FABRIC SHOPPING....

With nothing special on the agenda today we decided to go to the big fabric store in el Centro...I wanted to see what was new,  what was on sale,  and see if I got inspired to have something else made...so....  

 I found a nice brown gabardine with stretch for $6.70 yd and a leopard print chiffon in browns & purples. $4.55 yd  ....enough for a jacket and blouse cost me $20......

Next stop ... ALMUERZO....the Molenillo Cafe sounded good....Colombian food for $2.50.....very enjoyable with soup of potatoes & beans,  chancho meat, salad, rice, and spaghetti...fruit juice drink.....they brought us a couple of ripe bananas to slice & put in the the soup ( I think),  anyway,  that's what I did.....  all very delicious!  Served with a HOT hot sauce and some roasted coffee beans to munch on....

After lunch Rick and I  walked across the street to check out Bella Cuba....the owners a very nice couple ,  new to Cuenca ... we had Cuban coffee and hot chocolate and vowed to return soon for their almuerzo....

While there an older man came to our table to "saludar" and tell me he was going to come over soon....I finally realized he owned the antiques place I visited a couple of weeks ago....I didn't recognize him at first because he didn't look like a "worker" in his nice suit & tie... super nice man....

And at the fabric store a lady started talking to me as if we were old friends.....at last I realized she was from the tailor shop that made Cristina's suit.....guess this all means we are "Cuencanos" now....

We then walked up the street passing so many tempting restaurants on Honorato Vasquez near Hermano Miguel....even a Spanish tapas place.....and  on the corner Go Yogurt  which of course we had to try.....

As we sat there eating our yogurt parfait I realized I hadn't taken any pictures to show you;  and then we walked across the street to a lovely old Church built in 1852.... it was closed to visitors,  but I managed to get a few shots of some of the wonderful details.....

 

We walked a block and there was the elegant old Hotel Victoria which houses the lovely restaurant El Jardin where we had lunch on my birthday!

Cuenca is a work of art,  a walker's gawker's delight....so many interesting old buildings,

  little parks,  flower gardens and PEOPLE.....Here you still see the indigenous women in colorful traditional dress, and always,  the HAT....  they are elegant in their clothes and look so perfectly at home in the picturesque Historic Center.

The important thing here is to always keep exploring, trying new places, and taking a peek down new/old streets.....we have lived here in this house almost 2 years and have passed  El Pan Frances,  French Bakery, hundreds of times......yesterday Rick went there and brought some bread and croissants..... SOOO  GOOD!!!   The hot croissants melt in your mouth!

More bad news from the U.S. makes us even happier we are here in quiet Cuenca among the kindest, nicest people in the world,  but we really worry about our children and grandchildren....we pray for them daily.........

Abrazos,

Susan