What would life be like without experiencing Ecuador?  An opportunity presented itself to travel here for a month long stay.  Thanks to my daughter, Betsy, the international travel bug is firmly engrained and consideration of international living something to ponder.  After several months of planning, resigning my position at Georgia Institute of Technology and attending the International Living Conference in Atlanta, Georgia last weekend, I made my way to Ecuador.

First stop, Cuenca Ecuador!  To be honest, it is difficult to put into words what the last day and a half have been like.    Exhilarating to say the least!  Let’s see…let me ramble…Cuenca is a city of about 580,000 people surrounded by lush green mountains, canopied by beautiful blue skies with lingering cotton candy clouds, mild temperatures with no humidity, and an occasional rain shower.

The people are friendly, helpful, welcoming and notably exchange warm smiles.  Ladies, mothers and daughters, and young girls walk down the sidewalks arm in arm.  Mothers carry their newborn babies swaddled in blankets or in baby slings.  Are you getting the picture…no baby stroller sightings here.  Cuenca is a  clean, walkable city with captivating architecture, cathedrals, museums a plenty, markets, and great food and snacks.  There’s so many sights to see and information to gather over the next few weeks in this city.  Fun and interesting it will be!!!

The last day and a half has flown by.  Yesterday started out with a walk to the city center; about a 10 block walk from where I am staying.  I wandered around the city center park, Parque Calderon , visited the tourist office, had the daily lunch special at the Tia Pepita for $2.30 and explored more of the center city area.  While at lunch I had a conversation with an expat, Sarah.  She informed of a free orchestra event at the Theatre Sucre that evening.   It seemed like Cuenca might live up to it’s reputation of offering free entertainment a plenty.   Eventually I made my way back to the B&B for a brief rest, had dinner at a nice Italian restaurant, Mangiare Benne Restaurant, and then walked back to the city center to attend  the I Temporada 2017 XIV Concierto, directed by invited Enrique Victoria Obando from Peru.  What a nice relaxing way to spend a Friday evening!  I ran into Sarah again and had a brief conversation.  While standing in line waiting for the theatre to open I  met a couple from Anacortes, Washington, Jane and Larry.  We sat together for the concert and continued to visit.  I learned they occasionally stop in for coffee at Penguin Coffee where my niece, Nikki, is employed.  The orchestra was “excelente” and the event standing room only.

Oh, what a day!!!

(Update: I recently learned Jane and Larry stopped by the coffee shop and shared with Nikki that they had met her aunt in Ecuador).

Today included another walk to the city center.  I enjoyed a parade commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Luis Cordero Crespo School and then went on the North Cuenca city tour via VanServices.com by way of a double decker bus.  The tour included a stop at the Homero Ortega Panama Hat Museum.  What a treat!  Reminded me of the days my ex-mother-in-law, Inez, worked for Texas Miller Hats.  My kids, Toby and Betsy, never suffered from want of a western hat. Back at the city center I met expats from Arizona, Bernie and Nancy, who approached me to engage in conversation on the sidewalk, had lunch at another Italian restaurant where I watched a photographer doing a photo shoot with a model.  A group of men from one of the graduating classes that marched in the parade earlier in happened to pass by.  Of course, they wanted their photo taken with the beautiful model.  It seemed the photographer was happy to oblige.  No doubt, these former classmates were enjoying their time together.  Again, I found myself in the midst of a long visit with a Canadian and a Texas expat, Susan and Beverly, before leaving the restaurant.  And, no, I didn’t initiate the conversation with them either.  For those who don’t know me, I have a reputation for initiating conversation with strangers.  With this in mind it is an anomaly for others to approach me.

The afternoon was filled with a South Cuenca city tour that included a drive to the Turi overlooking the city.  While waiting for the tour bus I enjoyed seeing a group of young guys break dancing in a gazebo at the city center park.  Final stop at the city center for the day: a small flower market.

It was interesting to experience Cuenca on a Saturday.  Families and friends were leisurely walking along the sidewalks, having their shoes shined, enjoying a snack, having a quiet sit on a park bench, or taking a city tour along side me.  Certainly not the hustle and bustle of a weekend back in the US, but certainly an active, enjoyable one.  One observation is that people seem to simply enjoy the company of others.

Well, tomorrow is another day…it will be interesting to see what trippin’ experiences it will bring….