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Eternal Spring Weather in Cuenca - Really?
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One major reason we left Eugene-Springfield, Oregon after living there 40 years was because we got tired of NINE long months of RAIN every year. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) was draining Bo, and it played a big part of our decision not to retire in Bluegene, Oregon. We both love Oregon. It's one of the most beautiful states in all of the USA. It has the Majestic Pacific Oregon Coast, spectacular mountains and breathtaking waterfalls, and one of the most beautiful dry desert areas ever. But, in the Willamette Valley, it RAINS and RAINS - way too much. Also, it is one of the most deadly allergy season areas with high grass pollens, and many people cannot live there or they would die - seriously! Some continue to stay there and are seasonally allergic and physically miserable.
So, weather was a big decision maker on where we would spend our glorious retirement age. In our research, we kept reading about this "Eternal Spring" area of Ecuador - CUENCA! We liked the idea of living where it was SPRING year-round. Neither of us like HOT and HUMID, nor do we enjoy COLD and SNOWY. We survived our comfortable Oregon life because of the mild winters and minimal snow and ice. Yes, WEATHER is a big factor in most people's decisions as to where to spend their golden years.
I LOVE the weather in Cuenca! So does Bo. Now, here's a man who agonized in the long rainy season each year. You would think the same would be happening in Cuenca, since it rains here A LOT! But, what's a lot? Compared to Eugene, Oregon, it hardly rains here. Oh yes, it rains daily, and it thunders, and it rains HARD. Yet, every day we wake up to beautiful majestic blue skies and the most amazing cloud formations. Every day, we walk in Cuenca's perfect weather, for us anyway, and we don't have to deal with hot humid days, ice or snow, nor do we have to deal with mosquitoes or bugs. Every day, we walk around with our umbrellas or raincoats knowing the rains will come, but we only have to use them intermittently. We know that each afternoon the rain will stop and once again the blue skies will evidence themselves.
If you move here from an extremely rainy mountainous area, as we did, this cooler high altitude climate and rain will not be a negative. We are mountain people. We love the green and being surrounded by the beauty of the mountain ranges. We also love the rain because it clears the air and makes everything sparkle. Living in a big city and knowing there is a lot of pollution from the city buses and cars makes us embrace the rain. Again, the sun shines every day, it is warm and spring-like every day, and we know how to dress to embrace all four seasons from morning until evening. This is why we chose to live in Cuenca, why it works for us, and why we LOVE THE WEATHER HERE!
So, don't move to Cuenca if your blood is thin, you're moving here from a hot humid climate area that you love, or if you love mosquitoes and bugs and being near the sand and beach. Move here if you love ETERNAL SPRING weather that sometimes has a cooler bite to it and where it RAINS and POURS every day. Move here if you're not afraid of the daily weather surprises. Move here if you can say, "I LOVE the WEATHER in Cuenca!" If not, go some place else or you won't be happy. Afterall, that's why you're leaving the place you're at, right? 'Cause ya wanna be happy. Well, that's another posting, so don't get me started. What's gonna make you HAPPY? Because it isn't the weather, it isn't the place you live, it isn't the things you have or bring or accumulate, and it isn't living somewhere that has ETERNAL SPRING WEATHER. Think about it!!!!!
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Our majestic Cuenca Skies will change from morning until evening....
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......and if you're out walking, ya better have your rain gear with you, 'cause once that blue isn't peaking through the clouds anymore......
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.......it's best you're either inside a restaurant eating and staying dry, or cozy and warm inside your home!!! (yes, home sweet home!!)
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The powerful rains will come SUDDENLY and HARD (a view from my office window)..........
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.....and the skies will become gloriously and majestically beautiful and thunderous, yet below it will suddenly become dark and VERY VERY WET!!!!
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The city streets will flood up with the powerful down pour and SUDDENLY no one will be walking around......
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......except for this family who got caught in the down pour - without any rain gear nor one single umbrella!!! What to do? STOP and open up the plastic sheet (wait, that is their rain gear!!!).....
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.......and they brilliantly cover up.......
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.......and keep on truckin'!!!
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Even those with umbrellas have to duck sometimes because the rains are so POWERFUL for some of the flimsy umbrellas out there!
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Yes, sometimes a plastic sheet works a lot better than a flimsy umbrella to keep one dry - ya think????
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This posting is not to discourage you about the weather here. It's to bring you TRUTH so you don't come here expecting your version of Eternal Spring when you read all those rave (false) reviews about how perfect the weather is in Cuenca. It's only as perfect as you allow it to be. Nothing's perfect!!! So, come here prepared for a little bit of EVERYTHING. IF NOT, ya better go some place else 'cause there's already enough mumblers, grumblers and complainers moving and living here. Just saying......
