A LOVELY TRADITION.....

       

 Monday, September 8, is the celebration of the birth of the Virgin Mary,  the Blessed Mother's Birthday......and everyone named Mary or Maria celebrates her birthday too....So Susana,  Bertha,  and  Ximena took Maria Eugenia and me  (Susan Marie) out for coffee...we all went to a rather new place called Dulce & Cremosa.....
                                                                  (Sweet & Creamy)

A very nice coffee house  with delicious sandwiches and pastries so we had a delightful treat...I had Irish Coffee with a Pecan Tart & it was really good!!

       (left to right....Ximena,  Bertha,  Susana,  Maria Eugenia)   My darling neighbors....
and my darling friends, sisters,  daughters........

 

As a life long Catholic who thought she was pretty well schooled in the traditions of the Church,  I don't ever remember celebrating Mary's birthday.....It's another little joy of living in Cuenca where they keep lovely old traditions alive and find a reason to celebrate friendships.....
 

There are reasons that people are kind and thoughtful,  and it always turns out to be their faith....When people believe in a supreme being who rewards and punishes they tend to be more considerate of one another......Still,  after 2 years,  I am amazed at the kind way we are treated,  and the way they treat each other,  their families,  and strangers!!  It's almost like they don't know how to be mean!!

But the people here thank God for the smallest things, even when a normal reaction would be anger,  they find some reason to thank God...... I think Heaven must be full of a lot of Cuencanos!!
 

I tried a new recipe for Apple Bread on Monday, so after we came home we had to taste  the hot bread.....it was good,  but not worth all the effort - could easily buy something similar and not mess up the kitchen and waste a couple of hours.....I'm just not a baker......

 

Wednesday we decided to go downtown for almuerzo.....a set lunch that usually costs between $2 - $3......soup, juice, main dish.......

We found "Mexico Lindo y Querido" open so we ate there.... no almuerzo,  but a delicious lunch of tacos, flautas, beans,  guacamole & drinks  was less than $10 for both of us!

 

This is one of those small little restaurants with good food that is not going to make it--- they simply don't have the capital to survive....it's a shame,  but if you are too poor you can't buy the supplies you need.....they're trying to sell the place so they can go to Mexico and be with her family......

While there we met a young man who looked German but is from England....he's been hired to teach English here  --- feel sorry for the kids because his accent is very heavy....

We are meeting more people from Europe here ....  A young French doctor came to the house & worked on Ricardo a couple of weeks ago....a natural healing type who really seems to be helping people....Rick says his ankles and knees do feel better...since he only charges $20 per treatment  ( which seems to be mainly laying his hands on certain troubled parts of the body, to increase circulation) we will continue.......The point I want to make is that there is so much opportunity here for so many different kinds of businesses --- Ecuador is drawing people from all over...........Funny thing is the doctor speaks French, Spanish, German, Italian.... about everything except English!!

Yesterday, Thursday afternoon,  Susana and I went to the Mercado.... we ended up in a "new" part of the mercado,  the wholesale part where they sell by the crate mostly....

 

 

--Mi Querida Susana Cabrera --

 

Mercado Vendor (notice the huge pumpkin?)

 

 

We loaded our carts and headed home.....I only took $15 with me and had  $2.50 left and I had so much good food......even got "real" sweet potatoes,  the orange/yellow ones....found out they come from Peru,  so kind of have to hunt for someone who is importating ..... this lady even had Peruvian beer!......

 

Earlier in the day I had put a chicken with red wine  in the oven to roast with yucca.    Decided to make a side dish of carrots cooked in butter and brown sugar to serve with the chicken.....it turned out very good....

 

Fanny and Yolanda Cordero came over about 6:15 to "give me a birthday hug"....they were both down with the flu so we had not had a chance to get together......Love these gals.....They are descended from one of the oldest families in Cuenca....one of the earliest Presidents of Ecuador,  Luis Cordero,  so they are great sources of history and valuable information.....and they are angels.....

 

They brought pork sandwiches -- I had planned on baking a cake but knew Fanny would be hungry as she was coming from work, so I decided to make something more substantial,  and baking one of our Yolanda's chickens always makes a hit...."our" Yolanda Pulla.....

And we had guacamole and chips.....  A big success  -- we devoured that chicken!!
 

 

FRIDAY......Pick up jacket day......

Abuelita  Susan

 

Cristina Elizabeth McDermott Correa 

 

Cristina (age 7) our granddaughter from Omaha, Nebraska who spent 7 weeks with us this summer,  was the inspiration  ...she looks so adorable in the  "tablecloth" suit that I had made for her so I  wanted a jacket made for me!!!

Think the jacket is a little big ...guess I talked too much about not wanting my clothes too tight.... will take it back and have it taken in around the waist.....

Then it was time for dinner and we went to Tacanijo.....owned by Paulo Villeda of Mexico and his wife Marcela Mora from Cuenca -- just a lovely couple....Paulo is typical Mexicano,  full of jokes and hugs, and always a big smile....Marcela is sweet and lovely....they have 2 darling sons...with another baby on the way......

This is like stepping into a small cafe in Mexico -- so colorful and cute filled with touches of authentic Mexico,  and Mexican music softly playing in the background.   You are always greeted at the door and shown to your table,  unless you arrive too late and have to wait in the courtyard.....

The food is EXCELLENT....my favorite is the Tortilla Soup!!!

The family has just returned from their month long vacation in Mexico,  and Marcela brought me these darling coffee mugs.....not only are they adorable,  they keep the coffee HOT, which I really appreciate!

 

 We had a great meal ... we both had Guacamole,  the Tortilla Soup and split an order of Moroches which are tiny little tacos filled with chicken and cheese --- Yum!!!
Met some friends there - usually a mix of Gringos and Cuencanos.....Tacanijo is proving to Cuencanos that spicy food is GOOD!!  And of course we gringos are so delighted to go have really tasty Mexican food in a delightful atmosphere with such enchanting hosts!!

If you want to go,  Tacanijo is north,   Huacas 1-54 y Las Americas....only open Wednesday - Saturday from 6pm - 10pm......go early or wait!

We are  truly living the good life in Cuenca, Ecuador!!!