Nov.6 to Nov.12- Week 2 in Cuenca

On Sunday, as had been our custom in Salinas, we went to our newly discovered Expat sports bar called Inca Lounge where three screens showed various NFL games. The bar showing the games on the upstairs floor was quite small and packed with expats. We met some interesting people, a younger woman travelling around the world- lower hemisphere- on her own and an American couple who had moved in beside us from Chicago that were travelling all around Ecuador. It's amazing the different people you meet, many that are even more adventurous than us.

                                         The outside of the Inca Lounge & Bar

The bar was beside the river so again that's how we walked home.

On Monday, it rained all day! We had read about the rainy weather in Cuenca but had had mostly sunny days until then. We did our housework, laundry, read a lot, wrote in my blog and basically amused ourselves with mundane stuff.

The weather this week seemed to follow the same pattern, day after day. Very sunny and warm all morning until about 2PM, and then rain. We got into the habit of always carrying an umbrella.

All week long I had sought help in getting our Censo ( identification card required if staying longer than 90 days). I had emailed various laywers suggested both in Expat Express and on Gringo Tree but no one emailed or called me back. I finally emailed a friend of Eddy's and she was kind enough to get back to me immediatly. We met her associate, Efrain, who accompanied us to the Censo office. An hour later we had our Censo, no problem, with Efrain's help in both interpreting the questions for us plus persuading the official that some of what he asked for was really not necessary. It sure helps to go with someone who can massage the system! As well, his fee was below what I had been quoted on the other websites.

Thankyou so much again, Efrain

eelpabg@hotmail.com

This week we finally went to the big Mercado- a huge market for everything under the sun, veggies, fruits, meats-both live and ready, shoes, clothes etc etc. This market encompassed an entire block- it was HUGE. we bought an over-night bag and enough fruits and veggies to last the next few days.

Here are some of the produce stands

They also sell live animals

Many chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits to eat, and puppies for pets

An amazing experience and one we will be repeating weekly.

On Saturday night we went to yet another gringo restaurant 'The Secret Garden'

http://jardinsecreto.webs.com/ for one of their excellent theme dinners, this time Mid-eastern. The food was excellent and plentiful- thankyou, Joe & Joseph.

We met more expats from various parts of the US, several couples retired like us and, as well, several  women on their own that are either residents here already, working here as English teachers or planning on retiring here soon.

Some pictures of the Expats we met- Claudia is working here till June

Kathleen who is planning to move here and Linda who already calls Cuenca home.