March 1 to 14- Back in Salinas

March 1^st found us back home in Salinas. For everyone’s information, the months of January to April are our rainy months and also our sunniest and warmest months- it is after all summer 2 degrees south of the equator. The rain, at times very heavy, falls mostly during the night and early morning, with sunshine returning in the afternoon. Though the media reported unusually heavy rainfall and flooding all over Guayas province (where we live) we found the reports concerning conditions in Salinas highly exaggerated. The bad flooding was mostly in Guayaquil as told to us by people who had actually gone there.

This is also the beginning of some of the most beautiful sunsets as seen from our back deck.

We enjoyed lots of beach time with friends since the weather during the afternoon was mostly perfect- sunny and 30C plus. Our condo provides free cabanas on the beach- here are some views while seated in ours.

 

 

 

 

There is no end to entertainment for children on the beach. Along with banana boats, water skiing and see doos, we saw the following.

A huge slide where you walk up and slide down the other side-wow- talk about tiring the little darlings out.

 

 

                                                                        More water toys

                                                                              And yet more!

There were also some adult sporting events in Salinas- this was a skinny bike race.

One weekend we drove with our friends Eddie and Paola to the nearby fishing village of Anconcito. This village is very small and quite poor. The water front where all the fishing boats came in was very interesting though.

                                                              Looking towards the harbor.

                                      The boats, fishermen and birds hoping to snatch some fish.

The one thing that this village has though is a very good restaurant called Fruko- tiny but great food.

                                                       Our lunch of lobster tails, rice and salad.

                                               Our group- can’t have a meal without cold cerveza!

Another weekend we were invited to a new Italian restaurant opening. We got there about 8:30PM and were treated to free appetizers and vino- not a bad deal. We’ll definitely have to come back to try out the menu.

                                                  Here is our happy table of friends.

 

 

                                                        And the free entertainment.

While we had been in Cuenca, we had invited the two couples we had befriended there to visit us in Salinas. Cody had already been here once before- see Blog February 2012- but her husband Michael and Larry and Donna had never been. They decided to come on a Monday and stay until Thursday. They all came together sharing a car with our driver Angel who had taken us to so many places around Cuenca during the last year. Again for everyone’s information, the trip usually lasts from 5 ½  to 6 hours and is through some of the most beautiful country side- Cajas Mountain park, descending through jungle on the other side and then through the bread basket of Ecuador- farms of cacao, sugar cane, bananas, rice, mangoes and many many other fruits. The usual cost for a car and driver is approximately $150.

They arrived shortly after noon and we all went to a restaurant on the Malecon and treated Angel to lunch before his long drive home.

                                                                  Our group after Angel left

The next day was beautiful and sunny. We decided to spend the whole day on the beach even having lunch there by buying from the many vendors selling various foods, empanadas, bollos, mani etc. Lauri, our friend and neighbor, and Connie and Murray also joined us.

                                                                    Eating under the cabana

                                                              Walking along the sunny beach

 

 

                                                            Is that Larry and Donna?

We also had the best entertainment- the local air force base, our neighbor, had its parachuting practice all day. We saw eight different dumps of parachuters floating down from our location on the beach and later from our balcony.

 

 

Larry relaxing after a hard day at the beach- do you think he likes my hammock?

On Wednesday, we took a couple of taxis (half hour ride for $6 per cab) to a wonderful place called Farallon Dillon. http://www.farallondillon.com/      This is a hotel/restaurant/museum/antique & art store in a very scenic location along the coast north of us. Lauri and another friend, Randy, joined us.

                                                      A view of the coast and restaurant beside

                                                                  Our entire group

After a great lunch we explored the many antiques in the restaurant and bar area and had a tour of the museum. The museum also sold many articles ( art, furniture, pottery) some old and some made by local artists.

                                                                       A moose head in Ecuador?

                                                           Larry & Donna at the bar

                                                           Lauri & I flirting with the pirate

Our visit with these friends came to an end far too quickly obviously calling for a repeat in the near future.

                                          Our pizza farewell dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

 

February 22 to 28- Last Week in Cuenca

We had come to Cuenca not only to reconnect with an area we loved but also to get a few things accomplished that we found hard to do in Salinas. Of those on the top of the list was getting a haircut (it is impossible to find an English speaking hairdresser in Salinas), check out different porcelain tiles for our summer condo renovation and go shopping at Sukasa ( a kitchen/home store) for hard to find stuff. We had accomplished most of these as our last week came closer.

To our delight, our good friends Connie and Murray from Salinas were coming up to visit us for a couple of days. They took a bus from Salinas to Guayaquil, spent one night there, and then took a van for the 3 ½ hour trip through the mountains to Cuenca. They arrived around noon on Friday to a wonderfully sunny day! Have I complained about our lack of sunshine and amount of rain this past month? Hmmm, let’s leave that topic just be aware that our umbrellas had had quite a workout.

After some lunch at home we all walked along the river to reach the historic section downtown. We had a beer at a nice outdoor restaurant and then went to a shop to buy some wall hangings I wanted for our 3^rd bedroom. And the sun shone on- whoohoo.

                                              Connie & Murray on one of the historic streets.

                                                                    In Calderon Park.

                                                            Our Pub dinner at a local restaurant.

Next day we decided to take the 2 hour tour bus that takes you all around Cuenca. The bus leaves at Calderon Park and costs $5/person. Uwe and I had done this before last year but it’s a great way to introduce new people to Cuenca. And once again it was a bright sunny day- wow, two in a row. Our friends had obviously brought the Salinas’ sunshine with them.

After a trip through many Cuenca neighborhoods, we went to Turi- high on a hill overlooking Cuenca. Amazing scenery.

 

At the end of our trip, we all met Cody and Michael at the new location of California Kitchen restaurant owned by yet another expat couple.

 

                             A small jazz duo entertained us while we ate some delicious food.

On Monday after Connie and Murray left for home, Uwe and I had to go to the Cuenca Visa office to have our picture taken. Yes, I know, I haven’t said much about the visas that we had applied for back on October 25,2012. That whole process when it’s finally finished will become an entire chapter in this Blog. Suffice to say, somehow? Our pictures were lost in the system and our lawyer had gotten us permission to have them retaken in Cuenca. We went to the office as early as possible and after explaining what we needed, were told to come back at 3PM.

We returned at 2:30PM, explained again that we required ‘foto solo’, and were directed to sit in the waiting room. There were approximately 6-8 people waiting already. We waited almost one hour until the guard positioned us in order of first/second etc. and somehow we managed to get at the front of the line. We were soon called up, spoke to a competent young woman who spoke perfect English. She checked our lawyer’s letter and our notarized passport copy- our actual passport was with the visa people in Quito. Our pictures were quickly taken, put into the ‘system’ and we were on our way. Wow! Where were we? Could this efficient office actually be in Ecuador? We were impressed as an hour’s wait was next to nothing.

On our last day in Cuenca, we and our friends, Cody,Michael, Donna and Larry, decided to have a farewell dinner party along with the condo owners, Ray & Maryse, of the place we were staying. After making sure they had no objections our plans went ahead. Some of our group.

                                                  Appetizers at Donna & Larry’s condo.

 

Cody & Michael supplied a delicious lasagna big enough to feed 9 of us (did I mention an additional guest, Priscilla).

                                                The dining room table with all nine of us.

A perfect way to end our month in Cuenca! Tomorrow home to Salinas.