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Friday, January 18, 2013

LIVING IN CUENCA ECUADOR - LOVE IT or LEAVE IT!

I love how these precious street vendors take such loving care to arrange and display their beautiful produce for the pedestrians who pass by daily.  Look at how she carefully stacks her apples, and the beautiful color combination of her basket overflowing with fresh fruit (Avocados, Tree Tomatoes, and Apples).


WHAT I LOVE:

1 - I LOVE Cuenca.  It's an interesting and beautiful city!  I have never been a city girl.  When my husband was a traveling corporate guy, I would join him on many business trips to cities like Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Chicago, and even New York.  I'm from New York and never liked going into the city as a young girl.  San Francisco is one of the most beautiful and happening cities you could visit.  Portland, Oregon is another dynamic and amazing city.  Yet, never did I want to live in any of these cities nor be a city dweller.  I love Cuenca.  It's a large  city with a small city feel and a historic charm and beauty which one must experience for themselves.  Yes, I'm loving being a city girl!!!
2 - I love the mercados in Cuenca.  There are several that we can visit and shop at daily,  but my favorite is 10 de Augusto because we have had heart connections with several of the vendors and love visiting them.  They are always so helpful to us, and most of them know exactly what we want now and seem to enjoy helping us.  We also enjoy visiting the 9 de October mercado because it is very clean and organized.  However, we haven't shopped there enough on a regular basis to get to know the vendors personally.  For us, it's about the people we meet and can frequent and support financially when we're shopping.
3 - I love living in the heart of El Centro!  We enjoy exploring this historic city daily.  If we want to take a break, home is a few blocks away.  We can walk everywhere and get lots of healthy exercise that way.  It's fun entering the unique and amazing shops and finally discovering one that has just what we need.  We can also shop FRESH for our daily food and only blocks away at the abundant mercados!
4 - I love the Ecuadorian people.  Most are humble, loving, and very friendly when we begin to engage them and they realize I can speak Spanish.  They light up when they hear Bo attempting to speak to them in their language.   One little Tiendita's workers smile when we walk in because they attempt to speak English to us and we can laugh together and have "our lesson and word for the day" together.  We've only been here 6 weeks, yet our daily walks through the city have made us familiar faces to many of the places we frequent, especially in the mercados.
5.  I love having the opportunity to speak a second language and improve my Spanish. It is my personal desire to perfect my Spanish and be able to speak it fluently and accurately.  I've had no opportunities back home, except when visiting my mom, to speak this beautiful language, and every day I purpose to struggle through and trip over my tongue until one day it will flow!
6 - I love the weather in Cuenca!  In the short time we've been here, for us the weather is PERFECT!  Coming from the RAINY Willamette Valley of beautiful green lush Oregon, we have desired to move for a long time and to live somewhere mountainous, green, lush, SUNNY and beautiful, but not too cold and not too hot!  We do not like humidity, mosquitoes (they seek me out and I swell up), continual rain, ice, snow, extreme cold or months of lack of sunshine.  After living in rainy Oregon for 39 years, it is refreshing to see blue skies and sunshine every day since we've been here.  Yes it rains, but not like the Willamette Valley.  Yes it is overcast, but the sun shines every day.  Yes, daily the weather is unpredictable, but we love not sweating and being able to layer and wear sweatshirts and long pants.
7 - I love the taxi and bus system here and not having the expense of a car!  Come on - really!!  Buses that run every 10 minutes and cost 25 cents and Taxis that are everywhere and cost $1.50 to $2 a ride around the entire city (unless you're getting Gringo'd - which we're not!!!!).  There are buses that will take you outside the city to far away outlying areas for a few dollars.  When we went to Yunguilla, it cost $1.50, and that was a 2 hours trip in a comfortable Greyhound-type bus.  We don't have to pay for gas (which, by the way is only $1.48 for regular) or car insurance or car maintenance.  Yes, it takes getting used to not having the independence of having our own transportation, especially for Bo, but for now it works and it's fine.  That could change (and probably will if we continue to live here), however, walking, taxi rides, and buses are a good thing!
8 - I love walking everywhere and losing weight!  Not that I was that much overweight, but aging tends to contribute to extra pounds and rolls, and since living here it's noticeable that my pants are falling off me!  Bo too - and he does need to shed some unhealthy baggage - which he already has in 6 weeks.  It's a fact that walking is healthy!  Eating lots of fruits and vegetable which are abundant and so inexpensive here is also contributing to this daily weight loss.
9 - I love making new friends!  We've met some wonderful ex-pat and we've met some precious Ecuadorians in our short time here.  It's been fun getting together with new and interesting friends and learning from them, having meals together, and getting to know each other.  Speaking English with our ex-pat friends is nice too, since the majority of our day is spent listening to Spanish all around us, including Spanish music and the constant chatter of vendors and residents on the streets of Cuenca.  We've especially enjoyed our new Ecuadorian friends who are embracing us and helping us learn about their culture and the wonderful delicious foods they eat.  Cooking and eating are two of our favorite pastimes.  We now cook a lot of the Ecuadorian vegetables, soups, and meals.
10 - I LOVE THE COST OF LIVING HERE!  I've listed this at the bottom of the list because it's not the driving reason Bo and I came to Ecuador.  Yes, it's the main reason so many people are choosing to ex-pat and leave the USA and their families behind - because they cannot afford to live on their pensions nor afford the exhorbitant medical care.  Bo and I are still able to work, and we are blessed with good health.  However, to be able to live in a country that allows us to daily live so inexpensively is pretty fabulous.  We like renting and living month to month here, we love shopping and coming home with so much for so little, and we enjoy living with less STUFF and feeling so unencumbered materially.  We've learned how to live in a small place after traveling the US on two different adventures in a 40' motor coach.  So, having repacked our bags to come to Cuenca does include being able to live on so much less, and it certainly is a big part of what we're loving here!
11 - MEDICAL CARE - I cannot comment on the cost nor quality of the medical care here, because we've been fortunate not to have to use it.  We do, however, love having an outpatient medical insurance that costs us $4.65 monthly for the two of us through the Coopera Credit Union, and this is an 80-90% reimbursement coverage for any outpatient expenses for up to $400 a year!  Since the cost of excellent medical care here is phenomenally less than the US and we are both in good health to date, this insurance can cover us for any outpatient care needs that come up in the near future.
12 - I love the pharmacies here and the cost of certain US prescription medications which we can get here over the counter for sooooooooooooooooooooooooo (not exaggerating!!!) much less!!!!  One prescription Bo takes that costs over $150 monthly in the US will cost him about $15 here.  Go figure!!!!   I mostly love the natural and holistic approach of the pharmacists when I've needed something particular in the way of medication.  I'm all about holistic, so this has been refreshing after living in the US and having doctors and pharmacists peddling their expensive and harmful drugs!

WHAT I CAN LEAVE:

1 - I don't like the uncomfortable furniture while renting!  After living in a beautiful and ohhh soooo comfortable home back in Oregon, it's been difficult not having a home with comfortable furniture.  Ecuadorian rentals have tiny little hard and uncomfortable living room sets.  It would almost qualify as patio furniture for us, and even our patio furniture back home was more comfortable than what we've had here!  We aren't buying furniture here until we know a longer-term plan (we're still living day by day here and checking it out), so what we rent is what we get!  This really has taken some getting used to.  We miss our ohhhhh sooooo comfortable Tempurpedic King Bed!  If you've never slept on a Tempurpedic, you haven't slept!  Yes, we found out they sell them here, but again, until we KNOW we'll be here a LONG time, the not-so-comfortable hard beds will have to do.  The apartment we are currently renting is such a step up from what we had before, so we're thankful for this.  Our Ecuadorian landlady seems to like quality compared to others, and we're not complaining - just spoiled and missing a few things.
2 - I don't like the cost of electronics here!  Pretty spendy stuff!  Because our luggage was over 50 pounds at the Eugene airport, I had to quickly pull some things to get the free check-in rate.  One of the things I regret leaving are my Bose speakers.  I'm an audiophile, and I love my music and it has to sound good!  Since being here, I've looked and looked and have yet to find some quality sounding speakers that I'm willing to pay for.  I'm roughing it playing my iTunes collection from the speakers on my Mac.  it will have to do for now, and at least I have my music library to play!  Wah Wah Wah!!!!!
3 - I absolutely do not like the Visa Process!  Because it is our intention to stay and live here and not just be on a 90-day visa, we are applying for our investment visa.  We do not qualify for a pensioner visa yet, so the process has been a bit more complicated - trying to open a bank account has been an experience for another blog posting (NOT FUN!!!)  You'd think they 'd be happy to have our money come in.  There are so many rules, requirements, and glitches that happen, and it's been very frustrating to date.  We're hanging in there and hoping for the best outcome though, and through it all we will have learned MORE PATIENCE AND GRACE!
4 - I don't like the wine selection here!  I'm a Cabernet dry wine girl!  My favorite wine back home is not available here.  We haven't been here that long, but the wines have not compared to a $10-12 bottle of wine back home.  I guess I'll have to keep exploring and trying some pretty yucky stuff before I come across my favorite.  So far, Gato Negro is it and not to spendy for that occasional glass I love to sip.
5 - I absolutely do not like the uneven and unpredictable sidewalks and streets here.  Even going into a store - like today.  We were in an amazing antique shop and I about fell three different times because of the uneven stones and unexpected rises and falls in the walkways.  The beauty of the cobbled sidewalks and streets are wonderful, but I feel quite unsteady at times - only because I'm a seer, and I love looking around and also taking photos.  Bo is constantly catching me and has kept me from falling several times.  He tells me to quit looking around and to pay attention, but I'm not heeding his warnings very well.  So much to see and photograph!!!!
6 - I don't like the Ecuadorians' habit to just not show up!  We've been stood up several times while here.  No phone call, no follow-up!  They just do not show up or are unreasonably LATE.  Then, when we do hear from the Ecuadorian (friend, painter, landlady, internet guy, etc.)  or they do finally show up hours or days (yes days) later, they never acknowledge it - and if it's mentioned, a giggle or a look of shock is the response.  My favorite was when I was told that the internet guy would be at our place at 8 am one day.  Bo and I were here.  Three days later, my landlady said, "You weren't there!"  No sense even going there with, "I was!"  I just smiled……..
7 - I don't like the graffiti throughout the city walls.  So much of the graffiti is an eye-sore - it's not artwork (although some is artsy and interesting on some of the city walls) and detracts from some of the beauty of the historic buildings and city.  
8 - I absolutely do not like seeing the older Ecuadorian generation here all hovened over, still carrying heavy bags and wares on their backs, almost unable to walk the streets.  It breaks my heart.  I know it's their culture.  I know they are a hard-working people.  I know that this is how they live.  But, it still absolutely brings me to tears to see the poverty, the broken worn bodies, and the tiny hunched-over people on the streets of this city.
9 - I absolutely absolutely do not like nor want to tolerate "Ex-Pat Know-It-Alls!!!!" - Yes, they are here, and Yes, we've had the pleasure of these uncomfortable encounters.  My least favorite encounter, so far, was a loud, in-your-face ex-pat telling us how we should handle Ecuadorians and that they were this and that (I won't even go into this one!).  I don't do well with people who bloviate or pontificate, and already we've experienced some uncomfortable situations with people who speak the same language as us - if you know what I mean!!!!

This is my own VERY PERSONAL list of my "Love it or Leave it"!  Please, if you are reading this, know that life here is a very personal experience, encounter, and opinion.  What some may love, hate, tolerate, or not be able to handle after time will be different from others.  What some may perceive as whining or complaining may be understood completely by others.  What some may misunderstand in my honesty may be completely understood by others who are experiencing or may have experienced the same things.  So, I write this to share in all honesty what, in the past 6 weeks, have been my personal likes and dislikes.  These can change, and probably will - maybe for the better, maybe for the worst.  This is why I write and share - so that I can give my family, friends, and readers an honest picture of what's happening for ME!!!!  My blog is not intended to hurt anyone, nor is it intended to paint a "Tip Toe Through The Tulips Experience" of life in Cuenca.  I've read so many blogs and since I've been here, I've heard several people personally share , "I knew the first week here it was where I wanted to spend the rest of my life!"  Wow!  I was telling Bo today, "Sometimes, I feel there is something wrong with me!"  How in the world does one know something so definite like that?  I've never even been able to work at a job more than 3 years before becoming so bored and so done with the mundane and the predictable.  So, all this to say, I'm bearing my soul, certainly not to be chastised.  This is what's been real for me and my honest personal perspective in six short weeks.  I'm willing to share more, but only after experiencing it from the very core of my being.  I appreciate your comments and even your own personal perspective on the "Love It or Leave It" experiences that you've had since being in Cuenca.  So, thanks for listening.  I feel so much better now!!!!

Hey, now you know, "What's not to love in Cuenca?" from my own personal experience!!!!!

Precious Ecuadorian women carrying their heavy wares through the streets of Cuenca.  This is what breaks my heart!!!!!!!

31 comments:

  1. Thanks again for posting such great observations and thoughts. How you live in Cuenca now is the way I hope I'll be living when we can move there. Hope to meet you both when we are in Cuenca in late May and early June. God bless you! Mara Gano

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    1. Yes, Mara,
      You will live a certain way that works for you when you move here. It's going to be a different experience for each person, couple, or family that comes to Ecuador. Bo and I are forging our own way daily, learning new things each day, meeting new people, and learning how to live here by trial and error (and we've had some doozy errors!!!). We so look forward to meeting you in a few months. Make sure you stay in touch (enjoy your comments too) so we can be sure to embrace you when you get here!
      Linda

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  2. I love your candid impressions of Cuenca. Mary and I got here a week or so before you and Bo. My first day, first minute out of our hostal and I turned my head 2inches to the left and the next thing I know I'm in the street on my hands and knees looking up at a cars bumper closing fast on my face. One learns fast in Cuenca. Gathering resources and information about our new home has been fun and very informative. Keep pushing the edges of your knowledge here and you'll find really neat things daily. Yesterday we found a furniture store(finally) that has big furniture. It's next to Bananas on Calle Larga. Keep up the great blogging and we'll meet soon. Steve from South of Zero

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    1. Hi Steve,
      Thanks for your words of encouragement. Oh, I can just picture your unexpected fall. A friend of ours tripped on an uneven sidewalk her first week here and broke her foot. Not fun!!!! Bo and I will keep pushing on!!! It's another adventure in our lives. We appreciate your "big furniture" tip too, especially my big Bo. So glad you are enjoying our Blog, and yes, we hope to meet you and Mary SOON!
      Linda

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  3. Linda, this is to help you get your Visa. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bk2wHAUOY0 With love.....

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    1. Beautiful, Helen.
      I will be downloading this song and listening to it.
      Thank you for reminding me that NOTHING is impossible for my God!
      Linda

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  4. I forgot to mention that this furniture store's stuff is all made by them and you can get everything custom fitted and altered to your exact specs if you chose. Their name is Muebles & Complementos. Steve

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    1. Thanks Steve!
      I'm sure my Blog readers will appreciate this information, and a great plug for this Ecuadorian business too. We're going to check it out for sure.
      Linda

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  5. It would be wonderful if some humanitarian organization or a group of expats there could provide some wire folding carts to help some of the women and elderly transport their wares. I'm not sure how practical that would be in traversing the uneven pavement but surely anything would be an improvement. Their plight is sad indeed. I would imagine that something could be done though, if someone caught a vision and ran with it. Like the tower of Babel, anything can be achieved in numerous.

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    1. Hi Helen,
      Yes, this is their way of life and what they know and do!
      I so admire their strength, determination, hard work, and perseverance.
      Thank you for sharing your heart and ideas.
      Sounds like you may have a vision.
      You will have much opportunity to share and contribute to the poor when you come to live here, yes?

      Linda

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    2. Linda, loved your article My partner and I have been SERIOUSLY talking about living in Ecuador and now are in the planning phase of first visiting for a week in the next few months than deciding where to live by early next. I would prefer Cuenca and my partner wants to be near water around Salinas/Manta I am Cuban descent and speak Spanish......granted the natives may consider it Spanglish. My partner David is Midwest native. We will be eventually living on a passive income of 2,600 a month. David is a lic Realtor which may come in handy when do make the move. I am 52 and David turns 50 in April. You mentioned your difficulties with the pensiones visa....Why is that? I look forward to any suggestions advise from recent arrival. Sincerely, Juan

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    3. Hi Juan,
      Welcome to our Blog! I hope you enjoy reading about our personal journey and Cuenca adventure. Every person will have some sort of testimony about the visa process they had to ride through - ours doesn't mean it will be the same for you. We do not qualify for a Pensioner Visa, so we are applying for the Investment Visa. Some people get their visas on their own, some hire a relocation service or an attorney, some get one within the 90 days, others have to apply for an extension on their passports. So, it all has to do with the timing, the person helping you and how effectively they communicate, the changes in immigration and government requirements for documents, etc.

      When you come to stay, you will want to find out exactly which documents you will need personally for whatever visa you are applying for. Wait until you know when you are coming to stay, then begin gathering those documents prior so they don't outdate! Remember, things change here, so by the time you move here, you'll need to know the current requirements.

      Our difficulty has been in lack of information and communication in opening up a bank account to get our money transferred here from the USA so we can obtain the investment CD. Only then can we obtain the investment document required to submit all our apostilled documents to immigration and get the visa process going. Because some of our US documents are time-sensitive (60-90 days), all the back and forth to the bank, the waiting, the "We need this now...." and the lack of communication has made this process difficult for us. To date, the bank account is now opened and our money is coming!!! As soon as this happens, we will be able to submit our documents, and hopefully they will be accepted and not outdated. Then we are able to stay on our 90 day visa without having to apply for an extension (which becomes another expense). All this to say, waiting and patience is all a part of living here peacefully.

      I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions, let us know. May your planning and visits give you the answers you need to find the best location for where you and David ultimately hope to live. It is a big undertaking, but many have done it and are glad they did. for us, we're living here day by day and what will be will be!!
      Linda

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  6. I have told you and will keep telling you, there is a book between you and Bo--a story all will like and new ex-pats need to hear!!! I so enjoy these insights into your new life.

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    1. Thank you, Shadley, for your continued words of encouragement. I think you are our greatest FAN! Keep on cheering and commenting, and we're so glad you are enjoying our insights and honesty as we experience and share our journey here in Ecuador. It's been an amazing ride in the short time here - but the rewards and memories we're making will make all the glitches and "suddenlies" worth it! So, onward we continue until we're given different marching orders by our King!
      When are you coming to visit????
      Linda

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  7. Aha! That was the list I was waiting for. Thank you for that! I imagine it will be very similar to the list Cathy and I come up with if we ever make it down there. However, I'm sure that "missing the grand kids" will top of the list of things we will not love. Regarding the Residency Visa, I thought I read somewhere that there is a Visa that only requires that you live there 9 months out of the year for 2 years. Do you know anything about that?

    Thanks,
    Bob

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    1. Hi Bob,
      Glad you got "the list" you were waiting for. More to come, I'm sure. We want to be as honest as possible about the struggles as well as the joys of living here for us, personally. It will be different for others, of course. I didn't post things like how much I miss my mom (she's 87, in a home for dementia, and a big part of my life!!!). That's not something that's affecting me because of the Ecuadorian lifestyle. I wanted to list the things about Ecuador that I'm not enjoying but that I cannot change and will have to learn to adjust to. So, I wanted to reflect in the "leave it" part of the list things that are about Ecuador that I'm struggling with.

      As far as the Visa question, it is required (to date) that we live in Ecuador for 9 months out of the year for two years, no matter what visa we apply for. We are applying for the investment visa since we don't qualify for the pensioner visa, and then we can apply for our cedulas. After two years, we can come and go as we please. Things change here continually, so don't quote me on this, and I could be wrong even as I write. There are forums that may have recent postings about the latest requirements, one being expatexchange.com. Stay in touch, and keep on dreaming and planning, and before you know it you'll be taking a great leap of faith and making wonderful changes. One never knows until they experience it. We have no idea how long we are here for - it's a day to day walk and journey. That's how we live and it works for us.
      Stay in touch and hope you continue to enjoy our journey!
      Linda

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    2. Thanks for clearing up the visa options. I bet by the time we get there you will have found a good alternative to the lack of wholegrain bread! The wine could be a bit more difficult :)

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  8. Just found your blog...loved the list! Thanks for sharing...we are considering a retirement to Cuenca and are soaking up as much information as we can before we take our month long excursion.

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    1. Hi Donna,
      Yes, the list! I'm sure it will be changing the longer we are here - hopefully with more love its!!! Soak it up! It's what I did before we came here sight unseen. I read blogs, forums, and whatever I could find about Cuenca and those already here. It truly helped me know what we were coming to. Bo also! There are a few in my blog list that are very informative so check them out - they really spoke to me. Let us know when you get here so we can meet.
      Linda

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  9. Greetings from wet and cold Willamette Valley, Linda and Bo. We are also in the midst of moving to Cuenca, waiting for the house to sell and getting rid of all our stuff. We will also be arriving with four checked in suitcases and two carry ons. How did you guys get away with four carry ons? We thought you could only have two. Four would be great since two of our carry ons will be my husband's guitars. Thanks for the great blog and we hope to meet up with you guys when we get there. We are hoping to be there by May. Lorraine

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    1. Hi Lorraine,
      Sorry I didn't respond sooner - I must have missed receiving your comment and question. Welcome to our Blog, and we always love hearing from our Willamette Valley neighbors. I'm excited for you as you prepare to "lighten your load and repack your bags" and head to Cuenca. Lorraine, our carry-ons are always 1 backpack each, and then a roll-on suitcase that is within the requirements of a carry-on. The backpacks are always accepted and they hold ALOT. Mine is a LowPro Camera BackPack that carries lots of camera gear (which I stuff with other things) and Bo's is a large pack stuffed too. Then we each had two suitcases each. I found two "High Sierra" backpack roller bags at the Goodwill in Eugene (by Home Depot) for $7 each - practically new. They are the best. The other two suitcases were large roll-ons. To be honest, we brought too much STUFF!! Even in only those bags! If I had it to do over again...... Well, that will be another blog post.

      Do stay in touch and please do contact us so we can meet more ExPat Oregonians here. We Duck Fans and rain survivors MUST stick together. You're going to LOVE the weather in Cuenca - it's PERFECT.
      LINDA (AND BO)

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  10. We live in Eugene and are considering Cuenca for the future. I totally understand the "rain" thing. It gets old.
    My question is about my husband. He has a hard time getting around sometimes..unsteady. Are the sidewalks really that bad? Would he have other options than walking all of the time? Do you think a cane would do the trick? These questions may seem a bit silly, but I guess I would appreciate any clarification you could send. I wouldn't want him to feel stuck inside all of the time. Thanks for your input. Sue

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    1. Hello Sue,
      How fun to have someone from beautiful Eugene, Oregon reading our Blog! Yes, we DO NOT miss the rain. The weather here, however, is perfect for us coming from the Willamette Valley. Not too hot or cold, blue skies every day, and rain that goes away daily. It is green, lush, and flowers bloom year long. What more can we ask for in the weather department? As for the sidewalks, of course there are areas that are just fine. One just has to pay attention, watching where they are walking to dodge the pipes, ruts, slopes, etc. It is no problem walking - we walk everywhere (great for weight loss and fitness). If you live directly in El Centro, you would walk a lot. If you live outside the City Center area, buses are 25 cents, and taxis $1.50 or $2. There are many aged and unsteady people walking the streets of Cuenca daily and they do just fine. I hope this helps. Stay in touch, and I hope you continue to enjoy our journey in Cuenca.
      Linda

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    2. Thank you for the update. Am I doing this blog thing correctly? Had to remember which blog post I wrote on and check back on it? Is there another way that is easier to correspond? I am not sure, is all. Sue O

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    3. Hi Sue,
      You can sign up on the right to receive e-mail posts, then click on the blog title in your e-mail to read the post or comment response. You can also sign up as a google member follower on the right. This is how our regular readers know when I post something new or answer their questions or comments. Hope this helps. Let me know....
      Linda

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  11. Hi Linda,
    Having read your blog and the realities of daily life in Cuenca,seems a small price to pay for the other niceties,having lived in Africa this seems quite tame.
    My wife and will be visiting Cuenca in the beginning of May we would like to meet you both if possible
    Thanks
    Kass

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    1. Welcome to our Blog, Kass,
      I believe you will LOVE Cuenca - What's not to love? Well, we all have our own list of what is and what is not to love. It's going to be every individual's personal journey - which is what I hope our blog is expressing.

      Do stay in touch, and when you arrive in May, leave us your comment and information so we can get together. Until then, enjoy our continuing story of our life in Cuenca.
      Linda (and Bo)

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  12. Hi Linda,
    I just found out our dates for Cuenca,we will there for two nights May 9 and 10th,if its convenient for you may be we get together one evening,we will be staying at the Santa Lucia Hotel.
    We would love to meet both of you....
    Regards
    Kass

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    1. Yes, Kass!
      How exciting that you will be coming to beautiful Cuenca soon.
      Do make sure you contact us when you are here so we can plan to meet. I have marked those dates on our calendar. We look forward to sharing some of your precious time in Cuenca together. If you are staying at the Historic District location, you will be only about 3 blocks from where we live.
      See you in a couple months.
      Linda

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  13. Hi Linda,
    We will be Cuenca next month Ma9th and 10,and be staying at the Santa Lucia,how can i get in touch with you.Are there any THINGS that you need from here please let me know.
    We looking forward to spending some time with you both.
    Kass

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  14. Kass,
    So good to hear from you. Soon, you'll be here!! I already have our calendar marked with your visit dates to Cuenca. We're looking forward to getting together too. What state do you currently living in? If you'd like, please send me your e-mail so we can write you personally.
    Linda


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Leave us your comments and I will respond with any questions you may have. Enjoy our Blog! Linda (y Bo)