THE COUP OF THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER. AKA WHAT I HEARD VS. WHAT I SAW

HEARD: National and municipal police on strike!! Chaos in the streets.

SAW: That seems to be true. I broke every traffic law known to man on my moto this morning. I (and everyone else) got away with it. Uh, really can't see anything new here - with or without police presence.

HEARD: Big uprising going on in Parque Calderon (this is the main park or plaza in old town.) Dangerous. Stay away. They are rioting and burning tires.

SAW: Yeah, I went down there to catch the action. Yawn. About 50 people doing some kind of half-hearted rally thing with chanting in Spanish. Maybe another 200 watching. I would be #201. All in one corner of the park. Apathy seemed to reign supreme. The rest of the square was completely tranquil. Street vendors were at work as were the street sweepers. Didn't seem violent or scary. Maybe about the same amount of littering as usual.

HEARD: There will be marches and demonstrations in the downtown streets.

SAW: A couple of sparsely constructed groups walking with babies and old people. It could have been mistaken for a church parish parade.

HEARD: SuperMaxi (the local upscale supermarket) had to close due to __________. You gotta fill in the blanks here yourself as the story was different every time I heard it.

SAW: Yeah, I went to SuperMaxi against Brennie's protest but we had no food in the house. It was open. Quiet. Calm. Did some shopping and came home. PRIMARY CAUSE FOR CONCERN ? They were out of JIF Peanut Butter. But then they were last week too. In all fairness, there are 3 SuperMaxie's in town so maybe one of the other 3 were (looted, stripped bare, whatever). Of course this happens in Kansas grocery stores every time there's a tornado warning or ice storm prediction.

HEARD: Stores are closing. Safety concern.

SAW: Yeah, it seems that half or more of the downtown stores are closed but, then, that also happens when there's a big soccer game on TV.

HEARD: Bank robbery in Guayaquil.

SAW: Well I actually didn't see anything as I am in Cuenca. But, yeah a bank robbery in Guayaquil. So what? Guayaquil has a reputation for a high crime rate because it's a port city. That's why we live in Cuenca.

HEARD: Firebombs and gunshots in Quito/Cuenca.

SAW: Must be using those new smokeless firebombs. We have a pretty good view off the old balcony. Beautiful day with no smoke or fire sirens. However, we did hear the usual backfiring of old cars which sound alot like gunshots if you use a little imagination.

HEARD: Student riots at the university

SAW: Drove by there on my moto. Musta been one of them passive-resistance kind of riots. You know, the kind led by Ghandi or Mother Theresa.

HEARD: IT'S A COUP!!!

SAW: Standard operating procedure when Ecuadorian elections draw near. It's a cultural thing. They do coups. The U.S. uses hanging chads.

HEARD: Thugs roaming the streets.

SAW: Myself in the mirror.

AT PARQUE CALDERON:

Standing on the bandstand.

Facing east.

Standing on the bandstand.

Facing south.

Another shot of the park during the ruckus.

ALSO AT PARQUE CALDERON:

Some businesses were closed.......

....And some were open.

This is Tutto Freddos (above and below).

I went in and got a Tres Leches Cake to go (for the Brennie).

FLOWER MARKET:

Seemed open so I got Brennie some flowers.

MERCADO:

Closed.

STREET VENDORS:

Never close down.

I got strawberries, tangerines and avocados.

Basically another day of peace.

Hope tomorrow is the same.

Clarke

THIS AND THAT

AVOCADOS (aguacate):

3 or 4 for $1 at the mercado. Usually eat one a day (2 today) either as part of a meal or a snack or whatever. That makes the avo budget approx $2/week. Have yet to find something they don't go with. (Hey English teachers .....am I allowed to end a sentence with 'with'? Ooopsie, did it again.) The avos are fabulous here. After 26 years of avos in Minnesota or Kansas, these are a real treat. FYI .... for those who have not had the pleasure of MN or KS avos ...... well, I always wondered if they were transported to the midwest: 1) via potato gun relays, or 2) dribbled cross country.

CIGARS:

Brennie is reading in bed. I wish she would fall asleep so that I can fire up a big stinky here inside.

MOTO UPDATE:

What a gas. I love this little Yamaha for around town. I mentioned in a previous post about the 'wild west' mentality regarding traffic regulations. The beautiful thing about that is that it does make for really fun in-town riding. However it is time to get a moto with more muscle for trips out of town. I took a trip out of town today and really wanted more ooomph so that I can more aggressively flaunt traffic regulations. I am also thinking that it may be time to get a license plate for the bike and possibly even a driver's license for me. BUT, I DO wear a helmet.

My doctor rides a moto. He rides a model that I have been interested in trying and possibly buying. So we talked motos on our last visit. Brennie mentioned something about riding motos with a man that has touched my little fellar. I am thinking that riding motos and having a physical are pretty separate concepts.

INTERNET ACCESS:

I got really tired of the piss poor internet service we had. Will and Val said they liked theirs so I went and talked with their provider. First thing I told them is that I taught computer networking for 8 years and probably knew more than any of them ....... turns out to be true. Anyway the guys come to install it and every time we test it, I tell them that it is not okay yet .... and I tell them why (packet loss, jitter, etc). Anyway, four hours later: 2 wireless receivers (antenna) later, and after countless calls to supervisors first here in Cuenca and then in Quito ...... yeah, a kick ass connection.

BRIDGE:

I have always wanted to learn how to play bridge. In the process of learning. A challenge.

HOUSEKEEPER:

Yup. We have a housekeeper now. Every Thursday, 8:00 - 5:00. Name is Monica. We love her. She is just a sweet heart. It would be impossible not to love her. A fabulous laugh, a sunny disposition. Plus ..... she cleans the place. Perfect.

I LOVE RETIREMENT IN CUENCA

Clarke

PS: Brennie is still awake, so I will have to go out and read on the balcony and have my stogie. Oh gee, life is tough.

MEDICAL STUFF, HUMIDOR TIDBITS & NOT-MILK

MEDICAL EXPENSES:

We got our new doctor the other day and went in for our first visit.

His specialty is G-e-r-o-n-t-o-l-o-g-y. GERONTOLOGIST? Are you kidding me? Aren't those the guys that specialize in wrinkled people that smell kinda funny??

Anyway, had some tests done as a result of the visit:

- Cardiologist and EKG for me. For some reason, for the last 20 years, every time I have gotten a new doc, about 5 minutes into the exam, they go to the phone and make an appointment with a cardiologist for later the same day. Go figure. Anyway, cardiologist and EKG ...... $40.

- Biggo bloodo testos (I think that is how you say it in el spanisho): Mine - $80, Brennie's - $70. I got one in Kansas last May. It was $800 for the same test. I know that because my fine health insurance allowed me the honor of paying for it myself.

- Bone density scan for the Brennie ..... $35

- Follow up comment .......... had an 'issue' Friday night that required a late night call to our new doc. He arranged for me to pick up a scrip at the emergency room and called us at home the next day to follow up. Yeah, for those of you still in the US...... he called us at home yesterday to be sure all was ok. Unbelievable! In case this was not clear. Our new doc called us on Saturday, at home, to make sure that all was ok!

HUMIDOR:

It is impossible to buy a humidor here. (Maybe not 'impossible', but I couldn't find one.) My little buddy Randy (Kimbler) was in the same boat ..... needed but could not find a humidor.

So we met with Pepe.

Gave him details of what we needed.

As usual, '2 weeks' means some other time frame.

But well worth it.

(Yep, having a small problemo with font color here.)

These are pics of Randy's, but they are

virtually identical and I am a terrible photographer.

DISTURBING :

Yeah, Randy and I bought pretty much identical moto's too. Like I said ....disturbing.

NOT-MILK:

Not really sure what it is.

But ..... NOT milk.

Life is Sweet,

Clarke

Moto, Moto, Motos

Went for a ride through the hills and to Tarqui with my little buddies Randy and Chuck the other day.

Chuck, being the least experienced was duly elected both President and Road Captain.

Randy whined a lot about not having gloves. I had a pair with me so I let him look at them.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so .....

Mine is the pretty red one.

A FINAL WORD .... ABOUT TRAFFIC LAWS, STOP SIGNS, LANES IN THE ROAD, MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM SPEEDS OR BASICALLY ANY TYPE OF TRAFFIC REGULATION:

I can't think of the exact word. "Meaningless" comes close as does "nonexistent". Traffic regulation is a joke here. There seems to be a basic rule governing all traffic, whether it be pedestrian, motos (motorcycle), car, bicycle, cabs, trucks or busses. That rule would be not to allow yourself to get hit by anything bigger than you.

Most vehicles DO follow the "one way" signs.

Pedestrian crosswalks are simply a kill zone. The paint on the road makes it easier to wash the blood off the pavement.

Bicycles and motos routinely weave their way through traffic jams and through traffic stopped at a light ...... it is expected and kind of fun. I have only seen a couple motorcycles jump up on the sidewalk to avoid a traffic snarl. Now THAT has to be illegal!

Stop signs are routinely run. If you go through an intersection taking it for granted that the cross traffic will stop, you are delusional. When I was on my bike (bicycle) the other day and approaching an intersection, two cars, coming from the left, ran the stop sign at full speed. If I hadn't had the brake levers covered with my hands, well ..... "messy" is a nice way to put it.

Clarke

The "Kids" First Visit

YE GADS!

THE KIDS CAME TO VISIT FOR 10 DAYS!

10 DAYS!

5 KIDS!

Well, Cait and Alex came to visit for 10 days. their friends Kodie, Jeaneal and Brady came too. So we had 5 "kids" age 21 - 26 herre with us ........ helping us feel young / old.

How does one blog about 10 days of activities ......... especially when you think blog entries should be realatively short? A list of course.

THINGS WE DID (random order).

- Zip lines (called 'canopy') as you are going over the trees and ravines...very cool!

- Eating out

- Mercado .... multiple times

- Local craft markets

- Eating out

- Bus tour of Cuenca

- Riding busses almost everywhere

- Walking everywhere else

- No cabs (7 people)

- Massages (girls only)

- Pedicures (girls again)

- Restaurant meals ....way too many of these

- Playing cards at night

- Cooking classes

- Eating out

- Ahlmuerzo (that is NOT spelled right)

- Salsa lessons

- Dental appointments ($20 to get your teeth cleaned)

- Local craft markets

- Did I mention eating out? Holy Sh*t! 7 people each meal!

- Lots of walking around .... which in Cuenca means s-t-a-i-r-s

- Back to the craft markets repeatedly

- More shopping (Brenda plus 3 girls. Duh.)

- One of the lads (Alex) kept on asking about pr*st*t*t*s. Sorry son.

- I don't know many times they went to Tutto Freddos. (Ice cream and assorted desserty type stuff)

THINGS WE DID NOT DO (random again):

- Museums

- Art galleries

- Churches

- Anything remotely cultural or educational.

- Getting matching tats

THEY DID NOT SLEEP OR SHOWER AT OUR PLACE. We rented rooms (with private baths) for them at La Cigale Hostal. (FYI ... hostle, hostel, hostal. Apparently you can spell it any way you like.) 5 people 9 nights ...... you do the math. La Cigale was less than 50 yards from our apartment. But, we had a measure of peace at night.

HOW TO GET 5 KIDS TO AND FROM GUAYAQUIL AIRPORT:

Bear in mind that the flight in arrives at 11 PM and the one out leaves at 6 AM. On the surface, it would look like you are going to require hotel rooms for 2 nights in Guayaquil. Nope, not so. Private van will pick up at airport and drive directly to Cuenca (3 1/2 - 4 hours) over the Cajas at night. Ride back .... same thing. Pick up at our place at midnight and deliver to airport.

A WORD ABOUT ZIP LINES ...... AKA CUENCA CANOPY:

Bitchin'. Totally bitchin'.

"SO GLAD YOU CAME TO VISIT.

SO GLAD YOU WENT BACK HOME."

FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF PICS, CLICK HERE.

FOR A FEW MORE PICS, CLICK HERE.

Clarke