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!!!