How do you pack after being away (and shopping) for 3 months? Easy, you buy another piece of luggage. Now we only have 2 suitcases each to haul, plus a carry on each. I have rather large purse and John has the computer bag. Whew! We are already tired and we have yet to get it into the terminal.
After church today, we packed everything, walked a block (our street was closed off to traffic) carrying everything and hailed a taxi to the hi-rise condo of our friends from Center, Texas. We are staying the night here. They are south in the mountains building their 'get away' place. Tomorrow morning we are meeting the apartment rental agent to check out by noon. Out flight doesn't leave until 9:30 p.m. so we will go back to the condo and hang out and rest until time for a taxi to the airport.
We have spent the last 10 days walking around town, riding the buses, visiting and eating out with folks we have met here. We still had a couple of restaurants we had heard good reports of and had not been to.
We have been so fortunate the last few days with good weather.
We had dinner last Wed. night at Roux with Mike and Lessie Frank who have just moved here from North Carolina. He is originally from Brooklyn and she from another state. They met when he was in the Navy. Both attended ETBU in Marshall, Texas (small world). Mike and Lessie are so much fun to be with. We enjoyed the times we were able to spend with them.
Roux became one of our favorite places. Mike and Abby met in culinary school in SC and very recently moved to Ecuador. Their restaurant opened in August of this year. Soooo delicious.
This is precious Abby. She really took to John. But then, who wouldn't?
More Food
We had the pleasure of having lunch at our pastor's home Thursday. The other couple is Greg and Brenda from Florida. They are moving here in January. He is with Campus Crusade. They departed Cuenca this morning. We had a delicious lunch, precious fellowship and great laughs.
Left: Brenda & GregRight: Sue & Gary Gaither
Dixie This is For You
This Sunday morning was a very special time for us.
Hey All, its me, ole' John Boy. Just a few more photos as we bring our trip to a close. We love cooking as you know and when we find something good we go for it. This is a dinner we made a few days ago. We grilled fresh rainbow trout and Jean made fabulous stuffed mushrooms.
I sent you photos of the Guinea Pig lunch with the guys, so I must show you my Jean at the "Cuy" restaurant picking out her own little roaster on the grill.
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"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God". 1 John 3:1
It was really tasty again and Jean enjoyed it too. Crispy and juicy. She won't be eating it often but at least she tried it. What a trooper.
They have a unique way here of handling rain water run off. Instead of a solid gutter downspout they use "chains" to channel the water down the drain. Works very well and efficient.
One morning we were out for breakfast and heard these pipe songs and went out and discovered this Incan piper playing his different handmade flutes and dancing in full headdress. We bought a CD of his music. Very mellow and haunting.
While out and about you may run on to many things. This shot below was one of them.
Remember this place "Where everyone knows your name"!
And of course we can all use a one stop shopping spot like this. This small kiosk had rods, reels, lures, knives, shoes, watches, clothing, etc., etc. What a find!
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We really like the family attitude here and like to watch the many kids we see everywhere. Here are a few shots from our jaunts on the bus and through the parks.
I don't know why we waited so long but Jean and I found a shop that does embroidery
and had these hats made to celebrate our adventure. Since we started wearing them people have begun to recognize us.
And this is how we spend some of our afternoons. Tough life but someone has to do it.
It is entering what can only be described here as "spring". Everything is sprouting out and blooming. There has been a profusion of what we believe are local Crepe Myrtles blooming out. They are so thick and cover the tree so as to hide the leaves.
This is one of my favorite fountains in Cuenca. We walk past it most every day and I stop and watch the water play over the Hummingbird. Very peaceful.
Well this just about brings our time here to a close. What a time we have had. What great friends we have made. What a wonderful experience this has been.
We are looking forward to gathering with all of our loved ones at home and sharing with each of you about our time here.
Our bags are all packed and tomorrow evening we will board our plane for our 9:30 pm flight home. We ask for your prayers for safe travel.
We love you all and hope to see you soon.
We are the Cuenca Roadrunners signing out - see y'all in Texas.
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God". 1 John 3:1
