WEATHER IN CUENCA - Some say "Rain, Rain, Go Away!!!"

Eternal Spring Weather in Cuenca - Really?

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!!!!!

Our majestic Cuenca Skies will change from morning until evening....

......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......

.......it's best you're either inside a restaurant eating and staying dry, or cozy and warm inside your home!!! (yes, home sweet home!!)

The powerful rains will come SUDDENLY and HARD (a view from my office window)..........

.....and the skies will become gloriously and majestically beautiful and thunderous, yet below it will suddenly become dark and VERY VERY WET!!!!

The city streets will flood up with the powerful down pour and SUDDENLY no one will be walking around......

......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!!!).....

.......and they brilliantly cover up.......

.......and keep on truckin'!!!

Even those with umbrellas have to duck sometimes because the rains are so POWERFUL for some of the flimsy umbrellas out there!

Yes, sometimes a plastic sheet works a lot better than a flimsy umbrella to keep one dry - ya think????

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......

CARNAVAL AND CUY IN CUENCA ECUADOR!! To Cuy Or Not To Cuy........

WARNING:  This post is not for the fainthearted, nor is it for Vegans or Vegetarians or animal-rights enthusiasts!  So, if you are any of these, DO NOT read, and especially DO NOT look at the graphic photos.  Hey, don't say I didn't warn you!!

CARNAVAL KIDS!  Powder and water-attacked and having fun!!

CARNAVAL and CUY

We're in our rainy season, I think!!  I keep asking different people, including Ecuadorians, if we're in our summer or winter season, and I get a different answer from everyone.  So, I've concluded that there is the rainy season and the dry season, the warmer season and the colder season.  I'm still not sure how long the rainy season is because, again, I get different answers (someone must know!!!!).  Today, it rained on and off (not like Eugene-Springfield, Oregon where it is mostly on for 8-9 months a year - really!!).  Bo and I love the weather here, even the rain.  There is always blue sky, and the rains freshen up the city and keep the landscape lush and green.

Also, it's CARNAVAL IN CUENCA!! The city is quiet and ghost town-like today compared to a typical bustling Monday in El Centro.  All the stores, mercados and vendor services, bus transporation, and restaurants are closed today and tomorrow, and Ecuadorians are doing balcony water-dousing and walk-by and drive-by water balloon or water gun attacks on pedestrians who are available targets.  Or, perhaps one might get squirted with fruity-smelling liquid from a spray can.  Yes, I got water-bombed by a passing vehicle attacker on my legs today while out walking with our friends (and so did they, only with the spray-can goop).

"Good Sport Gringos" attacked on Carnaval!!!!

 I'm glad I had on my microfiber quick-drying tights!  If you read about Carnaval, you'll know more about this wild and wet religious fiesta that has been celebrated for hundreds of years and actually used to be a way for people to satisfy their relational enmities with violent bloody fighting on the streets.  Apparently, it's calmed down some over the years but still continues, hopefully in a less violent manner.  Recently, a new law was passed that strangers cannot be attacked in any manner or there will be a $7 fine and a few hours in jail as a consequence.  Yeah, right!  Like anyone's paying attention to that.  There were police officers everywhere today, and kids and families were still running around attacking each other with spray cans, boxes of powder and water ballons.  Personally, I don't enjoy this particular fiesta after what I've read, but it's the Ecuadorians' tradition, and they seem to love it - or at least those who are participating in it seem to. 

In spite of the possibility of being water-doused from a balcony above or water-bombed by a passing vehicle, we walked around the city anyway this afternoon (brave souls that we are), and ended up around the 9 De Octubre Mercado, where a few vendors were set up cooking CUY.  It smelled so delicious as we approached the vendor stands, our friends decided to go for it (brave souls that they are!) and try Cuy for their first time since arriving in Cuenca.  Soon, they were indulging and feasting on this freshly smoked Equadorian delicacy.  For me, it was an opportunity to photograph the vendors' open fire cooking method.

WARNING:  GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF COOKING CUY ON AN OPEN FIRE!!! 

A strong and delicious barbecue smell suddenly wafted through the air right to our nostrils as  we were walking along the city streets.  So, we crossed the street and came upon several vendors cooking and selling their delicacies outside the 9 De Octubre Mercado area.  Yes, it was CUY on an open fire......

So, how exactly do they prep and prepare these little Ecuadorian delicacies?

Well, first the vendor places the cuy over the cooking pole and threads it through (top & bottom photos)

Then she ties the head....

.......and ties the entrails.

The Cuy is continually basted and hand-turned over the open fire.

This vendor team had two poles each, continually turning and basting four Cuy at a time.  They told me it takes approximately ten minutes to cook a Cuy this way. (They were cooking and selling their Cuy like hot Cuys, I mean Cakes!!)

At the request of our friends, the Cuy was cut and served with a side of Ecuadorian-style Papitas Y Choclo......Oh, and a Coca-Cola - the Ecuadorian drink of choice!!!!

.....and our friends had a captive Ecuadorian audience as they tasted CUY for their first time!!  Cuy is a delicacy and delight for Ecuadorians.  They are cooked and served as a way of showing honor at weddings, birthdays, and other fiestas and celebrations.  I think Ecuadorians will find any excuse to serve Cuy!!!  It costs from $6 to $8 for an entire Cuy which is one serving for an Ecuadorian.  Our friends shared one CUY and didn't quite clean up the tiny bones like their audience did - but, hey, it was their first time learning the art of eating this little critter!

It was another delightful day walking through the Carnaval-wet and Cuy-cooking streets of our beautiful city, Cuenca!!  What's not to love about Cuenca and Fun Friends????

VISA PROCESS IN CUENCA - PART 2 - VISA VENTING - And Thank You God For Sending Us Help and Hope!

I was so discouraged yesterday.  After six plus hours at the immigration office trying to obtain our residency visas, we walked away and headed home both mentally and physically exhausted and overwhelmed with the task ahead if we wanted to continue this grueling residency visa process.  Some of our documents were rejected due to specific "picky" translation errors, every translated page must now be signed by the translator and they were not, and our residency application was incorrect (it must be filled out in Spanish only).  I could have lived with all of these rejections because they could have been corrected in a few days.  However, because Cuenca had run out of an absolutely required form called Movimiento Migratorio, immigration would not accept our visit as an initial submission of documents until we had that filled out form - which, by the way, we are told is going to take two weeks or more before they will be available.  In Ecuador, that could be two or three months!  Then, to top this "gone south" visa episode, our marriage license was now 91 days from the apostilled date stamped, and it has to be no more than 90 days once the documents are considered submitted.  SO, FOR ONE DAY (can you hear me SCREAMING), and because of their RIGID inflexibility to make any exception in our favor, we were told that we had to reacquire a current marriage license from Oregon.

This is no small task since we are over 3,500 miles away, living in a snail-mail country, and the clock is ticking because our tourist visit will expire in the next 3 weeks.  Oh, and the reason we are applying so late for our residency is because it took the entire month of January to open an account at Banco Pichincha and have our investment money wired there from our Oregon bank (another LONG story).  There were so many hoops we had to jump through just to open the Pichincha account, and also with all the holidays in Ecuador and so many fiesta days of closed businesses, the time clock just flew.  

Once our money for our investment CD finally arrived to Banco Pichincha end of January, Bo and I heard that JEP Bank paid a much better rate on CD's (9.5%).  So, we immediately walked over there beginning of February, and in less than 2 hours, we opened an account!  The staff there was so helpful and made opening an account an absolute breeze.  Banco Pichincha was not a pleasant experience after continued delays and about six back and forth visits there trying to scramble and gather all the documents and letters they required, and their interest rate is not even great!  So, immediately after opening our JEP account, we hurried over to Banco P, withdrew our money, and returned to deposit it to our JEP account.  Immediately, a CD was issued and we were given the proper documentation to submit to immigration for our investment visa.  Had we known this in the beginning, had our hired relocation helper told us about JEP and the ease of opening an account there, we would not be in the "marriage certificate now expired because of ONE DAY" situation.  But, I digress.......

By the time we realized we needed to jump on things or our documents would be expiring, we ran into the "sorry, but we have no more Movimiento Migratorio forms for two more weeks, at least" dead end!  Our relocation helper told us to go to immigration anyway and maybe they would make an exception.  NOT!  We spent the rest of the afternoon back at our apartment - I took a long nap and Bo went out for a long walk.  We later were invited to our neighbors for dinner, and they gave us all their sympathy since they, too, had recently gone through their own four different immigration denials from hell!  Today, they had finally passed the "picky" visa ordeal and had been accepted!  So, we celebrated them, and they let us whine as we dined with them, completely sympathetic to our situation. 

Every morning is a new day - and we can either rejoice in it or keep sinking.  I woke up very sad and weary, and so I prayed and asked God to give us wisdom and to help us.  I later received an e-mail from some friends here, and I wrote them back and shared our ordeal.  Immediately, we were invited over to process things and find resolution.  We found out from them that we could apply for a 90 day tourist visa extension (12-X) for $30 each, and this would give us peace of mind and lots more time to continue our visa process.  We jumped on a bus this afternoon (really, you have to jump on or they ride away and drag you along) and headed to our rescuers.  What encouragers!  Within a couple hours, our friends had helped us download the proper forms, fill them out, printed them for us, wrote us the appropriate extension application letter, and told me all I had to do to before going down to immigration's passport section next week and applying for extensions.  We would not have known this without our friends (since they are going through a similar visa rejection ordeal and time crunch).  We only knew about the $230 visa extensions (which we did not want to have to spend that much money on).  They've truly paid it forward to us, and I can't wait to do the same one day.

We visited for a few hours and laughed a lot, and then Bo and I jumped another bus home (I LOVE the buses here for 25 cents, and they drop us off a block or two from home).  Once home, we checked our e-mails, and Bo's brother wrote back (whom we had e-mailed last night asking if he would go to Portland and obtain certified copies of our marriage license and then take them to Salem and have them apostilled).  He told us the task was done and our documents were on the way today DHL Express and will arrive in Cuenca on the 15th (that's EXPRESS). it is costing us $170 - but that's a lot less than if we had to fly back to Oregon!  We still may have time to submit our documents before our 90 day passports expire on March 4th, but I don't think we want to chance things for only another $60 for the visa extensions and 90 more days each.

So, here I sit, hopeful again, and all because of the help we received today from our Cuenca friends and Oregon brother.  We still have a lot ahead of us to  accomplish.  Translation of documents must be corrected, and when the apostilled marriage licenses (I got two copies just to play it safe) arrive, they must be translated and notarized.  We have to make another trip to immigration once the Movimiento Migratorio forms are in, and the process will begin all over again (yikes!).


When I think of the positives about being here, I smile.  In spite of "suddenlies" and discouragements, which will always be a part of our days and life, it's the people we surround ourselves with who can be that voice of encouragement, that rah-rah-rah team, that wisdom and help we need when we wouldn't know what to do.  These are the friends who help us climb out of the pit of despair.  Today, we were reminded that we are not alone.  Even as new as we are in Cuenca, we already have people here who have shown themselves to be there for us!

Thank you neighbor friends, for dinner last night and for listening and caring.

Thank you friends, for letting us know the next step to take and for helping us accomplish this and encouraging us today.
Thank you brother Dave, for being there for us when we so needed you miles and miles away and getting our task accomplished so quickly.
Thank you God, for always giving Bo and me hope by sending us help and words of wisdom and encouragement, and for picking us up when we feel like we're sinking.

Yes, today's turned out to be another wonderful day in Cuenca!!!

Calle Larga - Blue Skies in Cuenca!!!  Not a day's gone by since being here that I don't walk around in sandals and a t-shirt.

Parque De Calderon - Flowers bloom year round in Cuenca!!  How I love sitting in this park surrounded by the beauty and watching the people walking by!

 

LIVING IN CUENCA ECUADOR - SUNDAY WITH "SOUTH OF ZERO" STEVE AND MARY

Because we spend our days in the city, it's always nice to have an out-of-city experience!  So, on Sunday, we walked from El Centro to Tres Puentes along the Yunancay River to meet up with Steve and Mary, creators of South of Zero and Expadorian Blogs. We ended up spending the day together as they took us on a Looooong walk through their neck of the woods.  It was another beautiful warm and sunny day, and we had a fun and funny time (they enjoy laughing and joking around just like us) getting to know each other and seeing lots of new sites along the way.

of course, I had my camera with me, and I was able to photograph new areas more locals of Cuenca.  It was enjoyable capturing some of the scenic landmarks as well as photographing special Ecuadorian people we met along the way.  One never knows what or whom they will encounter in a day, and for me, it's about the people we meet and the stories they graciously share.  I love engaging the local people with my Spanish questions which they so willingly answer, letting me behind their curtain and into their humble lives.  They also love to know about us, estranjeros (foreigners) - why we've come to Cuenca and what we think about their homeland - especially, where we're from and why we've left the United States for Cuenca, Ecuador.  

A Photojournal Story of Our Day with SOZ Steve and Mary

Mary and Steve from South of Zero - Ready to torture us on a LONG walk outside the city.  It was an exceptionally warm and "blue sky" day - and we loved having them as our tour guides.

The weather was perfect today for the locals who do their laundry in the river and then lay them on the grassy slopes to dry (this is the Yunancay River).

I'm always interested in the locals' lifestyle and how they live.  I had a friendly conversation with Joanna and Maria who told me that because they have little water at home (enough for cooking and bathing) they come to the river where they have plentiful water and can scrub their laundry on the rocks.  They shared that more people used to wash in the river, but the water is not as pure as it used to be.

We also saw locals bathing their pets this warm and sunny afternoon.  Do you think this dog is going to give in so easily?  I think NOT! 

When we're out on our long Cuenca walks, I am always happy to see the beautiful foliage and colorful plants in January.  Cuenca always presents this photographer with an incredible beauty!  (photos above and below).

There are walking/running/bike paths along the beautiful rivers of Cuenca.

......and artistically painted walls along the city streets.

We visited Parque Paraiso (Huayna-Capac, Santa Ana de Los Cuatro Rios de Cuenca) , and strolled along their wooden walkways. 

Mary and Steve were very patient with this photographer who loves to stop (a lot!) and capture the beauty that adorns this city.  More beautiful colorful flowers (photo below)!  The weather here is perfect for us - not to hot or cold, no humidity, no mosquitoes, and flowering plants year round!!!

I absolutely love this area along Calle De Las Herrerias.  The colorful buildings and the magical sky makes this look like a painting!  By now, these four walkers are tired, hungry, and thirsty, so we headed for La Casa De las Golosinas where they make the best Tamales in the world (Bo and I think!).  Steve and Mary also agree that these Tamales ROCK!  If you want cold beers to go with your Tamales, don't go on a Sunday!

Sra. Zoila Quesada is the Tamale creator and owner of this tiny restaurant.  She saw my camera and asked me if I would take her photo.  Of course, I waited while she went to change her apron and freshen up before posing.  We chatted in Spanish and she proudly began to share her success by sitting with us and showing us different articles and magazines where her story and photos of her delicious tamales have been featured.

As hungry and thirsty as I was, while Bo, Steve and Mary feasted, I continued to chat with and photography Sra. Zoila and she was loving it!

If you've never eaten here, YOU MUST!  I told Sr. Zoila I was going to share her photos on my blog and let our readers know about her delicious tamales, which are only 60 cents each (Address: Calle Del Las Herrerias 2-10).  She proudly smiled.  I then told her I would love to see her production line and how she makes her prize tamales.  She invited me back to let me behind the curtain and share in this wonderful experience! (More photos to come!!!)  It really makes me happy when I meet the locals and am able to share in their humble lives and learn about their hardworking culture.  

What's so fun about meeting new friends is sharing our individual Cuenca experiences with each other.  We introduced Steve and Mary to the best Tamales (which were introduced to us by our friends Tim and Ruta), and now they were going to take us to their delicious Ecuadorian out-of-the-way lunch haven!  (Three happy hams posing for this photographer!  Do they look like they've just walked 100 miles?  Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit.....but we did walk for miles and miles and miles!)

The ICE COLD beers and crispy salty Platanos Chips were to die for!!

The Ceviche De Cameron was indescribably delicious ($4.50, really!!!)......

.....and the Encebollado was perfectly seasoned and chock full of the most heavenly seafood (Tuna) and other surprise ingredients ($2.25 - I kid you not!!!).

 It was a fabulous way to end our day - sitting under the shaded tables outside, sharing funny stories about our lives and yucking it up together.  Steve and Mary arrived one week before we did in December and are going through some of the same "Visa" challenges as we are.  Now we can encourage each other and then go and celebrate when we finally accomplish receiving our visas and cedulas.  Yes, it was another good day in Cuenca - making new friends and meeting more wonderful locals along the way.

I can't wait to take Sra. Zoila her photos and watch her make tamales!!