Jan.22 to 28- Final Week in Cuenca...until next year.

This week we finally went to a Panama hat store ( please remember these are actually made in Ecuador) so that I at last could buy my hat- Uwe wants to wait until next year.
                        I only wanted a very cheap one as it was for the beach.
                                  Here I am in my very becoming panama hat

And here is the store with many many styles and sizes, none labelled

We also went to an Artisan Mall along Av General Torres just north of Calle Larga. There were many many stalls, two stories worth, and we did buy several things for our condo, some key chains for rental keys and an Ecuadorian doll for my niece's little girl, Taylor. Here are some of the store fronts.

And more regular type market stalls just outside

There isn't anything that you can't find here.

We also had our last two lessons- 1 1/2 hours each- of Survival Spanish. Our class started out consisting of 8 people with 3 more joining in during the month. This course was very basic but we learned all the immediate needs- going to a store, ordering in a restaurant, telling time, giving directions etc. The course was taught by Kathy- see the link to her BLOG under my EXPAT heading to the right.

Here is Kathy instructing

We highly recommend her course- it's fun, non-threatening and you'll definitly learn enough Spanish to survive-see her email below:

 survivalspanishcuenca@gmail.com

We also had a farewell lunch at the Inca Bar with new friends Brent & Boushra- sorry no pictures. He is originally from Canada and she is from Michigan. Just to reiterate how very small this world really is, they own property on Manitoulin Island and spend their summers there. Needless to say, plans have already been made for a visit this summer when we are all back in Canada.

On Saturday night we went to our last dinner at the Secret Garden which has become one of our favorite restaurants. http://jardinsecreto.webs.com/thissaturdaysmenu.htm

We always seem to run into old and new friends there.

Here are our wonderful hosts- Joe & Joseph

And some of our fellow guests socializing until dinner is called. It was a beautiful evening so everyone was in the garden. The format is much like a dinner party at a friends' house- first drinks and chatting and then Joe rings the dinner bell.

And Paula who collects after the meal.

 

So all in all what do we think of Cuenca? We had given ourselves 3 months here because we wanted to have time to learn to like it. We had heard it was cooler and rainy and since living in Arizona, we really liked hot and sunny. We found the weather perfect, mostly sunny mornings with an afternoon shower and with tempuratures great for our favorite past time- walking and exploring. So , as far as our plans right now, we will definitly come back next year.