ART IN CUENCA ECUADOR - Cuenca's November 2013 Festival De Artesanias De America - Oh, how I love ART!

A fabulous weekend of amazing art!

I love art!  I love music!  I love vendor food!  I love decorating my apartment! I love Cuenca!!  Back in April, we enjoyed the art festival so much, and bought fabulous colorful wall art for our apartment #5, which we had just moved into.  It needed such attention, and with colorful splashes of paint and beautiful art from the festival, it was starting to look like our place.  I couldn't wait for the November show that everyone said would happen - and it finally did! 

This past weekend was the celebration of Cuenca's independence from Spain 193 years ago, and it is Cuenca's largest yearly festival!

For three glorious days, Bo and I perused the vendor booths along with the crowds, making some very special purchases for our small apartment.  We are happy with our choices, and it was such a joyous time for us and Cuenca's shopping crowds.

I'll let my photography tell the story!

All along the Tomebamba River and in different areas of the Historic District, talented musicians played fabulous music and marketed their CDs. 

The indigenous music added so much to the flavor of the festival.

These were my favorite musicians, and oh so talented.......

......and I bought two of their CDs, which I continue to enjoy immensely.

A very talented harpist drew in the crowds.

It isn't a festival without music AND dancing!!!

Both sides of the Tomebamba River were lined with vendors, tents, and shoppers.  All weekend, the weather was perfect - comfortably warm and just a sprinkling of rain!  

The Tent-lined Tomebamba River was the perfect place for relaxing and cooling off.

Fragrant and spectacular flowers are always abundant during Cuenca's many festivals.

We stopped to visit our favorite flower vendedora, Anita, and she lovingly bought Bo and me Guaguas de pan.  These are traditional Ecuadorian sweet bread figures. They are shaped like babies or dolls and have a cream filling inside. Guaguas are a part of the Day of the Deceased holiday which is celebrated on Saturday, November 2nd.   Anita also bought us a hot drink called Colada Morada, a traditional beverage for Dia De Los Muertos.  They were a delicious treat, and we were touched by Anita's thoughtfulness towards us.

While we were enjoying our special treats and talking with Anita, suddenly motorcycle cops flashed by with secret service men and military and security cars.  President Correa was being escorted to a military parade that was going on along Huayana Capac.  Darn, I missed getting his photo!

Some drink too much and end up sleeping along the city sidewalks.

This beautiful aged woman resting hugged me when I told her my name, gave her a coin, and then prayerfully blessed her.

Ahhhh, the beautiful children of Cuenca.  How precious!!  Love her outfit, and her innocent fascination with the big bug.

Some of the children had their faces painted for the festivities.  

There was a huge variety of wares for sale - from those "killer" high heeled shoes......

.......to beautiful handcrafted masks (we had to have these!!!)......

and unique and colorful pottery (and these too!!).

A large tent displayed the history and unique work of the Amazon people.  This woman glaring at my camera made sure I put a coin in the basket at her feet.  You betcha, I will!!!!

The light rail display at the Otorongo Plaza drew quite the crowds.  They had a fabulous display showing the future routes throughout the city that this modern railway will be traveling.  It is going to eliminate the loud and stinky buses from the Historic District - Yippee, since we live right on a main and noisy bus route!!  What a beautiful city we live in - and it's going to be even more amazing with this transportation addition.

While many were spending money at this amazing art show, the poor were hoping for a coin or two.  You will see Luis hanging around the market steps or sitting along the historic area streets, always ready for someone's blessing.

Bo was drawn to these inexpensive stick figures.....

....and ended up buying the $5 colorful Iguana from this humble artist.

We always get the names of the people we meet and buy from.  Servilio Sarango proudly wrote his name for us in Bo's little book.  He then picked a simple stick figure and gifted it to us, asking us if we would bring him a copy of the photos I took of him and his work.  We know where he lives and works, so we will definitely honor his wishes.  It's so important to us to know the people we encounter here and to somehow bless them.  My photography always makes them smile.

We followed this unique old woman as she hobbled along the city sidewalks....

.....all that weight on her frail and aged body.......

.....and when she stopped at a food vendor booth, we bought her meal.  She was so tired and so grateful.  There are so many people to bless here along the city streets. 

Yes, some of our favorite foods will come from the hardworking street vendors.  We loved having Llapingachos (yap-in-gachos), a traditional Ecuadorian oh-so-delicious potato cake that is stuffed with a white cheese.....

....and served with finely diced raw onion and tomatoes.  Five for $1.00!!  Bet ya can't eat just one, or five!!!!

For us, it's so convenient to live right in the heart of the Historic District.  The art show along the river is just a few blocks from our apartment, so we were able to continually go home and rest, and then back out shopping!  This particular route home along the Tomebamba river is quite colorful.  Yes, Cuenca is a happening city, and this artsy festive weekend was one of the best yet!

I hope you enjoyed my pictorial essay of our fabulous weekend in Cuenca!  Always, thank you for your comments.  It's always so nice to hear from our Blog Fans.

LIVING IN ECUADOR - Corpus Christi Celebration in Cuenca - A Sweet Tooth's Delight!!!

CORPUS CHRISTI SWEET TREATS

 Yes, another "fiesta" in Cuenca!  This is one celebrating, partying, fireworks-blasting, food-vendor selling, family-shopping, sweet-tooth craving city!!!  It's not unusual to see Ecuadorians walking around this vibrant city smiling and enjoying their daily ice-cream fix, but this sweet-tooth "religious" celebration has topped any amount of confection and sweets I have ever seen in one place in my entire life - no exaggeration!!

I'd never even heard of Corpus Christi.  So, what is it?

A little history of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) or Septenario (Seven Days):

• In Latin, it means, "Body of Christ."
• It takes place sixty days after Easter Sunday and last for seven days.
• In the Catholic religion, it is one of the most important holidays of the liturgical calendar.
• It is celebrated around the world.
• Seven years after the founding of Cuenca, Corpus Christi was introduced by the Spanish in 1654 to replace the Inti Raymi, an Inca celebration of the harvest.  

In Cuenca, Ecuador, vendors set up booths around Parque Calderon and along the streets of the flower market area, displaying mounds of colorful sweets.

  

For seven nights, I have viewed from our apartment terrace the most amazing light shows of loud and colorful rockets of fireworks blaring above the three domes, as this beautiful historic city has come alive once again. Throughout the day and night, El Centro had been adorned with colorful lights, delicious displays of every candy you can imagine, and beautiful Ecuadorian families milling around their city center buying and savoring sweet treats and celebrating another one of Cuenca's religious and festive events. 

Ecuadorian children love their special fiestas and delicious sweets.....

Mounds of Sweets Galore!

A vendor waits for her sale!

A shopper selects her treats.....

Cream-filled pastries - one of my favorites!

  Vendors were meticulous about their presentations and displays....

.....and every booth had it's own unique assortment of colorful candies and pastries!

Of course, the sweetest of treats for me every day in Cuenca are the beautiful children I get to embrace and photograph! 

Today is the last day of a seven day celebration!  As I sit here in my cozy city flat listening to the rockets bursting in the air, I wonder what the next Cuenca cacophony will be as this city continues to celebrate its many religious traditions and festivities.  There's always something here to look forward to.  What's not to love about Cuenca???

So, guess how many candies and pastries Bo and I ended up buying throughout the course of seven days? 



APPLYING FOR A VISA IN ECUADOR - OUR RESIDENCY VISA OUTCOME - HOW THIS ALL ENDED!

On April 26th, Friday, Bo received e-mail notification from the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores that our documents were finalized and we were to report to the immigration office on Thursday, May 2nd at 12 noon.  Because we had applied for an investment visa residency, we would have to first pick up our original CD certificate from the immigration office and take it to the Banco Central Del Ecuador and have it registered.  We were then scheduled to return to immigration between 2 and 4 pm, and then they would finalize our visa stamps in our passports.

Of course, we hoped for the best but prepared for the worst.  After all, this hasn't been the smoothest process for us, but what else could go wrong to delay what we have been so long waiting for?  We grabbed our original passports, $640 cash ($320 each) for our final visa payment, and hopped a bus to immigration.  At approximately 12:15 pm they called Bo's name, and we were at the front counter (like old times).  This time, we were given our CD certificate and two other forms and told to take them down to El Banco Central and someone would help us there.  I specifically asked, "Are there any other forms or information we need to provide to them or just these papers?"  I was assured, "Just these papers!"

We were delayed getting to Banco Central because we were given wrong bus information by the "Securidad" guard, who assured me when I drilled down on him that he was Cuencano and knew the bus system.  Well, we hopped the wrong bus and had to get off quite a distance from the bank, so we ended up walking the rest of the way.  When we arrived there, we were told by the machine-gun-toting information man to go to the 2nd floor.  There, we were intercepted by the one and only person who could have helped us - he was on his way to lunch with a co-worker.  Had we arrived one minute later we would have missed him.  Lunch time in Cuenca can run from 1 pm to 3 pm for some.  Apparently, he knew we were coming, but because of our delay in getting there due to wrong bus information, he must have figured we weren't coming and decided to take his lunch break.  

Once in his office, he asked me for a certain form.  I questioned him, "What form?"  He then showed me a form that was necessary to begin this process.  NO!  This can't be happening!!  Inside I panicked, but I calmly said in Spanish, "Sir, I specifically asked the front desk person at immigration if I needed any other forms but these, and she assured me I didn't!  I don't believe they know about this form!"  He was silent for a moment, looked at me (probably seeing my distress - I wear my heart on my sleeve) and then replied, "No problem.  Let me see your husband's passport.  I can still do this."  God's favor prevails again!!  We sat quietly while he busily began his task of registering our CD certificate.  This is to assure we don't withdraw that large sum of money prior to the year it is certified for (all a part of the investment visa residency requirements). 

At last!  He kindly handed us two stamped and signed documents that we were to return to immigration.  He told us that we could get the form he required and bring it to him later.  I asked, "Sir, is it necessary?"  He looked at me, then he shrugged and said, "No.  Don't worry.  It's not necessary."  Go figure!!  We smiled, shook his hand and thanked him, and rushed out of there before he changed his mind.  Yes, things change here from one moment to the next.  When you get favor here, RUN WITH IT!!!!

We took a cab back to immigration (by now I was emotionally and physically tired), and returned there at 2 pm.  Before approaching the security guard, I quickly glanced at the registered CD documents from the bank man and suddenly noticed that they had spelled Bo's last name wrong, as most people do.  LONGWOOD not LONGOOD.  Mr. El Banco Central CD Register Man had put in that deadly "W."  Knowing how critical it is to have every name correct for the visa process, we looked at each other with dread.  Would this mean having to go back to the bank and more visa delays?  Bo calmly said, "Maybe they won't notice.  Or maybe they will!  We'll see what happens."  What else could we do?  NOTHING at this point.  Again, I quietly prayed for God's favor.

So, we handed our bank registration documents to the "Securidad" guard, along with our passports, and we began our next wait.  There were several ex-pats still in the waiting area chatting amongst themselves, sharing their stories about their attempts to get their visas.  I listened awhile but finally ended up tuning most of it out, having already been through it and knowing that eventually most of them too would prevail and be in the same seat we were now sitting in - waiting for that final stamp in our passports.  I refused to focus on that "wrong spelling" issue, and now my faith had kicked in.

At 3 pm they called Bo's name.  We walked up front and were told by one of the front desk women to please go and pay our $320 each at the "Banco" window, then return to her with our payment receipts.  She then added, "They are now getting your visa stamps in your passports."  WooHoo!  I was happy.  Could this be it?  Would we be walking away with our residency visas, at last?  What could possibly go wrong now?  Bo and I walked over to the "Banco" window and handed over our money.  We got our receipts, walked back to the front desk and were waited on immediately.  The immigration woman asked us to sign a form, and then she handed us our passports STAMPED WITH OUR RESIDENCY VISAS.  YES!  FINALLY!!!  Apparently, the wrong spelling on the registered CD form was overlooked (or missed) and we now had our finalized visa passports! 

We were told to go to the back and begin our Cedula process, but because it was now 3:30 pm, the security guard in the back closed that door on us.  He said they closed at 4 pm, and they already had too many people already waiting for services (all three of them).  I tried persuading him with my Spanish, but he would not crack a smile or show any emotion.  He just said, "No.  Come back tomorrow between 8:30 am and noon."  So we turned around and left.  Applying for our Cedulas can happen any day.  We were just content to walk away with our visa stamped passports, knowing that we now can continue living here indefinitely.

As of today, May 2, 2013, we are able to leave Ecuador for up to 90 days per year (through May 2, 2014).  We have to abide by this visa law for two years, and then we are free to come and go as we please.  We plan to return to the USA to finalize some things there in the near future.  For now, we are going to celebrate this day - always giving God all the glory for His continued favor and victories.  We continue to live here in Cuenca one day at a time, ready for whatever changes present themselves to us.  We've been here 5 months now, and we never know what's around the corner.  Time will tell!

 A FEW PHOTOS OF OUR BLOCK AND DAILY WALK TO OUR WONDERFUL MERCADO

Our "calle" - one block from the mercado!

A grain store along our block!

Delicious Squash pieces, ready for sales.

I have no idea what this vegetable is!  Do you?

Cutting up huge and meaty squash.

This vendor is munching on her lunch, surrounded by her plethora of fresh vegetables.

Some vendors sit and wait while others are busy making their sales.

Avacados are huge, meaty, and sell for 20 to 25 cents each. 

We shop almost daily, find wonderful vendors selling unique and fresh foods (this vendor is cutting Bacalau or Salted Cod Fish), and only have to walk one block to the open market.