Chuck's Birthday

Dear Family and Friends,

On Monday morning we waved good-by to our friends, Robin and Jim Morris, as they headed off for an adventure in the Galapagos Islands.

Chuck's birthday was on Monday so we celebrated it - just the two of us. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at a local restaurant. I gave Chuck a Spanish/English phrase book that I bought at a local bookstore that specializes in English books.

This has been a quiet week for us since all our guests are away. It has given me time to reflect. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to believe we are living in South America. The weather here is incredible. Not too hot and not too cold. The fact that we are high in the Andes counters the fact that we are so close to the equator. Houses in Cuenca do not have heating systems or air conditioning. The apartment we are renting, which is fairly new, does not have either. We either open the windows or shut them. That is all we need. A light breeze blows through our apartment most of the time.

It seems to rain some every day. Usually it is sunny or partly cloudy in the mornings and in the afternoon the clouds tend to build up over the Caja mountains and most days we get anywhere from a few drops of rain to a nice shower. The rains only last about an hour at most.

I am looking out the window at this moment and the sun is shinning and it is raining. Pretty awesome.

We decided not to buy or rent a car during our stay here. We live within walking distance of the city center. We tend to take the local buses or a taxi for transportation. I like riding the buses. The cost for me is 25 cents. The cost for Chuck is 12 cents since he is considered "old." I love watching the indigenous women get on the bus with their colorful dress and baskets full of vegetables, flowers or whatever they are taking to sell at the market. Since most people that look like Chuck or myself do not choose to ride the public bus, I know we provide as much entertainment for the regular riders as they do for us.

In this blog I am sharing a picture of the spires of Cuenca.



Our days are filled with wonder and excitement as we continue to make new friends and learn more about this wonderful corner of the world.

Our love,
Nancy and Chuck