NEVER BORED IN CUENCA....

THERE ARE RUMORS OF PEOPLE BEING BORED HERE, AND FOR THAT REASON THEY LEAVE.....THESE ARE VERY STRANGE PEOPLE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED...

ECUADOR IS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEREFORE THERE IS SO MUCH TO "DO" HERE.....WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TERRIBLY SPECIAL, BUT OUR DAYS ARE FULL AND HAPPY....
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SINCE I LAST POSTED WE TRIED OUT  PEDREGAL  AZTECA  MEXICAN RESTAURANT....     We started out to eat at San Sebas Cafe but they were closed for vacation  (everybody goes on vacation in August) so we started walking....A couple of blocks away I spotted a Mexican flag...........

 PEDREGAL AZTECA IS NEW LOOKING, CLEAN, WITH MEXICAN DECOR TOUCHES LIKE THE LITTLE SKULL PLANTERS....

 I ORDERED THE TACO LUNCH,  RICK OF COURSE HAD TO HAVE A TASTE....

 WE WERE THERE LATE ENOUGH TO SEE THE TABLES SET FOR DINNER.....TABLECLOTHS AND A BOTTLE OF WINE.....

ALL IN ALL AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE WITH DECENT FOOD,  BUT PRICEY!

THIS SATURDAY WAS SUSANA'S BIRTHDAY.... WE AGREED WE WOULD CELEBRATE BOTH OUR BIRTHDAYS AFTER ALL HER GUESTS LEAVE, SO FIRST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER.....ANYWAY,  I WANTED TO GET HER AN ARRANGEMENT SO WE WENT TO THE MERCADO DE FLORES.....

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES ON EARTH -- SMELLS HEAVENLY FROM THE GORGEOUS FLOWERS,  AND IT'S SO FULL OF LIFE, ENERGY  AND BEAUTY......IT IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BACK END OF THE CATHEDRAL IN THE FRONT SQUARE OF A VERY OLD CHURCH....SANTUARIO MARIANO......

THERE ARE FOOD VENDORS, AND STROLLING VENDORS OF ALL SORTS....AND PEOPLE BUYING RELIGIOUS CANDLES AND POTIONS   FROM THE CONVENT "STORES" .....  

I FOUND A FANTASTIC ARRANGEMENT FOR SUSANA, AND THEN I SPOTTED THESE INCREDIBLE ROSES.....I JUST HAD TO TAKE THEM HOME....I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DYE THEM SO MANY COLORS......

ON SUNDAY WE WENT TO MASS AS USUAL AT THE CATHEDRAL,  BUT DECIDED AFTERWARDS TO GO SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT FOR LUNCH...

AND SO WE WENT TO ROUX.....

 THE MANAGER IS A VERY NICE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS VERY ATTENTIVE...WE BOTH ORDERED THE SAUSAGE AND BISCUITS WITH EGGS.....IT WASN'T VERY EXCITING LOOKING SO I TOLD HIM THAT IT NEEDED SOME GARNISHES, SOME COLOR.....AND I ORDERED A MOJITO......HE CAME BACK LATER AND SAID THE OWNER WAS APPRECIATIVE OF MY COMMENTS AND WANTED ME TO HAVE ANOTHER MOJITA ON THE HOUSE....I NEVER TURN DOWN A GIFT!!

 IT WAS A PERFECT DAY FOR DINING OUTSIDE IN THEIR LOVELY GARDEN,  AND WITH LIVE MUSIC IT WAS GREAT!!

THE LEMON PIE IS TO DIE FOR!!!  WE SPLIT A PIECE AND THEN ORDERED 2 MORE PIECES TO TAKE HOME!!!

ROUX IS A GOOD RESTAURANT -- WE WILL RETURN!

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MONDAY WE DECIDED TO CHECK OUT THE NEW SUPER MAXI GROCERY STORE AND GET SOME HAMBURGER MEAT....RICARDO WANTED MEAT LOAF.....

WE GOT TO THE THE STORE AND SPOTTED A CHANCO PLACE ACROSS THE STREET....IN FACT THERE WERE 2 WITH THE PIGS ON A SPIT OUTSIDE....SO WE DECIDED TO HAVE LUNCH FIRST....

HUGE PLATES OF CHANCHO, POTATOES AND  MOTE-- WE ATE TILL WE WERE STUFFED AND STILL BROUGHT HOME A BIG PLATE OF FOOD......

THE NEW SUPER MAXI IS SOOOO NICE.......IT WILL BE OUR GROCERY SHOPPING STORE FROM NOW OWN --- GOOD THING IT IS CLOSER TO US THAN THE ONE WE HAD BEEN USING......

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TODAY WE HAD LUNCH WITH DEAR FRIENDS  JOHN & JOYULA H. AND JEAN L. AT THE TERRACE BAR AND GRILL.....TYPICAL AMERICAN STYLE SPORTS BAR,  BUT A LITTLE DEAR FOR CUENCA.....$12-$13 FOR A HAMBURGER HERE IS HIGH......

HAD A GREAT TIME -- LOADS OF LAUGHS,  AND THEN WE HAD DESSERT IN JEAN'S BEAUTIFUL APARTMENT....SHE HAD A "TO DIE FOR CAKE" AND ICE CREAM AND COFFEE.....WE VISITED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE HEADING HOME.....

ONE OF THE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION WAS HOW MUCH WE ALL LOVE CUENCA AND THE PEOPLE HERE...  HOW WELL OLDER PEOPLE ARE TREATED,  HOW GOOD THE MEDICAL CARE IS,  AND HOW WE CAN AFFORD TO EAT OUT OFTEN AND HAVE LUXURIES LIKE MAIDS AND FLOWERS, ETC.....

AS FOR OPPORTUNITIES....WELL,  THERE IS A DIRE NEED FOR MARKETING ADVICE.....NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE....MOST IS DONE BY WORD OF MOUTH....

I'D LOVE TO SEE A RADIO STATION DEVOTED TO BUSINESSES HERE IN CUENCA WITH ADS AND INTERVIEWS WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESS OWNERS.....

AND TV....

MORE AFTER SCHOOL AND VACATION ACTIVITIES FOR THE CHILDREN.....

PIANO & OTHER MUSIC LESSONS,  GYMNASTICS, DANCING, ETC.

SIMPLE CARPENTRY CLASSES, ART INSTRUCTIONS....

NUTRITION CLASSES, ETC

YOU SPEND A LITTLE TIME HERE AND YOU SEE HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITY THERE IS,  AND HOW SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN TYPE BUSINESSES ARE.....

WELL, LET'S JUST SAY IT THIS WAY.....

RICARDO AND I ARE NEVER BORED HERE!!!

THE TACANIJO GRAND OPENING.....

In mid July Marcela Mora owner of Tacanijo Antojitos Mexicanos personally delivered an Invitation to the opening of their new restaurant - a celebration for family and friends -- we felt very honored to be included....

So on the 4th of August we all went to the new Tacanijo on Presidente Cordova 1-77

It was a delightful celebration full of great food and dancing to MARIACHI'S!!

 We were seated in the "family" room with Marcella's mother Bertha, Aunt, and brother Diego at a large round table....this room looks out to the back porch and garden area...

Ricardo and Yolanda with Voltic in the corner,  the charming darling oldest son....Sautari on Ricardo's lap.....

After drinks were served the Mariachi's arrived....always exciting!!Their music is like non other,  and for me it's the best entertainment in the world....Mariachi music speaks to my soul!!

They played and sang in the garden area by the fountain,  and they were GOOD!!

Paulo thanked everyone and it was a lovely emotional speech!!

 Deborah and Cristina getting a closer look,  Rick (in yellow)"crying" in the background...Mexicans always cry and give "gritos" when their music is played....it's very emotional!!

 Marcela, the GORGEOUS owner & Paulo's wife, with their middle son,  Sautari ...They have 3 beautiful boys!!

 The kitchen team prepared a delicious chicken POZOLE ... a Mexican hominy (mote) and chicken soup to which you add fresh vegetables at the table,  shredded lettuce or cabbage, sliced radishes, chopped onions, oregano, fresh and dried chili peppers, lime & pico de gallo  -- and anything else that sounds good....Crunchy crisp tortillas were  served with the soup....

                       Two handsome guys....Ricardo and Paulo. Paulo the owner...with good buddies....

 Paulo and Marcela dancing to the Mariachi's......so sweet to see the love between them even after 3 children!!
                                                         

CRISTINA WITH THE FLOWERS OF CONGRATULATIONS!

So now you know how the Cuencanos celebrate the opening of a new business -- or -- at least you know how a Mexican and a Cuencana celebrate the opening of their new
Mexican Restaurant!

TRIP TO VILCABAMBA....

Vilcabamba is a small town about 3 hours from Cuenca,  in a valley,  and known for how long people live...whether it's the mountain  water which is full of minerals, the clean air, or just the beauty and calm of the place,  people live to be very old in Vilcabamba.........

Now it is full of gringos - they come to live longer,  but most of them smoke?  Ecuador is full of oddities....

Deborah wanted to go somewhere outside of Cuenca, so we talked to Rene  (who really knows the country) and decided to rent a van from  Cuenca Car Share,  098 808 7261,  098 380 0162-- turned out to be a terrific experience....everything was handled over the phone and internet,  and we had NO PROBLEMS....we rented a new Hundai 8 passenger van, air conditioned, and Rene picked it up and off we went early Saturday morning.....Rene, wife Valentina, daughter Daya, Deborah, Cristina, and Rick and I.

There are several interesting stops on the way  to Vilcabamba .... towns like Ona  (for "Tequila"), and Saraguro for handmade jewelry and textiles.....BUT our first stop was a nice little roadside restaurant about 1 1/2 hours outside Cuenca....since we left the house about 7:15 am with no breakfast, we were ready to eat!!

We had a wonderful "breakfast" of chanco, corn roasted with cheese, chicharon, and mote.....  So lucky to have run into this cute primitive little place with really yummy food!

Rene Calle  (good friend & driver)  wife Valentina & daughter Daya....

On our way again we stopped in Ona so Deborah could get some "Tequila" to take back to Omaha.....

Next stop was Saraguro.....Deborah bought some darling jewelry pieces to sell, and Rene bought the hand woven  rug for his house...

 On to LOJA ..... Rene has cousins in Loja who own a wonderful restaurant way up high with fantastic views of Loja.....the food was delicious, and cheap!!!

Finally we arrived in Vilcabamba.....I had booked 2 rooms  at Hosteria Paraiso  thru TRAVEL ADVISOR/Booking.com

a triple $60, and a family bungalow $80...breakfast included...

 Nothing elegant, but comfortable.....lush jungle type gardens all around...  and a lovely pool....

Cristina enjoyed a swim even tho the water was not warm....afterwards  she relaxed in the hammock...

As it happened to be Rene's Birthday, Valentina and Deborah went and bought  him a cake,  and ice cream....

Later .... For dinner we found a nice little place that had fantastic shrimp!

 Vilcabamba is definitely not a late night town.....about the only thing open was the Church - so we went to Mass and then went to eat at Katherine's

 The next morning "the girls"  (except for me) went horse back riding....

Cristina had never been allowed to ride alone before  ....she always had someone holding the reins and leading the horse.....altho she was a little scared,  she learned to ride alone and control the horse!!

We went for a drive exploring with Rene.....after about a 15 minute drive up the mountains over a crappy road we arrived at a huge walled and gated compound....we wanted to see inside, but the guard wouldn't let us in no matter what we said....strange.....a Mafia hideout?  Drug lords?    This was the size of a small town and very hidden and secluded.....just another Ecuadorian  mystery...

Checked out and started  back to Cuenca,   but through the gold fields to Zamora......The scenery was very beautiful,  and as we neared Zamora we started seeing beautiful waterfalls along the highway...

Deborah, Valentina and Daya climbed up a tiny path to get closer.....this was amazing!!

Next we passed a huge gold mine....there are many smaller mines that can not be seen from the highway.....the mines here are operated by Chinese engineers and workers...they have the knowledge and experience,  and I suspect,  lots of gold ends up in their hands, unaccounted for!

  The Chinese keep to themselves in huts made for them so there is no integration...

Things are so different here....in the states,  in the Black Hills where they mine gold,  the towns are full of jewelry stores selling "Black Hills Gold" everything....it's all about marketing, promoting,  selling......here you would never know there is gold taken from the ground....no selling of gold jewelry, nothing!

******

On into ZAMORA where we planned to have lunch.....

Since it was Sunday there were not many restaurants open,  but we passed a house that had converted it's porch to an open air dining restaurant and we decided this was it -- we were too hungry to keep looking.....

Well, we had a wonderful meal looking at the mountains dining al fresco.....Most of us had the fried Tilapia -- fantastic!!

This was a mother/daughter operation - I'm sure our business  really made their Sunday!!

Huge amounts of food served, as ususal,  and the fresh tomatoes were the best we had ever eaten!!

Back on the road to Cuenca with  only a  little problem - Cristina got car sick and thru up,  but  it wasn't a major problem....it is a very curvy drive through the Andes and she held up well.....

This trip was so enjoyable.  We managed to cram a lot into 2 days.....now we are trying to decide where we will go next.....maybe to see how they cultivate and refine chocolate???

Ecuador just won  FIRST PLACE at a Paris contest - best chocolate in the world so we need to find out more!!!