EL JARDIN & MY GARDEN....

JARDIN in Spanish is "Garden" so we are going to talk about the wonderful "EL JARDIN" RESTAURANT and then my little garden.....



Sunday after Mass we had lunch in this beautiful restaurant overlooking the river banks with all it's lovely flowers and greenery.....It is in the Historic Hotel Victoria, downstairs,  phone 282 7401....on Calle Larga.......

It's such a lovely spot to enjoy impeccable service and exquisite food.....The menu gives one such fabulous choices that it's hard to make a choice,  but we did.....First they brought out some little buttered and toasted bread,  and then humas  with small pita triangles...and I had a glass of the most wonderful house wine I have ever tasted!!

Next our soup course -- Rick had French Onion and I Consume -- we both had the beef loin in burgandy wine & mushrooms, accompanied by  tiny fresh picked vegetables and potatoes with butter and parsley sauce....they have their own garden in Paute so they are able to pick vegetables at their best,  very young and sweet...

For dessert we had the dessert selection -- you get small portions of 5 or 6 different desserts -- just heavenly!!!

 This is the beautiful stained glass window in the ladies room....

When you about to leave they bring one final treat -- a piece of the most delicious chocolate......

The service in the restaurant is the "royal treatment" -- and we enjoyed it all so very much.....and the bill?   For all the food and wine,  including tax and tip it was less than $55 total.....It would have been about $150 in a fine US restaurant.....how fortunate we are to live in Cuenca!!!


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At Mass on Sunday a lady in indigenous dress was wheeled in in this wheel chair--- evidently home made and pieced together.....wheelchairs here are very expensive so they made one with a plastic garden chair, etc.....I love the ingenuity of these people.....

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And now for the fruits of MY garden.......

From one wild bean plant with very pretty bright orange flowers.....

And I have a "wild" tomato plant in the rose bed......hopefully I'll have tomatoes in a month or so....

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The work on the house and grill are coming along nicely -- of course it's NEVER as fast as one wants, but the shower is almost finished....

Today Jaime brought the sink.....It's a little large for the space, but it will work....This is going to be the cutest bar b que area in Cuenca....

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The other day Rick was really hankering for a Pineapple Upside Down Cake  .... I wasn't feeling up to it so I explained to Yolanda how to make it.......

She had never heard of this kind of cake, but she did a great job as it turned out quite delicious......served with vanilla ice cream which Juan Gabriel ran to the store to get......

Well, Rene and his workman have left for the day---- Rick wants to go to Bertuchi's for dinner,  so I'll change.....and we'll walk to our very nice neighborhood Italian restaurant.....

                                 LIFE  CONTINUES TO BE GREAT IN CUENCA!!!

REMODELING PROJECTS....

The way houses are built here in Ecuador is very different than in the states - in fact, all of the construction in South America is different.  With cement or adobe walls the house is a fortress and almost indestructible so remodeling projects are not small things.  Labor costs are much less than in the states,  but finding someone who actually knows good construction is a real challenge.... it is foolish to hire someone who has not been trained in and worked in the states for years...

Rene Calle  ( 0997731068 ) worked and learned construction in New Jersey...for 30 years...starting at the bottom and working his way up to having his own construction/remodeling firm, and flipping a lot of houses.... He is back in Cuenca doing what he loves most,  making ugly houses beautiful....

Rene has started the remodeling of my leaky bathroom, and making a very neat outdoor space from the grill area...

The bathroom shower has been leaking since we moved in as evidenced by the ceiling in the dining room.....now it actually drips onto the floor....Jaime (landlord) had a "maestro" come tear up the floor and toilet 3 times  - he did find some small leaks,  but we still had water coming from the ceiling,  so I called Rene......

Then I insisted that Jaime hire Rene to FIX the problem,  and also persuaded Jaime to let Rene make the grill area what I want.....so the house is dusty and I can't use my bathroom,  and I'm sleeping in the guest room,  but it's going to be very nice when it's finished....

Since the tile is cemented onto the tile walls it's a heavy duty job to remove it......

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The outdoor grill area  (which is a gas grill thanks to Rene ) is going to be such a huge improvement....

The ugly old grill....

THE WORK BEGINS.....

NOTICE THE TREE  POST.....

JAIME and RENE (in white)

I told Rene the look is  "Rustic Elegance" so he brought a big tree for the supporting post...it will all be white but rather distressed looking.....it's going to be so cute!!

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On FATHER'S DAY we were invited to Bertha's house to celebrate with the family....Rogelio  (the Chief) has started dialysis and despite his dreading it,  he is feeling much better and seems to be quite cheerful.....Three times a week for 3 hours each, it's a drag,  but he is doing well......

 It was a lovely dinner with all the family - 3 tables - about 24.....great food and a fabulous dessert....Bertha has promised to teach me how to make it....


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Had lunch this past week with Jean and a dear friend we hadn't seen for way too long...Nancy Woods.
Nancy lost her husband Don to lung cancer a few months ago,  but she is a survivor and doing okay....a lovely person....We went to Bertuchi's ,  the Italian restaurant around the corner from us -- they both raved about the food....we really like it,  and are fortunate to have it so close...


Have painted my pots and am ready to plant....

perhaps manana..........

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Thanks to the wonders of modern communications Rick was able to watch the College World Series from the comfort of his easy chair.....imagine... we are easily able to watch TV from Omaha any time we want,  as well as the TV channels here which are mostly in Spanish.....he is so happy to have SO many sports options.....

PAJA TOQUILLA......

Sunday after Mass there were some indigenous women outside the Cathedral selling handmade straw pieces....I made a little old lady very happy when I bought this....I'm sure they would rather have someone purchase something than just give them money....the people here are very proud.....

And now we are preparing for the visit of our daughter Deborah and granddaughter Cristina July 7 thru August 9th.....have ordered Angus steaks from Jungle Dave Goucher  (0969190689 ) which are being aged and to be delivered mid July....then we can really have a cook out...in the mean time we'll do ribs (Cristina's favorite) and chicken and hot dogs,  and veggies of course......

STILL ENJOYING LIFE IN LOVEY CUENCA!!!!

2 KINDS OF FIESTAS!!

CUENCA is definitely a party kind of town.....both private and public parties are very popular and well attended...

On May 30 our next door neighbor Eduardo Cabrera celebrated his 56th Birthday and inaugurated his newly finished house....

The festivities started with a Mass and house blessing.....

The priest was a warm, lovable person who really showed his love for God and the Mass,  the Eucharist......

When the young musician forgot how one of the hymns went, the priest just took the guitar and played and sang that part....really neat!!

Everyone gathered in the family room where Eduardo had set up a table to be used as the altar.....when the Mass ended the priest took Holy Water and went from room to room over all the house sprinkling and praying ----  they'll be no demons in this house!!!

After Mass the party began....

  Our host Eduardo sitting by the patio fountain....

Everyone loves to take pictures.......

A wonderful dinner......

 Great conversations.....

Room for EVERYBODY!!

The beautiful living room.....

Cozy TV room.....

The well stocked bar.....

Big beautiful white kitchen.....                                    and a formal dining room....

THE HOUSE ALSO HAS 4 BEDROOMS,  3 FULL BATHS,  AND 2 "GUEST BATHS".....

And then the dancing began......

And they danced.......

Until 3:30 am...........

And I watched........

So happy to be part of this wonderful Cuencano family....

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One of the biggest celebrations in Cuenca is the 7 day long feast of Corpus Christi......

                             The Church was magnificant..........



 The screen announces the coming of the relic of St. John Paul II from the 17 to the 20 of July,  a drop of his blood relic.....







The feast of Corpus Christi is known for all the sweets ..... in commemoration of the "Sweet body of Christ" .....

 One of the vendors outside the Church....

Religious goods sold every Sunday from several booths.....

 The crowds are huge and gather every day for 7 days -- some of the booths stay longer...

Lunch at Don Colon where we met our neighbors....since we introduced them to this restaurant it has become a favorite Almuerzo place for them,  as well as us....on Sunday after Mass...

 Saturday was Don Colon's birthday   ----  this from the party---

And now back to the normal life here......

The ceiling in the dining room has been leaking from my bathroom for months......the plumber has torn up the tile and toilet and put in new pipes, three times,  but the drips continued.....

I insisted that Jaime  (our landlord)  call Rene Calle to come investigate the problem and he determined that the water is coming from the shower.....they are now trying to decide the best way to solve the problem  -  perhaps putting in a big tub....

Rene (in blue) is a Cuencano who worked in the states for 30 years and KNOWS construction,  the American way....he builds and repairs homes here now.....0997731068  if you want good work done or a beautiful new house built!!!   And of course he speaks perfect English...

This is what the ceiling looks like now....it's an ugly mess....I'll be anxious to get it taken care of before Deborah and Cristina arrive the first week in July.....