again in these stores negotiating the best prices requires the use of a liaison with whom the businesses have developed a relationship. Special deals are provided when certain liaison persons bring expats to these businesses. The liaison person may simply get whatever hourly rate you agree to, or they may get additional favors from the business when they make a purchase, or possibly some financial kickback from the sale as well. Don’t begrudge them these kickbacks. You are still getting a good deal. A good liaison can take you to places of business for fabrics, linens, and mattresses that generally only deal directly with retailers or large businesses like hotels.

Finally, as you walk the streets of Cuenca you will see small shops/industries everywhere, where for example, furniture is being made by hand. In fact, these are usually the places the furniture you see in many of the stores is being made. If you see something you like, or have a picture or photo of a designer’s model that appeals to you; you can take these photos to one of these craftsmen and negotiate a price much lower than what you may pay in the retail furniture stores. You may have to do some searching to find an artisan’s work that impresses you, or one that is willing to make the kind of design you have in mind, but it can and is done all the time. Once again, the right liaison can know the most quality craftsmen with which to refer you and negotiate for you the best price.

I have all my appliances and mattresses, as well as a couple of pieces of furniture from two different stores. Everything was delivered within twenty-four hours of purchase. The bulk of my furniture will not be delivered for approximately a month, since the pieces are being made by hand to my specifications.

In my next post, I will share with you the people who have been the most helpful in assisting me through the maze of real-estate, bank accounts, and procurement of furniture, appliances, etc.