Cuenca At Last

In case you were wondering we are alive and well and living in Cuenca! Oh want a story we have to tell if I can only get it all straight! Apologies up front for the long narration but some of you want to know the details . . others just skim and thanks for reading anyway!!!

The last days in Grant s Pass were crazy, filled with hugs and a few tears and promises to say in touch. We had our plans all set as I shared before to get Iggy's health certificate done on Friday before we were to leave followed by a mad dash up to Salem to get the USDA to certify the certificate, then church on Sunday, pick up the van early Monday, load, drive to San Francisco, appointment with the Ecuadorian Consulate on Tuesday to get Iggy's certificate stamped, fly out on Wednesday at 6 AM which meant, a 4 AM airport arrival. Good plan right? Got a call from the Consulate Friday a week before we were to leave saying due to the Ecuadorian Independence Day (Nov 3rd) celebrations the consulate would be closed on Tuesday could be come later . . no, well then just mail the document....uh OK change all plans. Rescheduled the vet and USDA for Monday, called to pick up the van late Monday, cancel on night of hotel reservations in SFO . . no problem! Well the hotel reservation had to canceled and remade and yes we got a refund for the whole reservation but the nightly rate went up $15, good news was the van offered us a rate that was $120 less so we are ahead!

Monday saw the vet then drove to Salem to get the certificate stamped and the cost had gone up $1, money order or credit card only . . had gotten the money order . . . OK they could take $1 cash. Mad dash to FedEx to overnight the health certificate to SFO with prepaid return the only problem there was which page of 5 did they need. Called the Consulate, I'm sorry the person who know about these things is not in call in 10 minutes, 10 minutes later no answer, it's now 10 til 2 when the Consulate closes. Called again, I'm sorry the person who knows is not in call tomorrow . . . sorry, have to do this NOW so sent money order for $50 and all the pages praying they would return the pages we needed. FedEx delivered by return mail on Thursday, all the pages with the necessary Consulate stamp...Iggy now had permission to enter the country!

Spent our last days in Grants Pass trying to wrap things up, get extra time and hugs with those we love, stuff the last few things in our 10 suitcases, two carry-ons each, and Iggy's kennel! Sunday was a special time with Church family and friends, the pastor prayed of us joking most people retire to Grants Pass, so if you are from Grants Pass guess you have to retire to Ecuador!

Monday Jack and our dear friend Ken went to pick up the van. We had reserved a Dodge caravan or equivalent . . . when they got there there was no van but they were sure we would be happy with the mini SUV. NOT! After a calm threat to own the company and a call to the president they left with a 12 passenger van that was designated for in Oregon use only!

Ken did a fabulous job packing the van, Iggy even had his own seat way in the back.

The drive to SFO was gloriously uneventful. Did a dry run to the airport so we knew the ropes for in the morning, had a great Italian dinner after we bought a new cane for Jack as we (Claudia) had left it behind the door in Grants Pass.

I wish I had not had my hand so full after the driver from the rental car agency dropped us off on the sidewalk in front of the terminal at 4 AM so you could see the suitcases, dog kennel, and us. No porter on the job yet, so Jack went in and sat down, I sat with the luggage and dog on the curb . . . waiting for the port and a wheelchair.

Finally got all the luggage weighed and checked in, paid for the one over weight bag (85 pounds!), 6 excess bags, and Iggy. Iggy got his TSA inspection and off he went. The first leg of the flight had its excitement, as we approached Miami - residual turbulence from tropical storms had the flight attendants told to stay in their seats . . what fun!

From Miami to Quayaquil, Ecuador seemed to take forever but did enjoy talking to an Ecuadoran neurosurgeon along the way.

Landed in Ecuador on time, wheelchair waiting at the gate and off we went to immigration. No problems, gave them our address in Cuenca. Next stop baggage claim. When I told the fellow pushing Jack we had diez (10) suitcases plus the dog his eyes got real big and I rented 4 carts and he found a friend to help. We finally cleared customs with a miracle of no duty charged for our excess baggage and no fee for Iggy an hour later!

The Grand Hotel had a van waiting and off we went. Iggy was quit an oddity as few people have dogs and certainly not as large as he. We dropped into bed over 20 hours after we started a little numb and realizing we were really in Ecuador! In case you lost track of the days it is at this point Thursday November 4th. The Iguana is a mozaic above the pool at the Grand Hotel.

After an included lovely breakfast buffet, the van picked us up and we enjoyed the drive over the Andes, through the Cajas National Park to Cuenca. We arrived at our new house to find it still under preparation for our arrival....we only rented it two months ago but we did not expect it to be done . . . this is Ecuador after all. Since there was no gas for the kitchen we enjoyed a great dinner at the California Kitchen and said "Hola" to new old friends. To make a very long and trying portion of the story short, the owner of the house we rented in August was a thief: the promised repairs were not made, and not likely to be made. It was the weekend from Hell. Welcome to Cuenca.

Tuesday we had an appointment to be driven to bank by a bilingual Ecuadorian who know someone with a house for rent so after the bank we went and saw the house. It is much smaller than the one we had but just the size we really wanted! Without shopping around we took it on the spot. It is located across from the Paraiso Park where the rivers of Cuenca come together, convenient to major bus lines, a growers Co-op, and a Coral which is a Wal-Mart like store.

Now the only problem was we had company coming to stay with us, arriving on Friday from North Carolina with their dog, and our second bedroom only had a twin bed. Fine for the dog but not so for the people. Wednesday Arturo, our new friend and "facilitator" took us to a furniture maker to order a bed, no metal frames here, then to a store to order a queen bed, back to the original house to move our 10 suitcases plus all the goodies we bought for the kitchen to the new house. What a blessing, a quiet nights sleep with hot water...

OK, house tour: There is a park that runs all along the Tomabamba River and it is just across the street. Yes the cows mow the lawn in the park.

Our entrance is gated with a remote door opener in the house to let folks in. We have a lovely formal living room, dining room,what we call den with a fireplace, kitchen, two bedrooms. The master bedroom has a solarium I guess you could call it and the second bedroom opens to the back patio. There is a laundry room, cold water washing only but that's OK! There is also a one bedroom apartment upstairs so "Come to Cuenca" is still an offer!!!

Our guests arrived on Friday afternoon, the bed frame freshly stained and still a bit fragrant was delivered at 9 pm but the mattress was delayed so wonderful Arturo brought a mattress over to get buy with . . . the new one was delivered on Monday.

You can read some of the blogs I follow and read about the weather we have been having the International Food Festival we attended etc. If I don't get this posted soon I will never get caught up! Hope to post as there is good stuff to share. Thanks for reading!!!!!