*  My Mom….my dad died in February and my mom is now alone and lonely in the US.    My residency visa in Ecuador gives me only 90 days each year, for 2 years, out of the country.   My first year ends November of 2009 and way before that I ran out of days that would allow me to be with her.   I decided it wouldn’t be good to stand over her grave and say “Well, I would have spent more time with mom in her older years, but I had to get that residency visa in Ecuador”.   She is way too important to me, and she needs me with her more often now.  So I will spend 3 months in Florida to be with her through the holidays, another month in the summer and will bring her back to Boquete for a long visit with me there beginning July 1st.

Mom chilling out

*   The Weather…..I am a Florida girl and the lush tropical rain forest of Boquete suits me better than the chilly upper Andes climes of Cuenca.   I found myself growing weary of the weather at 8,000 ft above sea level although my lungs really loved the dry air.   Although there are sunny, warm days, the vast amount of cloudy grey sky days and very cold nights just aren’t for me.   While it is more humid in Boquete, the close up verdant green mountains and beautiful flowers…and the ability to wear lighter clothes and most of all…sit out on my terrace at night with friends, was a biggie for me.  Boots and jackets are fun, but not all the time.

*   The Community…..Boquete is a very rare place…and the people there are also very special.   There are dozens of things to get involved with to help the local community, and Boquete’s ExPats are always cooking up something fun to do together.    Cuenca is a very special place, but the ExPat community  is VERY different from that in Boquete.   Maybe it is because Cuenca is a big city and people live mostly in condos and farther apart than in the small village of Boquete.   Whatever the reason for the difference, I much prefer the ExPat community in Boquete.

*   The Politics….Rafael Correa is an educated and exciting president with great ideas on how to improve life for the people of Ecuador.   He is, however, in complete power and is very close to the political ideas of Chavez of Venezuela.    His recent placing of a 43% tax on everything that comes in from any foreign country, combined with the 12% sales tax, means that none of the US brands we find easily in Panama can be found in Ecuador….the 55% tax just makes them unavailable.   There is a tax of 1% (soon to be 2%) on any money that leaves the country….meaning the wire transfer of funds to Panama or the US are subject to VERY big fees.     Recently, despite Correa’s claims of transparency and putting away corruption, his sister was recorded soliciting a bribe to make a law suit against Chevron Oil go away….Correa’s response was to set about to close down the private television station that aired the recordings.    When a recent rumor circulated that he was going to abandon the US dollar in favor of a new SA currency, he announced that anyone found circulating this rumor would be jailed.    These minor issues can grow to larger issues.   Finally, the growing scorn of the government toward the US is cause to pause and consider what would happen should the 5 new bases in Colombia really become a thorn in his side.  Chavez has recently invited both the Chinese and the Russians to become more involved in his politics, and the recent photo of him embracing Mohamar Khadafi was just scarey.   Again, this is not Correa, but as they say…you can judge a man by the company he keeps.   So far these are only shadows in the background, but they added to the decision against having a major investment in Ecuador at this time.

The Culture…..one reason I moved to Cuenca was to enjoy the vast cultural life and one of my main loves was the Symphony Orchestra.   Also, there was a very good Cultural Calendar published each month, allowing me to know where things were going on (concerts, art exhibits, museums, etc.).   The government declared that the economy required they cut funding for the Symphony and the Ensemble orchestras, and they stopped printing the Cultural Calendar….they even stopped publishing the online version.   Many locals say that this is really because Correa does not attend to the needs of the rich…only the poor…and that the poor don’t go to the symphony, concerts, art exhibitions, etc.   It is said they plan to reinstate this vital organ in the future, but for now it is defunct.  Whatever the reason….one of my main reasons for wanting to be there was removed from my life.

So……here is the last report I will file as a permanent resident of Cuenca.  I’ll return from time to time for a visit, but at last I am free of the restrictions of permanent residency.   Below are photos taken just before I left…including some views of the capital city Quito, the visit by ex-husband David Ripple (to spend our would-be 30th wedding anniversary together), and some celebrations just prior to my departure.

Independence Square in Quito

More views of Independence Square in Quito

Municipal Building in Quito

Colonial shopping arcade in Quito

David Ripple & me at the Piedra de Aguas Spa

David & me at Inca ruins

So….my friends Mary Ann & Greg decided to tie the knot back in Vermont, and then returned to Cuenca to begin their residency.   Mary Ann (you may recall) threw me a birthday bash this year and hosted a Christmas dinner for friends last year (see previous posts).   So…it seemed a good idea to toss them a wedding reception as a farewell event in my condo.  Even the guy who bought my condo came….here are some photos of the event.

Newlyweds Mary Ann & Greg

Girlfriends (L to R) Natalie, me, Christa, Cameron, Mary Ann & Marie Claire

Guyfriends (L to R) Adrian, Alan, Greg, Dan, Peter & Mike

My friend Peter and me…he will be missed

Turn about is fair play….Mary Ann decided to throw a SURPRISE going away party for me…..and was I surprised!!!   I have never had a surprise party before…..

As I came into the room to see all the smiling faces shouting SURPRISE!

Shock at seeing someone I had just hung up with on the phone 2 minutes earlier….SHE was already at the party when we talked!!!

Gathering of surprise friends

So….I’ll be going to Argentina and Uruguay in January and then returning to beautiful Boquete.   It will be good to be back home.

The saddest part of the new year is that, on February 13 at 3:45 pm my step-dad, the marvelous Leon Wilson, transitioned to the other side of the veil.   He has been very ill for the last 3 years, and since November when I visited, he had gone further downhill.  I took the first plane I could get out of Ecuador and arrived in The Villages, FL 24 hours later.    Mother only had 9 years with Leon, but they were the best 9 years of her life.   She loved him dearly and he worshipped her.   Now she is alone once again.    Leon’s daughter, son, niece and nephew flew down for the funeral.   As he wished, he was cremated and there was a beautiful ceremony at the National Military Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.   Leon was a retired Naval Commander, having trained pilots in WW2, so both he and mother have the right to be buried there.  The ceremony was followed by a 21 gun salute, and presentation of the American flag to my mother.

Leon's Urn with Military Guard

daughter Chris, mother, son Vernon, me, nephew Dan & his wife Paula, niece Toni

Here’s the last photo I took of Leon, on his birthday December 5, 2007.    After that his health was so poor that he didn’t want any more photos taken of him.    He will ALWAYS be in our deepest heart!

Leon's 83rd birthday, 15 months before his passing

Back in Cuenca, the Easter holidays brought much celebration.    There have been concerts in all the cathedrals, art shows and dancing in the streets.

Art show in the park

Friend Natalie & me at crafts faire

Cuenca Ensemble and 25 voice chorus performed Mozart's Requiem in the city's oldest cathedral

People in the US and in Panama are always asking me about the food here…..so here are some of my favorite restaurants and their food!

Akelarre Bistro

Akelarre Courtyard

Villa Rosa

Villa Rosa Interior

Corvel in Paute

Mediterraneo

Patio at Vino y Olivo

El Rey del Mariscos

And food…..you wanna see the food in Cuenca?   Well here is some.

Salad and Salmon

Trout with Seafood Sauce

Mexican Food

Filet Mignon with Mushroom and Wine Sauce

Chicken Dish (notice the popcorn....this is common here)

And still more seafood...

So, as you can see….we don’t starve here!

My very best friend in High Springs, FL is Judi Kearney…..she gave me the MOST fantastic 60th birthday 6 years ago and this April 26th was her 60th.   I decided it was an event I just couldn’t miss, but since I had assured her I was unable to attend (since I had just been there in February/March).   Our friend Joan Ashley kept the secret and I flew to Miami, rented a car and drove up for Judi’s party.   She almost fell over when I walked up to the fire circle where our women friends were celebrating with her, especially since I emailed her from Joan’s house that morning telling Judi how sorry I was I couldn’t be with her.   LIAR!!!  she called out to me and then threw a big hug around me.

Judi was REALLY surprised!

My wonderful circle of women friends celebrate Judi's 60th

The next night we bbq'd at Judi's house...here she is with Joyce

Then, I drove down to my mom’s house and spent a night with her.

Mother and me....

And finally, I ended up in Miami to fly back to Ecuador….spent time with my ex-husband, David Ripple.   It was great seeing him again!

David Ripple on his 65th birthday last year

I leave for Panama and will stay in beautiful home in Boquete for 6 weeks, turning the house over to a new tenant for another year.   It will be great to see my home, my friends and yes….if I can work up the courage to see the world’s most fabulous dog….Ms. Zap, I will do so.   I just don’t know if I can stand again having the broken heart I get when I leave her behind.  But her new parents love her and she is well cared for.

My friend Wanda Stoll has finally received word that her Residency Visa in Panama is ready to be picked up….she got in just under the wire last June when she visited.   We’ll meet in Panama City and fly together to David and then drive up to Boquete…she’ll spend a week with me and then return to the US….she still has a few years to work before retirement.  She is a good friend, and drove up from Miami for Leon’s funeral….

Wanda and me at Leon's funeral

I hope you all enjoy this posting, and remember…..COME ON DOWN!!

Thanksgiving is a uniquely American tradition, and in both Panama and Ecuador, the ExPat community welcomes this opportunity to share a meal together and be with friends.   This year I was included in a big Pot Luck Thanksgiving dinner, complete with turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings.   Here are a few friends and I at this event, held in a fruit orchard in a town called Paute, about 45 minutes outside of Cuenca.

L to R...Bill, Patricia, Christa (one of my favorite new friends), me and in back David and Alan

Me, Chela (a fabulous Ecuadorian friend) and Bill Bushnell (we call him Bush)

WOW…..what an outstanding holiday Christmas is here in the Andes…..Cuenca celebrates Christmas in a big way.  The Christmas Eve Children’s Parade is televised throughout the entire country and I got to see it in person!!   Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are a few thousand words in picture form.

Children are dressed in costume….angels, gauchos, wise men, spanish grandees, bullfighters, etc.

Tiny Chica

Tiniest Nino

Some of these have been in the family for generations

Notice all the umbrellas…..no, it’s not raining.   In the rain these are called ParaJuvias and when used to protect from the Ecuadorian sun here on the Equator they are called ParaSols.   The word “Para” means “for”, and the word “Juvia” means “rain” and “Sol” means “sun”….so they are “for the rain” or “for the sun”.

These umbrellas are for the sun here on the Ecuator

They ride for hours in this parade

And these little ones are so patient!!

Balcony dwellers have the best view (can you pick out the gringos?)

Floats of all kinds…..this would be the Egyptian contingent below….

The real “eye candy” comes in the form of giant blankets on the horses….candy, cookies, fruits, peppers and every imaginable type of food decorates the horses….this is a tribute to the abundance of Ecuador.

Even the little bitty kids get their vehicles decorated

You gotta love the one below….if you don’t have the money to buy all the stuff…you can just open up your kitchen cabinet, take out the jello, canned peaches, Coke, etc. and decorate a shopping cart.

And, if you’re a dog….just hang a couple of your chew toys on your little coat, get your hat and boots and join the parade….

Cuenca’s mounted police were in evidence during the holidays….to maneuver around the crowds.

I went to the parade with my Spanish teacher….a young Ecuadorian woman who lived in San Diego for 2 years.   Her name is FABIOLA TOLEDO!    Say it yourself and let it roll off your tongue…Fabiola Toledo!!!

Fabiola with one of her MANY admirers!

Christmas Day, a small group shared a cozy dinner….our hostess, Mary Ann isn’t in the photo

L to R...Patricia (Seattle), Mark and dog Happy (Montreal), Greg (Vermont), Marie Claire (France), me and David (Tallahassee)

Topping off our holiday celebration was New Year’s Eve at my house…..a tradition here in Latin America is to create an effijy to burn at midnight.

Last year, in Panama, I showed you my neighbor’s effijy of Osama Bin Laden sitting on the hood of his car and explained the Latin custom of burning in effijy a life-sized doll representing a person you’d like to get rid of.

This year, the group here decided to burn, well…..at the risk of offending my NeoCon friends….guess who we chose?????

Here he is in my place before midnight.....can you guess now who it is?

We watch on…..hoping for a better New Year.

The finale to the holiday season was my birthday….January 20th….they threw a BIG party on my birthday in Washington, D. C…….but I was here in Cuenca, where my friends Mary Ann and Marie Claire threw me a little birthday party…..Feliz Cumplianos means Happy Birthday (the banner above our heads).

Do I look 66????? I sure don't feel it!!

Love and Blessings, and hope you enjoy this post!

Penny

I returned to the US to visit my family;   my dad back in the hospital, my mom taking care of him and my son and his family where we watched the first night launch of the Space Shuttle since the tragic Challenger which exploded shortly after takeoff.    My son works at Cape Canaveral and lives nearby, and we viewed the launch from just across a lake on the edge of the Cape.   Here are photos of the Shuttle lift off and first few minutes

Space Shuttle just after liftoff, 11/07/08

Up, up and away!!!

From this point on, the Shuttle became a rapidly diminishing light in the sky…..amazing to see so close up.

The shuttle is going straight up, but the earth is rotating, so it looks as if the shuttle is curving

Of course, I also went back to my home town of High Springs, north of Gainesville, in North Central Florida (GO GATORS!!).    My friend Judi Kearney gave a big Obama Victory Party at her horsefarm, where I got to see all my old buddies…..here we are dancing to the music of John and Raven Smith’s band, Quartermoon!

L to R: Me, Sharon, Linda and Joan (Judi was taking the photo)

Quartermoon Band (John on left, Raven in the middle, Mike on the right)

Judi’s husband Mike (collector of antique cars) wasn’t at the party because he was driving this roadster in the drag races that night.

Mike Kearney on the way to the drag race in his roadster!

The next morning, Judi fixed breakfast for the girls, and we watched the video I created of my new condo and new city, Cuenca, Ecuador…..these smiling faces make me miss High Springs from time to time….

L to R: Valerie, Pat, Sharon & Joan. Judi in the background with one of her dogs

Mike & Judi live on the beautiful Santa Fe River…..here’s an afternoon shot of the river from their backyard.  Just as the sun was going down, and the water was as smooth as glass…the reflection on the water looks real.

Crystal clear reflection in the waters of the Santa Fe River

I left the US with sadness in my heart at leaving my friends and family…..but eager to return to beautiful Cuenca and my life there.    The exciting news was…..my new residency visa had been approved and was waiting for me upon my return.   I now begin the 9 months each year for 2 years, required residency within Ecuador.

The most famous product of Ecuador is the Panama Hat which gained popularity and its name when Teddy Roosevelt took to wearing one during the building of the Panama Canal.   The custom spread quickly, and now the hat is known for that country, instead of the one in which it is made.

Indigino Woman making Panama Hat

Typical Panama Hat store in Cuenca

Another beautiful apparel created here in Ecuador are the famous IKATs (pronounced ECAT), which are made by indiginous peoples in the countryside and brought to the cities to sell.   Some use chemical dies, but the most highly prized IKATs are made from natural vegetable, soil and animal materials.   Usually, the entire family is part of the process.

Natural substance die pots

Strands after being died

Weaving loom....one string at a time!

Beautiful finished scarfs and shawls

One of Ecuador’s largest import products is flowers…..greenhouses dot the countryside and markets in the city offer beautiful, colorful stems for pennies.

Flower market in downtown Cuenca

Because of the vastly different altitudes and climates in Ecuador, almost every fruit and vegetable is grown here.   Local markets display abundance in fresh foods.

Just 1 of 4 aisles of fruits/vegetables in just 1 of many markets

Meat markets are super clean and very well stocked

There are open air markets in which you can purchase everything from blankets to baskets to saddles to cooking pots.

Stall selling cooking pots...aluminum, of course

The small villages outside of Cuenca offer Sunday markets where pigs are roasted and carved to order.  These pigs can be roasted on the street corner, or in a community market.

Roasting a pig with a blow torch!!

Pick A Pig

Pick A Slice!

Other delicious goodies….

And some not so delicious….although the locals say these guinea pigs are the very best eating on the planet.  Maybe someday…..but for me, they just look like big rats!

Roasted guinea pig....a real taste treat, they say!

Cathedral Calderon

Blue Domes of Cathedral Calderon

Doors of Cathedral Calderon

Here are some more cathedrals located around the city.

Cathedral Santo Domingo

Cathedral San Blas

Antigua Cathedral

Cathedral built into mountain side

Cathedral in Quito

And some of the other beautiful buildings in Colonial Cuenca….

Supreme Court Building

Interior Courtyard of Supreme Court Building

Glass Dome of Supreme Court Courtyard

The rugged Caja foothills of the Andes flank southern Cuenca.   Lakes and rivers dot the area.

Volcan Fansaynan

Ecuador contains 4 distinctly different climate/ecological areas;  the rugged Andes spine, the Highlands where Cuenca is,  the Oriente (Amazon basin) and the Coast.   As you travel south from Cueca, the land begins to drop down to the mighty Amazon on its way to the Pacific.

Viewing the Amazon from the Andes

Dropping down from a 12,000 foot elevation, you finally see the mighty Amazon at sea level.

The Alpacas of Ecuador give up their hair to provide humans with lightweight and warm shawls, sweaters, hats and many other Ecuadorian made goods.

Ear tags keep track of the animals

The government protects these animals from poaching

Mother and Baby enjoy a peaceful life

Many beautiful Haciendas have been converted into resorts and restaurants.   This one is in Gualaceo, about an hour drive from Cuenca.

Lobby Area

Lounge in Lobby

Pool Area

Patio for Lunch

Boquete friends Cheryl and Richard Johnson came to spend a month….here we are in Gualaceo at the  market.

Cheryl, Richard & Penny at Gualaceo market

]]> http://pennyinparadise.com/2008/08/30/countryside-around-cuenca/feed/ 0 pennyinparadise valleyclouds valleyriver andes 017 volcan-fansaynan highriver waterfall2 amazon amazon2 llama2 llama llamababy hacienda3 hacienda4 hacienda2 haciendapatio 005 http://pennyinparadise.com/2008/08/24/cueca_the_city/ http://pennyinparadise.com/2008/08/24/cueca_the_city/#comments Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:19:21 +0000 pennyinparadise http://pennyinparadise.wordpress.com/?p=30 ]]> Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site Spanish colonial city. This means the city’s ancient buildings are meticulously maintained. The ceramic maps shown below are found all throughout the city, giving you guidance as you wander the charming, European type streets.

Here’s a broad view of the city (from my terrace)…the colonial area is at to far end, near the mountains.

The city’s motto is “Cuenca….Ecuador’s Cleanest City” and clean it is…..streetsweepers, gardeners and trash collection is performed 7 days a week. Here are some streets in the colonial city

Cuenca has three rivers running right through the central city (see one of them below)….they all merge just at the edge of the city into one major river that flows out to the Pacific.

These rivers are not just beautiful….they are used by the locals for many thing. For example, you will see people walking their cows to the riverbanks to graze. It is not unusual to see them grazing next to a river fronted by a residential street.

These rivers are right downtown….as I stepped out of a cab at the Sushi restaurant on the river, I saw this young man casting his net in the river in hopes of a trout dinner catch.

Immediately across from this guy fishing in the river, are the “hanging houses” of Cuenca. These separate the colonial city (which is built on higher elevation) from the modern city. These houses are lit from below at night and are a beautiful sight to see. (Photos courtesy of Leslie Aldredge)

There’s an ancient bridge that generations past used to walk from the upper colonial city to the lower modern city. On weekends, artists display their works under the arches of this bridge.

The city is beautifully maintained, and I wander the streets, endlessly finding charming plazas beside big cathedrals with statues or fountains in the center. Notice the man in the blue uniform in the center of the photo below….this is the uniform of a streetsweeper. Gardeners wear green uniforms and are seen everywhere, keeping the plazas and boulevards neatly trimmed….as I said above, 7 days a week.

Even the small towns outside the city have beautiful little plazas for strolling or sitting.

Cuenca is the proud home of 1996 Altanta Olympic gold medal winner Jefferson Perez (race walker), who has just won the silver medal at the 2008 Bejing Olympics. Perez is a national hero and the residents of Cuenca have caught the walking bug…..there are people walking along the river banks and in parks all over the city. Below is the grassy infield of a central city oval track that I came upon one day on my excursion. I couldn’t help but hear the dogs saying to their human friends “OK now…get on your walking shoes and I’ll take you to the park….and I’ll just wait here with my buddies until you’re through”

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