Wednesday (Miercoles) we traveled to San Bortolome. Where?, what?, why? you ask. Good question!
As it happens, San Bortolome is home to a world renowned family of luthiers. These folks have been making guitars for several generations. There guitars have been played by many greats not the least of which was Andres Segovia (the god idol of classical guitar.) I have been chomping at the bit to play one of these instruments and possibly eventually own one.
So at 9:00 AM Jackie, our friends Renee and George, I, and our taxi driver Victor left Cuenca heading Northeast. We goofed around some on the way and finally with the assistance of girl waiting for a bus on very quiet mountain highway, we found our way into San Bortolome's el centro plaza. We all exited the cab to stretch and check out the town center. Victor went to speak with some locals congregated under a porch on a corner of the square. We goofed around about ten minutes when Victor returned to inform us that 'the guy in the tan shirt is a relative of the luthiers. He says that their store is across the plaza but it is closed right now. But the factory is two blocks (?) that way.' I say 'cool, we can walk up there.' Victor half smiles and says 'they say two blocks but you never know.'
So we pile in the cab and follow the given directions. Somewhere around three quarters of mile later, including a nice hunk of seventy degree hill, we arrive at the factory. The pictures are included and speak for themselves.
The 'factory' is absurdly small and is basically a covered porch. The luthier was busy at work on instruments called 'charango.' This is a ten stringed, belly backed lute-like instrument that is made with an armadillo shell for the back. Sadly, he had two in progress but none complete. So I was unable to play or hear the instrument. If he had one done, I probably would now own it.
He did have two guitars that I got play. One was a traditional twelve fret classical guitar. The craftsmanship was superb both in appearance and in sound quality. The instrument was incredibly responsive and delicate. Very nice instrument. It was $90.00. The other guitar was also a classical guitar but it had a cutaway to expand the fretboard. Again, this was a very nice instrument. The guitar had a two piece back with a top that jumped when the guitar was played. A truly amazing instrument ($150.00), but just not me. I ask 'do you have more?' He says 'yes, they are in the store in el centro.'
So we pile in the cab (sadly the luthier didn't fit, so he walked) and we head back. The shop had eight stacking chairs, a counter with some papers and shop stuff, and a glass case with two guitars. The case could probably hold eight guitars but didn't.
I need to back up a bit to describe my pre-conception of the factory and store. I have been in a few luthier workspaces and also in their retail shops. The workspaces (factories) were all large, well organized albeit messy environments. These were spaces where the wood was carefully aged, honed, pampered and eventually shaped.
The retail sights were designed to push guitars. They were clean, slick, comfortable spaces featuring several examples of each available model of instrument.
San Bortolome was none of the above. I was quite disappointed until I played the instruments. They were not only beautiful to see, but they were amazing instruments. The el centro store also had a twelve fret classical guitar and a cutaway guitar. I played both and fell in love with the cutaway model to a point that I didn't want to let go of it. Of course I bought it. The price was $250.00.  As we left the shop, the luthier told me that I needed to put good strings on it because the ones that came with the instrument were lousy strings with no quality to them.
Since I brought the guitar home and tuned it to pitch, I cannot believe what an amazing instrument this is. I plan to find strings tomorrow, but right now I believe that this is the finest instrument I have ever owned. And I have owned a lot of instruments. I will record something with it and post pics once I have new strings.
Lovin' Ecuador.

It had to happen eventually. Yep, you guessed it. We had our first Spanish lesson today.
It was quite educational. Speaking another language is so easy in slow motion. That is given enough time to think, remember and formulate sentences and other conversational chunks, I can be a real genius. Sadly interactions occur in real time. And then I don't make it above the developmentally delayed level.
The entire class was done in Spanish and thankfully I only said 'no entiendo' once in an hour and a half (una hora y media.)
Lessons are Tuesday and Thursday (Martes y Jueves.)
It is a spectacular day in Cuenca today. The nicest day since our return. Low 80s, mostly clear skies.
Wow.

 

Jackie really wants this house. So if each of you chip in $47,254.77, maybe we can rent it.

Wuddya say?

 

 

Doctor doctor Mr. MD.
Today we both went to see a local GP here in Cuenca. A friend had seen him recently and highly recommended him. So around 11:15 or so this morning, Jackie dials up his office. He answers the call. He being the doctor in person. Not an electronic maze of pre-recorded voices with multiple choice questions to which you respond by pressing some number only to be rewarded with another electronic question. No, this was the doctor on the line. And, he spoke perfect English, better than me, or I. Whatever.
So Jackie explains that I am supposed to be having my INR (blood viscosity) tested on a regular basis. And haven't. She further explains that she has run out of her prescription medication and has been unable to find the same concoction in Cuenca. 
'Can we make an appointment to come in, maybe next week?'
'Sure, or you could come in today.'
'What time is good?'
'I am here until 1:30 today. Or you can come after 10:00 tomorrow.'
'We will try to come today. Do you need our names?'
'No.'
So we hailed a taxi and set out for the doctor. His office is above a pharmacy (pharmacia). We walked up the stairs and found his office complete with scale, exam table, chairs and diplomas. The doc sat behind a desk but quickly jumped up in front of it when we entered the office
We introduced ourselves and we were invited to sit. Which we did. And we proceeded to explain our situations and respond to his questions. After about a half hour, we left the office. Jackie had the local name of the med she needs (available over the counter at the downstairs pharmacy, or most any other pharmacy.) She also had a box of sample pills to relieve the itch of some bug bites she got. I left with a blood draw referral for my INR testing, and was told that I could get the lab results myself in person or by email, or I could have them forwarded to the doc and he would interpret them and pass the results onto me. Since I need to be tested bi-weekly, I can just go to lab every two weeks. No need for a referral or office call to the doc.
The last item of business prior to departing was 'cuanto?' (how much do we owe you?'
'My fee is $20.00.' replies the doc.
'Is that for both of us or individually?'
'Both of you. I was actually thinking of charging you $10.00 because I really didn't do much for you.'
'That's okay thank you.'
As we leave the office, he is saying 'come back when you are sick, so I can do something.'
Cuenca. Go figure.
Here are some more pics of our neighborhood sidewalks.

Local color. Isn't that what we first notice when ensconced in a new locale? Aren't these the uniquitities that distinguish one destination from another? Local color manifests in; broad oaks, majestic mountains, quaint accents, unique cuisine, on and on and on.
The reality is that local color boils down to those sensory stimuli that strike a chord, form an impression and create a memory for us. No matter where we are or how many times we have been there.
Cuenca is crammed with unique color including; architecture, culture, art, music, cuisine, tradition, history, and physical environment. On that last item, it is interesting to note in Cuenca there are a lot of vehicles on the road. Contrary to your probable first impression, most roads are well maintained. Particularly compared to our hometown digs in the US. The notable exception in Cuenca are the streets of el centro. The downtown are roads are mostly cobble stone. Well maintained and clean beyond any reasonable expectation, but you definitely know where you are without looking when seated in the back of a cab with well used shock absorbers. It can rattle your fillings loose. Local charm. Most other areas of the city are smooth sailing even in older cabs.
Cuenca also has a high volume of pedestrian traffic. Hoooowever,,,the sidewalks do not realize the same level of attention as their concrete counterparts with the stripe down the middle. I suspect that sidewalk maintenance falls to the adjacent property owner rather than the city.
We read several warnings about 'watch where you walk' in the literature we amassed prior to traveling South. Several authors suggested good shoes and open eyes as essentials in exploring Cuenca on foot. We concur.
The sidewalks of el centro are generally perilously narrow and fraught with surprise's like carts, holes, stairs and oncoming pedestrians. They are still well worth traveling. Something we will do more of.
The newer(?) sidewalks outside of el centro are typically but not always, wider. But infinitely more hazardous. Like Disneyland, mountain climbing, Old Bushmill and 90%chocolate, you have to walk these paths to believe them. Another life challenge. Pure fun.
I took some photos all within the first two blocks of our new home. This is turf we travel daily, and new surprises surface almost that frequently. Here goes....

As they say, walk a mile in my shoes.... or your shoes.
Local color.

Yes. That's the answer to that particular question, you have all been waiting to have answered......'can you get American football (the National Football League) games in Ecuador?'
NFL games are quite a big deal amongst the majority of ex pats that I have met thus far. The primary vehicle for transmission of the games is 'The Sunday NFL Ticket.' I have Direct TV and this feature came with the plan that I have ($70.99 per month). The NFL ticket can also be purchased online and delivered over the internet. There are also no doubt, ways to acquire the games that have a much smaller pricetag and larger consequence if discovered. I am not privy to any of these devices.
What NFL Ticket boils down to is broadcasts of the NFL Network. No commercials, just some unbelievably boring music that loops through each commercial break. Tedious, but better than ads for Pizza Hut, The Finger Hut, Nut Hut, and Hut-two-three. Some folks are paying $200.00 for the full season of NFL ticket.
Now all of this is simply a preamble to the real story.
Last night my beloved, and sometimes disappointing, Seattle Seahawks were in Green Bay to tangle on the unfrozen tundra with the Packers. This was a Sunday night prime-time game. And of course it was not covered by the NFL network and thus not available on NFL Sunday Ticket. Woe is me. I finally found the game being broadcast in Spanish..
Now this is an experience for a clown like myself whose Spanish vocabulary includes; 'buenos dias', 'por favor', 'taco', and now 'lunes'. The announcers rattled on, just like a US broadcast and they probably spouted the same cliche , space-filling, silence-killing crap that accompanies all sports broadcasts. 'Oh gee Tank, did you know his mailman's cat was killed in a tragic and unexpected accident last week?' 'It just shows the level of his professional commitment that he is out giving his all to the game he loves, earning seven hundred fifty five thousand dollars, after such a tragedy.' I can't say.They may have been rattling off very relevant and insightful data. My Spanish sucks so I remain in the dark where I have spent a good portion of my life to date..
One thing that I can tell you definitively though, is this (es esta). Spanish television commercials for goods, services and upcoming productions are just as boring when repeated ad nausea, as their US counterparts. Even though I rarely had much of a clue as to what was being hocked.
Oh well.

We have now been in Cuenca slightly more than a month. We are settling into our new apartment, city, country and life. Our Spanish improves daily and the Cuencans are very understanding and helpful in our ongoing struggle to communicate. I had an interesting conversation with our building administrator on Friday. Her English is possibly worse than my Espaniol. So we actually communicated with maximum mutual effort and patience, and resolved the issue at hand to both our satisfaction. In parting, she was attempting to impart one final point. Her statement hinged on the word 'lunes.' I knew that this was a word that I had studied and encountered prior. As I wracked my brain to affix a translation to the word, she patiently rephrased her statement and continued to surround 'lunes' with other Spanish that meant nothing to me. Finally I said 'lunes' and stood to leave, at which point a large smile swept over her face (oh boy this dope finally go it) and she also stands, repeating 'lunes' as I leave her office. I rush back to our apartment and look up 'lunes' to find the translation 'Monday.' Duh, I knew that....no I didn't.....I knew it once.
One of the interesting challenges of trying to assimilate into a new culture. Makes life interesting and keeps me on my ballerina toes.
We are increasingly more comfortable traveling about the city as we learn more and more landmarks. The streets in Cuenca largely follow the flow of the rivers, so they are anything but straight, sqare and gridlike in their organization(?). The streets are also named for historical figures and events (Tres Novembres, Presidente Manuel Cordova )which further heightens gringo confusion. Keeps it interesting.
Don't try ex-patting if you are developing dementia.

Jackie got to redo her fingerprints this morning because the FBI rejected her first attempt. We lunched Wednesday with a lady who also failed on her first attempt at fingerprinting. She was told by an FBI employee that it is fairly common with 'older' women to have difficulty being printed. She recommended a solution that enhances the swirls and ridge lines on your fingers. Our lunch companion used the solution and was successfully fingerprinted. Hopefully J's prints are readable this time, as this is a crucial component in acquiring visas and cedulas in Ecuador.
Fingerprinting seems to be a bit different in reality than it appears on CSI Elbe. And I always believed that show was so realistic, fact-based and educational.
Most times we have returned to our building after a big shopping adventure, we are met at the door by one of the building staff with a cart. They will not only transfer the shopping from the taxi to the cart, but they bring the cart to our unit and unload it where we request. Makes us feel special. One time the security guard saw me wrestling a large box of pans, and offered to take it for me. Maybe I just look incompetent?
The building also has housekeepers who clean every public surface (floors, elevators, pool and sauna, rooftop terrace) daily. This includes mopping. We have taken to eating off the hallway floors. Quite sanitary.

This is the Supermaxi where everyone shops. They have a lot of our money so far. The two machines by the entrance are ATMs. They dispense your withdrawals in fives, tens and twenties (mostly tens) no matter the amount you request.

 

We got to talking with some folks who live in our building and discovered the roof. The roof of our building is covered with ceramic tiles. It is rimmed with beds of flowers and bushes, and there are lounge chairs , picnic tables and some lamps. The view is amazing. Tough life this.

 

These videos will give you some idea of our area and the surrounding beauty. You have to admire my cinematography skills. Hard to believe that I have no training in this field. Just raw, natural talent. Oh to be me.

The first thing to do when you arrive in Cuenca is to make reservations for yourself(s) at Joes' Secret Garden. Joes' is owned and operated by Joe and Josef. They have a huge (probably 4,000+ square feet) house where they live upstairs and the bottom floor, other than a kitchen and small bar area, is filled with tables (white tablecloths, linen napkins), and chairs. Full it seats around 120. The backyard is also quite large and houses a large, covered outdoor kitchen.
Every Saturday night the doors open at 5:00 to those with reservations, for a social hour. Ninety minutes actually because dinner is served at 6:30 or 6:45. The menu is different each week. This week was superb fried chicken, cole slaw (also quite excellent), mashed potatoes (very yummy) and cream gravy (wow good), and delicious biscuits. Oh, did I mention this is all-you-can-eat. Nattily uniformed and quite attentive wait staff keep the food, agua and alcohol flowing to your table. Guests are assigned to specific tables.
But I digress, the menu was completed with an absolutely decadent chocolate pudding cake, served hot with coffee.
In case I didn't mention, this meal was grand. Most of the diners are ex pats and it is a wonderful opportunity to meet folks and hears their stories and experiences. We found ourselves talking to a couple from California, and as we discussed baking challenges etc.,another friend joined the conversation and said 'oh these are the people I was telling you about who just moved into your building'. Turns out they live on the floor below us. Small world somedays.
Back to the meal. We got stuffed. It was so good we didn't want to stop eating. We had six glasses of a very good, dry vino blanco. And we gorged on food. Total bill $39.00. You read it right $39.00.
Tough life this.

No. We haven't been abducted by rebel militia and spirited away to their mountain retreat while our friends and relative raise $37.18 to ensure our safe return. We have in fact been quite busy stocking, cleaning, decorating and living in our newest Shangri-La. We promise to post a vid or pics. Can't say when though. If you want an up-close and personal tour of the digs, ping us on Skype and we will give you the nickel tour.
So, back to the story....
We booked our expedition to Cuenca, Ecuador to debunk all the hype. Bear in mind, shortest route and money saved were high priority items.
At the assigned hour, two hours prior to flight time and never a convenient hour of the day, we arrived at the curbside check-in to begin the first leg of our flight. Seattle-Tacoma international to LAX with a brief layover to accommodate our transfer to another airline for leg two of the flight. No prob, right? people do it everyday.
If you have never been to LAX, consider yourself very fortunate. The way most travelers change concourses and airlines, is by standing in poorly signed lines awaiting busses that tour different areas of the airport acquiring and depositing passengers. We found our line for the bus (which at least was free, the first free thing we had encountered that day other than the abundant opportunities to wait in line and otherwise waste time).  The ride was interesting (that is a massive complex) and we were spit out at the proper terminal and actually made our flight, LAX to Miami. This was the longest leg of the flight and we got to enjoy it in 'the cheap seats'. I don't fly often but I swear the economy section gets more cramped each time. I have heard that the newest passenger airplanes are featuring a super-economy section where passengers will be shrink-wrapped and stacked in piles in the very back of the plane.
Oh and another of my favorite parts of a flight. The plane lands, the attendant announces 'welcome to blah blah, please remain seated until the aircraft has come a complete stop and the doors have been opened'. Thirty seconds later the plane is still taxiing to the terminal and every blockhead, dope, Cretan  and knucklef### is out of their seat, in the aisle, digging out their overhead bags, and clogging the aisle for no good reason. They aren't going anywhere unless someone in a more forward position in the planes decides to relent their position to this chump who can't wait to deplane so he can stand in line again to retrieve his checked bags. Herd mentality I suppose. If you happen to be one of these types, STOP IT!.
Anyway, we made it to Miami. It was a long and uncomfortable trip. No fault of the airline really. I just have a body type that is not compatible with economy class.
More another time.