Cuenca, Ecuador for one year now and still loving it! Christmas & New Years 2013

Birthday's - Holiday parties - Christmas and New years! My one year anniversary in Cuenca and still loving it!

December 1st marked my first year living in this beautiful city of Cuenca, Ecuador. It also was my 64th birthday!

I am very happy also to still be friends with Bryan and his whole family! They are truly wonderful happy people and have been very accommodating to this ole' gringo.

The parties started on November 16th with Bryan's birthday, which we celebrated with his family and friends.

Bryan cutting up the cake 

Ana, me and Chino

It is always a good time when this crowd gets together, we danced to computer music, what ever happened to those disc players?

December 1st was next with a surprise birthday for me!

I had plans with some gringo friends to have dinner up on the hill in Turi at a great restaurant Fogo, but they called to cancel at the last minute.

 Ana showed up with a cake and Bryan with a Chef and a great catered dinner. Along with Bryan's family and my gringo friends we had a great night of fun and dancing!

We started the night with a great dinner by one of Cuenca's best Chefs.

Me with Val, Stephen, Geri and Juan

Then the dancing began

And lets not forget Debra's big 60 at La Esquina Restaurant, an excellent meal.

Well I had a 22 day break from celebrating until Stephen and Geri's Christmas party. Geri and Val spent a few days cooking and preparing for the party. Everything was delicious! 

The food included shrimp, deviled eggs by Val, bacon wrapped chicken, BBQ wieners, great Swedish meatballs and fantastic deserts.

Our friend Ronald tasting the deserts. Ronald is a great guy, he is in his 80's and has lived in Cuenca for 3 years. He is originally from Trinidad, but moved to NYC in the 50's. He also lived in Panama for awhile. One of the fun things about living in Cuenca is meeting people from everywhere and they all have unique life stories.

Here's Bryan filling up another plate while Sumana, Cuenca's food critic for Cuenca High Life is sampling the food in the background. Sumana is another interesting expat, originally from South Africa she has lived in the USA and Mexico. She has traveled extensively and has called Cuenca home for 7 years now.

Here is my new friend Jadwiga, newly relocated to Cuenca from Indiana. She is originally from Poland and is a retired educator who also speaks 7 languages.

Here's Geri relaxing with Stephen after many days of preparing for this great party.

  We can always count on Jimmy to bring young beautiful girls to a party with him.

Juan selecting the music on the computer while Roxy and Ana warm up for dancing. Another great party finally over at 2 am minus several bottles of wine and 3 bottles of whiskey!

Jimmy's annual Christmas Eve party

Only a couple of days had passed and off we went to Jimmy's for his Xmas party. Ana, who is Jimmy's sister prepared the dinner which was turkey and pork roast with great sauces. Christmas Eve dinner in Ecuador is served at 11 pm followed by handing out the presents. I really enjoy how much fun the kids have.

Jimmy with his family and their kids. I wanted a picture of them in front of the Xmas tree and they are, but can't see the tree! Ha!

Ana with her son-in-law and beautiful daughter! Guess where she gets that!

Me with Ana

Val with Stephen toasting to Holiday Cheer

Ana's grandson thanking me for his new truck.

Geri and Bryan dancing while Christian and Jimmy look on.

It was another great night of celebrating the Christmas Holidays, but we called it an early night, 1:30 am! Because the following Christmas day was dinner with Bryan's Mother, aunts and cousins on their farm outside of town.

Christmas day

Bryan's Mother, brother, two cousins and three Aunts live on the family farm about 20 minutes from Cuenca. From what I gather the land was purchased by their Grandfather in the 1930's and divided up between his family members.

They raise  organic chickens for the eggs, have cows for milk and grow corn. His Uncle who lived in the US for many years returned and built a beautiful two story house on the land. Guess while he is away the ladies of the house do the farm work, or even when he is here they all pitch in.

Bryan's brother and Mother picked me up for dinner about 7 pm and drove me out to the country.

Bryan's brother on the left, me, Bryan's Mother, Bryan and his three aunts and cousin.

Dinner was great! Prepared by Bryan, we had orange turkey, rice with a red wine sauce and a carrot salad.

Christmas dinner with the Vidal's was a real treat and I look forward to next year with them. And of course dinner at my house for all of you too!

Cuenca did have its usual Holiday parades downtown with over 60,000 people lining the streets. For great photos goggle Cuenca, Ecuador and click on images.

New years Eve 

It was time to bring in 2013 and about 9 pm we headed down the street to Stephen and Geri's condo, which being on the 11th floor facing downtown offered a great view of the fireworks at midnight and of course before.

Geri and Val prepared some great snacks, chicken wraps and shrimp! We watched the fireworks and the traditional burning of the dummies, which is Ecuadorians way of putting unpleasant times or people from the past year out of their minds and starting out the New Year on a positive note.

We brought in the New Years with a couple of bottles of champagne and enjoyed a fantastic display of fireworks. They really enjoyed it being they don't allow this kind of fireworks display in North Carolina where they lived.

Well its the end of one great year in my new home Cuenca, Ecuador. I am feeling much much better since my arrival here a year ago. Down 35 pounds and breathing much better. 2013 goal in minus another 20 pounds and the gym 3 times a week, plus my Rio walks 3 times a week. I seem to just sit around the condo on Sundays. Guess I deserve one day of doing nothing in a week.

I hope everyone had a great Holiday Season and that we all have a fantastic 2013!

Sues last few days visiting Cuenca, Ecuador

City tour, trip to Piedra De Agua hotsprings  and shopping for jewelry in Chordeleg

  Sue and I were both happy to arrive back to Cuenca for a couple of days of rest and some good home cooking.

  I took Sue on the double decker city bus tour and a tour of the Central Bank Museum.

All aboard for my third city tour! Which is always enjoyable.

Of course Sue made friends with our English speaking guide who answered all our questions about Cuenca during our two hour tour.

View of El Centro from Turi

Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción

The Old Cathedral of Cuenca or Iglesia del Sagrario (Church of the Shrine) built in 1557 is now a museum.

The Central Bank museum




And on to Piedra De Agua natural hot springs

  Piedra De Agua natural hot and spa is in the small hillside Village of Baño just a short drive from Cuenca. This spa has a large hot spring water pool, two hot mud baths, a steam room and underground hot and cold water pools.

  The regular entrance fee is $30 for the whole day except on Mondays it is half price. Or if you go any day before 9 am it is just $15. They also offer messages and facials. And to top off your visit they have a great restaurant.

Our visit started with our guide Juan who showed us to the steam room first. Juan returned when he felt we had enough steam to take us to the next treatment.

The first step of our treatment, the natural hot steam room.

Then hot mud treatments, first brown mud then on to the green mud tub. We rubbed the mud in and let it dry before rinsing off.

Down the stairs to the cave for the hot and freezing cold water treatments. After this treatment Juan served us mineral water with lemon before going on to the steam boxes.

This was really the hot boxes.

The large hot pool

It was a cool rainy day so we finished it off all relaxed and refreshed with hot chicken soup.

Piedra De Agua is really a beautiful relaxing spa and I will be back!




On to Chordeleg with Ana and Roxy for jewlry shopping

   While we still had the rent-a-car Ana and Roxy drove us to Chordeleg know for great deals on silver jewelry. It was nice to sit in the back seat and watch the scenery after driving so many miles.

Ana, Sue and Roxy looking through the Jewelry stores. I sat in the town square while they looked through several shops. Ana's bargaining skills saves Sue around 25% on her purchases.

Sue brought two large suitcases with her, one of them was full of gifts for me like clothes, bed sheets, towels aspirin, and fiber pills! Plus stuff I mail order and sent to her house like vitamins, new tennis shoes and computer equipment. Things that are expensive in Ecuador. Thanks again Sue! She also filled up both those suitcases with gifts for her girls and friends in Iowa.

After lunch we headed back to Cuenca to turn in the car at the airport.





Sue was happy we got the car back in one piece after our long drive around Ecuador and tearing off the back bumper at the airport in Guayaquil before we even got on the highway. Thanks to plastic bumpers we got it put back together and I made sure it was all tucked together when we dropped it off.

Ana, Sue, Jimmy and Bryan on Sues last night in Cuenca.

And off Sue goes back to Iowa! Everyone who met her here in Cuenca loved her and we are all looking forward to seeing her again.

  I mentioned in other blogs that Sue found me on face book after 33 years! We always had fun in those days too. She is very fortunate to have two great daughters and many friend in Marshalltown, Iowa as well as all over the world.

  Sue is planning on doing lots of traveling in the future starting with a cruise of Dubai in March.

  Thanks again Sue for your visit and we all will be looking forward to seeing you again in the near future.

For those of you that might be interested in information about moving to Ecuador and what it requires, my book "Why Ecuador For Me" is out on kindle. You don't need a kindle to read it, just upload the kindle app to your computer.

Why Ecuador for me

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AL3XPTY/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_alp_wy8Xqb0BB5FB0

Why Ecuador for me is the story of planning and retiring in Cuenca, Ecuador. It provides the reader with all the details of why I decided to make the move from the United States. I spent hours on-line obtaining information on what is required to become a resident 

Hope everyone has a great day!



Retired in Cuenca, Ecuador - My book is available on kindle now!

Why Ecuador for me!

By Gary A Sisk

  During my preparation to move to Ecuador I spent many hours on-line reading expat blogs and hunting for information about places to live, resident requirements, and what you could bring into the country. So I started writing this book a few months ago about my personal reasons for moving to Ecuador and how I prepared for the move. I also added as much material as I could find that might be helpful to anyone else considering the move.
 
  Most of the material in my book has not been included in my blog. Although there are a few photos and events that are.

  Many of my blog readers may not have a kindle as I do not, so all you have to do is install the kindle app on your computer to read my book.

  I want to thank my Ecuadorian friend Bryan who spent over 20 hours reading in Spanish and English the requirements to up-load my book to kindle. Plus re-formatting the book to kindle requirements. I also  spend many hours reading and re-reading the kindle requirements with much frustration because of my minimal computer experience. They need to make it easier!

  I had a few friends tell me just to e-mail the book to them! But with 229 pages and many photos it is impossible to do that.

  I decided to use kindle because they distribute worldwide and take care of advertising and taxes, etc.; plus I do have readers in over 30 countries now.

  I do hope anyone who reads it will enjoy it and for those thinking about moving to Ecuador I hope the information will be helpful. Also keep in mind that the legal requirements for residency here keep changing so always check with an Ecuadorian attorney or immigration  before making the move.

  This is my first book and I have read stories by much better writers, but it is what it is! Hopefully my writing will improve in the future, especially on a good spelling day.

  To order my book just click on the cover on the top left side of this blog.



http://www.amazon.com/Why-Ecuador-me-Gary-Sisk-ebook/dp/B00AL3XPTY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419943034&sr=8-1&keywords=why+ecuador+for+me






A video tour of the city of Cuenca

 https://www.facebook.com/CuencaPedacitODeCIELO/videos/467683626641989/

A blog worth reading: Ecuador George

  I have read through many blogs written by Ecuadorian expats. Some are reports of whats for dinner, some are about their dogs or cats and some are informative and do give good advise on many important things for those considering moving to Ecuador.

  A blog that is on my favorite list is:   http://www.ecuadorgeorge.com

  It is about George, who is a resident of California and is considering a move to Ecuador after a couple of visits here. He provides some great photos of Ecuador, great advice on moving here. Plus he asks many questions and asks for replies from his readers.

  George is living in a great mountain community in California and he is happy with his work and his home there, but it seems he is looking for adventure and perhaps Ecuador would be a good home base for him while he does some future traveling.

  I really enjoy reading his blog and I recommend to all my readers that you give him a read. You might find him as entertaining as I do.

  George, when you do decide to move here or drop in for another vacation I will be looking forward to meeting you in person.

  Keep up your fun and entertaining blogs!


Also I want to thank your George for the great article you wrote about my blog! I am getting several more hits from it.

Check it out at:  
http://www.ecuadorgeorge.com/learning-spanish-in-ecuador/

Gracias again!

  



Drive from Otavalo, Ecuador to Baños De Ambato

After a great visit to Cotacachi and Otavalo we headed south to Baños de Ambato for the natural hot springs

  Once again we were caught in the bumper to bumper traffic in Quito for 3 hours heading south to Baños de Ambato  to spend the night. I was taking antibiotics for bronchitis and had the air conditioning on but I could still smell the gasoline and diesel fumes from the cars all around us. Sue was busy sewing and taking movies of the buildings and the people walking down the sidewalks. We both had our eyes pealed for the Pan American highways signs.
  It was such a relief to finally get out of the city traffic and on the open highway again. It was time for a bathroom break and to stock up on road munchies again.

  

Slow moving Quito traffic, next time I visit Quito I won't be driving

Back on the highway heading for Baños

Miles and miles of hillside farms

Baños centro

  We arrived in Baños about sunset and Sue found an interesting Hostel in her Ecuador tour guide book with a view of the waterfall called Hostel La Posada del Arte. As soon as we arrived  in the city we drove towards the waterfall and arrived at the Hostel. It was the last night the Hostel was open before they closed for a month. We got a great room which was actually two rooms with 3 beds.

Sue at the front desk after checking in. Our room was $54 for the night.

The walls were full of original oil paintings and the dishes were from the Artesa Ceramic factory in Cuenca.

Our room was upstairs across from the waterfall, I had a great nights sleep being tired from driving and from the sound of the waterfall.

The waterfall across from our room. The thermo pool  is just below the waterfall and is also open at night.

The room was great, this is a place I would stay at again.

Map of Baños

  After we got settled in our room we headed to El Centro for dinner. We ate at a great restaurant on the Plaza owned by an Italian guy. I noticed many Hostel's all around the Plaza. I guess there are many tourists here in the season, which starts in December and stays busy until June. 

  Sue had Shrimp ceviche, of course! And I had Tia vegetables and rice, the food was delicious and not expensive.

  We decided to get an early nights sleep and go to the hot springs the next morning.

After a great breakfast which was included with our room we drove over to the hot pool, but with about 50 people waiting in line to get in we decided we would visit the thermo baths in Baños, Cuenca before Sue left.

 Back on the highway heading for Cuenca, which was about a five hour drive.

  We drove about 850 miles from Guayaquil to Cuenca over some beautiful mountains and pasted through many small Villages full of colorful smiling people. We saw abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables for sale along the highways and many places to eat.

  We were happy to be back in Cuenca and Sue still had a few days to explore Cuenca.

Next blog will be on our visit to the hot springs in Cuenca, the city tour and Sue shops for jewlry!