Springtime in Ajijic

The weather continues to be beautiful.  Spring is here and the most telling part is the purple snow, beautiful Jacaranda trees.  They along with many other trees line the street and "carretera" the two lane road that runs along the north shore of Lake Chapala.

Bougainvilleas bloom all year but they are enjoying the warm and sunny weather.

As a personal update, we are well, Jack is doing much better here although we do so miss our friends in Cuenca....but living in the second best weather in the world is hard to beat!

 We had fun at the street market this week, buying hand made wood fiber flowers

And of course a fresh bouquet, 55 pesos about $3.75.

Praying all is well with you all.  No promises but maybe I will do another in less than 5 months next time!

The Adventure Continues!

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know we have moved to Mexico.  Jack was having a very hard time breathing and so we headed north.  I have had many requests for pictures but little time to go collect them with all the things needed to set up household again.. but then I am an expert at the now!

So just a few views of our new home town, where the weather is rated the second best in the world.

My Birthday

Wednesday Tianguis

Kathy with beautiful weavings

Day of the Dead Candy

Beautiful tree in the middle of the street around the corner from our house

Lake Chapala

 More later!

Still Alive and Well in Cuenca

Dear Friends and Family:  I am sorry to say I have not been keeping anyone updated for the last year!  Can't believe it has been that long.  Life seems to settle into a pattern, a new normal, and I don't think to put something in the blog. We have had great times with friends sharing birthdays, dog birthdays, house warmings, and just because times together.

So for a quick update, last March Jack had a blood clot in his shoulder and spent 7 days in the hospital.  The doc was sweet and let him out for a few hours for a big 76th birthday party.  Doctor Moscoso even came to the party, the fellow in the red jacket above.

In June we took a wonderful trip to Banos de Ambato.  This is quaint little tourist town on the side a volcano in norther Ecuador with wonderful mineral hot springs.  It was so relaxing and we really loved the town and the trip there was beautiful.

Sara and I went horseback riding.  In case you can't tell, the horses had more padding than we did, as the saddles were WOOD.  We really enjoyed the hot springs after our ride!!!!  

The landscape of Ecuador is beautiful and varied.  From volcanoes, to patchworks of fields, and jungles.

In September our daughter Genevieve, who lives in South Carolina presented us with a new grandson, Joseph. I got to go for the big event.  Below are Genevieve with baby Joseph, Richie (13), Elizabeth (5), and dad Jeremy in the background.  It was a great visit but too short.

November brought the traditional Thanksgiving celebration with new family and friends. Sorry no picture too busy cooking and visiting.  Followed in December with a trip to Puerto Cayo and a wonderful resort Los Suenso del Mar http://www.lossuenosdelmar.net/ for a relaxing Christmas.  The beach was empty, the weather beautiful, and the accommodation great.

Driving home on Christmas day we stopped in Guayaquil and had McDonalds for our Christmas dinner!

It is now February and we are packing to move to a bigger house. . . room for visitors so plan to come and see us!!!

January 2012

Hi all, sorry for the delay in writing but again we have been dealing with health issues.  Jack fell and sprained his ankle three weeks ago so we have been laying pretty low with his leg elevated.  I wont share a picture of the purple thing but it was pretty ugly! 

Additionally, my Mom passed away January 19th.  I did not go north as we had pretty much said good bye when I visited last May.  Her Parkinson's kicked into high gear very quickly and she passed in her sleep.  She will be buried with my dad at the National Cemetery in White City, Oregon.  They were both WWII veterans and we are very proud of their service.

January in Cuenca continues to have parades celebrating the Christ Child with angles, wise men, and the Holy Family.  I love the beautiful little ones on great big horses in the parades.



Before the fall we had a great dinner at the Parrillada de Hector which is on the hillside off the autopista.  Its a traditional grill and the view of great and the food pretty good.

We are finally getting out a little and are looking forward to a dinner at Calvary Chapel which is part of the new outreach to the English speaking community in Cuenca.  Services are now offered in English on Sunday's at 10 AM and have been a blessing.  http://www.calvarychapelec.info/ check it out.

The other big thing is while Jack put his leg up I painted the kitchen and just had ceramic tile put down. It was a week of eating out or bringing home take-out but I love the new brighter look of the kitchen!

Well take care and thanks for reading!

Remember Tuesday is Dia de San Valentin!  Ecuadorian roses are probably in your flower markets where ever you are in the world as rose growers here ship all over the world.

No Way It's January

I was looking at the last post and wondering where the time has gone!  I had great plans to share our Thanksgiving Feast at Doyle and Nancy's but got very ill the night before and missed it!  Then Christmas came and cookies were made by Rubin, Mateo, and Sara

and went with Jack developing a case of cellulitus and spending 4 days in the hospital (Sinia) where the care was great but the food not worth eating, and I am fighting with my new camera program that wont transfer the photos in to the blog with the correct orientation . . .

We were advised that if you want different results you need to do something different so we resolved to go to out for New Years Eve.  Had a great time at California Kitchen but headed for home at 12:07!  had to dodge the street parties and burning of the old year on the way home.

Another favorite new place is the San Sebas Cafe.  The food is wonderful, the people great, and the prices right!

Enjoying Brunch

We have enjoyed making new friends who have stayed in our little apartment upstairs...details to follow!

Happy New Year!

Early November - North to Riobamba

At the beginning of the month we loaded all three dogs in the car and headed north.  Riobamba was the goal and it was the first time the puppies had a long drive.  Riobamba is the capital of the Chimborazo Provance. I had bought a kennel to put in the back of the car for the puppies, big mistake.  They both got car sick!  Oh well lesson learned.  We stopped along the way and got medicine for them and moved them to my lap.  They were much happier!!

The trip was another amazing lesson in the varied topography of Ecuador.

High green pastures

Dry mountain sides

River canyons

Just WOW

And more WOW

The road is a good road and the views are fabulous.  We passed through many small towns each with its church hundreds of years old.  I think the date on this one was in the late 1500!

Riobamba has a population of about 95,000 and at an elevation slightly higher than Cuenca.  The streets are wide, not nearly as clean as Cuenca but a perosn we met who knows both cities compares Riobamba to Cuenca 15 years ago.

Riobamba

The streets downtown were closed for a fiesta!

Jack and the kids at the Hostel Oasis

Hostel Oasis, not much to look at from the street but

Inside is an Oasis!!!!

Row of tailers with their tredal machines in the plaza market

Mercado - you can't really see but all the vendors wear green uniforms

Just north of Riobamba is Guano known for its rugs

Central Park in Guano

 

Jack and the girls taking a nap after a hard day of sightseeing!

The camera could not capture the expanse of the mountains and the deep canyons we saw on this trip you just have to come and see for yourself!!!  The volcano Chimborazo hid itself in clouds while we where there.  Chimborazo is the tallest mountain in Ecuador (6,310 meters that's 20,702 feet) and due to the bulge of the earth at the equator its' peak is actually the farthest point from the center of the earth, farther than Mt. Everest.

We had two great dinners in Riobamba one at Bonny Restaurant and another at an Italian place that was fabulous.  No point in giving the name as they are closing and have to move as the property they rent has been sold.  They may move to Cuenca which would be fabulous as it was delicious!!!

The return trip was uneventful, just a review of the wonderful sights of drivng in the Andes.  We will make this trip again!

After our return home we tried a new coffee shop - Moca Cafe on Gran Columbia west of Unidad Nacional in the Excaliber Building for a breakfast burrito.  Jack said the coffee was GREAT and I really enjoyed a whole pot of tea with my burrito!  Sorry no picture!  Anyway a nice change of pace....German bakery products too to go with your coffee!!!

Hope all is well in your world. Thanks for following!!!!  Chau for now.