May 22, 2010

See…this is what happens when one listens to the “expert” weather reports!

And yes...I did it “again”…I listened to the “experts”! I am really mad…and you better believe it !!!

So what am I upset about…well in short the “very pleasant weather” that we were “not” going to have! What the geniuses that report our weather forecasts said was that…

Cuenca has a 90 percent probability of rain all day. 

So Senor Barry…like a fool listened to “El Hombre Tiempo” (the weather man) and planned to stay indoors for what turned out to be…you guessed it…no reason what-so-ever! As in…no rain!

OK…now that’s off my chest! At least I feel a bit better in sharing that tid-bit of information.

So…this being Saturday and as I had no plans anyway (see above)…at least I did some computer stuff that needed tending too. Being indoors also gave me the opportunity to…well…just doing stuff like housework (yuck) and a bit of reading. Anyway at this hour (it’s about 3 pm) and it is cloudy so…

maybe it will rain after all (sort of cheer me up).J

I guess I will just chill once again. I know…not exciting or for that matter not even worth mentioning. However…life isn’t always that exciting…wherever one may call home.

Tomorrow…even though it’ll be Sunday (as in Cuenca being a “ghost” town day)…I will make my almost daily sojourn into town for a nice desayuno sabroso (tasty breakfast).

Manana Me Amigos…

May 23, 2010

I’m ba-ack J …and after Saturday’s debacle re: listening to “The Weatherman” it is now Sunday (imagine that).

Anyway…once again our illustrious weather forecasters are…you guessed it…

calling for another day of heavy rain (you know the kind we had yesterday LOL). 

This time however…I did what the weather forecasters deem as” unacceptable behavior” and actually looked out yon’ window. You’ll never in a million years guess what I saw. 

Yep…Can you say “SUNSHINE” J J

Now…with this knowledge and the steadfast decision of not spending another day cooped up in my apartment I got ready to venture outdoors. There was only one tiny…tiny problem. That being this is Sunday…as in Cuenca’s…yeah you kmow J… Ghost-town!

BUT!!! Ye’ know what? I could care less!

One thing I had loosely planned on was another trip by taxi to Mall de Rio.

Why…you may ask? Well…first of all it gave me an opportunity to be around people and also being around people…well it lends an opportunity to meet someone. Maybe someone of the opposite sex.

As luck would have it…eh eh…no such luck! L

Anyway the other reason for my shopping jaunt was to procure an electric griddle…as in making pancakes etc…and also to pick up a toaster-oven. These are two sorely needed items in my kitchen. Well I did get the griddle but decided to wait on the toaster-oven… as what I liked was “wayyy over the top” cost-wise. Sometime this week Gustavo (my landlord) is taking me to look and hopefully by a ”three-in-one printer”. While at that store maybe I can find…my illusive toaster-oven. Now isn’t this “hold on to your seat” news-worthiness? J  J

Upon returning to my abode…I got myself ready for a stroll into town. And being that it was already after 1 pm I decided on having a coffee and oh…I don’t know…maybe with something that I really shouldn’t have…on the side. 

Ahhh…but first I had to figure out where I might brighten J someone’s restaurante!

Keeping in mind my “limited” choices (it’s SUNDAY)…and also wanting to feel a bit of “Ameriacana”…I chose The Kookaburra Café. Yeah I know they’re from “down under” but hey…almost like the U.S.of A.

Anyway after trekking from the northern end of town all the way to the southern end...I finally arrived. In perusing the menu and not really being hungry…I decided to stick with my original plan on getting a large cuppa java and…yep now the hard part.

Kookaburra has some really good things on their menu and then they “unveiled” the “specials of the day” board. Sure…make it a “harder choice” J

To make this a shorter story…I chose the Chicken Tamale. Now I’ve been in Cuenca a bit over a month and have not had a Tamale…so I wasn’t quite sure as to what to expect. But having no fear J…I was pleasantly surprised when the Tamale was presented to me.

El Tamale…was made up of small pieces of chicken over mashed potatoes and a few other items (veggies?) and all wrapped-up in a leaf. On the side of course was a spice mixture. A very simple…yet very nice presentation…and all for a buck and half…plus the coffee of course! All-in-all…a very nice afternoon snack and well worth the “hike”!

This…topped of with my walk (both ways of about 4 miles) and being home once again…I will continue my Ecuadorian adventure very soon.

Hasta Luego me amigos (see you soon my friends) ..ciao J

24 de Mayo, 2010

PREFACE: 

Originally…I was not going to commit the following to my blog as it was meant more of a “personal diary input” exercise. However after reading it many times I decided to share what I am presently mentally and physically experiencing.

FYI…We have had beautiful weather despite what the weatherman had forecast.

Even with that…I really haven’t done much the last coupler of days…but I did do some walking into town, Just the normal everyday kind of stuff.

Life howver…does get boring…especially around week-ends.

Even though my apartment is comfortable and a good size with good amenities all for an affordable monthly cost…and the landlords are really nice and friendly…in the back of my mind (well not really that far back) is the question...what if. Like “what if”… I lived closer and or nearer to the heart of Cuenca.????? Would it make that much of a difference in my everyday coming and goings, Would I interact more with locals and or expats? And of course the possibility of meeting more people than I do now…as I would be in town and just maybe do more things in the evening. Gotta wonder?

Considering that I arrived in Ecuador (Quito) on 19 Abril (April) 2010…well that makes it just about 5 weeks that I’m in country  Maybe I’m reading too much into what I’m guessing is somewhat of a slight depression period. Maybe this is normal. I don’t really know. On the other hand I’m not letting it get to me…just putting my inner feeling into written form!

Realizing that when you really look at ones own life…and let’s not forget being retired…well there’s a lot of time on ones hands. Yes…I go to Spanish language school two times per week…each time for 1 hour. That helps a lot…as I’m out and doing things even if it’s just walking around and exploring a bit. Unfortunately even that tends to get stale.

If only I could share at least some of my time with someone of the opposite sex! See I’m the type of guy that needs a woman to share and enjoy life with. I don’t know how much sense that makes…but that’s me !  However...meeting someone here in Ecuador of any consequence is appearing to be a real problem. I keep saying time will tell…maybe it will…’cause I’m at a loss as of this moment!

Also in the back of my mind is maybe…returning to Thailand??? 

But then on the other hand I think back to why I left Thailand in the first place. My divorce from Aor was the  catalyst that pushed me to decide to leave LOS (Land of Smiles)...while telling myself the change would be a good thing. Maybe it still is. Again...I don’t know! I do realize that if I returned to Thailand that the cost involved would be a major problem…as would the ability to show the required funds enabling me to stay in country. So I guess the overall saying “that you can’t go home again” is true after all!

The fact of the matter is that…I like Cuanca and it’s people. I just wish there were more single people who are more receptive to doing things in a group…as I have already suggested via The Expat-Forum on-line…with by the way…no response what-so-ever!

So…I’m glad I got all this off my chest. It didn’t solve anything but hopefully it’ll help my outlook in general.

…and manana is another day…and I get to interact with people at Carolinas Bookstore and my Espanol Class J

25 de Mayo,  2010

Up and out a bit earlier than the usual time…and also with a better outlook! This enabled me to not rush…but to enjoy my walk to Espanol Class.

After arriving at Carolinas Bookstore (Espanol lessons)…I was pleased to find out that my class had expanded to 3 personas. This happens to be a good thing as my class cost has now dropped to $2.66 per hora (much better than my original $8 per hora). Also a hird person ads to the overall enjoyment…not to mention “input”. All of this…of course… helps in the learning process.

Anyway...as I mentioned in one of my earlier rants…I affectionately call the bookshop “Information Central” for obvious reasons. This morning however…while talking with Lee (owner) …well I put “Information Central” name to a test.

If you read yesterdays “RANT” (notice that was capitalized)…you probably realize as I do…that I need some stimulation and/or change. This brings me back to talking with Lee. I figure one way to ease my  dilemma is to take at the very least…what is commonly called a “Day Tour”…as in leaving Cuenca and absorbing some of the country-side.

Being the co-captain of the good ship Carolina Bookstore…Lee came to my rescue. Without even thinking…he came up with not only the name of a Tour Agency in Cuenca…but also the name of a woman in the agencies employ that speaks English very well.

Now being armed with the name and location of the agency...off I went!

Un (one) problemo. It was now about 12:45 and Lee had warned me that they close for lunch until about 3 pm (remember…South America). With this in mind I decided to kill “two birds with one stone” and headed towards the same restaurant as last week (the Almuerzo (lunch) for $1.75).  Of course they had a different menu for today…but the quality…taste and service was just as good. 

This…me amigo’s can become a habit J

Now…please understand I’ve never been one to dawdle when it comes to eating. Oh…I’ve tried and tried…many many times in my life…to take my time and enjoy the moment and the food. However…some unknown force takes over and before I know it…I’ve finished the meal. Now please don’t get the wrong impression. No…I don’t “wolf down” the food…but nor do I take the time that I should to enjoy the food.

Anyway…got of the track a bit. Sorry about that.

After that satisfying Almuerzo…I was off to El Parque Calderone to enjoy the beautiful day…do some people watching and then finally to go talk with the tour people. Now by this time it was all of a little past one o’clock. Still way to early to even think about going to the “Tour Agency. At this point…and looking at sitting around for two more hours…I decided yon’ tour agency could wait another day. Next time…probably Thursday (my next class day)…I will attempt to meet the tour person prior to going to class. In other words… in the morning. J

Anyway after this astonishing decision…I decided that being tn town was lending nothing more to my day…and as the afternoon clouds were doing a bit of threatening…it was once again time to head on home. As had happened in the recent past…again (and I have to reign these temptations) I was lulled into a Panaderia (bakery)…where I obtained two small rolls (OK…OK…average size rolls…I swear) J

So me amigo’s that…by the way…was my day.  Incidentally it is now late afternoon.

So…what to do now? 

I know…time for me to do a bit of proof reading of these last few pages and then commit them to my Blog…for your perusing and hopefully....

your enjoyment!

Cioa for Now J