Wednesday, September 18, 2013

ONE MORE "LOOK BACK" AT FUN TIMES! FROM JOHN

Hey to all our Peep's out there.

Well, we are rolling on down to our last few days here.  Will be heading back out on the 30 th of September.  We have had a grand time here and it is all very alluring to us both.  We still have a long list of "to do's" here that we didn't get to.  But, that can wait til later.  Right now I need to catch you up on just some of the fun times we are having.

We have talked a lot about all the good food here many times.  We are probably boring you with it but I must tell you more.  We love our avocado's and have found some that are really, really good.
Take a look at these cuties.....
 

Never seen an avocado like this.  They call them "dedo" or, fingerling avocado's.  They have a small sliver of a seed.  Comes out really easiely.  They are very tasty and creamy and the skin just peels right off.  These are the best eating avocado's we've ever had.  We still buy the large ones to make up our guacamole which Jean has now perfected down here.

We also are enjoying the eggs here.  We buy ours at the local SuperMaxi but they are in all the little Mercado's all over just out in big baskets and you can buy as many or as few as you want.  The ones we get are in a perfect box of 15 eggs.  They are each washed and inspected and individually stamped with the date.  I don't know how they do this and package them and deliver them for the $2.00 we pay for them.  They are so very rich and the yellows are dark and very tasty and when you break the egg into the pan they just sit there and never run. Fantastic.

O:K, enough for now on eating. We do..do other things here.

Like taking a trip out to our friends Ed & Tresa's place down by La Paz.  As you may know, we met Ed & Tresa last Febuary on our first trip down.  They are from Center, TX and have been here about 4 years.  They have family in Tyler so we hit it off right away.  They own the apartment we are renting here and keep it available for family visits.  They have also bought acreage about an hour and a half south of Cuenca.  It is on the side of a mountain.  Pretty rough terrain bout they are building a small home by themselves from the ground up.  They have local water and electricity right by that they will eventually connect up to.  It is in the middle of nowhere but they love being out there. It will be like and adobe building when finished.  Ed is a very talented craftsman and wood worker so he is doing a nice job on their place.

Here are a few shots out at the "El Campo" as they call it.

They have literally carved this place out of the side of the mountain.  The views are breath taking and the weather is sublime.  We weren't there at night but Ed told us that you can see about a billion or so stars and they have tracked many constellations as they go thru their course.  A couple of months ago when we had the big "super moon" he was able to sit outside and read a book as if it were daylight.  They will spend most of their time out here when it is finished and go to the city maybe once a week.  They have some really good local Ecuadorian friends as neighbors.

Another couple we met in February had been dating for 5 years and they got married here and we were invited to the wedding.  David is from Florida and his wife, Chela, is from Cuenca.  He has been here for 7 years.  He's a journalist and still writes for the Miami Herald.  They are good friends of Ed & Tresa also.  Here's a few shots.


Yes, that's Ed & Tresa.  She's smaller than Jean, ha, ha.
 
David & Chela at the reception.


The bride and her court doing a traditional dance before the "throwing " of the bouquet.
 
This was a real treat for us.  They served us a three course, sit down dinner that you wouldn't believe and all kinds of little sweets and a big wedding cake.  They kept pouring as much wine as you wanted as long as you were there.  Wow, we were glad to be riding with Ed & Tresa.  The dancing started shortly after the dinner and was going when we left.  It was a noon wedding and the festivities started about 1:00 pm and we left about 6:00pm.  David picked the music for the first half and it was good ole' American oldies. Then they got into their Latin favorites and fast and sassy and this cute little Aunt of Chela's was teaching Jean the salsa as well as she could.  Jean kept looking down at her feet and Auntie would grab her chin and tell Jean to look at her and just "go with the beat".  You know Jean is short so see how tiny this precious woman was.  She was a hoot and could dance up a storm too!  We went home exhausted and happy to have been included.  And yes..I danced a lot also.
 
So, are you still with me??
Last week I was on my way to lunch to meet some guys from church and I came upon this ruins of a old "grist meal" dating back many years.  It was built in stages over time and different tribes.  This place was a central market for the outlying indigenous villages to bring their grains to be ground.  There are still remnants of the mill stones used to grind the grains.  Very well preserved.


This section dated back to 1507 AD when the early Canari's were the main tribes. Very interesting.

Oh, about our "guy lunch".  They have here a delicacy known as "Cuy".  In English this means.....
"Guinea Pig".  Yes, you read it right.  Some of us guys were wanting to try it out and none of the girls wanted to go. So, we met up at the best Cuy house in town for the treat.  And I mean it is a treat you don't do very often because it cost $ 22.00 USD for each Cuy.  Of course with side dishes also.
Get a load of this..

   Aren't these the cutest little things you've ever seen!

Some of the guys opted for more conventional plates as is shown.

More food than you can possibly eat at one sitting, wow.
I had the cuy and some side dishes and I can tell you it is very, very good.  It is basically fresh roasted "pork" tasting with just a tiny hint of wild game.  The skin is crispy crunchy and is exactly like pork skins. The meat is succulent, juicy and not greasy.  I loved it and have talked Jean into going back for one more B-4 we leave.  Wonderful dish just a little pricey.  What a find. Hey, don't we raise guinea pigs in east Texas???  I have a plan.............
 


 
Everywhere we go here there are many green areas all along the rivers and the parks.  They are always expertly cut, pruned and manicured.  Picture perfect.  I got to thinking about this and I never saw a lawn mower one anywhere.  We have been to all the major large stores and they don't even sell lawn mowers.  How do they do such a great job?  Well, here ya go...

Yes, they weed eat everything and it looks like a carpet when they finish.  They rake up every last blade of grass and bag it up and take it off.  Also prune all the bushes and plants.  These are roving work groups that continually go around town cleaning up the parks and green areas.  They never stop this. And being that everything grows year round here they have what you call the best job security you can get.  They just retire young cause they are woren out after a few years.  You will see them from their teen's to their 60's. What a great "work ethic" they seem to have here.
 
 
Well, we just got this photo from from Dixie with a note saying, "Where the heck are you two and when the heck are you coming home".  She also said we "owe" her big time when we get home.  She really knows how to work mama Jean for all she's worth, ha, ha.
 
We hope to get to see a few more things before we leave like the Ingapirca Ruins which are the biggest in Ecuador.  They are to Ecuador what Machu Pichu ruins are to Peru.  Not too far from Cuenca so maybe we will make it.
 
We are close to coming home and getting together again.  We continue to miss each of y'all and we do love you very, very much.  We still covet your prayers for us and ask you to keep our new church here in your prayers.  It is really beginning to grow now. Pray for Cuenca Christian Church.
 
Ephesians, 3:16-17 ~I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power thru His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
 
Many, many blessings to all,
John & Jean

 

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

JEWELRY, MUSIC, VIEW AND MORE ART - PART 3

Lots of Jewelry and Beautiful View - What's Not to Like?

Chordeleg:
One day last week we traveled on a tour bus (very comfortable & only 75 cents each) to the small town of Chordeleg, which is about 1 hour from Cuenca.  The highway was very winding along the mountain side.  (There were times when I couldn't look).  We were stopped along the road for about 10-15 minutes due to a bus/car accident.  All the bus passengers were standing along the road waiting for another bus.  The car was really smashed up and on it's side.  There was an injured man sitting on the side of the road.



The population of this small town is about 3500.  The Incans inhabited the area between 500 and 1500 BC.  The town is quiet, clean and has a really quaint and family atmosphere.  The little shops are around a lovely plaza/park.  We sat and rested on a bench there for an hour or so and 'people' watched - met some folks there.  A couple from the Cuenca Christian Church live there and met us at the bus stop and took us around.  Susana is from Tasco, Mexico and Gary is from Alaska.  They have lived in Chordeleg about 6 months and in Ecuador several years.  They have been married 22 years.
We also met Lewis and his 18 month old daughter, Brittany.  (I thought John was going to kidnap her).  Lewis owns a jewelry store on the square.  His family lived a few years in NY where he made a living preparing Passover meals - this is where Brittany was born.  Happy, smiling people.  We had a lot of fun cutting up with 3 giggly high school girls.

There was gold and silver mining in the nearby mountains.  This is the place to buy jewelry.  There specialty is filigree work.  The lamp posts in town have 'condongas' hanging down.  They are large replicas of the many earring styles made here.  They also have artisans that make pottery, straw hats, shawls, hammocks, blankets and ponchos.  Some of the clothes there offer 'ikat' - aka "tie dye". Remember that?

We walked to Gary and Susana's house - straight down the hill.  (Which means we walk straight up the hill on return).  They have a gated 4 BR, 3 bath home with a large kitchen and yard and patio in the back.  Outside the upstairs master BR is a terrace that has a beautiful view of the mountains.  The home is only 6 years old.   Beautiful place to start the day with a cup of coffee gazing  at the majestic moutains God created.

Our day in Chordeleg was great and the weather was warm, dry and sunny.  We would visit there again.  It is very lovely, laid back, safe and relaxing.


Susana and Gary in Chordeleg Plaza


Lewis, Brittany and Gary.


The one John wanted to bring home.


They were having such a great time and we loved watching them.  So eager to have their 'foto' taken.


Three pots with silver flowing down.  Beautiful, colorful tiles.


One of the many styles of filigree earrings depicted on the lamp posts.


Clean and quaint and lots of walking.


Did I say "relaxing" day?

Music on the Streets of Cuenca
Saturday morning we walked up to the center of the historic district (Parque Calderon) and had Huevos Rancheros (without the flour tortilla) for breakfast.  Across the street was a Pan Flute player in full dress.  We listened for a while.  We really enjoyed the music  He played many different instruments - all of which he made.  We couldn't resist taking pictures or buying a couple of the C.D.s.



More Art in Cuenca - Part 3




Murals on the wall across from Coffee Tree - a local ex-pat hangout up one of the 911 stairs from us.

Well, you guys, I am closing with a snapshot of the last bouquet of flowers we will have in our apartment before leaving here.  They last 10 days to 2 weeks and for only $2.

 
 
 
Threw this in just because he is so cute!  Certainly not the local attire - thank goodness.

Until the next time - luv you and miss you all.  John will be sending a blog in a couple of days.

(Happy Birthday R-3.  ILY)

Jean

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  Ps. 46:10